USA TODAY high school sportsFriday Night Notes is a weekly roundup of high school recruiting that looks at the latest news from around the country – from the class of 2023 to ’24 and beyond.
National Signing Day is coming up on Wednesday, February 1st – a major landmark for 2023 recruits to sign with intended schools.
That said, there are some big names we’ll be watching over the next few days to see where they land. Here are the top five remaining unsigned players in this recruiting cycle and where they could end up.
Archbishop Carroll (DC) Athlete Nicholls Harbor
The top player still undecided is Harbor, who might be the most versatile prospect in the entire class. Harbor (6-foot-5, 225 pounds) plays edge and wide receiver as well as kick return. He is a hot candidate with 42 offers generally. Maryland, Michigan, Oregon and South Carolina are in the lead to get him to sign.
Pinnacle (Arizona) Tight end Duce Robinson
Robinson (6-foot-6, 225 pounds) is the No. 1 tight end in the country and occupies 17th place in the ranking. 28 teams have made an offer to Robinson. His last official visit was to Texas and Oregon, but right now Georgia looks like a clear favorite.
Pittsburgh (Calif.) Quarterback Jayden Rashada
After flipping from Miami to Florida and then being released from his letter of intent, Rashada (6-foot-4, 175 pounds) is the biggest wild card left in the deck. He’s ranked No. 7 among quarterbacks in his class and is drawing plenty of attention — including from several new schools. According to On3TCU, Arizona State, Washington, California, South Carolina, Utah and Nebraska are now also in the mix for Rashada.
Junipero Serra (Calif.) Cornerback Rodrick Pleasant
Pleasant (5-foot-11, 180 pounds) is one of the top 10 cornerbacks in his class and is ranked No. 7 overall in California. 30 programs have extended offers to Pleasant, with Boston College, California, Oregon, UCLA and USC leading the way, according to 247Sports.
Folsom (California) Tight end Walker Lions
Lyons (6-foot-4, 230 pounds) is the fifth-best tight end in the 2023 class, according to the composite rankings. There are suggestions from 33 schools; Georgia, BYU, USC, Utah and Stanford are considered to be in the running.
247 Sports
While we wait for these stars to make their decisions, the recruiting process continues. Here are all the latest notable football engagements, for On3.
Dunbar (Fla.) WR Tawaski Abrams: Florida State (2024)
Abrams (5-foot-11, 175 pounds) chose Florida State over 20 other suggestions, including Coach Prime in Colorado. A four-star recruit, he is ranked No. 44 among wide receivers and No. 46 overall in the state of Florida.
Kenwood Academy (Ill.) LB K’Vion Thunderwood: Arizona State (2023)
A three-star prospect from Chicago, Thunderwood (6-foot-1, 215 pounds) had offers from 19 other schools, including Auburn, Michigan State and Iowa. He is ranked number 77 in his position and #19 in the state.
Northwestern (SC) WR Elijah Caldwell: South Carolina (2023)
It was a busy week for the Gamecocks, who also landed commitments from top-ranked ’24 OT Kam Pringle and four-star TE Michael Smith. Caldwell (6-foot-0, 190 pounds) has 22 commitments for the South Carolina Class of 2023which ranks 19th in the country.
Taylor County (Kent.) BY Hayes Johnson: Kentucky (2024)
Kentucky kept No. 1 player in the state getting the commitment of Johnson (6-foot-5, 295 pounds). He is the fifth addition in the Wildcats’ 2024 recruiting class and the highest ranked so far.
Ruston (La.) EDGE Ahmad Breaux: Duke (2024)
The Blue Devils also picked up their fifth commitment of the ’24 cycle in Brough (6-foot-3, 240 pounds). He is ranked No. 38 at his position and No. 11 overall in Louisiana. Six other schools made offers, including Ole Miss.
Connected
Blair Angulo, 247 Sports
As young prospects try to make a name for themselves, it never hurts to share it with a Pro Football Hall of Famer—just ask Arch Manning.
That’s certainly the case with Kennedy Urlacher, son of former Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher. In his prime, Urlacher played the position as well as anyone not named Ray Lewis, earning eight Pro Bowl nominations, making four All-Pro teams and once won Defensive Player of the Year. However, his son will try to work his way into another position.
Kennedy plays safety for Chandler (Ariz.) and has been a hot commodity on the recruiting trail lately, receiving offers from Wisconsin and Notre Dame alone this week. In everything, he has 14 offers so far, including Arizona and Arizona State. He is ranked No. 20 in the state and No. 62 at his position.