The busiest month of the offseason in recruiting is wrapping up, and Rivals national recruiting analyst Greg Smith breaks down the latest from the Midwest.
MORE: National rumor mill
Miller (6-3, 190) is one of the top wideouts in the Midwest. The St. Louis (Mo.) Cardinal Ritter standout was at Kentucky last weekend.
“The coaches kept everything real,” Miller said. “The visit didn’t feel rushed and I felt like I got the full experience of everything. The whole coaching staff and players made me feel like family.“
Miller liked the pitch from the coaching staff that he could be used all over the field. But it’s the family feeling that kept coming up for Miller. He felt very comfortable with the other recruits and players.
“They made me feel like family,” Miller said. “I spent time with Jamori Maclin and Barion Brown. Had real good conversation about relationships with coaches and life off the field.”
Miller is aiming to make his college decicision at the start of his senior season.
*****
Simms (6-4, 195) concluded his official visits with a trip to Missouri. The Tigers have long been viewed as the favorite in this recruitment. It was another good weekend in Columbia for the playmaker.
“It was fun,” Simms said. “I got to see the town a lot more than I have.”
A June 30 commitment looms for Simms. It would be surprising if he doesn’t pick Missouri but USC could be an interesting darkhorse.
*****
The Columbus (Ohio) Bishop Hartley linebacker took an official visit to Pitt last weekend. The uber-productive linebacker says the visit couldn’t have been better.
“It was great man,” he said. “What stood out was the connection with the coaches.”
A July 1 decision is coming quickly for Cook. After the latest visit the Panthers might be tough to beat.
*****
The Ohio three-star wide receiver committed to Kentucky on Saturday after a midweek official visit to the program. Things got interesting over the weekend when Ohio State came to the table with an offer.
Bowman says that he’s, “100% locked in” with Kentucky after the offer. Still, this is college football recruiting. We’ll be keeping an eye on this situation as we move into the season.
*****
The in-state prospect from Macomb (Mich.) Dakota High School was on an official visit at Michigan State last weekend. The lineman (6-8, 295) was impressed with what he saw.
“The visit was great,” Bell said. “What stood out to me was how good the players got along and when I showed up everyone welcomed me like I was already on the team. The coaches also were great, they were showing me around and making sure I felt like I was a priority to them and I did.”
The other two teams in his top three are Indiana and West Virginia. A decision could come soon. The fit at Michigan State might be too strong to pass up for Bell.
*****
The four-star Ohio running back concluded his run of official visits with NC State. The Wolfpack have been a constant in his recruitment.
“It was amazing and everything stood out,” Rinehart said. “Everyone loves me there from the head coach to the janitors and I love them back.”
Rinehart’s recruitment has taken some interesting twists and turns but the Wolfpack have always showed him a lot of love. That could power them to a win in this recruiting battle.
*****
Ball State might have gotten a steal this weekend when the three-star from St. Louis committed to the program. The commitment went under the radar in all the news from the weekend but Steed told Rivals why Ball State won out.
“I would say just the love from the whole staff and just how much they wanted me more than all of my other offers,” Steed said.
The Missouri native is looking forward to being a big piece to the puzzle in Muncie.
Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on Rivals.com, the leader in college football and basketball recruiting coverage. Be the first to know and follow your teams by signing up here.