Midnight arrived, which means college coaches can officially call and text 2,026 prospects, and the messages started flying just as the clock struck 12.
For Prospect #1 Jahkeem Stewart, the five-star defensive end from New Orleans (La.) St. Augustine received his first message from Ohio State position coach Larry Johnson.
“Coach Johnson said he can’t wait to turn me into a generational player,” Stewart said.
Top corner Brandon Lockhartwho is committed to USC, and Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei four-star receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt I heard it first from Miami.
“They told me I need to go back there and I will always have a house there and I will lock them up,” Dixon Wyatt said.
Lockhart said: “It was Miami and they said, ‘It’s all about the USA.’”
The Hurricanes were actually very busy in the West at five-star quarterback Brady Smigiel from Newbury Park, California, was in a midnight group chat with several Miami coaches.
“Miami was a group chat with the team,” Smigiel said. “They just said they’re excited for me to go to Miami with a custom graphic.”
It was busy everywhere.
Clemmons (NC) West Forsyth four-star offensive lineman Pierre Dean I first heard South Carolina coach Lonnie Teasley tell Dean, ‘You’re the next P.J.’
“After that, it was inundated with messages,” Dean said.
Five-star offensive lineman Keenyi PepeThe first message came from Florida State offensive line coach Alex Atkins. Four-star defensive lineman Bryce Perry-Wright received his first text message from Texas coach Steve Sarkisian, working to get him back to Austin for another visit. Frisco (Texas) Panther Creek four-star WR Jalen Lott I heard from the Longhorns first too.
Georgia’s recent disengagement Derek Cooper received a message from Texas A&M coach Mike Elko saying he wanted to coach him along with a poster and video.
Four Star Receiver Columbia (SC) Ridge View Jordan Girdron and four-star security Jireh Edwards of Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances received messages from Auburn first.
“The first message came from coach (Hugh) Freeze at Auburn, just saying he really needs me at Auburn,” Edwards said. “It’s a need, not a want.”
For Gidron, he got a text from Auburn position coach Marcus Davis — while Davis was putting his daughter to bed.
“Coach Davis was saying I’m a priority guy for him and he can’t wait to continue building that relationship,” Gidron said.
Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman four-star defensive lineman James “Tank” Carrington We hear first from Virginia Tech and how they are trying to become the powerhouse they once were.
Four-star cornerback Samari Matheus I first heard from Notre Dame position coach Mike Mickens. Baylor reached out to the four-star receiver from the nearby University of Waco (Texas) London Smith.
Oklahoma was the first to sign a four-star defensive lineman Daverin Geralds but North Carolina came right after that and the Tar Heels went first to Tupelo, Miss., four-star DE JaReylan McCoy.
Fresh off an offer from Clemson, four-star receiver Devin Carter first heard from Louisville coach Jeff Brohm, in which Carter was told how important he is to the Cardinals. Early calls for four-star receiver from Douglasville (Georgia) Douglas County Aaron Gregory came from Auburn and Tennessee.
“It feels like Christmas morning,” Gregory said.
And then there was Elberto Hillfour-star cornerback from Akron (Ohio) Hoban who received so many messages so quickly at midnight that he simply lost track of which one arrived before the others.
“I didn’t know,” Hill said. “So many people called at the same time.”
