Stock watch: Three days to signing day
OXFORD - Ole Miss, Mississippi State and a host of schools wrapped up their final weekend of official visits as the quiet period kicked in on Sunday. The Rebels had around 20 visitors in town while the Bulldogs hosted a small number of prospects on a weekend that coincided with their junior day. The Bulldogs now have 16 commitments in 2016 after picking up a pledge from three-star athlete John Michael Hankerson while he was in Starkville. With three days until national signing day, five of Mississippi's top-10 ranked players in The Clarion-Ledger's Targeted 22 remain uncommitted. Here's a look at several prospects whose recruiting stock rose even further with just days to go until signing day as recruiting classes take their final shape.
A.J. Brown, Wide receiver, Starkville
In lead: Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Alabama, Cal
Up next: Will announce his decision on Wednesday.
Buzz: Four-star wide receiver A.J. Brown lives a few miles from Mississippi State, but that doesn’t mean he’s feeling any pressure to stay close to home.
“It’s no pressure or anything like that,” said Arthur Brown, A.J.’s father. “It’s going to be difficult, but other than that, it’s just thinking what’s best for A.J. People are going to say things regardless of where he goes, and that lasts for two or three days or whatever.”
Brown, who hopes to play baseball and football in college, planned to speak with Ole Miss baseball coach Mike Bianco before leaving his official visit Sunday. Brown hasn’t spoken with Mississippi State coach John Cohen.
Brown is also considering Alabama and Cal in addition to the Bulldogs and Rebels. He made an official visit to Alabama on Jan. 15 and Cal on Jan. 22 but didn’t schedule one to Mississippi State because he’s visited there so many times.
“We’re going to sit down and put everything together, the good and the bad, and make a decision as a whole and go from there,” Arthur Brown said. “It’s been nice (at Ole Miss). The visit was like all of them. They all have nice facilities.
“It’s his decision because everybody treats you right and good. It’s going to be a big decision. He’s 18 and coming out of high school and going into the world.”
The Dandy Dozen wide receiver was expected to meet with Mississippi State's baseball and football staffs last week but reportedly did not make the trip to campus. While the Bulldogs momentum has waned in recent weeks, Alabama was considered the favorite to land the 6-foot-2, 220-pounder. But Brown's visit to Ole Miss and the Rebels push to close out their crop at slot receiver with the Starkville native has put some of that confidence from the Crimson Tide in question.
Nigel Knott, Cornerback, Germantown
In lead: Alabama, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Oregon
Up next: A commitment as early as Monday or later in the week.
Buzz: Four-star cornerback Nigel Knott holds family connections to three of the four schools he’s picking between when he makes his announcement this week.
He was born in Oxford, his father and godfather played football at Ole Miss and his mother attended Ole Miss. His sister Deja Givens is a junior on the Mississippi State women’s track and field team. His father, David Knott, lives closest to Alabama.
“Honestly, to me, I think Alabama, Mississippi State and Ole Miss were all the same to him,” said Sabrina Givens, Nigel’s mother. “We’re all close, a family. I’m thinking that he’s really torn between all three. I’m content if it’s one of the three.”
Knott has also been considering Oregon, which he made an official visit to on Sept. 19
“I know Oregon was up on the list,” Givens said. “We didn’t go for that too hard because it’s too far.”
Knott visited Mississippi State on Jan. 15 and Alabama on Jan. 22. There were reports that Knott visited Alabama before his official visit to Ole Miss, but Givens said those were inaccurate.
She said Knott was impressed with the business programs at Alabama, Mississippi State and Ole Miss. He plans to pursue degrees in finance and communications. She added Knott has built a strong relationship with Ole Miss assistant coaches Grant Heard and Derrick Nix.
“We knew everybody,” Givens said. “We basically had fun, we know everybody here, we know the campus. It was smooth. We feel like we’re already close to (Heard and Nix).”
Knott's announcement could come as early as Monday, but Givens confirmed to The Clarion-Ledger that her son is still deciding between schools and could push back his timetable for a commitment to later in the week if he's not ready.
D’Vaughn Pennamon, Running back, Manvel (Texas)
In lead: Ole Miss (committed), Alabama, Texas A&M
Up next: Solidify his final decision on a commitment Monday.
Buzz: Pennamon committed to Ole Miss over the summer but has wavered the past few weeks. He made official visits to Alabama and Texas A&M over the prior two weekends and spoke with Texas A&M during his free time while on his official visit to Ole Miss over the weekend.
The Manvel (Texas) senior plans to affirm his commitment to Ole Miss or his decision to flip to another school on Twitter on Monday.
Pennamon enjoyed his official visit to Ole Miss, receiving an opportunity to spend time with fellow Ole Miss running back commit Jarrion Street. However, Pennamon said his feelings toward Ole Miss didn't change following his visit.
“I love everything about Oxford,” the four-star recruit said. “This one is the best (official visit). They say don’t take a visit to Oxford, and it’s crazy. I loved it.”
Jeffery Simmons, Defensive end, Noxubee County
In lead: Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Alabama, Tennessee
Up next: Will make his decision by Tuesday, announce Wednesday.
Buzz: Five-star defensive end Jeffery Simmons is looking for a place that feels like home, and his official visit over the weekend should give Ole Miss some positive vibes.
“Ole Miss feels like home,” he said. “Like I said, everywhere I’ve been, I’m loving it. I really like Ole Miss, too. The guys that I hung out with just kept saying that, ‘It’s home.’ For a Mississippi guy, it’s home. If I did choose to come here, it would be a great fit.”
The defensive end plans to speak with his high school coach Sunday night and Monday before finalizing his decision Tuesday. He will then announce on Wednesday morning, a ceremony that will be broadcast on the internet.
Simmons’ host this weekend was five-star defensive tackle Benito Jones, who enrolled early at Ole Miss. Simmons, who has Alabama, Mississippi State and Tennessee along with the Rebels in his top group, also had an opportunity to spend time with wide receiver commit D.K. Metcalf.
The 6-foot-4, 275-pounder has arguably been the Rebels top priority over the last six to eight weeks following Greg Little's commitment in December. Simmons has play-now abilities and the size of most SEC defensive ends. Ole Miss has long been considered the front runner for the Noxubee County product, but Mississippi State and Alabama scheduled visits to Simmons' high school last week to make one last push.
Kobe Jones, Defensive tackle, Starkville
In lead: Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Alabama
Up next: A commitment on Wednesday.
Buzz: In the last seven days, Jones has been on four official visits to Alabama, Miami, Missouri and Ole Miss. The 6-foot-4, 270-pound defensive tackle met with Mississippi State before heading to Oxford and remains one of the top uncommitted prospects in the state.
The Rebels made a big push for Jones late in the recruiting process and hope to have made up ground and secured an edge with the Dandy Dozen selection in the days leading up to National Signing Day. After Raekwon Davis reaffirmed his commitment to Alabama, Mississippi State has turned up the heat on its recruitment of Jones. Not landing the four-star defensive tackle who lives in their backyard would be a blow to the Bulldogs.
Scott Lashley, Offensive tackle, West Point
In lead: Mississippi State, Alabama, LSU
Up next: A commitment on Tuesday.
Buzz: Lashley took his third and final official visit to LSU over the weekend. The longtime Mississippi State lean planned his official visits to help him come to his decision, and those close to his recruitment are adamant that the four-star offensive tackle isn't a done deal for MSU.
Could the Bulldogs still land Lashley on Tuesday? Of course, and it would help round out their offensive line recruiting in a very big way. But the 6-foot-7, 310-pounder has committable offers at all three schools and Alabama has made a very strong push towards the end of this cycle to garner a commitment from the West Point product.
Mississippi State is in good position to pick up a commitment from three-star offensive guard Stewart Reese on Monday and possibly flip South Carolina commit Lloyd Cushenberry in the next few days. Lashley is a must have for the Bulldogs, and MSU is doing everything it can to keep him in state as its future at left tackle.
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Contact Daniel Paulling at dpaulling@jackson.gannett.com. Follow @DanielPaulling on Twitter. Contact Courtney Cronin at (601) 961-7091 or ccronin@jackson.gannett.com. Follow @CourtneyRCronin.