No. 1 offensive tackle Broderick Jones.
Let me start with this; Jones does not plan to do anymore interviews until after he signs Wednesday February 5 at approximately 10am ET. He has told me that, so I am not going to bug him about it.
When he let me know this on Tuesday, I started working other sources to see what I could get as we close in on Signing Day. I talked to two very credible sources very close to Jones multiple times the last 24 hours and here is what I have on where things stand a week out.
THURSDAY WILL BE A BUSY DAY
Both sources told me they expect Arkansas, Auburn and Illinois to have head coaches and assistant coaches in to see Jones Thursday. Nobody was sure of the order and all that, but Pittman, Malzahn and Lovie are expected in Lithonia, Ga. on the same day/night.
It is likely Jones will not spend much time in class that day. He will probably go to basketball practice (he LOVES hoops) and meet with coaches more that evening.
LOOKS LIKE UGA ON FRIDAY
Kirby Smart used his in-home visit the first day coaches hit the road at the end of the dead period a couple weeks ago, so he will not be back. Matt Luke and Dell McGee are expected, and with UGA still short one coach, I have heard Jonas Jennings could be there Friday as well.
Not sure what time of how long the Bulldogs will be there, but I have heard they will spend time at the school and the Lithonia basketball game that night.
COACHING CHANGES
There have been major changes at Arkansas, Auburn and Georgia, so Jones has had to meet new people in some cases, so how has that affected this race? Here is what I have been hearing on that:
ARKANSAS: Pittman moved from UGA's OL coach to the head coach at Arkansas. Jones committed to UGA, and a big part of that was Pittman, so the reason the Razorbacks are in this is because the new head man.
AUBURN: Larry Porter and Jones have a VERY strong relationship. He is the reason AU is in this the way they are. JB Grimes moving on was a GOOD thing in this race. Jones never connected with him, and if he was still the OL coach on the Plains, it would have hurt more than helped. Things have gone well with Jack Bicknell, and Jones likes the fact that he has spent time in the NFL, but Porter is and has been the key here.
GEORGIA: Matt Luke has done a good job quickly here. The two have talked a lot and from what I have been told, Jones like Luke as a person and believes in him as a coach. The official visit to UGA last weekend was key because Luke and Jones spent a lot of time together. Smart has been very involved here too.
HOW CLOSE IS THIS A WEEK OUT?
Based on conversations the last two days, neither source expects Jones to end up at Arkansas or Illinois, but Jones not canceling their in-home visits gives each school at least a sliver of hope still. There is no doubt that the coach Jones is closest to is Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman, but it sounds like Jones is leaning towards flipping to Auburn or staying with Georgia as of Wednesday afternoon.
Just a couple weeks ago, I felt and kept hearing Auburn had the momentum. Even though we are less than a week away from finding out the final decision, this is FAR from over. Each source feels like Georgia may have grabbed a little momentum coming off the official visit with the plan they laid out for Jones, but with Auburn receiving the final visit, this thing could still go either direction. Both said the same thing — it is still very tight.
After the visit to Auburn this weekend, you can bet the staff on the Plains and the one in Athens will be working those phones hoping to close the deal and to land the five-star offensive tackle Wednesday morning.
Let me start with this; Jones does not plan to do anymore interviews until after he signs Wednesday February 5 at approximately 10am ET. He has told me that, so I am not going to bug him about it.
When he let me know this on Tuesday, I started working other sources to see what I could get as we close in on Signing Day. I talked to two very credible sources very close to Jones multiple times the last 24 hours and here is what I have on where things stand a week out.
THURSDAY WILL BE A BUSY DAY
Both sources told me they expect Arkansas, Auburn and Illinois to have head coaches and assistant coaches in to see Jones Thursday. Nobody was sure of the order and all that, but Pittman, Malzahn and Lovie are expected in Lithonia, Ga. on the same day/night.
It is likely Jones will not spend much time in class that day. He will probably go to basketball practice (he LOVES hoops) and meet with coaches more that evening.
LOOKS LIKE UGA ON FRIDAY
Kirby Smart used his in-home visit the first day coaches hit the road at the end of the dead period a couple weeks ago, so he will not be back. Matt Luke and Dell McGee are expected, and with UGA still short one coach, I have heard Jonas Jennings could be there Friday as well.
Not sure what time of how long the Bulldogs will be there, but I have heard they will spend time at the school and the Lithonia basketball game that night.
COACHING CHANGES
There have been major changes at Arkansas, Auburn and Georgia, so Jones has had to meet new people in some cases, so how has that affected this race? Here is what I have been hearing on that:
ARKANSAS: Pittman moved from UGA's OL coach to the head coach at Arkansas. Jones committed to UGA, and a big part of that was Pittman, so the reason the Razorbacks are in this is because the new head man.
AUBURN: Larry Porter and Jones have a VERY strong relationship. He is the reason AU is in this the way they are. JB Grimes moving on was a GOOD thing in this race. Jones never connected with him, and if he was still the OL coach on the Plains, it would have hurt more than helped. Things have gone well with Jack Bicknell, and Jones likes the fact that he has spent time in the NFL, but Porter is and has been the key here.
GEORGIA: Matt Luke has done a good job quickly here. The two have talked a lot and from what I have been told, Jones like Luke as a person and believes in him as a coach. The official visit to UGA last weekend was key because Luke and Jones spent a lot of time together. Smart has been very involved here too.
HOW CLOSE IS THIS A WEEK OUT?
Based on conversations the last two days, neither source expects Jones to end up at Arkansas or Illinois, but Jones not canceling their in-home visits gives each school at least a sliver of hope still. There is no doubt that the coach Jones is closest to is Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman, but it sounds like Jones is leaning towards flipping to Auburn or staying with Georgia as of Wednesday afternoon.
Just a couple weeks ago, I felt and kept hearing Auburn had the momentum. Even though we are less than a week away from finding out the final decision, this is FAR from over. Each source feels like Georgia may have grabbed a little momentum coming off the official visit with the plan they laid out for Jones, but with Auburn receiving the final visit, this thing could still go either direction. Both said the same thing — it is still very tight.
After the visit to Auburn this weekend, you can bet the staff on the Plains and the one in Athens will be working those phones hoping to close the deal and to land the five-star offensive tackle Wednesday morning.
