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National Signing Day is just a few days away, with that comes excitement and uncertainty.
There are still many uncommitted recruits who are high priorities for many schools across the Mid-American Conference. Some members of the Hustle Belt @MAC_Crootin team took a stab at predicting where some of these top targets will wind up. Check out our predictions below:
Treston DeCoud | DB | Senatobia, MS | 3-star
DeCoud is a bigtime 3-star JUCO defensive back who lists offers from ECU, ULL, Toledo, Oregon State, Utah State, Fresno State, Houston, North Texas, Southern Miss, UTSA, and WKU. DeCoud is taking the last of his five official visits to ECU this weekend. He previously visited ULL on Jan. 23, Toledo on Jan. 20, Oregon State on Jan. 16, and Utah State on Nov. 15.
DeCoud has been receiving serious interest from Baylor and it is possible that he receives an offer from the Bears before National Signing Day. If Baylor winds up offering the talented defensive back, it is likely that that will be where he winds up signing. However don't count the Rockets out just yet. DeCoud has always been very high on Toledo and tweeted this the other day about the coaching staff.
Great visit with great coaches but even better as people @DKMcDonald1 @Coach_Heacock @UTMattCampbell #Toledo
— Treston Decoud (@_TD7) January 28, 2015
DeCoud plans on announcing his list of top five schools on Sunday night so we will know a little more about his recruitment at that time. One thing is for sure though, DeCoud would be able to step in and get immediate playing time at Toledo.
| Writer | Bryan M. Vance | Charles Doss | Mike Karpinski |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pick | Oregon State | Oregon State | Oregon State |
Aaron Covington | DB | Seffner, FL | 3-star
Covington is another defensive back that reports an impressive list of offers that includes Baylor, Cincinnati, FAU, UMass, UCF, USF, and Toledo. Covington took an official visit to Toledo on Jan. 16 as well as visiting UMass on Jan. 23. He is a guy who can also make an impact at defensive back right away.
| Writer | Bryan M. Vance | Charles Doss | Mike Karpinski |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pick | Toledo | Toledo | Toledo |
Montell Jordan | OT | Deerfield, FL | 3-star
Jordan is currently taking an official visit to Akron. He lists offers from Akron, Marshall, Toledo, UCF, ECU, FIU, USF, Temple, and WKU. At 6-foot-4 315 pounds, Jordan will bolster whichever program he decides to play for. Jordan would be exactly what the Zips need to round out their recruiting class.
| Writer | Bryan M. Vance | Charles Doss | Mike Karpinski |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pick | Akron | Akron | Akron |
Tyrone Miller | DB | Saline, MI | 3-star
Prior to the departure of head coach Dan Enos, Miller seemed 100 percent committed to CMU, however, now his status is in limbo. Although Miller is currently still committed to CMU, he is definitely keeping his options open. Miller is currently on an official visit to Kansas and visited Wyoming last weekend. Both schools offered Miller shortly after coach Enos took the offensive coordinator job at Arkansas.
| Writer | Bryan M. Vance | Charles Doss | Mike Karpinski |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pick | Kansas | Kansas | Kansas |
Will Matthews | RB | Destrehan, LA | NR
Matthews is an under-the-radar guy who holds offers from Kent State, McNeese State, Northwestern State, S.F. Austin, and UTEP. Matthews took an official visit to Kent State last weekend and would be a nice complement to current running back commit Myles Washington.
| Writer | Bryan M. Vance | Charles Doss | Mike Karpinski |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pick | Kent State | Kent State | Kent State |
Jessie Bates | DB | Fort Wayne, IN | 3-star
Bates is currently committed to Toledo, however he recently has received offers from Iowa and Wake Forest. Bates is taking an official visit to Wake Forest this weekend.
Bates has been a huge part of the Rockets' class since July, so losing him to a P5 school less than a week before Signing Day would be a huge blow. Bates has enough talent to push for playing time early.
| Writer | Bryan M. Vance | Charles Doss | Mike Karpinski |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pick | Toledo | Wake Forest | Wake Forest |
Immanuel Stinson | DE | Romulus, MI | 3-star
Stinson is an explosive defensive end whose list of offers consists of all MAC schools: Akron, CMU, EMU, Toledo, and WMU. Stinson has been hoping to receive an offer from Michigan State for a while now, yet barring a late offer from the Spartans it looks like #MACtion fans will get to watch Stinson play a lot over the next four years.
| Writer | Bryan M. Vance | Charles Doss | Mike Karpinski |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pick | Akron | Uncertain | WMU |
Denzel Johnson | ATH | Columbia, SC | 3-star
Johnson is listed as an athlete but is being recruited to play either wide receiver or defensive back in college. Johnson recently told Hustle Belt that his list of top schools currently is Clemson, South Carolina State, Towson, and UMass. Johnson lists offers from each of those schools as well.
He received an offer from UMass earlier in the week and is currently taking an official visit to UMass now. Johnson is a high-ceiling guy who could make a significant impact if he winds up playing for the Minutemen.
| Writer | Bryan M. Vance | Charles Doss | Mike Karpinski |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pick | Towson | Towson | UMass |
Abu Daramy | ATH | Westerville, OH | 3-star
Daramy currently lists offers from Kent State, Yale, Western Michigan, Air Force, Akron, Army, Ball State, Buffalo, Navy, and Toledo. Per our very own recruiting writer Charles Doss, Daramy will be on Kent State's campus this weekend for an official visit.
2015 Westerville South ATH Abu Daramy is visiting Kent State this weekend. #AirForce #Navy & #Yale are also in the mix for @Abu_Daramy
— Charles Doss (@CDoss_LGHL) January 27, 2015
Daramy would be a great get for the Golden Flashes and would bolster an already strong class.
| Writer | Bryan M. Vance | Charles Doss | Mike Karpinski |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pick | Kent State | Yale | Kent State |
Bo Alexander | OT | Orlando, FL | 2-star
The 6-foot-5 280 pound offensive lineman took an official visit to EMU a few weeks ago. Alexander holds offers from EMU, Buffalo, Army, New Mexico State, and several FCS schools. The new staff at Buffalo has been focusing on linemen lately and Alexander would be a nice fit with the Bulls.
| Writer | Bryan M. Vance | Charles Doss | Mike Karpinski |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pick | Buffalo | Buffalo | Buffalo |
Corde O'Neal | ATH | Summit Argo, IL | 3-star
O'Neal lists offers from multiple MAC schools such as Ball State, EMU, Miami, NIU, Toledo, and WMU while New Mexico is his only non-MAC offer. At 6-foot-4, O'Neal possesses ideal height to play wide receiver or defensive back at the next level. O'Neal would be a nice get for any MAC program
| Writer | Bryan M. Vance | Charles Doss | Mike Karpinski |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pick | Ball State | Uncertain | NIU |
Antwan Dixon | WR/S | Fort Myers, FL | 3-star
More and more MAC programs have been hitting the Sunshine State to find high-potential recruits such as Dixon, but he may have fallen under the radar due to Florida being such a hotbed for top notch recruits. Dixon currently holds offers from Kent State, Ball State, Eastern Kentucky, Appalachian State, Buffalo, and FAU.
Dixon has taken three official visits in as many weeks starting off with Ball State on Jan. 16, followed by Kent State on Jan. 23, and finally Eastern Kentucky this weekend. Dixon will have to bulk up a little bit before playing at the next level, but once he does that look for him to be an impact player no matter which school he chooses.
| Writer | Bryan M. Vance | Charles Doss | Mike Karpinski |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pick | Kent State | Eastern Kentucky | Kent State |
Richie Cooper | WR | Hallandale, FL | 2-star
A former NIU commit, Cooper is taking an official visit to Akron this weekend. Cooper would be a nice fit at Akron, however, he does hold other offers from Appalachian State, and Marshall.
| Writer | Bryan M. Vance | Charles Doss | Mike Karpinski |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pick | Akron | Akron | Akron |
Junior McMullen | LB | Oak Park, MI | 3-star
Since Western Michigan and McMullen parted ways, McMullen has taken an official visit to NIU. It's hard to tell what McMullen is thinking right now, but we do know that he has always been hopeful for a P5 offer.
McMullen took an official visit to Indiana while still committed to WMU, although an offer from the Hoosiers has yet to materialize. He currently lists offers from Akron, Appalachian State, Bowling Green, CMU, Cincinnati, EMU, Miami, NIU, and Toledo. Heading into Signing Day, McMullen is probably the most intriguing MAC related storyline. Out of all of the players on this list, McMullen is probably the hardest one to predict.
| Writer | Bryan M. Vance | Charles Doss | Mike Karpinski |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pick | NIU | NIU | NIU |
Alexx Zielinski | TE | Brighton, MI | 2-star
Zielinski is still committed to CMU, however multiple MAC schools have been offering him lately. Zielinski currently holds offers from Buffalo, EMU, Miami, and Ohio. Zielinski had an in-home visit with some of the Ohio coaching staff earlier this week.
Had a good at home visit with the Ohio coaches today #Bobcats
— Alexx Zielinski (@Alexx_Zielinski) January 24, 2015
Zielinski and multiple other current CMU commits will be interesting storylines to follow heading into Signing Day.
| Writer | Bryan M. Vance | Charles Doss | Mike Karpinski |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pick | CMU | CMU | Ohio |