Latest SEC recruiting news: Four-star CB Stewart picks Florida
The latest recruiting news and notes around the SEC.
Prospect of the week: Brad Stewart
The recruitment of Scout 300 cornerback Brad Stewart is over. The four star out of New Orleans (La.) McDonogh 35 committed to the Florida Gators during his official visit. Florida has long been considered the frontrunner for the No. 128-ranked prospect in the country. He tripped to Arkansas last week and he had Arizona State on his list, but the way the Gators have developed players at his position in recent years has had his attention for some time. Stewart did not even wait until the end of his visit to The Swamp to commit to Jim McElwain, he made his commitment Saturday evening just 24 hours into his visit. That tells you that the Gators were in a very good spot before the visit began. He is a versatile defensive back with toughness and confidence that could play cornerback or safety.
Underclassmen of the week: Josh Belk, Derion Kendrick
It is not one, it is two, and neither committed to SEC school, but both had SEC offers before Josh Belk and Derion Kendrick committed to the Clemson Tigers. Kendrick is 2018 athlete out of Rock Hill (S.C.) South Pointe and he committed to the Tigers Saturday. Belk announced on Sunday morning that he was headed for Death Valley and he is an athletic defensive lineman out of Richburg (S.C.) Lewisville. Kendrick plans to play wide receiver at Clemson and he had offers from the who's who of college football in the south, including Alabama, Auburn, Florida and Georgia. Belk is expected to play defensive tackle at Clemson and he recently picked up offers from Louisville and Miami. Plenty of SEC schools had already offered him as well.
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Prospect on the rise: Malcolm Lamar
A junior that has shot up the Scout rankings recently is Malcolm Lamar out of Seffner (Fla.) Armwood. The 6-foot-5, 250 pound defensive lineman is now the No. 25 prospect in the 2018 class. He is a prospect who is an athletic lineman who shows quickness off the ball and the ability to win battles inside and outside. He could project at defensive end, defensive tackle and he has the frame to grow into an elite offensive tackle. The four star has recenty added offers from Georgia, Indiana, Iowa and Kentucky. Louisville was the first school to offer him last spring. He now has 20 scholarship offers and he currently favors two SEC East schools, Florida and Tennessee. He grew up a Gator fan and one school that wants an offer from is, in-state school, Florida State. He finished with nine sacks as a junior and he missed four games due an MCL injury.
Commit watch: Tyler Taylor
Everyone, including himself thought it would happen last week, but Tyler Taylor enters signing day week still uncommitted. The No. 16-ranked outside linebacker on Scout looked to be down to Auburn and LSU late in the week, but then he met with Oklahoma Saturday, and the Sooners seem to still be in the race. LSU appeared to have the edge around Thursday, but you cannot rule any of these three schools out. At this time, Taylor, a four star out of Sugar Hill (Ga.) Lanier is planning to commit Tuesday night, which is senior night for his basketball team.