All-Decommit Defensive Team: College Football Recruiting Class of 2021

Looking back at key defensive recruits who had a momentous change of heart on the recruiting trail in the 2021 cycle.

Decommitments are as part of the college football recruiting game as top schools posted on social media, a public complaint regarding a ranking or fan bases campaigning for Prospect X to pick their favorite school.

Even with less commitments and signatures due to COVID-19, NCAA roster management, the transfer portal and more, it didn't lessen the drama around an elite prospect changing his mind from one program to the other all at once or over time. 

SI All-American looks back at the 2021 recruiting cycle and shines a light on the top defensive prospects who signed with a program different than one he was once verbally committed to. 

[Related: All-Decommit Offensive Team]

Defensive Line (4)

Korey Foreman, USC; Elijah Jeudy, Texas A&M; Quintin Somerville, UCLA; Tunmise Adeleye, Texas A&M

Clemson lies on both sides of the decommitment spectrum following the 2021 cycle, a rarity compared to recent years, and California trench star Foreman kicked off the fluidity on Dabo Swinney's commitment list this time around. He picked the program in January 2020 to the surprise of few, especially following the banner Clemson 2020 California haul led by DJ Uiagalelei. But just three months later, he backed off because of Clemson's no-visit policy for current commitments. Foreman would consider the Tigers along with LSU, Oregon, Arizona State and others before announcing intentions to play at USC on January 2. Foreman silently signed with the program in December, standing as the class headliner for the Trojan's top 10 recruiting class, curving perception of the program keeping local talent home in the process. 

Jeudy was an early SI99 edge win for Georgia in the cycle and the Bulldogs remained in the mix even after he backed off of the pledge months later. Still, Texas A&M was viewed as the favorite from the moment he took a step back and the Pennsylvania native made it official in January. It wasn't as simple a case for Adeleye, who had a host of suitors seemingly jockey back and forth for his signature following a decommitment from Ohio State. Florida had initial momentum, followed by Alabama before he, too, would ink with Jimbo Fisher and company. Somerville's decommitment from Michigan came as a slight surprise, and many found it even more intriguing that he wound up at UCLA in the end. 

Under Consideration: Keanu Koht (LSU to Alabama); Rayshaun Benny (Michigan State to Michigan); Byron Murphy (Baylor to Texas)

Linebacker (3)

Terrence Lewis, Maryland; Raesjon Davis, USC; Branden Jennings, Maryland

Lewis is one of two All-Defensive members to make a trio of commitments as a recruit. The south Floridian first made a pledge to Florida as an underclassman before starting a big spring 2020 trend in committing to Tennessee and Jeremy Pruitt. Around the coaching change in Knoxville, programs like Auburn, Miami and even Florida felt like contenders before a late charge from assistant coach Brian Williams and Maryland pushed the Terps to the top on January 2. Williams also helped to reel in another wavering Florida linebacker in Jennings, who committed to Florida State and later Michigan before inking with Mike Locksley and company in December. Davis was a classic decommitment tale, picking far-away LSU early in the process only to back off and opt as the final piece to local USC's 'take back the west' campaign in February. 

Under Consideration: Trevin Wallace (Boston College to Kentucky); Ma'a Gaoteote (USC to Michigan State); Aaron Willis (Virginia Tech to Tennessee)

Defensive Back (4)

Jordan Hancock, Ohio State; Nathaniel Wiggins, Clemson; Billy Bowman Jr., Oklahoma; Latrell McCutchin, Oklahoma

Each secondary selection on this theoretical team finished as top 60 overall recruits in the SI99 prospect rankings. They also shifted the balance of top secondary hauls nationally, especially near the top with Ohio State's group. Hancock, SIAA's top nickel projection, was a regional Clemson commitment without much chatter around his process following the pledge, only to back off and pick Ohio State in July of 2020. Bowman was the No. 2 nickel in the rankings and he made the more dramatic, rivalry-fueled flip from Texas to Oklahoma to kick off the month of November.

The Sooners benefited from another change of heart in McCutchin's case, achieving the rare feat of flipping an Alabama commitment. The program pulled it off just four months after he and the Crimson Tide parted ways, a move sparked by a pre-COVID visit to Norman to heat up the conversation surrounding a final destination. Wiggins went through his change of heart much later in the process, moving on from LSU just a few days before the Early Signing Period began. The Peach State star would help ease the loss of Hancock by signing with Clemson on December 16.

Under Consideration: Avante Dickerson (Minnesota to Oregon); De'Jahn Warren (Georgia to Jackson State); Phillip Riley (Notre Dame to USC, then back to Notre Dame); Devonta Smith (Ohio State to Alabama); Damarius McGhee (Tennessee to LSU)

More from SI All-American

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Final SI99 Prospect Rankings

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2020 SI All-American Team Offense | Defense

2020 SI All-American Second Team Offense | Defense

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