Football season is weeks away, and time is running out for prospects who want to wrap up their recruitment before the start of their junior and senior seasons.
Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman looks at five Southeast blue-chippers scheduled to commit in August.
Timetable: Aug. 3
Brandon, the No. 8 passer in the 2026 Rivals250 is set to choose among NC State, Alabama, LSU and Tennessee. The four-star prospect has visits locked in for two of those programs this week, and is aiming to hit three total visits before moving forward with his choice as Greensboro (N.C.) Grimsley High kicks off its fall camp in early August. Rivals believes this decision will ultimately come down to Alabama or Tennessee.
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Timetable: Aug. 8
After originally looking at a mid-fall decision, Gilbert is set to lock in his college decision on Aug. 8, a week before Atlanta (Ga.) Douglass High opens its season. Gilbert stayed busy this summer with official visits to Georgia, Georgia Tech, NC State, South Carolina and UCF, and as an August decisions looms, Rivals expects this to come down to the in-state Dawgs, Knights and the Wolfpack.
NC State got Gilbert on campus last and left a lasting impression on the four-star standout.
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Timetable: Aug. 8
Jimcoily, one of the top safeties in the South, is set to announce his college decision on Aug. 8. LSU, Stanford, Alabama and Tennessee are finalists for the standout defender from Nashville (Tenn.) Lipscomb Academy.
Jimcoily made official visits to Palo Alto and Baton Rouge last month, and this decision is expected to come down to the Cardinal and the Tigers. LSU has been trending up with the Rivals250 safety ever since his official visit to campus.
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Timetable: Aug. 12
There were not too many dull moments this summer for Petty, who made official visits around the country, including stops at Tennessee, Georgia Tech, Stanford, Florida State and Ohio State. The No. 11 prospect at his position, Petty will have a decision locked in on Aug. 12 ahead of his senior season at Roswell (Ga.) Fellowship Christian.
After a busy slate of visits, buzz has centered around the Vols, Buckeyes and Seminoles down the stretch. Florida State got Petty and his family on campus last and has been trending up ever since.
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Timetable: Aug. 17
The No. 1 offensive tackle in the Rivals250, Sanders Jr. is set to make his college decision on Aug. 17 ahead of his senior year at Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day. Sanders was well-traveled this summer with official visits to Georgia, Tennessee, Nebraska, Ohio State and Alabama, as well as a springtime official to South Carolina.
Sanders has a final four comprised of the Vols, Dawgs, Huskers and Buckeyes, and the latter came out of June with buzz as the team to beat. With a few more weeks until a decision and visits on deck, this recruitment has room for some late drama with one of the best in the country.
