Midwest Rumor Mill: Top prospects take important visits

Recruiting news is flowing fast and furious as prospects return from key visits, and Rivals national analyst Greg Smith has all the latest buzz from the Midwest.

The new No. 1 prospect in the 2026 Rivals250 was back in Athens this weekend for his fifth visit to the program. Once again, Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs did a great job hosting him. The chance to reconnect with the staff and atmosphere really stood out to him.

There are visits to LSU and Alabama upcoming, but it feels as if Georgia, Oregon and Missouri are pulling ahead of the pack. The race is far from over though.

The Chicago native is a prospect garnering new attention this fall thanks to his strong play on the field. He was at Wisconsin this weekend where he really liked the energy from the program. The relationship with wide receivers coach Kenny Guiton is still fairly new but he hopes to keep building it over time.

Conely may take a trip to Champaign to check out Illinois since the communication has picked up with the Illini, too.

The four-star defensive back from Ohio backed off his pledge to Purdue on Sunday. The Boilermakers are having a rough start to the season and have lost a handful of recruits in the last week.

Galloway is hearing from Illinois, West Virginia, Kentucky, Penn State, Colorado, Miami, Wisconsin and Michigan the most these days. He’ll take a trip to Illinois this weekend to check out coach Bret Bielema’s program.

Guthrie was at Ohio State this weekend and really felt the love from the program and the fans did a great job of making him feel welcome. He came away from the weekend with an offer from the Buckeyes which is always a big deal for prospects from Ohio.

The Buckeyes are near the top of his list now but he’s going to take his time evaluating each program that is interested in him.

The 2026 Iowa four-star defensive back was at Minnesota for a visit. The energy of the coaching staff continues to be a standout for the Gophers as they pursue him.

This could set up to be a Big Ten battle between Minnesota and Nebraska. Both programs are held in high regard by the Iowa native.

The four-star from South Dakota made the trip over to Minnesota to see the Gophers upset USC. The memories from that game will stick with him for a long time including the energy in the locker room after the game which was incredible.

He was able to have good conversations with the staff for advice on his recruitment. The Gophers are emerging as a real contender in this recruitment and should be considered one of the favorites.

Taylor could not have been more impressed with what he found on his visit to Nebraska. Matt Rhule offered him on the field, which was a highlight. So was the fan participation in the game and new facilities the Huskers just built.

Taylor is already planning another visit back to Lincoln this season which is a great sign for the program. The pro-style offense that Rhule runs appeals to him as one he can thrive in during his college career.

The 2026 four-star from Michigan took a trip to Northwestern where he was able to reconnect with coach Harlan Barnett, who is now on the Wildcats staff. Those two have a close bond and Vitti was close to committing to Michigan State before Barnett was let go. The ability to play for an underdog program appeals to Vitti, who has Northwestern near the top of his list.