Three Predictions: Julian Lewis, Bryce Underwood, five-star TEs

Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney has a trio of predictions on five-star quarterbacks Julian Lewis and Bryce Underwood and whether we’re making a mistake by not having a five-star tight end in the 2025 class.

MORE PREDICTIONS: Michael Fasusi, Tennessee, South Carolina

MORE GORNEY: Biggest recruiting visits on tap this weekend

This prediction is coming a little out of left field although there are some rumors floating around that other programs could be trying to get involved with Julian Lewis, who has been committed to USC for more than a year.

Here’s the situation as it stands now: The five-star quarterback from Carrollton, Ga., remains pledged to the Trojans but Indiana and Colorado have been trying to flip him for months. Georgia, Auburn and others have been involved throughout his recruitment as well.

Colorado is intriguing for a number of reasons from coach Deion Sanders’ success during his second year with the program, to playing for offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, who has NFL experience, and the opportunity to take over for Shedeur Sanders, an expected first-round NFL Draft pick.

There are also some concerns. What will the offense look like with Sanders and Travis Hunter, another first-round selection, gone? How engaged will Sanders be with the Buffaloes if another job – maybe an SEC one – opens up, especially with his two sons and Hunter gone?

Indiana seemed like an absurd long shot before the season but there continues to be interest there. First-year coach Curt Cignetti is pulling off a miracle in Bloomington. Lewis has known position coach Tino Sunseri since the five-star was a kid and Sunseri was at Florida State.

But is there enough of an NIL market in Bloomington? Can this success be sustained in the Big Ten over the long term? How would all that work not playing in a big media market or a traditional powerhouse program?

And then there’s USC. The season has been a disappointment but coach Lincoln Riley has coached numerous Heisman Trophy winners and No. 1 picks. That remains a massive draw.

There are other programs still working and scheming for a quarterback in this class and the final weeks before signing day could be really interesting. For Lewis, there might still be a lot to figure out in the final days.

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The situation is pretty clear for five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood: Stick with his LSU commitment that he made in January or flip to Michigan, which has put together a hefty NIL package and clearly needs to fix its massive quarterback hole.

The Wolverines have had all the perceived momentum in recent weeks especially as it’s been reported that Michigan coach Sherrone Moore is now even more personally involved in getting the Belleville, Mich., standout to flip.

Chatter ramped up even more after four-star LSU receiver commit Derek Meadows visited with the Wolverines last weekend and is expected at Notre Dame on Saturday. Four-star Michigan quarterback commit Carter Smith backed off his longstanding pledge in recent days.

Is this all a coincidence or is Michigan now in a really good spot with Underwood?

We should have a much clearer picture after this weekend since the five-star standout is expected back in Baton Rouge for the showdown against Alabama. His relationship with position coach Joe Sloan is very strong so if Underwood gets any hint or inclination Sloan could be in line for the East Carolina job or any other spot that could make things more interesting.

The good news for LSU was there was no immediate flip to Michigan once that side proposed the NIL situation and how he could be used in that offense. There was always marginal interest in the Wolverines throughout his recruitment.

The environment in Baton Rouge should be incredible this weekend. Underwood will be there. Michigan is making a push but this is LSU’s chance to lock up the five-star once and for all.

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Without getting too deep in the numbers, there is usually one tight end taken in the first round of the NFL Draft so our rankings should not only consider that but reflect it with one five-star in most classes, give or take. Some years there will be a few, some years none if we don’t really love the class.

We really love this tight end group, yet we still haven’t pulled the trigger on a five-star tight end. That looks like a mistake to me with only one rankings cycle left after the all-star events over the holidays.

Georgia commit Elyiss Williams is No. 1 so he’d be the leading contender but there definitely has to be a discussion around Kansas State pledge Linkon Cure, Tennessee pledge DaSaahn Brame and possibly others.

This is a loaded tight end group. One is usually taken in the first round. At least one five-star should be among the position and right now it’s a mistake that we don’t have one.