Rivals Camp Series: Recruiting Rumor Mill For Top LBs And DBs

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Always among the more anticipated position groups at any South Florida event, the defensive skill position prospects made major waves at the Rivals Camp Series in Miami on Sunday.

The defensive backs and linebackers also have plenty going on from a recruiting standpoint, and we take a closer look at a dozen in the latest Rivals Rumor Mill.

It’s still early for the 2026 Rivals250 prospect but Balogoun-Ali says a few programs are sticking out already. Syracuse, Miami and Florida have made a strong impression, especially Miami and linebackers coach Derek Nicholson. Balogoun-Ali says the two of them have similar mindsets.

Balogoun-Ali has recently visited Miami, UCF and Florida State and has a visit to Oklahoma planned for May 12.

After a banner effort at Rivals Camp, Broadnax picked up SEC offers from Florida and Tennessee on consecutive days to push his list of options near two dozen. The Gator tender came during an unofficial visit and the program made an impression, perhaps the biggest among in-state options.

Broadnax is high on Wisconsin, Louisville, Syracuse, Kentucky, Mississippi State and others very early on.

The California native came to compete and worked well against the loaded wide receiver group. He’ll continue to rack up the road miles this spring in seeing many programs, including official visits to Tennessee (June 16) and Washington (June 1). Dixon was at Miami for the third time over the weekend, too, and admits the Hurricanes have built some staying power in this national race.

Georgia, Auburn, Penn State and USC are the other programs the Rivals250 recruit is eyeing on the official visit slate.

While he did not participate in Miami due to a minor injury, Ewald was on hand encouraging his teammates and he broke some news along the way. The one-time Michigan commitment will make his final college decision on his birthday, June 27.

The programs in line to get an official visit are the de facto contenders, including local Miami, Georgia, Auburn, Penn State and Louisville. Ewald is well-traveled ahead of the return trips and he says he has a current leader in mind.

A growing offer list has been met with an expanded round of visits for the Jacksonville native. Jennings was at Miami last weekend and Florida the weekend prior, sporting offers from each in-state power. Mississippi State will get the next trip out of the lengthy Rivals250 safety, who will be in town for the spring game in Starkville on April 20.

Though early, Jennings says Miami’s recent impression is staying with him and the communication with Maryland has also caught his eye. The Terps will get him on campus for their spring game on April 27.

A program that often recruits South Florida well, Louisville will be the next trip on the docket for Junius. The versatile athlete, who got most reps at linebacker as a sophomore in 2023, he is being courted all over the map depending on the program.

Before the trip to UofL on April 19, Junior took in Miami twice in a one-week span and the trajectory of the program has continued to appear more evident to him.

South Florida is the next unofficial visit in the works for the versatile secondary player and strong prep wrestler. Nicknamed ‘Bear’ due to his physicality in football and on the mat, Lee holds a handful of early scholarship offers but admits the tenders from Louisville and Nebraska have been met with considerable communication from each.

Arkansas, FAU, Bethune Cookman and Florida A&M round out the early options for Lee.

One of the fastest and fastest-rising prospects in the country, Littleton is looking at chopping a list of nearly 40 offers by more than one half. Ole Miss just got him on campus this week and Alabama did before that point, and adding the Crimson Tide offer carried plenty of weight among the newer options to his name.

Miami is a program moving up Littleton’s list following a recent unofficial visit but this recruitment has a long way to go. Penn State, Iowa and Kentucky also had him on campus of late.

A significant visit to Louisville lies ahead for the two-way talent, who worked at both receiver and corner with success on Sunday. Paret will be seeing the Cardinals later this month and a verbal commitment may not be far off beyond that point.

At this time, U of L is battling in-state UCF and Georgia Tech among the favorites for the Miami native. Paret was able to get to Atlanta in March and he spent time in Orlando in February.

A longtime starter at national power Chaminade-Madonna, Sejour continues to add scholarship offers to his name. Five of the last seven offers come in via the Ivy League, but several are from the FBS ranks, with FIU recently joining the cornerback’s list.

Old Dominion and Lafayette would be two more programs closing in on a potential offer. Visits are still likely to be scheduled for the summer months.

The surprise USC commitment a few weeks ago still stands strong, especially after spending time with Ronnie Lott during his last trip to Los Angeles. Stubbs will continue to take visits elsewhere going forward, and he was back at previous favorite Florida earlier this week. Miami hosted him last weekend and the two in-state programs are continuing to push for a potential flip.

The on-field product these programs present this fall will play critical for Stubbs, who will take official visits to USC, Miami and Florida State this summer.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH USC FANS AT TROJANSPORTS.COM

The Golden Ball Award winner in the secondary showed up to the workout in Clemson Tiger gear but worked out with Florida State Seminole gloves on. Typically the gear game doesn’t give away all the hints, but in this case it may have. Thomas has been sky high on FSU since the beginning of his recruitment and Clemson is the newest program to jump into the mix having offered him on the trip just before the Rivals Camp.

Miami, Penn State and LSU are also in the mix ahead of an offseason decision.