The NCAA's recruiting dead period is in the rear view mirror and the spring will serve as important travel grounds for the college football recruiting class of 2023.
The group of rising-senior recruits has collectively hit the road since the calendar flipped to March, but most programs have a larger focus on hosting key recruits over the weekend as the combination of junior day events coincides with many spring camps opening for Power 5 programs.
New offers, impressions and eventually verbal commitments will be made as the recruiting calendar remains wide open through the end of June, where most colleges will have all but built the bulk of their 2023 classes.
The first weekend of the open period is here and Sports Illustrated digs in on the top 10 uncommitted recruits scheduled to be on campus from coast to coast Friday and beyond.
QB Dante Moore - LSU
The Detroit (Mich.) Martin Luther King quarterback has often been linked to Midwest programs, with Notre Dame, Michigan, Michigan State and others battling to keep him close to home, but Moore has ventured to SEC country in the past, even at LSU. However, Brian Kelly didn't host the talented passer the last time he was in Baton Rouge and Moore admits it was Kelly's move from Notre Dame to the bayou that had the biggest impact of all among programs with new leaders. Both Kelly and Baton Rouge have captured Moore's attention in the past so the chance for the Tigers to become a real dark horse in this race is near tangible.
RB Richard Young - Oklahoma
Most elite programs are courting the Lehigh (Fla.) Lehigh Acres running back and he's already made key visits early this year, including to Alabama and Miami. Ohio State hosted him in the fall and has staying power in Young's recruitment, so Brent Venables and his staff has some work to do to climb the list in what will be the star back's first impression of Norman as far as we can tell. Georgia and Oregon are set to get him on campus in the coming weeks in what already has the feel of a true national recruiting battle.
QB Nico Iamaleava - Tennessee
Among the elite quarterback recruits available, yes including Arch Manning, it is Iamaleava who is the closest to locking in a verbal commitment. It means any campus he visits in the coming weeks is big in his decision-making process, though the return trip to Tennessee stands on its own as the big right-hander has often mentioned the Vols since his visit to Rocky Top in the fall. There he remembers plenty of Josh Heupel's program, including it being the first venue in which strangers coveted his autograph. Oregon, which hosted Iamaleava in late January most recently, is viewed as a top threat with Alabama, Georgia and Miami also worth keeping an eye on.
DE Keon Keeley - Florida
When the prize of a recruiting class hits the road to another program it makes headlines, and in this case the threat is plenty close to home. Keeley has long been on board to Notre Dame and reports solidity at every turn, including through the coaching change to Marcus Freeman, but Alabama hosted him in January and now the in-state Florida Gators get the Tampa native on campus for the updated pitch from Billy Napier's staff in Gainesville. A local source told SI this week that it's the Gators that have a better shot at flipping the elite pass rusher from the Irish at this time.
DB Joenel Aguero - LSU
Fresh off of dropping a top seven filled with heavy hitters on Wednesday evening, the Massachusetts native will make a stop at Baton Rouge to learn more of Kelly's staff and plans to stay in the race. At one point in the fall, Aguero was very close to going public with a verbal commitment, but those plans have changed as the wild coaching carousel has settled. Georgia, Alabama, Florida and Ohio State are viewed as the strongest contenders at this time, so the Tigers chances to crash the party could increase following more time in town.
CB Cormani McClain - Alabama
Arguably the top non-quarterback recruit in the class of 2023 all together, the race for McClain won't be over any time soon although many feel the Crimson Tide will be in the thick of it all the way until decision day. Miami, Florida, Ohio State and BYU round out the Lakeland (Fla.) Lake Gibson defensive back's top five but Georgia has since hosted him on campus while Pac-12 programs USC and Oregon continue to make a play to get him out west. McClain has voiced his frustration with the heavy college coaching movement since last fall, only reinforcing how long the process may be before all is said and done. Alabama, hiring Travaris Robinson, has a new assistant coach in the secondary though each party is already familiar with the other.
CB AJ Harris - Clemson
Another elite cornerback with a who's who offer list is the Phenix City (Ala.) Central standout, who has frequented Clemson early in his recruitment. Florida and Ohio State have each risen to the top of this recruitment and SI sources say a pledge to a contender nearly went down during the season. Harris also has the likes of Georgia, Alabama and many others on his trail but it is Dabo Swinney and CU hosting him as a headliner on their 'Spring Elite Day' event going on Saturday. While Harris is new at Central-Phenix City High School this year, Clemson has been one of the out-of-state programs able to recruit it successfully, recently landing Justyn Ross and E.J. Williams from the Alabama powerhouse.
DE Jayden Wayne - USC
Fresh of of naming Alabama his leader, the two-way talent most project on defense will take a trip closer to home at USC. Wayne is from the Seattle area and has the Trojans along with Washington and Oregon among his top 11 schools dating back to a late January release, each under new management. Lincoln Riley has brought in explosive offensive firepower early in his Trojan tenure and Wayne has legitimate ability and interest in playing tight end, so it will be interesting to see where on the field Riley's approach will be emphasized.
QB Christopher Vizzina - Ole Miss
The quarterback group in the class of 2023 is as strong at the top as we've seen of late and Vizzina may be the biggest riser on the list relative to this time a year ago. A banner junior campaign at Birmingham (Ala.) Briarwood Christian on a big, athletic frame has many top programs coveting visits out of him. Ole Miss is up first this month, in what will already be his third trip to Oxford since last summer. Lane Kiffin's crew is obviously recruiting program legacy Arch Manning consistently but he isn't alone among targets and now Vizzina will get face time with new offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. in the process. Clemson, Georgia and Ohio State are among those also courting Vizzina.
DB Caleb Downs - North Carolina
Georgia already got the in-state star on campus for a quick trip this week but a place he is just as familiar with get the weekend trip in UNC, where Caleb's brother Josh is the team's No. 1 wide receiver and his uncle Dre Bly is an assistant coach. Downs says he is in no rush with the process and could be quite busy with trips now that his high school basketball campaign at Hoschton (Ga.) Mill Creek is over. Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, Ohio State and Oklahoma are among the programs in the mix for visits going forward.
