Midwest Rumor Mill: Latest news on some of region’s top prospects

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.

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The 2027 four-star out of Ohio was one of many blue-chip prospects in Knoxville over the weekend to see Tennessee beat Florida. The atmosphere and energy of the game really stood out to him. The intensity of SEC football also was eye-opening.

The coaches made it clear that he is a priority for the program and he’s already thinking about a return trip since this one went so well.

The 2027 four-star tight end from Iowa was back in Iowa City. The loud environment really stood out to him and he enjoyed seeing how fired up the crowd was for the game.

When you think about the best programs for tight ends, Iowa is at or near the top of that list which has his attention. That will certainly weigh heavily into his eventual decision.

The high three-star quarterback visited UCLA this weekend where he is one of two quarterbacks in the class. The Illinois native enjoyed his time in Westwood, noting that it is a rebuilding year but thinks that the coaching staff is great.

Other programs have not given up on the senior who is among the state leaders in points scored this season. He plans to take visits to Illinois, Colorado, Cincinnati and Florida this season.

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The Alabama commit will be one to watch all the way through signing day in December. He’s still committed to the Tide and the relationship remains strong. However, there is significant momentum for coach Matt Rhule and Nebraska. Rhule and linebackers coach Rob Dvoracek were both at Merritt’s game on Thursday night. I’m told that gesture means a lot to Merritt and the only program he’d consider other than Alabama is Nebraska.

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The recent Oklahoma commit has been keeping things low-key since he backed off his pledge to the Sooners. But there is a program emerging as a contender for his signature in the Big 12.

Iowa State has been in contact with him the most of any program and he does plan to visit Ames this coming weekend. I’m told he’s looking for a program that is an all-around great fit for him on and off the field.

The elite 2027 athlete made the trip down to Tennessee and the electric environment, fans and coaching staff made the trip a great one. After this visit, the Vols are definitely a top contender for his signature down the line.

Coming up next, he will check out in-state Indiana for the monster matchup with Nebraska.

LSU has been a school to watch for Taylor since it offered him. The latest visit to the Bayou only strengthened that sentiment. It really caught Taylor’s attention how skilled LSU’s wide receivers are even though the group is banged up overall.

The development of Garrett Nussmeier is an encouraging sign for the young signal-caller, too.

Oklahoma, Michigan and Nebraska are some other early standouts for him as well.

The 2026 four-star prospect was at Illinois to check out what the Illini have to offer. The coaching staff has made him a huge priority and even wanted him to get down early to spend more time with the coaches.

The staff’s history of development and putting players into the NFL really has his interest. Thomas and his family are said to be getting more comfortable with Illinois as time goes on.