Florida receiver Trevon Grimes remains one of America's most intriguing uncommitted athletes on the 2017 college football recruiting trail.
A rising senior at Sunshine State powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas High School, this 6'3", 202-pound playmaker announced Monday he is placing his focus on six schools at the start of summer:
Grimes, considered a 5-star talent, identified Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Miami and Ohio State as universities still squarely in the mix. His recruitment process stretches back into early underclassman days and includes dozens of scholarship offers.
"It has been a childhood dream to be in the position I am in today, and I couldn't be anymore thankful," he tweeted.
Rated No. 4 nationally among receivers in composite rankings, Grimes continues to gather information about potential collegiate landings spots courtesy of campus visits and consistent interaction with coaching staffs. Expectations will be immense this fall, when he'll be counted on to help lead St. Thomas Aquinas to a third straight state title following the graduation of Miami-bound receiver Sam Bruce.
We broke down his skill set in February during Bleacher Report's CFB Future 100 series:
Grimes gives defenders fits with his rare ability to size up with physicality or burst. He can fight off tight coverage at the line and also uses his size as leverage in the end zone, able to box out opponents as the ball approaches.
He's a precise route-runner who doesn't waste any motion while charging downfield, finding seams and surging toward his quarterback's targeted area. Grimes' instincts set him apart from several top-tier contenders, as he displays adept mid-route adjustments based on the evolving trajectory of a toss.
Given his athleticism, size and high school success, it's no surprise Grimes surged up the recruiting board for various programs during early stages of this cycle. Now that we know which programs are battling for his signature, let's take a closer look at the potential pecking order by assigning odds for each contender.
12-1: Georgia Bulldogs and Miami Hurricanes
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart seems to have his program in solid position for nearly every elite receiver talent in the Southeast. That's a testament to the new Bulldogs regime, which has really impressed on the recruiting trail thus far, and it also implies pass-catchers are enthused about an evolving aerial attack in Athens.
That excitement is directly correlated to the presence of lauded true freshman Jacob Eason and a commitment from Elite 11 finalist Jake Fromm. Offensive coordinator Jim Chaney should enter the 2017 season with two blue-chip quarterbacks who hold a combined seven years of eligibility, and the Bulldogs are also in legitimate contention for No. 1 overall 2018 passer Trevor Lawrence.
Miami head coach Mark Richt, who actually landed Eason at Georgia before departing the program in December, aims to revitalize the Hurricanes. His staff fought diligently to keep Bruce on board leading up to national signing day, and any early success he enjoys in Coral Gables could significantly impact Grimes.
Among these two dark horses, Miami has a shot to emerge as a serious sleeper in this race given proximity to St. Thomas Aquinas. The Hurricanes hold three pledges at the position this cycle, but Grimes is the kind of top-level talent who could send a strong message that Richt has his program's arrow pointing upward.
10-1: Alabama Crimson Tide
The reigning national champions plucked emerging national star Calvin Ridley away from South Florida in the 2015 cycle. Prior to Ridley's freshman-season ascension up Alabama's depth chart, Miami product Amari Cooper dominated as the go-to guy in Tuscaloosa en route to his early NFL draft selection.
Ace Alabama recruiter Mario Cristobal, who previously served as head coach at Florida International, does some of his finest work in the Sunshine State. The Crimson Tide view receiver as a pivotal point of emphasis in this cycle and are in the process of building one of the country's most dynamic young quarterback depth charts, so offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin can certainly sell a compelling outlook.
If Grimes opts to spend his collegiate career in the SEC but chooses to leave state borders, we're betting Alabama is the choice.
8-1: Florida State Seminoles
Let's put the Seminoles at No. 2 among in-state options for Grimes, who could also look at the quarterback situation in Tallahassee as motivation to explore this choice further. Head coach Jimbo Fisher has now secured a top-10 pro-style passer in three consecutive recruiting cycles, setting the stage for fierce competition among promising prospects.
Grimes would complement longtime Florida State pledge D.J. Matthews extremely well in the receiver rotation, as his length and physicality can play off Matthews' slipperiness in the open field. He has the attributes to eventually replace rising junior Travis Rudolph as Florida State's primary target, perhaps as early as 2017.
According to Safid Deen of the Tallahassee Democrat, Grimes views the Seminoles as a top-three college destination. He was impressed by his Seminoles spring game experience.
"The biggest things that stood out to me was the atmosphere," Grimes told Deen. "To see all the Noles fans travel to Orlando to pack the stands is just crazy. That just shows how much love the fans have for the team, and that’s a big thing for me. I want to play for a team that fans love the players."
4-1: Florida Gators
Antonio Callaway made a major splash in head coach Jim McElwain's offensive attack as a true freshman. Though his status with the Gators is up in the air due to a suspension, that 2015 performance provided evidence that years of underwhelming statistical outputs at the position in Gainesville could come to an end soon.
McElwain will rely on 4-star quarterback commit Jake Allen to provide peer recruiting throughout the process. At this stage, it's clear the St. Thomas Aquinas gunslinger won't be passive about his feelings.
"Of course Tre is somebody I really want with us at Florida," he told B/R this month at Elite 11 finals. "No matter where you throw the ball, he has a really good shot to make the catch. He would bring a lot to the offense, and it would be special."
Grimes acknowledged the two discuss this possibility.
"[Allen is] on me everyday in class about Florida, this and Florida, that," he told B/R's Sanjay Kirpalani in March. "I got to get up there and see what he was talking about, and since then, I was amazed. ... Florida is chasing Ohio State. That’s probably the biggest threat to Ohio State."
Which leads us to...
2-1: Ohio State Buckeyes
It's no secret Grimes holds Ohio State in high esteem, as he's repeatedly referred to the program as his favorite. Though he's become a star recruit in Florida, his roots are in Indiana, so a return to Big Ten territory wouldn't result in culture shock.
Like others on this list, Ohio State is in the picture for multiple top-tier pass-catchers in this cycle. Among them, Grimes is viewed as the safest bet to land in Columbus, where he feels comfortable and former high school teammate Nick Bosa is a top freshman.
The Buckeyes emphatically lead his 247Sports crystal ball, carrying 93 percent of experts' commitment predictions. In many circles, Grimes' potential pledge to Ohio State is viewed not as a matter of "if," but "when."
"I just feel like they don’t look at me like a regular recruit they just want," he told Kirpalani. "They look at me more as like a son, and they want to mentor me in life and help me with my life goals. ... That’s one of the reasons Ohio State is my leader."
Tyler Donohue is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite rankings.
Follow Tyler via Twitter: @TDsTake.