Football is back! Well, sort of.
Even though the Hall of Fame Game was canceled on Sunday, the buzz with football on all levels is at a new level. Many college and high school programs have kicked off fall practices, and the regular season is right around the corner.
Recruiting, as we know, never stops, and the weekend had its share of news. The 4-star duo of defensive end Jordan Williams and wide receiver Tahj Capehart, who both are from Virginia Beach, Virginia, committed to Clemson and Virginia Tech, respectively.
USC managed to land a couple of 4-star, in-state athletes in Los Angeles defensive end Hunter Echols and Oakland offensive tackle Alijah Vera-Tucker. Stanford won a big battle against Notre Dame in getting California 4-star receiver Osiris St. Brown, the younger brother of Notre Dame receiver Equanimeous St. Brown.
Most recently, a 4-star quarterback has ended his recruitment. San Clemente, California, standout and Elite 11 finalist Jack Sears verbally committed to Duke, choosing the Blue Devils over offers from USC, UCLA and others. Sears is ranked the nation's No. 5 pro-style quarterback in the 2017 class.
And let's not forget the action in the 2018 class. Oklahoma secured its quarterback in Newbury Park, California, 4-star Cameron Rising, while Penn State added a dynamic receiver in Monmouth Junction, New Jersey, 4-star Justin Shorter. Georgia also added to its class and continued its impressive in-state recruiting in landing 4-star outside linebacker Adam Anderson out of Rome, Georgia.
Recruiting is only expected to elevate as we inch closer to the fall. Here are a few other updates from athletes in the 2017 class:
Viral video helps recruitment of 2-star OL Harris
Oklahoma City offensive lineman Andre Harris Jr. is rated as a 2-star player, but it was a recent, 5-star type of play that put him in the right spotlight at the right time.
Harris was working out with teammates last week when a blocking video showed exactly how effective he can be as an offensive tackle or guard at the next level. Going into Sunday evening, that video was retweeted nearly 300 times and liked nearly 500 times on Twitter.
"I didn't even know about [the video] at first until it made my Snapchat," said Harris, who is preparing for his third season as a starting tackle for Putnam City North High School. "It was one of our summer, senior-led workouts, and we were doing one-on-ones against the best defensive linemen."
The video, Harris said, has attracted new interest from college coaches. He currently has offers from Arkansas State, New Mexico, Louisiana-Monroe and a few other schools, but his list could increase because of what was posted on social media.
"As soon as I posted the video, about 30 minutes later, USF [South Florida] messaged me," he said. "Three other coaches followed me, and a USC assistant followed me out of nowhere. One of the assistants from Memphis was saying they've got to get me out to their campus soon.
"I've pretty much been underrated since I moved here. I lived in Wichita, Kansas, my freshman year. A lot of people know me around the area, but around the country, I'm a 2-star [athlete]. Honestly, I think I'm at least a 3-star. I know I'm worthy."
Harris said he plans on giving his verbal commitment before Putnam City North's first game on Sept. 2. Arkansas State is a team to keep an eye on, as he's built a solid relationship with the majority of the coaches on staff.
4-star CB Wade set to turn top 8 to final 5
When Clairton, Pennsylvania, 4-star cornerback Lamont Wade dropped his top eight on July 29, he did so in an effort to trim a list of 23 reported offers in time to set up an official visits schedule. Wade's next move is to cut three schools from his top eight—and he's hoping to do that by the end of the month.
Wade's eight of West Virginia, Tennessee, Ohio State, Mississippi State, UCLA, Alabama and in-state schools Penn State and Pitt all are hoping to eventually land the nation's No. 6 cornerback in the 2017 class. Three schools, however, will be eliminated from Wade's daily conversations soon, and he's ready to sort the list.
"I want to get it down to five so I can take all my officials from there," he said. "It's been tough, the best fit for me."
Wade said he's enjoyed his process and that it hasn't been stressful. Even in trying to trim the list from eight to five, he's finding the joy in everything and said he is "taking everything in stride" as he prepares to formally set his official visits schedule.
"For me, it's about feeling comfortable with that school, the coaches and the players," Wade said. "I also want to have an opportunity to go in and play early, and all of the schools are giving me that chance."
Wade, who plays larger than his 5'9", 185-pound frame on the island, is ranked No. 47 overall in the 2017 class. As mentioned on the VSporto's Recruitniks podcast, Wade is one of only five athletes shorter than 5'10" in the 2017 class ranked among the top 100 in the 247Sports composite. Additionally, he's one of only 15 players shorter than 5'10" in the top 100 over the last five recruiting classes.
3-star LB Murray ready to announce Wednesday
Missouri City, Texas, outside linebacker Kenneth Murray announced his top six schools on July 22. The 3-star prospect from Elkins High School said he will end his recruiting process on Wednesday—and three schools are considered front-runners.
Murray confirmed to Bleacher Report that Texas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma are the schools in the lead, and he's "100 percent sure" of which school he wants to attend. He will make his decision public Wednesday morning at Elkins and then announce his verbal via Twitter.
"Being in this position, it's a blessing and something I thank God for," Murray said. "All of the schools were consistently talking to me and recruiting me, and they all have great academics. It just all came down to consistency."
Oklahoma leads Murray's 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions, and head coach Bob Stoops and his staff are hoping to add Murray to a blossoming 2017 class. Texas, however, is a school that has been trending. Of the three schools, the Longhorns are the only one currently without a linebacker pledge.
Whichever school lands Murray will get a versatile player who can see valuable playing time early. He is most comfortable at the outside linebacker position, but if necessary, he can play safety and rover. He's also quick enough to line up against wide receivers in passing situations.
"I want coaches to feel like they're getting the greatest outside linebacker," he said. "That's what I'm striving to be; that's what I am going to be. I'm going to go hard and do whatever it takes. What you'll see on the field is who I am, and I'm going to give my all."
3 officials set, a 4th coming for 4-star CB Molden
West Linn, Oregon, cornerback Elijah Molden will play college football in the Pac-12. Upcoming official visits will determine exactly where the 4-star standout will play.
Molden has a top four of USC, Stanford, Washington and Oregon, and he confirmed to Bleacher Report that he has set official visits to Stanford (weekend of Sept. 17), Oregon (Oct. 8) and Washington (Oct. 22). A date for the visit to USC, he said, is still to be determined.
He said he'll announce his verbal commitment in December after West Linn High School's football season.
"They're all in the same boat right now," Molden said of his four schools. "There are a couple of schools that I'm a little more familiar with because I've visited multiple times. I've been to Stanford twice and Oregon a lot. I'm going to Washington to get better familiar with them."
At 5'10" and 181 pounds, Molden is a top-25 cornerback nationally who also could see significant time in nickel packages. He earned a second consecutive trip to The Opening back in April after flying to Houston to compete in regional competition.
Molden, who said he has nine offers total, said his winning school will offer the balance of a solid football program, a close-knit family in and out of the locker room and a good academic reputation. He said connections after football also is a major plus in what he's looking for.
"Really, that may be the most important thing," Molden said of the after-football connections. "I want to be able to grow academically and use the friendships I get to build. I know that you can't play football forever."
Bama, LSU or Auburn: Which lands No. 2 JUCO?
Three of the top six junior college players in the 2017 class—offensive tackle Elliot Baker (No. 1 overall), linebacker Gary Johnson (No. 3) and cornerback Jhavonte Dean (No. 6)—have committed to Alabama.
The Crimson Tide are hoping to add to their class with the No. 2 JUCO player, defensive end Isaiah Buggs. The Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College standout, however, is being courted by several other schools—and LSU and Auburn are the schools to watch.
Buggs told Tom Green of AL.com last month that he was planning to commit on Aug. 24, which is his 20th birthday. As someone from Ruston, Louisiana, Buggs is considered a major target for LSU. In fact, all of the predictions on his 247Sports Crystal Ball favor to him choose the Tigers.
Buggs said a commitment to LSU isn't as set in stone as some may assume.
"Just because I'm from there doesn't mean I'm going to go there," Buggs told Green. "People usually get it mixed up and say, 'He's a Louisiana guy, so he's going to go home and play.' That's not necessarily true."
He added that Auburn was "really high" on his radar. He took an unofficial visit to Auburn the weekend of July 23, and he has a good relationship with associate head coach/defensive line coach Rodney Garner.
Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles