On the cusp of five-star status in the 2022 class is defensive end Caden Curry and in recent days he released his top five.
The Greenwood (Ind.) Center Grove standout narrowed his choices to Alabama, Oregon, Indiana, Clemson and Ohio State.
This past weekend with prospects allowed back on the road, Curry visited Indiana and spent time with commit Dasan McCullough and others.
Curry has said that the plan was to take his official visits during the season on game weekends. In May, the four-star said he would definitely be going to Ohio State, Alabama and Clemson, and then he would decide on the other two.
It seems like Curry has picked those programs with Indiana and Oregon making the cut. Over the next few weeks, it should be clear when the Greenwood Center Grove recruit will hit the road and which weekends will be his officials.
In today’s Making the Case, experts from around the Rivals network discuss Curry’s top five and then National Recruiting Director Adam Gorney issues his verdict on where he believes the four-star defensive end will end up.
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ALABAMA
“Curry took an unofficial visit to Alabama in June and expects to return in the fall for an official visit before making a decision. The Crimson Tide continue to look for high-quality defensive linemen to add to its recruiting class, with Curry on the short list of targets who are considered ‘takes’ for the defending national champions.
“The Buckeyes have long been considered the team to beat for Curry, but a return trip to Alabama this fall can possibly sway things in favor of the lone SEC program in his group of finalists. He is being recruited by Alabama defensive line coach Freddie Roach and the two have talked at least once a week for several months. His recruitment will come down to the wire, with Alabama as a top contender until the end.” – Andrew Bone, BamaInsider.com
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CLEMSON
“By all appearances, Curry wants to do his due diligence and let his recruitment play out so as to avoid making a rash decision. Yet, Ohio State seems to comfortably hold the cards, and it’s hard to foresee anything happening with the Buckeyes that changes the dynamic as long as they want him.
“Stranger things have happened in recruiting. Clemson will be afforded an earnest look with an official visit, and maybe it knocks it out of the park. But this feels like Ohio State’s to lose.” – Paul Strelow, TigerIllustrated.com
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INDIANA
“Indiana stands a chance as it was one of the first programs to offer Curry and the Hoosiers have had a lot of success attracting in-state talent. Defensive end will be a major focus for Indiana and Curry can be the anchor of the line. He is the model for the culture Tom Allen has been building.
“Indiana may not get Curry because it doesn’t have the national star power or prestige as an Alabama or Clemson. The bright lights may be too big for the Hoosiers to keep him in-state.” – Paul Gable, TheHoosier.com
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OHIO STATE
“Any time Ohio State puts the full-court press on for an elite defensive lineman, the Buckeyes are going to have a good shot at landing him. This is true because of defensive line coach Larry Johnson’s resume, which is a key factor in Curry’s consideration of the Buckeyes. Even though Ryan Day’s program recently signed Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau, that is likely not to affect their pursuit of Curry.
“The coveted prospect has proven at the high school level that he’s capable of dominating in the interior of the D-line, and with only a trio of defensive tackles signed in the past three cycles and Haskell Garrett set to depart after this year there’s absolutely a need for someone of Curry’s caliber.
“Given Ohio State’s need for interior D-linemen, Johnson’s history of developing prospects in the trenches into high NFL Draft picks and the opportunity to compete for championships the Buckeyes are the favorite to land Curry. – Joseph Hastings, BuckeyeGrove.com
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OREGON
“Oregon has a shot with Curry to be included in his top group, although it is probably a long one. Defensive line coach Joe Salave’a and Mario Cristobal have been recruiting him for a long time and their relationship certainly played a role in the Ducks making the list.
“He has not been to visit Oregon unofficially as he has his other finalists, although he is planning to take official visits this fall. The Ducks will have a tough time beating the Buckeyes for his services and would have to be considered a dark horse in his top group.” – AJ Jacobson, DuckSportsAuthority.com
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THE VERDICT
“Alabama can get anybody, and so can Clemson. Oregon has pulled some major stunners, including getting five-star offensive tackle Kelvin Banks a few weeks ago, and Indiana is the home-state school that is recruiting much better. But Ohio State has been the leader throughout Curry’s recruitment and the Buckeyes are making him a big priority in this class.
“Ohio State is loaded with young talent across the defensive line but I don’t think it’s going to matter because Curry is coming back for a game in the fall, the game-day environment in Columbus is always electric and he’s not going to turn down playing for Johnson. Stranger things have happened, but I’m picking the Buckeyes.” – Adam Gorney, Rivals National Recruiting Director
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