Indecision 2003: Where will they go?

National Signing Day is quickly approaching and there are many elite prospects still out there undecided. In TheInsiders.com Hot 100 prospects, 30 players still have to make that big decision of where they want to play their college football.

TheInsiders.com’s top-rated overall prospect is running back/ linebacker Ernie Sims. Sims, from Tallahassee (Fla.) North Florida Christian High School, has played it close to the vest since day one. Neither Sims nor his father has ever mentioned a favorite.

The odds-on favorite to land Sims has to be Florida State. His father and brother both played for coach Bobby Bowden at FSU, and his mom was a track All-American there. Sims has taken official visits to Georgia, Florida, Auburn and Miami. The Seminoles get the last crack.

Georgia and Mark Richt got the last in-home visit Thursday night before Sims headed to Florida State. Then comes the Dead Period (no contact between coaches and prospects) on Sunday, and his decision will come sometime on Wednesday. You could make a strong case as to why he could end up at Auburn, Florida, Miami or Georgia. But the strongest case can be made for the Seminoles. Is it a stone-cold lock for the FSU? No. But they have got to be the favorite.

Speaking of the Seminoles, they likely will land Whitney Lewis, the nation’s top wide receiver prospect. Lewis, from Ventura (Calif.) St. Bonaventure High School, visited Florida State this past weekend. There was much speculation that his mother preferred that he stay close to home and sign with Southern Cal. But she enjoyed the visit as well.

Lewis, like Sims, will announce on Signing Day, and it’s a two-team race between the Seminoles and Trojans. Even with Southern Cal having the great season on and off the field, Bowden will be awfully tough to beat for Lewis.

Perhaps the best-kept secret next to Ernie Sims’ decision is the future of Lamarr Woodley, a big-time defensive prospect from Saginaw, Mich. Woodley, who could play linebacker or defensive end, is already at 250 or so pounds. The likelihood of his putting his hand down at the next level is pretty great.

Woodley has it narrowed down to Michigan, Michigan State and Southern Cal, and he has visited all three schools. He will wait until Signing Day and Woodley is not saying much right now. I did get the feeling that before the coaching change in East Lansing, the Spartans would have been the team to beat because he felt so comfortable there. Woodley likes John L. Smith's new staff at Michigan State, but he also likes coach (Lloyd) Carr at Michigan.

Additionally, Woodley said the distance to Los Angeles and Southern Cal does not both him. This is too close to call.

Demetris Summers is not much of a secret. Summers, from Lexington, S.C., is the nation’s top running back prospect and is expected to will sign with South Carolina and Lou Holtz. Summers has taken only two official visits (Clemson and South Carolina), and he will make his decision on Wednesday.

Anything can happen when it comes to recruiting, because recruiting is so unpredictable. Summers said Wednesday it is 60-40 in favor of the Gamecocks. Some insiders say the percentages favor the Gamecocks even more.

One thing is certain: Quarterback JaMarcus Russell will pick between Louisiana State and Florida State. Russell, from Mobile (Ala.) Williamson High School, will make his decision on Wednesday night.

Russell took his official visit to FSU last weekend and he will be in Baton Rouge this weekend. LSU already has two quarterback commitments in Robert Lane and Matt Flynn. Lane is expected to be a high draft pick this June in the Major League Baseball Draft. Florida State does not have any quarterback commitments to date. You would think that would make FSU the favorite. Nobody knows what Russell is thinking or what he will do come decision time. Some recruits who were with Russell at Florida State this past weekend said he will be a Seminole. We’ll see what he does in the end. This is another close call.

Michael Bush is one of the big-time athletes in the nation. Bush, from Louisville (Ky.) Male High School, received votes for All-State at five different positions as a junior and seven as a senior. Quite simply, he arguably is the greatest prep player in Kentucky high school football history. Both Tim Couch and Paul Hornung thought so.

Bush is an All-American receiver who wants to play quarterback at the next level. That is the position he mainly played his senior year. Bush will announce on Signing Day between Louisville, Kentucky, Ohio State and Tennessee. Don’t be surprised if he selects the hometown Cardinals. Their new head coach, Bobby Petrino, is bringing in a solid group of prospects and Bush would be icing on the cake.

But you can't count out the other three schools. Last week, Bush and his family had a great visit to Kentucky. You can't count out Ohio State, especially coming off the National Championship and you can never rule out Philip Fulmer and the Tennessee Volunteers.

Andre Caldwell is the most explosive receiver in the nation and he has it narrowed down to the “Big Three” in the Sunshine State. Caldwell, from Tampa (Fla.) Jefferson High School, has already taken official visits to Southern Cal, Florida, LSU and Miami. This weekend, his fifth visit goes to Florida State.

Caldwell, like all the others mentioned above, will announce on Signing Day. The favorite to sign him right now are the Gators. He does have strong ties to the Florida program and coach Ron Zook has the Gators cooking in recruiting right now. His older brother, Reche, played for Steve Spurrier and is now with the San Diego Chargers. But Miami and Florida State are right there too and he could end up at any of the Big Three.

Another undecided Florida standout is Antonio Cromartie from Tallahassee (Fla.) Lincoln High School. Cromartie is the USA Today Defensive Player of the Year. He is a sensational defensive back, wide receiver and kick returner.

Cromartie has taken official visits to Auburn, Michigan, Florida and Alabama. This weekend, he heads to Florida State for his fifth and final official visit. It likely will boil down to three schools for Cromartie -- Florida State, Florida and Auburn, with the 'Noles and Gators holding a big advantage right now. For weeks, he has been wavering between the two Florida powers. Auburn, in the end, could be the compromise, but you still have to favor FSU and Florida.

Ofa Mohetau is a powerful offensive line prospect from Euless (Texas) Trinity High School. He is the nation’s top offensive guard prospect and he has it narrowed down to four schools -- Texas, Arizona State, Miami and BYU. Mohetau says he is done taking visits and will sit down with his family and make a decision based on the best fit for him. Stay tuned, as Mohetau could announce at any time.

Another offensive line prospect who could announce his decision at any minute is Mike Jones from Oak Lawn (Ill.) Richards High School. Jones has taken official visits to Notre Dame, Iowa, Penn State, Tennessee and Miami. The word is Jones will decide between Notre Dame, Iowa and Tennessee very, very soon.

Star RB torn between rivals

Things are not getting any easier for Joe Cohen. He has narrowed it down to two schools, but he has only a week to decide. Like so many other prospects who have previously walked in his shoes, the Melbourne (Fla.) Palm Bay star is torn between bitter rivals.

"I have narrowed it down to Florida State and Florida," Cohen said. "I eliminated everyone else and I canceled my Tennessee visit for this weekend. I don't know what to do. One day, I wake up a 'Nole, but then want to be a Gator. The next day, I wake up a Gator and want to be a 'Nole. I can't decide."

Cohen is a two-way standout at running back/fullback and defensive end/linebacker. At the next level, he wants to play on the offensive side of the ball. He loves FSU running back Greg Jones and sees himself as the next great big back in the garnet and gold. At the same time, Florida wants him as its own big back, and, his best friend, Reggie Nelson, committed to the orange and blue. The two had always planned on going to the same school Thursday.

"Reggie and I have come to the realization that we may or may not be playing college football together,” Cohen said. “I mean it could happen or it may not happen. I just do not know what to do and hopefully this comes to an end soon because I have had it. I am shutting things down. I told both schools to leave me be for a while. FSU came by on Monday and Florida was here on Tuesday. I want to decide soon but I do not know when."

Mississippi TE makes a switch

"I reconsidered, and I'm going to Mississippi State," Sherrod said. "The main thing is that I want to major in engineering, and I'm thinking about civil engineering. I just think that Mississippi State has the better engineering program right now. My parents are the ones that talked to coach [Jackie] Sherrill, and he set us up to talk to the Dean of Engineering. My parents and I feel real comfortable with Mississippi State. It's a lot closer to home, so I can be home or at school real quick, and there's nothing like playing for your hometown. I'm only like 30 minutes away from State."

-- Scott Kennedy, BorderWars.com

'Spiderman' headed to South Bend

LaBrose Hedgemon, a defensive back from Hoover, Ala., has committed to Notre Dame. He did it on Wednesday, when Notre Dame head coach Tyrone Willingham made an in-home visit.

"The academics [at Notre Dame] are the best and that is the main reason why I picked them," Hedgemon said. "Secondly, the program is back and this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for me. Coach Willingham is an exceptional man who will turn them around and get them to where they used to be. They also have all that great tradition."

At one point, Hedgemon was committed to North Carolina, but he feels he made that decision too quickly.

"At the time, [UNC] was where I wanted to go. but I still wanted to explore my options. North Carolina is a great school but I can not pass up on Notre Dame."

-- Jamie Newberg, TheInsidersRecruiting.com

L.A. receiver may decide this weekend

Fremont High School [Los Angeles] wide receiver Mark Bradford likely will make his college choice either on Sunday or early next week. Stanford and LSU have been his two leaders for the past few weeks, and that still appears to be the case.

"It's those two and then UCLA," Bradford said. "I have home visits with UCLA and LSU during the week, and then Stanford will be coming by on Saturday. I just sent in my application Tuesday and the Stanford coaches told me that they'll know by the time of our visit on Saturday if I'm in or not.

"It's going to be a tough decision, but I should be ready to decide on things possibly by Sunday or Monday. Then I can go back to focusing on basketball."

-- Greg Biggins, PacWestFootball.com

Tough decision for Thomas

Defensive tackle Marcus Thomas said he has two great college choices.

"It's going to be a real tough choice for me," Thomas said. "I'm leaning a little more towards Florida State right now, but I haven't decided yet. I'm either going there or Florida. They're both good."

Thomas compared the two schools. "I told Florida State I was coming real early on," he said. "But I've liked Florida the whole time and I really liked my visit there. They're both good places and I couldn't go wrong. I think I could play early, too."

Thomas said he'll go back and forth over the next few days before making a final decision. "Right now, I think it'll be Florida State but it goes back and forth. I'll make my final choice on Signing Day probably."

-- Mike Bakas, TheInsiders.com

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