Just spoke with Holcomb, so I've got a full story coming in a few minutes. Told you this was the most likely commit, after that UC official came.

I didn't realize, though, Holcomb got offered in late May, about a week and a half before he set the official visit for this past weekend. But there weren't really any other serious contenders. Holcomb said he also looked at Ohio, Marshall and Toledo, but once the UC offer came, he was pretty set. This past weekend sealed the deal and he actually gave the coaches his commitment before he left yesterday.

At UC, Holcomb will play middle linebacker in the 3-4. He told me he feels like he'd be a perfect fit.

"I mean, I just love the family environment, the relationship with Coach Braswell," he told me. "I see the opportunity they’re giving me, the love they have. That’s my ultimate goal, to play football at the highest level and they have that for me."

Full story coming in just a few minutes.

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Hey guys, I finally caught up with another one of UC's recent visitors, three-star WR TK Norman. He visited UC officially June 7.
Login to view embedded media First off, Norman told me he's down to a top three of UC, Texas A&M and Auburn. He officially visited Vanderbilt over the weekend, but he literally did not want to talk about the Commodores. I gave him the chance to and he just said, "Nah." So not sure what happened there, but that one is out.

With the Bearcats, Norman told me it was the first time he'd been to Clifton since he visited for a spring practice back in March. He told me he liked the dorms, liked the tour around campus and being around the players and coaches. Specifically, it's been assistant coach Brad Glenn who's been the main recruiter here, though staffer Cass Simmons and quality control Vijay Stingley have also contributed. "They really know what they’re talking about," Norman told me.

Norman told me he's been to Auburn countless times, since he only lives about 30 minutes away. That, plus he told me, "I think I have my mind made up," even before his A&M official this weekend makes me think he's already heavily leaning towards UC, which is why I've put a FutureCast in for the Bearcats. Now, depending on what happens over the next week with other Aggies targets, I wouldn't count them out, A&M has one of the largest NIL Collectives in the country, so they can throw money at Norman if they decide he's a top target. That said, I don't think he is.

A&M doesn't have any WR commits for 2025 right now, but the Aggies are on a good number of four-star guys. I get the sense that Norman is a backup right now. So, I'd say that even though I'm predicting a Bearcats commit, if A&M loses out on some of these higher ranked guys, it could make a run at Norman. But for right now, that doesn't seem like it's happening.

I'd expect a decision possibly next week. But Norman told me he's thinking early July right now. Full story coming.

Hey guys, I mentioned Friday that this was a great possibility for a commitment this weekend. And just before he left, OL Jahari Medlock gave his commitment to UC. Brief commit story below, more coming soon on his decision.

Hey guys, I've been asked a few times and seen it a few other places that four-star cornerback Blake Woodby was officially visiting Cincinnati this weekend. I just text Woodby, who told me, "I was about to, but I'm not going anymore." So, I know Kerry Coombs tried, but no dice on this one. Sounds like an Auburn lock at this point.
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This wraps up UC's non-conference for 2026, which also includes Boston College at home and Miami (OH) at Paycor Stadium:
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I honestly think this is a creative idea. For all the purists, it sucks. It's just more corporatization, which sucks. But with the Big 12 trying to keep up with the SEC and Big Ten, this is a creative way to do that. And I don't think it's that far-fetched to say this could be official very soon.
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Hey all, just posted the breakdown of all of UC's visitors this weekend. Contrary to other sites, I've confirmed Will Kemna, Cam Clark and Mark Manfred will not be visiting this weekend. I've checked with each of them personally. I put in my futurecast for Mikkel Skinner weeks ago and I still think he's most likely to commit this weekend, though the hope obviously is for more.

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Guys, as I said yesterday, this is an extremely busy time of year for recruiting. And just today, I've gotten enough tidbits that I thought it would be easier to just post another INsider here, to go over everything I've come across. As always, will post more updates when available.
Login to view embedded media *Probably the biggest news is that I just got off the phone with one of UC's recent commitments, three-star Mikkel Skinner. He just committed during his official visit on Saturday, which as you know from following our INsiders, we've been expecting for a while. Anyway, I finally got the chance to connect over the phone. Skinner had tons of great things to say about UC, like about assistant coach Josh Stepp and how he'd be used as a hybrid player in the offense, who can play WR, RB and even some TE.

What I didn't anticipate, is that Skinner said he still plans on officially visiting West Virginia June 21. So, I've now labeled him as a 'soft commit,' which means he's still actively looking around. Skinner has been talking to a few of the coaching staff there and told me, "I feel like I owe it to them." That's why he's still visiting. He's telling me Cincinnati is the place for him, BUT, now that recruiting has especially become a business, it's not a simple commitment anymore. We'll monitor, as I'm sure the Bearcats staff is trying to talk him out of going to WV for that official. Right now, though, he said that's the plan.
Login to view embedded media **You might have noticed that I put a FutureCast in for Xavier Canales to Georgia Tech. We've known for weeks that even though he said he was going to take official visits to Memphis and Georgia State, this was a two-horse race between UC and the Yellow Jackets.

Right now, the plan is still for him to at least visit Memphis this weekend. But sources at GT have told me Canales has given the Jackets a silent commitment. So, unless something really changes this weekend or over the next few days, I'd expect Canales to make that commitment public. Until he does, I know the Bearcats have still stayed in daily contact and will continue that. But if he's given GT a verbal commitment, I'd expect that to stick. So, look for UC to move on to another offensive lineman.
Login to view embedded media ***To follow my INsider yesterday on Jahmari DeLoatch, I've put in my FutureCast for him to the Bearcats. He's just been so high on them for a couple of months now, I've been feeling the shift towards them for a while. And I still firmly believe UC is squarely in front here.

BUT, right after I made the FutureCast, I had a source at Virginia Tech tell me the Hokies are likely losing out on their top CB target, three-star Terrance Edwards, who I had expected to choose VT. Sources tell me West Virginia will be the pick. That affects UC, in that my VT source said the Hokies staff plans to turn up the heat and make more of a push for DeLoatch. What helps the Bearcats is that he's coming off his Virginia Tech official visit and was kinda ho hum about it. AND, most importantly, UC gets him this weekend. So, expect the UC staff to make even more of a push here, as he'd be a massive get for Kerry Coombs and the secondary. Still, it's worth watching, since he'll now be one of VT's top targets.
Login to view embedded media ****Lastly, three-star DT Derrick Simmons told me he's decided to squeeze in one more official visit. He's currently visiting Northwestern and apparently decided to schedule it on Monday. So, he'll se Northwestern today and tomorrow, Boston College on Friday, Purdue for a midweek official visit on Tuesday and finish with Illinois June 21. That's a SUPER busy schedule.

I'm not sure how I feel about Simmons right now. But coming off a UC official, to schedule another one, I don't feel like that can be a great thing. I've only been texting, haven't had a chance to talk yet because of the current visit, but he said he liked the Bearcats. Still, he seems like he wants to decide soon, so he'll have five official visits in two weeks. With UC being first, it won't have the benefit of recency bias. We'll see, but I gotta think the Bearcats' odds have gone down a bit.

Again, I'll break down UC's visitors this weekend, on Friday. Right now, there's 7 total, three of them commitments for the Bearcats. More news coming when available.

Hey guys, following up my INsider from yesterday. Three-star Mikkel Skinner still officially visiting West Virginia June 21. I'd say it's 80/20 he sticks with the Bearcats. But you never know, until after that visit. And I can assure you, the UC staff is trying to get him to cancel that visit. I haven't gotten any sense that the Bearcats would drop him, but they could. Anymore, players have way more freedom, so visiting elsewhere used to be cause for dropping, but not any more. It's just gotten to be part of the business.

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Hey al! Happy Tuesday! I've got more coming this week as this is a super busy time for recruiting. Three commitments over Friday, Saturday, Sunday and more official visits coming up! I've got a few tidbits that I didn't really want to get a story together for, but wanted to keep it here for y'all, to get updated.

*First off, it appears that UC will not be expecting any official visitors June 21. Unless something changes, the past two weekends, plus this coming weekend, will be the only June official visits. There were only a couple who entertained coming that final weekend, so the staff worked to reschedule them and get them all together in the first three weekends.
Login to view embedded media **One of those who rescheduled is three-star CB Aydan West. He told us a little over a month ago that he planned to officially visit UC June 21. But that's been rescheduled for this weekend. Two official visits down, to West Virginia May 31 and Virginia this past weekend. I'm told those within UVA circles think he's a slam dunk there. But I definitely don't get that sense. West Virginia staff feels good, too. But I think it's a good sign for the Bearcats that he rescheduled. After this weekend, he told me he's going to Wake Forest next Tuesday (June 18) for an official visit and Michigan State June 21. West hasn't hinted at a decision, though. So not sure when that will be.
Login to view embedded media ***If you missed it, three-star OL Jayden Clark cancelled his official visit this coming weekend to Kentucky. We had taken that visit off his profile already, as it sounded pretty unlikely. But now, he's announced it publicly. Basically, as I said last week, this one is between UC and Indiana, where Clark will officially visit June 21. It sounds extremely positive for UC coming off his visit with the Bearcats this past weekend. Announcing the UK cancellation right after that visit is another good sign. But we won't know anything until after he sees the Hoosiers. And unless they completely wow him, I still think he's headed to UC. I made that FutureCast a while ago and I'm sticking with it.
Login to view embedded media ****The new player on the board is safety Terrell Holcomb. He'll now officially visit the Bearcats this weekend. Basically, they offered him back in March, but that offer wasn't fully committable. It now is, because Tariq Hayer committed to Rutgers. And that one was not a surprise, Hayer to Rutgers. I wasn't sure if he was gonna pick Rutgers or Maryland, but knew it would be one of those two, as much as he talked about playing close to home.

Anyway, Hayer now being off the board has left the door open to Holcomb. And I've gotta think the Bearcats are the CLEAR leader here. Now that he's been given the greenlight to take an official visit, there aren't really any competitors. He'll likely get more offers and looks this fall, but it would be a shock if he doesn't commit to UC at this point in time.

I'll spotlight the visitors for this weekend, on Friday. There still may be one or two more. We'll find out more over the next few days and I'll have any updates when available.

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Guys, I chatted earlier with Oscar Smith (Va.) three-star DB Jahmari DeLoatch. He's set to officially visit UC this weekend.
Login to view embedded media DeLoatch is coming off an official visit to Virginia Tech. I get the sense that he liked the visit, but wasn't blown away. He had good things to say, but this comment really stood out: "They’re not bad academically, but I think good enough depending on the major. Football, you can be good anywhere if the coaching is right and you do what you’re supposed to do." Just shows that his opinion of the Hokies overall is: meh.

The Bearcats have been trending up here, ever since they got him to visit for the spring game back in April. He almost immediately set an official visit after that. VT, Wake Forest and Vanderbilt have hung around, but he just hasn't talked about them the same.

I think one of THE main reasons here is assistant coach Kerry Coombs. You've heard this before and this is another case of him having a hand in a recruitment. But that trip in April has been DeLoatch's only time at the Clifton campus, so he wants to see more. I told DeLoatch I'd talk to him again this week, so depending on how that goes, I might be switching my FutureCast to the Bearcats. Right now, I have it for VT, but it's really shifting towards UC fast.

More coming when available.

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Guys, I caught up with one of UC's official visitors from this past weekend, three-star safety Dyllon Williams. It was his second official visit, after Missouri on May 31.
Login to view embedded media Williams told me this was his second visit to Clifton. He also attended a spring practice in March. He told me all the recruits went mini bowling on Friday, then spent a lot of time Saturday at coach Scott Satterfield's house. That seems to have really stood out to Williams, as he said he has a strong connection with the staff and liked what he saw and heard on the visit.

Defensive coordinator Tyson Veidt is the main recruiter here. Williams told me they talked a lot about scheme, how he'd fit in and how important he could be to the defense. That seems to have really resonated. Staffer Cass Simmons is also a favorite of Williams. He said they talk almost every day.

I think this one is between Mizzou and UC, with the Bearcats in the lead. Williams liked Mizzou and said he liked hanging out with one of his former teammates, OL Curtis Peagler. That seems to be the biggest thing going for the Tigers. Outside of that, he didn't have a ton to say. Williams is still officially visiting Mississippi State this weekend and Kentucky next weekend. But he told me, "Right now, I feel like I know where I wanna go. But I don’t wanna put it out there yet because I still have the other OVs to take."

So, don't expect a decision at least until after this weekend. Mizzou could be the pick. I'm not confident enough yet to make a FutureCast. But I do think UC is in the lead here. There were just a ton of positives after the visit.

Full story coming.

I gave an INsider update a few weeks ago, but here's the full story on Fogle. Still a bit early here, but UC at least getting in the picture on the football side:

I mean, not surprised at all. Y'all shouldn't be either, after my last INsider. I did think he'd wait for the Maryland visit, but I don't think he ever felt the love from the Terps, like he did from Rutgers. But I knew he wanted to stay close to home.

This one is BIG. All-stater who committed just before the end of his UC official visit
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