Northeast Rumor Mill: Official visits are in full swing
Several 2026 prospects across the Northeast have already stared their official visit schedules, with many more visits coming up.
Who is visiting where? Here is the latest news on many recruits in the Mid-Atlantic, and what is coming next for them.
Edward Baker made a recent change to his official visit schedule. He will no longer visit Penn State, as Baker will now take an official visit to Mississippi during the weekend of June 20 through June 22. Ole Miss just offered Baker on June 3.
Prior to that, the three-star offensive tackle out of Saint Frances Academy in Baltimore has official visits planned to Tennessee (June 6 through June 8) and North Carolina State (June 13 through June 15). He has visited both programs previously.
Baker has already taken official visits to Virginia (April 25 through April 27) and Arkansas (May 30 through June 1). It was his first visit to each school, and he said those trips “set the standard.”
He is looking to see which school “checks most of the boxes” and will make his decision in late June or early July.
While high-three-star prospect Tavian Branch has the versatility to play both offensive line and defensive line at the college level, he is focusing on the defensive side of the ball.
Branch recently released a top-five of Alabama, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Penn State and Rutgers and announced a decision date of June 11.
He is coming off an official visit to Rutgers during the weekend of May 30 through June 1. Branch will be at Oklahoma this weekend (June 6 through June 8). He also has an official visit scheduled to Penn State for the weekend of June 13 through June 15, which notably comes after the announcement date that is currently set.
Branch took an official visit to Oklahoma State in April as well, but the Cowboys are no longer expected to be in contention.
Barring any new developments, this recruitment appears to be coming down to the Scarlet Knights and Sooners.
Chase Geter, a three-star cornerback out of Virginia, is fresh off of an official visit to Duke during the weekend of May 30 through June 1.
Next up for Geter is a trip to Madison for an official visit with Wisconsin this coming weekend (June 6 through June 8). He is currently scheduled to follow that up with an official visit to Penn State during the weekend of June 13 through June 15.
Previously, Geter took an official visit to his home-state program, Virginia, in April.
Michigan also recently offered the the Stone Bridge High School standout and could be a school to watch moving forward, but the schools he is officially visiting are the ones to pay attention to most.
Four-star Darius Gray, the No. 1 ranked guard in the country and No. 27 overall prospect in the 2026 class, has been busy. He will continue to travel throughout the month of June.
Gray has already taken official visits to Virginia in April, Georgia in May and Clemson this past weekend (May 30 through June 1). He tells Rivals.com that those trips “went great” and were a “whole different experience.”
He still has several trips on his schedule, however, with OVs to Tennessee (next up), Ohio State, LSU, Penn State and South Carolina. Gray is looking to get a feel of each locker room and how he would fit in at each place.
Gray also previously had an official planned to Auburn, but that has been canceled.
LSU and South Carolina have been considered the front-runners for Gray, but many options remain on the table. Gray doesn’t have a decision date in mind yet, but he plans to cut his list to five in early July.
The No. 2-ranked running back in the country, Savion Hiter, is coming off of an official visit to Ohio State (May 30 through June 1). It was his first official visit thus far, but Hiter is keeping things in his recruitment quiet right now.
Next up, Hiter will take OVs to Georgia (June 6 through June 8), Michigan (June 13 through June 15) and Tennessee (June 20 though June 22).
Hiter also recently unofficially visited the Volunteers for Tennessee’s “865 Live” event in May. The Volunteers appear to be gaining steam in Hiter’s recruitment.
With that said, the Wolverines have made Hiter a huge priority, and have long been considered as one of the front-runners. Ohio State and Georgia have also done well with Hiter and will remain in the mix, but the latest intel suggests that Michigan and Tennessee are the programs to watch most closely for the four-star tailback.
Three-star Bergen Catholic High School (Oradell, New Jersey) cornerback Xavier Jackson recently altered his official visit schedule.
He moved his official visit to Minnesota up to this past weekend, May 30 through June 1, after it was previously scheduled for June 13 through June 15. He said the trip was “great” and that the Golden Gophers “made a strong impression” on him.
Jackson will now officially visit Michigan State during the aforementioned June 13 through June 15 weekend. Prior to that, Jackson has an official visit set to Pittsburgh for this coming weekend (June 6 through June 8).
He also has official visits booked to Temple for June 16 and June 17, and Syracuse for June 19 through June 21.
Four-star Virginia wide receiver Travis Johnson will take his remaining official visits throughout the month of June as he nears a decision date.
Most recently, Johnson was at South Carolina for the weekend of May 30 through June 1. He follows that up with a trip to Penn State this coming weekend, June 6 through June 8. Then he has additional an official visits coming up with Michigan, and is looking to work Georgia and home-state program Virginia Tech into the slate as well.
Additionally, Johnson traveled to Bloomington for an official visit in early May with Indiana.
Johnson is a targeting a commitment date on or around July 4.
Four-star defensive end Jermaine Kinsler, who is teammates with Jackson at Bergen Catholic, committed to Texas A&M in February and things remain strong with the Aggies.
Kinsler is heading back to College Station this weekend (June 6 through June 8) for his official visit and the word is that he is “completely locked in” with Texas A&M as things currently stand.
He has put his recruiting hat on and has been advocating for other top 2026 prospects to join the Aggies as well. Kinsler will have the opportunity to that even more so and share his experiences with fellow recruits on campus this weekend.
Joey O’Brien, a Rivals250 member has had a strong offseason. He is now down to four schools: Clemson, Notre Dame, Oregon and Penn State. He also has a decision date set for June 20.
O’Brien has already taken official visits to Penn State and most recently Clemson. He will be at Oregon this coming weekend (June 6 through June 8) and then will conclude his visit schedule at Notre Dame during the weekend of June 13 through June 15. His commitment announcement will come shortly after that.
He previously had an official visit set to Tennessee as well, but will no longer head to Knoxville.
Notre Dame and Penn State have long been mentioned among the top contenders for O’Brien, but Clemson made its presence felt on the official visit and Oregon will get its shot to convince him to be a Duck this weekend.
Amauri Polydor is a three-star cornerback who is teammates with Baker at Saint Frances Academy.
Polydor is yet to take any official visits, but he will begin that process now.
He has an official visit set for Penn State this weekend (June 6 through June 8) and then one scheduled with Michigan State for the following weekend (June 13 through June 15).
However, the latest intel indicates that if things go well for both sides over the weekend, Penn State could close on Polydor and get a commitment by the time he leaves Happy Valley. It is something to monitor.
Virginia three-star cornerback Jase Rhodes is switching things around with his official visit schedule as new schools emerge for him.
Rhodes will take an official visit to James Madison this weekend (June 6 through June 8) and then to Wake Forest during the weekend of June 20 through June 22. He previously had an official visit scheduled with South Florida, but that trip is now off.
The new program to watch for Rhodes is Illinois. The Fighting Illini have not offered Rhodes yet, but are in discussions to set up an official visit for him during the weekend of June 13 though June 15. If this comes to fruition, Illinois will definitely be a program to watch in Rhodes’ recruitment.
Rhodes does not have a decision date in mind yet, but is looking for a program with a scheme the best fits him, and a school with good academics.
Clemson has been considered the leader for Rivals250 interior offensive Carter Scruggs, and coming of a “great” official visit there this past weekend, the Tigers are still trending for the four-star prospect.
Now a commitment date is set for Thursday night for Scruggs.
Scruggs also has official visits planned to Michigan, Penn State and Georgia throughout the month of June. However, it will be interesting to see if he follows through with those plans.
In addition to the four schools mentioned above, Oklahoma was also listed in Scruggs’ top-five. Those other schools will likely continue to fight for Scruggs until signing day, but it would be surprising if Scruggs did not pick Clemson on Thursday.