Recruiting Notebook: Updates on Armwood's top prospects

Armwood has a loaded backfield, and rising junior Jerome Ford should see his fair share of touches. During Friday night's spring game, Ford had a big performance as he started the game off with two catches for 167 yards and two touches. During the game, Ford landed offers from Toledo and Iowa State.

The first school to offer Ford was USF earlier this spring.

"My parents could come and see my games," said Ford if he signed with the Bulls. "It would be so easy to come home. I know a lot of people in Tampa."

Erin Collins' Power Five conference offers come from the Big 10 as Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota, and Purdue have extended scholarships. The 6-foot, 190-pound running back was especially excited when he received the offer from Iowa.

"I really like Iowa," he said. "That was my first one from the Big 10."

Collins is being recruited by Toledo and they're an option for him as well since he has a good relationship with the Rockets' running back coach Marquell Blackwell, like many of the Armwood players have.

Minnesota is also coming after Collins hard and have peaked his interest. He wants to visit there this summer.

McNeal is the most coveted 2017 prospect on the Armwood roster. Arizona, USF, UCF, Colorado State, and Virginia Tech have been coming after him hard recently, but it sounds like Arizona and Virginia Tech are sitting prettiest to land him at this point in time.

McNeal says that he "grew up knowing about Virginia Tech" and sees himself fitting in well in the Arizona offense under Rich Rodriguez.

Toledo has a connection to Armwood with them landing Dedarallo Blue and Aaron Covington in the past couple of recruiting classes. Toledo is in the mix for McNeal.

Another Group of Five school that's in the mix for McNeal is USF, the local option. He's not concerned with playing at the Power Five or Group of Five level, he just wants to get early playing time.

McNeal hopes to take a west coast swing for visits this summer.

Toledo and Iowa State seem to be the top schools for the 6-foot-1, 180-pound safety, even though he's not publicly naming any favorites. Those are the schools that he hopes to visit this summer. Interestingly enough, Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell was the Toledo head coach last year.

Thompson is a long, rangy wide receiver at 6-foot-4, 185-pounds and has a ton of upside. He recently released a top seven of Louisville, Mississippi State, Florida, USF, North Carolina, Miami, and Penn State. He really likes his in-state options being Florida, USF, and Miami. Thompson is very high on Penn State as well, because his favorite wide receiver, Allen Robinson, played for the Nittany Lions.

Louisville, Mississippi State, North Carolina State, Rutgers, South Carolina, USF, and now Tennessee make up Lamar's offer list. The Volunteers offered Lamar after his spring game on Friday night. Tennessee has been hitting the Tampa Bay area hard this week with new offers. Lamar doesn't have any visit plans for this summer.

Nigel Graham doesn't have a group of favorite schools or anything like that, but he does admit that Toledo is the school that he's "feeling the most." Not only is Marquell Blackwell talking with Graham, so is head coach Jason Candle and a few other of the Rocket coaches. Buffalo, Florida International, and Marshall are also coming after Graham.

As just a rising junior, running back Brian Snead isn't able to talk very much to coaches because of NCAA rules, but that hasn't stopped colleges from coming after him. Over twenty schools have extended offers to Snead via the Armwood coaching staff.

Ohio State is the top option for Snead.

"I really can compare myself to Ezekiel Elliott," he said. "He's fast, physical, and runs north and south just like me."

Snead hopes to take visits to Ohio State, Miami, and Clemson this summer.