Recruiting notes: Ground Zero media day

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. – One of the top 7-on-7 teams in the West is Ground Zero, and on Saturday night it held a media opportunity with many of its top players. Here is the latest on some of the best prospects from California.

MORE: Recruiting stock report for the 2017 class | 2018 Rivals250

Jaiden Woodbey has a top four, and the 2018 four-star athlete said he’s really going to focus on those programs moving forward in his recruitment.

The Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco standout said Oklahoma, USC, Ohio State and Nebraska have made the cut.

Florida State was a childhood favorite, but the Seminoles have not offered yet, so Woodbey said he cannot seriously look at that program yet.

The hiring of assistant coach Donte Williams could be huge for the Huskers as Woodbey called him one of the “most real” coaches involved with him. With many California ties, Williams is known as one of the best recruiters in the region.

USC must also be closely watched because the 2018 four-star had really positive things to say about Trojans cornerback Iman Marshall – and it could go a long way in Woodbey’s thinking.

“My idol goes to USC,” Woodbey said of Marshall. “That will probably play a big part in my decision.”

It is still in the early stages of his recruitment but 2018 four-star cornerback Olaijah Griffin likes USC a whole lot, albeit mainly because it’s the only school he’s taken a visit to at this point.

“I could name my top school, my No. 1 school right now is USC because that’s the place I’ve taken a visit,” Griffin said. “I like their education and being close to the coaches has really been a good start.”

The Mission Viejo, Calif., standout is far from a decision, though.

Plenty of other programs are in the mix – he wants to take trips to Michigan, Nebraska and elsewhere – and Griffin said Alabama and Washington have gotten more aggressive recruiting him as well.

Griffin has a top five but doesn’t want to make it public yet.

One of the better-looking prospects physically at Ground Zero Media Day was Jhevon Hill, a 2018 safety from San Bernardino (Calif.) Cajon who already has offers from Cal, Utah, Washington and Utah State.

Hill, a 6-foot-3, 185-pound recruit, said USC, Washington, Nebraska and others have been showing more interest as his junior season wrapped up and that Oregon, LSU and Washington would be his dream schools.

Early on, Washington State is recruiting him the hardest.

“The coaches have been keeping up with me, sending me messages,” Hill said.

Tennessee was a surprising first offer for 2018 athlete John Jackson from Gardena (Calif.) Serra, but he’s definitely interested in the Volunteers early on. BYU has also come in with an offer.

Washington State, UCLA, Ohio State, Arizona and USC have also reached out to Jackson, who probably projects as a receiver in college.

A bunch of top Serra prospects have gone to USC in recent years, but coach Scott Altenberg – a UCLA grad – has joked with Jackson to take his time through the recruiting process.

“Actually, coach Altenberg is always in my ear because he went to UCLA that I shouldn’t get sold on USC too early,” Jackson joked.

Cal is the biggest offer so far for 2018 linebacker Jack Lamb, so he was closely watching the hiring process for the Golden Bears after Sonny Dykes was surprisingly fired.

That Cal hired a defensive-minded coach in Justin Wilcox, formerly of Wisconsin, was excellent news to the Temecula (Calif.) Great Oak standout and only continues to keep his interest in the Pac-12 school.

“Defense was definitely what they needed to improve on the most, so that’s a big step for them,” Lamb said. “If anything, it helps me with that decision.”

USC, Missouri, Washington and Washington State are showing the most interest in Lamb, who said Stanford used to be his dream school but that he’s keeping an open mind to all programs.

Nebraska, Texas Tech and Utah State are the early offers for 2020 quarterback Bryce Young, and plenty of other interest is coming in for the Los Angeles Cathedral prospect.

Young, who split time in his freshman season and still threw for 1,445 yards and 14 touchdowns and rushed for four other scores, said USC, Oklahoma, TCU and Oregon State are getting more involved.

Because some Texas schools are in the mix, Young said he’s planning a trip to that state and could return to Texas Tech. The 2020 recruit had a lot of positive things to say about the Red Raiders’ offense and will continue to watch them in the coming years.

Upland, Calif., 2019 quarterback David Baldwin already has offers from Oregon State, Utah, Arizona and Colorado State and said Ohio State and Penn State have especially been showing a ton of early interest.

Delon Hurt, a 2018 three-star receiver from Anaheim (Calif.) Servite, has already landed an offer from Colorado and it could be a big one because Servite quarterback Tyler Lytle signed with the Buffaloes and reuniting in college will be a consideration. Utah, UCLA, Washington State and Vanderbilt are also reaching out.

Four-star receiver Manuel Allen made an early commitment to USC, and he said it made sense because it was his dream school. The 2018 recruit from Corona (Calif.) Centennial said he grew up watching coach Pete Carroll and running back Reggie Bush with the Trojans and decided it was the right choice. Visits could still happen later in the process.