Inside the Anchor (1/24): is the most detailed there's been and full of recruiting scoop

[ShaneKinnee]

Welcome to the very first premium Inside the Anchor recruiting. Enjoy to our new subscribers!

- Vanderbilt is still looking to add a cornerback to this class to go along with 2017 CB Randall Haynie. Well, that one goal for the coaching staff took a hit with their top guy on the board and recent visitor 2017 California CB D'Angelo Gunter committed to BYU. This was somewhat of a surprise as it looked like he had a really good visit and told me it was a "11 out of 10." All eyes go to Tulane commit CB Willie Langham and recent Minnesota commit CB Raheem Layne.

Langham originally looked like a guy that the staff was going to start to maybe move on from or stop recruiting over the last few weeks. That was mostly in part of the confidence in landing Gunter and maybe even Layne. The objective for the staff to take two more cornerbacks doesn't look like it will happen anymore. Ultimately, I don't think the staff will totally move on and maybe keep the door open in case they miss out on Layne. But I still expect him to sign with Tulane on National Signing Day.

As for Layne, he now looks to be the top CB prospect on the board for the Vanderbilt staff. He took an official visit to Indiana on Jan. 13th and Wake Forest this past weekend. Now he will be visiting Nashville this past weekend after getting an in-home visit from the coaching staff this past Sunday night. When he arrives on campus, I expect the staff to really push hard here.

- The defensive end position is one that like the cornerback position, is rather interesting. This weekend the staff picked up a commitment from 2017 North Carolina DE Stone Edwards. The 6-foot-4, 240-pounder was a huge pick up for the class and adds some more depth to a needed spot. I originally reported that the staff may be done at the defensive end position besides for the two Hawaiian targets in Miki Suguturaga and Myron Tagvailoa. Meaning that the staff could very likely end their pursuit of this weekends official visitor and Iowa State recommit DE Deven Lamp. But it looks like the staff is still deciding as coach Ah You was in Texas today checking in on Lamp.

Since we are talking about the two Hawaiian targets, I have some intel on those guys:

Myron Tagovailoa is a prospect that the staff offered nearly a year ago today in the recruiting process. Since that point, the 6-foot-4, 270-pounder has become a popular prospect and has now received recent offers from programs like Notre Dame and Washington. So far he has taken official visits to USC (Nov. 30th), Georgia Tech (Dec. 14th), Navy (Jan. 22nd), and will be visiting Notre Dame for a mid week official this week and then Vanderbilt for the weekend. Many people including me have labeled USC as the school to beat, but Vanderbilt has starting to trend lately and has been rising up his list. With an official visit to Vandy coming up and a desperate need for a talented defensive end like Tagovailao, I would not be surprised if he picks the Dores' on National Signing Day.

This upcoming weekend will be the last chance to get prospects on campus. The staff won't be out on the road doing in-home visits too much as they will have a mid-week visitor starting Wednesday in long-time DL target Miki Suguturaga of Punahou High in Hawaii. He was at the Polynesian Bowl a few days ago and took an official visit to Washington State on Sunday and Monday. After his Vanderbilt visit on Friday, he will head to Utah for a weekend official visit and will announce his commitment on National Signing Day. My pick would be to Washington State or Utah right now, don't think the interest is exactly there in Vanderbilt, but that could change after an official visit. Something to keep in mind here is regardless of where Suguturaga signs, he will be taking a two year LDS trip right after high school. So if he would commit to Vanderbilt, he would not enroll with the 2017 cycle, but the 2019.

Staff visits this week

- Coach Mason and coach Hankton were out in Virginia today to see this weekends official visitor and major WR target Chris Pierce. Looks like this visit with the staff was one where he gave his commitment to the staff in person. Then the two coaches will head to North Carolina to see latest Vanderbilt commit DE Stone Edwards. In addition, coach Norcross and coach Mattioli was joined by Hantkon and Mason before these visits above to see commitments like Randall Haynie, James Bostic, Grant Miller, and others.

With the last weekend approaching of official visits and a mid-week visitor coming on campus, the staff won't be on the road much at all. Today may have been their set of visits.

- Something else to note that has been under-the-radar is with former Vanderbilt WR target, Jalen Brown, recently announced that he will be transferring from Oregon. He was a prospect that spurned former head James Franklin a few recruiting classes ago. Brown will be a graduate transfer and will have two years of immediate playing time. To make things even more interesting, Mason recently followed him on Twitter. This could turn into a real story as Brown could come in and make an instant impact for the Dores'.

- 2017 Beeville (TX) WR Waydale Jones has become a emerging target for the staff at the receiver position. But it looks like that was short lived, as I was informed by a source that his official visit to Wake Forest this past weekend was "too good to pass up" and he is just waiting for a local newspaper writer to type up a article on his commitment.

[roanoke]

interesting news out of oregon, for sure....

[ShaneKinnee]

Very interesting, I'll continue to look into things with Brown.