It’s that time of year when you see more 4- and 5-stars on Hayes Fawcett’s timeline than in downtown LA. With National Signing Day 2025 in the rearview mirror, there’s absolutely no standing-on ceremony. Nearsightedness is a cardinal sin in this sport, and focus has swiftly pivoted over to the class of ‘26. Coaches are hitting the road for off-campus visits. Parallely, recruits are reciprocating the efforts with on-campus ones. Top 5 safety in his class, Jireh Edwards, has just announced 5 official visits over the summer. A couple of notable schools are not on the itinerary.

Since before his announcement, Jireh Edwards has been trending towards his in-state Maryland Terrapins. On3’s RPM even gives the Terps the highest percentage chance to land his services in the secondary. Merely 20 miles separate his high school in Upper Marlboro and the campus in College Park, MD. Even with this proximity, it would’ve been borderline delusional for HC Mike Locksley or any fan to think the journey would be straightforward. It never is with a prospect of this ilk. Maryland knew there would be roadblocks to getting Edwards. Now, they’re privy to the exact ones. A mix of Big 10 and SEC schools are preparing to host him, and they’re all blue chips. Well, maybe bar one.

The aforementioned Hayes Fawcett broke the news over IG that Jireh Edwards has finalized official visits to the following: Georgia, Oregon, Texas A&M, Maryland, and Auburn. Maryland is expected, but Auburn’s inclusion is pleasantly surprising. The “Loveliest Village on the Plains” had had little love in return from prospects over the years. But the dynamic is seemingly shifting. HC Hugh Freeze has been getting busy this offseason, knowing he’s under duress to save his rep as well as his job. The other 3 schools instill a lot more concern for those of a Terps persuasion. Not to mention, Alabama and Ohio State have also extended offers for Edwards. Albeit their absence from the OVs doesn’t bode well in this process.

Georgia’s inclusion in the list comes as no surprise. The Bulldogs have had dynastic success because of their defensive solidity under Kirby Smart. They’ve just lost the services of star safety Malaki Starks. Who’s expected to be a lottery pick in the NFL Draft? Goes to show why Jireh Edwards is naturally enticed by Georgia and is going down to Athens. Oregon is a similar case. 

Dan Lanning consistently collects the top recruiting classes in the country. The roster is stacked to the brim, and success beyond even a B1G championship is on the horizon. Plus, those Phil Knight-Nike NIL avenues remain a magnet. A common issue persists with this recruitment, though. The sheer distance between Oregon and the country’s hotbed of athletic talent in and around the south. Lastly, and certainly not the least, Texas A&M keeps plugging away. Both in terms of results and the recruitment trail. College Station won’t be able to give Edwards the full experience of the 12th man when he pulls up. But it stands to be a big visit nonetheless. The Aggies can look forward to the next step in this recruitment. Unlike two bluebloods renowned for developing talent.

Kalen DeBoer and Ryan Day left stranded by Jireh Edwards for computable reasons

Both Alabama and Ohio State offered Jireh Edwards back in 2023. A lot has changed for both programs since. In opposite directions. Nick Saban left Bama, and so did the sheen layering of the program. Bama was the place to be if you wanted a route into the NFL. Now, players don’t view them in that same light with Kalen DeBoer, rightly or wrongly. Conversely, Ohio State has just won the National Championship. If that didn’t make them attractive, Edwards gets to join the Buckeyes when the best safety in the country, Caleb Downs, ascends to the pros. That passing of the baton has perhaps been put on hold by one big factor.

Ohio State has just lost defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to fellow B1G member Penn State. Knowles had his fingerprints all over their success last season. The Buckeyes boasted the best defense in the sport. The most prominent aspect was indeed the secondary. Now that Knowles has departed, the direction for the defense is rendered inconspicuous by a cloud of uncertainty. Matt Patricia, the substitute, is more than capable of picking up the slack seamlessly. However, this upheaval lends to Jireh Edwards being deterred from an OV.

DeBoer could certainly have done with fending off this amount of competition and landing a recruit of this caliber. Alas, it seems unlikely. Ryan Day, too, is trailing in this race. With so many great alternatives, it’s not hard to understand why the pair was left hanging. A career-altering decision beckons for Jireh Edwards. The program he chooses will dictate the trajectory for the rest of his career.