Finally, it’s that time of the year when recruits are wrapping up their commitments. UCLA Bruins locked in their big target, 4-star offensive tackle Micah “Champ” Smith. There have been many hits and misses, too. For instance, Steve Sarkisian, Dan Lanning, and a couple of other head coaches had pursued 5-star quarterback prospect Jared Curtis. But ultimately, he made a U-turn back to Kirby Smart’s Georgia, months after initially decommitting. Right now, who is stirring the pot?

It’s none other than the Norcross (Ga.) Buford four-star EDGE Dre Quinn. The young chap is not yet mentally prepared to dock his wagon at a port. After all, Quinn was supposed to make his commitment on Tuesday, June 17. However, Quinn decided that he needed more time. He knows when to commit and which two schools will be the final contenders.

On June 17, Hayes Fawcett tweeted some fresh intel on Quinn. It looks like Dabo Swinney and Sarkisian are the happiest now. It read, “NEWS: Four-Star EDGE Dre Quinn is down to Clemson and Texas, he tells me for @on3recruits. The 6’4 230 EDGE from Buford, GA will announce his Commitment on Thursday.”

He was scheduled to visit Notre Dame this weekend (June 14-15) as the Fighting Irish made a late push for him. However, Marcus Freeman’s squad is now out of the race along with Georgia and Tennessee. Quinn visited Georgia Tech early in the spring, and the Yellow Jackets saw a nice bump and surge after he took an official visit.

Quinn’s comment, post-Georgia Tech visit, hinted at a commitment. The 4-star EDGE told national recruiting analyst of Rivals, Sam Spiegelman, “The coaches made it clear to me how much they believe in me — and the vision they’re building. It definitely made me look at Georgia Tech even harder.” Now, what’s all the fuss about landing Quinn?

He had a productive year for Greater Atlanta Christian and has continued to improve his craft with each passing season. As a junior, he finished with 42 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and a forced fumble. He doubled his numbers from the prior year and had a really strong start to the season, finishing with 20 tackles in his first five games.

Now that he has transferred to powerhouse Buford early in the summer, Quinn brings with him an ability to wreck games late. If you don’t block him or send extra help, he can be a handful. Now, who is likely to be the winner in the Quinn race? 

Texas looks to bounce back with Dre Quinn 

The summer official visit schedule could pay off once again for the Texas Longhorns. Last time, 247Sports‘ Crystal Ball showed the Clemson Tigers leading for the 4-star EDGE. However, after Quinn’s trip to Austin, Texas gained a prediction, putting the Longhorns in the mix. Even though he did not openly inch towards Sarkisian’s squad, the hints were there after he shared how his trip to Forty Acres went. 

In an interview with Chad Simmons, Quinn said, “The visit was special. Texas is definitely high on my list. Every time I’m there, it feels more like a place I could see myself. This visit showed me even more of what they’re about and it made an impact.” But who were the ones who pitched hard for him?

“The highlights were sitting down with Coach Sark (Steve Sarkisian), Coach (LaAllan) Clarke, and Coach PK (Pete Kwiatkowski) to see how they plan to develop me. Being around the staff and in the culture were big highlights. You can feel how serious they are about winning and building men, not just players,” added Quinn.

Steve Sarkisian is already nursing a fresh wound coming from another four-star EDGE. On June 11, Khamari Brooks confirmed that he is down to Alabama and Georgia for his next jump. And for this, he has canceled his remaining official visits to Texas and USC. Now, Sarkisian must be thankful for first-year position coach LaAllan Clark, who is beginning to create some buzz as an elite recruiter. He is the one who led Dre Quinn’s recruitment. After the sting of Brooks’ snub, will destiny throw Texas a lifeline in the form of Quinn?