The college football recruiting trail was buzzing in April, with some massive commitments — and on the flip side, some significant decommitments that shook up the landscape. Nearly a dozen blue-chip prospects either decommitted or flipped during the month, striking big blows to powerhouse programs like Georgia, Illinois, South Carolina, Notre Dame, and Miami. On the other side of the coin, a few schools have already made their moves with those prospects, adding them to their respective recruiting classes.
With a little over seven months until Signing Day, this is just the beginning of what should be a hectic summer. Let's break down the biggest decommitments in April and the schools they affected, starting with a cornerback who turned heads with his flip to the West Coast.
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 109 (#15 CB)
School: North Crowley (Fort Worth, TX)
Status: Committed to UCLA
An early commitment to Georgia this spring, Outhouse was among the most coveted cornerbacks in the country before pledging to the Bulldogs. He never fully shut down his recruitment though, despite taking multiple visits to Athens. He tripped out to Los Angeles last month, and the Bruins made a big move that ultimately paid off with a big-time flip.
“I love the way coach Chesney is always fired up and how he brings the juice to every practice … no matter what day,” he told Rivals’ Sam Spiegelman. “I love the way he communicates with the other coaches. I see UCLA doing some big things this year with Coach Ches and this new staff.”
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 119 (#10 QB)
School: West (West Valley City, UT)
Status: Committed to Michigan
A highly productive passer the last two seasons, Lopati has thrown for over 5,600 yards and nearly 60 touchdowns while drawing tons of Power 4 offers. It was a big win for the Illini when he committed last July, and became even bigger as he climbed up the rankings over the past year. Michigan’s new staff took notice of that — and drew on their relationships with him from when they were at Utah. He visited Notre Dame and Michigan this spring, and ultimately pulled the trigger on a flip to the Wolverines.
“I have great relationships with the entire Michigan staff and that was big for me,” Lopati told Rivals’ Greg Biggin.
These moves show just how fluid the recruiting landscape can be, especially as summer approaches. For fans and teams alike, April's decommitments are a reminder that no commitment is truly safe until the ink is dry on Signing Day. Stay tuned as more dominoes are sure to fall in the coming months.