From Texas to Tuscaloosa: High-stakes college football recruiting hits full gear in mid-June

The summer official visit slate is in full swing -- and mid-June brings another pivotal stretch in the 2026 college football recruiting cycle. For national contenders and rising programs alike, these visits are about more than campus tours and photo ops. They're about capitalizing on momentum, locking in priority targets, and setting the tone before decision season heats up.

Even in the transfer portal era, high school recruiting remains the foundation of championship success. According to 247Sports data, 68% of starters in last season's College Football Playoff final originally signed out of high school with their team. Among the semifinalists, that number climbed to 82%.

This weekend, some of the top uncommitted prospects in the country -- and a handful of high-profile commits still being heavily courted — will be on the move. What happens over the next few days will ripple through class rankings and reshape the recruiting landscape as the calendar turns toward summer's critical final stretch.

Experts from across the 247Sports network break down the top visits and the programs with the most at stake.

Can Texas reel in priority five-star OT Felix Ojo?

There's an argument to be made that Felix Ojo is the most important target in the class for the Texas Longhorns in this cycle, and Steve Sarkisian and his staff will have a chance to close the deal with the elite Mansfield (Texas) Lake Ridge offensive tackle this weekend. Ojo made news this week by cancelling a planned visit to Oklahoma, and sources in the recruitment have had the Longhorns in the top position for the last few months.

Why is Ojo such a priority for Texas? For one, he plays a premium position and is an in-state talent with the potential to be a star blindside protector at the next level. In the 2025 cycle, Texas missed out on landing an impact tackle to replace Kelvin Banks who was once himself a five-star prospect.

For the Longhorns to continue the run they've been on under Steve Sarkisian, landing premium talent and keeping the best at home is of the utmost importance. With no other visits planned for Ojo, this weekend could be a huge opportunity for Texas to get the last word. -- Mike Roach

Michigan and 5-star running back Savion Hiter

Mineral (Va.) Louisa County's Savion Hiter, who is the nation's No. 1 running back, is opting for a low profile as he makes official visits four straight weekends. He already made his Ohio State and Georgia trips, and now comes a weekend visit to Michigan before he finishes June 20-22 at Tennessee.

The vibes around Hiter's recruitment shifted multiple times in the past year, including Georgia looking like the front-runner at one point.

However, sources said since the early spring that Michigan and Tennessee were the programs to watch, and that was backed up when Hiter took an unofficial visit to Tennessee last month. That the Vols get the last official visit is worth noting, but this weekend gives the Wolverines a chance to make a huge push.

Hiter and his family are calculated and meticulous with their recruiting approach, and Michigan continues to be a program to watch. -- Brian Dohn

Can Alabama strike defensive back gold out West once again?

Five-star athlete Brandon Arrington, the nation's No. 2 rated player at his position, is part of a loaded list of visitors at Alabama this weekend as the Crimson Tide look to build recruiting momentum heading into summer.

It appears that it's going to take a comeback effort for 'Bama to close the gap on the likes of Oregon and Texas A&M in the battle for the blue-chipper from Spring Valley (Calif.) Mount Miguel. The Ducks wowed Arrington and his family last weekend, and the Aggies have long been a frontrunner and hold the final official visit date on the schedule.

Yet this Alabama staff has repeatedly leaned on its West Coast ties on the trail. Adding a bit more intrigue is the fact that a prior visit to Tuscaloosa, Ala., was an eye-opening experience for Arrington, a multi-sport star who is among the fastest recruits in the country.

Alabama's defensive back room features Southern California natives Domani Jackson, Zabien Brown, and freshmen Chuck McDonald and Dijon Lee, a former five-star in the 2025 cycle. They could serve as a soundboard for Arrington during his visit this weekend, and it's expected that general manager Courtney Morgan, a Golden State product himself, will be swinging for another cross-country pull. -- Blair Angulo

Notre Dame would like to steal a Texas legacy

Notre Dame currently has the No. 3 class according to the 247Sports Composite Team Recruiting Rankings. The Fighting Irish, led by head coach Marcus Freeman, have secured 16 commits to date.

This is a massive visit for Notre Dame and Aledo (Texas) High Top247 receiver Kaydon Finley, whose father is Jermichael Finley -- one of the best tight ends in Texas Longhorns history. The Irish are looking to try and seal the deal with the 6-0, 200-pounder, who is ranked No. 216 overall nationally. Texas, Texas A&M, Arizona State, and others are all in play. The most buzz has been around the Longhorns as of late, but the Irish have a real shot.

This weekend, the staff is looking to add to that number in a big, big way. They are going all-in regarding what should be considered one of the most important recruiting weekends for the Irish this cycle. -- Tom Loy

Oregon ride-or-dying with Ryder?

This is the visit that Oregon has been waiting for. The Ducks are hosting five-star quarterback Ryder Lyons. This is his first visit, too.

While Oregon offered Boise State commit Bryson Beaver, who subsequently decommitted, he's coming in next weekend and he's their chief 2026 target.

That's because the much-discussed plan for Ryder Lyons to enroll in 2027, serving an one-year LDS mission, is still in the works.

Oregon gets the first visit from Lyons, who canceled his trip to USC last week. But don't expect a decision imminently as BYU will host Lyons next weekend in the final weekend of visitors.

Oregon has had a roller coaster spring of recruiting with decommitments and losing out on elite QB Jared Curtis, but all the gnashing of the teeth would end if they can Lyons sometime soon -- and landing a four-star receiver in Messiah Hampton on Friday certainly didn't hurt, either. -- Brandon Huffman