Recruiting Battle: Monkell Goodwine

Update: Monkell Goodwine has committed to Alabama

The Contenders:

Monkell Goodwine announced his top five on twitter on July 25, 2020. He will be making his commitment on August 15, 2020. Here is a quick tale of the tape for the top five teams. For his scouting report click here.

Why Alabama?

The Crimson Tide have done an excellent job getting defensive linemen drafted over the last 10 years, ranking #2 in our DLU rankings. Furthermore, Nick Saban and Alabama are one of the few programs consistently at the top of the college football world, offering the opportunity to compete for a championship year in and year out. Alabama has won more games over the last ten years than any program in College Football. The Tide do an excellent job of recruiting and developing defensive linemen to play in the SEC, before moving on to the NFL, and this is not lost on Goodwine.

Why Arizona State?

Lead recruiter Antonio Pierce has been a top recruiter for the Sun Devils and has built a good relationship with Goodwine. Pierce has NFL experience and can lean on that background on the recruiting trail. Head Coach Herm Edwards has elevated the Arizona State recruiting to new heights and the staff looks to continue that trend with Goodwine. The Sun Devils have revamped their defensive line philosophy and are looking for players like Goodwine who can make an impact going forward.

Why Clemson?

Clemson is one of the few programs accompanying Alabama at the pinnacle of the sport. The Tigers have done an excellent job putting defensive linemen in the NFL and are ranked #1 in our DLU rankings. Todd Bates has done a good job getting the Tigers into the fight as Clemson was not on Goodwine’s original top 5 but made the revamped list. Clemson has clearly made up ground in his recruitment and the Tigers should not be taken lightly even if they are not the favorite.

Why Kentucky?

A few years ago it would have been a surprise to see Kentucky on this list, but Head Coach Mark Stoops has quietly built up the football program at Kentucky, and is recruiting at a new level. Kentucky has had success in Maryland in the past as two of their current defensive starters are from the state. Anwar Stewart was hired as Kentucky’s defensive line coach in January and has done a good job establishing a relationship with Goodwine. The Wildcats were also not in Goodwine’s original top 5 but have worked their way into this battle. Kentucky has made a habit of winning recruiting battles they are the underdog in, and will look to do it again with Goodwine.

Why Texas A&M?

Texas A&M has done a good job recruiting in the mid-Atlantic region. Lead Recruiter Elijah Robinson has ties to the area and has built a good relationship with Goodwine. Robinson visited the Aggies for a game in 2019 and came away impressed with the program. The Aggies have had defensive linemen drafted high as well (Myles Garrett being the most notable) ranking 13th in the DLU rankings. Goodwine’s former teammate Joshua Moten signed with the Aggies as well, which cannot hurt Texas A&M’s chances. Jimbo Fisher was paid to bring championship players to College Station and this would be a step towards achieving that goal.

Here is our scouting report on Goodwine.

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