Nation’s No. 5 Safety Announces Top 6 College Football Programs

The college football recruiting trail isn't slowing down in the late stages of the spring.

About a month from now, official visits will kick off around the country. Programs across the FBS are jockeying for the top prospects in the 2027 class.

While offense takes the majority of the attention in the sport, college football is built on strong defenses. The two teams that competed for a national championship in January, Indiana and Miami, both ranked in the top-10 in scoring defense and top-15 in total defense.

Four-star safety Ta'Shawn Poole is among the most highly-regarded recruits at his position in the 2027 class. Six P4 powers are closing in on the rising senior.

Top-5 Safety Focused On Six Programs Moving Forward

Earlier this week, Poole announced he was trimming his recruitment down to six. LSU, Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Florida State, and Tennessee made the cut, according to On3's Hayes Fawcett.

Poole unofficially visited Tennessee on the same day he released his top list. He's also seen LSU, Alabama, and Clemson since the beginning of the offseason. Poole has an official visit set to Tennessee on June 5.

The Seminoles and Bulldogs remain in the hunt. Poole took a trip to Florida State in November. He was visited by Georgia head coach Kirby Smart via helicopter back in January.

During his junior season at Howard High School, Poole made a name for himself on both sides of the ball. He rushed 33 times for 200 yards and 4 touchdowns while catching 30 passes for 454 yards and 7 more scores. Poole added 37 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, and 2 interceptions on defense. He also returned a punt for a touchdown.

Poole was invited to the 2026 UA Next All-America Game. Earlier this year, he earned Alpha Dog honors at the Under Armour Atlanta Regional.

The 6-foot-2, 185-pound safety is regarded as the No. 52 overall prospect, the No. 4 S, and the No. 3 recruit in Georgia in the 2027 class according to the 247Sports Composite Ratings.