Clemson (14 commits). Close to securing a third straight top-10 class, Jimbo Fisher closed out the early signing period with a big in-state pickup, signing No. Aneyas Williams, the No. Top defensive commit: DE Dylan Brooks (No. Top defensive commit: OLB Will Latu (No. A fifth straight winning season for Dave Clawson has helped steer more key players to Wake Forest. Dan Lanning secured the pledge of two high-profile wide receiver commits, including 4-star Dillon Gresham and top 15 wideout Jordan Anderson, both important targets for incoming quarterback Michael Van Buren, the 11th ranked prospect at his position, a passer with mobility who can throw on the move and works well in RPOs. Here are the nation's top-10 defensive prospects and where they're headed in 2024. This class had just as many pieces, including the Pouncey brothers, Dunlap, Haden and might have been even better had Cam Newton stayed with the Gators. The Panthers are in the top 40 after signing the No. Long arms on the offensive line are on the way in the form of three-stars Logan Purcell, Austin Barber and Cameron James. Oddly, however, Oklahoma State does not have a conference title or playoff berth to its name in the last decade. ESPN 300 C Ryan Linthicum was a Maryland high school teammate of 2020 five-star Bryan Bresee. But with only 11 wins combined since, LSU made the bold decision to part ways with Orgeron and the even bolder choice to bring in former Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly as his replacement. Top defensive commit: CB Isaiah Johnson (No. The Tigers showed their national reach by reeling in ESPN 300 RB Corey Kiner from Ohio, ESPN 300 RB Armoni Goodwin from Alabama and ESPN 300 OT Garrett Dellinger out of Michigan. Lowdown: Weis built this class after a 3-9 season, but the Irish went 13-12 the next two seasons. Three-star DE Trevion Stevenson is full of upside and adds even more depth to the defensive front after a flip from Pittsburgh. Recruiting is the life blood of college football programs, and while we focus on the few hat-picking five-stars, All-Americans and Heisman Trophy contenders, true success on Saturdays starts with years of work on the recruiting trail. Harvey was a big win on the West Coast, as was versatile ATH Jaden Keller out of Tennessee. 14. Five-stars: 16 Quick hit: Nick Saban has delievered the No. The 50-win standard will be a test for future recruiting classes. 161). You can see that the area under the curve gets smaller both as the rating for a commit decreases and as the number of total commits for a school increases. Flipping Peach State ESPN 300 CB Jordan Hancock from Clemson was yet another national flex for the Buckeyes. Boxing's mid-year awards: The best fights, storylines and more so far in . College football rankings: Preseason top 25 poll for 2023 - 247Sports 53). On defense, three-star DT Bernard Gooden, three-star LB Dylan Hazen and three-star S Quincy Bryant could all push into the two-deep as freshmen. Top offensive commit: QB Miller Moss (No. The y-axis in this graph represents the percentage weight of the score that gets applied to an overall team ranking. 37). What a difference a few days made for the Gators, who jumped well into the top 10 of the recruiting rankings after some initial bad news when 4-star QB Austin Simmons flipped to Ole Miss and in-state RB Chauncey Bowens flipped to Georgia. 3 ranked receiver, who really highlights A&M's class, boasting speed, size, quickness that separates him from other players at the position. Adaptable four-star DB Deuce Harmon was a head-to-head win over Texas, and ESPN 300 S Kendal Daniels was a huge get out of Oklahoma over Big 12 and SEC competition. Top offensive commit: OT Brody Wisecarver (four stars) Using that scale, we found the 10 best. Matt Campbell has risen to the top tier of young coaches and continues to excel in evaluations. 116) Go ahead and say it. Tom VanHaaren examines the Buckeyes' successful recruiting efforts under Ryan Day, including landing Jack Sawyer and TreVeyon Henderson. 9 nationally at the position, and who can make impact plays all over the field and get his hands on the ball. Typically, these recruiting services assign a ranking, from two to five stars, to show the rating of the recruit. Updated 4-year recruiting rankings for all 130: SEC dominates Florida State Seminoles. The top of the rankings come as no surprise, with Alabama and Georgia as the only schools averaging a top-three class over the past five years. A pair of in-state offensive linemen are important additions as Ashton Funk and Weston Davis join the Aggies' class of 2024, both top 20 at the position. Schools were judged using 247Sports Composite rankings over the last 10 seasons and scored on a scale of 1-10. ESPN 300 commits: 2 | Previous ranking: 33, Big Ten rank: 8 of 14 ESPN 300 commits: 2 | Previous ranking: 29, ACC rank: 6 of 14 ESPN 300 Dont'e Thornton gives the class three top-15 WR commits. Top defensive commit: CB Omarion Cooper (No. 104) Four-stars: 112 Baylor flip Byron Murphy is one of the state's most improved seniors on defense. Wide receivers in the fold are three-star Da'Wain Lofton out of Texas and three-stars Will Johnson and Jaylen Jones. Ask Alabama, who hauled in yet another No. Three-star S Jaden Hicks out of Las Vegas powerhouse Bishop Gorman is a solid bet to contribute right away. 9. He cut his teeth as a coordinator under Stoops at OU and Dabo Swinney at Clemson, so odds are the Sooners will be just fine. Two more in-state prospects in the class are three-star RB La'Vell Wright and S Jordan Lovett. Fitzpatrick, Ridley and Payne were five-star studs, and it had veteran leadership from five-star running back Damien Harris. Top-rated QB Caleb Williams leads their talented offensive haul, which also includes No. Lowdown: This No. Top offensive commit: OT Wyatt Milum (No. Chip Kelly continues to chip away at a rebuild in Los Angeles with a 2021 class that includes four-star QB Kajiya Hollawayne and talented three-star OLs Thomas Cole, Garrett DiGiorgio, Noah Pulealii and Benjamin Roy. ET on Wednesday, lifting the Aggies to a total score of 328.59 in the 247Sports Composite and surpassing Alabama's. 1 ranked linebacker Sammy Brown, a 5-star menace in center field with tremendous athletic ability, pursuit, and closing speed who can move from sideline to sideline with ease; and Bryant Wesco, a 5-star wide receiver on the 247 board and consensus top-10 wideout nationally with a lean, athletic frame combined with an explosive initial burst and fluid motion running his patterns. Consensus All-Americans: Cam Robinson (2016), Star players: Robinson, Marlon Humphrey, Bo Scarbrough, Rashaan Evans, DaShawn Hand. ESPN 300 commits: 9 | Previous ranking: 11, Big 12 rank: 1 of 10 That leaves coaches and recruiters working overtime as they compete for the nation's best recruits, making it a perfect time to get a new look at the college football recruiting rankings for 2024. 135). Florida has experienced quite a few peaks and valleys over the last 10 seasons. Syracuse went out west to land QB Justin Lamson, who as a tough, gunslinger type. 1 center James Brockermeyer. 2024 College Football Recruiting Rankings - College Football HQ The Trojans reeled in Sunshine State ESPN 300 TE Michael Trigg over SEC powers. For example, Alabama got 10 points for each No. For some schools, that served as the foundation for a national championship run. 7. Snyder, 5-foot-11 Daniel Edwards and Tyler Strain. These rankings are not a pure reflection of the talent on the roster. Top offensive commit: TE Thomas Fidone Jr. (No. College football's Position U 2022 - Which schools produce the most Feb 2, 2022 at 3:39 pm ET 2 min read CBS Sports graphic Texas A&M officially captured the No. Who had the best No. ESPN 300 commits: 0 | Previous ranking: 46, Big Ten rank: 10 of 14 If not for the struggles that plagued the program in each of the past two seasons, LSU would be much higher on this list. In-state ESPN 300 WR Kyron Ware-Hudson was a huge flip from Oregon. 10. ESPN 300 commits: 1 | Previous ranking: 42, ACC rank: 10 of 14 The class, full of out-of-state players, also includes key wins in Florida CB Rance Conner, Illinois three-star S Benjamin Perry, Washington three-star OLB Jaraye Williams, Georgia three-star DE Victoine Brown II and South Carolina WR Ahmari Huggins-Bruce. 194) Top defensive commit: DT Marcus Bradley (No. 106). 5. Quick hit: Ryan Day takes over after a run of recruiting dominance by Urban Meyer that will hard to match. For example, Alabama got 10 points for each No. The beneficiary of that talented group will be versatile playmaker Arland Bruce IV out of Kansas. Credit: USA TODAY Sports. As we sit on the doorstep to the early signing period this week, and what looks to be another top-five or top-ten class nationally OSU is ready to ink, we thought wed look back at the last ten recruiting cycles to take a look at which programs have been on top when looking solely at the Big Ten. Three-star Brendan Sullivan out of Michigan is the signal-caller in the class. Defense is also being addressed: ESPN 300 OLB Clayton Smith is a top-10 prospect at the position and ESPN 300 ATH Ethan Downs projects to defensive end. The signing day flip of ESPN 300 DE Quintin Somerville from Michigan was a newsmaker for the Bruins. Top offensive commit: OT Landon Tengwall (No. 139), College Football Playoff National Championship Presented by AT&T 59). The Hokies are filling needs on defense and at wide receiver in the 2021 cycle, headlined by four-star Jack Hollifield, the younger brother of Virginia Tech starting linebacker Dax Hollifield. Top defensive commit: OLB Jordan Poole (No. The Chase for the Recruiting Champion powered by 247Sports Composite, The 247Sports Composite is a proprietary algorithm that compiles rankings and ratings listed in the public domain by the major media recruiting services, creating the industry's most comprehensive and unbiased prospect and team rankingsMore Info, Powered by innovative technology products, 247Sports employs a staff of more than 50 full time recruiting reporters and evaluators that rank and compile data on the nation's elite high school recruitsMore Info. . Keeping legacy ESPN 300 DT Elliot Donald was a must, while winning out for ESPN 300 OLB Naquan Brown was a very nice feather in the cap for the staff. Top offensive commit: WR Isaiah Brevard (No. But several top-flight recruits chose Florida over three days: in particular, No. Three-star TE J.T. Marcelles Williams is a lock-down corner, ranked No. The Buckeyes' class is built with players from across the nation, with ESPN 300 guard Donovan Jackson from the Houston area; ESPN 300 CB Jakailin Johnson out of Missouri; ESPN 300 RB Evan Pryor out of North Carolina; ESPN 300 WR Denzel Burke out of Arizona; ESPN 300 ATH Andre Turrentine out of Tennessee; and ESPN 300 ATH Jantzen Dunn from Kentucky. Average class rank:High class: No. Three-star CBs Jonah Lytle and Iesa Jarmon both have height and length. 1 recruiting classes from every season since 2000 and ranked them. Record: 78-41 (.655) The Crimson Tide (11-1) was voted No. Junior college OLB Joko Willis will be an impact defender. The three-stars from the local area who have verbally committed are DE ZionAngelo Shockley, tight ends Joseph Bearns and Leron Husbands, and CB Dante Trader Jr. Another big-name program with an uncertain future. 255). ESPN 300 commits: 3 | Previous ranking: 32, Pac-12 rank: 5 of 12 Do Football Recruiting Ratings Matter? - Athletic Director U Christian Bentancur is a 4-star top-10 tight end nationally who boasts two-way playing experience. Four-stars: 143 Illinois' transition class is headlined by four-star OT Brody Wisecarver and a three-star C with a familiar last name in Josh Kreutz. 12 in 2020, giving them the highest five-year class ranking average in the conference. Pittsburgh Panthers. Texas A&M continues to ascend on the recruiting trail under Jimbo Fisher with a third straight top-10 class in sight. For the first time in a while, however, Swinney is dealing with a mass overhaul of his coaching staff after Venables departed for Oklahoma and offensive coordinator Tony Elliott was hired to lead the Virginia program this offseason. Top defensive commit: DE Josh McCarron (four stars). 247 class ranks, 2010-19: 17 | 30 | 6 | 4 | 20 | 37 | 8 | 5 | 21 | 8 Top offensive commit: QB Kajiya Hollawayne (four stars) Brewster immediately addressed the need at tight end with ESPN 300s Gage Wilcox and Nick Elksnis. 1 classes in the past three years, the Bulldogs have closed the gap with the Tide on the recruiting trail created by Nick Saban's run of consecutive No. 5 receiver on the 247 Composite and a top 20 player overall. 2024 ESPN Fullbacks. ESPN OT Landon Tengwall will head to Penn State ready from day one, as will ESPN 300 S Jaylen Reed. ESPN 300 commits: 0 | Previous ranking: 72, Group of 5 rank: 9 The 5-foot-10, 192-pound ball carrier was the Texas District 13-5A Division 2 Co-MVP as a junior last . Wisconsin suffered through a brutal 2020 season, which included presumed starting quarterback Jack Coan injuring himself before the year began and his replacement missing multiple games because of COVID-19 restrictions. It was a bumpy start to last season as well, but Wisconsin rediscovered its offensive identity of ground-and-pound and seems ready to challenge for league titles again. Top offensive commit: RB Damir Collins (three stars) As the Orange battle through a tough season on the field, they continue to try and build for a brighter future. Alabama 31, Notre Dame 14, College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl 2? ESPNJC50 DE/OLB Byron Young was key signing day win over Auburn, Ole Miss and Texas. Moore, who is 6-foot-5 with strong hands. 202) ESPN 300 commits: 1 | Previous ranking: 53, Big Ten rank: 12 of 14 Mack Brown signed the No. Coming off a Rose Bowl victory and top-5 AP finish, the Ducks are pushing to finish with their highest-ranked class in over a decade. 136). The Trojans had a top-10 class every year from 2014-18, including back-to-back top-five classes included in this average, but this year's recruiting ranking setback followed last year's drop-off from No. After QB Jalen Milroe flipped to Alabama, Texas wasted no time in flipping three-star QB Charles Wright from Iowa State. They lost two SEC games in four seasons, but Clemson ruined their chance to go out on top. Rivals: Top 25 Recruiting Teams (Last 10 Years) | mgoblog 247 classranks, 2010-19: 9 | 8 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 2 |7 | 15 | 5 The staff went across the country to reel in three-star DE Xavier Young out of the Sunshine State. 119) Here are the 10 schools that have done it best. The Cowboys have been a fixture in the top-40 range in the class rankings for years, and that remains the same in the 2021 cycle. Top defensive commit: LB Yanni Karlaftis (No. OSU continuing strong recruiting under Day (1:46), 2021 college football recruiting class rankings: Ranking the top 75 teams on national signing day, Emotional Beckham introduces Messi in Miami, Mexico beats Panama to win record 9th Gold Cup, Alcaraz outlasts Djokovic in epic Wimbledon final, Steph clinches celeb golf event with eagle on 18, Cavs, Rockets set for Vegas summer league final, Sources: Hopkins is expected to sign with Titans, Suns add Bol, trade Payne, get picks, sources say, Teams call out fans after Tour de France pileup, Carlos Alcaraz and the best of the rest at Wimbledon, Ranked: The 25 best players at the 2023 Women's World Cup, From Marta to Matlou: Starting XI of Women's World Cup swan songs, Messi should be turning point for draconian MLS roster rules, Who are the teams to beat? This analysis focuses exclusively on the player acquisition portion of program building, using five years of data from the 247Sports Composite Rankings to identify some trends on the recruiting trail. Five-stars: 17 Five-stars: 13 Similar to what our colleague Paul Biancardi did with college basketball, we decided to find out, with a ranking of the top 25 players across all recruiting classes. This class finished its college career under Brian Kelly. College football's back-to-back national champions got an early start on defense by adding No. Five-star Justin Scott is the No. Credit: USA TODAY Sports. 1 classes at the start and through the middle of the decade. Three-star linebacker Owen McGowan and four-star safety Bryce Steele add to the defensive haul. They landed ESPN 300 OLs Bram Walden and Jonah Miller from Arizona and returned to Sewell's home state of Utah for more big OL gets with one of the nation's top center prospects in Jackson Light and ESPN 300 OT Kingsley Suamataia. Last national title: 2010 Rank Team Total 5-stars 4-stars 3-stars Avg Points 1 1 Alabama 27 Commits 95.07 5-Star 7 4-Star 18 3-Star 2 327.80 2 2 Ohio State 24 Commits 95.05 5-Star Consensus All-Americans: Amari Cooper (2014), Landon Collins (2014), Reggie Ragland (2015), Star players: Cooper, Collins, Ragland, T.J. Yeldon. The Spartans continue to battle on the trail while contending with consistent recruiting powers Ohio State, Notre Dame, Michigan and Penn State in the region. Greg Schiano is succeeding in turning the tide in state, with eight of the top 22 prospects from the Garden State committed to staying home. ESPN 300 commits: 5 | Previous ranking: 18, Big Ten rank: 4 of 14 188) 58) The curious case of Patrick Kane's 2023 free agency, Ali's title belt, Cobain's guitar and a $1 billion offer: Inside the Jim Irsay Collection, How the Dolphins' Zach Thomas blended humility and fury into a HOF career, After Chelsea spell, Pulisic embraces AC Milan and Italian roots, MLB futures update: World Series, awards odds and predictions, Every NFL team's Super Bowl odds, win total and schedule ATS, Boxing's mid-year awards: The best fights, storylines and more so far in 2023, What to know about the recent men's NCAA tournament expansion news, What to expect during the 2020 college football national signing day, Five college football teams with the most to gain during national signing day, How COVID-19 has changed college football and basketball recruiting landscapes, National recruiting analyst and analyst for ESPNU. ESPN 300 DE T.J. Bollers was a huge win out of Iowa in June. 4 signal caller in the 2024 recruiting class standing over 6-2 with a remarkable 73% accuracy a year ago, emerging as a highly-capable distributor who can evade a pass rush with strategic agility. Last national title: 1997 A talented class of offensive players has vaulted the Bears into the top 25. Clemson:Some programs see their surging success on the recruiting trail first, then the on-field payoff comes later. Last national title: 2005 . Lowdown: Carroll had so many loaded classes, and this is the one that had the most misses. College football recruiting rankings: Teams with the best classes over There's a clear College Football . Oregon:The Pac-12 recruiting landscape has shifted several times already in the first two decades of the 2000s, including the rise of Oregon as one of the conference's top places for talent, a dip down in the recruiting rankings under Mark Helfrich and now an upward trajectory with Mario Cristobal at the helm. Ross is the top-ranked prospect in Alabama for the 2024 class and No. 1 (2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023) Low class: No. Winning out for in-state ESPN 300 Travion Ford was a statement, as was keeping OT Connor Tollison home. 253). The signing day commitment of ESPN 300 QB Jake Garcia provides Lashlee with a talented passer who can stretch the field vertically. Offensive playmaking will come from Alabama in three-star QB Riley Leonard and quick-footed three-star RB Trent Davis. 54) 1. A second ESPN 300 verbal in the class is WR Kaden Prather out of Maryland. SI All-American tracks the top recruiting classes into the month of July. 1 recruiting class, and the No. ESPN 300 commits: 0 | Previous ranking: 44, ACC rank: 11 of 14 After a disappointing 2019 season, Manny Diaz has the Hurricanes in the mix for a top-10 class. Justice and Ezavier Staples as the Bruins look for more firepower and playmakers after the catch. The Wolverines added legitimate home-run-threat speed in ESPN 300 WR Xavier Worthy out of California. Please check your email for a confirmation. The staff returned to the West Coast again, this time reeling in ESPN 300 CB Jamier Johnson over Arizona State and UCLA. 18 in 2022. Recruiting: How top 25 teams fared in past 5 years - NFL.com Three-star LBs Zephaniah Maea and T.J. Patu will likely hit the field early on special teams. 16 wideout and third-ranked recruit in the state, and another 5-star on the 247 Composite standing over 6 feet who can get separation and move vertically with ease. Length to develop on defense comes in the form of three-stars Eric Gentry, and Pelican State DE Gharin Stansbury. 1978 Penn State was No. Top defensive commit: ILB Collin Oliver (No. Top defensive commit: ATH Julien Simon (No. Top defensive commit: OLB Clayton Smith (No. ESPN 300 commits: 16 | Previous ranking: 5, ACC rank: 1 of 14 ESPN 300 LB Zavier Carter and in-state three-star DE Saivion Jones are quality edge prospects. They netted speedy ESPN 300 QB Peter Costelli, wide receiver Velltray Jefferson and three-star Elisha Lloyd, all from California. Top defensive commit: OLB Trenilyas Tatum (three stars). 2023 Recruit Football Team Rankings Top defensive commit: OLB Randolph Kpai (No. 274). 2021 Recruit Football Team Rankings - 247Sports (1:46). Coach: Charlie Weis Five-star players: 2 Four-star players: 16 Four-year record: 29-22 (.569) NFL Draft picks: 4 Star players: Michael Floyd, Kyle Rudolph Lowdown: Weis built this class after a. 4. 10 tight end Amir Jackson, but the biggest piece by far was 5-star edge rusher Jamonta Waller, a top-five at the position with an explosive first step and elite quickness when pursuing the quarterback. Offense anchors the class with multiple commitments in the offensive trenches and at wide receiver. A second ESPN 300 commit in the class is Garden State DE Aaron Armitage. Three-star OT Colby Smith has as much upside as anyone in the class, but it was the flip of in-state three-star OT J'Marion Gooch from Auburn that won the headlines. Final Statistics College football recruiting: Schools with best class rankings on average over the past five years These 25 programs have averaged a top-25 class across the last five. Three-star DLs Darryl Peterson and Mike Jarvis fit the mold of players developed at the position in recent years. All key additions to support a class that includes second-ranked safety Xavier Filsaime and four-star quarterback DJ Lagway, an athletic passer with promising arm strength who drew positive reviews from this year's Elite 11 Finals. Four-star DE Rodney McGraw was a nice flip from Indiana. Top defensive commit: CB D.J. Top offensive commit: RB Trenton Adkins (four stars) ESPN 300 commits: 1 | Previous ranking: 37, ACC rank: 9 of 14 Top offensive commit: QB Preston Stone (No. The Texas native, hand-picked by legendary Sooners coach Bob Stoops as his successor before the 2017 season, seemed destined to retire as OUs head coach with three consecutive College Football Playoff berths his first three years in charge. But keep in mind, the first three seasons of the last decade were the final three for Brady Hoke at the helm. With his first full class as head coach at UNLV, Marcus Arroyo was able to assemble one of the stronger collections of talent among Group of 5 programs. WR Patrick Bryant and 6-foot-4 WR Chevy Brenson are talented playmakers in the fold. Here is a look at how Texas and Oklahoma's recruiting matches up with their future SEC rivals. The fan base in Columbus firmly believes Ohio State should win the national title every season, and with Heisman candidates C.J. Another CB from California in the class is long-armed Zakhari Spears. ESPN 300 commits: 4 | Previous ranking: 28, ACC rank: 5 of 14 Within the front seven, three-star DT Allan Haye possesses quickness and power, ESPN 300 DE Jabari Ishmael will bring edge-rush ability from down the road at Columbus High, and four-star OLB Chase Smith, out of Palm Bay, has a coach's dream frame to develop. Four-star RB Rodney Hammond out of Virginia should be an impact playmaker. The Badgers are in search of a third consecutive top-30 class under Paul Chryst coming on the heels of a five-year run that has averaged more than 10 wins per season on the field. Whether it was Urban Meyer or Ryan Day in charge, the Big Ten has quite simply been the Buckeyes personal playground for most of the last decade. With one College Football Playoff appearance early in this run, five seasons of double-digit victories, and three years without a bowl game, Michigan State fans have seen a little bit of everything. OG David Wohlabaugh and OT Paul Rodriguez join Burton in the offensive trenches. The secret to Georgias success has been recruiting, and there is no reason to think that level of excellence will not continue for many years to come. 2024 ESPN Defensive ends. Alabama's No. Three-star TE Landen King was a previous verbal commit to Texas. 6/three stars). Top defensive commit: OLB Damon Ollison (three stars). ESPN 300 commits: 0 | Previous ranking: 63, Pac-12 rank: 9 of 12 2022 College Football Team Recruiting Top 25 Rankings. So at the very least, the fan base is expecting much more stability at the top. The addition of Jordan Marshall is a vital pickup for the Wolverines, who went deep into Buckeye country to get the running back, considered a top 10 at his position by the four major services and one of the 10 best players from Ohio. Harvey (three stars). Those key wins include three-star OLB Khayri Banton, three-star WR Carnell Davis, DE Keshon Griffin, CB Alijah Clark and ATH Jordan Thompson. ESPN 300 ATH/LB Xavian Sorey was a huge win out of the Sunshine State over Florida. ESPN 300 commits: 1 | Previous ranking: 55, Pac-12 rank: 7 of 12 They had a 22-4 record in two seasons under Meyer. Three-star OLB Davon Hicks is another player who could see the field early. Three-star OGs Matt Gulbin and Nick Sharpe, as well as three-star OT Jaydon Collins, are key to the offense's future success. Four-stars bust all the time, and three-stars turn out to be studs. Texas:There have been some frustrating setbacks for Tom Herman on the field since he arrived in Austin, but his impact on the recruiting trail has reversed what had become a troubling trend for one of the nation's blue blood college football programs. ESPN 300 DT Tommy Akingbesote has as much upside as any prospect in the class, and four-star DT Andre Porter isn't far behind. 1 class as a head coach. ESPN 300 commits: 0 | Previous ranking: 47, Group of 5 rank: 2 Texas A&M (17 commits). Offensive line depth is increasing some with three-stars Austin Barry and legacy Isaia Glass. Top offensive commit: RB Will Shipley (No. Reed is joined on the verbal list from the state of Michigan by three-star CB Kalen King and three-star ILB Kobe King. In-state S Mitch Leigber has the size to play from day one. The Wildcats started the year with a statement commitment, landing ESPN 300 QB Jake Rubley, a poised, accurate passer with a quick release. Robinson is joined on the defensive side by area ESPN 300 prospects Antwain Littleton and Taizse Johnson. On offense, three-star OTs Otto Hess and Ilija Krajnovic have terrific frames with which to work. Amos is joined on the offensive line by three-stars Jason White and Mason Randolph out of California. 1 ranked cornerback Ellis Robinson, a consensus top 10 player at any position, and two valuable pieces at safety in Jaylen Heyward and Peyton Woodyard. Lowdown: This class closed its four-year run with a national championship run in 2015, and that was with the early departures of Cooper, Collins and Yeldon. North Carolina is always important for Tennessee, as well, and ESPN 300 ATH Kaemen Marley is one of the most versatile prospects in the class. 2 in the country. Rounding out classes with talent that identifies team needs and repeating that process over multiple cycles builds a roster with what coaches like to call competitive depth. The early signing period is now in the rearview, and the picture for the 2021 class is becoming much clearer with nearly 90% of the prospects in the ESPN300 signed as well at least three-quarters of this entire class putting pen to paper during that three-day stretch.