National signing day:
Which schools are having good football recruiting years?
Alabama will win another national recruiting title. The only question is whether the Crimson Tide might have assembled the best recruiting class ever.
Alabama has 25 commitments, including five five-star recruits who are early enrollees and 16 four-stars. The group includes running back Najee Harris from Antioch (Calif.), who is ranked No. 1 overall by Rivals.com and Scout.com; No. 1 linebacker Dylan Moses from IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.); No. 1 offensive tackle Alex Leatherwood from Booker T. Washington (Pensacola, Fla.); and No. 1 dual-threat quarterback Tua Tagovailoa from St. Louis (Honolulu). It also features the top-ranked junior college linemen — offensive tackle Elliot Baker and defensive tackle Isaiah Buggs.
Then consider the players who could still be added. Linebacker LaBryan Ray, the top-ranked player in Alabama, is likely to land with the Tide, as could wide receiver Henry Ruggs, ranked No. 3 in the state. Five-star defensive tackle Aubrey Solomon from Georgia has Alabama among his finalists and three four-stars from Louisiana are considering Alabama: wide receiver Devonta Smith and defensive backs Todd Harris and Phidarian Mathis.
Let’s cede the recruiting title to Alabama, but who else is having a good year on the trail?
Ohio State
The Buckeyes will have a smaller class with much of their roster returning — at 19 players as of the weekend — but Ohio State is filling any gaps with elite-level players. It has five-star prospects, including the top two cornerbacks in the class: Jeffrey Okudah from South Grand Prairie (Texas) and Shaun Wade, the American Family Insurance ALL-USA Defensive Player of the Year from Trinity Christian (Jacksonville). Add in No. 1 guard Wyatt Davis from St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.), No. 1 outside linebacker Baron Browning from Kennedale (Texas) and No. 2 weak-side defensive end Chase Young from DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.), who is among the nation’s top pass-rusher prospects. Kendall Sheffield, a former Alabama signee, is the No. 1 junior college cornerback in the nation. ALL-USA Offensive Player of the Year Tate Martell, who never lost a high school game at Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), is a four-star prospect, and J.K. Dobbins, from LaGrange (Texas), is the No. 2 all-purpose back.
Georgia
Kirby Smart is proving the axiom in recruiting that you don’t judge a coach until his first full recruiting class after his hire. Smart started by winning his state. The Bulldogs have landed nine of the top 15 high school seniors in Georgia and 13 of the top 20. Among that group is safety Richard LeCounte III from Liberty County (Hinesville), offensive tackle Andrew Thomas from Pace Academy (Atlanta) and quarterback Jake Fromm from Houston County (Warner Robbins). Georgia also hopes to keep Solomon from Lee County (Leesburg) in the state. Smart also identified a pressing need on the offensive line with four offensive tackles, including top-five Isaiah Wilson from Poly Prep in Brooklyn and two guards led by Netori Johnson from Cedar Grove (Ellenwood, Ga.).
Michigan
Jim Harbaugh again showed that he does things his way, especially when it comes to recruiting. And it has worked again. Eighteen of the 27 commits are ranked with four stars and the Wolverines have one five-star in wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones from Cass Tech (Detroit). Michigan also has the No. 1 center in the class, Cesar Ruiz from IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.). The Wolverines could be looking to add another defensive tackle, potentially Solomon or Jay Tufele from Bingham (South Jordan, Utah).
Oklahoma
The Sooners have their best class in several years, and 11 of the current 24 are already enrolled. A big reason for the surge is success in Texas with nine players, most notably Chris Horn, the No. 7 pro-style quarterback from Horn (Mesquite). Under Armour AllAmerican cornerback Justin Broiles, from John Marshall (Oklahoma City), is the highestrated commit in the class at No. 79 overall. The biggest goal between now and signing day will be retaining Jacob Phillips, the topranked inside linebacker. LSU has been making a big push for Phillips, from East Nashville Magnet, and he was scheduled for an official visit last weekend.
Florida State
The Seminoles have 21 members of the class, with three fivestars and six four-stars. The top of the class features running back Cam Akers from Clinton (Miss.), who is No. 2 overall; weak-side defensive end Josh Kaindoh from IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), who is No. 9 overall; and all-purpose back Khalan Laborn from Bishop Sullivan (Virginia Beach), who is No. 28 overall. Florida State remains in play for a num- ber of top uncommitted prospects, led by defensive tackle Marvin Wilson from Episcopal (Bellaire, Texas), outside linebacker Levi Jones from Westlake (Austin), defensive end Jarez Parks from Sebastian River (Fla.) and Ruggs. Florida State also is hoping to lure inside linebacker Leonard Warner out of Georgia.
LSU
Coach Ed Orgeron did well to retain the LSU commits after Les Miles was fired and is continuing to build on that group. Of the 17 commits, 11 players are fourstars along with five-star JaCoby Stevens, a defensive back from Oakland (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) who is an early enrollee. Orgeron also was able to keep two fourstar quarterbacks: Myles Brennan from St. Stanislaus (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.), and Lowell Narcisse from St. James (La.). Narcisse is already enrolled. LSU is among the final five for Marvin Wilson, and the Tigers could close with a group of in-state prospects that includes wide receiver Devonta
Smith, safety Todd Harris and defensive lineman Phidarian Mathis. Texas defensive end K’Lavon Chaisson likely will choose between LSU and Texas.
Texas A&M
The Aggies have a big group of 26 players, including nine early enrollees. The class has nine four-stars, including three players ranked in the top 10 at their positions. Inside linebacker Anthony Hines III from Plano East (Texas) is the highestranked player in the class at No. 63 overall. Dual-threat quarterback Kellen Mond from IMG Academy is No. 3 at his position. Mond’s high school roommate at IMG, Jhamon Ausbon, is the No. 10 ranked receiver.
Auburn
The Tigers have one five-star in their 20-member class: St. John’s (Washington, D.C.) offensive tackle Calvin Ashley. The most prominent recruit, though, is early enrollee and dual-threat quarterback Jarrett Stidham, the No. 1 overall junior college prospect from McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas. Defensive end Markaviest Bryant from Crisp County (Cordele, Ga.) and Ruggs remain key Auburn targets.
Tennessee
The Volunteers have a class of 27 with one five-star player: offensive tackle Trey Smith from University School (Jackson, Tenn.). Smith is ranked No. 1 overall by ESPN.com, although he is among the most polarizing players in this year in terms of evaluation. Ty Chandler from Montgomery Bell (Nashville) is ranked No. 5 among running backs. Safety Maleik Gray from La Vergne (Tenn.), ranked No. 10 at safety, has a planned official visit to Florida State.