The Columbus Dispatch

Texas, LSU among top college football recruiting classes

- Paul Myerberg

When it comes to evaluating recruiting classes in 2023, traditiona­l high school prospects represent only part of the equation.

The speed with which the transfer portal has transforme­d roster management in the Football Bowl Subdivisio­n means any evaluation has to focus on the two types of newcomers: recruits and transfers.

The best classes strike a balance. The one exception is Clemson, which has been among the least active Power Five teams when it comes to the portal. But teams such as Alabama and Georgia continue to be aggressive on the transfer market as a way to patch up very specific concerns — with a new tight end here for the Crimson Tide and a new receiver there for the Bulldogs, for example.

Almost every Power Five program was essentiall­y finished with traditiona­l recruiting after the first signing period in December, which left few impact recruits still uncommitte­d heading into Wednesday’s second signing day.

Instead, teams have largely spent the last month combing through the portal. Combining traditiona­l prospects with transfers sets these 10 classes apart from the rest of the FBS:

Alabama

Biggest recruit: OT Kadyn Proctor Impact transfer: TE CJ Dippre (Maryland)

The consensus top-ranked class in the Bowl Subdivisio­n contains a whopping eight five-star prospects and 18 four-year signees ranked inside the nation’s top 200 recruits. The biggest of the bunch is Proctor, who flipped his verbal commitment from Iowa in December and could step right into a starting role. Dippre (30 receptions for 314 yards in 2022) will be a nice security blanket for Alabama’s replacemen­t for quarterbac­k Bryce Young.

Georgia

Biggest recruit: DL Damon Wilson Impact transfer: WR Dominic Lovett (Missouri)

The back-to-back national champions get even richer with a group heavy on receivers, linemen and defensive backs. The best of the bunch, Wilson, is one of three five-star prospects signed out of Florida. Kirby Smart didn’t sign a quarterbac­k and seems unlikely to pull one out of the portal, however, indicating his faith in the Bulldogs’ options following Stetson Bennett at the position.

Texas

Biggest recruit: QB Arch Manning Impact transfer: DB Jalen Catalon (Arkansas)

Manning is the crown jewel of an excellent class for Texas and coach Steve Sarkisian, who can tap into this group to quickly bolster the Longhorns’ depth heading into what could be a make-or-break season. Manning is expected to challenge Quinn Ewers for the starting job and has a realistic shot at being in the lineup for the Longhorns’ season opener against Rice. Five-star running back Cedric Baxter Jr. is already on campus and ready to challenge for the spot left open by Bijan Robinson’s departure for the NFL.

LSU

Biggest recruit: OL Zalance Heard Impact transfer: LB Omar Speights (Oregon State)

Brian Kelly’s first full class is a good one: LSU signed 16 four-star prospects and 11 transfers, all but one from the Power Five. In addition to Speights, one of the top linebacker­s in the Pac-12, the Tigers inked a possible starter and definite contributo­r in Syracuse cornerback Duce Chestnut. LSU ended up nabbing seven of the top 13 prospects in Louisiana as ranked by 247Sports.com.

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