College Football Preseason Top 25 Ranking Post-National Signing Day

All right, everyone. College football Christmas is over. Go ahead and turn off the fax machine, put the live animal props back where they came from and prepare for spring ball.

Now that national signing day has come and gone—though prospects can still sign letters of intent until April 1—it's time to reassess last month's way-too-early preseason Top 25. As always, if you're still inclined to find fault in it and nitpick, you can do so here.

So what's changed? Some new roster additions, of course.

Consider this an updated version of the preseason Top 25, not a roundup of the top 25 classes on signing day. All the same projection criteria apply as before—which players and coaches are returning/leaving?—but with the addition of new faces who could contribute right away.

With that, let's get to it. Here's your post-signing day preseason Top 25.

25. BYU

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

I'll be honest: BYU wasn't in my original preseason Top 25. Then, something changed. No, wait. Everything changed.

There's one good reason and one reason only for the Cougars to kick off this Top 25, and his name is Motekiai Langi. The offensive/defensive lineman measures in at a staggering 6'7" and 410 pounds.

He's in high school.

According to Jay Drew of The Salt Lake Tribune, Langi will serve a mission in Arizona, but that hardly matters. The game's over. Shut it down. No one else need apply—not even you, Alabama. BYU has won signing day 2015.

Besides, it's only No. 25. It's not like anyone cares about that spot anyway (except maybe Minnesota).

24. Wisconsin

Andy Manis/Associated Press

Wisconsin feels bound for a rebuilding year, and the Badgers didn't make a ton of noise on signing day. Then again, about one-fourth of the 2015 class was made up of early enrollees. There wasn't a big spotlight on Madison on Wednesday.

The good news is that the Badgers have two early-enrollee quarterbacks—Austin Kafentzis and Alex Hornibrook—already on campus. Wisconsin needs more answers at quarterback.

The bread and butter of the Badgers offense will be the running back, and this team has another good one waiting to start: Corey Clement. For what it's worth, Clement has averaged seven yards per carry in his limited role.

23. LSU

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LSU might have had the best signing day that practically no one talked about—and that's not hyperbole either. No major surprises, no big announcements. That's how you fill a top-flight class and fly under the radar at the same time.

The Tigers ended Wednesday with the No. 5 class overall and the No. 3 class in the SEC, the latter of which says something about the state of recruiting in that conference. Most notably, head coach Les Miles and Co. put together a nice offensive line group that features three 4-star signees.

Even though it was a low-key signing day, it was undeniably successful.

Still, LSU could be playing with one arm tied behind its back if it doesn't get its quarterback situation figured out and soon. The running game with Leonard Fournette will only take the offense so far. And it's no longer feasible to ask the defense to constantly win games.

22. Georgia Tech

Lynne Sladky/Associated Press

First things first: Georgia Tech signed 23 players Wednesday as part of a 27-member class. That entire class is made up of 3-star players. That's not a good thing or a bad thing. Just an interesting and very, very Paul Johnson thing.

Digressing, 2015 will test how well oiled the Georgia Tech option machine really is. The Yellow Jackets had the best scoring offense in the ACC (37.9 points per game) but will lose just about every skill player on that side. The only major returning name is quarterback Justin Thomas.

Can any '15 freshmen become major contributors on offense with so many holes to fill? Michael Carvell of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweeted last month that 3-star Mikell Lands-Davis could be the No. 1 running back for the Yellow Jackets next fall.

21. Oklahoma

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Other than Texas, the Big 12 had a mostly under-the-radar signing day. That said, Oklahoma still finished with a top-15 class. Coming off an eight-win season, that's not too bad.

Head coach Bob Stoops sounds particularly excited about the defensive backs in the '15 class, which features Will Sunderland, the No. 2 in-state player. However, the Sooners also got a pair of stud defensive tackles in Neville Gallimore and Marquise Overton.

And for what it's worth, Oklahoma did get the signature from Austin Seibert, the No. 4 kicker in the country. So there's that.

As far as Oklahoma's outlook next season, not much has changed post-signing day. The Sooners have to get more out of the quarterback position, whether it's Trevor Knight, Texas Tech transfer Baker Mayfield or someone else. Since the Sooners will have a mostly new offensive line, there could be some growing pains.

20. Texas A&M

Say this for Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin: He's building a defense in College Station. It seems like a matter of when, not if, that group will finally turn around.

With the signature of 5-star defensive tackle Daylon Mack, the Aggies should have one of the more formidable defensive lines in college football over the next couple of years. Putting Mack and Myles Garrett on the same defensive line just isn't fair and never will be.

In other important news, 5-star quarterback Kyler Murray put to bed any remaining speculation about his intentions by signing with A&M.

Will the Aggies compete for a SEC West title in 2015? That remains to be seen, but with new defensive coordinator John Chavis, the coaching now matches defensive talent. That's been the thing stopping A&M from taking that next step.

19. Oklahoma State

Matt York/Associated Press

Last year, Oklahoma State was basically a brand-new team. Not surprisingly, the Cowboys were streaky and finished 7-6. However, there's a lot of experience coming back.

The Pokes should finally have a stable quarterback in Mason Rudolph and plenty of receivers to catch the ball. What head coach Mike Gundy must do is find a solution in the running game with the departure of Desmond Roland, as well as Tyreek Hill, who the Cowboys dismissed from the program.

It looks like Oklahoma State got just that. Per Jake Trotter of ESPN.com, 3-star JUCO running back Chris Carson could be the most important signee for the Cowboys.

Oklahoma State's class isn't particularly big and features one prominent in-state prospect, dual-threat quarterback John Kolar.

18. Tennessee

Mark Humphrey/Associated Press

Tennessee should be better in 2015, but the Vols are still—if you can believe it—building. It feels like that's been the case for a decade now, but as Paul Myerberg of USA Today notes, head coach Butch Jones is stockpiling talent in the right place: the trenches.

As previously reported by David Johnson of 247Sports, Tennessee flipped offensive lineman Drew Richmond from Ole Miss. The Vols also signed seven blue-chip offensive and defensive tackles, including 5-star Kahlil McKenzie.

Tennessee is still a fairly young team but far more experienced now that it's been thrown into the fire. As a result, the '15 class may not have to experience the same type of growing pains.

Next season may not be the season for Tennessee, but it feels certain that it's coming.

17. Arkansas

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Not surprising, but Arkansas' new recruiting class is made up entirely of offensive linemen and tight ends (some of whom may become linemen).

OK, not really, but head coach Bret Bielema continues to recruit to his team's strengths. Will Gragg, C.J. O'Grady and Austin Cantrell are in line to be the next great tight ends for the Hogs.

As far as the rest of the offense is concerned, running backs Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins are coming back. So too are quarterback Brandon Allen and most of the offensive line. If any true freshmen have the best chance of breaking the two-deep, it's on defense. The Hogs lose five seniors on that side, and Bielema signed seven defensive players for the class of '15.

There's no doubt this program has turned a corner after a miserable SEC winless streak dating back to 2012. The question is whether this team can pick up where it left off and contend for greater things.

16. Arizona

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Rich Rodriguez's Arizona squad sneaked up on just about everyone last year by winning 10 games and the Pac-12 South. Perhaps, in hindsight, the Wildcats were overachievers.

The '15 version of the fighting RichRods will be more experienced, to be sure. Among the players coming back are quarterback Anu Solomon, wide receiver Cayleb Jones and linebacker Scooby Wright III.

Will Arizona get contributions from its freshman class? The Wildcats' lone 4-star signee, lineman Keenan Walker, could play right away since the Cats lose three seniors off last year's line. Plus, Arizona was already shaky at best at protecting the quarterback (2.86 sacks allowed per game).

There was nothing spectacular about Arizona's '15 class, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The Wildcats have overachieved before and will have to again with USC and UCLA signing top-10 classes.

15. Florida State

Florida State couldn't close the gap on Alabama as the signing day king, but this is arguably Jimbo Fisher's best class to date. That's a good thing, as the '15 freshmen could be asked to contribute heavily on a new-look team.

No, the Seminoles didn't get defensive tackle Terry Beckner Jr., who committed to Missouri, or defensive end Byron Cowart, who chose Auburn. Those were long shots anyway. However, two-thirds of FSU's class is made up of blue-chip recruits. Safety Derwin James, defensive end Josh Sweat, cornerback Tarvarus McFadden—these are all guys who could play in some capacity right away.

The quarterback competition in the post-Jameis Winston era will be the top battle to watch, but young stars like running back Dalvin Cook and receiver Travis Rudolph are ready to step up.

14. Auburn

Auburn should have the offensive firepower to win plenty of games next season; it's the defense that has been the Achilles' heel. Head coach Gus Malzahn made a major offseason hire by bringing in former Florida head coach Will Muschamp as the defensive coordinator.

That hire is paying off on the recruiting trail. Auburn landed a huge signature from Byron Cowart, the No. 1 defensive end prospect and No. 3 overall player, over Florida. Given that Auburn averaged a mere 1.6 sacks per game a year ago, Cowart could provide immediate help in that department.

Other important defensive players who could compete as freshmen are cornerback Carlton Davis and linebacker Jeffery Holland, both of whom were also considering the Gators.

Don't be surprised to see some of these new faces on the field for the Tigers next season.

13. Georgia

As usual, we begin with Georgia by noting that the Bulldogs have running backs ready to play until 2030. Nick Chubb will be only a sophomore and has already cemented himself as one of the best running backs in college football.

Paving the way for Chubb will be an offensive line that returns most of its starters. Quarterback Hutson Mason is gone and must be replaced, though, and the hire of offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer has garnered mixed reviews.

Georgia's '15 class is loaded up with defensive players, with an added emphasis on pass-rushers and defensive linemen. Among them is 5-star defensive lineman Trent Thompson, the No. 1 overall player for '15 and a longtime verbal commit for the Bulldogs.

The new faces on defense could take a while to break in, but Georgia should be in a good position to compete for an SEC East title again.

12. Arizona State

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

The most news Arizona State made on signing day was over the recruit it didn't get. Rasheem Green, the 5-star defensive tackle who committed to USC as expected, took a visit to Tempe late last month.

Still, the Sun Devils signed a top-25 class and are in good shape to compete for a Pac-12 South title with the roster it has coming back.

Losing quarterback Taylor Kelly doesn't seem as big of a deal as losing receiver Jaelen Strong. New quarterback Mike Bercovici played great in three starts in '14 with 1,445 yards and 12 touchdowns. Running back D.J. Foster is coming back for another season as well.

The big key is that someone, either a freshman or returning player, has to step up into Strong's shoes.

11. Ole Miss

Ole Miss' biggest question to answer for next season will be on offense, specifically at the quarterback spot. Bo Wallace may have been the most consistently inconsistent quarterback in a good long while for the Rebels, but he was the option. Now, that race is up for grabs.

There's a lot of talent returning elsewhere, though. Among the big names coming back are Laquon Treadwell, Tee Shepard, Denzel Nkemdiche and Robert Nkemdiche. Treadwell will be joined in the receiving unit by true freshman DaMarkus Lodge. He signed his letter of intent Wednesday, choosing the Rebels over in-state schools Texas A&M and Texas among others.

Per Dustin McComas of Orangebloods.com, Lodge is good enough to play and be a key contributor right away.

"It's pro-style," Lodge told B/R's Damon Sayles about Ole Miss' offense. "They're going to get the ball to the guys who are going to make plays, and they should be throwing it around a little more this year."

Now, if Ole Miss can find someone to get him the ball.

10. Clemson

Clemson's signing day was on the quiet side even though the Tigers finished with a top-10 class. That's largely because head coach Dabo Swinney brought in 13 early enrollees. There's simply not much to do after that.

Still, it was a class packed full of defensive players. That's important given the major attrition on that side of the ball from last season. Guys like 5-star defensive lineman Christian Wilkins should see some playing time because of that.

If quarterback Deshaun Watson can stay healthy, he provides a major boost to the offense that Cole Stoudt simply couldn't. Clemson won't be lacking in skill-player talent either. If defensive coordinator Brent Venables can get his players up to speed, the Tigers should be a divisional (and ACC) title contender next season.

9. Oregon

Brandon Wade/Associated Press

Life without quarterback Marcus Mariota is either going to be no issue or a nightmare for Oregon. The expectations for 2015 likely rest largely on who ends up being the starting quarterback.

Travis Waller, a 4-star dual-threat quarterback, signed with the Ducks on Wednesday. He won't arrive until summer, though, meaning his immediate chances at winning that job are slim. The wild card will be whether Eastern Washington quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. makes the jump up a level to Oregon as a transfer this summer.

There are plenty of talented players still on Oregon's roster. Running back Royce Freeman will be only a sophomore. But can head coach Mark Helfrich find answers for other departures, including defensive lineman Arik Armstead?

8. Notre Dame

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Notre Dame already had a lot of pieces in place to make a playoff run in 2015 before signing day. A solid class of 24 commits only added to that.

Notre Dame's dilemma isn't too different than last year's. The Irish are talented. Both sides of the ball return basically intact, and some key freshmen could play right away.

Aliz'e Jones, the No. 1 tight end prospect for '15, could be the next great Irish player at that position, as head coach Brian Kelly told Fox Sports. Meanwhile, 4-star running back Dexter Williams could see some rotational carries, and all-namer Equanimeous St. Brown provides a boost in the receiving department.

However, the question this offseason will revolve around the quarterback situation with Everett Golson and Malik Zaire.

The second concern is turnovers. The Irish committed 26 of them a year ago, one of the worst teams in the country in that category.

7. UCLA

Darren Abate/Associated Press

Was there any team that landed more major recruits on signing day than UCLA? The Bruins are easily one of Wednesday's biggest winners. Among those to commit to the Bruins were 4-star tight end Chris Clark, 5-star running back Soso Jamabo and 4-star wide receiver Cordell Broadus (Snoop Dogg's son).

The good news for all of those players is that they can contribute as freshmen but don't have to be rushed into anything.

UCLA returns almost its entire team minus two major departures: quarterback Brett Hundley and linebacker Eric Kendricks. Those are huge losses, to be sure, but they're not insurmountable.

Head coach Jim Mora has Josh Rosen, the No. 1 pro-style quarterback from the '15 class, enrolled early. Rosen, coupled with Clark, should give UCLA a major red-zone weapon in the passing game.

6. Michigan State

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Michigan State didn't make as much signing-day noise as other schools atop the preseason Top 25, but that doesn't mean it signed an underwhelming class. On the contrary, Sparty inked its second straight top-25 group.

Michigan State should get immediate help replacing running back Jeremy Langford with a pair of big, bruising running backs: Larry Scott (6'2", 228 lbs) and Andrew Dowell (6'1", 211 lbs), who ranked No. 6 and No. 28 at that position respectively.

Quarterback Connor Cook and defensive lineman Shilique Calhoun are returning in 2015, so there are some key veteran pieces for the Spartans. The biggest question will be on defense, which lost defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi to Pitt and will move forward with co-coordinators Harlon Barnett and Mike Tressel.

All in all, though? There are still good reasons to like the Spartans in 2015.

5. Alabama

Alabama has a lot to replace off last year's team, especially on offense. But my oh my, did the Tide put together a beautiful recruiting class. It's been noted several times but is worth repeating once more: This year marks the fifth in a row that Alabama has landed the No. 1 class in college football.

"It's never happened before," JC Shurburtt, national recruiting analyst for 247Sports, told Dan Wolken of USA Today.

Where do you begin? Alabama continues to sign 5-star running backs—in this case Damien Harris—like it's nothing. The Tide are also upgrading their secondary with 5-star cornerbacks Kendall Sheffield and Minkah Fitzpatrick. If there was a vulnerability to the Tide's stout defense last year, it was against the pass (No. 6 in the SEC at 6.4 yards per attempt).

Early enrollee Blake Barnett, the No. 2 pro-style quarterback, will be part of one of the more compelling competitions outside of Ohio State.

4. USC

UCLA wasn't the only Los Angeles team to win big on signing day.

No team saw a bigger post-signing day bump in the way-too-early Top 25 than USC. In some ways, this was expected. The Trojan hype train is running full steam ahead, but I'd be lying if I said head coach Steve Sarkisian didn't close strong.

Among the big signing-day signatures were cornerback Iman Marshall, linebacker Osa Masina, defensive tackle Rasheem Green and linebackers Porter Gustin and John Houston. All of them should provide help immediately since most of the losses from last year's team are on the defensive side.

Even with the losses of running back Buck Allen and receiver Nelson Agholor, the Trojans should have enough offensive firepower to win games. The new-look defense should have some young faces Saturday, but there's no shortage of talent.

3. Baylor

Baylor will have to reload on offense, but head coach Art Briles has built a machine in Waco capable of churning out new stars every year.

While signing day is ripe for terms like "impact freshman," there's one who could actually live up to that billing: 4-star quarterback and early enrollee Jarrett Stidham.

With the departure of Bryce Petty, Seth Russell is the early favorite to move up the depth chart. However, Stidham will battle it out with Russell in spring and preseason practices. And of course, the Bears aren't lacking on skill talent with blue-chip guys like receiver Blake Lynch and running back JaMycal Hasty. Athlete J.W. Ketchum III could make a run at playing time in the defensive secondary as well.

Overall, the Bears have a lot of key pieces to replace, but Briles has earned the benefit of the doubt. That's why Baylor is ranked as high as it is.

2. TCU

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TCU's 2015 outlook is based almost solely on 10 of its starting 11 from last year returning. The rest? The Frogs are trying to fill in the spaces on defense.

TCU's class doesn't particularly jump off of the page, but it satisfies two real needs going forward. First, basically all of the losses from the 2014 team are on defense, specifically at the linebacker and secondary levels.

As Ryan Osborne of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram writes, TCU is loading up on track stars to fill out skill positions on offense and defense. Head coach Gary Patterson has developed a reputation over the years of taking athletic players and finding a role for them, even if it's not at their original position. There are plenty of available bodies to do that in this class.

Patterson has also stocked up on receiving talent to cater to the Frogs' more wide-open spread attack, which was a wild success in Year 1.

1. Ohio State

Pre-signing day...post-signing day...post-apocalypse—it really doesn't matter. Ohio State is going to be the preseason No. 1 team in 2015. When all three quarterbacks—Braxton Miller, J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones—and several key defensive pieces return, you're going to get the benefit of the doubt.

But the Buckeyes didn't hurt themselves with a strong class Wednesday that is as well-rounded as you're going to find. As if Ohio State didn't have enough quarterbacks, 4-star signal-callers Torrance Gibson and Joe Burrow kept their words.

Additionally, the class is loaded with offensive linemen who, according to head coach Urban Meyer, could play offensive tackle.

The primary losses for Ohio State are in the defensive front seven with seniors Michael Bennett and Curtis Grant. Expect to see 5-star linebacker Justin Hilliard in a position to push for playing time.

Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football. All recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports. All stats courtesy of cfbstats.com. All quotes cited unless obtained firsthand.