The Top 20 College Football Recruiting Classes of All Time
College football recruiting has been one of the most important operations in sports over time. College football is one of the prime sports in the U.S. so the system of procuring players becomes more and more important every year.
We have seen some dominant teams over the years, and the foundation for those teams have stemmed from recruiting. Recruiting is the lifeblood for a program, and if you want to win a conference or national title, you have to hit the trail and recruit.
For this, I have compiled a list of what I think are the 20 very best recruiting classes of all time in college football history. From big name recruits, to underrated little known players, these classes have gone on to have great success on the field.
Let the debate begin.
20. Florida State '97
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Florida State made some memorable runs in the '90s and that's just on the field, as they also dominated in recruiting. One of their better classes was this '97 class that brought in some serious superstars.
Anytime your kicker is a well known star and future first-round pick, you know you have some talent. Not only did Sebastian Janikowski become part of this class, but RB Travis Minor, DE Jamaal Reynolds and Heisman winner Chris Weinke all were also part of this stellar unit.
The 'Noles had many great classes in the decade, but is was one of the better ones.
19. USC '05
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Ok, so like FSU in the '90s, USC had some runs in the 2000s. This 2005 class was not a No.1 ranked class, but it did haul some superstars along with some solid and productive players.
Notable players include No.1 rated QB Mark Sanchez, 5-star WR Patrick Turner, two 5-star LBs in Brian Cushing and Rey Mauluaga, a starting TE-turned-LT in Charles Brown and starting DE in Kyle Moore.
Toss in starting LB Kaluka Maiva and kicker David Buehler and you see this class was better than people realize as all players I have named are in the NFL.
18. Florida '03
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This is another class I think is a bit underrated. The Gators got some solid production out of this class led by QB Chris Leak, who at the time was considered something of a prodigy.
Chad Jackson and Andre Caldwell were two of the best receivers in the country in high school, and had solid star careers in Gainesville.
But the player that everyone overlooked was a 3-star LB by the name of Channing Crowder. Though Crowder may be a guy that is liked by everyone he encounters, he still was a great player for Florida as he is with the Dolphins.
17. Florida '07
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Florida's class the year before will be covered in a few more slides next, but the 2007 class was a great sequel to the 2006 legendary unit.
This class is home to players like TE Aaron Hernandez, DE Carlos Dunlap, The Pouncey Twins, QB John Brantley, DT Torrey Davis, CB Joe Haden, DS Major Wright, RB Chris Rainey and even some big 6'6", 220-pound specimen QB named Cameron Newton.
Combine this class with the 2006 class at Florida, and now comes into focus the recruiting prowess that was Urban Meyer.
16. Florida State '93
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Three Pro-Bowl caliber NFL players stemmed from this class is RB Warrick Dunn, OT Tra Thomas and DE/LB Peter Boulware.
Toss in QB Thad Busby, WRs E.G. Green and Andre Cooper, LB Daryl Bush and even kicker Scott Bentley and you have a great mix of All-Conference and NFL stud players that won a lot of games for Tallahassee.
If they would have won more than one national title, this unit may have been pushed farther up the list.
15. Georgia '80
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I'll get to you know who in just a minute. But first, you have to realize this was loaded. There was an upwards of around six or seven players drafted in the NFL and it also produced a national title in Athens.
DE Freddie Gilbert, TE Clarence Kay and DB Terry Hoage all were part of a class that dominated the SEC and won three conference titles.
Then there was a RB by the name of Hershel Walker. One of the very best players in college football history, Walker lit up defenses every Saturday and won the Heisman in 1982.
14. Ohio State '98
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The thing with this class was it was very, very small, only 16 players. You figured that John Cooper needed to max out every player in the class to even have a solid team when these guys became ready to play.
He pretty much did, as 11 of the 16 were drafted by NFL and two more were solid starters. Notable players include OC LeCharles Bentley, DT Ryan Pickett, and CB Nate Clements.
Then there's QB Steve Bellisari, FB Jamar Martin and LB Cie Grant among others. Parts of this class even helped Ohio State win the BCS title in 2002.
13. Alabama '08
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Talk about some talent. Wow. I think years from now, this class will be deemed too low on this list as time moves forward.
I'm just going to rattle off some names that you may recognize: Julio Jones, Marcell Dareus, Mark Barron, Tyler Love, Courtney Upshaw, Barrett Jones, Terrence Cody, and Dont'A Hightower.
Oh. Right. Almost forgot. Mark Ingram. All he did was win a Heisman.
Should I move them up?
12. Penn State '82
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This recruiting class was the gist of the team that for one night in 1986, were looked at as the national beloved heroes to beat the villains that were Miami in the Fiesta Bowl.
Michael Zordich was in this class, but it seems the prime player was all-world LB Shane Conlan. Conlan wasn't wanted by Joe Paterno, but after growing tired of his staff's lobbying, Joe-Pa gave in. Conland repaid him back by becoming one of the best defensive players in CFB history.
Eric Hamilton, Dan Morgan, Bob White, Don Graham, John Bruno and Duffy Cobbs are some other big time names in the class.
11. Miami '84
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Those villains I spoke of? Yeah, they were pretty good and their '84 recruiting class was one of their very best.
This class was a prime foundation of some of those great Hurricane teams of the 1980s, as it brought in WR Michael Irvin and Brett Perriman, DT Derwin Jones, CB Bubba McDowell and talented DS Bennie Blades.
Even former head coach Randy Shannon signed in this class as a talented LB recruit. The crazy about this class was Jimmy Johnson coached them, but it was actually Howard Schnellenberger who signed them before he bolted for the USFL.
10. Texas '02
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You wanna know how important recruiting is? Say you're the No.2 ranked team in the country and feel you're the best. But the No.1 ranked team is deemed one of the very greatest CFB squads ever assembled and you know how your showdown with them for the national title.
You're going to need some talented players right? Well thanks to their recruiting efforts in 2002, Texas had the horses to beat USC in 2006.
Vince Young, Justin Blalock, Rodrique Wright, David Thomas, Aaron Ross, Selvin Young, and even 3-star LB/DE Brian Robison all were top flight players for the Longhorns in their title run.
9. Florida '06
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Told you I'd get to the 2006 Gator class, as this was the type of recruiting class that was program altering. These guys changed the culture of Florida football. Two national titles. 48 wins. Come on now.
In this class you have stars and legends like Tim Tebow, Percy Harvin, Brandon Spikes, Riley Cooper, Marcus Gilbert, and Carl Johnson.
This class was the signature class that showed the nation that Florida recruiting was back, and also served as the foundation to some dominant Gator squads.
8. Miami '99
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That crazy, all-world 2001 BCS title team in Coral Gables? Yeah, this is the stable foundation of that team and the 2002 team.
Players like Ken Dorsey, Philip Buchanon, Andre Johnson, Clinton Portis, Bryant McKinnie, and Vernon Carey stem from this class, and aside from Dorsey, all were high level players at one time or another in the NFL.
Did this team get robbed of a second title vs. Ohio State? I think so.
7. Florida State '95
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The banter has it that this class is the best recruiting class in FSU history, and it may be underrated by me on this list.
Peter Warrick is the memorable player of this list, and was viewed as the best player in CFB during the mid '90s. Corey Simon is another great player, as the DT was just a sheer force for the 'Noles in the middle.
But the player that I think was the best, and head and shoulders the most talented, was LT Walter Jones. I don't think anyone realizes how good Jones was at FSU or with the Seahawks.
I graded him when I worked in the Giants' pro scouting department, and even though he was in the twighlight of his career, I still have Jones one of the highest grades I've ever given a player.
This class played for three different national titles.
6. Alabama '76
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Bear Bryant is viewed as maybe the greatest CFB coach ever, so we always ask which was his best team? Well, according to the folks in Tuscaloosa, it was the '79 squad.
The foundation for that team? The '76 recruiting class baby. Although not many became household names or NFL stars, the class did feature OC Dan Stephenson, Don McNeal, Wayne Hamilton, Curt McGriff and Steadman Shealey.
This class helped win Alabama two national titles and an 12-0 record in '79.
5. Oklahoma '72
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They always say in recruiting you want to recruit the player's friends and family as well as the actual player. Well Sooner fans, thank Larry Lacewell for this class as he took that strategy in 1970.
Laceweel wanted Dewey and Lee Roy Selmon to be at OU when saw them in the 10th grade. So Lacewell gave their older brother, Lucious to come to Norman.
Two years later, Dewey and Lee Roy signed with OU and became staunch defenders on the DL. Toss in rime time players like Steve Davis, Tinker Owens, Jimbo Elrod, Horace Ivory and Joe Washington and you see why the Sooners were silly good in the disco era.
4. Michigan '45
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Seems like Big Blue took a dip in the pre-WWII era and needed a boost. They got it. Big time.
In 1945, the Wolverines signed a couple players that would go down as the best recruiting class in rich Michigan football history.
QB/RB Pete Elliot was the headliner of class, before his great coaching days. He was followed by FB Dan Dworsky, OT Joe Soboleski, and OGs Stu Watkins and Don Tomasi.
This class won titles for Big Blue in '47 after smashing on USC 49-0 in the Rose Bowl, and again in '48.
3. USC '03
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USC has become a juggernaut on the recruiting trail, and it seems like this 2003 class was the one that made everyone take notice. This class was the foundation to the teams that fell just short of winning three straight AP national titles.
Even though Whitney Lewis is considered one of the biggest recruiting busts of all time, this class hauled in LenDale White, Sedrick Ellis, John David Booty, Lawrence Jackson, Sam Baker, Terrell Thomas, Ryan Kalil, Fili Moala, and Eric Wright.
Then it also brought in a skinny, but lightning quick RB from San Diego named Reggie Bush.
2. Nebraska '92
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Big Red has been one of the better consistent powers in CFB over time, as they have seen some all-time greats come through Lincoln. But the class they signed in 1992 was amazing.
But really, it was the beginning of the Tommy Frazier era as the big three Florida schools wanted Frazier to play WR or DB, but he felt he was a QB. So did Tom Osborne, who saw Frazier become one of the greatest and most decorated players in history.
Mike Minter, Jared Tomich, Chris Dishman, Tyrone Williams, and Chris Dishman are other big stars from this class.
Even Darin Erstad, the top pick in the MLB draft in 1995, signed as a punter in this class.
1. Notre Dame '46
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You always want your recruiting classes to be productive and improve your quality of play on the field. Well, the '46 ND recruiting class super enhanced Irish football.
Frank Leahy got 17 players from this class to become great starters, including end Leon Hart, who won the Heisman in 1949. This class served as the foundation for the 36-0-2 run that Notre Dame had from '46-'49 that saw them win three national titles.
Emil Sitko and Jungle Jim Martin along with Hart became Notre Dame football legends from this class.
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