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Early National Signing Day 2021: Day 3 Recruit Commitments and Reaction
December 17, 2021
While many of the top college football prospects in the country announced their decisions on Wednesday, there was still plenty of top talent available entering Friday.
Day 3 of the early signing period featured several notable commitments, with a few shaking up the team rankings and potentially changing the landscape of college football in future seasons.
Here are the biggest commitments from Friday.
TE Jaleel Skinner to Miami
Alabama doesn't lose many recruiting battles, but tight end Jaleel Skinner flipped from the Crimson Tide to Miami:
It was an especially impressive victory for Miami considering head coach Mario Cristobal only stepped into his role earlier this month.
The 6'5", 210-pound player is considered the No. 3 tight end in the class, per 247Sports' composite ranking. He can be a difference-maker down the line, helping Cristobal turn Miami back into a contender.
Before even reaching the field, however, the high-profile flip could give the Hurricanes momentum on the recruiting trail as they show they should be taken seriously as a college football power.
CB Domani Jackson to USC
Just like Skinner was a big-time addition for Cristobal in his new location, new USC coach Lincoln Riley got an important pickup Friday in Domani Jackson.
ESPN College Football @ESPNCFB5 ⭐️ Domani Jackson is ESPN's No. 2 DB in the 2022 class.<br><br>The California native is staying home and signing with <a href="https://twitter.com/USC_FB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USC_FB</a>!<br><br>(🎥: <a href="https://twitter.com/MaxPreps?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MaxPreps</a>) <a href="https://t.co/uWroH02u9q">pic.twitter.com/uWroH02u9q</a>
Jackson is a 5-star recruit considered the seventh-best player in the class at any position, per 247Sports' composite ranking. The 6'1", 185-pound cornerback ran the 100-meter dash in 10.25 seconds, the type of straight-line speed that will help him excel at all levels.
He explained Friday that he was planning to go to Alabama until USC added Riley.
"It has a way different vibe," Jackson said, per Greg Biggins of 247Sports. "There was always a lot of energy but it’s on another level now.
"Everyone feels so much more connected and together. With coach Riley in place, everyone believes the program is going to win and not just win a little but win Championships."
It's a great sign for Riley, who led Oklahoma to the College Football Playoff three times but couldn't bring home a national championship.
The first step to get USC back into a national power is take care of local recruiting, and Riley has done that:
Adam Grosbard @AdamGrosbardSo that's two Mater Dei five-stars to commit to USC and Lincoln Riley this cycle, and Domani Jackson joins a strong DB class for USC with four-star CB Fabian Ross and four-star safety Zion Branch.<br><br>And for the second consecutive year, USC keeps the state's top-rated recruit in CA
After a 4-8 season, there is a lot to be excited about for the Trojans.
WR Decoldest Crawford to Nebraska
A former LSU commit, Decoldest Crawford flipped to Nebraska to give the Cornhuskers an exciting playmaker.
Nebraska Football @HuskerFBNationDecoldest Crawford, Welcome to the good life<br><br>Follow: <a href="https://twitter.com/Yrncold?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Yrncold</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GBRXXII?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GBRXXII</a> <a href="https://t.co/pdwUebuwOP">pic.twitter.com/pdwUebuwOP</a>
Crawford is considered the No. 66 wideout in the 2022 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings, but he can outperform this projection as a 6'1" athlete with great speed and ball skills.
The addition creates an exciting receiving corps for Nebraska going forward:
Mitch Sherman @mitchshermanDecoldest Crawford is Nebraska’s 14th signee and the second wide receiver, joining the most talented and deep position group on the offensive side — and perhaps the roster. The next starting QB, in Lincoln already or from the portal, will have plenty of targets at WR and TE.
Of course, most were focused on the name itself, which will likely lead to memorable headlines throughout his college career.
Nebraska will still look for Crawford to make an impact on the field in upcoming seasons.
ATH Kendrick Law to Alabama
Alabama missed out on several top prospects this week, but they are not short on talent with a class that still ranks No. 2 in the country.
Kendrick Law is a big part of that after committing to the team on Friday:
The athlete is rated the No. 87 overall player in the class, per 247Sports, and could be one of the top receivers in the class. It represents yet another win for Alabama over LSU in the state of Louisiana.
Andrew Bone @AndrewJBone<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Alabama?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Alabama</a> signs the top three wide receivers in the state of Louisiana! Kendrick Law (<a href="https://twitter.com/KendrickLaw2?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KendrickLaw2</a>) has just announced for the Crimson Tide over LSU. The dynamic athlete has an official 10.48 in the 100m. He will enroll in January <a href="https://t.co/MUkg0X2ny7">https://t.co/MUkg0X2ny7</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/bamainsider?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@bamainsider</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RollTide?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RollTide</a> <a href="https://t.co/LFADbKYPSS">pic.twitter.com/LFADbKYPSS</a>
Considering the receiver talent that both teams have sent to the NFL in recent seasons, this likely wasn't an easy choice for Law.
The Captain Shreve player also has experience at other positions on both sides of the ball, spending time at running back, cornerback and safety during his high school career.
It could allow Law to see the field early at Alabama if he can fill a need somewhere on the depth chart.