B/R Recruiting: Underrated Recruiting Classes in the 2023 Cycle
The top recruiting classes each year get a ton of hype and clout, and for good reason. But, while luring the best talent to your school has shown a direct correlation to quality on-field play, the past few years have shown us it isn't always an exact science.
You've got to dive into classes to identify needs met, quality players and depth of talent.
For that reason, some of the teams you may not have heard much about during this recruiting cycle are still putting together some excellent hauls. Which teams are they?
To make this list, a class can't be in the top 10 of the current 247Sports composite recruiting rankings. In many cases, though, perhaps they should be.
In others, even if the ranking may be correct due to size, etc., the class is better than the ranking because of the quality of players in it, the needs of the team or the surprise the team is recruiting the way it is in the first place.
Here are some of the classes that are a bit underrated so far late in the 2023 recruiting cycle, with a couple of months to go until early signing day.
Florida Gators
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First-year coach Billy Napier is already riding the roller coaster of early season ups and downs with the rebuilding Florida Gators.
They opened the campaign with a home upset of then-No. 7 Utah but were also extremely fortunate to escape with a win against lowly South Florida and dropped games against SEC East division foes Tennessee and Kentucky.
Still, Napier is resonating with recruits, and that's a big deal as he tries to replenish the roster after former coach Dan Mullen's failures.
The Gators currently hold the nation's No. 11 class according to the 247Sports composite ranking, but what the group lacks in top-of-the-heap talent, it makes up for with a depth of quality potential playmakers.
Despite having just two top-100 commitments (receiver Aidan Mizell and defensive lineman Kelby Collins), Napier has a strong group with 18 4-star players. Eugene Wilson III slides in alongside Mizell as a potential instant-impact offensive star, but the real quality is on the other side of the ball.
The Gators currently have four top-200 defensive linemen committed, and defensive backs like Ja'Keem Jackson, Jordan Castell and Sharif Denson bolster the back end. If Napier can somehow add elite cornerback Cormani McClain, this class will be very, very strong. It's already nice, regardless.
Florida State Seminoles
2 of 9
While the Gators are chomping at the bit to sign a big-time class, their rival to the north has fallen on hard times lately, too.
After a 4-0 start, the Florida State Seminoles are amid a gauntlet that started with a 10-point loss to then-No. 22 Wake Forest and another close setback to then-No. 14 North Carolina State with No. 4 Clemson left to go.
We (and recruits) will know a lot more about the direction of Mike Norvell's program by the end of October.
The 'Noles currently have the No. 16-ranked recruiting class in the country according to the 247Sports composite recruiting rankings, but it's a relatively smallish class so far with just 17 prospects.
The highlight of the class is 5-star receiver Hykeem Williams, who is the type of player who can change an offense with his combination of size and speed. A game-changer like him is worth a couple of spots on this list, and he should be ranked higher than the No. 22 player in the class.
FSU also has seven 4-star prospects, led by defensive lineman Keldric Faulk, who is still taking visits despite being committed to the Seminoles.
More quality players dot the list (3-star JUCO defensive lineman Jaden Jones is an especially good-looking player with a lot of potential), and there's still plenty of room to grow.
Louisville Cardinals
3 of 9
It may surprise many some of the prospects coach Scott Satterfield has been able to convince to commit to the Louisville Cardinals, but they're off to an unexpectedly great start in this year's class.
So far, it appears the majority of them are relatively solid, too.
With Louisville struggling on the field, though, there is some uncertainty around Satterfield's job, especially considering the team should be better in a so-so ACC, especially with a star like Malik Cunningham at quarterback.
Instead, they're 3-3 overall, and their only conference win came over Virginia.
That's a bad time for this to happen, too, considering they have some exceptional players ready to come to town and make a difference. The No. 19-ranked class has 15 commitments so far, but there are more great prospects than what we're used to seeing the Cardinals bring in.
The group is led by 5-star running back Rueben Owens, the 18th-rated overall player and the top running back in the class, who is currently pledged to Louisville and would come all the way from El Campo, Texas, if he signs.
Seven more 4-star prospects outfit the class, including California signal-caller Pierce Clarkson, who was another shocking win on the trail. He and his teammates, 4-star receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. and cornerback Aaron Williams, give the Cardinals a terrific trio from the Golden State.
Can Satterfield keep his job and hold on to the elite prospects at the same time? It's a storyline worth watching, but this is a really good class.
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Michigan State Spartans
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After Mel Tucker's Michigan State Spartans burst onto the scene last year with an 11-2 record, many expected them to do bigger things in 2022.
That hasn't exactly transpired. At 2-4, they already have more losses than they had a season ago, and Tucker is probably going to experience more questions than expected after signing an expensive contract extension in the offseason.
Still, it takes time to build a program, and one thing Tucker has succeeded at this year is recruiting. Though the Spartans' class is currently only ranked 25th in the nation, it's better than its ranking.
Michigan State has just 14 commits so far, and nine of them are 4-star prospects. That's some major quality in a small quantity.
Improving the front seven looks like a major point of emphasis in this class, and Tucker is finding lots of success in that area. Bai Jobe is a 4-star edge-rusher, and the duo of Andrew Depaepe and Jalen Thompson give Tucker a trio of quality guys up front. Add in linebacker Jordan Hall, and that's a good haul.
With Kenneth Walker III's success a year ago, the Spartans have started a strong running back pedigree, and Kendrick Reescano is a nice-looking prospect at the position. He will enjoy running behind Stanton Ramil, an offensive lineman Tucker went into SEC country for and plucked from a couple of programs down there.
This is shaping up to be another strong group of prospects.
Oregon Ducks
5 of 9
When Mario Cristobal left Oregon for another shade of green and his alma mater Miami Hurricanes, he left a recruiting void in his wake.
For some of the struggles he had navigating game day at times, Cristobal was a major hit in living rooms, keeping the Ducks brand strong and expanding it into California with huge successes there.
Getting a coach who could resonate with recruits was a big emphasis, and they did that with young, energetic Dan Lanning. Though Oregon started the year with a thud in Atlanta against defending national champion Georgia, the Ducks are playing better as of late.
They're doing well on the trail, too.
Despite only being ranked 14th, Oregon's class is terrific, led by 5-star quarterback Dante Moore, who is coming to Eugene from all the way over in Detroit. He's the nation's No. 7 overall prospect, and he has as much upside as any quarterback in the class.
Toss in the No. 2 receiver in the country in Jurrion Dickey and the Ducks have a strong 1-2 offensive punch. Dickey's pledge also indicates Oregon can still storm into the Golden State with Lincoln Riley entrenched at USC. Getting Ashton Cozart from Texas was big, too.
Mississippi running back Dante Dowdell is a nice pull from the South, and throw in the cornerback duo of Cole Martin and Caleb Presley and you begin to see the depth and versatility of this class with several spots left to fill.
Penn State Nittany Lions
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The Penn State turnaround may finally be happening.
With a 5-0 record before the gauntlet of Michigan, Minnesota and Ohio State looming, the Nittany Lions look built better than the past few years. If they can somehow get out of that group of games winning two, plenty of championship hopes remain.
Recruits have already bought in.
Coach James Franklin's wins at homes a year ago already are paying big dividends on the field, with 2022 commits including running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton and linebacker Abdul Carter already big pieces to the puzzle.
The '23 group could have similar impacts. While it maybe doesn't have the top-end talent, it's still a deep, strong group that is ranked 12th nationally but may be better.
Of the 20 commitments, 14 of them are 4-stars, and a couple of those guys look like instant-impact players. Defensive lineman Alex Birchmeier and offensive tackle J'ven Williams play tough positions to contribute immediately, but both look capable.
Linebacker Tony Rojas is a playmaker who is one of the most exciting defenders in the class, and the safety duo of King Mack and Elliot Washington will fortify the back end of the defense for years to come. Mathias Barnwell is an exciting athlete who could play tight end and be a force, too.
There are potentially great players up and down this class, and Franklin is recruiting consistently as well as 95 percent of the teams in the country right now. Plenty of talent is coming to Happy Valley.
South Carolina Gamecocks
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South Carolina second-year coach Shane Beamer's "rah-rah," clap-even-if-you're-down style may not be for everybody and has drawn considerable meme attention from rival fans.
But it's clear recruits are buying into his message early in his regime.
The Gamecocks are struggling offensively this year, even with Spencer Rattler at quarterback, but Beamer is trying to rebuild a roster decimated by former coach Will Muschamp, and beating Kentucky in Lexington was a strong step.
After last year's No. 24-ranked class, he's off to an even better start in recruiting this year, too.
South Carolina is ranked 15th nationally in recruiting, and while the depth of elite talent isn't as great as some of the teams ranked above them, the top half is very good. The Gamecocks have 10 4-star recruits and several big-name commits.
They're firmly in the mix for 5-star athlete Nyckoles Harbor, too.
Perhaps the most exciting recruiting wins on the trail have come along the defensive front where 4-stars Zavion Hardy, Xzavier McLeod and edge Desmond Umeozulu look like building blocks.
On the offensive front, Markee Anderson and Oluwatosin Babalade should be opening holes for star running back commit Dontavius Braswell in the future, if everybody holds true to their commitments.
Three athletes and two offensive tackles are among their 3-star prospects, too, traditionally developmental positions who could wind up big hits depending on coaching evaluations.
Texas A&M Aggies
8 of 9
Like a few other coaches on this list, Jimbo Fisher is facing plenty of scrutiny for a subpar start to the year. His offense so far lacks innovation and personality, and it has some wondering if it can be successful in the SEC.
One thing is certain, though: Fisher is going to get to operate with elite athletes as long as he's at Texas A&M, and games like narrow misses at Alabama on Saturday show long-term glimmers of hope.
Following last year's banner class for the Aggies that finished No. 1 overall and was littered with blue-chip, 5-star prospects, they have another strong group this year with several star prospects still considering Fisher's program.
Despite having just 12 commitments, the Aggies are ranked 18th nationally. The most recent massive recruiting win came last week when 5-star defensive tackle David Hicks, the nation's ninth-ranked overall prospect, committed to play for the Aggies. He was thought to be an Oklahoma lean, too.
Anthony Hill is another disruptive 5-star prospect who is going to play linebacker at the next level. Hill and Hicks are going to add to last year's group of dynamic defenders.
Other top-100 prospects in Texas A&M's commitment list include cornerbacks Bravion Rogers and Jayvon Thomas, offensive tackle Chase Bisontis and athlete Dalton Brooks.
The Aggies also added another duo of 4-star offensive linemen, so this is a good, quality group to supplement last year's exceptional haul of prospects.
USC Trojans
9 of 9
The turnaround at USC is real, and even though things haven't always come easy for this year's Trojans, they remain undefeated entering the colossal matchup with Utah.
Recruiting is going swimmingly, too.
After finishing 70th in last year's recruiting rankings and going hard toward the portal to bring in difference-makers for a swift turnaround, the Trojans are ranked 14th nationally in this year's cycle.
There are potential elite players all over the place as USC tries to build the depth it lacks this year after bringing in plenty of instant-impact players through the transfer portal a season ago.
Of the 19 commitments, the Trojans have a pair of 5-star prospects and eight 4-stars among the committed players. Quarterback Malachi Nelson may be the top signal-caller in the nation (he's rated second nationally behind Arch Manning), and Zachariah Branch is the nation's top receiver.
If that duo isn't exciting enough, the Trojans are bringing in athlete Makai Lemon, who should play receiver, and Tackett Curtis, a linebacker. Both of those guys are top-100 prospects, and Braylan Shelby is an edge rusher from Texas who is also among the top 120 players in the country.
Add in Texas home-run-hitting running back Quinten Joyner, fellow Lone Star State runner A'Marion Peterson and cornerback Maliki Crawford, and this is a deep, strong bunch that can help keep the Trojans competing for at least conference titles.
First-year head coach Lincoln Riley has this program on firm footing already.
All stats courtesy of CFBStats and Sports Reference. Player rankings courtesy of 247Sports.
Follow Brad Shepard on Twitter, @Brad_Shepard.
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