Early National Signing Day 2022: Ranking Top 25 Recruiting Classes
For the 10th time in the past 13 years, the recruiting champion is clad in crimson.
Yes, we still have until February until all the recruits are signed, sealed and delivered, but there is no way anybody's catching Nick Saban's Alabama Crimson Tide in the rankings.
The Tide missed this year's College Football Playoff, but they're lining themselves for an extended streak of making it. After flipping Iowa 5-star offensive tackle commit Kadyn Proctor, signing the 5-star tandem of Qua Russaw and James Smith from Montgomery, Alabama's Carver High School and winning the Desmond Ricks sweepstakes, the Tide have seven 5-stars.
They may not be done, either.
The early signing period gave us a ton of drama with Hugh Freeze's Auburn Tigers enjoying a massive day of flipping other teams' recruits to surge into the top 25. Oregon may have lost elite signal-caller Dante Moore, but the Ducks closed strong, despite being one of the major losers (along with Notre Dame) in the bizarre Peyton Bowen saga that saw him wind up at Oklahoma.
All eyes remain on Miami 5-star pledge Cormani McClain, who elected not to sign with the Hurricanes in December, leading to more drama between now and February.
Storylines abound. Here are the top 25 teams after the early signing period who've positioned themselves well entering the final stretch of two-plus months.
Player rankings via 247Sports' composite
25-21: Mississippi State, Texas Tech, Utah, Michigan State, Arkansas
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25. Mississippi State Bulldogs
Class size: 25 (all signed)
Impact player: Isaac Smith, 4-star safety — Fulton, Mississippi (Itawamba Agricultural HS)
One thing to know: Keeping the continuity of the class was huge for new coach Zach Arnett, who took over after the death of Mike Leach. The Bulldogs had just one decommitment after Arnett took over, and JUCO OT Leon Bell made up for the high school OT Joe Crocker leaving the class. QB Chris Parson was a huge leader for the group, telling reporters being a part of Leach's final class should be a "badge of honor."
24. Texas Tech Red Raiders
Class size: 25 (24 signed)
Impact player: Dylan Spencer, 4-star defensive lineman — Houston, Texas (C.E. King HS)
One thing to know: It's no surprise longtime Texas high school coaching legend and current Red Raiders head coach Joey McGuire leaned heavily on his Lone Star State connections for his first full class, with 21 of his 25 pledges hailing from instate. McGuire dubbed this "the fastest class in the nation," and the real strength is on defense with guys like Spencer, who flipped from the Longhorns, safety Jordan Sanford and edge-rusher Isaiah Crawford.
23. Utah Utes
Class size: 20 (19 signed)
Impact player: CJ Blocker, 4-star cornerback — New Caney, Texas (New Caney HS)
One thing to know: Winning the Pac-12 title was only the start of the good news for the Utes this month, as their class surged with eight recent commitments. None were bigger than getting cornerbacks Smith Snowden and Blocker. Blocker turned down overtures from Alabama and others, decommitted from Utah and then re-committed and signed to give coach Kyle Whittingham a thunder-and-lightning duo on the back end to try to replace guys like Clark Phillips III.
22. Michigan State Spartans
Class size: 15 (all signed)
Impact player: Bai Jobe, 4-star edge — Norman, Oklahoma (Community Christian School)
One thing to know: Keyshawn Blackstock was a massive pull in the early period, the nation's top-ranked JUCO interior offensive lineman, according to 247Sports. He will compete for a starting spot right away, and his signing Wednesday capped a roaring week that included the Spartans flipping 4-star QB Sam Leavitt from Washington State, too.
21. Arkansas Razorbacks
Class size: 20 (19 signed)
Impact player: Jaylon Braxton, 4-star cornerback — Frisco, Texas (Lone Star HS)
One thing to know: It's been a tumultuous final few weeks leading up to the early signing period for the Hogs, who lost Stephen Johnson to Auburn and Micah Tease to Texas A&M. Tight end Shamar Easter is flirting with South Carolina, too. All isn't lost for the Razorbacks, who put together a solid class, highlighted by 4-star tight end Luke Hasz, who also has a twin brother, Dylan, who is headed to Fayetteville to play safety.
20-16: Auburn, Florida State, Michigan, TCU, South Carolina
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20. Auburn Tigers
Class size: 19 (18 signed)
Impact player: Jeremiah Cobb, 4-star running back — Montgomery, Alabama (Montgomery Preparatory Academy)
One thing to know: Cobb is the only pledged player in Auburn's budding class not to sign in December, but he is currently solid. New Tigers coach Hugh Freeze made a national-headline impact in a short time, stunning the college football world by flipping Florida State DL commit Keldric Faulk, Ohio State DB pledge Kayin Lee, Ole Miss OT pledge Izavion Miller, Tennessee DB pledge Sylvester Smith, Miami OL commit Connor Lew and Arkansas DL Stephen Johnson in the past few days.
19. Florida State Seminoles
Class size: 17 (all signed)
Impact player: Hykeem Williams, 5-star wide receiver — Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Stranahan HS)
One thing to know: Despite losing some solid prospects down the stretch like they did a season ago, this is still a very strong class, highlighted by can't-miss WR Williams and OT Lucas Simmons, who looks like he could be an impact player relatively early. Simmons is a prototypical bookend tackle who grew up in Sweden playing handball, soccer and basketball before his hulking size led him to American football.
18. Michigan Wolverines
Class size: 23 (all signed)
Impact player: Jyaire Hill, 4-star cornerback — Kankakee, Illinois (Kankakee HS)
One thing to know: A bit of a late rally helped pull Michigan's recruiting class out of the ranks of the mediocre, and Hill is a guy who could follow in Will Johnson's footsteps and play early in the secondary in Ann Arbor. The most intriguing prospect maybe in the entire '23 class is Aymeric Koumba, an edge-rusher the Wolverines signed all the way from Pionniers de Touraine in France. According to MichiganInsider's Sam Webb, Koumba has a 7'1" wingspan and has drawn comparisons to David Ojabo.
17. TCU Horned Frogs
Class size: 24 (23 signed)
Impact player: Cordale Russell, 4-star wide receiver — Mesquite, Texas (North Mesquite HS)
One thing to know: The Horned Frogs didn't make the headlines that Oregon or Auburn did on Wednesday, but that doesn't change just how scorching the College Football Playoff participant is after becoming the biggest surprise of the season. Last week, the Frogs landed 4-star prospects Channing Canada, longtime Texas safety pledge Jamel Johnson and Randon Fontenette. They also were terrific in the portal, getting WR JoJo Earle (Alabama), CB Avery Helm (Florida), WR Jack Bech (LSU) and OT Tommy Brockermeyer (Alabama).
16. South Carolina
Class size: 22 (21 signed)
Impact player: Desmond Umeozulu, 4-star edge — Upper Marlboro, Maryland (Charles Herbert Flowers HS)
One thing to know: Umeozulu may be the most ready to compete right now, but the Gamecocks have to be feeling great about paving the way for a strong running game in the coming years. The top-rated commit in the class is Markee Anderson, and South Carolina got huge news when former commitment Oluwatosin Babalade came back into the fold and ultimately signed. Speedy RB Dontavius Braswell has to feel good about running behind those dudes for the next few years.
15-11: USC, Texas A&M, Penn State, Florida, Clemson
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15. USC Trojans
Class size: 20 (19 signed)
Impact player: Zachariah Branch, 5-star wide receiver — Las Vegas, Nevada (Bishop Gorman HS)
One thing to know: The hubbub swirling around coach Lincoln Riley's first full class at USC centers on quarterback Malachi Nelson and the wide receiving combo of Branch and Makai Lemon, but you may not know incoming 4-star linebacker Tackett Curtis played at tiny Many High School in Louisiana where he was a do-it-all defender and quarterback who helped keep rival Arch Manning in check at Isidore Newman HS.
14. Texas A&M Aggies
Class size: 18 (16 signed)
Impact player: Rueben Owens, 5-star running back — El Campo, Texas (El Campo HS)
One thing to know: The Aggies had a nice finish to their class, flipping Owens from Louisville after Scott Satterfield left for Cincinnati. Coach Jimbo Fisher also got quarterback Marcel Reed from Ole Miss and wide receiver Micah Tease from Arkansas. All eyes are on elite defensive tackle David Hicks today as he chooses between A&M (where he's committed) and the Oklahoma Sooners.
13. Penn State Nittany Lions
Class size: 22 (all signed)
Impact player: J'ven Williams, 5-star offensive tackle — Reading, Pennsylvania (Wyomissing HS)
One thing to know: It's easy to fall in love with James Franklin's class. The 2023 class is elite along the offensive front where you have Williams as a potential generational cornerstone on the line and Alex Birchmeier being a college-ready interior lineman. I also love tight ends Andrew Rappleyea and Matthias Barnwell. This is a group that could help right away and be great down the road.
12. Florida Gators
Class size: 20 (all signed)
Impact player: Aidan Mizell, 4-star wide receiver — Orlando, Florida (Boone HS)
One thing to know: The two places the Gators loaded up were at receiver and defensive line, where playmakers and multiyear starters abound. You may not know one of those top-shelf pass-catchers on the perimeter has a familiar name for a reason. Eugene Wilson III's father by the same name was an NFL safety who won two Super Bowls with the New England Patriots.
11. Clemson Tigers
Class size: 26 (all signed)
Impact player: Peter Woods, 5-star defensive lineman — Alabaster, Alabama (Thompson HS)
One thing to know: You can't deny Alabama native and Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney's deep ties to his home state. While it doesn't put a dent in Nick Saban's reign, the Tigers do very well in the Yellowhammer State, as three of their top four signees are from there. Terrific DL Woods is a future star, and quarterback Christopher Vizzina and DL Tomarrion Parker are also from Alabama. Clemson receiver E.J. Williams is from there, and so is former star pass-catcher Justyn Ross.
10. Tennessee Volunteers
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Class size: 25 (24 signed)
Impact player: Nico Iamaleava, 5-star quarterback — Downey, California (Warren HS)
One Thing to Know
Coach Josh Heupel signed a loaded class of potential playmakers for the Tennessee Vols, who are getting instant-impact potential help at wide receiver, defensive back, linebacker and along the defensive line.
But there's no question the biggest impact is from Iamaleava, who is the highest-rated player to commit to Tennessee since Lane Kiffin signed Bryce Brown in 2009. Brown was the second-ranked overall player, and Iamaleava is fourth, and the No. 3 quarterback.
He has the ability and athleticism to be the best signal-caller in the class, standing 6'5" and possessing silky-smooth moves and the arm talent to make every pass. He's already on campus, and that's huge for the Vols, who must replace All-American Hendon Hooker.
Joe Milton III will get the first shot at that, but he has a history at Michigan and Tennessee of not processing things quickly during games to match his immense athletic ability. If he falters, Iamaleava stands to take his spot under center in Heupel's high-flying offense.
9. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
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Class size: 24 (all signed)
Impact player: Jeremiyah Love, 4-star running back — St. Louis, Missouri (Christian Brothers College HS)
One Thing to Know
If you look at the class Notre Dame signed with first-year head coach Marcus Freeman, there's no question it's a success. But when you factor in major losses like decommitments Keon Keeley (Alabama), Peyton Bowen (Oklahoma) and Jayden Limar (Oregon), it's a tough close.
Still, the Fighting Irish have a great class.
Perhaps the guy who has a chance to become a legendary leader in South Bend is linebacker Drayk Bowen, who is about as decorated a high school player as you can be. The Merrillville, Indiana, native can do it all, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him play early.
The 6'2", 225-pound second-level defender is fiery and talented, and he won the high school Butkus Award, was the MaxPreps Indiana Player of the Year, won Mr. Football in Indiana and is an All-American. For all the talk about who the Irish didn't get, they wound up with some great players.
8. Oregon Ducks
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Class size: 27 (all signed)
Impact player: Jurrion Dickey, 5-star wide receiver — Menlo Park, Texas (Menlo-Atherton HS)
One Thing to Know
Perhaps nobody endured the class volatility in both directions as much as Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks, but the bottom line is there weren't that many classes that wound up better.
It was a massive blow to the class to lose elite 5-star quarterback Dante Moore to the UCLA Bruins, but Lanning and Co. more than made up for that defection.
Then, the Ducks appeared to flip instant-impact playmaker Peyton Bowen from Notre Dame, but he signed with Oklahoma, joining high school teammate Jackson Arnold.
Weirdness abounds, right? The Ducks still did well.
They landed 5-star edge-rusher Matayo Uiagalelei over Ohio State and USC, ending that long saga for one of the most coveted players remaining on the board. After some suspense about whether or not 5-star receiver Jurrion Dickey would sign, he ultimately did, giving Bo Nix another big-time weapon next year.
Lanning worked quickly to replace Moore, flipping longtime Baylor quarterback commitment Austin Novosad, and he wasn't done poaching from Marcus Freeman's class, either, taking former Irish commit Jayden Limar. Oregon also flipped LSU 4-star cornerback commit Daylen Austin.
7. Ohio State Buckeyes
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Class size: 20 (all signed)
Impact player: Calvin Simpson-Hunt, 4-star cornerback — Waxahachie, Texas (Waxahachie HS)
One Thing to Know
Everybody wants to talk about the three-headed monster at wide receiver for the Ohio State Buckeyes in this class, and rightfully so. The Buckeyes have churned out star playmakers at the position and have Brandon Inniss, Carnell Tate and Noah Rogers coming in.
But who is going to get them the ball?
With C.J. Stroud likely heading to the NFL after this season, coach Ryan Day has only Kyle McCord and Devin Brown on the roster. That's why hitting on Lincoln Kienholz is a big deal.
The Buckeyes lost QB commitment Brock Glenn to Florida State, so they went about flipping their own. They went out and got a fast-rising, uber-athletic dual-threat signal-caller from the plains of South Dakota.
Kienholz wasn't exactly hidden from Power Five's view. He was committed to Washington and head coach (and South Dakota native) Kalen DeBoer. But the lure of Columbus and its success with quarterbacks was too much. He signed with the Buckeyes.
What are they getting? According to Eleven Warriors, in four seasons on the varsity team, Kienholz racked up 9,100 passing yards, 104 touchdowns and 29 interceptions as a thrower while adding 3,503 yards and 44 scores as a runner. He also played defense.
By the way, Kienholz averaged 19.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game as an all-state basketball player and batted .472 for the baseball team while compiling a 1.24 ERA as a pitcher. Ohio State may have found a do-it-all gem.
6. LSU Tigers
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Class size: 25 (all signed)
Impact player: Dashawn Womack, 4-star edge — Baltimore, Maryland (St. Frances Academy)
One Thing to Know
Getting Dashawn Womack is huge considering the Bayou Bengals are losing pass-rushers Ali Gaye and BJ Ojulari to the draft and have lost Desmond Little to the transfer portal.
Zalance Heard is one of the most punishing blockers in the country, and Shelton Sampson Jr. has the ability to step onto the field and be the next great wide receiver in Baton Rouge.
But nobody is coming into college more decorated than Trey Holly, a running back from Farmerville, Louisiana, who isn't even the highest-rated player at his position in LSU's class, despite being a 4-star.
In a state known for producing top-shelf players every year, Holly is the all-time rushing leader with 10,523 rushing yards and 160 total touchdowns. The 5'8", 180-pound playmaker from Union Parish High School played varsity ball all five seasons and was a superstar who led his team to three state championship game appearances.
5. Oklahoma Sooners
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Class size: 25 (all signed)
Impact player: Jackson Arnold, 5-star quarterback — Denton, Texas (Guyer HS)
One Thing to Know
The one thing to know about this Oklahoma class is, despite a very tumultuous first season in Norman, Brent Venables can flat-out recruit, as evidenced by a consensus top-10 class.
Arnold is the bell cow of the bunch, starring at powerhouse Denton Guyer High School on the field and on the camp circuit where he won the Elite 11. He isn't talked about as much as Arch Manning, Malachi Nelson, Dante Moore and Nico Iamaleava, but he's incredible and is a Russell Wilson type who can do it all.
Securing Arnold's teammate Peyton Bowen, who was a longtime Notre Dame pledge who flipped in a Wednesday ceremony to Oregon but then faxed papers to Oklahoma, was circuitous but a big deal for the Sooners. He is a potential instant-impact playmaker at safety.
Adepoju Adebawore is an elite edge-rusher, Jaquaize Pettaway is a home run hitter at wide receiver and Cayden Green is a cornerstone offensive tackle.
Venables was a dynamic recruiter at Clemson when he was the defensive coordinator, and he's proving he can do it at his own program, too. Now, he just has to win on the field. Arnold may have to help soon if Dillon Gabriel ultimately declares for the NFL draft.
4. Texas Longhorns
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Class size: 22 (all signed)
Impact player: Cedric Baxter Jr., 5-star running back — Orlando, Florida (Edgewater HS)
One Thing to Know
Three players in Texas' recruiting class are the top-rated players at their position, so coach Steve Sarkisian not only signed a deep class, but it's one that analysts see as having some of the best of the best.
Alabama's class has more star power, but the Longhorns are certainly second in that regard.
Everybody knows about Arch Manning, the top-rated overall player in the nation and the nephew of former NFL star quarterbacks Peyton and Eli. But you may not know a lot about two of the guys who may see the field more quickly than Arch, who could be sitting behind Quinn Ewers.
Baxter is an explosive runner who is also a force catching the ball out of the backfield. With Bijan Robinson heading to the NFL, Baxter is almost certain to see carries as a true freshman.
Then there's Anthony Hill, a 5-star linebacker and the top-rated player at his position, who was committed to Texas A&M. Once he arrives, he has the ability to be an immediate anchor for a defense needing leadership.
3. Miami Hurricanes
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Class size: 26 (25 signed)
Impact player: Cormani McClain, 5-star cornerback — Lakeland, Florida (Lakeland HS)
One Thing to Know
There will be plenty of understandable handwringing until elite 5-star cornerback Cormani McClain puts ink to paper and signs with the Miami Hurricanes, especially with coaches like Deion Sanders and Nick Saban in hot pursuit. But what shouldn't get lost is the rest of the class is strong.
The Hurricanes want to get back to "The U," and they were far from it in a bowl-less first campaign for Mario Cristobal. Getting better up front is a big piece to the puzzle, and they did that with the nation's No. 1 offensive tackle in Francis Mauigoa. The IMG Academy road-grader may be better-suited to play on the interior, but he's going to star no matter where they put him.
Late in the game, Miami won the Samson Okunlola sweepstakes last week. The 5-star Braintree, Massachusetts, product hasn't played great competition and is very raw, but he has one of the highest ceilings of any offensive tackle in the class.
Once Mauigoa and Okunlola develop, they are going to be cornerstones for this class. Now, they just need to focus on getting McClain back in the boat.
2. Georgia Bulldogs
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Class size: 27 (25 signed)
Impact player: Damon Wilson, 5-star edge — Venice, Florida (Venice HS)
One Thing to Know
The early signing period buzz was all about getting Wilson in the fold, and, boy, is he an explosive playmaker who could be the next great Georgia edge defender. They added Jordan Hall on Thursday, too.
But this Bulldogs linebacker class may wind up as excellent as last year's haul of defensive backs. It's really hard to project players at the position, but Kirby Smart has evaluated some good ones, and this year's group looks terrific.
Raylen Wilson is a top-100 player who has the most upside, and CJ Allen is an incredibly productive player who was a great running back as well and possesses a lot of athleticism.
A fun fact about Troy Bowles, a 6'1", 205-pound sideline-to-sideline 'backer from Tampa, is that his father Todd is the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so he's grown up around football at the highest level and has a high IQ for the position.
The Bowles note is cool, but these three linebackers' on-field production is what they're going to be known for before their days in Athens are done.
1. Alabama Crimson Tide
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Class size: 28 (all signed)
Impact player: Caleb Downs, 5-star safety — Hoschton, Georgia (Mill Creek HS)
One Thing to Know
There's no way to pick just one star impact player in this class. It's every bit as loaded as Texas A&M's from a year ago, and several of those Aggies already have bolted in the transfer portal.
Downs is the most college-ready safety (if not overall player) in the nation. He has the ability to step right in and not only start but star. He isn't the only one.
Flipping longtime Iowa offensive tackle commit Kadyn Proctor was a huge win because he's the best lineman in the nation, and adding the 5-star duo of outside linebacker Qua Russaw and defensive lineman James Smith out of Montgomery Carver High School was just icing on a crimson cake.
Keon Keeley has the athleticism and intelligence to step in and fill the massive void left by Will Anderson Jr., and Russaw can help, too.
Believe it or not, the Tide are still being mentioned as a possibility for 5-star Cormani McClain, too. This class isn't fair.
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