B/R Recruiting: Teams Off to a Terrific Start for the 2025 CFB Recruiting Class
Recruiting never sleeps in college football, and while most teams already have their 2024 class put together before taking a few big swings at the end, you're already behind if you haven't had a bunch of visitors for the 2025 cycle.
Toward the end of the season, big-game weekends are reserved for top targets' official visits and juniors coming in to get a glimpse at what big-time football is like as they begin to narrow their lists of who they're serious about.
This is old hat for some of the marquee coaches in the country. It's no surprise to see top-of-the-heap recruiting rankings coaches like Alabama's Nick Saban, Georgia's Kirby Smart and Ohio State's Ryan Day on this list.
But there is another program coming on strong that you wouldn't expect before it heads to the Power 5, off to the same type of start Texas Tech was this time last year. Other coaches who are new to their programs are proving they've got their recruiting base defined early as well.
Everybody knows decommitments happen and recruitment is fluid more than a year away from 2025's early signing period, but several programs are off to hot starts for next year's class.
Let's take a way-too-early look at how some of the best classes are stacking up.
Alabama Crimson Tide
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Alabama's 2023 recruiting class was loaded, and freshmen are all over the field for the one-loss Crimson Tide and making a difference already. This year's class is just a "ho-hum" fourth-rated group in the 247Sports composite rankings and won't contend for the top spot.
But the 2025 haul is back to top-level standards for coach Nick Saban. This is as hot of a start as the Tide have experienced in ages, and that's why the group is easily ranked as the nation's best.
Already, Alabama boasts three 5-star commitments on its commitment list, led by a guy who may wind up being the top-rated overall player in the nation in Saraland (Ala.) wide receiver Ryan Williams, who is simply a special athlete.
Troy (Ala.) edge-rusher Zion Grady is a 6'4", 220-pound force who looks ready to step onto a college football field already, and Jacksonville, Florida pass-catcher Jaime Ffrench teams with Williams to give the Tide a duo of receivers that will rival anybody in the nation.
IMG Academy running back Anthony Rogers and Williams' defensive-line teammate at Saraland, Antonio Coleman, gives Saban five total top-100 pledges already in the 2025 class, and all eight players committed so far are at least 4-star prospects.
Stop if you're surprised, but it looks like Saban is well on his way to signing yet another top-rated recruiting class, and the only team that can catch him if he continues at this pace will be his rival in the SEC East.
Auburn Tigers
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Speaking of Alabama rivals, there isn't a bigger one than the one on the loveliest village on the Plains: the Auburn Tigers.
After a forgettable period under Bryan Harsin, they rebounded under first-year coach Hugh Freeze in his return to the SEC following his ouster from Ole Miss and successful tenure at Liberty. He proved he hasn't forgotten how to recruit.
He also showed last weekend that he hasn't thrown away the blueprint on how to beat Alabama, as Auburn nearly pulled off a monumental upset that they blew when Jalen Milroe's 4th-and-goal pass to Isaiah Bond found the end zone from 31 yards away.
Freeze started his tenure with a solid recruiting haul and success in the portal, and his 2025 class is proving he has his recruiting base in order. The Tigers currently have the nation's fifth-rated class in the 247Sports composite, and we agree it's among the nation's best. They have seven commitments already, but there is also strength in those numbers.
The top of the group features elite defensive linemen Malik Autry, a 6'6", 280-pound force from Opelika, Alabama, as well as edge-rusher Jakaleb Faulk and defensive lineman Jourdin Crawford. They are all from the Yellowhammer State, meaning Freeze isn't scared to go toe-to-toe with Saban in local battlegrounds.
Faulk is a nice-looking player whose brother, Keldric, flipped from Florida State to the Tigers in last year's class and saw the field this year.
Athlete Kendarius Reddick rounds out the 4-star prospects in a class that is shaping up to be one that could help Auburn compete in the SEC West again.
Clemson Tigers
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It's going to be interesting to see if another pedestrian season for the Clemson Tigers causes coach Dabo Swinney to reconsider his stance on the transfer portal and whether his team gets more aggressive in that area.
Swinney, of course, is a big culture guy, and his recruiting tactics such as not allowing other visits for most committed prospects—while archaic—still resonates with some recruits.
The Tigers are having early success in the '25 class, too. Although there are just four commitments in the class, they're solid ones, led by 6'0", 193-pound Lynchburg, Virginia, running back Gideon Davidson.
Davidson is a great-looking ball-toter who could be an every-down back and perhaps the next great one with the Tigers. He will run behind a future offensive line that includes 4-star offensive tackle pledge Easton Ware.
Blake Hebert is a 6'3", 205-pound quarterback, and while he isn't highly rated, you have to know Swinney saw something he liked in him to take him this early in the cycle.
Rounding out the class is 3-star tight end Logan Brooking, and while the Tigers don't have a lot of numbers early on, this is a healthy start to an offensive group that is equal parts elite and intriguing.
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Georgia Bulldogs
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Nobody is coming close to the Georgia Bulldogs in the 2024 recruiting cycle, which is what tends to happen when you're coming off back-to-back national titles and are undefeated this year heading into the SEC championship game.
It's King Kirby's world right now, and everybody else is just living in it.
But UGA coach Kirby Smart isn't slowing down anytime soon. He already has a jump-start on the 2025 class with eight commitments, including a pair of 5-stars in a class that trails only Alabama's so far.
Georgia's top three commits are all from the Peach State, including dynamic 6'7", 235-pound tight end Elyiss Williams of Kingsland, who obviously isn't concerned about the loaded room at his position already in Athens. He's probably licking his chops looking at Brock Bowers' career.
Justus Terry of Manchester, Georgia is another elite powerhouse playmaker who has ridiculous size and is the other 5-star prospect. Linebacker Jadon Perlotte also won't be traveling far to play his college ball.
But that red-and-black brand is strong no matter where you go, which is why Smart can walk into any prospect's room in any state and carry that swagger. The 2025 class has a 4-star pledge from Alabama (offensive tackle Micah DeBose) and Philadelphia (running back Jabree Wallace-Coleman) to go along with the other six Georgia prospects.
It's yet another championship-caliber start for Smart on the recruitment trail.
LSU Tigers
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While LSU won't be competing for any national championship on the field this season, the Bayou Bengals were fun to watch, bringing an exciting brand of football to prospects around the country.
Yes, defensive changes need to be made in a hurry, but coach Brian Kelly's offense is the nation's best, and that is already benefiting the Tigers on the recruiting trail.
Five-star receiver Dakorien Moore hails from powerhouse Duncanville (Texas) High School, and he appears all set (at least right now) on heading east to Baton Rouge.
TaRon Francis and tight end John David LaFleur give LSU another pair of able-bodied pass-catchers who are 4-star prospects and top-caliber players who can get on the field early.
Offensive tackle Brett Bordelon is another top-300 prospect from New Orleans, and Kelly continues to have success instate with three of the Bayou Bengals' pledges coming from within its borders. Bordelon is a 6'4", 260-pound lineman who needs to add weight but has a terrific frame.
Rounding out Kelly's early class is Jaylen Bell, a 5'11", 150-pound cornerback from Loganville, Georgia, who is way undersized but could easily hold 30-40 more pounds and has great athleticism and skill.
It's a developmental group for the most part for Kelly, but there's a ton of upside here. Moore is special, though, and could wind up one of the top playmakers in the entire class.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
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Notre Dame isn't back to winning the way one of the nation's proudest, tradition-rich programs expects to. But considering how Marcus Freeman is steadily stacking classes, it may not be long before the Fighting Irish are powerful at all levels on both sides of the ball.
After the Irish's terrific 2023 class slipped out of the top 10 with decommitments along the way, they are firmly entrenched at eighth as we near the end of this cycle, and the 2025 group may be Freeman's best yet.
Currently, the Irish are third with nine commitments, and while there aren't any 5-stars, there is plenty in this powder keg to blow up.
There is a ton of upside to 4-star Mississippi signal-caller Deuce Knight, a left-handed pledge who will give the Irish two good-looking signal-callers in back-to-back classes alongside 2024 pledge CJ Carr.
Pair him with 4-star tight end James Flanigan, and that's a nice duo at the top of the early list for the future.
Freeman also dipped into SEC country and pulled athlete CJ May (from Alabama), who may project to be an edge-rusher on the next level, and running back Justin Thurman (from Florida), who has an explosive first step and could be one of the fastest backs in the class.
The Irish have five 3-star commits in the class, but it's a group that looks like it has growth potential in the rankings. Players like Arizona cornerback Cree Thomas and the Elmhurst, Illinois duo of edge-rusher Dominick Hulak and defensive lineman Joseph Reiff could move up.
Overall, it's a strong, deep group.
Ohio State Buckeyes
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There's no question that Ohio State fans want more than what coach Ryan Day is giving them on the field. Sure, the Buckeyes are winning games at a high rate, but they have three consecutive losses to Michigan, and they can't crack the playoffs because of it.
It's just a matter of time before they get back there, though, with the way they're recruiting.
The Buckeyes have playmakers galore on offense in the past few classes, and the early look at 2025 is no different.
While it's a small group so far in that haul, it's headlined by another elite quarterback. This time, it's Tavien St. Clair, a 6'3.5", 210-pound player from nearby in Bellefontaine, Ohio, who seemed destined from the jump to be a Buckeye.
His quick throwing motion makes him elite, and with quality size, he's also a terrific athlete and good runner. Pair him with 3-star receiver Jayvan Boggs, and Ohio State already has a strong offensive duo in the boat for next year's class.
Defensively, 4-star cornerback Blake Woodby of Baltimore looks like a plug-and-play defender on the back level, and while Eli Lee isn't a highly rated prospect, the linebacker is another instate defender identified, offered and committed early.
There's plenty of growth potential in this class, and it's going to get much bigger for Day. But it's another really good start for the Buckeyes in 2025.
Oklahoma Sooners
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Brent Venables' message at Oklahoma is resonating with recruits, and the past two classes and his portal success are all you need to see for evidence.
But it's going to be interesting to see who the Sooners hire as the offensive coordinator following Jeff Lebby's departure to Mississippi State and if that affects any offensive recruits since Venables is a defensive-minded head coach.
The 2025 group of prospects for the Sooners is especially offense-heavy, and, boy, is it a dynamic group.
Instate receivers Jaden Nickens and Elijah Thomas hail from Oklahoma City and Checotah, respectively, and it appears they're set on staying home and playing in Norman. Four-star receiver Gracen Harris from Texas rounds out the bunch.
When you throw in Oklahoma City athlete Trynae Washington, who projects as a pass-catcher but could play on either side of the ball, that's a fabulous foursome.
Quarterback Kevin Sperry—Washington's teammate at Carl Albert High School—is the nation's 13th-rated passer and could be the player who makes everything tick as the heir apparent to Jackson Arnold. Oh, athlete Marcus James (yet another Carl Albert product) likely will play tight end at OU.
But will they all stick with Lebby gone?
The good news is there's a big-time instate flavor to the class, which will help. And the on-field success for the Sooners and the move to the SEC will pay dividends, as well.
The guess here is Venables' strong start to the 2025 class will continue to march right along.
Oregon Ducks
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If you could pick any up-and-coming coach in the country to lead your team for the next decade, many around the college football spectrum would probably pinpoint Dan Lanning as the guy.
The former Georgia defensive coordinator is young, a dynamic recruiter and has taken what Mario Cristobal built at Oregon and moved it up a notch. If the Ducks avenge their loss to Washington in this year's Pac-12 championship game, they should fly into the College Football Playoff.
Lanning's Big Green Recruiting Machine is well-oiled and has together another brilliant haul in the 2024 class. But next year's Oregon Ducks group is also off to a strong start.
The wide receiver tandem of Tampa, Florida pass-catcher Dallas Wilson and Pflugerville, Texas' Adrian Wilson (no relation) ensures the Ducks' stellar stable of receivers will continue to grow and thrive. It also shows just how strong the Oregon brand is around the country.
Then, there's the quarterback with the familiar name who will probably make a lot of readers feel old. Akili Smith Jr., the son of Ducks great and former Cincinnati Bengals No. 1 draft pick by the same name, is in the 2025 class.
The 6'5", 200-pound San Diego native isn't developed at all and needs to add weight, but he has a great frame and elite skill set, and he should wind up being a great player in Eugene.
The other pledge is 3-star offensive lineman Chavez Thompson, and while the Ducks don't have a large group of commits yet, it's one that would be the envy of a lot of teams.
Penn State Nittany Lions
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James Franklin's M.O. at Penn State has been putting together terrific recruiting classes and getting much of the "hay in the barn" early enough when he isn't even really recruiting this time of year.
The Nittany Lions' group is normally long in place by this time.
Unfortunately for the program, though, it's a perennial third in the Big Ten East behind Michigan and Ohio State and isn't really contending with them. That's going to have to change to stop any grumbles, but Franklin isn't seeing struggles on the trail.
The 2025 class is yet another example in his quick recruiting starts. Penn State has six commitments already, and four of them are 4-stars.
The best of the bunch is 6'1", 215-pound Jersey City, New Jersey linebacker DJ McClary, a rangy, top-100 prospect who can lock down the second level. Three-star cornerback Omari Gaines has tremendous size, too.
Texas running back Kiandrea Barker is a 5'11", 183-pound dynamo who is set on heading to Big Ten country to play his college ball, and he will team with Pennsylvania prospect Tiqwai Hayes to give Franklin another top-tier ball-carrying duo ready to take the reins from Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton.
The Nittany Lions continue to churn out top-quality tight end recruits with 2025 prospect Brady O'Hara from Pittsburgh.
Finally, intriguing 6'5", 182-pound developmental quarterback prospect Bekkem Kritza of Boulder, Colorado, pledged to PSU last week, even after Franklin fired offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich.
SMU Mustangs
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Next year, the SMU Mustangs are shrugging off the stiff arm from the Big 12 and heading to the ACC to play their football.
For coach Rhett Lashlee, it may just be the spark that can light a recruiting frenzy that is on the cusp of something big considering the Mustangs are in the talent-rich Dallas-Fort Worth area and has kept several recent local stars from heading to big-time programs.
With SMU going to the Power 5, recruits may be more inclined to stay home and play important ball.
It's already reflecting in the 2025 class.
All four 4-star commitments are from powerhouse programs near campus, such as DeSoto HS, Duncanville HS, and Chapel Hill HS in Tyler, Texas. If Lashlee can keep those kids home, watch out. It looks like it's resonating already.
The best of the bunch so far is Duncanville quarterback Keelon Russell, a 6'3", 175-pound dual-threat quarterback who chose the hometown team over TCU, Ole Miss and others and will fling the ball around with the best of them. Getting him at the flagship position can be a jump-starter for the class.
Receiver Daylon Singleton and teammates Rickey Stewart, a 5'10", 180-pound running back, and athlete Demetrius Brisbon, who plays quarterback for Chapel Hill but could thrive as a receiver or strong safety and was offered by top-tier teams across the country, have special potential.
They could be the start of something big for Lashlee and the Mustangs.
All stats courtesy of CFBStats and Sports Reference unless otherwise noted. Recruit rankings courtesy of 247Sports unless otherwise noted.
Follow Brad Shepard on Twitter, @Brad_Shepard.
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