College Football Recruiting 2015: Ranking Programs That Landed Top Classes

National signing day is an exciting event for college football fans, but strong recruiting classes are built well in advance. 

Yes, many of the nation's brightest young stars wait until deadline day to announce their decision, so it's easy to understand the importance of the day. However, while schools such as UCLA, LSU, Auburn and Florida cleaned up on Wednesday—and deservedly shot up 247Sports' composite team rankings—it's the programs that cleaned up over the last several months that boast the deepest and most talented classes. 

Let's take a look. 

No. 1: Alabama

Ho-hum. For the fifth consecutive year, Nick Saban has landed the country's top recruiting class, signing a national-best six 5-star prospects to go along with 14 4-stars. 

Interestingly enough, Alabama finds itself at the peak of the class rankings despite not wrangling a top-10 recruit. Still, the cream of the Crimson Tide 2015 class is a special one: wide receiver Calvin Ridley, who ranks 11th in the country and No. 1 among wide receivers. 

Some historically prolific wide receivers have come through Tuscaloosa, and Saban believes the electric Ridley is capable of having a similar impact, via BamaPrideNation:

Ridley figures to combine with 5-star running back Damien Harris and 5-star quarterback Blake Barnett, who rank No. 1 and 2 at their respective positions, to keep the Crimson Tide offense at an explosive level for the next several years. 

On defense, Saban seemed to make the secondary a priority, bringing in 5-star corners Kendall Sheffield and Minkah Fitzpatrick, as well as 4-star safety Deionte Thompson. 

The Crimson Tide have came up just short of national championship aspirations the last two years, but their continued preeminence in recruiting circles means they will remain near the peak of the sport for a very long time. 

No. 2: USC

While the Crimson Tide are at their familiar No. 1 spot, they were challenged more than any of the previous four years. According to 247Sports' points system, which attempts to put a numerical value on the strength of the classes, the Crimson Tide finished with 311.08, while USC was barely behind at 310.44. 

Steve Sarkisian always brought in tremendous classes for Washington. Combine that prowess on the recruiting trail with the bright lights of Southern California and a full year on the job, and it's no surprise he hauled in four 5-stars and 14 4-stars for the Trojans. 

As the Pac-12 Network's Yogi Roth noted, it's an especially impressive haul on defense: 

The future of the secondary begins with cornerback Iman Marshall, the nation's No. 4 overall prospect who also ranked No. 1 in creativity when announcing his decision, via Bleacher Report: 

It's not just defense, though. This is a diverse, loaded class that features eight players who are in the top five at their positions, including running back Ronald Jones II. The Trojans have fallen outside the nation's elite the last couple of years, but Sarkisian clearly has the program moving back in the right direction. 

No. 3: Florida State

Alabama's streak of dominant classes has been impressive, but don't discount what Jimbo Fisher and Florida State have done over that same span. Since 2011, the Seminoles have finished second, third, 10th, fourth and now third. 

This year's class features a pair of top-10 recruits—which is something neither Alabama nor USC can boast—in safety Derwin James and defensive end Josh Sweat. 

Fisher offered some extremely high praise toward both players, via Warchant.com's Twitter feed: 

The Seminoles' national signing day didn't go as hoped, with Fitzpatrick, Marshall and Shelton Johnson all opting to go elsewhere, but Fischer's previous success—James committed way back in December 2012—exemplifies the triviality of this day if coaching staffs put in the early, necessary work. 

Note: All recruiting rankings and information courtesy of 247Sports.