Top College Football Recruiting Classes: 2015 Rankings and Groups to Watch
It is not an exaggeration to say national championships are won on national signing day.
After all, Ohio State just took home the title on the back of a 2012 class that was ranked No. 5 nationally by 247Sports’ composite rankings, a 2013 class that was ranked No. 2 nationally by 247Sports’ composite rankings and a 2014 class that was ranked No. 3 by 247Sports’ composite rankings.
Landing the best recruits in the country means something, and it is the surest way to secure your place among college football’s elite.
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With that in mind, here is a look at the top 10 classes in the 2015 recruiting cycle, per 247Sports’ composite rankings, as well as some specific groups to watch moving forward.
| 1 | Alabama |
| 2 | USC |
| 3 | Florida State |
| 4 | Tennessee |
| 5 | LSU |
| 6 | Ohio State |
| 7 | UCLA |
| 8 | Clemson |
| 9 | Auburn |
| 10 | Georgia |
USC
USC brought in the No. 2 class in the country with four 5-star players. More importantly, this class represented the first time USC could sign a full 25-member class after NCAA sanctions stemming from Reggie Bush's time on campus.
The Trojans capitalized on the opportunity on signing day by securing Rasheem Green, Iman Marshall and John Houston after landing Porter Gustin on Tuesday. It was one of the strongest finishes to the 2015 recruiting cycle for any program.
Colin Becht of Sports Illustrated painted an enticing picture for USC fans:
"With the influx of marquee recruits plus the return of several major contributors, including Jackson and star safety Su’a Cravens, USC should be set for a stellar defense as it seeks to reenter the national title landscape. Quarterback Cody Kessler’s decision to stay for his senior campaign leaves the offense in capable hands, creating plenty of room for excitement.
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USC needed a class like this in the resurgent Pac-12. UCLA also landed a highly ranked class, and Oregon is a perennial power that is fresh off an appearance in the national championship game.
The Trojans finally and officially put their sanction-era issues in the rearview mirror with a dominant national signing day Wednesday. It was a fitting statement, and the Ducks will have company atop the conference standings as soon as this season.
Tennessee
Tennessee brought in the No. 4 class in the country with 29 commitments.
Tennessee has one of the richest traditions in college football history, but it has fallen off in recent years. Coach Butch Jones has to rebuild the program in the daunting SEC, which is no easy task, but the Volunteers have plenty of momentum after destroying Iowa in the Gator Bowl to end the 2014 campaign.
Jones parlayed that momentum into a dominant recruiting class Wednesday and took care of a glaring area of need in the process. The Volunteers struggled up front on both sides of the ball last year, but their 2015 class was loaded with both offensive and defensive linemen, including Kahlil McKenzie, Drew Richmond and Kyle Phillips.
Barton Simmons, the director of scouting at 247Sports, discussed Tennessee’s position, via Dustin Dopirak of the Knoxville News Sentinel:
"I think there’s a lot of factors in place. One is that Tennessee has been a sleeping giant. They have the facilities, the stadium, the fan base, the resources. Then all it takes is for someone to sort of capture that and realize it. I think Butch Jones understood those advantages and really has been pretty masterful in taking advantage of those. He’s taking advantage of legacies, taking advantage of commitments, using those guys to recruit other players.
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There are plenty of reasons for Tennessee fans to be optimistic after Wednesday’s developments. The right coach is in place, and the players are starting to follow suit. It may only be a matter of time before the Volunteers are once again atop the SEC East.
Texas
Let the rebuilding begin in Texas.
Coach Charlie Strong hauled in the No. 11 class in his first full year of recruiting in Austin and set the stage for what promises to be a quick turnaround. After all, you would be hard-pressed to find a school that is better suited for extended recruiting success than Texas.
The Longhorns have the illustrious history, the incredible facilities and the name brand that should appeal to almost any recruit. What’s more, Texas is as good as it gets for high school football, which means there will always be impressive talent ready for the taking in Strong’s backyard.
Strong is a defensive-minded coach, and he brought in a number of linebackers and secondary members, but he recognized Texas’ issues were on the offensive side of the ball last year and recruited accordingly. Between running back Chris Warren, wide receiver John Burt, tight end Devonaire Clarington and wide receiver Ryan Newsome, the Longhorns have plenty of playmakers in this class.
They should help bring Texas back to prominence within a couple of years.
All recruiting rankings and information courtesy of 247Sports.
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