Winners and Losers from the College Football Recruiting Trail for Month of July
July featured competitive recruiting showcases at camps across America, headlined by the annual invite-only Nike event The Opening. It also represents a final stretch of the cycle when players have the flexibility to travel without conflicting busy high school schedules.
Several programs capitalized during this period of time, gaining momentum toward national signing day as the season approaches. Other teams lost pivotal pledges or stumbled through the bulk of summer recruiting efforts.
Here's a look at how several marquee squads fared in July.
Winner: Ohio State
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Ohio State surged into the No. 1 spot for 2016 composite class rankings on July 23 when 5-star Florida defensive end Nick Bosa climbed aboard. The 6'4", 265-pound prospect picked the Buckeyes over fellow contenders Notre Dame, Florida and Florida State.
The younger brother of Ohio State star and reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Joey Bosa is considered one of the top defenders in his class. He rates first among strong-side defensive ends and seventh overall in 2016 composite rankings.
Bosa helped lead St. Thomas Aquinas High School to a state title last season, tallying 56 tackles—30 for loss—and five sacks. He teams up with fellow Buckeyes commits Terrell Hall and Jonathan Cooper to create quite a trio of prospects at the position.
Just a day later, Ohio State secured a pledge from premier in-state tight end Luke Farrell. Standing 6'6", 240 pounds, he is rated fifth nationally among tight end recruits.
His junior season featured 43 receptions for 730 yards and six scores. Head coach Urban Meyer now claims commitments from two of the nation's top five 2016 tight ends, as Farrell joins Jake Hausmann (No. 3).
The Buckeyes also welcomed Virginia cornerback Wayne Davis into the 2016 class on July 9. The 4-star talent chose Ohio State over Virginia Tech and Michigan.
Meyer didn't stop there, adding to a top-ranked 2017 recruiting haul. He landed three 4-star rising juniors—offensive tackle Jake Moretti, safety Isaiah Pryor and defensive tackle Jerron Cage.
Loser: Florida State
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When you lose grip on a complete prospect who grades out as highly as Isaac Nauta, you're a lock to land on the wrong side of this list. The 5-star tight end decommitted from the Seminoles on July 29, reopening a recruitment that's attracted serious attention from Georgia, Texas and Michigan.
Nauta, a 6'4", 237-pound senior at IMG Academy, is the top-ranked player at his position and arguably the best overall offensive skill player in his class. The 5-star standout initially pledged to Florida State last December and appeared entrenched as one of the group's key leaders.
His departure drops the Seminoles to third place in composite class rankings. It also creates a significant need at tight end, a slot that could be filled by 4-star Philadelphia product Naseir Upshur.
He plans to visit Florida State and return to Tallahassee in October for an official visit.
"A lot of Florida State fans are disappointed, but a lot of them don't really know me. They're not in any trouble if I pick them," Upshur told Bleacher Report. "Everything happens for a reason. If I go there, I'm going to be the best tight end and win another Mackey Award for the team."
Despite losing an elite offensive weapon, things weren't all bad for Seminoles recruiting efforts. The team picked up former Miami running back commit Amir Rasul, a 4-star recruit who may be the Sunshine State's finest rusher.
He averaged seven yards per carry last season en route to 13 touchdowns.
Winner: Ole Miss
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Ole Miss addressed several 2016 recruiting needs in July, landing five players. Head coach Hugh Freeze's latest haul is headlined by Tennessee offensive tackle Bryce Mathews, the son of former NFL lineman Jason Mathews.
The 6'6", 280-pound blocker beefs up the future outlook for a strong Rebels offensive front, while fellow 4-star Jaylon Jones should strengthen the defensive secondary. Jones, a cornerback for three-time defending Texas state champion Allen High School, recorded 219 tackles during the past two seasons.
Ole Miss' out-of-state recruiting success continued with commitments from Georgia offensive guard Chandler Tuitt, Texas running back D'Vaughn Pennamon and Alabama athlete Jarrion Street. The Rebels now rank sixth in 2016 composite class rankings.
Shea Patterson, the program's prized 5-star quarterback commit, claimed Elite 11 MVP honors July 10 at Nike's world headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. He also transferred to Florida powerhouse IMG Academy, a national championship contender.
"My ultimate goal for this senior season is to do as much as I can to prepare myself for [early college enrollment] in the spring," Patterson told Bleacher Report. "That means working hard every day in an effort to get better. I need to get faster, I need to get stronger, and hopefully everything will pay off at Ole Miss."
Loser: Oklahoma
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Oklahoma remains relatively stalled on the recruiting trail when it comes to assembling a strong, well-balanced 2016 class. There are quality pieces in place, particularly with 4-star North Carolina quarterback and former Tennessee commit Austin Kendall in the mix, but a lot of work lies ahead for this staff.
The Sooners are stuck in a stagnant situation with just seven 2016 pledges. Oklahoma landed 3-star Louisiana cornerback Chanse Sylvie on July 30, but this class currently ranks 68th nationally and seventh among Big 12 competitors in composite class rankings.
Those results are well below what Oklahoma fans have becomes accustomed to expecting in Norman.
Head coach Bob Stoops is coming off one of his worst campaigns as head coach with the Sooners, a team he's led since 1999. An exciting start to the 2015 season would help breathe fresh air into recruiting efforts, as studs like Texas running back Devwah Whaley and California linebacker Caleb Kelly remain in play.
Winner: Clemson
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Clemson, once known for its abundance of offensive talent, continues to stockpile valuable defensive prospects. Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney secured a pair of top-tier players in July with pledges from Kansas defensive end Xavier Kelly and Georgia linebacker Tre Lamar.
The 4-star tandem bolsters a 2016 Clemson class that already includes elite Florida edge-rusher Rahshaun Smith.
Kelly, a versatile 6'5", 255-pound athlete, made significant strides from raw athlete to consistent producer last fall. He chose the Tigers from a group of finalists that featured Florida State, Alabama, Michigan and Oregon.
"That was my best visit," he said during an online announcement with ESPN. "Academics were a 10 [out of 10], the campus was a 10, the stadium was a 10...everything was a 10."
Lamar, listed seventh nationally among inside linebackers in composite rankings, selected Clemson over Alabama and Auburn. He stands 6'4", 240 pounds, already exhibiting college-ready physicality.
Clemson is slightly limited with scholarships for this cycle, but the Tigers still rank 16th nationally in composite class rankings.
Loser: Miami
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Miami sat atop national recruiting rankings just a few months ago. However, the combination of commitments elsewhere and some 2016 class departures have brought the Hurricanes back to Earth a bit.
When head coach Al Golden loaded up on early commitments—reaching 20 pledges in the 2016 cycle well before any other program—we anticipated some impeding decommitments due to sheer volume.
That sentiment continues to ring true, evidenced by a recent decision reversal from in-state running back Amir Rasul. The 5'10", 200-pound rusher from nearby Coral Gables Senior High School backed off his verbal pledge July 25.
Just two days later, Rasul joined Florida State's class.
The Hurricanes still hold a commitment from speedy in-state running back Travis Homer, but a loss like Rasul stings nonetheless.
Miami did manage to add to Hurricanes legacy Michael Irvin Jr., a wide receiver/tight end whose father is NFL Hall of Fame inductee Michael Irvin. He is the 12th 3-star commitment in a class that includes 21 players and rates eighth overall in composite rankings.
Winner: Florida
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Things are looking up for Florida's future fortunes following a productive month. First-year head coach Jim McElwain and Co. collected seven commitments who make a major impact on the Gators' 2016 and 2017 recruiting classes.
Florida reached into Alabama for dominant outside linebacker Jeremiah Moon. The 4-star defender announced his decision July 25 following the team's Friday Night Lights event.
The gathering in Gainesville proved to be incredibly successful for the Gators, producing pledges from fellow 2016 prospects Brett Heggie (offensive lineman) and Quincy Lenton (safety). McElwain also managed to land 4-star Tampa Bay wide receiver Daquon Green.
Green, a 6'1", 185-pound rising junior, is one of three offensive recruits who joined Florida's 2017 class in July. He teams up with offensive tackle Kadeem Telfort and top-10 quarterback Jake Allen in a collection of talent that ranks seventh in composite class rankings.
Allen, who is teammates with coveted 2016 Gators wide receiver target Sam Bruce, vows to spearhead a young group that could be counted on to shift the culture at Florida.
"I'm going to lead this class. Ask my coaches, ask my teammates—they'll tell you I'm a leader," he told Bleacher Report. "I believe I was born to play quarterback. I still have two years of high school football to play, but my goal is already to help build something special at Florida. I'm going to do everything I can to make sure this is a top-10 class."
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