Top 2027 CFB Prospects Who are Already Committed

These days, college football's late signing period is essentially obsolete as the majority of high school players commit earlier every year and wind up signing in December. 

If you're a coach and don't already have a head start on the 2027 recruiting class, well, you're behind.

There already are a handful of elite players on both sides of the ball who have already determined where they're going to spend their college playing days, at least at the beginning. In the transfer portal era, there's no such thing as permanence. 

Also, as everybody knows, these commitments are nonbinding until kids sign on the dotted line, and the first opportunity they'll have to do that is in early December. Even so, these early pledges give a clear indication of which teams are hot on the trail.

Teams such as Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Ohio State and Oklahoma already have multiple top-tier prospects in the fold, which suggests it's the beginning of an elite class.

Here are some of the top playmakers in the 2027 class already committed.

Jalen Brewster, Defensive Tackle (Texas Tech)

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It's so difficult finding jumbo players ready to go and physically capable of potentially contributing right away. When they come around—and there are normally just a few each year—they are coveted by everybody.

Jalen Brewster is a 6'3", 302-pound star-in-the-making from a powerhouse program in Cedar Hill (Texas) High School, so he's used to playing quality competition. He also plays like an explosive, seasoned vet at times, showing a technique and violent hands beyond his years.

It's a huge deal for Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire that he's convinced Brewster to play in Lubbock. The Red Raiders are a beast in the portal every year, and now their presence is obvious in high school recruiting, too.

Plenty of teams are going to try to steal Brewster, who is the nation's No. 1-rated defensive tackle, fifth-rated overall player and No. 3 player from a loaded year in the Lone Star State. But the Red Raiders already have shown they can churn out dominant defenders.

Brewster could fall right in line.

Jamier Brown, Wide Receiver (Ohio State)

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The Ohio State Buckeyes always have been blessed to have a quality recruiting base within state walls, and it's not often they let those they really want go elsewhere.

This year is no different as Sunbury (Ohio) product Jamier Brown from Big Walnut High School is all set on becoming a Buckeye. Considering his Olympic-caliber speed and the Buckeyes' propensity of producing superstar pass-catchers, that could be a match made in heaven.

Where else would you want to go if you were a dynamic receiver these days? Coach Ryan Day needs to replace Brian Hartline, who left his offensive coordinator role where receivers were his specialty for a head coaching job at South Florida. But OSU has churned out great receivers for years.

The 5'11", 170-pound dynamo may be the next great one in the '27 class. He's the top-rated player at his position in the cycle, and he's the No. 6-rated player overall.

In a class full of capable receivers, there's no surer thing than Brown. He isn't the biggest player, but his ability to accelerate in the open field is a quality that nobody else can duplicate. You just get him the ball and watch him cook.

Jaiden Bryant, Edge (LSU)

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The past few years, despite uneven results on the field, South Carolina coach Shane Beamer has done a good job luring elite defensive ends to play for the Gamecocks. Unfortunately for them, it appears they're going to allow one from their backyard to go elsewhere.

Jaiden Bryant is a force of nature coming off the edge, and he is right around the corner from campus in Columbia, attending Irmo High School. But after Lane Kiffin settled at LSU, Bryant decided he wanted to be a part of the Tigers program.

It's certainly possible Beamer (or others) could sway Bryant from his early commitment, but the 6'3½", 245-pound defender is set on the Bayou Bengals for now.

Bryant pledged to LSU during the Under Armour All-American Game in front of a television audience, and he will help fortify a defensive line that is full of talent for coordinator Blake Baker.

You'd better believe teams will keep coming after a player of Bryant's ilk, but, for now, the nation's 34th-rated player and No. 5 edge is heading to Baton Rouge.

Kavian Bryant, Quarterback (Texas Tech)

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Teams are trying to navigate what to do when it comes to quarterbacks. Do you go out and spend a fortune for a veteran in the transfer portal or attempt your own homegrown guys?

Texas Tech is trying to do both.

In 2025, Behren Morton–who'd played his entire career in Lubbock–led the Red Raiders to the College Football Playoff with another former TTU recruit, Will Hammond, backing him up.

This year, Tech went out and paid Cincinnati's Brendan Sorsby a mint to play his final year for a Big 12 rival.

But that doesn't mean the Red Raiders are going to punt on high school quarterback recruiting. The pledge of 6'2½", 185-pound top-rated signal-caller Kavian Bryant of Palestine, Texas, in the 2027 class proves that.

No other field general has the athletic upside of Bryant in this year's class. He is a two-sport star who could be a high-major basketball player, but his projectable football frame will allow him to add mass and strength while still being an all-world athlete.

His best trait is his ability to throw from all different arm angles, a la Patrick Mahomes. Bryant is going to be fun to watch develop.

Kamarui Dorsey, Safety (Texas A&M)

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The NFL has gotten to the place where it doesn't value the safety position as much as it used to, but the college game shouldn't follow suit. A ball-hawking, hard-hitting back-level defender can change a defense.

Just ask Ohio State with Caleb Downs.

The next great one coming up in the 2027 recruiting class is Kamarui Dorsey, who may be the nation's fifth-rated safety according to the 247Sports composite rankings, but he's No. 1 on my list. Right now, the Hampton (Georgia) prospect is slotted to play out of state.

Rangy at 6'3", 200 pounds and with the speed to cover ground on the back end, Dorsey can excel in the passing game or in the box. While the Texas A&M Aggies already have him committed, they're going to have a battle on their hands to keep him.

Recently, Dorsey visited the instate Georgia Bulldogs, and they made a major move to keep him in the Peach State. Others will come after him, too.

Whoever signs Dorsey will get a dude ready to play right away and make a major difference.

Cooper Hackett, Offensive Tackle (Oklahoma)

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Some may look at Cooper Hackett and undersell him as a prospect because of the fact he's listed as 6'6.5", but is only listed at 250 pounds.

But the Fort Gibson (Oklahoma) prospect actually has been listed at 20 or so pounds more than that, and his slight build hasn't done anything to dissuade his rankings or top teams wanting him.

Hackett has the potential to add 40-50 more solid pounds and maintain his elite length and athleticism. He may be developmental now, but with the right collegiate strength program, he's going to add good weight quickly and get on the field early.

That's likely going to happen in Norman where the Oklahoma Sooners recently flipped him from an early commitment to Texas Tech. Instead, Hackett appears to be staying home and teaming with fellow star instate lineman Kaeden Penny (more on him later) for a formidable 1-2 punch.

Coach Brent Venables' 2027 class is shaping up to be absolutely loaded, and Hackett–who is the nation's No. 14-rated overall player and third-ranked tackle–could be the centerpiece once everything is said and done.

Raylaun Henry, Cornerback (Texas A&M)

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When it comes to football factories, few schools in the nation have the pedigree of putting playmakers in college football as St. Frances Academy in Baltimore.

Every year, it seems there are incredible players outfitting college programs across the nation. While some of those kids stick close to home, it's not uncommon to see others go all over the place.

Right now, it looks like the top player at the school in the 2027 class is going to play for Mike Elko in College Station, Texas.

Raylaun Henry is a 6'1", 180-pound cornerback with long arms who is smooth, fluid and fast. He's the nation's No. 8-ranked cornerback and 61st-rated overall player, but his upside is as high as any defensive back in the nation. 

When it comes to rankings, Henry is even higher on On3 sports, and it looks like he's going to play for the Aggies.

Elko is known for producing elite defensive backs, and he's already got a few on the roster for '26. Once those guys leave, Henry may come in and earn important snaps quickly.

DJ Jacobs, Edge (Ohio State)

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One of the most dynamic defensive playmakers in the entire 2027 recruiting class is DJ Jacobs from Blessed Trinity Catholic School in Roswell, Georgia. 

How good is he? Jacobs is one of the few players who has the talent and explosive ability to finish as the nation's top-rated overall player. 

The 6'5", 225-pound edge-rusher is from smack-dab in the middle of SEC territory where wars are waged between Southern teams for the nation's best player. Unfortunately for all of them, Jacobs seems prepared to leave it all behind and become a Buckeye.

Ohio State's brand is nationwide, and Ryan Day has gone into Georgia and at least secured a verbal commitment from Jacobs, who seems like he wants to play for known talent-developer, veteran defensive line coach Larry Johnson.

Yes, Jacobs could stay at home and play for a national champion contender Georgia, his father's alma mater. But maybe he wants to forge his own path. Everybody's going to be coming for him.

Kaeden Penny, Interior Offensive Lineman (Oklahoma)

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September 25, 2025, may wind up being a day that is looked back on as a building block for an Oklahoma championship.

That may seem like hyperbole, but football games are won in trench warfare along the line of scrimmage, and the Sooners grabbed commitments on that day from instate offensive linemen Cooper Hackett and Kaeden Penny.

"The culture there is real," Penny told On3's Steve Wiltfong. "Coach Bedenbaugh is one of the best to do it."

The latter has been a priority Sooners target for years, hailing from Bixby (Oklahoma) High School, a program that has placed multiple players in Norman. Penny may wind up being the best of them all.

At 6'4", 280 pounds, Penny likely projects as a guard on the next level, and he's the nation's No. 28-rated overall player and fourth-ranked interior offensive lineman in the '27 class right now. He was coveted by teams around the nation and chose the home-state Sooners over Ohio State and Texas A&M.

Penny is a developed player who looks ready to play on the next level right now. He will help fortify the Sooners' line for years to come.

Tory Pittman III, Safety (Nebraska)

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Turn back the clock to the Nebraska Cornhuskers' heyday when they were winning national championships, and coach Tom Osborne had no problem going into living rooms across the country and convincing kids to come to Lincoln.

The program has fallen far, and coach Matt Rhule is desperately trying to return it to prominence.

Beginning to win some key recruiting battles is the start. The Huskers made a big late signing window splash by signing Dylan Berymon. They've also got a legitimate stud committed early in the '27 class.

Five-star safety Tory Pittman III of Omaha Central High School from right there in Nebraska is a potential Day 1 starter for the Huskers, a 6'0", 189-pound third-level defender who will add 15-20 pounds and be a force on the next level.

Rhule is beginning to develop relationships, and it's huge for an instate kid to buy into what you're building and see beyond a disappointing record. Pittman is by far the best prospect Rhule has signed since coming to Lincoln.

The defensive back already has elite ball skills and terrific closing speed, and that's exactly what Nebraska needs to help it turn a corner.

Easton Royal, Wide Receiver (Texas)

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It says a lot about Easton Royal's massive, next-level potential when he's one of the first prospects new coach Lane Kiffin has zeroed in on once he got to LSU.

The New Orleans pass-catcher is a can't-miss player, and it is going to be a heavyweight battle to land Royal's signature. Obviously, right now, the leader in the clubhouse is the Texas Longhorns, who are a major player in the NIL game.

Coach Steve Sarkisian can go head-to-head with any other coach in a recruiting battle, and it isn't like Austin is a very long way from the Crescent City. The Horns can have a presence there, and Royal is a kid you go all-in for.

The 5'11", 185-pound receiver is the nation's No. 12-ranked overall player and the third-ranked target in the nation. You'd better believe the Bayou Bengals are going to charge hard at flipping him, not just because of the optics of keeping the top player instate, but because Royal is a star-in-the-making.

He has flashes of Ja'Marr Chase, another New Orleans product who is still an electrifying NFL star. Royal has that long-term ability.

Kemon Spell, Running Back (Georgia)

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A lot of times, running backs are difficult to project. But when you see one that you know is going to be an incredible playmaker, everybody in the nation wants them.

Kemon Spell is one of those dudes who you watch and see special ability. The 5'9", 205-pound McKeesport (Pennsylvania) High School product is the seventh-rated overall player in the nation and top-ranked running back, according to the 247Sports composite.

Andrew Ivins of 247Sports describes him as "a mix between a tank and a jackrabbit," which is a pretty great way to paint the picture of a kid who plays low to the ground but can accelerate and outrun every defender.

Ivins also compares him to Michigan great running back and current Los Angeles Rams backup Blake Corum. 

When it comes to running backs, few have spit out NFL stars like the Georgia Bulldogs. Todd Gurley, Nick Chubb, James Cook and D'Andre Swift are a few who come to mind who were incredible collegians who starred (or are starring) in the NFL.

Spell obviously knows there's a clear pipeline from Athens to the pros, and Spell looks to be the next Bulldogs star.