The 1 2016 College Football Recruit You Need to Know from Every State
Wednesday's national signing day will serve as the culmination of months—sometimes years—of intense effort from players, coaches and parents to connect the nation's top high school football prospects with the schools they best fit with. Most of the attention will be on the big names, the uncommitted recruits who make their final decisions and the top-tier schools that land another big haul of future talent.
But the day is just as much about the unheralded stars from all corners of the country, players who might have been stars in their hometowns but have gone relatively unnoticed outside of their own states. Those players' signings won't stand out as much overall, but we're shedding a little light on at least one from each state.
We've identified a 2016 high school football recruit from each of the 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, whose story and accomplishments are worth knowing about.
Alabama: Ben Davis
1 of 51
Position: Linebacker
Height, weight: 6'3”, 240 lbs
Rank: 10th
Committed to: Uncommitted
It is very difficult to pull a top-tier recruit out of Alabama, though many other schools try to convince prospects not to attend Auburn or join the Crimson Tide. Ben Davis is finding this out firsthand, as one of his biggest out-of-state suitors has brought out the heavy artillery to sway him.
Or, rather, an 18-wheeler.
Davis, a 5-star prospect from Gordo, Alabama, was the reason Notre Dame's equipment truck went 450 miles out of its way last week after an appearance in Georgia. The Fighting Irish also had five coaches, including head coach Brian Kelly and defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder, on hand to visit Davis in his home.
Though 247Sports' Crystal Ball predictor has 100 percent of its votes pointing Davis toward Alabama, Davis plans to announce on signing day between the Tide, Auburn, Georgia and Notre Dame.
Alaska: Ethan Falaniko
2 of 51Position: Running back/linebacker
Height, weight: 5'11”, 220 lbs
Rank: Unranked
Committed to: Uncommitted
The vast wilderness of Alaska isn't that fertile when it comes to college football recruits, as for the second year in a row there are no players from that state in 247Sports' prospect database. But that doesn't mean there aren't some good players up there, they're just not household names.
Ethan Falaniko was named the state's Gatorade Player of the Year after helping Bartlett High School in Anchorage to the state quarterfinals. That was back in October, when football ends ahead of the start of bitter-cold winters.
A two-way star for Bartlett, in 2015 he set a single-game and rushing record when he gained 351 yards in a win over Nikiski. For the season, he gained 2,053 yards and scored 33 touchdowns in nine games.
The last player from Alaska to earn a 247Sports ranking was Lance Wright, a 2-star receiver from North Pole who signed with Rice in 2014. Wright had six catches for 49 yards last season for the Owls as a redshirt freshman.
Arizona: Azur Kamara
3 of 51Position: Defensive end
Height, weight: 6'4”, 215 lbs
Rank: Unranked
Committed to: Uncommitted
Azur Kamara was an unstoppable force for Central High School during his senior year, posting a state-leading 25.5 sacks to go with 106 tackles in 10 games. Despite those numbers, he heads into national signing day without a Division I offer.
Scout.com lists Kamara has holding an offer from Division II Adams State, but 247Sports' Barton Simmons notes that academics may be getting in the way of other offers. If that's the case, expect the native of the Ivory Coast to head to junior college and then pop up on FBS teams' radars in two years.
Kamara is rated as the 10-best prospect in Arizona and the 54th-best weak-side defensive end in the 2016 class.
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Arkansas: McTelvin Agim
4 of 51
Position: Defensive end
Height, weight: 6'2 ½”, 268 lbs
Rank: 18th
Committed to: Arkansas (signed)
McTelvin Agim wasn't content to just be an early enrollee at Arkansas, he wanted to get started with his college career as early as possible. That's why the 5-star prospect participated in several of the Razorbacks' practices in December ahead of the Liberty Bowl.
Though he wasn't able to play in that game—besides not being eligible, he was also competing on the Under Armour All-American Game on Jan. 2—he showed right away that he's going to make an impact with the Hogs in 2016.
"He's impressive and I think he's going to have a great career here," Arkansas defensive line coach Rory Segrest told 247Sports. "He's a big guy with great athleticism, quickness."
Besides being the top-rated player in Arkansas, Agim is already rated by 247Sports as the second-best strong-side defensive end in the 2016 class.
California: Malik Henry
5 of 51
Position: Quarterback
Height, weight: 6'3”, 185 lbs
Rank: 48th
Committed to: Florida State (signed)
Malik Henry's long and winding journey to college is finally over, now enrolled at Florida State after attending four high schools in two states but only playing for three of them. He had a brief stint at prep football factory IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, where he planned to play his senior year, before opting to return to California and finish his career at Long Beach Poly.
He didn't become Poly's full-time starter until midway through the season, finishing with 1,410 passing yards and 16 touchdowns against only one interception. His numbers don't matter as much as the growth he showed throughout his many moves, which could put him in line to be a real competitor for the starting job at Florida State this fall.
"Expect to see Henry on the field in some capacity for the Seminoles in 2016," Bleacher Report's Justin Ferguson wrote.
Colorado: Carlo Kemp
6 of 51Position: Linebacker
Height, weight: 6'3”, 255 lbs
Rank: 306th
Committed to: Michigan (signed)
Michigan's elaborate and star-studded signing day event is meant mostly to highlight the big names it ends up adding on that day, but the school is sure to recognize the players from the 2016 class that have already joined the program and are enrolled in spring classes. Carlo Kemp is part of that group, having come to Ann Arbor last month after pledging to the Wolverines in November.
Kemp chose Michigan over Notre Dame and Colorado, and overall he had 14 FBS offers that also included Arizona State, Nebraska, UCLA and Wisconsin.
The nephew of Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano, Kemp was recently named the Denver Post Golden Helmet Award given to the state's top player. Two years ago that honor went to Stanford's Christian McCaffrey.
Connecticut: Scooter Harrington
7 of 51
Position: Tight end
Height, weight: 6'5”, 235 lbs
Rank: 569th
Committed to: Stanford
Scooter Harrington had seemed destined for Boston College forever, the son of a former player (defensive end Scott Harrington) who had committed to the Eagles in February. Then he suddenly flipped to the opposite coast on Jan. 24, backing out on BC and opting for Stanford.
According to Andy Drukarev of Rivals.com, Stanford had kept in contact with Harrington for nearly two years before offering him a scholarship just recently. That and learning he'd been officially admitted to the school swayed him to change his pledge.
Stanford may envision him as a linebacker in the future, but for now Harrington will start at his natural tight end position. That's where he played in the Under Armour All-American Game in January.
Delaware: Colby Reeder
8 of 51Position: Linebacker
Height, weight: 6'3”, 220 lbs
Rank: 1,968th
Committed to: Delaware
Delaware managed to get a two-for-one when it landed a commitment from the state's Gatorade Player of the Year in early January. Not only did it get Colby Reeder, a two-way star from Salesianum School in Wilmington, it also got his older brother Troy.
Troy Reeder was a starting linebacker for Penn State in 2015, finishing fourth on the team with 67 tackles as a redshirt freshman. He was one of several Nittany Lions who transferred from the program in the last month, but the only one to do so because of family connections.
"It’s been a dream to play college football with my brother," Troy Reeder told Kevin Tresolini of the News Journal. "With the type of year he’s just had as a senior and what he’s done in his career, it’s set us up for that opportunity."
The Blue Hens could end up having two Reeders starting at linebacker in 2016. Their father, Dan, was a fullback at Delaware in the 1980s.
District of Columbia: Terrell Hall
9 of 51
Position: Defensive end
Height, weight: 6'5”, 250 lbs
Rank: 64th
Committed to: Uncommitted
Since he decommitted from Ohio State in August, Terrell Hall has been among the most highly coveted players in the country. He'll make his decision on signing day, announcing on ESPNU at 2:15 p.m. ET Wednesday.
Hall made three of his five official visits in January, most recently checking out Ole Miss after going to Maryland and Alabama earlier in the month. Alabama is considered the front-runner, getting 77 percent of the votes in 247Sports' Crystal Ball predictor.
Considered the sixth-best weak-side defensive end in the 2016 class, Hall has offers from 32 schools. He was an Under Armour All-American Game selection but couldn't play due to a leg injury.
Florida: Nick Bosa
10 of 51
Position: Defensive end
Height, weight: 6'4”, 265 lbs
Rank: 8th
Committed to: Ohio State
Out with one Bosa, in with another at Ohio State. With Joey Bosa preparing for the pros after three exceptional seasons with the Buckeyes, younger brother Nick Bosa is on his way to Columbus possibly as his sibling's immediate replacement.
"Given his recruiting rankings and what his brother accomplished—Joey started as a freshman and could be the top-overall pick in this year's NFL Draft—many expected Nick to compete for a starting job as a freshman," Cleveland.com's Ari Wasserman wrote.
That's assuming Nick Bosa is able to recover from a torn ACL suffered in November. He had surgery immediately after suffering the injury, and assuming his recovery goes as planned he could be ready to go full speed during preseason camp in August.
In his last full season of high school play, Nick Bosa had 29.5 tackles for loss as a junior at St. Thomas Aquinas in 2014.
Georgia: Mecole Hardman Jr.
11 of 51
Position: Athlete
Height, weight: 5'10”, 169 lbs
Rank: 13th
Committed to: Uncommitted
To call Georgia a state overloaded with athletes is an understatement. It has 271 players rated in the 2016 recruiting class, fourth-most in the country behind California, Florida and Texas, and that includes the top-rated "athlete" in the nation in Mecole Hardman Jr. He joins Terry Godwin (2015) and Richard LeCounte III (2017) as topping that list and being from the Peach State, and like those two he may end up being a Bulldog.
Godwin had a strong freshman season, which included accounting for two touchdowns in Georgia's TaxSlayer Bowl win over Penn State, and Hardman is the crown jewel of the Bulldogs' 2017 class at this point. Hardman would make for a three-year sweep of the positional category reserved for players too talented to pigeonhole into one spot on the field.
Hardman played quarterback at Elbert County High School but could be a running back or receiver in college. He's set to choose between Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State and Tennessee.
Hawaii: Vavae Malepeai
12 of 51
Position: Running back
Height, weight: 5'11 ½”, 195 lbs
Rank: 217th
Committed to: Oregon
Oregon is one of many schools that regularly visits the Hawaii islands in search of talent. It's where the Ducks found Heisman winner Marcus Mariota a few years ago, and it keeps going back hoping to hit the jackpot again.
Vavae Malepeai could be Oregon's next Hawaii star and possibly start a trend of recruits from that state who aren't linemen or quarterbacks.
Malepeai showed off his stuff last month at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, leading all rushers with 66 yards on eight carries. That came after he established state career records for yards (4,549) and touchdowns (71) at Mililani High School, per Andrew Greif of the Oregonian.
Malepeai committed to Oregon in June but he took an official visit to USC over the weekend.
Idaho: Kole Bailey
13 of 51
Position: Offensive tackle
Height, weight: 6'5”, 285 lbs
Rank: 983rd
Committed to: Boise State (signed)
Boise State has elevated its program to where it can compete with other top schools for recruits all over the country, but first and foremost it likes to ensure it keeps the best in-state players home. It wasn't able to do this in 2015, as top-rated Idaho prospect Tristen Hoge chose Notre Dame over the Broncos.
They didn't miss on Kole Bailey, though, and he's already on campus after signing his letter of intent in December.
"There were just a lot more benefits in going early," Bailey told Michael Katz of MagicValley.com. "I kind of have to sacrifice some high school experience. It makes it a lot easier to accomplish my goals academically. And of course, (it’s good) getting those extra spring reps."
Bailey's other offers were from fellow Mountain West schools Nevada and San Diego State.
Illinois: Kentrail Moran
14 of 51
Position: Running back
Height, weight: 5'10”, 192 lbs
Rank: 373rd
Committed to: Uncommitted
Of the 50 highest-rated running backs in the 2016 recruiting class, 43 of them have either committed to a college or already signed. Those who haven't made a public decision could do so on Wednesday, though Kentrail Moran reportedly will not.
According to Josh Helmholdt of Rivals.com, Moran does not plan on signing a national letter of intent anytime soon as he continues to plan other visits. He's previously visited Illinois, to which he was committed until late January, and Eastern Michigan.
Moran has offers from eight schools, including Indiana, Iowa, Louisville and Syracuse.
Indiana: Brandon Peters
15 of 51
Position: Quarterback
Height, weight: 6'4.5”, 209 lbs
Rank: 61st
Committed to: Michigan
Michigan relied on a transfer quarterback in Jim Harbaugh's first season, as Jake Rudock came over from Iowa to help the Wolverines win 10 games. Another transfer (Houston's John O'Korn) could be running the offense in 2016, unless one of the passers signed in the last two recruiting cycles pans out.
That's why Brandon Peters opted to enroll early at Michigan, in an effort to get into the competition this spring with O'Korn, Shane Morris, Wilton Speight and Alex Malzone. However, Allen Trieu of Scout.com wrote that Michigan already plans to redshirt Peters despite a breakout senior year at Avon High School in which he threw for 3,103 yards and 37 touchdowns to win the state's Gatorade Player of the Year award.
"He has the size, arm strength, athleticism and intangibles to be a stand out for the Wolverines following that redshirt year," Trieu wrote.
Iowa: Jake Heinrich
16 of 51
Position: Offensive guard
Height, weight: 6'4”, 285 lbs
Rank: 305th
Committed to: Arkansas
There's a distinct Big Ten flavor to the places that Iowa's top high school prospects have committed to, with the notable exception being Jake Heinrich's destination. While others from his home state are either staying close by going to Iowa, or to nearby states Minnesota and Nebraska, Heinrich is heading south in an attempt to be part of what's been the largest offensive line in college football the last two seasons.
Heinrich has a little weight to gain to match up to his predecessors, though, as the Razorbacks' starting guards in 2015 were both over 310 pounds.
The nation's 15th-best guard, per 247Sports, Heinrich committed to Arkansas in July. However, he got his first chance to meet his new position coach, Kurt Anderson, during an official visit on Jan. 22.
Kansas: Xavier Kelly
17 of 51
Position: Defensive end
Height, weight: 6'4 ½”, 240 lbs
Rank: 98th
Committed to: Clemson
Kansas never really had a strong shot of being able to grab the state's top-rated player, not when Xavier Kelly was getting pursued by power programs from across the country. Had the Jayhawks promised him a spot on their basketball team, though, they might have gotten more consideration.
Besides being the nation's eighth-best weak-side defensive end in the 2016 class, per 247Sports, Kelly is also a hoops star at Wichita's East High School.
Football is his first love, though, and Kelly will be one of several defensive line recruits Clemson will throw into the mix as it looks to replace several departed starters from its national runner-up team.
Kentucky: Keion Wakefield
18 of 51
Position: Wide receiver
Height, weight: 5'9”, 170 lbs
Rank: 695th
Committed to: Louisville
Four of the state's top five prospects are headed to Kentucky, including two who have already signed with the Wildcats. The lone detractor from that group is Keion Wakefield, and he's perfectly fine with that since it means going to his hometown school.
The Louisville Male High School star committed to the Cardinals in July, and though he recently visited Iowa State, he told 247Sports' Mike Hughes he still plans to sign with Louisville this week.
Wakefield is on the small side, but he makes up for its with speed. He averaged 16.5 yards per reception with 13 touchdowns the last two seasons, and though Louisville is set to return all of its receivers from 2015 it can always use another good one.
Louisiana: Kristian Fulton
19 of 51
Position: Cornerback
Height, weight: 6'0”, 177 lbs
Rank: 21st
Committed to: Uncommitted
A look at the list of top prospects from the state of Louisiana is like taking a glimpse at LSU's 2016 roster, as 12 of the 21 players that earned a 4-star rating from 247Sports has pledged to the Tigers. The notable exception is the one ranked ahead of all the rest, though many signs point to him heading to Baton Rouge as well.
Kristian Fulton is the second-best cornerback in the 2016 recruiting class, and LSU is on his list of finalists along with Arkansas and Florida. Those are the three schools he visited in January, and while 247Sports' Crystal Ball predictor gives LSU a 96 percent chance of landing the Metairie resident it's not a done deal.
Wherever Fulton goes, he'll be in a good position to start as a freshman. Florida lost Vernon Hargreaves III to the NFL draft while LSU and Arkansas could be looking for instant upgrades to corners who underperformed in 2015.
Maine: Joe Esposito
20 of 51Position: Running back/linebacker
Height, weight: 6'1”, 198 lbs
Rank: Unranked
Committed to: Uncommitted
Joe Esposito nearly single-handedly led his high school to a state championship in 2015, serving as Portland's leading rusher (1,789 yards) and tackler (142) on a team that went 10-1. That loss came in the Class A state championship.
Winner of both the state's Gatorade Player of the Year award and the Fitzpatrick Award, given to the state's top senior, Esposito is still undecided on his future.
Maine's 2015 Gatorade POY, running back Joe Fitzpatrick, appeared in six games for the Maine Black Bears in 2015. He ran for 63 yards and a had a three-yard reception.
Maryland: Dwayne Haskins
21 of 51
Position: Quarterback
Height, weight: 6'3”, 198 lbs
Rank: 87th
Committed to: Ohio State
Dwayne Haskins went from a favorite son to an expatriate in the span of a few hours in January, decommitting from Maryland and opting for Ohio State on Jan. 18. Though he was one of two Terrapins commits to flop to the Buckeyes, along with 4-star linebacker Keandre Jones, it was Haskins' switch that drew the bigger negative reaction on social media.
It should also "add another dose of competitive fire to the nascent rivalry between the Big Ten schools," Brandon Parker of the Washington Post wrote.
Maryland hosts Ohio State on Nov. 12.
Haskins, the seventh-best pro-style passer in the 2016 class, is coming off a strong performance in the International Bowl featuring top high school players from the United States and Canada. He threw for 154 yards and two touchdowns on 12-of-16 passing, earning MVP honors.
Massachusetts: Danny Dalton
22 of 51
Position: Tight end
Height, weight: 6'4”, 240 lbs
Rank: 506th
Committed to: Penn State (signed)
Originally a Boston College pledge (for about a month in early 2015), Danny Dalton has been in Penn State's camp for nearly a year and signed early so he could improve his chances of playing as a true freshman. With starting tight end Kyle Carter having graduated, that's entirely possible.
"Dalton is refined as a pass catcher with solid hands," Bill DiFillippo of SB Nation wrote. "He shows some flashes as a blocker, but that's one of those things that he'll get better at as his career goes on and he gets more work at the college level. He isn't the physical freak of nature that some tight ends are, but he has the potential to be a steady and consistent tight end in college."
Dalton is one of four early enrollees for Penn State, all of whom are on the offensive side. That quartet could end up being the foundation for future Lions offenses.
Michigan: Donnie Corley
23 of 51
Position: Wide receiver
Height, weight: 6'2 ½”, 184 lbs
Rank: 107th
Committed to: Michigan State (signed)
Michigan State said goodbye to the most successful senior class in school history, a group of players who won 36 games in the past three seasons. The class the Spartans are bringing in for 2016 could be just as good, even if it's only made up of the six early enrollees that are already on board.
Donnie Corley is at the top of that sextet, an in-state product who made USA Today's All-USA first team after a stellar career at Detroit's Martin Luther King High School. He caught 16 touchdown passes as a senior after scoring 18 times in 2014, with a combined 2,495 receiving yards in two seasons.
By showing up early, Corley gets the inside track on trying to replace departed senior wideouts Aaron Burbridge and Macgarrett Kings Jr.
Minnesota: Carter Coughlin
24 of 51
Position: Linebacker
Height, weight: 6'3”, 221 lbs
Rank: 92nd
Committed to: Minnesota
As the top-rated player in the Great Lakes State, Carter Coughlin was automatically going to be a major target for Minnesota. Then again, that would have been the case regardless of his rating as a 4-star prospect and the ninth-best outside linebacker in the 2016 class.
Being a Golden Gopher is in Coughlin's blood, going back three generations. His grandfather, mother, father and uncle all played sports at the school.
Still, it wasn't guaranteed he'd go to Minnesota when Coughlin landed offers from schools like Ohio State and Oregon. According to Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, OSU "made a relentless push" that included having former Buckeyes linebacker (and in-state product) James Laurinaitis contact him in hopes of swaying him to Columbus.
Mississippi: Jeffery Simmons
25 of 51
Position: Defensive end
Height, weight: 6'3 ½”, 277 lbs
Rank: 19th
Committed to: Uncommitted
Ole Miss has beaten Alabama two straight years on the football field. Can the Rebels also score a big victory on the recruiting trail by keeping the state's best player in the 2016 class from going to the Crimson Tide?
Jeffery Simmons is down to those two schools from the 14 offers he received. The former Noxubee County High School star visited Tuscaloosa on Jan. 22 and then made his official visit to Oxford on Jan. 29, while previously he'd checked out Mississippi State and Tennessee.
"Ole Miss views him as the heir apparent to Robert Nkemdiche, a player with enough quickness to come off the edge and big enough to impact the game between the tackles," Neal McCready of RebelGrove.com wrote.
Missouri: A.J. Taylor
26 of 51Position: Athlete
Height, weight: 5'11”, 190 lbs
Rank: 251st
Committed to: Wisconsin
Missouri is a crossroads state that schools from every power conference except the Pac-12 has a commitment from heading into signing day. At the top of the Show Me State is A.J. Taylor, a dynamic all-purpose back who could drastically change how Wisconsin looks on offense in 2016.
Taylor was used as a running back and receiver during the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl last month, a preview of how the Badgers might end up using him.
"He might not be incredibly explosive, but he's well-rounded enough to have a role next season," wrote Blair Angulo and Adam Friedman of Rivals.com.
Taylor went the extra mile to make his choice in August, using a custom Monopoly board that included spots on the board for all 15 schools he was deciding between.
Montana: Balue Chapman
27 of 51Position: Running back/defensive end
Height, weight: 6'2”, 195 lbs
Rank: Unranked
Committed to: Montana State
The state's Gatorade High School Player of the Year officially committed to Montana State in January, but the decision was a long time in the works. After all, it's where his father, Brett Chapman, starred as a cornerback from 1978 to 1982.
But it also helped that Balue Chapman had established a relationship with the Bobcats' new coach, Jeff Choate, who was previously an assistant at Washington. Chapman made a visit to that school in the fall, speaking directly with Choate, and that carried over to his commitment.
"He likes getting guys ready to play, and he sets the expectation bar high, which I like because then you don’t have any slackers," Chapman told Colter Nuanez of Skyline Sports.
College will bring a position change for Chapman, moving to linebacker or safety to better fit his size.
Nebraska: Noah Fant
28 of 51Position: Tight end/defensive end
Height, weight: 6'6”, 210 lbs
Rank: 536th
Committed to: Iowa
Noah Fant decided last week that it was time for his recruitment to end, which was great news for the schools he'd already visited and bad for the one he was about to spend time with.
The top-rated player in Nebraska, per 247Sports, committed to Iowa on Friday instead of taking an official visit to Minnesota, per Derek Young of Scout.com. Fant had visited the Hawkeyes earlier in the month, and he also had an in-home visit with Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz last week.
Fant starred on both sides of the ball for Omaha South High School, but Iowa seems most interested in him playing on offense. The Hawkeyes had two tight ends catch at least 20 passes in 2015, including graduating senior Henry Krieger Coble.
Nevada: Anthony Smith
29 of 51
Position: Defensive end
Height, weight: 6'3”, 250 lbs
Rank: 828th
Committed to: Colorado State
A breakout junior year landed Anthony Smith plenty of attention, as well as a slew of scholarship offers. That worked out well in his favor, because just before his senior season began, the standout defensive end tore his ACL.
Smith ended up with seven offers, some of which came around after suffering the injury in a preseason scrimmage. He only made one official visit, to Washington State in early December, but ended up pledging to Colorado State instead in mid-December.
As a junior, Smith had 16 sacks for Desert Pines High School in Las Vegas.
New Hampshire
30 of 51Position: Running back
Height, weight: 5'5”, 150 lbs
Rank: Unranked
Committed to: Uncommitted
The state's Gatorade Player of the Year probably won't be playing at the Division I level based on his size, but if schools were willing to overlook that, they might have a good one in Connor Bourque.
Bourque ran for 1,554 yards and 26 touchdowns in 2015, averaging nearly 10 yards per carry for Goffstown High School en route to a perfect season and the Division I state title. That was the start of what he hopes will be a trio of championships as a senior, as he also stars in wrestling and lacrosse.
New Jersey: Rashan Gary
31 of 51
Position: Defensive tackle
Height, weight: 6'5”, 293 lbs
Rank: 1st
Committed to: Uncommitted
The competition to land the services of the 2016 recruiting class' top overall prospect has at times resembled a battle royal, and it's now down to the final two competitors.
On the eve of national signing day, Rashan Gary pared his list down to two schools—Clemson and Michigan—and his decision will propel one of those teams toward the top of the overall recruiting rankings. It will also be getting a player who "many believe is destined to dominate in college football and beyond," according to Bleacher Report's Tyler Donohue.
Clemson and Michigan are the last standing of 30 schools that offered Gary a scholarship, hoping to land the best player from what's been a bumper crop of New Jersey recruits in 2016. The Big Ten has taken notice, as five of the other six players from that state rated by 247Sports as being 4-star prospects or better have committed to schools from that conference.
None of those, however, are pledged to in-state Big Ten school Rutgers.
New Mexico: Teton Saltes
32 of 51Position: Defensive end
Height, weight: 6'6”, 240 lbs
Rank: 1,219th
Committed to: Uncommitted
Iowa State, North Carolina and Oregon are the main schools hoping to pull Teton Saltes out of Albuquerque, where he starred for Valley High School in both basketball and football. While basketball was his first love, his natural ability has made football the better option for college.
"Coach Rico Marcelli took just six plays from Saltes' junior year, put them on a highlight video and sent it to college recruiters around the country," per Dave Krider of MaxPreps. "The result was an avalanche of interest, and at last count, he already had 11 Division I scholarship offers."
Saltes visited Iowa State in October, and that appears to be the front-runner. Both Crystal Ball predictions on 247Sports have him going to the Cyclones.
New York: Jake Zembiec
33 of 51
Position: Quarterback
Height, weight: 6'3”, 205 lbs
Rank: 445th
Committed to: Penn State (signed)
It remains to be seen if Jake Zembiec can be as productive a quarterback as his predecessor, Christian Hackenberg, was as a freshman. But, for the time being, we know he's doing his part as a cheerleader and supporter of the program, even before putting on a uniform for the first time.
The 4-star early enrollee, who had been committed to the Nittany Lions since November 2014, has been making appearances at school sporting events and taking to Twitter to praise his teammates (even those who haven't signed yet).
As for Zembiec the player, he's rated by 247Sports as the 18th-best pro-style passer in the 2016 class, but he also possesses the mobility that could make it much harder for opponents to sack him than Hackenberg. Hackenberg was taken down 103 times in three seasons.
"Jake Zembiec could be the perfect combination of pro style and dual threat that James Franklin has been pining for for two seasons," Nick Polak of SB Nation wrote.
North Carolina: Dexter Lawrence
34 of 51Position: Defensive tackle
Height, weight: 6'4”, 327 lbs
Rank: 2nd
Committed to: Clemson (signed)
Clemson is in the final two for the nation's top overall recruit, Rashan Gary, but as much as the school would love to have that prospect, it doesn't need him. That's because the Tigers already landed a star interior defender in Dexter Lawrence, and they already have him on campus and getting ready to practice this spring.
Lawrence didn't want to wait until the last minute to pick his school, choosing Clemson over Alabama, North Carolina, North Carolina State and Ohio State in December and then enrolling.
"I can't wait for spring practice to get here," Clemson coach Dabo Swinney told ESPN.com.
Lawrence is No. 2 in the overall rankings, the highest-rated player ever from North Carolina. In four seasons at Wake Forest High School, he had 28 sacks and 65 tackles for loss.
North Dakota: Dustin Weeks
35 of 51Position: Offensive tackle
Height, weight: 6'9”, 260 lbs
Rank: Unranked
Committed to: Wyoming
Five-time FCS national champion North Dakota State has raised the overall level of interest in players from the state, though the Bison tend to still grab all the best ones. This year was an exception, as Dustin Weeks opted to head to Wyoming rather than stay home.
Weeks is the first player from that state that former NDSU coach Craig Bohl has brought to Laramie, and he could help the Cowboys rebound from a 2-10 season in 2015. According to Ryan Holmgren of the Casper Star-Tribune, Weeks would be the first player from North Dakota since defensive end Brandon Casavan played there in the early 2000s.
Ohio: Brendan Ferns
36 of 51
Position: Linebacker/tight end
Height, weight: 6'2”, 215 lbs
Rank: 136th
Committed to: Uncommitted
One of the first big names to come off the board on signing day on Wednesday will be Brendan Ferns, a prospect who plans to choose between Penn State and West Virginia, among others, at 7 a.m. ET and then resume his normal daily activities. Almost like it's part of his morning routine.
It's that workman-like ethic that enabled Ferns to be amazingly productive as a high school senior in so many ways. According to ESPN's Tom VanHaaren, last fall, Ferns ran for 1,066 yards and 18 touchdowns, caught 27 passes for 600 yards and four scores, and also registered 104 tackles with 10 tackles for loss, five pass breakups and two interceptions.
Oklahoma: Mason Fine
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Position: Quarterback
Height, weight: 5'11”, 170 lbs
Rank: 2,675th
Committed to: North Texas
Despite more than 13,000 passing yards and being the state's Gatorade Player of the Year for two straight seasons, Mason Fine headed into the final days of the 2016 recruiting season without an offer from an FBS program. Then North Texas came along, offering the small but productive passer from Locust Grove, and he instantly accepted.
"I want to prove to people I can be just as successful in college as I was in high school," Fine told Bleacher Report's Damon Sayles. "I'm setting more goals now; I can never be satisfied."
Fine is considered the 35th-best player in Oklahoma and only the 123rd-best pro-style passer in the country, rankings he's out to prove wrong. Last year, he accounted for 63 total touchdowns, a season after producing 81 scores.
Oregon: Osa Odighizuwa
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Position: Defensive tackle
Height, weight: 6'3”, 250 lbs
Rank: 537th
Committed to: UCLA
It takes a lot to draw a top-notch recruit out of the state of Oregon, especially if the Ducks and Oregon State are interested. But those schools were lacking in one major area when it came to landing Osa Odighizuwa: family.
Odighizuwa is the younger brother of former UCLA defensive linemen Owa Odighizuwa, who started 21 games for the Bruins from 2010 to 2014. He went on to be a third-round pick of the New York Giants in the 2015 NFL draft.
But lineage isn't the only reason UCLA was interested in him. A dominant force at tackle, Odighizuwa is also one of the most accomplished high school wrestlers in the country. He's yet to lose a match in three seasons, with two state titles at the heavyweight division for Douglas High School in Portland.
Pennsylvania: Miles Sanders
39 of 51Position: Running back
Height, weight: 5'11”, 199 lbs
Rank: 20th
Committed to: Penn State
Despite the prevalence of standout running backs in college—the group heading into its junior season might be the best in decades—the top tier of recruiting rankings hasn't had many of these ball-carriers listed over the last two years. Miles Sanders is the only 5-star rusher in the 2016 class.
That just means Penn State is getting a one-of-a-kind player, a year after the Nittany Lions transformed Saquon Barkley from a 4-star prospect into the best freshman running back in FBS.
Sanders has the potential to be even better, despite injuries limiting his production during his senior year at Pittsburgh's Woodland Hills High School.
Rhode Island: Avien Peah
40 of 51Position: Tight end
Height, weight: 6'3”, 230 lbs
Rank: Unranked
Committed to: Massachusetts
For the second year in a row, Massachusetts has grabbed a commitment from the top-rated player in Rhode Island. Admittedly, each of the past two seasons has only had one player apiece earn a rating from 247Sports, but it's still worth noting that one of FBS' newest programs continues to look to this small state for talent.
Last year, it was cornerback Lee Moses, who played five games for the Minutemen in 2015. This time around, it's a prospect on the offensive side, where Avien Peah's size and hands could be valuable with the program moving from the Mid-American Conference to independent status.
Peah could serve as a successor to Rodney Mills, a tight end for UMass who had 33 catches for 477 yards and three touchdowns as a senior. He spent most of his final high school season as a defensive end, with 78 tackles and nine sacks (per MaxPreps).
South Carolina: Tavien Feaster
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Position: All-purpose back
Height, weight: 5'11”, 196 lbs
Rank: 29th
Committed to: Clemson
Variety is the spice of life, and Tavien Feaster is like a one-man spice rack for Clemson in the 2016 recruiting class.
The top-ranked player from South Carolina picked the Tigers almost a year ago, making his choice just days after the 2015 recruiting class had finished signing letters of intent. Since then, he put forth another season at the high school level where he was the most unstoppable offensive weapon on the field in his games, with 1,121 rushing yards, 976 receiving yards and 22 total touchdowns.
In three seasons at Spartanburg High School, Feaster tallied more than 6,500 all-purpose yards and scored 78 times.
South Dakota: Matt Farniok
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Position: Offensive tackle
Height, weight: 6'5”, 319 lbs
Rank: 262nd
Committed to: Nebraska
The state most famous for Mount Rushmore only has one player ranked by 247Sports, but it's a big one. In more ways than one.
Sizable offensive tackle Matt Farniok is rated as the nation's 24th-best player at that position—one several power-conference programs were after. He ultimately picked Nebraska on Jan. 27 over Iowa, Michigan State and others.
Working the trenches is a family tradition, as older brothers Tom and Derek played at Iowa State and Oklahoma, respectively.
"He’s by far the best out of all of us," Tom Farniok said, per Rich Kaipust of the Omaha World-Herald. "Genetically, we got it pretty good, but he absolutely hit the jackpot."
Tennessee: Dillon Mitchell
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Position: Wide receiver
Height, weight: 6'0”, 191 lbs
Rank: 161st
Committed to: Oregon (signed)
Dillon Mitchell had offers from nearly every SEC school, including those in his home state, but early on he identified Oregon as his destination and committed there in the fall of his junior year. And then the recruiting services really started to take notice.
A 3-star prospect at the time, Mitchell has been one of the fastest-rising players at his position in the 2016 class. He's now rated as the 31st-best receiver in the country, buoyed by a senior season in which he tallied 43 total touchdowns for Memphis' White Station High School and earned the state's Gatorade Player of the Year award.
"There may not be a more fluid receiver in the country," 247Sports' Barton Simmons wrote.
Texas: Tren'Davian Dickson
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Position: Wide receiver
Height, weight: 5'11”, 165 lbs
Rank: 104th
Committed to: Baylor (signed)
Baylor has had no shortage of star wide receivers during its rise to the top of the Big 12, but none of have been more prolific coming into college than Tren'Davian Dickson. In fact, no school has added a pass-catcher with the kind of numbers he produced at the prep level.
Dickson, who enrolled in January to get started on trying to crack the Bears' starting rotation for this fall, caught 76 touchdowns in his career at Navasota High School, including a national prep record of 39 as a junior in 2014. He had 211 receptions in three seasons for 4,505 yards, making him a prime candidate to replace the production lost by the departed Corey Coleman.
Previously committed to Texas, he flipped to the Bears in November.
Utah: Maxs Tupai
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Position: Defensive end
Height, weight: 6'2”, 255 lbs
Rank: 295th
Committed to: Uncommitted
The No. 2 prospect in the state has offers from 17 schools, including Oklahoma and USC, and he's made official visits to those schools as signing day approaches. But that's about where the known ends and the unknown begins for Maxs Tupai, whose recruitment is among the most shrouded in mystery of any 4-star player in the country.
Tupai, from Salt Lake City, is also a top target of BYU and Utah, with the Utes joining USC as the favorites according to 247Sports' Crystal Ball predictor. No projections have been added since he visited Oklahoma last weekend, though.
"Tupai has been very quiet about where he plans to commit," Alex Stark of SB Nation wrote.
Vermont: Carson Leary
46 of 51Position: Quarterback/defensive end
Height, weight: 6'2”, 220 lbs
Rank: Unranked
Committed to: Uncommitted
Carson Leary was a one-man wrecking crew for Otter Valley High School in 2015, leading the Otters to a state championship and a perfect season while also dominating statistically on both sides of the ball.
He had 3,482 yards of total offense and accounted for 52 touchdowns in 11 games, with 2,484 yards and 39 scores coming on the ground. On defense, he had 15 sacks.
"Carson Leary has a rare combination of size and speed that you don't often see at this level," his coach, James Hill, said in a news release associated with Leary winning the state's Gatorade Player of the Year award.
Virginia: Levonta Taylor
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Position: Cornerback
Height, weight: 5'11”, 182 lbs
Rank: 7th
Committed to: Florida State
Florida State's knack for identifying and developing top-tier defensive backs led it to zero in on Levonta Taylor at a very early age, offering the Virginia Beach native almost a year ago. The Seminoles earned his commitment last April and have remained his one and only choice since, doing so by keeping in constant contact with the player rated as the top cornerback in the 2016 class.
And during those many conversations, the school and prospect have already identified where he best fits as a starter—not just contributor—during his freshman season.
"We just talked about me going in, learning the playbook at the 'Star' position and hopefully going in there and starting against Ole Miss at the start of the season," Taylor told Chris Nee of 247Sports of a discussion he had with FSU defensive coordinator Charles Kelly last weekend. "It is a position where you have to be fast and physical. You have to be able to cover and blitz."
Taylor would mark the second year in a row the top player from Virginia ended up at FSU, following defensive end Josh Sweat in 2015.
Washington: Jacob Eason
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Position: Quarterback
Height, weight: 6'5.5”, 208 lbs
Rank: 5th
Committed to: Georgia
Few top-tier players are going to college as far from home as Jacob Eason, whose hometown of Lake Stevens is more than 2,700 miles from Georgia's campus in Athens. But even with a coaching change, Eason held true to a commitment he originally made to the Bulldogs in July 2014 and is already enrolled in school.
Signing was the easy part for Eason. Now comes trying to be the answer for an offense that has lacked much from the passing game since Aaron Murray graduated after the 2013 season.
"He's going to come in with so much hype, everybody on the outside is looking at him like he's the savior," former Georgia quarterback D.J. Shockley told Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee.
Eason, the No. 2 pro-style quarterback in the 2016 class (per 247Sports), threw for 9,813 yards and 102 touchdowns in his prep career.
West Virginia: Tyrhee Pratt
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Position: Athlete
Height, weight: 6'2”, 193 lbs
Rank: 1,444th
Committed to: West Virginia
West Virginia has grown accustomed to having to search all over the country for the talent it needs to compete in the Big 12, so when a strong prospect pops up in its own state, the Mountaineers are quick to pursue him. They've had Tyhree Pratt on board for almost a year, as he committed during the spring of his junior season.
A dual-threat quarterback who helped Charleston's Capital High School to the state championship last season, Pratt has excelled at the read-option and could be just what West Virginia needs to move back in that direction at the position. Current quarterback Skyler Howard threw for 3,145 yards and 26 touchdowns while rushing for 502 yards and six scores in 2015.
"Since Pratt committed early and he’s from West Virginia, some insiders believe he’s one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the country," ESPN's Jeremy Crabtree wrote.
Wisconsin: Nate Stanley
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Position: Quarterback
Height, weight: 6'4”, 200 lbs
Rank: 531st
Committed to: Iowa
Recruits' high school coaches tend to be a little biased, though based on what Nate Stanley's coach is saying, it might actually be more than favoritism.
"They don't understand how freakish of an athlete he is," Menomonie High School's Joseph LaBuda said, per Derek Young of Scout.com.
Stanley may end up being Iowa's starting quarterback as soon as 2017, once C.J. Beathard graduates. That's assuming he doesn't pursue a different sport, as LaBuda said he could end up getting drafted in baseball this spring. He's also on pace to become his school's career scoring leader.
Iowa landed Stanley's commitment in November 2014—the longest of any of the 24 pledges it has for 2016.
Wyoming: Theo Dawson
51 of 51Position: Running back
Height, weight: 6'2”, 220 lbs
Rank: Unranked
Committed to: Wyoming
Theo Dawson's next few years are fully booked up now that he's chosen his college. The state's Gatorade Player of the Year will stay home to play for Wyoming, but not until 2018 after he completes a two-year LDS mission.
The Cowboys won out over offers from Air Force, BYU, Stanford and Yale, per Clark Forster of the Jackson Hole Daily.
Dawson ran for 2,283 yards and 27 touchdowns in 2015, helping his school to the Class 3A state semifinals. His arrival in 2018 will time perfectly with the departure of Brian Hill, a running back who had 1,631 yards last season as a sophomore.
Recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports, unless otherwise noted.
Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.
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