10 Biggest College Football Recruiting Storylines This Spring
Ohio State, Miami and Oklahoma are Nos. 1, 2 and 3 in 247Sports.com's composite team recruiting rankings currently.
The good news: They're sitting pretty just in time for the spring season.
The not-so-good news: It's only spring, and there's plenty of time for things to change. Some teams will try to sway their commitments, while other teams will focus on their uncommitted elite targets.
Look for things to really heat up with college football recruiting nationwide. Here are some intriguing storylines to pay close attention to as we continue toward the spring season and transition into the summer.
Alabama's Quest for Another (Recruiting) Title
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Alabama has won four national championships since 2009, but, according to the 247Sports.com composite team rankings, the Crimson Tide are going for a seventh-consecutive national recruiting title.
Alabama has been a king of the recruiting war since Nick Saban arrived on campus in January 2007. And while teams aim to knock them off the recruiting pedestal, it's been a swing and a miss.
Last year's class saw the Crimson Tide surge late to go from a top-10 team to the top-ranked team, with the help of late commitments from 5-star linebackers Ben Davis and Lyndell Wilson, as well 4-star cornerbacks Nigel Knott and Shyheim Carter, among others.
Alabama's 2017 class—led by 5-star running back Najee Harris, the nation's top-ranked player overall—currently is ranked sixth nationally, but there's plenty of time for the Crimson Tide to make up ground by landing some of the nation's elite standouts.
RB Najee Harris: Alabama vs. Everyone
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The nation's top-ranked player in 2017, Antioch, California, running back Najee Harris, committed to Alabama on April 18, 2015. Crimson Tide fans are hoping to keep his commitment.
Fans from schools like USC, Ohio State, Texas and Michigan are hoping his plans change.
There hasn't been any major inclination of Harris swaying from his original pledge to Alabama, but for the next few months, all eyes will be on the 6'2", 220-pound dynamo. Harris is a threat to score every time coming out of the backfield or lined up as a slot receiver.
Alabama recognizes that, and you can believe that Nick Saban and his coaching staff will continue doing all they can to keep Harris committed. But you can also bet that other schools will continue delivering home run pitches in an effort to lure the nation's No. 1 prospect.
Miami Recruiting Under New Coach Mark Richt
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Miami is getting ready for its first spring under new coach Mark Richt, and to say the team has started the 2017 recruiting cycle off well is an understatement. The Hurricanes are ranked No. 2 in the composite recruiting rankings behind Ohio State.
The Hurricanes have 14 commitments and have their eyes set on a few elite targets. Currently, Richt has players like 4-star offensive tackle Navaughn Donaldson and 4-star running back Robert Burns headlining the current class roster.
Look for Richt and his staff to go after as many in-state targets as possible. The state of Florida, as per usual, is loaded with talent, and athletes like 5-star defensive end Jarez Parks, 4-star receiver Jerry Jeudy and 4-star linebacker De'Andre Wilder could give the class a major boost.
Here's what Miami is hoping won't happen again: The program had a fast start with its 2016 class but plateaued from the spring until national signing day and ultimately finished No. 21 nationally. Richt and his staff will work diligently to keep his 2017 class in the top five.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
LB Anthony Hines III: Triple-Digit Offers?
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The sentence itself is absolutely astonishing: Anthony Hines III has 86 offers.
Eighty-six. Fourteen away from 100.
And here's the kicker: There's a good chance that the Plano, Texas, 4-star linebacker and the nation's No. 2 inside linebacker ultimately gets to triple digits.
There are 128 FBS and 125 FCS schools out there. It's extremely unlikely that Hines will finish his recruitment with 253 total offers, but if the numbers are broken down, 100 offers would mean roughly 40 percent of the FBS and FCS football world would offer.
Like it or not, that's a definite possibility, considering he still has the spring, summer and fall seasons to impress coaches.
The Rapid Rise of the Oklahoma Sooners
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In previous years, Oklahoma has been the team that starts recruiting slowly and ends on a high note with a nice barrage of solid commitments.
This year, things may be a little different.
The Sooners already have nine pledges in their 2017 class, and head coach Bob Stoops and his staff are working hard to continue the recruiting charge through the spring and summer. Of Oklahoma's nine commits, eight are 4-star athletes.
A quick glance at who the Sooners are targeting makes the program one to watch in the next few weeks. Oklahoma is ranked No. 3 in 247Sports.com's composite team rankings, and with a few more elite commitments, it can be a legitimate threat to compete for that top spot at the end of the recruiting cycle.
Can Baylor Win the Lone Star State?
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The previous seasons have been routine. If Texas isn't the big winner of in-state recruiting, Texas A&M is.
This could be the year Baylor dethrones both programs. The Bears are off to a solid start, holding down a top-10 spot in the 2017 composite recruiting rankings with six commitments.
Two of Baylor's 4-star commits moved from their respective Texas schools to play for Florida powerhouse IMG Academy. The talents that wide receiver Jhamon Ausbon and quarterback Kellen Mond bring to the table could help build a pipeline between IMG and Baylor—and we all know that IMG is a loaded program every year.
While Baylor is at No. 10 nationally, Texas and Texas A&M are at Nos. 19 and 21, respectively. There's still plenty of time for all three programs to add elite players, but the Bears and head coach Art Briles are hoping to keep its edge in an effort to claim recruiting bragging rights in the Lone Star State.
All Eyes on QB Tate Martell
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It's easy to like Tate Martell. His attitude is infectious. His confidence flirts with cockiness but never crosses that line. He's a winner, and he expects his teammates to be winners, as well.
In short, Martell has leadership qualities every school is looking for. There's a reason why Texas A&M was extremely ecstatic to land his verbal commitment over the summer.
Now, for the Aggies, it's a matter of keeping Martell committed. He has nearly 20 reported offers, and one of them is Ohio State. Martell is visiting Columbus, Ohio, this week and is enjoying his trip to Buckeye country.
Can Texas A&M hold off Ohio State and the rest of the competition for Martell? Expect that to be a topic of discussion for weeks to come.
UGA's First Spring Under Kirby Smart
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The Kirby Smart era at Georgia has started off well from a recruiting perspective. The Bulldogs have six commits so far, and the class is headlined by 4-star safety Richard LeCounte III.
Georgia will continue to battle Alabama for out-of-state recruits and also look to keep Georgia prospects in state. The Bulldogs swayed an in-state prospect from Alabama and found their signal-caller of the future in 4-star quarterback Jake Fromm.
This will be Smart's first spring as Georgia's head coach, and all eyes will be on how his staff hits the trail in search of quality targets. Look for Georgia to be solid contenders for a few elite targets in both the 2017 and 2018 classes.
Among the high-level targets for Georgia are 5-star cornerback Deangelo Gibbs and the 4-star trio of linebacker Nate McBride, defensive end Robert Beal and cornerback Jamyest Williams—all of whom are from the state of Georgia. Mississippi 4-star running back Cam Akers will be a big out-of-state target.
How Will Notre Dame Finish?
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Notre Dame may be the hottest team in FBS recruiting. In a 48-hour span after last Saturday's junior day, the Fighting Irish landed five commitments, including three 4-star prospects.
Now with nine pledges, Notre Dame went from a top-20 recruiting class to No. 5 nationally. What may be scary for other teams is that the Irish may not be done with commitments from junior day.
There are still plenty of opportunities for the Irish to add some of the nation's top athletes, and head coach Brian Kelly and his staff are building off a productive junior day and preparing for big spring and summer runs.
Among the many athletes Notre Dame is looking to land are 5-star offensive tackle Foster Sarell, 5-star cornerback Darnay Holmes and 5-star linebacker Baron Browning. It won't be easy, but the Irish coaching staff is up for the challenge and ready to hit the roads.
WR Keyshawn Johnson Jr. to Nebraska...Who's Next?
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Nebraska received a huge recruiting boost when 4-star wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson Jr. committed on Wednesday. It had the Cornhuskers' fanbase buzzing, but exactly what does it mean for the program in the near future?
Johnson is a popular athlete, and you know he'll serve as a solid player-recruiter for Mike Riley and his coaching staff. There are a few teammates who Johnson will be targeting who are in his backyard at Calabasas High School in California, including 5-star Darnay Holmes and 4-star quarterback Tristan Gebbia.
If Holmes or Gebbia aren't next for Nebraska, there are still a few talented players on the radar. Keep an eye on the 4-star trio of linebacker Avery Roberts, cornerback Deommodore Lenoir and safety Jonathan Sutherland, who all are strongly considering the Huskers.
Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles
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