Every Top 25 College Football Program's Dream 2017 Recruit

With the spring and summer months representing a crucial time in the recruiting calendar, schools from around the country are grinding on the recruiting trail in hopes of securing a top class in the 2017 cycle.

A quick glance at the 247Sports team rankings shows that 14 of the current top 25 recruiting classes have at least 10 commitments in them—including Ohio State’s top-rated collective.

While a number of touted prospects have already committed, there are still a handful of elite talents various programs are coveting who could end up being the centerpieces to their respective groups.

The upcoming season could help the nation’s top programs acquire the momentum necessary to land the recruits at the top of their boards.

Using the Top 25 preseason composite rankings compiled by Bleacher Report’s Justin Ferguson, let’s take a look at each Top 25 program’s dream recruit in the 2017 cycle.

25. Miami: 4-Star WR Jerry Jeudy

Current Commits/National Class Rank: 14/4

New Miami head coach Mark Richt has hit the ground running since arriving in Coral Gables.

The Hurricanes have already landed 14 commitments, including 12 from the talent-rich Sunshine State.

Richt has done a great job early on in recruiting the top prospects in the South Florida area and keeping the hometown ‘Canes on their minds. 

Another local talent Richt and his staff would love to reel in is 4-star receiver Jerry Jeudy.

The nation’s No. 4 receiver and the No. 44 prospect overall in the 2017 cycle has been a frequent visitor to Miami’s campus during the spring.

Adding an explosive playmaker such as Jeudy would go a long way toward maintaining a high-powered attack in the Richt era.

24. UCLA: 5-Star CB Darnay Holmes

Current Commits/National Class Rank: 3/51

The UCLA Bruins have landed a top-20 overall recruiting class in every cycle since 2012.

But head coach Jim Mora and his staff have gotten off to a slow start in the current cycle with only three commitments to date.

However, the Bruins have eyes on closing strong. At the top of their wish list is 5-star in-state corner Darnay Holmes, who rates as the nation’s top corner in the 2017 class.

Nebraska, Ohio State and Stanford are among the Bruins' chief competition for Holmes. 

Keeping the Pasadena, California, native closer to home would be a huge win for the Bruins and could galvanize a late run up toward the top 25 class rankings.

23. Oklahoma State: 4-Star DE Taquon Graham

Current Commits/National Class Rank: 10/18 

Half of Oklahoma State’s current commits hail from the Lone Star State.

If Cowboys head coach Mike Gundy and his staff have their way, their raid on Texas talent will continue to expand. 

At the top of their wish list is 4-star defensive end Taquon Graham, who rates as the nation’s No. 12 weak-side defensive end and the No. 169 player overall in the 2017 cycle.

To win out for Graham, the Cowboys will have to fend off the likes of Baylor, TCU, Texas and Texas A&M.

22. North Carolina: 4-Star S Devon Hunter

Current Commits/National Class Rank: 8/12

On the heels of a 10-3 season, North Carolina head coach Larry Fedora and his staff have raced to a hot start in the 2017 recruiting cycle.

The Tar Heels have done well with top in-state targets, but Fedora has his eyes set on landing an elite talent out of neighboring Virginia. 

That player would be 4-star safety Devon Hunter, who was in Chapel Hill last month to take in North Carolina’s spring game.

Hunter, who has recorded 110 tackles, 10 pass breakups and a pair of interceptions over the last two seasons at Indian River High School in Chesapeake, Virginia, has more than 30 offers to his credit. 

However, as Ross Martin of 247Sports reported, the Heels are on the short list of programs that have been aggressively recruiting the nation’s No. 2 safety and the No. 52 player overall in the 2017 cycle.

21. Oregon: 5-Star OL Foster Sarell

Current Commits/National Class Rank: 2/71

It has been a rough start for perennial Pac-12 power Oregon in the 2017 cycle.

The Ducks class has just two pledges to date and has been plagued by decommitments from touted prospects such as 4-star quarterback Ryan Kelley, who subsequently pledged to Arizona State.

As Justin Hopkins of 247Sports noted, there’s still time for Ducks head coach Mark Helfrich and his staff to get their recruiting affairs in order.

One player who could help the Ducks get things turned around quickly is 5-star offensive tackle Foster Sarell. The Washington native is the nation’s No. 2 offensive tackle and the No. 5 player overall in the 2017 cycle.

As Ruth Robbins of 247Sports detailed, Sarell’s recruitment is still fairly open, which gives the Ducks a chance to land a potential difference-maker from a neighboring territory.

20. Georgia: 5-Star CB Deangelo Gibbs

Current Commits/National Class Rank: 9/6

Just as Richt has found success in the state of Florida since his arrival at Miami, new Georgia head coach Kirby Smart has enjoyed a similar hot streak in the Peach State. 

All nine of the Bulldogs' 2017 pledges are from homegrown talents—highlighted by a pair of 4-star defensive backs in safety Richard LeCounte III and corner William Poole III, who rate among the nation’s top 100 overall prospects.

One player whom Smart, himself a former Bulldogs defensive back, would love to round out his class in the secondary would be 5-star in-state corner Deangelo Gibbs.

The 6’2”, 204-pounder is the nation’s No. 2 corner and the top overall prospect from the state of Georgia in the 2017 class.

Adding Gibbs would be an exclamation point on the Bulldogs' dominance in luring the state's premier homegrown talents to Athens.

19. USC: 5-Star WR Joseph Lewis

Current Commits/National Class Rank: 5/39

USC closed the 2016 cycle on a hot streak after then-interim head coach Clay Helton was officially named the successor to Steve Sarkisian.

The Trojans are off to a bit of a slow start this year, but Helton and his staff are in on a host of elite prospects who are still considering heading to Los Angeles for college. 

Among those national prospects is 5-star receiver Joseph Lewis, who hails from nearby Hawkins High School in Los Angeles. 

As Scott Schrader of 247Sports detailed, Lewis has established a tight relationship with Trojans offensive coordinator and ace recruiter Tee Martin.

Considering current star receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster could be a candidate to test the NFL draft waters next season, Lewis could be primed to replace him if he elects to sign with the Trojans on signing day.

18. Louisville: 4-Star OL Kendall Randolph

Current Commits/National Class Rank: 4/56

While Clemson and Florida State have ruled the ACC on the field and in recruiting in recent years, Louisville is another Atlantic Division program poised for a big year on the field in 2016. 

While the buzz is growing around the Cardinals, head coach Bobby Petrino and his staff are off to a slow start in the current recruiting cycle with just four pledges to date. 

However, two of their four commits hail from Alabama, and the Cardinals signed three prospects from the Yellowhammer State in the 2016 class. 

Another Alabama native Petrino has keyed in on is 4-star offensive lineman Kendall Randolph, who was on campus to visit the Cardinals last month.

Adding an elite tackle prospect such as Randolph would be a boost in the trenches for the Cards’ 2017 class.

17. Washington: 5-Star OL Wyatt Davis

Current Commits/National Class Rank: 7/23

Washington has its sights set on a breakthrough year in the Pac-12 under third-year head coach Chris Petersen.

The Huskies have enjoyed some early success on the recruiting trail in the infant stages of the 2017 cycle.

While the Huskies have a stud offensive line prospect in their backyard in Sarell, they are also heavily recruiting fellow 5-star offensive lineman Wyatt Davis.

As Robbins detailed, Davis made the trip with prep teammate and 4-star Huskies receiver pledge Terrell Bynum and was impressed with what he saw.

Landing Davis and continuing to strike gold in the state of California would give the Huskies a great shot to land their best class since Petersen’s arrival in Seattle.

16. Iowa: 3-Star LB Thomas Johnston

Current Commits/National Class Rank: 10/10

It’s been a great start to the 2017 class for the Big Ten, as nine of its members have classes currently inside the top 25 of 247Sports' team rankings.

One program that has raced to an early top-10 overall class is the Iowa Hawkeyes.

One can make the case that the Hawkeyes have already landed their two most prized targets in 5-star defensive end A.J. Epenesa and 4-star running back Eno Benjamin.

However, head coach Kirk Ferentz and his staff are trying to pull 3-star linebacker Thomas Johnston out of the state of Alabama.

The 6’2”, 218-pounder visited the Hawkeyes back in 2014 and earned an offer from them last September. 

Landing a versatile linebacker out of SEC country would be a nice cap to an already stout group bound for Iowa City.

15. TCU: 4-Star WR Omar Manning

Current Commits/National Class Rank: 3/49

TCU may not have a wealth of current commitments, but it does have a major talent bound for Fort Worth in 4-star quarterback Shawn Robinson.

The Horned Frogs already have one dynamic receiver who will catch passes from Robinson in 4-star receiver RJ Sneed. 

Another talented playmaker whom head coach Gary Patterson and his staff would love to pair with Sneed is 4-star receiver Omar Manning.

The 6’3”, 203-pounder is a big-bodied receiver who hauled in 33 receptions for 671 yards and 12 touchdowns for Lancaster High School (Texas) as a junior.

If that scenario comes to fruition, the Horned Frogs offense should remain one of the more potent attacks nationally in the years to come.

14. Michigan State: 5-Star WR Donovan Peoples-Jones

Current Commits/National Class Rank: 8/30

Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio has steadily built the Spartans program into a consistent power in the Big Ten. 

The Spartans have gone 36-5 over the last three years, and that boost is beginning to show in their recruiting efforts. They have landed three consecutive top-25 recruiting classes.

Dantonio and his staff have already built a solid foundation for the 2017 cycle with eight early pledges.

However, they are battling fellow Big Ten rivals Michigan and Ohio State for 5-star receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones.

The nation’s top receiver has been a frequent visitor to East Lansing. If the Spartans can win out in this tug of war, it will strike another huge victory in their quest to maintain their status as a Midwest powerhouse.

13. Ole Miss: 5-Star RB Cam Akers

Current Commits/National Class Rank: 4/46

Since Ole Miss hired Hugh Freeze as its head coach, the Rebels have turned into a formidable SEC program that has found its share of success on the field and on the recruiting trail.

The Rebels have come out of the gates slowly in the 2017 cycle, but Freeze and his staff have established a good foundation with a handful of marquee prospects coveted by programs throughout the country. 

At the top of that list is 5-star running back Cam Akers, who was initially committed to fellow SEC power Alabama before reopening his recruitment. 

Freeze’s uptempo offense has found success, for the most part, without a powerful ground attack. However, that could change if Akers decides to head to Oxford for college. 

Over the last two seasons, Akers has rushed for 2,314 yards and 33 touchdowns for Clinton High School (Mississippi). 

To land the top overall prospect in the Magnolia State, the Rebels will have to fend off programs such as Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State and Tennessee, among others.

12. Houston: 3-Star WR Camron Buckley

Current Commits/National Class Rank: 9/31 

The Houston Cougars were perhaps the nation’s biggest surprise last season after going 13-1 under rookie head coach Tom Herman. 

The Cougars are already benefiting from their on-field success with nine early commitments in the 2017 class—eight of whom are from Texas. 

Herman and his staff are pursuing 3-star receiver Camron Buckley in hopes of adding the dynamic pass-catcher to their offense.

To win out for Buckley, Herman and his staff will have to beat out programs such as Arizona State, Auburn, Miami and Ole Miss. 

However, the Cougars hosted Buckley in January and will fight to keep him closer to home when he arrives at a conclusion in his recruitment.

11. Stanford: 4-Star WR Tarik Black

Current Commits/National Class Rank: 5/38

Stanford has turned into a program that recruits on a national level since David Shaw succeeded Jim Harbaugh in Palo Alto.

For example, two of the Cardinal’s five pledges in the 2017 class hail from Georgia.

Another out-of-state target whom Shaw and his staff are heavily pursuing is 4-star receiver Tarik Black.

As Tom Loy of 247Sports detailed, the Cardinal join Alabama, Michigan, Notre Dame and UCLA in Black’s top five. 

He visited Stanford’s campus in late February. If the Cardinal can get him to return in the spring or in the fall, they will have a great shot to land one of the premier playmakers on the East Coast.

10. Tennessee: 4-Star OL Trey Smith

Current Commits/National Class Rank: 7/33

It’s a banner year for talent in the state of Tennessee, and Volunteers head coach Butch Jones is looking to capitalize by luring the state’s best to Knoxville. 

One of the players in that group is 4-star offensive lineman Trey Smith.

As Barton Simmons of 247Sports detailed, Smith’s recent performance at Nike's The Opening regional camp in Chicago led 247Sports to name him the nation’s top offensive tackle prospect in the 2017 class. 

Jones and his staff are also holding a satellite camp at Smith’s high school next month, which is an indicator of their interest in making sure Smith doesn’t leave the state for college.

9. Notre Dame: 5-Star DE Joshua Kaindoh

Current Commits/National Class Rank: 10/7

Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly has found his groove with four consecutive recruiting classes that have finished in the top 15 overall nationally. 

The 2017 class is off to a great start in extending that streak. 

However, one target who appears to have gotten away, at least for the time being, is 5-star defensive end Joshua Kaindoh.

The nation’s top weak-side defensive end committed to Maryland last month. However, there was significant buzz that he would select the Irish heading into that announcement, as Chance Linton of 247Sports detailed.

Recruiting is never final until a prospect enrolls at his school of choice or signs a letter of intent. In this case, with Kaindoh projected to be an early enrollee, the Irish will hope to entice him to reconsider his original pledge.

8. Baylor: 4-Star DE K'Lavon Chaisson

Current Commits/National Class Rank: 6/34

The 2017 class began with a bang for Baylor, but a few high-profile decommitments have taken the luster off a hot start. 

Still, Bears head coach Art Briles and his staff have a solid group still committed led by 4-star quarterback Kellen Mond.

One player the Bears are aggressively pursuing is 4-star defensive end K’Lavon Chaisson. 

As Colt Barber of 247Sports reported, Chaisson’s father played for the Bears, and Briles and his staff have treated him as a priority recruit since he earned an offer from them. 

While programs such as LSU and Texas A&M are also in the mix with him, it would be a devastating blow to the Bears' 2017 class if he landed somewhere other than Waco on signing day.

7. Ohio State: 5-Star WR Trevon Grimes

Current Commits/National Class Rank: 13/1

No program has more to celebrate in the 2017 cycle than Ohio State as things currently stand.

Head coach Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes have six prospects who rate among the nation’s top 60 players overall on their commit list. 

However, Meyer and his staff are still in the mix with a number of blue-chip talents. 

One prospect who is getting the full-court press from the Buckeyes is 5-star wide receiver Trevon Grimes.

Grimes told Bleacher Report in March that the Buckeyes were his clear leader, mostly in part because of the relationship he has with Meyer and receivers coach Zach Smith.

The Buckeyes offense isn’t exactly hurting for playmakers. However, the 6’4”, 201-pound Grimes is a luxury recruit who could add another dimension to Meyer’s offensive attack.

6. LSU: 5-Star LB Dylan Moses

Current Commits/National Class Rank: 7/19

It’s rare in recruiting circles to see prospects become household names before they begin their sophomore year in high school. 

However, that’s been the case with 5-star linebacker Dylan Moses—who has been collecting offers since he was a freshman at University Lab High School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Moses was initially committed to LSU before reopening his recruitment last August. 

The Tigers have built a solid foundation for their 2017 class. However, considering the hype surrounding Moses and the fact that he’s a local product, it would sting head coach Les Miles and his staff if Moses elects to go anywhere other than LSU for college.

5. Oklahoma: 5-Star S Jeffrey Okudah

Current Commits/National Class Rank: 12/2

Since he arrived in Norman in 1999, Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops and his staff have been incredibly consistent on the recruiting trail during his tenure in Norman.

For example, Oklahoma has landed a top-25 class in every cycle with Stoops at the helm. Fourteen of those classes finished in the top 15, and 10 of them landed in the top 10. 

However, last year’s class was the first time under Stoops that the Sooners didn’t have at least the No. 1 or No. 2 group in the Big 12. Their 2016 class finished No. 22 nationally and behind Baylor and Texas in the Big 12. 

If the early returns on the 2017 group are any indicator, the Sooners are poised to land one of the nation’s elite collectives on signing day.

One prospect the Sooners are hoping to add to their commit list is 5-star safety Jeffrey Okudah. 

The nation’s top-rated safety visited Oklahoma twice earlier in the year. Landing Okudah would strike another blow in the state of Texas and all but assure the Sooners of landing the best class in the Big 12.

4. Michigan: 5-Star OL Isaiah Wilson

Current Commits/National Class Rank: 12/8

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh will begin his nationwide caravan of satellite camps in the coming months.

He’ll be armed with plenty of ammunition given the 2017 class he and his staff have already put together. 

While a host of blue chippers are still considering the Wolverines, the identity of Harbaugh’s teams are built in the trenches.

With that said, a primary focus for Harbaugh in the coming months will be his quest to lock up a pledge from 5-star offensive lineman Isaiah Wilson. 

The nation’s No. 5 offensive tackle has been a priority recruit for Harbaugh and his staff for months, as Steve Lorenz of 247Sports detailed. 

Landing Wilson would give Harbaugh’s offensive line a powerful tackle prospect with loads of upside to build around.

3. Florida State: 5-Star DT Marvin Wilson

Current Commits/National Class Rank: 7/13

Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher has been one of the more consistent coaches when it comes to finding success on the recruiting trail.

The Seminoles have already landed seven commitments—including five from prospects considered among the nation’s top 200 recruits overall in the 2017 cycle.

The ‘Noles are involved with a handful of touted prospects. Perhaps the biggest fish on their board is 5-star defensive tackle Marvin Wilson.

As Josh Newberg of 247Sports reported, Florida State ace recruiter Tim Brewster—who helped FSU sign elite Texas linebacker Dontavious Jackson in the 2016 class—has been leading the charge in the recruitment of Wilson.

Wilson would fill a huge need in the 2017 class and give the 'Noles another big win for a touted prospect out of Texas.

2. Clemson: 5-Star WR Tee Higgins

Current Commits/National Class Rank: 10/5

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney and his staff have capitalized on the program’s recent on-field success with wins on the recruiting trail in recent years.

The Tigers are off to another strong start in the 2017 cycle with 10 commitments already pledged to suit up for the defending ACC champions.

With their success in developing star receivers under Swinney, the program has become an attractive destination for premier pass-catchers.

The Tigers already hold a commitment from 4-star receiver Amari Rodgers out of Tennessee.

If Swinney and his staff have their way, Rodgers won’t be the only playmaker from the Volunteer State to head to Clemson. 

The Tigers have their sights set on 5-star receiver Tee Higgins—who decommitted from an early pledge to Tennessee just days after returning from a visit to Clemson. 

If the Tigers can successfully lure Higgins, their offense will be stocked with as much receiver talent as any program in the country for the foreseeable future.

1. Alabama: 5-Star CB Shaun Wade

Current Commits/National Class Rank: 9/3

Experts in recruiting circles are running out of adjectives to describe what Alabama has accomplished on the recruiting trail under head coach Nick Saban.

Considering Alabama currently has the nation’s No. 3 class, The Tide are within striking distance to land their seventh consecutive No. 1 group.

Saban and his staff have consistently landed difference-makers at corner.

One target who has their attention is 5-star corner Shaun Wade, who is currently committed to Ohio State.

Wade made it to Tuscaloosa for one of the Tide’s junior days earlier this year, and as 247Sports' Hank South reported, there’s confidence that the Tide have a realistic shot to pull off a flip.

If that scenario comes to fruition, the Tide would have a great shot to once again claim the No. 1 spot on signing day.

Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained firsthand and all recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.

Follow @SanjayKirpalani