College Football Programs Most in Need of a Big 2019 National Signing Day
National signing day is Wednesday, and while the majority of high school players have already made their college commitments, there are still a few big options available.
The final team rankings will start to take shape, but some teams are in need of a bigger national signing day haul than others. There are plenty of reasons for that, whether it be a large number of players graduating or going pro, a recent coaching staff change or even some program-related drama.
A win may not just mean landing a 5-star talent. It could also be signing a surprise recruit or simply not losing any guys expected to sign.
Every team is hoping for a big national signing day, but here are the programs that need it the most.
USC Trojans
1 of 5
To put it mildly, the USC Trojans need a win right now.
Over the past month, they have watched their newly hired offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury take an NFL head coaching spot with the Arizona Cardinals. They've also had to watch 5-star wide receiver recruit Bru McCoy leave to go play for the Texas Longhorns.
McCoy isn't the only guy looking to play elsewhere. Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Josh Imatorbhebhe has entered the transfer portal, and he may not be the last given all the drama surrounding USC's coaching staff.
While the Trojans lost their only 5-star commitment, there's still hope that they can snag a couple of solid recruits on national signing day. At the top of their wish list is offensive guard Enokk Vimahi, a 4-star recruit out of Hawaii and the No. 7-ranked recruit at his position.
The Trojans still have a top-20 recruiting class heading into national signing day, but they could use a couple of extra commitments heading into spring practices after a 5-7 season.
Tennessee Volunteers
2 of 5No other conference competes during the recruiting season quite like the SEC. Six of the top 10 recruits in the nation have committed to SEC programs, with a seventh likely to choose a school in the conference as well.
The Tennessee Volunteers come into the week at a respectable No. 15 on the team recruiting rankings and have a chance to climb even more with a couple of big names considering enrolling.
In fact, the only top-10 recruit yet to make an official commitment (offensive tackle Darnell Wright) is on the radar for the Volunteers. He would obviously be a huge get for the program despite Tennessee already landing another 5-star OT in Wanya Morris.
Outside linebacker Henry To'oto'o is another top-50 recruit who has received an offer from Tennessee and even visited the school in January.
If the Volunteers could land one of Wright or To'oto'o, it would be huge for what is already a solid class. Getting both would be a massive statement for the future of the program.
Missouri Tigers
3 of 5
A new era in Missouri Tigers football is about to begin, and so far it's not off to the best start.
Along with losing a four-year starter at quarterback in Drew Lock, the Tigers were also penalized by the NCAA last week for academic fraud and are banned from postseason play for the 2019 season.
The good news is that former Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant reportedly still plans on staying at Missouri after transferring, per Matt Connolly of The State, but there are questions about how many commitments the Tigers will land on national signing day.
There are still a handful of guys considering playing for head coach Barry Odom, and JUCO transfer Chester Graves is the biggest name on that list.
Convincing young players to come play for a program with a postseason ban is a hard sell, but landing a couple of more commitments Wednesday would be a huge win for the Tigers.
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Nebraska Cornhuskers
4 of 5
Scott Frost's first season at Nebraska didn't go as planned. After leading the UCF Knights to an undefeated record the year before, Frost took over at Nebraska and started his tenure 0-6 before recovering and finishing the year at 4-8.
The good news for Frost is the team did at least finish the season 4-2 while nearly pulling off an upset over Ohio State, but there's obviously still work to be done.
This year's recruiting class will have a big impact on the future of the program, so it's at least promising that the Cornhuskers boast a top-20 class heading into Wednesday. Frost will also be happy to know there are still a number of players considering Nebraska.
Some key names include weak-side defensive end Steven Parker (4-star), wide receiver Demariyon Houston (3-star) and running back John Bivens (3-star).
Nebraska may not be an elite program in the Big Ten, but Frost can help the Cornhuskers get there if he has enough talent to work with.
Arizona State Sun Devils
5 of 5
It was a big surprise last year when the Arizona State Sun Devils hired longtime broadcaster Herm Edwards, who had never been a college head coach, to take over the program. Now, the former NFL head coach is trying to put together a formidable recruiting class to build upon a 7-6 record.
Currently, the Sun Devils rank just outside of the top 30 in recruiting, although they have already secured 20 commitments, including four 4-star recruits.
Arizona State fans should keep an eye on announcements from 4-star athlete Devonta Lee and 3-star defensive tackle Matthew Pola-Mao, among others.
All recruiting information provided by 247Sports.
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