Ranking the Top 50 Early CFB Recruiting Signees

College football's 2020 recruiting cycle will effectively reach its end after Wednesday's national signing day. While a few handfuls of top players remain unsigned, most prospects sent in their paperwork during the December period.

And before the untethered players make it official, we're reviewing the December prospects one last time.

B/R previously ranked the top 25 offensive and defensive players in the 2020 cycle. The following top 50 merges those lists but adds a few more prospects and is focused on players who have signed a national letter of intent.

Otherwise, 5-star defensive lineman Jordan Burch, running back Zachary Evans, offensive tackle Broderick Jones and 4-star safety Avantae Williams would be included in the rankings.

Each profile features a note about the prospect, including a personal detail, previous stats or college outlook.

50-46. Mayer, Ratledge, Nelson, Stroud, Ngata

50. Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame

Height/Weight: 6'4", 232 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Not only is Mayer the top-ranked player from Kentucky, but he's also the Bluegrass State's first 5-star product in five cycles. The most recent was former Alabama running back Damien Harris in 2015.

49. Tate Ratledge, OT, Georgia

Height/Weight: 6'6", 322 lbs

1 Thing to Know

When the Dawgs lost offensive line coach Sam Pittman to Arkansas, some wondered if any of Georgia's commits would follow. According to Rusty Mansell of 247Sports, however, Ratledge said Pittman told him to stay at Georgia.

48. Jack Nelson, OT, Wisconsin

Height/Weight: 6'7", 273 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Nelson is a Wisconsin legacy. His father, Todd, played offensive line for the Badgers from 1984 to 1988. And in the 1989 NFL draft, the Phoenix Cardinals selected Todd in the 12th round.

47. CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State

Height/Weight: 6'2½", 194 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Stroud heads to Ohio State with a chance to start in 2021, though he'll likely take a redshirt this year. Justin Fields is expected to declare for the NFL draft after next season, and Gunnar Hoak will be a senior in 2020. Stroud will compete with fellow 4-star Jack Miller.

46. Daniyel Ngata, RB, Arizona State

Height/Weight: 5'9", 180 lbs

1 Thing to Know

The ASU-bound running back is the brother of Clemson receiver Joseph Ngata and former Washington linebacker Ariel Ngata, who entered the transfer portal this offseason.

45-41. Rivers, Phillips, Rosemy, Rogers, Kennedy

45. Jalen Rivers, OT, Miami

Height/Weight: 6'6", 331 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Rivers attended the same high school, Oakleaf, as outgoing Miami linebacker Shaquille Quarterman. Because he plays a position of need, Rivers has an opportunity to make a similar impact as Quarterman, a four-year starter for the 'Canes.

44. Clark Phillips III, CB, Utah

Height/Weight: 5'10½", 178 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Utah induced a last-second flip during the early signing period, snatching Phillips from Ohio State. The 4-star corner had committed to the Buckeyes in June 2019.

43. Marcus Rosemy, WR, Georgia

Height/Weight: 6'2", 195 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Rosemy attended South Florida powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas. According to Pro Football Reference, the high school has 14 active NFL players—including a trio of star defensive linemen in Nick Bosa, Joey Bosa and Geno Atkins.

42. Justin Rogers, DT, Kentucky

Height/Weight: 6'2½", 311 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Kentucky has only signed two 4-stars from Michigan under Mark Stoops, who's been at the school since 2013, but both attended Oak Park. Rogers will join 2018 signee Marquan McCall, who collected 21 tackles last season and will be an important piece of the 2020 rotation.

41. Demouy Kennedy, ILB, Alabama

Height/Weight: 6'3", 215 lbs

1 Thing to Know

From 2013 to 2017, Alabama signed its state's No. 1 prospect. However, Clemson infringed on the Tide's territory with Justyn Ross in 2018, and Georgia followed suit by snagging George Pickens in 2019. Kennedy ends that brief streak.

40-36. Jacobs, Chaney, Scott, Card, Davis

40. Curtis Jacobs, OLB, Penn State

Height/Weight: 6'2", 220 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Jacobs visited a few other programs, but he spent plenty of time in Happy Valley. He landed a scholarship offer from the Nittany Lions in 2018, committed to Penn State in February 2019 and made five additional trips to the school before his official visit on the weekend before the early signing period.

39. Don Chaney Jr., RB, Miami

Height/Weight: 5'10½", 203 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Chaney, who enrolled early at Miami, won three consecutive state championships in the high jump. Last year, he cleared 6 feet, 7.5 inches for his third straight Florida state title.

38. Gee Scott Jr., WR, Ohio State

Height/Weight: 6'2½", 207 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Scott put together a breakout senior year. During his previous two seasons, the wideout collected 83 catches for 1,432 yards and 15 touchdowns. Then in 2019 alone, Scott racked up 76 receptions for 1,453 yards and 15 scores.

37. Hudson Card, QB, Texas

Height/Weight: 6'2½", 179 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Card attended Lake Travis High School, which has produced a few familiar quarterbacks. Notable alumni include 2017 Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield and Baylor quarterback Charlie Brewer, as well as Michael Brewer (Texas Tech, Virginia Tech) and Garrett Gilbert (Texas, SMU).

36. Fred Davis II, CB, Clemson

Height/Weight: 6'0", 192 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Clemson has a star-filled recruiting class, but Davis is the only cornerback in the haul. While the Tigers aren't necessarily thin at the position, Davis should play regularly as a freshman—especially if Clemson has lopsided scores so often again.

35-31. Wedig, Tyree, Smith, Evans, Jones

35. Trey Wedig, OT, Wisconsin

Height/Weight: 6'8", 320 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Only twice in the last 10 recruiting cycles has Wisconsin failed to sign the state's No. 1 prospect. Wedig is the fourth straight top-ranked in-state player to join the Badgers.

34. Chris Tyree, RB, Notre Dame

Height/Weight: 5'10", 179 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Tyree assembled an efficient high school career. While scampering for 3,930 yards on 458 carries—a superb 8.6 per attempt—he also grabbed 49 passes for 695 yards. Tyree, who will arrive in the summer, totaled 44 touchdowns.

33. Arian Smith, WR, Georgia

Height/Weight: 6'1", 170 lbs

1 Thing to Know

While he's a talented football player, Smith has also enjoyed success on the track. In 2019, the Florida native won a state championship in the 200 meters with top-three finishes in the 100 and long jump.

32. Desmond Evans, DE, North Carolina

Height/Weight: 6'6", 240 lbs

1 Thing to Know

To say he lived in the opponent's backfield might be an understatement. Over the last two seasons, Evans racked up 145 total tackles with a ridiculous 60 for loss and 23 sacks. North Carolina is hoping to see even a fraction of that production immediately.

31. Jaylon Jones, S, Texas A&M

Height/Weight: 6'1½", 190 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Jones will play in the secondary at Texas A&M, but he provided some offensive production in high school. As a senior, he caught 30 passes for 549 yards and five touchdowns.

30-26. Boutte, Jarrett, Simpson, Capehart, Manning

30. Kayshon Boutte, WR, LSU

Height/Weight: 6'0", 180 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Don't pencil him into the starting lineup, but Boutte has a chance to climb the depth chart. LSU must replace slot receiver Justin Jefferson—who paced the FBS with 111 receptions—and Boutte could be the answer if he surpasses Trey Palmer.

29. Rakim Jarrett, WR, Maryland

Height/Weight: 6'0", 208 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Despite a 3-9 record in 2019, Maryland managed to steal the receiver from the national champions. The D.C. product flipped from LSU to the Terps during the early signing period.

28. Trenton Simpson, OLB, Clemson

Height/Weight: 6'3", 224 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Simpson landed scholarship offers from 20-plus schools, but he patiently waited on Clemson. The Tigers' offer finally arrived during his official visit, which happened on the weekend before December's signing period. Simpson committed on the spot.

27. Demonte Capehart, DT, Clemson

Height/Weight: 6'4½", 295 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Although he's a top prospect, Capehart isn't even the featured piece of Clemson's defensive line haul. The Tigers have two 5-stars ahead of Capehart, who tallied 84 total tackles with a terrific 35 stops for loss in his last two seasons.

26. Dontae Manning, CB, Oregon

Height/Weight: 6'0", 185 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Missouri hadn't produced a 5-star prospect since Dorial Green-Beckham in 2012, but Manning ended the streak. The Oregon-bound corner is considered the No. 3 player at his position.

25-21. Burton, Sherman, Sewell, Carter, Sanders

25. Jermaine Burton, WR, Georgia

Height/Weight: 6'0½", 190 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Georgia swiped Burton at the last moment, flipping his commitment and landing his signature during the early signing period. Burton had been pledged to LSU since April 2019.

24. Mekhail Sherman, OLB, Georgia

Height/Weight: 6'3", 234 lbs

1 Thing to Know

An imposing linebacker who will arrive in Athens this summer, Sherman put together a good showing in the Under Armour All-America Game. He notched six tackles—including four in the fourth quarter—with two stops for loss.

23. Noah Sewell, ILB, Oregon

Height/Weight: 6'2", 266 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Sewell has three brothers who play college football and is joining one at Oregon. Penei Sewell, a left tackle, is arguably the best player in the entire country. He was a unanimous All-American choice as a sophomore in 2019.

22. Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia

Height/Weight: 6'3", 301 lbs

1 Thing to Know

The term "athlete" is thrown around too much in analysis; of course they're athletes—they play at a high level. But a defensive tackle who can throw down a windmill dunk? That's an athlete.

21. Drew Sanders, ATH, Alabama

Height/Weight: 6'5", 232 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Previously committed to Oklahoma, Sanders flipped to Alabama in April 2019. The 5-star rushed for 37 touchdowns in high school but will be a linebacker for the Crimson Tide. Sanders piled up 173 tackles with 31 for loss over the last two seasons.

20-16. Smith-Njigba, Bigsby, Braswell, Smalls, Anderson

20. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State

Height/Weight: 6'1", 188 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Smith-Njigba hardly could've been tougher to defend in high school. He posted 83-plus receptions and 1,300-plus yards in three straight years, topping out at 103 catches and 2,162 yards as a senior. Smith-Njigba totaled 75 touchdowns during that span.

19. Tank Bigsby, RB, Auburn

Height/Weight: 6'0", 210 lbs

1 Thing to Know

While his given name is Cartavious, Bigsby earned the nickname "Tank" early in his football days. "When I was younger, I played rec ball and my mom told me that I run the ball like a tank," he said, per Hannah Goodin of GPB Sports.

18. Chris Braswell, DE, Alabama

Height/Weight: 6'3", 220 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Alabama has created a pipeline from St. Frances Academy in Baltimore. Braswell is the fourth 4- or 5-star prospect to join the Tide in the last three recruiting cycles, following 2018 5-star Eyabi Anoma—though he's since transferred to Houston—and 2019 4-stars Shane Lee and Darrian Dalcourt.

17. Sav'ell Smalls, DE, Washington

Height/Weight: 6'4", 244 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Smalls rose to 5-star status as a linebacker, but he spent 2019 a little closer to the line of scrimmage and was named the North Puget Sound League Defensive Lineman of the Year. Washington, though, lists Smalls as an outside linebacker.

16. Will Anderson, DE, Alabama

Height/Weight: 6'3", 230 lbs

1 Thing to Know

One of 13 early enrollees for Alabama this cycle, Anderson has a chance to play immediately. The Tide must replace 24 combined tackles for loss from Anfernee Jennings and Terrell Lewis. Anderson posted 38 sacks during his last two seasons.

15-11. Dexter, Washington, Demas, Robinson, Bowman

15. Gervon Dexter, DT, Florida

Height/Weight: 6'6½", 286 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Playing against Dexter must've been miserable. As a senior, per MaxPreps, he gathered 125 tackles with 35 for loss and 18 sacks. And in 2018 and 2019 combined, Dexter forced 14 fumbles.

14. Darnell Washington, ATH, Georgia

Height/Weight: 6'7½", 261 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Though he's headed to Georgia for football, Washington was a productive basketball player too. He averaged 11.0 points and 12.3 rebounds per game as a junior, according to MaxPreps.

13. Demond Demas, WR, Texas A&M

Height/Weight: 6'3", 182 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Demas transferred to Tomball High School for his senior year, but the Texas-based recruit was ruled ineligible. Nevertheless, he won a state title in long jump as a sophomore and caught 50 passes for 1,574 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2018. Demas is a sensational athlete.

12. Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas

Height/Weight: 6'0", 200 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Robinson put up numbers in high school like he was playing a video game. During each of his last three seasons, the Texas-bound running back crested the 2,000-yard mark while totaling more than 100 touchdowns for Salpointe Catholic in Arizona.

11. Demarkcus Bowman, RB, Clemson

Height/Weight: 5'9", 191 lbs

1 Thing to Know

While he's a terrific talent, Bowman might not be a nationally recognized player for several seasons. Travis Etienne surprisingly decided to return for his senior year, and Lyn-J Dixon will likely be Clemson's featured back in 2021 unless he turns pro.

10-6. Ricks, Gilbert, Murphy, Johnson, Ringo

10. Elias Ricks, CB, LSU

Height/Weight: 6'2", 192 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Ricks attended California powerhouse Mater Dei but transferred to IMG Academy so he could graduate early. The plan worked as hoped; Ricks enrolled at LSU in January.

9. Arik Gilbert, TE, LSU

Height/Weight: 6'5", 253 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Gilbert's brother is Deangelo Yancey, who's seventh in Purdue history with 2,344 receiving yards. Overall, he tallied 141 receptions and 20 touchdowns. That production led the Green Bay Packers to choose him in the fifth round of the 2017 draft.

8. Myles Murphy, DE, Clemson

Height/Weight: 6'5", 260 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Murphy attended Hillgrove High School in Georgia, which has enjoyed a run of future NFL players lately. Bradley Chubb and Evan Engram became first-round picks, and Kenyan Drake won a national title at Alabama before getting selected in the third round.

7. Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State

Height/Weight: 6'7", 290 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Johnson's father, Paris, played at Miami (Ohio) and was a fifth-round pick of the Arizona Cardinals in 1999. He later served as an assistant coach at Michigan State and Pitt.

6. Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia

Height/Weight: 6'2", 205 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Ringo took his official visit to Georgia on the final weekend before December's signing period. Though he quietly signed with UGA, he waited until the All-American Bowl to announce the decision.

5-1. Flowe, Young, Fleming, Uiagalelei, Bresee

5. Justin Flowe, ILB, Oregon

Height/Weight: 6'2", 225 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Thanks to Flowe, Oregon has landed a 5-star defender from the Los Angeles area in two straight cycles. Last year, Kayvon Thibodeaux chose the Ducks. Flowe will attempt to follow Thibodeaux's path to freshman All-America honors.

4. Bryce Young, QB, Alabama

Height/Weight: 5'11", 183 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Before enrolling at Alabama, Young earned MVP honors at the All-American Bowl. He completed six of nine passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns, leading the West team to a 33-20 victory.

3. Julian Fleming, WR, Ohio State

Height/Weight: 6'2", 199 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Only 90 miles separate Fleming's high school from Penn State, but he turned down the nearby school. Fleming took nine unofficial visits to Penn State before committing to Ohio State.

2. DJ Uiagalelei, QB, Clemson

Height/Weight: 6'4½", 246 lbs

1 Thing to Know

Uiagalelei could be the backup to Trevor Lawrence right away after second-stringer Chase Brice decided to transfer. Clemson's only other returning scholarship QB is Taisun Phommachanh, who attempted 12 throws before taking a redshirt in 2019.

1. Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson

Height/Weight: 6'5", 290 lbs

1 Thing to Know

For seven straight years, Clemson has ranked no worse than sixth nationally in tackles for loss. Perhaps unfairly, the defensive powerhouse adds a player in Bresee who collected 66.5 such takedowns during his last two high school seasons.

All recruiting information via 247Sports. Stats from NCAA.com, cfbstats.com or B/R research. Follow Bleacher Report CFB Writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.