2023 On300: Inside the numbers shows deep class in the trenches

In every sense of the word, recruiting is a numbers game. How many available roster spots; how fast is a 40; where does a prospect fit in the potential depth chart. But especially when breaking down the top recruits in each class, the numbers become even more apparent. With the latest release of the 2023 On300 rankings today, we went inside the numbers with some of the country’s top prospects and programs.

2

The newest rankings feature a pair of new five-star prospects: Orlando (Fla.) Edgewater running back and Texas commit Cedric Baxter Jr. and Concord (N.C.) Robinson defensive lineman Daevin Hobbs. Baxter jumped up six spots from No. 28 to No. 22, while Hobbs made one of the largest leaps of any prospect in the country, going from No. 83 all the way to No. 23 after an impressive start to his senior season. Each recruiting cycle with 32 five-stars.

22

The senior season is one of — if not the biggest — evaluation point of what a prospect projects to at the college level. That means that a number of players who could have been a little off the radar because they didn’t attend camps or perform well in those settings can showcase what they do between the lines. In the latest On300, 22 seniors have ascended from outside the rankings into blue-chip status. Among those are major risers like Pierre (S.D.) T.F. Riggs quarterback and Washington commit Lincoln Keinholz, who went from unranked to No. 139 nationally.

45

With a little more than three months to go until the Early Signing Period, the large majority of the top 300 prospects by On3 are already committed to a program. Only 45 (or about 15%) aren’t currently pledged to a school. We expect to see hundreds of decommitments across the country between now and December, including some among the best prospects in the nation. But as of now, almost 9 out of every 10 elite recruits in the country is already accounted for.

53

Each year, the states of Florida and Texas battle for high school football recruiting supremacy. Despite the Sunshine State having about eight million fewer residents, it’s right up there with Texas as one of the elite talent-producing areas in the country. As it stands today, this year is a draw. Each state boasts 53 prospects in the top 300, though that number is a little misleading in the case of Florida. Bradenton IMG Academy recruits from around the country, giving it an advantage no other program has.

71

Few players outside of the quarterback have as much impact on the college level as defensive linemen. If you have any questions, see Bulldogs, Georgia. Those trends are reflected in the latest rankings as well. Among the On300, 71 are projected as future defensive lineman and/or edge rushers. The EDGE spot slightly wins out with 36 prospects compared to 35 classified as defensive linemen. Only wide receivers (of which there are 41 in the On300) are more well-represented. Among On3’s 23 five-stars, seven play along the defensive front.

The rest of the position break down is as follows: quarterback (16); running back (17); tight end (16); offensive tackle (22); interior offensive lineman (24); linebacker (26); cornerback (32); safety (24); athlete (11).

87

Among the On3 Consensus top-300 prospects, the SEC (and future members Texas and Oklahoma) were utterly dominant when it came to commitments. But in the On300, the league where “it just means more” hasn’t taken quite as big of an advantage. Eighty-seven of the top 300 by On3 are committed to current SEC schools, with another 22 pledged to the Sooners and Longhorns.