August Recruiting Winners: Six programs that bolstered their 2023 classes
The month of August had a lot to live up to in the recruiting sphere. During the 31 days of July, more than 250 prospects committed to Power Five schools — including multiple On3 Consensus five-stars. Things were a little quieter in August, with 111 players in the 2023 class pledging to P5 schools.
No five-stars made their decisions last month but one of the biggest prizes in the entire cycle, Tampa (Fla.) Berkeley Prep EDGE Keon Keeley, reopened his recruitment after being committed to Notre Dame for more than a year. Keeley, the No. 3 prospect in the On300, immediately becomes one of the best available recruits in the entire class, with Alabama, Ohio State and Florida battling for his services.
Despite no five-stars coming off the board, a handful of teams made significant moves in the eighth month of the year, setting up some strong momentum as the college football season kicks off.
Oklahoma
On3 Consensus Team Ranking: No. 6
August Commitments: 4
Avg. Rating Per Commit: 91.11
The recruitment momentum that Brent Venables and Co. built during a monstrous July run only continued into August. The Sooners started with a bang by beating both Texas and Oregon for Longhorns legacy EDGE Colton Vasek, the No. 169 prospect in the On3 Consensus. Ace recruiter Jay Valai solidified the secondary with four-star Mustang (Okla.) ATH Jacobe Johnson, a top-40 prospect by On3 this cycle, and top-100 safety Makari Vickers. In doing so, they beat Alabama for both. And to close things out, OU made a last-second push to land speedy four-star wideout Anthony Evans, who had been leaning toward Georgia in the final days.
The Sooners now look to be the team to beat for five-star Katy (Texas) Paetow defensive lineman David Hicks, the No. 1 player at his position in this class.
Florida
On3 Consensus Team Ranking: No. 9
August Commitments: 4
Avg. Rating Per Commit: 92.30
Billy Napier closed the door on questions of whether he could recruit in the SEC during July, but he slammed it shut again in August just for good measure. The first-year head coach went head-to-head with Nick Saban for four-star Gardendale (Ala.) defensive lineman Kelby Collins and came out on top. Later that day, he grabbed top-150 defensive lineman Will Norman out of St. Francis (N.J.) and followed that up by nabbing On3 top-25 EDGE Kamran James, who heard late pitches from both Alabama and Georgia.
For good measure, Napier flipped four-star Lake City (Fla.) linebacker Jaden Robinson away from South Carolina, adding to what’s becoming one of the elite defensive classes in the country.
Alabama
On3 Consensus Team Ranking: No. 1
August Commitments: 5
Avg. Rating Per Commit: 92.70
After a five-star filled July, Alabama was a little quieter on the recruiting front, but the Tide added a handful of interior maulers on both sides of the ball. Four-star in-state defensive lineman Hunter Osborne eschewed Texas, Clemson and Tennessee for the Tide to start the month, and East St. Louis (Ill.) four-star offensive lineman Miles McVay picked Nick Saban and Co. over Michigan State, Missouri and few others, too.
Four-star tight end Ty Lockwood flipped from Ohio State to the Crimson & Cream, and the Tide also won out with four-star defensive lineman Edric Hill and hulking offensive lineman Raymond Pulido. Arguably the biggest news though, was Keeley’s decommitment. Alabama is considered the major favorite by the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM), with Ohio State and Florida chasing behind.
Texas
On3 Consensus Team Ranking: No. 5
August Commitments: 2
Avg. Rating Per Commit: 91.37
Only two commitments for the Longhorns in August after an unprecedented run in June and July, but these were massive ones. Steve Sarkisian and Co. went into the state of Florida to land On3’s No. 1 running back Cedric Baxter Jr., and also held off rival Texas A&M for On3 top-60 prospect Derion Gullette from inside the state.
Those only add to a class that now features six prospects ranked in the top-75 nationally, including two five-stars.
LSU
On3 Consensus Team Ranking: No. 7
August Commitments: 4
Avg. Rating Per Commit: 91.41
July was another big month for LSU and Brian Kelly, with 11 commitments over the course of those four-plus weeks. August didn’t have quite that quantity, but the Tigers hit on a few of their biggest targets over the course of the last month. First and foremost on that list are five-star Baton Rouge Catholic receiver Shelton Sampson Jr. and four-star Baton Rouge Woodlawn quarterback Rickie Collins. Those two add to what should be an incredibly dynamic passing threat in this cycle, joining four-stars Jalen Brown, Khai Prean and Kyle Parker.
Prean and four-star Zachary (La.) safety Kylin Jackson were another pair of key in-state additions, with arguably LSU’s biggest target this cycle — five-star Neville (La.) offensive tackle Zalance Heard — set to announce later today.
South Carolina
On3 Consensus Team Ranking: No. 16
August Commitments: 5
Avg. Rating Per Commit: 88.81
No coach or program has capitalized on its program momentum more than Shane Beamer and South Carolina have. The Gamecocks not only brought in a strong transfer class this offseason, highlighted by former five-star quarterback Spencer Rattler, but they’ve parlayed it into the 2023 cycle as well. No month was that more apparent than August. Beamer and Co. made the nexus of Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia their home, grabbing three top-300 commitments from that area.
The Gamecocks beat out Ohio State for four-star EDGE Desmond Umeozulu and grabbed four-star offensive lineman Oluwatosin Babalade, in addition to fending off late pushes from Florida and Georgia for four-stars Xzavier McLeod and Zavion Hardy. Each of those adds to a class strongly focused on rebuilding the offensive and defensive lines in Columbia; of the Gamecocks 20 commitments thus far, nine will play in the trenches at the next level.