Teams poised for a strong finish on National Signing Day
We’re now inside the 24-hour mark before National Signing Day kicks off in earnest. Fax machines will be buzzing for the only time they’re plugged in all year, and the majority of the country’s top recruits will sign with their school of choice sometime between Wednesday morning and Friday night.
A handful of teams still have some major targets still left on their board and could finish the 2023 cycle with a bang. Start the coffee.
Alabama
Consensus Team Ranking: No. 1
Names to watch: Kadyn Proctor, James Smith, Qua Russaw, Damari Brown
The Crimson Tide enters National Signing Day with the No. 1 class in the On3 Consensus Team Recruiting Rankings. And barring a few major surprises, Alabama is expected to close in a huge way. They’ve been the favorites for most of the past year for five-star Montgomery (Ala.) Carver teammates Russaw and Smith, and they’ve made a late move with Proctor, who has been committed to Iowa since June. Land all three, and Nick Saban will have amassed a class with six of the top 32 prospects in the country in it, as well as a ton of depth beyond that. Rumors of Alabama’s demise appear to be greatly exaggerated.
Georgia
Consensus Team Ranking: No. 2
Names to watch: Damon Wilson, Jordan Hall, Daniel Harris
Chasing the Tide will be Georgia, which enters the day solidly in the No. 2 spot. And that’s exactly where they should stay. Wilson, a five-star out of Venice (Fla.) has been down to the Bulldogs and Ohio State, but UGA is trending late and expected to land him Wednesday. The same can be said for Hall, who has entertained Florida, Alabama and a number of others, but is highest on the Bulldogs and has known where he wants to go for some time now.
Harris was a one-time Georgia commit who at one point was trending to Penn State. But the Bulldogs have stayed around and look poised to add one of the nation’s most coveted defensive backs to another elite class for Kirby Smart.
Texas
Consensus Team Ranking: No. 5
Names to watch: DeAndre Moore, Jelani McDonald
Texas has done most of its damage already, with three five-star commits expected to sign Wednesday, along with top-40 safety Derek Williams. As long as the Longhorns can hold onto them and land Moore and McDonald, it will be another wildly successful class for Steve Sarkisian. Moore is still committed to Louisville, but has been considering other schools over the past few months. McDonald is one of On3’s top uncommitted players this cycle, slotting in as an athletic linebacker at the next level.
LSU
Consensus Team Ranking: No. 7
Names to watch: Desmond Ricks, Isaac Smith
Brian Kelly has clearly proven what he can do on the field in Baton Rouge — and the recruiting trail tells a similar story. The Tigers have a five-star commitment already with Zalance Heard and two more ranked as five-stars by On3 with Shelton Sampson Jr. and Dashawn Womack.
Ricks is a borderline five-star who reclassified from 2024 and is considering LSU, Florida and Alabama. The Tigers are considered the favorites right now, but this is going to be mighty close over the next few days. Smith is one of the country’s most dynamic defensive playmakers who will choose between the Tigers and home-state Mississippi State.
Oklahoma
Consensus Team Ranking: No. 8
Names to watch: Peyton Bowen, Tausili Akana
Brent Venables’ first full class already includes a pair of five-stars: Jackson Arnold and Adepoju Adebawore. But he’s looking for more, and five-star Notre Dame commit Peyton Bowen would be the perfect cherry on top of this class. The Fighting Irish are working desperately to hold onto him, but the On3 RPM favors a flip as we stand today.
The other big name on the board for the Sooners is Akana, who has played his recruiting process slowly until the last few weeks, when he’s taken a handful of visits and hosted a few schools in-home. The Sooners are trending right now, but both Colorado and Louisville are looking to pull off a shocker.
USC
Consensus Team Ranking: No. 12
Names to watch: Matayo Uiagalelei
No team has a better class at the top than USC, which boasts three five-star commits despite ranking No. 12 nationally. Malachi Nelson, Zachariah Branch and Makai Lemon lead a loaded offensive group for Lincoln Riley, but he wants to add an elite defender as well. Enter Uiagalelei, who has been considering USC, Oregon and Ohio State for the past few months. Optimism is high in Los Angeles that the Trojans can keep him home, but they’ll have stiff competition for him.