Top 25 recruiting classes heading into final 3 days of recruiting
National Signing Day is less than 48 hours away. While most of the pieces are in place and a good majority of senior recruits have already signed, there are still some key recruits left on the board that could cause some shifting in the On3 Consensus Team Recruiting Ranking. Here’s how the top 25 looks at this point heading into the final stretch for the Class of 2022.
No. 1 Texas A&M
5-Stars: 6
4-Stars: 20
Average NIL: $65K
The Skinny: Some have called this Texas A&M class the best ever. It’s not quite at that level in the On3 Consensus Team Recruiting Ranking, falling only behind the Alabama 2021 class by a few percentage points. That being said, it’s still one of the best of the best that we’ve seen in the modern era of recruiting headlined by Five-Star Plus+ receiver Evan Stewart and five other five-star recruits. The Aggies hope to add more to the class on Wednesday with DL Shemar Stewart and LB Harold Perkins still considering A&M.
No. 2 Alabama
5-Stars: 4
4-Stars: 19
Average NIL: $41K
The Skinny: For many, this Alabama class has been somewhat overshadowed by the A&M class. But it shouldn’t be. It’s right there and just percentage points away from No. 1 overall. It’s a class made up of 96% blue chips and five-star difference makers all over the place. Five-star EDGE Jihaad Campbell is a name the On3 evaluators fell in love with in an all-star game setting. He’s not the only one to love as this group is vintage Nick Saban domination on the recruiting trail.
No. 3 Georgia
5-Stars: 4
4-Stars: 17
Average NIL: $28K
The Skinny: There was a point in the process where it seemed like UGA was on its way to the No. 1 class in the country. But the Dawgs just didn’t reel in as many blue-chippers down the stretch as Alabama and A&M. However, it’s still another class that’s going to give Kirby Smart the weapons to compete for another national championship. The defensive line class – headlined by five-star Mykel Williams, five-star Marvin Jones Jr. and four-star Bear Alexander – is downright scary. But there is depth and talent all over the place.
No. 4 Ohio State
5-Stars: 3
4-Stars: 16
Average NIL: $32K
The Skinny: Another loaded group at Ohio State for Ryan Day with a class that’s 90% blue chips. The Buckeyes do have the No. 1 player in the country heading their way in quarterback Devin Brown. But there are also many other playmakers on both sides of the ball and depth along the line to get excited about. An added bonus was getting Five-Star Plus+ safety Sonny Styles to reclassify from the 2023 class to enroll as part of the 2022 class.
No. 5 Texas
5-Stars: 1
4-Stars: 20
Average NIL: $40K
The Skinny: A lot of the attention in the Lone Star State was on A&M, but few closed as strongly down the stretch as Steve Sarkisian and the Texas Longhorns. During the start of the early signing period, UT added four-star CB Terrance Brooks, five-star offensive tackle Kelvin Banks, four-star offensive lineman Neto Umeozulu and got the huge transfer portal victory of five-star quarterback Quinn Ewers. UT is expected to add at least one more five-star to the mix in Devon Campbell on Signing Day.
No. 6 Notre Dame
5-Stars: 1
4-Stars: 16
Average NIL: $16.2K
The Skinny: The Fighting Irish managed to keep its high-profile recruiting class in place through a dramatic coaching change. Marcus Freeman was a player and recruit favorite and having him get the job sealed the deal with a number of top targets. Five-star linebacker Jaylen Sneed is the top overall prospect in the class, but others like Tyson Ford, Joshua Burnham and Aamil Wagner have the potential to be special.
No. 7 Penn State
5-Stars: 3
4-Stars: 12
Average NIL: $30K
The Skinny: James Franklin and Penn State have their quarterback of the future in five-star signal-caller Drew Allar. But he’s not the only big-time playmaker in this class. Running back Nick Singleton and EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton are also five stars that could make immediate impacts in Happy Valley. All in all, it’s an elite class that checks a lot of boxes and is 63% blue-chips.
No. 8 Michigan
5-Stars: 1
4-Stars: 13
Average NIL: $27K
The Skinny: The questions surrounding Jim Harbaugh’s future in Ann Arbor has largely overshadowed the final few days of the 2022 recruiting cycle for the Wolverines. On3’s The Wolverine reported Sunday that Harbaugh met with the Minnesota Vikings and now the question is whether or not both parties want to continue discussions. The good news is that Michigan already has locked in the big pieces of its class and it’s a special group headlined by five-star cornerback Will Johnson and four-star EDGE Derrick Moore.
No. 9 Oklahoma
5-Stars: 0
4-Stars: 14
Average NIL: $27K
The Skinny: Things could have easily turned out different for the Oklahoma Sooners. The class was quickly falling apart after Lincoln Riley bolted for USC. But Brent Venables and Co. came on board and quickly salvaged the class and even improved on it some with guys like four-star quarterback Nick Evers and four-star receiver Jayden Gibson. There might be some room for the Sooners to climb, too, as four-star DL Gracen Halton is expected to pick OU. Plus other names like R Mason Thomas, Ahmad Moten and Jamarrien Burt are still on the board. It would only boost OU’s class that is 82% blue-chips.
No. 10 North Carolina
5-Stars: 1
4-Stars: 11
Average NIL: $21K
The Skinny: North Carolina had an up-and-down season on the field, but they had nothing but success on the recruiting trail. Five-star offensive tackle Zach Rice is a major recruiting win in Virginia for Mack Brown, and so was four-star receiver Andre Greene Jr. The Heels also did well locally and the overall class is 71% made up of blue-chip recruits.
No. 11 Missouri
5-Stars: 1
4-Stars: 10
Average NIL: $20K
The Skinny: Eliah Drinkwitz has landed Mizzou’s highest-ranked recruiting class – ever. The guy that grabs all the attention in the Tigers’ class – and rightfully so – is Five-Star Plus+ receiver Luther Burden. But the MU class is much more than that. Four-star DL Marquis Gracial, four-star RB Tavorus Jones, and four-star QB Sam Horn are all coming in with lofty expectations. Plus, the entire class is made up of 65% of blue-chip recruits.
No. 12 Kentucky
5-Stars: 0
4-Stars: 12
Average NIL: $21K
The Skinny: This is not a typo. This is not basketball we’re talking about. The Kentucky Wildcats have the No. 12 recruiting class in the country thanks to the tremendous efforts by Mark Stoops and Co. For those that haven’t paid attention all football season, the Wildcats started out of the gate fast with some big additions and they finished it off with the signing of coveted offensive lineman Kiyaunta Goodwin. All in all, the Wildcats’ class is 63% blue-chip prospects.
No. 13 Tennessee
5-Stars: 0
4-Stars: 10
Average NIL: $24K
The Skinny: Four-star defensive lineman Ahmad Moten is a name the Volunteers are still pursuing, but things are pretty well set for UT’s 2022 class. It’s a class that has to have Tennessee fans fired up, especially with the addition of James Pearce. The five-star EDGE is ranked as the No. 11 player overall by On3 and a huge recruiting win for UT. But there are plenty of other four-stars and a lot of depth along the lines in the class that’s made up of 48% of blue-chip recruits.
No. 14 Clemson
5-Stars: 1
4-Stars: 8
Average NIL: $32K
The Skinny: Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney had to a lot of adjusting with the 2022 class because of shakeup of his coaching staff. The good news is that some of the heavy hitters like five-star quarterback Cade Klubnik stayed on board and are already signed. But the class definitely lost some momentum with all the changes. That could change if the Tigers are able to reel in a few remaining targets like four-star linebacker T.J. Dudley, four-star defensive lineman Caden Story and others on Wednesday.
No. 15 Auburn
5-Stars: 0
4-Stars: 8
Average NIL: $30K
The Skinny: Auburn is a school to watch over the next couple of days and on Signing Day. The Tigers still have a few targets still on the board, including three-star EDGE Jack Pyburn, four-star running back TreVonte’ Citizen and three-star offensive lineman Jalen Farmer. Landing any of those could push them up a few spots in the rankings. Regardless of how they finish, it’s a solid group all the way around made up of 44% of blue-chip recruits. It also addresses needs at almost every position.
No. 16 Florida State
5-Stars: 0
4-Stars: 8
Average NIL: $30K
The Skinny: Florida State took the brunt of a lot of negative attention during the early signing period when it lost Five-Star Plus+ athlete Travis Hunter to Jackson State. That loss somewhat has erased some of the excitement around what is a pretty solid overall class that’s made up of 50% blue-chip prospects. The good news is that FSU has also done well in the transfer market.
No. 17 LSU
5-Stars: 0
4-Stars: 7
Average NIL: $26K
The Skinny: LSU had a lot of work to do to salvage its 2022 class after Brian Kelly took over. He did that for the most part. But there are still some big names left on the board that could push the Tigers into contention for a top-10 class. Names like five-star linebacker Harold Perkins, five-star safety Jacoby Mathews, four-star receiver Caleb Douglas, four-star running back TreVonte’ Citizen and three-star tight end Danny Lewis. Kelly will largely be judged by Tiger fans how he closes out with those top remaining targets.
No. 18 Miami
5-Stars: 0
4-Stars: 9
Average NIL: $23K
The Skinny: Miami could be in a position to make a move over the next couple of days with several targets left on its board. This includes five-star defensive lineman Shemar Stewart, who is trending toward the Canes after a weekend visit. If Mario Cristobal can pull off Stewart and a few other surprises, then this class could jump into the top 15 or higher range on Wednesday.
No. 19 Stanford
5-Stars: 0
4-Stars: 7
Average NIL: $12.3K
The Skinny: Stanford locked up its 2022 class during the early signing period and has shifted its focus already to the 2023 crop. The Cardinal’s signing class is made up of 30% blue-chip recruits, including No. 8 linebacker David Bailey and No. 18 EDGE Ernest Cooper IV.
No. 20 Ole Miss
5-Stars: 0
4-Stars: 7
Average NIL: $24K
The Skinny: Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss made plenty of news on the recruiting trail in this cycle. Four-star defensive lineman Zxavian Harris, four-star safety Davison Igbinosun and four-star linebacker Jaron Willis were all national recruiting victories for the Rebels. It would be a surprise to see any new names added to the commit list over the next two days. But the Rebels have made plenty of news with their portal success, headlined USC transfer quarterback Jaxson Dart and TCU transfer running back and former five-star recruit Zach Evans.
No. 21 Arkansas
5-Stars: 0
4-Stars: 7
Average NIL: $23K
The Skinny: Arkansas appears to be trending in the right direction on the recruiting trail. The Hawgs have recruited well in the past, but this effort just feels different under Sam Pittman. There’s more four-star talent than in years past, much-needed depth along both sides of the line and some explosive playmakers like Isaiah Sategna and Samuel Mbake. When combined with the January success in the transfer portal, this has the makings of a really good class for the Hogs.
No. 22 Michigan State
5-Stars: 0
4-Stars: 6
Average NIL: $26K
The Skinny: Michigan State appears to be done with the Class of 2022, barring any last-minute surprises. The Spartans have focused a lot of their last recruiting capital on the transfer portal, something that Mel Tucker is an ace at. That being said, the Spartan’s 2022 class is 26% made up of blue-chip recruits and it appears the quarterback of the future is on the way in four-star Katin Houser.
No. 23 Mississippi State
5-Stars: 0
4-Stars: 4
Average NIL: $14.9K
The Skinny: The Bulldogs have tried to add a few more pieces down the stretch. But they have been mainly standing firm with its best class since 2015 when MSU finished at No. 16. Four-star quarterback Braedyn Locke has the tools to fit Mike Leach’s offense perfectly. Four-star EDGE Trevion Williams is a quarterback’s worst nightmare on the other side of the ball. MSU’s class is made up of 19% blue-chip recruits.
No. 24 Indiana
5-Stars: 0
4-Stars: 5
Average NIL: $19.2K
The Skinny: Indiana could still add one or two more pieces in the final 48 hours. But even if the Hoosiers don’t, it shouldn’t dampen the excitement for Tom Allen’s first top-25 class and highest-ranked Indiana class in the modern era of recruiting. Indiana’s class is made up of 24% of blue-chip recruits.
No. 25 South Carolina
5-Stars: 0
4-Stars: 8
Average NIL: $19.2K
The Skinny: Shane Beamer got it done on the recruiting trail in the Class of 2022. The Gamecocks’ class is 36% blue chips and made up of recruiting victories all over the map. Four-star safety Peyton Williams was a solid recruiting win in Texas. Four-star safety Anthony Rose was a good get in Florida. And the Gamecocks even went to Delaware to land quarterback Braden Davis. In the end, there’s good momentum for the Gamecocks on the field and on the trail.