Where the top recruits in the final On300 rankings come from
After the release of the final 2023 On300 rankings on Tuesday, On3 is taking a look at where the top recruits in the country come from.
In most years, Texas and Florida — as two of the country’s most populous states — dominate the field. That’s largely the case again, though a strong class in Georgia Georgia has the Peach State very much in contention. And of the large population states, Georgia actually leads in this years rankings for most top-300 prospects produced per capita.
Other strong showings in this year’s cycle include Alabama, Missouri, Ohio, Virginia and North Carolina. Down from previous years are Louisiana, Michigan, Arkansas, Utah and a handful of others.
Below are how many top-300 prospects come from each state in the country. (States with zero are not listed.)
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Texas – 54
Top overall recruit: QB Jackson Arnold
Number of 5-stars: 3
The Skinny: It’s another deep class in the Lone Star State, with eight of the country’s top 50 prospects and 22 of the top 100 hailing from inside the state’s borders.
Florida – 44
Top overall recruit: EDGE Keon Keeley
Number of 5-stars: 6
The Skinny: While this wasn’t the deepest class Florida has had in recent memory, it was a loaded one at the top with six of the top 32 recruits in the country coming from the Sunshine State.
(Note: Prospects who play at Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy are listed in their home states.)
Georgia – 32
Top overall recruit: S Caleb Downs
Number of 5-stars: 1
The Skinny: Georgia has replaced California as part of the Big Three talent-producing states over the past decade, and that trend continues with the Class of 2023. The Peach State had more talent per capita than any other large population center in the country.
California – 22
Top overall recruit: QB Nico Iamaleava
Number of 5-stars: 3
The Skinny: While California has dropped off in recent years in terms of elite talent production, it still churns out a number of the country’s top players — especially quarterbacks. Iamaleava is the No. 1 overall prospect in the class.
Alabama – 19
Top overall recruit: DL James Smith
Number of 5-stars: 6
The Skinny: This will likely go down as best class ever from Alabama, and the numbers show that’s true. Including Smith, Alabama has 14 players ranked in the top-175 nationally this cycle.
Louisiana – 15
Top overall recruit: QB Arch Manning
Number of 5-stars: 2
The Skinny: Louisiana continues to crank out blue-chip talent, and the Class of 2023 was a strong one. In addition to five-stars Manning and OT Zalance Heard, the state had 13 more blue-chippers who cracked the top 300.
Ohio – 10
Top overall recruit: CB Jermaine Mathews
Number of 5-stars: 1
The Skinny: Ohio always ebbs and flows for top-end talent, but the 2023 class was a stronger one. This crop featured one five-star and a wealth of talent along the offensive and defensive lines.
Virginia – 10
Top overall recruit: CB Desmond Ricks
Number of 5-stars: 0
The Skinny: It was a particularly strong year in Virginia, with Ricks headlining a group that featured 10 recruits among the top-300 nationally, including four in the top 100.
North Carolina – 9
Top overall recruit: WR Noah Rogers
Number of 5-stars: 2
The Skinny: North Carolina is another state that often gets overlooked by many observers for the number of recruits it produces. But the Class of 2023 is quality from top to bottom. Rogers and Daevin Hobbs lead a strong group that features five players in the top 150.
Missouri – 8
Top overall recruit: EDGE Adepoju Adebawore
Number of 5-stars: 1
The Skinny: Savvy recruiters have known for years that there’s always good talent to be found in Missouri. That’s especially true during some cycles in Kansas City and St. Louis. The state boasts seven players ranked among the top 200 in the country this year.
Arizona – 7
Top overall recruit: TE Duce Robinson
Number of 5-stars: 1
The Skinny: Over the past decade, Arizona has increasingly become one of the top talent-producing states in the West. The same is true in the 2023 class with Robinson, the country’s best tight end, leading the charge.
New Jersey – 7
Top overall recruit: OT Chase Bisontis
Number of 5-stars: 0
The Skinny: New Jersey put together another strong year as one of the powerhouses states in the Northeast. Bisontis led the way, but seven Garden State natives finished in the top 300 of our rankings.
Mississippi – 6
Top overall recruit: LB Suntarine Perkins
Number of 5-stars: 1
The Skinny: Per capita, Mississippi annually produces some of the greatest number of top-end recruits. Perkins was one of the biggest risers in the country this year, which closed with him ascending to five-star status by On3.
Maryland – 5
Top overall recruit: EDGE Dashawn Womack
Number of 5-stars: 1
The Skinny: The DMV is a quiet hotbed for recruiting talent, and Maryland held up its end of the bargain this cycle. Womack was another recruit whose stock shot through the roof over the past year.
Michigan – 5
Top overall recruit: QB Dante Moore
Number of 5-stars: 1
The Skinny: Moore leads a solid, if not strong list from Michigan. The Mitten continues to churn out quality prospects, and this year wasn’t any different.
South Carolina – 5
Top overall recruit: OT Monroe Freeling
Number of 5-stars: 1
The Skinny: Freeling ascended from a borderline top-100 prospect into five-star territory this fall, but he wasn’t the only talented Palmetto State native to make the rankings.
Massachusetts – 4
Top overall recruit: S Joenel Aguero
Number of 5-stars: 1
The Skinny: Even with a large population base, there always isn’t a lot of top-end talent in the Boston area. That’s different in the 2023 with three top-75 prospects in the final rankings.
Pennsylvania – 4
Top overall recruit: IOL Jven Williams
Number of 5-stars: 1
The Skinny: Williams marks the state’s lone five-star this cycle, but three more Pennsylvanians cracked the rankings as well.
Tennessee – 4
Top overall recruit: EDGE Caleb Herring
Number of 5-stars: 0
The Skinny: Herring leads the pack in a solid but not spectacular year for Tennessee. Four-star Tennessee signee Arion Carter was a major riser this fall.
Illinois – 4
Top overall recruit: OT Charles Jagusah
Number of 5-stars: 1
The Skinny: Jagusah is one of the most physically imposing recruits in the country and should be a major impact player at Notre Dame.
Iowa – 4
Top overall recruit: OT Kadyn Proctor
Number of 5-stars: 1
The Skinny: There’s some sneaky good football played in Iowa, and the Class of 2023 is one of the best classes the state has produced in the last decade. Proctor is the headliner, but EDGE Andrew Depaepe and Iowa State QB signee JJ Kohl are blue-chippers as well.
District of Columbia – 3
Top overall recruit: EDGE Nyckoles Harbor
Number of 5-stars: 1
The Skinny: When you combine DC, Virginia and Maryland, the DMV has some really elite talent in the Class of 2023. But there does seem to be more concentrated talent in DC than in the past. Harbor is an elite two-way prospect who has yet to make his college decision.
Connecticut – 2
Top overall recruit: CB Zion Tracy
Number of 5-stars: 0
The Skinny: Tracy and Alinen lead the group in Connecticut, with the former being a major riser this fall.
Oklahoma – 2
Top overall recruit: EDGE Bai Jobe
Number of 5-stars: 0
The Skinny: Oklahoma is another state with boom or bust cycles. This class wasn’t as strong as previous years, but Jobe and Jacobe Johnson have the chance to be stars at the next level.
Oregon – 2
Top overall recruit: TE Riley Williams
Number of 5-stars: 0
The Skinny: Williams transferred to IMG Academy before his senior season, but is still an Oregonian at heart.
Nevada – 2
Top overall recruit: WR Zachariah Branch
Number of 5-stars: 1
The Skinny: Las Vegas continues to grow from a population standpoint and more and more blue-chippers are coming out of the area. Branch is the headliner and one of the country’s elite playmakers.
Washington – 2
Top overall recruit: DL Jayden Wayne
Number of 5-stars: 0
The Skinny: Wayne announced he was transferring to IMG Academy over the summer, but the state still featured another top-300 prospect with Washington signee Caleb Presley.
Indiana – 2
Top overall recruit: EDGE Joshua Mickens
Number of 5-stars: 0
The Skinny: Notre Dame commit Drayk Bowen is the biggest name of the group, but Mickens was a major riser this fall and has signed with Ohio State.
Kansas – 2
Top overall recruit: QB Avery Johnson
Number of 5-stars: 0
The Skinny: Not known for producing a ton of high-end talent outside of Kansas City, this cycle features two top-300 prospects with Johnson and Iowa State signee Samuel Same.
Utah – 1
Top overall recruit: OT Spencer Fano
The Skinny: After a monster 2022 class, Utah is a little down in 2023. That being said, Fano was one of the most impressive offensive linemen in the country.
Arkansas – 1
Top overall recruit: TE Shamar Easter
Number of 5-stars: 0
The Skinny: Easter was an early Arkansas commit. Had he remained on the market, he would have been one of the most heavily-recruited tight ends in the country.
Idaho – 1
Top overall recruit: ATH Kenyon Sadiq
Number of 5-stars: 0
The Skinny: The state known for its potatoes isn’t known for high-level prep football, but Sadiq is one of the elite athletes this cycle.
Minnesota – 1
Top overall recruit: EDGE Jaxon Howard
Number of 5-stars: 0
The Skinny: Minnesota isn’t typically home to many elite recruits, but Howard, an LSU signee, carries the torch this year.
Nebraska – 1
Top overall recruit: ATH Malachi Coleman
Number of 5-stars: 0
The Skinny: Coleman led somewhat of a down year in Nebraska, but he is one of the country’s elite athletes as a hybrid wide receiver.
South Dakota – 1
Top overall recruit: QB Lincoln Kienholz
Number of 5-stars: 0
The Skinny: Kienholz, an Ohio State signee, was as big of a stock riser as anyone in the cycle. He brings one of the elite arms in the 2023 class to Columbus.
West Virginia – 1
Top overall recruit: IOL Layth Ghannam
Number of 5-stars: 0
The Skinny: Ghannam was a late riser into the final On300 rankings, but checks in as the country’s No. 13 offensive lineman.