All-SEC: Top commitments for each of the league's 16 programs

For much of the past two decades, the SEC has dominated college football recruiting. The league routinely boasts the top classes and top commitments — often boasting nearly as many blue-chip commitments as the other three Power 4 leagues combined.

While the numbers are a little bit closer in the 2026 cycle, the 16 programs in the SEC still boast more four- and five-stars than any other league (142). Seven programs have double-digit blue-chip commitments, led by Georgia with 23.

And all but two of the teams have at least one committed. (Sorry, Missouri and Mississippi State). Below are the top commitments for each SEC program this cycle:

Alabama — S Jireh Edwards

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 16
School: St. Frances Academy (Upper Marlboro, MD)
Notable Quote: “The guys, Coach DeBoer, he’s a real winning coach,” Edwards said of why he committed to the Tide. “He wants to win badly. I feel me and him will match perfect. The way they brought my family in with open arms. They love my family. I feel that’s perfect. They did stuff other schools didn’t do. They welcomed me with warm hugs and all that other stuff.”

Arkansas — OT Bryce Gilmore

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 173
School: Prosper (Prosper, TX)
About: The 6-foot-4, 270-pounder committed to the Razorbacks in June over Arizona State, Ole Miss, Texas Tech and Vanderbilt. His decision came almost immediately after his official visit to Fayetteville, and it rocketed him up to the No. 1 player in their class. Landing him was a big boon for Sam Pittman and Co., who jumped from No. 32 to No. 23 in the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings.

Auburn — EDGE Jaquez Wilkes

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 96
School: Wadley (Wadley, AL)
Notable Quote: “I just wanted to stay home,” Wilkes told Rivals. “After I took my official visit to Auburn, I went to Texas A&M for my official visit… After that, I went back to Auburn two more times in June and I just knew it. It was a different feeling at Auburn than at Texas A&M or anywhere else.”

Florida — DL JaReylan McCoy

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 109
School: Tupelo (Tupelo, MS)
Notable Quote: “People think that Florida offered me a higher number,” he said. “Florida didn’t even offer me the highest number. I’m not going to say who did, but someone offered me a higher number. It wasn’t even about the money. If you do good your couple of years there, your money will be there. It wasn’t even based on just money. It was based on relationships. I gotta be there for three years, so I want to go somewhere I am comfortable. Be able to call when I need you. That’s what it’s based off.”

Georgia — QB Jared Curtis

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 5
School: Nashville Christian (Nashville, TN)
Notable Quote: “I’d say just talking to Coach Bobo, I’ve been up there so many times and built a relationship with all the coaches,” Curtis said of why he committed. “Getting up there with Coach Bobo and him coming down to us, that made an impression. Getting to talk to him was really good. … Obviously they’re a really good program. Both programs are. Georgia I’d been committed there once, and I have a good relationship with all the coaches and I think that was the biggest factor.”

Kentucky — QB Matt Ponatoski

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 242
School: Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati, OH)
Scout’s Take: “Matt Ponatoski is a prospect who came on our radar last fall. He had an awesome junior season at Archbishop Moeller and is one of the most productive passers we’ve seen in the cycle. He threw for over 4,200 yards with 57 touchdowns and just three interceptions while playing top competition. This guy is one of the top dual-threat athletes in all of high school sports. Ponatoski is also an All-American-caliber baseball player and was heavily recruited in both sports. He has a legitimate shot to be an impact player in football and baseball at the college level. What stands out to me about Ponatoski on the football field is his accuracy and his feel for the passing game. He’s a cool customer, one that’s hard to fluster. He has that natural feel for finding open receivers and spaces in the defense. He has a strong understanding of his high school offense and we saw his accuracy at the Elite 11 Finals. He’s a high-volume rhythm passer who’s super accurate. I feel, with very good conviction, that he’ll be a productive college quarterback, just based off what we’ve seen from his thus far.” — Charles Power, Director of Scouting and Rankings

LSU — ATH Lamar Brown

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 2
School: University Lab (Erwinville, LA)
Notable Quote: “Coming from the 225, to play in Baton Rouge, in the state of Louisiana, on a Saturday night in Death Valley with the city on my back … to have the chance to play there and win a national championship there would be great,” Brown told Rivals’ Sam Spiegelman of his decision to commit to the Tigers. “Being a kid from the area, not everyone has the opportunity to stay home and play for the home team,” he continued. “To have the chance to play for the home team, to be able to shine on Saturdays … it’s a dream and it means a lot for any Louisiana kid.”

Mississippi State — TE Zayion Cotton

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 469
School: Grenada (Grenada, MS)
Notable Quote: “Mississippi State was my first offer,” he told MaroonandWhiteDaily. “They’ve always been with me from the start and they always stayed in touch with me and my family. … “They see me playing receiver and tight end,” noted Cotton. “I think being a tight end is mismatch against linebackers and nickels. If I need to go play wideout, I can do that and it is nothing new to me.”

Missouri — IOL Brandon Anderson

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 406
School: North Cobb (Kennesaw, GA)
Notable Quote: “I chose Missouri because of the coaches, the team, the culture and the education there,” Anderson told Rivals’ Chad Simmons. “Coach Jones is a real offensive line coach. He keeps it real. He won’t lie to you. Coach Drinkwitz is a good guy and a good coach. I like him because you can call and text him and have a conversation with him about life. Coach Drinkwitz is great.” 

Oklahoma — QB Bowe Bentley

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 67
School: Celina (Celina, TX)
Elite 11 Review: “Bentley elevated his game during the competitive portions of the Elite 11 Finals. He was solid on Day 1, but came alive on the final two days. Bentley turned in one of the cleaner pro day sessions on Day 2, as he was on target on 18 of his 20 passes. No Elite 11 Finalist moved at a faster pace than Bentley during 7-on-7. The state champion signal caller zipped through his reads and showed off noticeably quick processing ability.” — Charles Power, Rivals Director of Scouting

Ole Miss — LB Izayia Williams

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 61
School: Tavares (Leesburg, FL)
Notable Quote: “Williams has been a top 75 prospect for us the majority of the cycle and continues to rise after a scintillating junior season. The 6-foot-1, 215-pounder is an elite athlete (11.05 100m as a sophomore) who first came on the national radar as a safety. Williams has grown into a true linebacker prospect and put together some of the best junior film we’ve seen from any defender in the 2026 cycle. The electric athleticism pairs with elite play violence on Friday nights. Williams is a sideline-to-sideline headhunter with great range. Williams will bring a hyper-athletic, physical presence to (Oxford).” — Charles Power, Rivals Director of Scouting

South Carolina — DL Aiden Harris

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 74
School: Weddington (Weddington, NC)
Notable Quote: “Me and (defensive line assistant) Jordan Dove had a connection for like five years,” Harris told GamecockCentral when he committed. “Coach T-Rob, three now. So it’s just like, the bond has alwasy been there. I feel like me and Jordan’s bond is unbreakable. Can’t get past that one. Coach T-Rob is there now, too. And Coach Beamer, I have so many pictures of him watching my film in the office to show me that I’m really one of the players that they want. So it’s just a blessing to be surrounded by positive people.”

Tennessee — QB Faizon Brandon

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 11
School: Grimsley (Greensboro, NC)
Notable Quote: “I started feeling Tennessee a while ago,” Brandon told Rivals when he committed. “They started recruiting me early, and the first impression they made on me was unlike any other. The staff recruited me hard from the get-go, they kept it steady with me and they pushed so hard to get me. All of that made an impact on why I picked them.”

Texas — QB Dia Bell

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 4
School: American Heritage (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
About: The Gatorade Player of the Year in Florida, Bell finished his junior season with 2,597 passing yards and 29 touchdowns while completing better than 70 percent of his passes. He missed the teams final few games due to a season-ending leg injury, but was a dynamic runner as well. During the offseason, Bell lit up the 7v7 circuit, and was also named the MVP of the Elite 11 Finals back in June — solidifying his spot as one of the nation’s best signal-callers.

Texas A&M — CB Brandon Arrington

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 10
School: Mount Miguel (Spring Valley, CA)
Notable Quote: “They have recruited me the hardest,” Arrington told Rivals’ Chad Simmons. “They made me feel wanted from the beginning. When I visited last summer, I loved it. I kept going back. It is about the people at A&M. The staff made me feel welcome and that is what did it. … I have visited A&M more than anywhere else. I am so comfortable there. Coach Jordan Peterson and Coach Holmon Wiggins are my guys. They have come out to my school to see me, they have recruited me hard and how I have bonded with the coaches there made a big impact. How they stayed consistent meant a lot.”

Vanderbilt — RB Evan Hampton

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 348
School: Owensboro (Owensboro, KY)
Notable Quote: “The family feel, academic opportunity, and Nashville, Tennessee is all something I felt was right up my alley,” Hampton told Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong. “I believe they’re having success from doing the right things, the small details with discipline and more. They showed that this past season, and I’m ready to hop on that boat and be along for the ride, because I believe Vanderbilt football is trending.”