Ranking every SEC team's recruiting class by blue-chip percentage

Nobody recruits blue-chip talent like the SEC — a fact that has been apparent for more than a decade in the recruiting world.

Even in the 2026 cycle, where a few programs in the ACC and Big Ten have been punching above their weight on the trail, it’s still the SEC at the top of the heap with more than 140 of the 400 blue-chippers in the Rivals Industry Ranking committed. But what might surprise you is which schools are at the top of the list and which are further down than usual.

Before the annual flip season begins in the next few weeks, here are where the 16 SEC programs stack up in terms of blue-chip percentage (4- and 5-star commits divided by total number of pledges).

LSU – 81%

Even with a couple of key departures over the past month — namely five-star wideout Tristen Keys and four-star lineman Emanuel Tucker — it’s the Tigers who sit atop the list. Of their 16 commitments, 13 currently rank as blue-chippers. That includes six ranked among the top-100 nationally, headlined by the nation’s No. 1 recruit, Lamar Brown. Brian Kelly and his staff will keep working on flips this fall, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see this number rise a little higher.

Texas A&M – 78%

Mike Elko is riding a wave of momentum on the field and on the recruiting trail. The Aggies have sit just outside the top-5 nationally, but pound-for-pound this class is as loaded as any. And they’ve done so while landing 18 of their 27 commitments from outside the state. That includes five-star cornerback Brandon Arrington, top-40 overall prospect Bryce Perry-Wright, and No. 8 cornerback Victor Singleton.

Georgia – 77%

The Bulldogs have been a mainstay atop the list under Kirby Smart and are again in 2026. The Bulldogs have 31 total commitments — the most of any SEC school. And that makes their percentage even more impressive, giving them 24 total-blue chippers, which is the most of any in the country. Five-stars Jared Curtis and Kaiden Prothro lead the way, but UGA has seven top-100 commits.

Florida – 74%

Results on the field have been ugly for the Gators this fall, but Billy Napier has assembled one of his best recruiting classes in Gainesville to date. Florida will have to work hard to hold onto it, but this group is as deep as any in the country. Despite not having a single five-star, UF has 11 players ranked in the top-250 in the country and 14 blue-chippers total.

Texas – 67%

After signing the nation’s No. 1 class last year, the Longhorns have continued their success on the trail this cycle. They had a slower-than-usual start to the class but began loading up in June, July and August. That includes beating out Georgia for five-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson, flipping five-star defensive linemen Richard Wesley and James Johnson, and poaching No. 2 running back Derrek Cooper from Miami.

Alabama – 62%

It might not be at the level Nick Saban established, but Alabama’s recruiting under Kalen DeBoer has been better than just about anyone could’ve expected. The Crimson Tide lead the country with four five-star commitments and have another who sits just outside that range in running back Ezavier Crowell. They have a whopping nine top-100 commits, too.

Tennessee – 58%

Josh Heupel and his staff have been on quite the recruiting run over the past six weeks, flipping top commitments away from LSU, Auburn and South Carolina. And they don’t look to be done after their early-season success on the field. They’re one of just a handful of teams with multiple five-stars, and they boast seven top-100 commitments to go along with seven more blue-chip prospects.

South Carolina – 56%

The on-field start to this season has been a disappointment for the Gamecocks, who came into the year with College Football Playoff aspirations. But Shane Beamer and his staff are recruiting at a level that could allow them to compete at that level on a consistent basis. They beat out LSU, Ohio State and many others for five-star offensive lineman Darius Gray, and nine of their 16 commitments check in as four- or five-star prospects.

Auburn – 50%

Until this season, the recruiting hype exceeded the results for Hugh Freeze on the The Plains. The Tigers signed top-10 classes in both 2024 and 2025, but that kind of success hadn’t made its way to the field. They’ve started 3-1 this year and despite ranking No. 31 nationally, they’re in the mix for a couple of big flips that could move them up even further.

Where other SEC teams stand in blue-chip percentage

Note: Missouri and Vanderbilt do not currently have blue-chip commits in the 2026 class.

Ole Miss – 44%
Oklahoma – 37%
Kentucky – 13%
Arkansas – 12%
Mississippi State – 7.1%