With the 2024 early signing period open and the first day in the books, here are three notable winners and three notable losers:
WINNERS
Georgia
Despite losing quarterback Dylan Raiola, the Bulldogs finished with the No. 1 class (per 247Sports) for the third time under coach Kirby Smart. Georgia flipped Raiola’s teammate, 5-star safety KJ Bolden, from Florida State (and in turn fought off the “Buford curse,” as coined by fans).
“What my decision came down to was just the place like I felt would get me to the ultimate goal of playing in the NFL,” Bolden said about his commitment. “It is not about the NFL or facilities, for me. It is about relationships and development. I prayed with my family and with the help of my family, I’m going to start my future off with staying home.”
Expect to see a lot of linebacker Justin Williams, cornerback Ellis Robinson IV and defensive lineman Joseph Jonah-Ajonye in the coming years. The aforementioned four are 5-stars and rank among the country’s 32 best prospects, according to 247Sports.
Alabama
Unsurprisingly, coach Nick Saban is assembling another phenomenal class. While Georgia lost its top quarterback pledge, Alabama added the nation’s top quarterback recruit in Julian Sayin. The Crimson Tide also added 5-star edge rusher Ryan Williams, athlete Jaylen Mbakwe and 17 4-star recruits.
The Tide have the No. 2 ranked class. They’ve finished with the No. 1 class seven times since 2014.
Nebraska
These signees are too young to remember when Nebraska was nationally relevant. In fact, most current NFL players wouldn’t really remember it. That makes coach Matt Rhule’s success this cycle all-the-more impressive.
The Cornhuskers landed Raiola out of Buford, their highest-ranked commitment in recent history. Raiola, formerly pledged to Georgia, has ties to Nebraska. His father, Dominic, played there and his uncle Donovan is the offensive line coach.
Rhule didn’t land another top-50 recruit, but he added seven 4-stars. Nebraska’s class ranks No. 19. Ultimately, just getting Raiola and generating buzz is a huge win for the Cornhuskers as they try for a revival.
LOSERS
Florida
During another difficult season, Florida fans (and coach Billy Napier defenders) could point to a promising recruiting class. At one point the Gators had a top-five class. And while some flips were expected, the results are disappointing.
The Gators kept 5-star quarterback DJ Lagway, which was crucial, but they lost several others, including multiple 4-stars and 5-star safety Xavier Filsaime (to SEC newcomer Texas). The Gators have the No. 16 class. They hoped to be in better position. Napier enters his third year – that features a loaded schedule of opponents – needing to show legitimate progress or Florida might be back in the coach market.
Colorado
Coach Deion Sanders emphasizes the transfer portal, but this nonetheless is an underwhelming cycle when it comes to high-school commits. The Buffaloes received five Wednesday and currently have the lowest-ranked class in the Big 12. The headliners are 4-star receiver Drelon Miller, athlete Kamron Mikell and defensive lineman Brandon Davis-Swain. It’s notable they’ve gained 16 transfers.
It’s to-be-determined whether Colorado gets No. 1 offensive tackle Jordan Seaton, who despite previously committing to the Buffaloes hasn’t made his decision.
Southern California
Among the schools one probably didn’t expect to be in the “losers” category months ago: USC. After coach Lincoln Riley’s strong debut season that seemed to have the Trojans trending toward national relevance, they were 7-5 this season.
The Trojans had 16 players enter the transfer portal and likely will see quarterback Caleb Williams head to the NFL. They currently have the No. 18 recruiting class and haven’t signed a 5-star player. The Trojans are behind Big Ten competitors Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State and Michigan (with Nebraska not far behind them). Considering the hype around Riley’s arrival, and the program’s expectations, it’s a disappointing development.
One silver lining: UCLA hasn’t capitalized. The Bruins also are among the losers of this cycle, holding the second lowest-ranked class in the Big Ten (ahead of only Northwestern).
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