The fourth year of college football’s early signing period has added some tough hurdles for coaches and scouts to overcome.
The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic not only limited campus visits for potential rookies, but essentially eliminated all in-person meetings that might otherwise have taken place between players and coaches. It remains to be seen how this affects the outcome of this year’s course, but one thing is already evident:
Pandemic or not, the best teams in college football will do very well in the recruiting class of 2021.
WEEK 15 SCREENINGS: Qualifiers | Balls
As Wednesday’s 72-hour early signing approached, the No.1 from Alabama and No.2 from Ohio State created significant distance between themselves and the rest of the field. Teams such as Georgia, Clemson and LSU are also likely to recruit elite classes who have legitimate college football playoff aspirations.
Even so, there are still a few battles to be won, such as No. 1 overall rookie Korey Foreman. The defensive side of the strong side appears to have narrowed their picks at USC and LSU. Other players, such as defensive end JT Tuimoloau (No.3 overall), offensive tackle Tristan Leigh (No.11 overall) and inside linebacker Terrence Lewis (No.16 overall) also remain non-binding. .
Follow as Sporting News tracks the biggest commitments and signings of the early signing period:
MORE: Eight possible CFP scenarios of the championship weekend
Follow-up to the 2021 college football signing day
(All player and team ratings reflect 247Sports Composite rankings).
Strong side defensive ends
| Player (general classification) |
Star Rating |
Signed with |
| 1. Korey Foreman (# 1) |
5 stars |
|
| 2. JT Tuimoloau (No 3) |
5 stars |
|
| 3. Jack Sawyer (n ° 4) |
5 stars |
Ohio state |
| 4. Shemar Turner (No 31) |
5 stars |
Texas A&M |
| 5. Keeshawn Silver (# 32) |
5 stars |
North Carolina |
| 6. Tunmise Adeleye (n ° 37) |
4 stars |
|
| 7. Monkell Goodwine (No 89) |
4 stars |
Alabama |
| 8. Tyreak Sapp (# 96) |
4 stars |
Florida |
Offensive tackles
| Player (general classification) |
Star Rating |
Signed with |
| 1. JC Latham (No 2) |
5 stars |
Alabama |
| 2. Tommy Brockermeyer (No 5) |
5 stars |
Alabama |
| 3. Bitter mims (n ° 7) |
5 stars |
Georgia |
| 4. Tristan Leigh (No 11) |
5 stars |
|
| 5. Nolan Rucci (n ° 15) |
5 stars |
Wisconsin |
| 6. Kingsley Suamataia (# 35) |
4 stars |
Oregon |
| 7. Landon Tengwall (No 50) |
4 stars |
Penn State |
| 8. Blake Fisher (No 52) |
4 stars |
Our Lady |
| 9. Savion Byrd (No 62) |
4 stars |
Oklahoma |
| 10. Micah Morris (No 63) |
4 stars |
Georgia |
| 11. Bram Walden (No 82) |
4 stars |
Oregon |
| 12. John El-Hadi (No 85) |
4 stars |
Michigan |
| 13. Reuben Fatheree (n ° 87) |
4 stars |
Texas A&M |
| 14. Garrett Dellinger (# 90) |
4 stars |
LSU |
Double Threat Quarterback
| Player (general classification) |
Star Rating |
Signed with |
| 1. Caleb Williams (# 6) |
5 stars |
Oklahoma |
| 2. Brock Vandagriff (No 14) |
5 stars |
Georgia |
| 3. Tyler Buchner (# 65) |
4 stars |
Our Lady |
| 4. Jalen Milroe (No 78) |
4 stars |
Alabama |
Defensive ends on the weak side
| Player (general classification) |
Star Rating |
Signed with |
| 1. Dallas Turner (# 8) |
5 stars |
Alabama |
| 2. Clayton Smith (No 43) |
4 stars |
Oklahoma |
| 3. Dylan Brooks (# 51) |
4 stars |
|
| 4. Demeioun Robinson (No 64) |
4 stars |
Maryland |
| 5. Jeremiah Williams (No 73) |
4 stars |
Florida |
Wide receivers
| Player (general classification) |
Star Rating |
Signed with |
| 1. Emeka Egbuka (No 9) |
5 stars |
Ohio state |
| 2. Jacorey Brooks (no 34) |
5 stars |
Alabama |
| 3. Troy Franklin (# 36) |
4 stars |
Oregon |
| 4. Mario Williams (# 42) |
4 stars |
Oklahoma |
| 5. JoJo Earle (# 48) |
4 stars |
|
| 6. Including’E Thornton (n ° 53) |
4 stars |
Oregon |
| 7. Agiye Hall (No 56) |
4 stars |
|
| 8. Jayden Ballard (# 66) |
4 stars |
Ohio state |
| 9. Christian Leary (n ° 68) |
4 stars |
Alabama |
| 10. Deion Smith (# 70) |
4 stars |
LSU |
| 11. Chris Hilton (# 75) |
4 stars |
LSU |
| 12. Xavier Worthy (n ° 76) |
4 stars |
Michigan |
| 13. Brian Thomas Jr. (# 79) |
4 stars |
|
| 14. Beaux Collins (No 83) |
4 stars |
Clemson |
| 15. Marvin Harrison Jr. (No 91) |
4 stars |
Ohio state |
| 16. Deion Colzie (No 98) |
4 stars |
Our Lady |
Defensive tackles
| Player (general classification) |
Star Rating |
Signed with |
| 1. Leonard Taylor (# 10) |
5 stars |
Miami |
| 2. Maason Smith (No 18) |
5 stars |
LSU |
| 3. Damon Payne (# 19) |
5 stars |
Alabama |
| 4. Mike Hall (No 49) |
4 stars |
Ohio state |
| 5. Tywone Malone (No 61) |
4 stars |
|
| 6. Lee Hunter (# 80) |
4 stars |
Auburn |
| 7. Payton Page (# 93) |
4 stars |
Clemson |
Professional-style quarterback
| Player (general classification) |
Star Rating |
Signed with |
| 1. Sam Huard (n ° 12) |
5 stars |
Washington |
| 2. JJ McCarthy (# 22) |
5 stars |
Michigan |
| 3. Kyle McCord (# 25) |
5 stars |
Ohio state |
| 4. Ty Thompson (# 39) |
4 stars |
Oregon |
| 5. Jake Garcia (No 46) |
4 stars |
|
| 6. Drake Maye (No 57) |
4 stars |
North Carolina |
| 7. Miller Moss (# 71) |
4 stars |
USC |
| 8. Garrett Nussmeier (No 86) |
4 stars |
LSU |
Security
| Player (general classification) |
Star Rating |
Signed with |
| 1. James Williams (# 13) |
5 stars |
Miami |
| 2. Sage Ryan (# 28) |
5 stars |
|
| 3. Derrick Davis Jr. (# 58) |
4 stars |
LSU |
| 4. Kendal Daniels (No 100) |
4 stars |
Texas A&M |
Inside linebackers
| Player (general classification) |
Star Rating |
Signed with |
| 1. Terrence Lewis (No 16) |
5 stars |
|
| 2. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (# 41) |
4 stars |
Clemson |
| 3. Deontae Lawson (No 55) |
4 stars |
Alabama |
| 4. Ethan Calvert (# 74) |
4 stars |
Utah |
| 5. Reid Carrico (No 84) |
4 stars |
Ohio state |
Offensive guards
| Player (general classification) |
Star Rating |
Signed with |
| 1. Donovan Jackson (No 17) |
5 stars |
Ohio state |
| 2. Terrence Ferguson (No 54) |
4 stars |
Alabama |
| 3. Rocco Spindler (n ° 60) |
4 stars |
Our Lady |
| 4. Bryce Foster (No 72) |
4 stars |
|
| 5. Dylan Fairchild (No 97) |
4 stars |
Georgia |
Outside linebackers
| Player (general classification) |
Star Rating |
Signed with |
| 1. Xavian Sorey (n ° 20) |
5 stars |
Georgia |
| 2. Smael Mondon (No 29) |
5 stars |
Georgia |
| 3. Barrett Carter (# 33) |
5 stars |
Clemson |
| 4. Raesjon Davis (No 45) |
4 stars |
|
| 5. Junior Colson (No 95) |
4 stars |
Michigan |
| 4. Raneiria Dillworth (No 99) |
4 stars |
North Carolina |
Athletes
| Player (general classification) |
Star Rating |
Signed with |
| 1. Ja’Tavion Sanders (n ° 21) |
5 stars |
Texas |
| 2. Billy Bowman (No 38) |
4 stars |
Oklahoma |
| 3. David Daniel (# 92) |
4 stars |
Georgia |
Cornerbacks
| Player (general classification) |
Star Rating |
Signed with |
| 1. Ga’Quincy McKinstry (n ° 23) |
5 stars |
Alabama |
| 2. Jason Marshall (# 27) |
5 stars |
Florida |
| 3. Jakailin Johnson (No 47) |
4 stars |
Ohio state |
| 4. Jordan Hancock (No 67) |
4 stars |
Ohio state |
| 5. Nyland Green (No 69) |
4 stars |
Georgia |
| 6. Ceyair Wright (# 77) |
4 stars |
|
Running backs
| Player (general classification) |
Star Rating |
Signed with |
| 1. TreVeyon Henderson (# 24) |
5 stars |
Ohio state |
| 2. Camar Wheaton (No 26) |
5 stars |
|
| 3. LJ Johnson (# 40) |
4 stars |
|
| 4. Donovan Edwards (No 44) |
4 stars |
Michigan |
| 6. Armoni Goodwin (No 94) |
4 stars |
|
All-purpose back
| Player (general classification) |
Star Rating |
Signed with |
| 1. Will Shipley (# 30) |
5 stars |
Clemson |
| 2. Evan Pryor (No 81) |
4 stars |
Ohio state |
Tight ends
| Player (general classification) |
Star Rating |
Signed with |
| 1. Jake Briningstool (# 59) |
4 stars |
Clemson |
| 2. Thomas Fidone (No 88) |
4 stars |
Nebraska |
Top 10 signing classes 2021
| Rank (conference rank) |
5 stars |
4 stars |
Points |
| 1. Alabama (No. 1 SEC) |
6 |
13 |
315.72 |
| 2. State of Ohio (# 1 Big Ten) |
5 |
13 |
310.39 |
| 3. Georgia (No 2 SEC) |
4 |
11 |
294.84 |
| 4. LSU (No. 3 SEC) |
1 |
15 |
288.64 |
| 5. Clemson (no 1 ACC) |
2 |
14 |
282.31 |
| 6. Oregon (No 1 Pac-12) |
0 |
16 |
280.77 |
| 7. Oklahoma (# 1 Big 12) |
1 |
12 |
268.07 |
| 8. Florida (SEC # 4) |
1 |
14 |
267.27 |
| 9. Notre Dame (No. 1 Independent) |
0 |
11 |
265.71 |
| 10. Michigan (# 2 Big Ten) |
1 |
ten |
260.00 |
