The college football early signing period opened on Wednesday, with many of the nation’s top recruits in the 2023 class making their commitments official by signing letters of intent with their chosen schools. This kicks off a frenzied three-day window where the vast majority of recruits will sign before the traditional National Signing Day in February.
Key Storylines
As expected, perennial powerhouses like Alabama, Georgia, and Ohio State landed several five-star recruits and lead the team recruiting rankings in the early going [1]. However, some surprise teams also made noise with big recruiting wins. Here are some of the key storylines so far:
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Texas overhaul continues: New coach Steve Sarkisian has the Longhorns in the top 5 team rankings after landing 9 top-100 recruits including 5-stars Quinton Martin and Malik Muhammad. This follows Texas’ first top-5 class last year as Sarkisian tries to return the program to national prominence [2].
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Florida schools battle: Miami and Florida State are duking it out for state supremacy, sitting at #11 and #15 in the team rankings respectively. Miami holds commitments from 5-stars Rueben Bain and Joshisa Trader while FSU countered with 5-star QB Brock Glenn. Florida also sits just outside the top 25 after a strong class [3].
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USC and LSU bounce back: After down years, Lincoln Riley and Brian Kelly have USC and LSU back in the top 15 team rankings. The Trojans have a trio of 5-stars leading their class while LSU has the #6 overall player in Shelton Sampson Jr. [4].
Top Uncommitted Targets
While most recruits sign during the early period, some blue-chippers wait until February to make their decision. Here are some of the biggest names yet to commit [5] [6]:
- 5-star CB Cormani McClain – Considering Miami, Colorado, and Florida
- 5-star WR Zachariah Branch – USC and Oklahoma are battling for the speedy receiver
- 5-star RB Richard Young – Leaning towards Georgia but Alabama and Oklahoma are pushing hard
| Position | Name | Rating | Top Schools | Commit Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CB | Cormani McClain | ★★★★★ | Miami, Colorado, Florida | TBD |
| WR | Zachariah Branch | ★★★★★ | USC, Oklahoma | TBD |
| RB | Richard Young | ★★★★★ | Georgia, Alabama, Oklahoma | TBD |
What’s Next
While most of the work is done during the early signing period, there is still time for some fireworks before National Signing Day on February 1st [7]. Here’s what to watch for:
- Top targets make decisions: The recruits listed above will make their announcements in the coming weeks. Landing any one of them would be a huge win.
- Attempts to flip commits: Schools will take their best shot at flipping recruits who have given verbal commitments but not signed letters of intent.
- Transfers shakeup depth charts: The portal adds another wrinkle – established players transferring in could impact whether recruits stick with their commitments.
The next six weeks will still see movement that shapes the final 2023 recruiting classes. But after the smoke clears from the early signing period, the team rankings provide an early indication of which programs have gained momentum on the recruiting trail.
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