College football recruiting: How the CFP's top 25 teams stack up

By Michael Cohen
Published

Sprinkled among the hours spent game planning for various bowl appearances and scouring the transfer portal for quick-fix gems, coaches across the country will be flitting from state to state ahead of this year’s early signing period, which opens Dec. 21.

It’s part of college football’s annual mad dash to rework, enhance and solidify a recruiting class of players who will enroll as freshmen in 2023. The best coaches will preserve commitments they already have while adding new ones from a pool of undecided prospects and potential flip candidates pledged to other schools. Promises of the football and NIL variety will flow fast and furiously in the next few weeks. 

To preview the upcoming frenzy, here’s a look at the recruiting classes for each team in the final College Football Playoff rankings. Their standings relative to one another offer a window into how the sport’s balance of power might shift come 2023.

(Note: Ranking information current as of 8:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Dec. 6.)

1. Georgia
Recruiting class ranking: 2
Total commitments: 23
Five-star prospects: 2
Four-star prospects: 18
Three-star prospects: 3




Top player: CB AJ Harris; Central High School; Phenix City, Alabama (No. 31 overall, No. 3 CB)

The Bulldogs continue to recruit at an incredible pace under head coach Kirby Smart. Twenty of the 23 players committed to Georgia in the ’23 recruiting cycle are rated among the top 300 prospects, including 12 in the top 150. Harris is joined by five-star edge rusher Samuel M’Pemba (No. 33 overall, No. 6 edge rusher) at the top of Smart’s class as the Bulldogs continue to restock their defense with a quintet of top-100 players. The group is also heavy on wide receivers, with six, after Georgia relied so heavily on its tight ends in 2022. The top wideout is four-star Tyler Williams (6-feet-3, 200 pounds) from Lakeland, Florida. Four-star inside linebacker Raylen Wilson (No. 52 overall) was a huge addition to the class when he decommitted from Michigan in late June. Wilson would still be the highest-rated player in Michigan’s class.

2. Michigan
Recruiting class ranking: 18
Total commitments: 18
Five-star prospects: 0
Four-star prospects: 6
Three-star prospects: 12




Top player: Edge rusher Enow Etta; Covenant Christian Academy; Colleyville, Texas (No. 110 overall, No. 15 DL)

It’s been an underwhelming effort from head coach Jim Harbaugh and his staff with just two weeks remaining until the early signing period begins. Wins on the field haven’t translated to wins on the recruiting trail despite back-to-back appearances in the CFP. Michigan has yet to receive a commitment from any player ranked in the top 100, and it has just two verbal pledges from players inside the top 275, though Harbaugh downplayed the importance of star ratings when asked about recruiting last week. The Wolverines are preaching a transformational experience rather than a transactional one — another popular Harbaugh-ism — in hopes of signing players who really love Michigan rather than pursuing players who are only chasing price tags. How effective that strategy can be in the long run remains to be seen. Four four-star prospects have decommitted from the Wolverines during this cycle.

3. TCU
Recruiting class ranking: 19
Total commitments: 21
Five-star prospects: 0
Four-star prospects: 5
Three-star prospects: 16




Top player: DL Markis Deal; Naaman Forest High School; Garland, Texas (No. 128 overall, No. 18 DL)

Things could hardly be going better for first-year head coach Sonny Dykes after leading the Horned Frogs to the CFP and putting together the best recruiting class since 247Sports began collecting data in 1999. The overflow of high school talent in Texas is a huge resource for Dykes, who has received 18 verbal commitments from in-state prospects. The top nine players in TCU’s recruiting class all hail from Texas, including four verbal pledges from prospects ranked in the top 300 nationally. This year’s group is heavy on defense with five defensive linemen, five defensive backs and one linebacker. Remember the name Cordale Russell — a four-star prospect rated the No. 26 wide receiver in the country — especially if this year’s star wideout, Quentin Johnston, decides to enter the NFL draft after catching 53 passes for 903 yards and five touchdowns.

4. Ohio State
Recruiting class ranking: 5
Total commitments: 19
Five-star prospects: 1
Four-star prospects: 17
Three-star prospects: 1




Top player: WR Brandon Inniss; American Heritage High School; Fort Lauderdale, Florida (No. 26 overall, No. 3 WR)

It’s impossible to call the fifth-ranked recruiting class subpar, but the Buckeyes haven’t signed a group rated that low since 2020. That’s how much talent head coach Ryan Day has brought to Columbus in recent years. This year’s group features seven players ranked in the top 100 and nine in the top 200 to replenish Ohio State’s perpetually loaded cupboard. Inniss is joined by four-star wideouts Noah Rogers (No. 48 overall, No. 8 WR) and Carnell Tate (No. 62 overall, No. 9 WR) to give the Buckeyes three of the top 10 receivers in the country. Day has also secured a verbal pledge from four-star prospect Jelani Thurman, the nation’s No. 4 tight end. There are no quarterbacks committed to Ohio State in 2023 due in large part to an early verbal pledge from Dylan Raiola, the top-rated signal-caller and No. 1 overall prospect in 2024.

5. Alabama
Recruiting class ranking: 1
Total commitments: 24
Five-star prospects: 2
Four-star prospects: 18
Three-star prospects: 4




Top player: S Caleb Downs; Mill Creek High School; Hoschton, Georgia (No. 6 overall, No. 1 S)

For Alabama, what can only be classified as a down year on the field has been nothing short of dynamic off it. Head coach Nick Saban scored commitments from two five-star prospects ahead of the early signing period in Downs and RB Justice Haynes, plus a pair of highly rated quarterbacks in four-star prospects Eli Holstein (No. 71 overall, No. 8 QB) and Dylan Lonergan (No. 113 overall, No. 10 QB). They will be among the players battling to replace Bryce Young, the potential No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL draft. A player worth watching is wide receiver Malik Benson, the top junior college prospect in the country. Benson caught 97 passes for 2,152 yards and 21 touchdowns in two seasons at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas.

6. Tennessee
Recruiting class ranking: 11
Total commitments: 23
Five-star prospects: 1
Four-star prospects: 11
Three-star prospects: 11




Top player: QB Nicholaus Iamaleava; Earl Warren High School; Downey, California (No. 4 overall, No. 3 QB)

Iamaleava made headlines earlier this year when news broke about him signing an NIL deal worth up to $8 million with Tennessee’s collective. The money will reportedly be paid in installments over the course of his career, beginning with a $350,000 chunk shortly after the deal was struck. His commitment headlines a strong class featuring four players in the top 100 prospects and 10 in the top 300. Part of that success has to do with how well the Volunteers played this season prior to a season-ending injury for quarterback Hendon Hooker. The No. 2 player in head coach Josh Heupel’s class — four-star defensive lineman Daevin Hobbs — didn’t commit to Tennessee until Nov. 25. If the current rankings hold, the Volunteers will enjoy just their third top-15 class since 2017.

7. Clemson
Recruiting class ranking: 10
Total commitments: 23
Five-star prospects: 1
Four-star prospects: 17
Three-star prospects: 5




Top player: DL Peter Woods; Thompson High School; Alabaster, Alabama (No. 32 overall, No. 3 DL)

The big question for Clemson is who will play quarterback in 2023 after the combination of DJ Uiagalelei and Cade Klubnik — both former five-star prospects — left plenty to be desired in an 11-2 campaign. The lone signal-caller committed to the Tigers is four-star recruit Christopher Vizzina from Birmingham, Alabama, where he became the No. 36 overall prospect and No. 6 quarterback in the class. Clemson was the only school to host Vizzina on an official visit despite him holding a collection of scholarship offers from most of the sport’s blue bloods. Vizzina is one of five top-100 prospects and 12 top-300 prospects committed to play for head coach Dabo Swinney. Three of the Tigers’ four highest-rated recruits are defensive linemen: Woods, four-star Vic Burley (No. 55 overall, No. 6 DL) and four-star Tomarrion Parker (No. 94, No. 12 DL).

8. Utah
Recruiting class ranking: 38
Total commitments: 17
Five-star prospects: 0
Four-star prospects: 1
Three-star prospects: 15




Top player: OT Caleb Lomu; Highland High School; Gilbert, Arizona (No. 173 overall, No. 15 OT)

Utah recruits with exactly the kind of consistency one would expect from a program whose head coach, Kyle Whittingham, has been with the program since 1994 and sat atop the totem pole since 2005. The Utes have put together seven consecutive recruiting classes ranked in the 30s nationally and are on pace for an eighth such group in 2023. Members of this year’s group hail from one end of the country to the other: three-star running back Michael Mitchell, the second-best prospect in the bunch, hails from Florida; and Whittingham has three verbal pledges from players residing in Hawaii. His penchant for signing modestly rated prospects and growing them into stars is reminiscent of the draft-and-develop models practiced by certain NFL franchises.

9. Kansas State
Recruiting class ranking: 32
Total commitments: 22
Five-star prospects: 0
Four-star prospects: 1
Three-star prospects: 20




Top player: QB Avery Johnson; Maize High School; Maize, Kansas (No. 75 overall, No. 9 QB)

By knocking off undefeated TCU in the Big 12 title game, Kansas State secured both its first conference championship and first 10-win season since 2012. Head coach Chris Klieman and his staff will be looking to parlay that momentum onto the recruiting trail, where the Wildcats have compiled their highest-rated class in 15 years. Securing the commitment from Johnson was a major feather in Klieman’s cap given how many elite programs were after the dual-threat prospect. Johnson held additional scholarship offers from Oregon, Florida State, Notre Dame, Ole Miss and Tennessee, among others, but chose to remain within two hours of home. As signing day approaches, Johnson is the sixth-best recruit in school history since 247Sports began compiling data in 1999.

10. USC
Recruiting class ranking: 14
Total commitments: 19
Five-star prospects: 3
Four-star prospects: 7
Three-star prospects: 9




Top player: QB Malachi Nelson; Los Alamitos High School; Los Alamitos, California (No. 3 overall, No. 2 QB)

By now, USC head coach Lincoln Riley has established himself as one of the best identifiers of quarterback talent in college football. He’s already mentored two Heisman Trophy winners in Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray, and this year’s quarterback, Caleb Williams, is in pole position to become Riley’s third winner. Waiting in the wings is Nelson, the jewel of Riley’s first complete recruiting class since joining the Trojans from Oklahoma, and a player with scholarship offers from every elite program in the country. Nelson, wide receiver Zachariah Branch (No. 5 overall, No. 1 WR) and athlete Makai Lemon (No. 34 overall, No. 2 ATH) give USC commitments from more five-star prospects than anyone in the country. But defense is where the Trojans are desperate for improvement, and just three of their top 11 prospects play on that side of the ball.

11. Penn State
Recruiting class ranking: 13
Total commitments: 19
Five-star prospects: 1
Four-star prospects: 14
Three-star prospects: 4




Top player: OT J’ven Williams; Wyomissing Area Senior High School; Reading, Pennsylvania (No. 29 overall, No. 4 OT)

Head coach James Franklin put together one of the better recruiting classes of his tenure last cycle with a group ranked eighth nationally, courtesy of three five-star prospects. He’s assembled another solid group in 2023, with three players rated in the top 100 and 10 in the top 300. The two highest-rated recruits are offensive linemen in Williams and four-star Alex Birchmeier, the No. 1 ranked interior lineman in the country. First-year defensive coordinator Manny Diaz, the former head coach at Miami, has hit the ground running in State College by securing commitments from seven top-300 players led by inside linebacker Tony Rojas, the No. 90 overall prospect. He’s also scored verbal pledges from four of the top 28 safeties in the country and two of the top 26 edge rushers.  

12. Washington
Recruiting class ranking: 26
Total commitments: 18
Five-star prospects: 0
Four-star prospects: 5
Three-star prospects: 13




Top player: CB Curley Reed; Lake Charles College Prep; Lake Charles, Louisiana (No. 238 overall, No. 28 CB)

What a debut season it was for head coach Kalen DeBoer, who guided the Huskies to their first 10-win campaign since 2018. DeBoer and his staff have done an admirable job on the recruiting trail to get Washington back in the top 30 after last year’s class ranked 59th. The Huskies don’t have any commitments from players rated among the top 200 prospects, but they’ve attracted four in the top 400 and six in the top 500. The recruit to watch might be four-star quarterback Lincoln Kienholz from South Dakota. Kienholz is rated the No. 16 quarterback in the country and held a scholarship offer from Ohio State, which hosted him for a visit in late November despite the outstanding commitment to Washington. This year’s quarterback, Michael Penix Jr., led the country with 362.8 passing yards per game.

13. Florida State
Recruiting class ranking: 17
Total commitments: 16
Five-star prospects: 1
Four-star prospects: 8
Three-star prospects: 7




Top player: WR Hykeem Williams; Stranahan High School; Fort Lauderdale, Florida (No. 27 overall, No. 4 WR)

The Seminoles entered the 2022 season with their head coach, Mike Norvell, coaching for his job after he won just eight combined games in his first two seasons at the helm. But Norvell bounced back with a 9-3 campaign that got stronger as the season progressed, and he seems likely to lead Florida State into 2023. His first two recruiting classes ranked 21st in 2021 and 19th in 2022, so the improvement this time around is marginal at best. The Seminoles have verbal commitments from two players ranked in the top 100 and six in the top 300. Norvell finally secured a quarterback in late November when four-star passer Brock Glenn, who ranks No. 385 overall and No. 23 at his position, chose Florida State over Ohio State, Auburn and TCU.

14. Oregon State
Recruiting class ranking: 52
Total commitments: 16
Five-star prospects: 0
Four-star prospects: 1
Three-star prospects: 14




Top player: DL Kelze Howard; Spring Valley High School; Las Vegas, Nevada (No. 297 overall, No. 42 DL)

Head coach Jonathan Smith has done an excellent job of reviving the Beavers since arriving in Corvallis ahead of the 2018 season. He’s improved Oregon State from seven combined wins in 2018-19 to nine combined wins in 2020-21 to the school’s first nine-win season since 2012 with one game remaining. Better recruiting classes have gone hand-in-hand with Smith’s on-field success: from 87th in 2021 to 69th in 2022 to 52nd thus far in 2023. The gem of this year’s class is Howard, a 6-foot-4, 250-pound pass rusher who ranks as the eighth-best recruit in Oregon State history with two weeks remaining until the early signing period. He chose the Beavers after taking additional official visits to Utah, Nebraska, Michigan and Oregon.

15. Oregon
Recruiting class ranking: 12
Total commitments: 24
Five-star prospects: 2
Four-star prospects: 12
Three-star prospects: 9




Top player: QB Dante Moore; Martin Luther King High School; Detroit, Michigan (No. 11 overall, No. 5 QB)

First-year head coach Dan Lanning scored a massive recruiting victory when Moore chose Oregon over every elite program in the country, most notably Michigan. The Wolverines, whose campus is 45 minutes from where Moore grew up, extended a scholarship offer to Moore when he was in middle school and made it clear he was their top priority in the 2023 recruiting class. It was a deflating moment for Harbaugh and co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Matt Weiss when Moore committed to the Ducks instead. Moore and five-star wide receiver Jurrion Dickey (No. 14 overall, No. 2 WR) are two of the 12 top-300 players committed to Oregon for this cycle. Three of Lanning’s five highest-rated recruits are wide receivers: Dickey, four-star Kenyon Sadiq (No. 154 overall, No. 9 ATH) and four-star Ashton Cozart (No. 163 overall, No. 23 WR).

16. Tulane
Recruiting class ranking: 81
Total commitments: 13
Five-star prospects: 0
Four-star prospects: 0
Three-star prospects: 12




Top player: S Jai Eugene Jr.; Destrehan High School; Destrehan, Louisiana (N/A overall; No. 88 S)

The chances of Tulane’s Willie Fritz winning national coach of the year are slim given the undefeated seasons authored by Smart at Georgia and Harbaugh at Michigan, plus a remarkable one-loss debut for Dykes at TCU, but there’s no question he’s deserving of praise. He improved the Green Wave from two wins in 2021 to 11 in 2022 and will hope for a nice recruiting uptick because of it. Tulane has gone heavy on regional recruiting, with 11 of their 13 commitments from players in either Louisiana or Texas. That’s already more than the eight such players they signed last year and seven the year before. Carving out a niche in those two states is an excellent strategy given the depth of talent each one possesses. Louisiana and Texas have combined to produce 100 of the country’s top 500 prospects for the 2023 recruiting cycle.  

17. LSU
Recruiting class ranking: 6
Total commitments: 23
Five-star prospects: 0
Four-star prospects: 18
Three-star prospects: 5




Top player: OT Zalance Heard; Neville High School; Monroe, Louisiana (No. 40 overall, No. 5 OT)

A year ago, new head coach Brian Kelly cobbled together the No. 7 recruiting class in the country shortly after accepting the job in Baton Rouge. It was an impressive start for a coach some believed would struggle to forge relationships in the south after so many years in the Midwest at Notre Dame (2010-21) and Cincinnati (2006-09), and an upbringing in Massachusetts. But Kelly is back with another highly rated class for 2023, headlined by three top 50 players and 14 in the top 300. The group includes two of the state’s top four players in Heard and wide receiver Shelton Sampson Jr., plus six of Louisiana’s 12 highest-rated players overall. The two best prospects in the state — five-star quarterback Arch Manning and four-star safety Derek Williams — are both committed to Texas. 

18. UCLA
Recruiting class ranking: 46
Total commitments: 14
Five-star prospects: 0
Four-star prospects: 4
Three-star prospects: 9




Top player: WR Jeremiah McClure; Mater Dei Catholic; Chula Vista, California (No. 264 overall, No. 34 WR)

This is an important recruiting class for head coach Chip Kelly, whose success the last few seasons was strongly tied to star quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and ace tailback Zach Charbonnet — both of whom might have played their final game for the Bruins. UCLA’s recruiting hauls improved from the mid-40s nationally in 2019 to the low-30s in 2020 and finally into the 20s each of the last two cycles. To sit 46th following the best season of Kelly’s tenure is disappointing. The Bruins have just one commitment from a player rated among the top 300 prospects and only five verbal pledges from players in the top 500. Kelly and his staff have work to do before the early signing period begins later this month.  

19. South Carolina
Recruiting class ranking: 15
Total commitments: 20
Five-star prospects: 0
Four-star prospects: 11
Three-star prospects: 9




Top player: IOL Markee Anderson; Dorman High School; Roebuck, South Carolina (No. 125 overall, No. 4 IOL)  

There were some eyebrows raised when South Carolina hired Shane Beamer as head coach following the 2020 season given his lack of experience as a coordinator on either side of the ball. Beamer, who is the son of legendary Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer, was a special teams coordinator during an earlier stint with the Gamecocks but only worked with certain position groups on offense. But Beamer has done a terrific job on the field the last two seasons and is enjoying some recruiting wins to match. He’s improved South Carolina’s recruiting from 24th nationally last season to 15th this season to surpass the likes of Arkansas, Texas A&M and Ole Miss in the SEC. The Gamecocks have commitments from seven top-300 prospects, including three of the four highest-rated players in South Carolina. 

20. Texas
Recruiting class ranking: 4
Total commitments: 21
Five-star prospects: 2
Four-star prospects: 13
Three-star prospects: 6




Top player: QB Arch Manning; Isidore Newman High School; New Orleans, Louisiana (No. 1 overall, No. 1 QB)

At some point, head coach Steve Sarkisian will need to do more than just recruit. Sarkisian put together the No. 15 recruiting class during his first season with the Longhorns and the No. 5 recruiting class during his second while winning just 13 games on the field. This year, Sarkisian approaches the early signing period with the fourth-best class in college football headlined by the No. 1 prospect in the country. Manning’s commitment to Texas spawned a tidal wave of commitments from highly rated players who wanted to join him in Austin. The Longhorns have verbal pledges from five prospects ranked in the top 40 and 12 in the top 300. That kind of recruiting needs to translate to wins in a hurry if Sarkisian wants to keep his job much longer.

21. Notre Dame
Recruiting class ranking: 3
Total commitments: 26
Five-star prospects: 1
Four-star prospects: 20
Three-star prospects: 5




Top player: S Peyton Bowen; Guyer High School; Denton, Texas (No. 19 overall, No. 2 S)

First-year head coach Marcus Freeman began racking up wins on the recruiting trail long before he won his first game for the Fighting Irish. He’s secured commitments from 19 players rated among the top 300 prospects, and no school in the country has verbal pledges from more four-star recruits than Notre Dame does this cycle. The list includes the No. 1 player in Illinois (four-star OT Charles Jagusah), the No. 1 player in Indiana (four-star LB Drayk Bowen), two of the top-five players in Missouri (four-star ATH Jeremiyah Love, four-star CB Christian Gray) and additional players ranked among the top-five prospects in Kansas, North Carolina, Tennessee, Massachusetts and Ohio. There’s no question Notre Dame is a national brand.

22. Mississippi State
Recruiting class ranking: 30
Total commitments: 19
Five-star prospects: 0
Four-star prospects: 3
Three-star prospects: 15




Top player: QB Chris Parson; Ravenwood High School; Brentwood, Tennessee (No. 382 overall, No. 22 QB)

Head coach Mike Leach has been remarkably steady on the recruiting front since arriving at Mississippi State ahead of the 2020 season. His first three classes ranked 26th, 29th and 31st with another top-30 class on the way for the 2023 recruiting cycle. The nature of Leach’s pass-heavy offense always casts a spotlight on the quarterback, and Parson held scholarship offers from a wide range of schools. He committed to the Bulldogs in August after taking additional official visits to Florida State and SMU. He also held scholarship offers from Arkansas, Miami, TCU, Tennessee, Jackson State and Iowa. But Parson is the only player rated among the top 400 prospects to give Leach a verbal pledge. Ten of Leach’s 19 commitments are from in-state recruits.

23. NC State
Recruiting class ranking: 38
Total commitments: 15
Five-star prospects: 0
Four-star prospects: 4
Three-star prospects: 11




Top player: S Daemon Fagan; American Heritage High School; Fort Lauderdale, Florida (No. 304 overall, No. 29 S)

This year’s recruiting haul has the Wolfpack back on track following their disappointing 72nd-ranked class in 2022. That marked the first time head coach Dave Doeren’s team dropped outside the top 50 nationally since 2017. His incoming class doesn’t feature anyone rated among the top 300 players, but the Wolfpack have commitments from six players in the top 500. They received an added boost when four-star tailback Kendrick Raphael decommitted from Iowa in late September and gave a verbal pledge to NC State last week. Of the 15 best in-state prospects for this recruiting cycle, three-star tight end Javonte Vereen is the only player who committed to the Wolfpack.  

24. Troy
Recruiting class ranking: 100
Total commitments: 8
Five-star prospects: 0
Four-star prospects: 0
Three-star prospects: 7




Top player: CB Jack Tchienchou; St. Pius X Catholic High School; Atlanta, Georgia (No. 887 overall, No. 87 CB)

First-year head coach Jon Sumrall has guided the Trojans to 11 wins and an unexpected spot in the final CFP rankings. His 100th-ranked recruiting class is a significant step forward from the preceding class which finished 131st in 2022. On average, Troy’s recruiting class ranked 99th over the last four years. Tchienchou, who held additional scholarship offers from Appalachian State, Boston College, Colorado, Indiana, Miami, Minnesota and Wisconsin, among others, is the ninth-best recruit in program history. 

25. UTSA
Recruiting class ranking: 74
Total commitments: 14
Five-star prospects: 0
Four-star prospects: 0
Three-star prospects: 12




Top player: RB Brandon High; Grand Oaks High School; Spring, Texas (No. 748 overall, No. 50 RB)

Head coach Jeff Traylor is enjoying a wonderful run in San Antonio. He won seven games in his first season, 12 games in his second and has 11 in his third as the Roadrunners prepare for a move to the American Athletic Conference beginning in 2023. With five players rated among the top 1,000 prospects, Traylor already exceeded last year’s total of three. Four of his commitments for the ’23 class are among the eight-best recruits in school history.

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Michael Cohen covers college football and basketball for FOX Sports with an emphasis on the Big Ten. Follow him on Twitter at @Michael_Cohen13.