signing day helmet
ALABAMA
The big catch: There were a lot of elite signees, as usual, for the Crimson Tide, including Damien Harris of Berea, Ky. The nation's top tailback according to Rivals.com committed to Alabama last month over Kentucky and Ohio State, the team that topped the Tide in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's night.
The one who got away: Alabama was in the running for defensive end CeCe Jefferson of Glen Saint Mary, Fla., along with Florida and Ole Miss, but Jefferson wound up staying home with the Gators.
ARKANSAS
The big catch: The Razorbacks landed in-state quarterback Ty Storey, who is rated the No. 6 pro-style prospect nationally by Rivals.com. Storey was offered scholarships by Alabama, Auburn and several other SEC schools but enrolled at Arkansas last month.
The one who got away: K.J. Hill of North Little Rock, the nation's No. 18 receiver, committed to the Razorbacks but then backed off after being entertained by Alabama and Ohio State. Hill wound up signing with the Buckeyes.
AUBURN
The big catch: Byron Cowart, the nation's top defensive end and top overall player according to Rivals.com, was favoring Florida until coach Will Muschamp got fired. When Muschamp was hired as Auburn's defensive coordinator, their bond became too much for the Gators to overcome.
The one who got away: Muschamp also went after Martez Ivey, the nation's top offensive tackle prospect, but Ivey opted Wednesday to stay with the in-state Gators.
FLORIDA
The big catch: Martez Ivey, the nation's top tackle prospect, helped the Gators fend off surging Auburn and its new defensive coordinator, Will Muschamp, who Florida is paying $2 million each of the next three years.
The one who got away: Defensive end and top Rivals.com overall prospect Byron Cowart is from Armwood High in Seffner, Fla., which has been a pipeline for the Gators. Not so Wednesday, as Cowart followed Muschamp to the Tigers.
KENTUCKY
The big catch: Kentucky was making inroads in Ohio before having a couple of commitments change their minds. One who stayed was C.J. Conrad, the nation's No. 11 tight end according to 247Sports.
The one who got away: Considering the Wildcats lost six commitments in a six-day stretch, there are plenty of departures from which to choose. The player who got the exodus started was cornerback Jeremiah Dinson, who flipped to Auburn.
LSU
The big catch: The Tigers landed a five-star tailback (Derrius Guice) and a five-star receiver (Tyron Johnson) for a second straight year, but the bigger need they filled may be five-star cornerback Kevin Toliver II of Jacksonville.
The one who got away: Although the Tigers landed Johnson and are not lacking for receivers, Daylon Charlot of Patterson signed with Alabama. Patterson is Rivals.com's No. 9 receiver nationally and Louisiana's No. 4 prospect.
OLE MISS
The big catch: The Rebels entered Wednesday having already landed heralded defensive tackle D.T. Jones of East Mississippi Community College, and they added a pair of elite receivers with DaMarkus Lodge of Texas and Van Jefferson of Tennessee.
The one who got away: Drew Richmond of Memphis University School is rated by Rivals.com as the nation's No. 2 tackle and No. 12 overall prospect. Richmond had been committed for months to the Rebels but elected last weekend to visit Tennessee. By the start of this week, Richmond and Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze were no longer following each other on Twitter.
MISSISSIPPI STATE
The big catch: Leo Lewis, the nation's No. 2 inside linebacker and No. 43 prospect overall according to Rivals.com, committed to Ole Miss but signed with Mississippi State. Lewis decommitted from the Rebels this past weekend and didn't have an Ole Miss hat at his Wednesday ceremony.
The one who got away: The Bulldogs lost out to rival Ole Miss for Javon Patterson, the nation's No. 6 guard from Petal, Miss. Patterson committed to the Rebels a week before Ole Miss won this past season's Egg Bowl, which ended MSU's hopes of making the inaugural College Football Playoff.
MISSOURI
The big catch: Defensive tackle Terry Beckner of East St. Louis, Ill., picked the Tigers over Ohio State, giving the Tigers a different result from two years ago. In February 2013, Missouri lost East St. Louis running back Ezekiel Elliott to the Buckeyes.
The one who got away: Alex Ofadile not only left the state but essentially the campus, as the nation's No. 23 receiver from Columbia signed with Oregon.
SOUTH CAROLINA
The big catch: The Gamecocks suffered a drastic drop in defensive play up front this past season but should get immediate help from the coveted junior-college tandem of Hutchinson's Marquavius Lewis and East Mississippi's Dante Sawyer.
The one who got away: South Carolina had a nice defensive end prospect from high school, but Atlanta's Arden Key decommitted on two occasions. Key committed Monday night to LSU and signed Wednesday with the Tigers.
TEXAS A&M
The big catch: The Aggies don't play Texas on the field anymore, but they certainly have their share of recruiting battles. Dual-threat quarterback Kyler Allen committed to the Aggies last summer but was pursued by the Longhorns this winter before announcing last Friday that he was sticking with his pledge. Swiping defensive tackle Daylon Mack from TCU was a nice signing day bonus.
The one who got away: Each of the state's top five prospects according to Rivals.com went elsewhere, with Plano running back Soso Jamabo signing with UCLA, Mesquite linebacker Malik Jefferson with Texas, Keller offensive lineman Maea Teuhema with LSU, and Orange defensive back Deionte Thompson and Missouri City defensive back Kendall Sheffield signing with Alabama.
VANDERBILT
The big catch: Josh Smith of Murfreesboro Oakland is the nation's No. 3 inside linebacker according to 247Sports. Smith committed to the Commodores last summer and stuck with them despite a tumultuous debut season by Derek Mason.
The one who got away: Kyle Phillips, the nation's No. 3 strongside defensive end, is from Hillsboro High in Nashville but left town to sign with rival Tennessee.