HOW THEY STAND
The top five teams entering national signing day in the various rankings:247Sports.com1. Alabama2. Ohio State3. Georgia4. Michigan5. Florida StateRivals.com1. Alabama2. Ohio State3. Georgia4. Michigan5. OklahomaESPN1. Alabama2. Ohio State3. Georgia4. Michigan5. Florida StateScout.com1. Alabama2. Georgia3. Michigan4. Ohio State5. Oklahoma
National signing day has arrived, and the Southeastern Conference again has established itself as the league to top in compiling top-rated talent.
Alabama entered today with the No. 1 class, according to the composite rankings compiled by 247Sports.com, with Nick Saban's Crimson Tide joined by No. 3 Georgia, No. 6 LSU, No. 9 Auburn and No. 10 Texas A&M. ESPN lists Tennessee with the No. 10 class, and there are 11 SEC teams among the top 30 on 247Sports' list.
Yet the Big Ten tandem of Ohio State and Michigan isn't abandoning the recruiting trail any time soon, either, as Urban Meyer's Buckeyes and Jim Harbaugh's Wolverines are both challenging for top-ranked classes on an annual basis. Ohio State entered today No. 2 in the 247Sports composite rankings after finishing No. 4 last winter.
"One of the big things that stands out to me about Ohio State is how they've been able to forecast how they're likely going to lose this guy or that guy in the draft," ESPN national recruiting analyst Tom Luginbill said. "They have made inroads to having replacements now and not in the next class. They've done it at linebacker, and they've certainly done it with their corners and at safety, and it's just really, really impressive.
"At running back, they're getting J.K. Dobbins, which I think will make for significant improvement on that side of the football."
Ohio State has a whopping 12 early enrollees or commitments from 247Sports top-100 players, including a quintet of five-star prospects from outside the Buckeye State: cornerback Jeffrey Okudah of Grand Prairie, Texas; defensive end Chase Young of Hyattsville, Md.; outside linebacker Baron Browning of Kennendale, Texas; cornerback Shaun Wade of Jacksonville, Fla., and offensive guard Wyatt Davis of Bellflower, Calif.
Harbaugh's Wolverines entered today with the nation's No. 4 class after finishing No. 6 a year ago. Michigan has 11 early enrollees and 16 commitments, with its crop headed by Donovan Peoples-Jones of Detroit, the nation's No. 1 receiver, and four-star quarterback Dylan McCaffrey, the brother of former Standout standout Christian McCaffrey.
"Michigan has a big class, because they have a lot of available scholarships," Luginbill said. "They've been able to capitalize on that, and they have addressed a lot of different positions across the board.
"Their class is not just quality but significant quantity in relation to a Clemson, which has tremendous quality but doesn't have as many scholarships to give out."
Clemson entered today with a class of just 14, but 11 are four- or five-star prospects. The top collection in the Atlantic Coast Conference this year is Florida State, which landed the nation's No. 1 running back, Cam Akers of Clinton, Miss.
Need a program that could be challenging for elite classes sooner than later? Go back to the Big Ten.
After the horrific bombshell of the Jerry Sandusky revelations in November 2011, Penn State signed the nation's No. 46 class in 2012 and the No. 33 class in 2013. The Nittany Lions have risen steadily under coach James Franklin, whose third Penn State team this past season won the Big Ten and nearly knocked off Southern California in the Rose Bowl.
The Nittany Lions entered today with the No. 15 class.
"Winning cures a lot of woes," Luginbill said.
Mathis picks Tide
One of the best names in this recruiting cycle is heading to Alabama.
Phidarian Mathis, a 6-foot-4, 287-pound defensive tackle from Monroe, La., announced Tuesday afternoon that he would be signing today with the Crimson Tide. Mathis is the No. 7 defensive tackle and the No. 99 overall prospect according to the 247Sports composite rankings.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.