National Signing Day predictions: Where will top 2016 recruits land?
The race to National Signing Day has begun. Sports Illustrated andScout.comhave partnered to provide complete coverage of college football recruiting. Follow along daily with conference-by-conference recruiting shows featuring analysis, breaking news, prospect breakdowns and much more all leading up to Signing Day on Feb. 3.
Which schools will win the battle to sign the nation’s top uncommitted prospects? No one knows for sure, but Scout has an educated guess. We make the call on where the last of the uncommitted players in the top 100 are headed.
Rashan Gary (No. 1): Michigan
Rashan Gary will announce Feb. 3 (tentatively 1 p.m. ET), and this looks like it is all Michigan. On Monday, Gary cut Alabama and Auburn from his list and trimmed it to two, with Clemson the other finalist. Ties with the Michigan coaching staff and players on the team, however, give the Wolverines the biggest prize in the 2016 class.
• SCOUT.COM: Ranking the top 25 recruiting class for 2016
Mique Juarez (No. 8): UCLA
Juarez has been a longtime UCLA lean, but Ole Miss and Alabama are closing fast. Bama is especially pushing hard, but we still feel it will be tough for Juarez to leave home and think he signs with the Bruins.
Jack Jones (No. 15): USC
Jones loved his visit to Texas A&M and Alabama, but in the end, we don't see him leaving Southern California, and USC should land their third straight five-star from Poly.
• ELLIS: Get to know top 10 uncommitted recruits and where they'll sign
Caleb Kelly (No. 17): Notre Dame
Kelly is down to Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Oregon, but it feels like an Irish-Sooners battle. He has gone back and forth and right now it's probably too close to call, but just to take a stand, we'll say the Fighting Irish land him.
Jeffrey McCulloch (No. 43): Texas
There are a lot of national programs battling for his signature, but Texas offers him the chance for immediate playing time and for a defensive-minded head coach.
Jared Mayden (No. 56): Alabama
He was a longtime Oregon commit but will decide between Oklahoma and Alabama on National Signing Day. This recruitment is a true toss-up right now. His father played basketball at OU and there is a lifetime bond with the Sooners, but the Crimson Tide program is where we’ll predict he inks.
• SCOUT.COM: Where will SEC's top targets commit on Signing Day?
Deontay Anderson (No. 57): Ole Miss
We are taking Ole Miss to come out on the top when the ink dries on Anderson’s letter of intent. Texas and LSU are making strong pushes, but the Rebels had him on campus for his final official visit.
Devin Asiasi (No. 67): UCLA
Asiasi was once a longtime USC lean, but the Trojans are in a battle now. UCLA has made up a lot of ground and Michigan is rising fast as well. While we don't think Asiasi has an issue leaving home, we've heard his family wouldn't mind him staying closer to home and we'll go with UCLA in a come-from-behind win.
• SCOUT.COM: Ranking the top 100 recruits in the class of 2016
Boss Tagaloa (No. 87): UCLA
UCLA is the longtime favorite, but Michigan gave the tackle a lot to think about following his recent visit. Washington is involved as well, but we think the Bruins will hold on down the stretch.
Head over to Scout.com for predictions for where the rest of the recruits in the Scout 300 will sign.
