Alabama, Texas Hold Top Two Recruiting Classes Ahead of Showdown
College football’s Week 1 is in the books so it’s never too early to start looking ahead, way ahead in this case.
As the new month (and holiday weekend) are in the rear view, the SI All-American team recruiting rankings are due for a refresh with more data points to consider compared to the August ranking.
Not only is the high school football season well underway in most states, allowing for updated evaluations with prospects committed to various programs, but the preseason SI99 rankings were released for the class of 2023, creating another heavily weighed data point within SI’s subjective approach to measuring recruiting classes against one another.
The following top 25 focuses on SI99 members, premium position prospects (quarterback, offensive tackle, pass rusher, cornerback), general quality at the top of the class and also positional units being constructed together while addressing team needs.
1. Alabama (Ranked No. 1 in August)
Verbal Commitments: 21
SI99 Recruits: 7
Alabama holds off the push from Texas thanks to a productive August in flipping Ohio State tight end Ty Lockwood and adding a pair of high-ceiling interior defensive line prospects in Hunter Osborne and Edric Hill. The race for the top class won’t soon be decided considering the number of high-level recruits available down the stretch as fall turns to winter.
2. Texas (4)
Verbal Commitments: 22
SI99 Recruits: 7
Not only did Texas build on a strong class with two new additions over the last few weeks, but UT was the only program nationally to add multiple SI99 recruits in August. One was in-state, do-it-all defender Derion Gullette, a top-50 overall recruit, and the other was the top-ranked running back in the land in Cedric Baxter. Six of Texas’s SI99 recruits are currently ranked within the top 50 nationally.
3. Notre Dame (3)
Verbal Commitments: 23
SI99 Recruits: 7
The Irish suffered the biggest decommitment of the entire recruiting cycle in losing No. 1 edge Keon Keeley, but it rebounded with volume and variance thereafter. A new SI99 recruit is on board in linebacker Jaiden Ausberry, the most impressive of four new additions in August. Included is a high-upside pass rusher in Armel Mukam and speedy running back Dylan Edwards. The Irish are after more pass-catching talent down the stretch in what will be one of the country's biggest classes.
4. Ohio State (2)
Verbal Commitments: 20
SI99 Recruits: 7
A quiet month of August for OSU resulted in a push, given the Alabama swipe of Lockwood and the addition of athletic in-state linebacker Arvell Reese. Then big-time safety Jayden Bonsu jumped on board to round out one of the best committed secondary groups in the country. More commitments could be coming soon, though, as the Buckeyes just hosted one of the best groups of recruits on campus the sport may have ever seen for its showdown with Notre Dame Saturday night. Droves of professional athletes in football and beyond, like LeBron James (and Bronny), pulled up. That can't hurt on the trail.
5. Georgia (5)
Verbal Commitments: 19
SI99 Recruits: 6
The Bulldogs, like Alabama and others near the top, are playing the long game with a few top remaining targets. They did add a SI99 recruit at a major position of need in offensive tackle Monroe Freeling, over plenty of blue bloods in the process. With the way the Bulldogs look on the field, expect the commitment flip conversation to pick up as Kirby Smart and company defend their title.
6. LSU (14)
Verbal Commitments: 22
SI99 Recruits: 4
LSU has been on a strong late summer push, particularly with recruits from the state of Louisiana, hence a jump into the top 10. Not only did the Tigers finally snag a quarterback in Elite 11 finalist Rickie Collins, but it picked up a major offensive tackle talent in Zalance Heard on Sept. 1 as well as SI99 wide receiver Shelton Sampson Jr. – all from the state of Louisiana. Nine from the state are now on board for Brian Kelly’s program.
7. Clemson (6)
Verbal Commitments: 20
SI99 Recruits: 4
The Tigers are close to filling up their class of 2023, but did add another defensive back to the haul in Shelton Lewis. A bigger, more high-profile win in August came in SI99 two-way standout Ronan Hanafin, whom Clemson snagged over top programs like Alabama and Notre Dame.
8. Oklahoma (7)
Verbal Commitments: 22
SI99 Recruits: 3
The Sooners had a huge close to the offseason on the trail, adding SI99 pass rusher Colton Vasek, among others. The Austin Westlake edge is among the fastest risers in the 2023 class. OU also picked up one of Florida's top defensive backs in the versatile Makari Vickers, who could line up at corner or safety in the Big 12 (or SEC). In any other month, the addition of one of the fastest prospects in the country would be the first recruiting win brought up—but winning out for former Arkansas pledge Anthony Evans is still big.
9. Miami (8)
Verbal Commitments: 17
SI99 Recruits: 6
The Canes missed on some big targets coming off the board at the end of the offseason but still hold one of the best classes in the country, and one of its best positional hauls at quarterback and along the offensive line. The latter has a new name on board with interior blocker Connor Lew, who committed in August and may be the center of the future in Coral Gables.
10. Tennessee (9)
Verbal Commitments: 21
SI99 Recruits: 5
The Volunteers somehow quietly have a top-10 class littered with defensive elites, including August pickup and SI99 cornerback Jordan Matthews. Fellow cornerback addition Rickey Gibson may have had an even more frantic late recruitment, emphasizing the level of which Josh Heupel's bunch is battling on the trail. If UT can round out the offensive line haul at the end of the cycle, it won't be easy to leave it out of top-10 range throughout the process.
11. Florida (13)
Verbal Commitments: 20
SI99 Recruits: 2
Four new additions in the August window included some head-turners relative to who UF won out against on the trail. Kelby Collins, the Alabama defensive lineman, is the most glaring example of Billy Napier’s staff stepping it up beyond the Sunshine State footprint. The Gators added even more beef before the season kicked off with in-staters Kamran James and Will Norman committing within a day of one another. UF also flipped linebacker Jaden Robinson from fellow red-hot SEC East recruiting program South Carolina.
12. USC (12)
Verbal Commitments: 17
SI99 Recruits: 4
None of USC’s elite recruits are trench talents, but it is an elite class just about everywhere else. New additions have come at positions of need in defensive lineman Braylan Shelby and secondary prospect Maliki Crawford, but pass-catching addition Ja'Kobi Lane garnered the most attention among newer commitments. The 6'4" wide receiver had as good an offseason run as any at the position, earning Elite 11 positional honors to wrap it all up.
13. Oregon (20)
Verbal Commitments: 18
SI99 Recruits: 3
The Ducks make a big jump after a huge August and early September on the hunt, adding six new recruits. All may very well end up on defense down the line, too, in what feels timely relative to how the first game under Dan Lanning went Saturday.
14. South Carolina (NR)
Verbal Commitments: 20
SI99 Recruits: 1
The biggest move made up the rankings this month belongs to South Carolina, closing out both trench units with banner recruiting wins over the last few weeks. It is headlined by SI99 defensive lineman Xzavier McLeod’s verbal commitment, but pass rusher Desmond Umeozulu and inside-out type Zavion Hardy aren't to be overlooked. On offense, tackle Oluwatosin Babalade profiled as a big trench win, too.
15. Penn State (10)
Verbal Commitments: 19
SI99 Recruits: 2
The Nittany Lions’ class looks the same from a numbers perspective, but in reality it took a hit with another decommitment in blue-chip pass rusher Tomarrion Parker. While wide receiver Carmelo Taylor did jump on board, there have now been a half-dozen “former” PSU pledges to reset the recruiting process.
16. Baylor (16)
Verbal Commitments: 25
SI99 Recruits: 1
The Bears are known for defense under Dave Aranda, and they added two more future contributors in cornerback Caden Jenkins and interior defensive lineman Brendan Bett.
17. Arkansas (11)
Verbal Commitments: 23
SI99 Recruits: 0
The Hogs didn’t add or lose a prospect in the last month or so, but the class is balanced and rock solid on both sides of the ball. A few committed seniors, including wide receiver Davion Dozier, are off to blistering starts to the 2022 high school season.
18. North Carolina (18)
Verbal Commitments: 18
SI99 Recruits: 0
UNC lost a commitment but it added four more, including three-down linebacker Kaveion Keys out of Virginia, in a class that is coming together nicely under Mack Brown.
19. Louisville (21)
Verbal Commitments: 14
SI99 Recruits: 1
A pair of South Florida additions, over multiple ACC rivals no less, in wide receiver Williams Fowles and linebacker Stanquan Clark, profile well for the national reach of the Cardinals. U of L doesn't have an in-stater on board just yet, with nine combined commitments coming from California and Florida.
20. Texas Tech (19)
Verbal Commitments: 25
SI99 Recruits: 0
Tech and Joey McGuire added yet another Texan to the fold in safety projection Jordan Sanford. That's 22 of 25 verbal commitments from within Lone Star State lines thus far.
21. Cincinnati (15)
Verbal Commitments: 21
SI99 Recruits: 0
The Bearcats have a balanced group with play-making skill players and an Elite 11 finalist en route.
22. Washington (17)
Verbal Commitments: 19
SI99 Recruits: 0
No new Huskies on board of late in the class of 2023, but not one on board at any point has decommitted. Strong positional groups in the secondary and along the offensive front are the foundation of Kalen DeBoer’s first full recruiting class.
23. Pitt (24)
Verbal Commitments: 18
SI99 Recruits: 1
The Panthers have strong positions groups to boot, along the offensive line, defensive line and in the secondary, to build around SI99 QB recruit Kenny Minchey. Three-down linebacker Jordan Bass, who committed in the middle of the Panthers’ winning the Backyard Brawl on Thursday night, rounds out a rock-solid linebacker unit as well.
24. Duke (25)
Verbal Commitments: 26
SI99 Recruits: 0
The biggest class in America, among those we could track, was added to in August with big in-state defensive back DaShawn Stone climbing aboard. There aren't any glaring holes, at least from a volume perspective, in this Blue Devil class.
25. Florida State (NR)
Verbal Commitments: 14
SI99 Recruits: 2
Not only did the SI99 release realize star power in the biggest need area for FSU, offensive line prospects, but they added an August commitment from in-state running back Samuel Singleton as well. Lucas Simmons (SI99 No. 61) and Roderick Kearny (No. 96) are atop the commitment list along the O-line and the defensive line haul is impressive as well, with the likes of Keldric Faulk and Lamont Green pledged to work the edge in college.
Next Five: Northwestern, Iowa, Stanford, Iowa State, Michigan
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The class recruiting rankings will be updated each month through National Signing Day in February.
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