Signing Day Central: Live Updates from SI All-American
The first day of college football's traditional signing period, a.k.a. National Signing Day, kicks off Wednesday as the class of 2021 takes its final shape.
SI Al-American will run through each of the biggest news items and will have instant analysis of commitments, flips and programs making moves up and down the rankings throughout the day.
This live blog will include news as it comes in, links to FanNation sites' coverage, social media posts and much more. It is a recruiting fan's one-stop shop during this unofficial college football holiday.
Quick Links
Postseason SI99 Prospect Rankings
(All times eastern)
--
8:15 pm - More winners and losers from National Signing Day 2021.
7:20 pm - SI All-American updates the Top 25 Team Recruiting Rankings with the dust settled on National Signing Day.
5:23 pm - Starke (Fla.) Bradford defensive back Dontae Balfour picked North Carolina over LSU and Auburn Wednesday afternoon. Auburn had some momentum in January but Dre Bly and the Tar Heels pulled him to the ACC in the end.
4:40 pm - Notre Dame holds off LSU for longtime commitment and Louisiana native Logan Diggs. The running back picked up the LSU offer just before the Early Signing Period and held off on making any decision official until Wednesday.
4:22 pm - SI99 DB Terrion Arnold just came off the board for Alabama. He penned an exclusive SI All-American blog going in depth on why he is headed to Tuscaloosa, too. That No. 1 class is up to a dozen SI99 signees, the most in the country.
4:10 pm - SI99 No. 16 overall prospect Tywone Malone is off the board to Ole Miss, locking in a top 15 haul for Lane Kiffin in the 2021 cycle as its class headliner. Tight end Hudson Wolfe is the other SI99 member headed to Oxford to date. The big New Jersey native will also be playing baseball in the SEC.
3:50 pm - All eyes are on Terrion Arnold and he flashed a Chucky doll prior to his ESPN announcement. Is this a Florida Gators hint? We would be surprised as all indication is that it's down to Alabama and Georgia.
3:35 pm - If the hat game is any indication, SI99 defensive lineman Tywone Malone is about to make a selection between Ole Miss, the favorite, and fellow SEC program Texas A&M. USC, Tennessee, Florida State and Rutgers round out the non flat-bill hats on the table ahead of the announcement.
2:40 pm - It's Auburn for Montgomery (Ala.) Carver defensive back Juwon Gaston, yet another secondary player locked up by Bryan Harsin and company on Wednesday. South Carolina and Tennessee were among those in the mix.
2:25 pm - LJ Johnson, the top uncommitted running back prospect in the Lone Star State, ends his recruitment with a Texas A&M signature over that of Texas. Tough hour or so for the new staff in Austin.
1:51 pm - Stanford comes from seemingly out of nowhere to land Texas offensive line prospect Austin Uke, who had options across the country. A fifth of the incoming Cardinal class comes via the offensive line. Texas was a top contender as well.
1:43 pm - Clay Millen, an NFL legacy who was committed to Arizona before their coaching change, is headed to Nevada. He will be one of the more high-profile Group of 5 signees to track from the cycle.
1:22 pm - South Carolina is looking like a National Signing Day winner with another defensive addition this afternoon. It delves into the junior college ranks with the addition of Tavareon Scott, an Indiana native by way of Dodge City Community College. The linebacker's nickname is "Bam" for what it's worth.
1:13 pm - Auburn is heating up today, locking in former South Alabama commitment Cayden Bridges of Mississippi. We forecasted this earlier in the week and the safety made things official Wednesday afternoon.
1:06 pm - Late-rising Ala. defensive back Juwon Gaston is some 90 minutes away from his announcement. We are anticipating Auburn at this time though South Carolina and Tennessee remain in the mix.
12:20 pm - One-time Miami commitment Savion Collins is staying in the area, signing with Florida International on Wednesday.
12:15 pm - Mississippi State has been hunting for late additions and it landed an in-state defender in Ty Cooper on Wednesday. The Louisville (Miss.) star was also considering Tennessee and Ole Miss, among others.
11:54 am - Steve Sarkisian and Texas secure a major in-state win with a decision from former Notre Dame commitment and pass rusher David Abiara. Texas locks in a top 20 class on SI All-American with this move.
11:40 am - South Carolina wins the battle for late-rising, lengthy Alabama defensive back LaDareyen Craig. After a seven-interception campaign in 2020, he picks the Gamecocks over Mississippi State and Oregon State.
11:35 am - Tennessee has had a rough go, optically, of late but it did add junior college offensive lineman Jeremiah Crawdord on Wednesday. He connected with VR2 for more HERE.
11:32 am - We dropped the hint via Ohio State's Tweet earlier this morning and it rounded out as expected for SI99 linebacker Raesjon Davis. He announced for USC on CBS Sports and got some cheers from the hometown crowd.
"I see where the program is going and it's going in a great direction," Davis said.
11:28 am - After the back-and-forth with Tennessee, it's another program in the state that secures Oxford (Ala.) star pass catcher Roc Taylor. He just announced his intention to sign with Memphis.
11:15 am - SI99 Slot receiver recruit and Louisiana native Destyn Hill just came off the board for Florida State. The Seminoles were long viewed as the front-runner here and Mike Norvell and company close it out with what will likely be the sole SI99 signee the program brings in this cycle.
11:03 am - One of the better feel-good stories of the 2021 recruiting cycle is that of London native Seydou Traore, who just signed with Arkansas State. He moved to America in the fall to pursue an FBS scholarship and signs with the Wolves despite a limited 2020 season at Clearwater (Fla.) Academy International.
11:00 am - Charleston Southern dips into state champion south Florida program in Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage for a pair of prospects in Boogsie Silvera and Vinson Davis.
10:45 am - Syracuse picks up its second new commitment of the day in flipping Coastal Carolina defensive end Chase Simmons.
10:30 am - Auburn signee and SI All-American Tarvarish Dawson opens up on his decision to stick with AU despite a push from Texas A&M and Tennessee HERE.
10:04 am - Penn State will have a chance to crack the top 25 rankings with the addition of defensive end Davon Townley, who picked PSU over Arizona State and others. The Minnesota native is listed at 6-foot-6.
9:59 am - Alabama all but confirms its No. 1 recruiting class in holding onto No. 2 running back and top 10 overall prospect Camar Wheaton. The Crimson Tide raided the state of Texas and the Lakeview Centennial running back is the second-highest UA signee from the state behind the nation's No. 1 offensive tackle, Tommy Brockermeyer.
9:48 am - Syracuse beats ACC foe Virginia Tech for junior college offensive lineman Jakob Bradford. Mike McAllister of AllSyracuse has more:
9:45 am - Tarvarish Dawson sticks with Auburn over A&M and Tennessee.
9:36 am - Texas indeed does sign in-state defensive back Ishmael Ibraheem. There was intrigue around this decision given the cornerback's misdemeanor arrest in mid December, but he's now officially a Longhorn.
9:23 am - One of the top defensive prospects among the undecided, Trevin Wallace is off the board to Kentucky. SEC win over Auburn and Ole Miss will sit well with Mark Stoops and company.
9:14 am - Longtime Minnesota commitment and top five Nickel prospect Avante Dickerson is headed to Oregon. Nebraska was the favorite when he backed off of the Minnesota pledge but Mario Cristobal and company lock in a top 10 class and one of the better secondary classes in America with this pickup. Ducks looking to hold off USC for the Pac-12's top class and this is a big step in that direction.
9:10 am - A second Michigan flip of the day is in as Ike Iwunnah a change of heart from Colorado to the Wolverines. Texas native will project as a defensive lineman.
8:35 am - The first big flip of the day is a big one in the Big Ten. Michigan State pledge Rayshaun Benny is off to Ann Arbor to play for Michigan instead. Big boost for the nation's No. 12 recruiting class.
8:22 am - The top offensive line prospect we're tracking is junior college star Jordan Moko, who just confirmed he won't be going public on Wednesday. Texas A&M, Auburn and LSU fans will have to wait until Friday evening to see if they can cap the class with the Aussie.
8:15 am - The 9:00 am hour will be busy in terms of decisions. Top five Nickel prospect Avante Dickerson (Oregon, Nebraska, Minnesota), linebacker Trevin Wallace (Kentucky, Auburn, Ole Miss) and SI All-American Tarvarish Dawson (Auburn, Texas A&M, Tennessee) will go public with decisions. Last-second predictions would like with Oregon, Kentucky and Auburn, respectively, for the trio.
7:30 am - Ohio State is a virtual lock to remain No. 2 in the SIAA rankings but it could have just hinted at staying put in the signature department despite it being signing day. Could this mean SI99 linebacker Raesjon Davis, who was in Columbus for a visit of late, is headed to local USC later today? He is scheduled to go public with a decision around 11:00 am ET.
The Buckeyes remain in play for the nation's No. 1 defender, JT Tuimoloau, but he won't be deciding until later this spring.
7:25 am - First big recruiting surprise of the day is in as one-time Iowa defensive back commitment and two-way Tampa (Fla.) Gaither star Jordan Oladokun has signed a Letter of Intent to FCS Samford. Massive win for the Bulldogs.
7:15 am - There has been national discussion surrounding one of Michigan's top unsigned prospect, Oak Park's Rayshaun Benny. The defensive tackle committed to Michigan State in November but didn't sign in the early window, prompting scuttlebutt locally as Michigan's final push wraps up. Could an in-state flip be coming? According to Wolverine Digest's Brandon Brown, it could be a notable day in Ann Arbor.
7:00 am - Alabama won't be caught atop the recruiting rankings today and its prospects of landing SI99 defensive back Terrion Arnold, the highest-ranked defensive back among the uncommitted nationally, appear rock solid as National Signing Day arrives. Arnold, also considering Georgia and Florida despite coming to a private decision over the last several days, is scheduled to make his announcement on national television at 4:00 pm ET.
6:30 am - One of the more stunning signing day eve stories was Tennessee dropping longtime recruit Roc Taylor without any notice on Tuesday. Several programs have been in contact with the Oxford (Ala.) standout pass catcher, who hauled in 17 touchdowns in 2020, since. Despite the late notice, Taylor will make a final decision later today between Memphis, UAB and Deion Sanders' Jackson State program. Tennessee, meanwhile, is in danger of dropping out of the SI All-American Top 25 rankings.
More from SI All-American
February CFB Team Recruiting Rankings
The latest on the top uncommitted recruits in America
Caleb Williams Signs off of 'All on the Line' Blog
GOAT Recruiting Class Conversation Begins with 2017 Alabama
2020 SI All-American Team Offense | Defense
2020 SI All-American Second Team Offense | Defense
--
Follow SI All-American's college football and basketball recruiting coverage here on SIAllAmerican.com as well as on social media, @SIAllAmerican on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and now on YouTube.