Signing Day: Final Prospect, Class Predictions
On the eve of the 2020 Early Signing Period, the first day college football prospects can sign a National Letter of Intent to a given program, recruiting departments coast-to-coast are looking to solidify the class of 2021.
While the pandemic has altered the recruiting calendar like never before, with a dead period extending more than 10 months at this point, the blue blood programs still appear to be in position to contend for the top classes nationally.
Wednesday will also feature the familiar feel of big decisions being made by top recruits, altering the final pecking order en route to crowning an ESP champion.
With final pitches made and most of America's top talents set to end their recruitment in the coming days, SI All-American is ready to make some predictions.
Top Class: Ohio State
The Buckeyes have the No. 1 group entering the ESP, adding No. 1 wide receiver prospect Emeka Egbuka on Friday, and there's no reason to believe the class will be altered much -- if at all -- come Wednesday. The gaudy group has commitments from the top running back, wide receiver and nickel along with top 10 talents at quarterback, interior offensive line, cornerback, linebacker, defensive line and tight end. Oh, and prospects not expected to sign like top defensive prospect J.T. Tuimoloau and SI99 linebacker Raesjon Davis have OSU firmly in the mix. Alabama is OSU's top threat.
Watch the Rise: Texas A&M
SIAA kicked off the week updating the class rankings, with the Aggies coming in at No. 12, a number we should expect to shrink in the coming days. Jimbo Fisher and company are winning on the field and recruiting continues to reflect in the recent pledges of pass rusher Shemar Turner and offensive lineman Remington Strickland. More appear on the way given the volume of undecided recruits they're in the running for like defensive linemen Tunmise Adeleye and Elijah Jeudy, offensive lineman Bryce Foster, wide receiver Brian Thomas and others. Anything near a 50% hit rate with those names should net A&M a spot in the top 10 of the ranks. USC could make a similar move into February.
Watch the Dip: Tennessee
UT has experienced an exodus on the verbal commitment list this month, down to 21 verbal commitments as of Tuesday evening, as two more prospects announced defections from the group (DB Edwin White, RB Elijah Howard) following SI99 departures like linebacker Terrence Lewis and Hudson Wolfe. Lewis could come back into the fold but the Vols won't sign every prospect currently on the commitment list, with headliner and SI99 defensive end Dylan Brooks chief among them as chatter about the future of the program under Jeremy Pruitt increases.
February NSD Trend Will Grow
Since the ESP inception in 2017, a large majority of prospects at the FBS level have come off the board in December. It will be more of the same this year, but without as large a gap. The December signee numbers are usually north of 70% of the class for the top-tier of recruits and we envision the number coming down some given the circumstances of this year's cycle. Coaching changes are far from finalized, scholarship numbers on active rosters are still in flux and the thought of signing with a program a prospect has yet to visit will create more hesitation than usual.
Recruit Predictions (for those expected to go public this week)
LB Xavian Sorey - Georgia over Alabama, Florida
OL Bryce Foster - Oklahoma over Texas A&M, Texas, LSU, Oregon
DL Maason Smith - LSU over Georgia, Alabama, Miami
OL Tristan Leigh - Oklahoma over LSU, Ohio State, Clemson, Florida, Alabama
RB Armoni Goodwin - LSU over Auburn, Alabama, Georgia
RB Donovan Edwards - Michigan over Georgia, Notre Dame
QB Jake Garcia - Miami over Florida State, Arkansas
QB Jaxson Dart - USC over BYU, Arizona State, UCLA
DL Tunmise Adeleye - Texas A&M over Florida, Alabama
OL Savion Byrd - Oklahoma over SMU
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