Signing Day Central: Live Updates from SI All-American
As the first day of the Early Signing Period kicks off, SI All-American will track the biggest recruiting news all in one place as the class of 2021 takes shape.
We will update this live blog throughout Wednesday with recruiting scoop, breaking news, analysis and more en route to crowning an ESP champion this evening.
Quick Links
Announcement Times, Scoop on SI99 Prospects
(All times eastern)
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11:23 pm - SI99 QB and USC signee Miller Moss signs off on his SIAA Signing Day Vlog.
9:22 pm - Early Signing Period Winners and Losers.
8:55 pm - One of the top uncommitted prospects in Texas, pass rusher Tunmise Adeleye, opted for Texas A&M over Florida and Alabama.
8:22 pm - We weren't quite ready to call the race between Ohio State and Alabama atop the SIAA class rankings today until the Crimson Tide pulled its second flip of an LSU prospect to take the top spot.
7:18 pm - The cherry on top of a rock solid Miami class, one vaulting into the top 10, just came in by way of Jake Garcia. The former USC commitment let the public know his intention on social media to wrap up the QB dominos for the 2021 cycle. His future coach celebrated a strong end to the night.
7:05 pm - Former Auburn commitment and SI99 running back prospect Armoni Goodwin picked LSU over Auburn and others at his school Wednesday evening. LSU has had more good than bad to kick off the ESP and has their next back in the fold.
More here.
6:52 pm - UCLA has regained its commitment from DB/WR Devin Kirkwood. A Los Angeles native, Kirkwood pledged to the Bruins in May, but decommitted on Dec. 7. There was a lot of USC talk around him coming into Signing Day, but he has chosen to recommit to heading to Westwood. Kirkwood gives head coach Chip Kelly 15 commitments in his 2021 class.
5:20 pm - SI99 RB/WR Jojo Earle, a longtime LSU commitment out of Texas, flipped his pledge from the Tigers to the Crimson Tide this afternoon. At one point it didn't appear to be likely Early would finalize anything on Wednesday, instead he's the newest member of the Tide's class and the second LSU flip of the day.
More on BamaCentral.
5:08 pm - The nation's top uncommitted prospect and defensive prospect, JT Tuimoloau, is down to five programs. Ahead of a February decision, this race will come down to Ohio State, Alabama, USC, Oregon and in-state Washington.
4:35 pm - LSU is indeed able to keep top in-state prospect Maason Smith within state lines. The Tigers win out over Alabama, Georgia and Miami for the SI99 trenchman, who registered 24 tackles for loss and nine sacks in just seven games as a senior.
3:42 pm - Local reports in Texas are suggesting SI99 RB/WR Jojo Earle, a longtime LSU commitment, could in fact sign Wednesday afternoon. If so, the late press from Alabama or Texas A&M may be revealed. If it's Alabama in the end, the gap between No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Alabama is as thin as it could be in the cycle.
3:23 pm - Top 10 nickel prospect Markevious Brown adds to the red-hot Ole Miss haul over Auburn, Virginia Tech and others.
2:58 pm - LB Ma'a Gaoteote has decommitted from USC and signed with Michigan State. Gaoteote’s brother, Palaie, came into the season as a starting LB for the Trojans, but entered the transfer portal earlier this month.
2:33 pm - Just days after telling SIAA he would sign in February, SI99 DL Tyreak Sapp has inked with Florida, the program he's been committed to since early in high school.
2:13 pm - Not a shocker, yet we can confirm that No. 1 CB prospect Jason Marshall has signed his NLI with Florida. There was Miami talk before Marshall made his decision in the summer, but he never wavered and is now officially a Gator.
2:00 pm - Georgia just locked up the top linebacker haul in 2021 with the pledge of SI99 prospect Xavian Sorey over Alabama and Florida. He joins Smael Mondon, Jamon Dumas-Johnson and Chaz Chambliss at the position en route to Athens.
1:47 pm - Jaeden Roberts, a massive Texas offensive line prospect, is back on the market. He had been an Auburn Tiger verbal for some time but cites the coaching change as his reason for taking a step back.
1:45 pm - One of the top uncommitted running backs in the country, Michigan prospect Donovan Edwards, will stay in state and play for Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines. We had heard some late Georgia buzz.
1:45 pm - As we reported earlier in the day, Lee Hunter sticks with his Auburn commitment, inking with the in-state program.
1:21 pm - Weeks after his older brother hit the transfer portal away from USC, Calif. LB prospect Ma'a Gaoteote has flipped from USC to Michigan State. MSU has already announced him as a 2021 signee.
1:13 pm - Auburn has added another defender late in the process in Ian Matthews of Georgia. That's two new commitments and no decommitments since Malzahn was let go on Sunday.
12:52pm - Damarius McGhee backed off his Tennessee commitment late last month, but has decided to stick around in the SEC. McGhee committed to LSU this afternoon, giving the Tigers five defensive backs in their 21-player class.
12:25 pm - Jeff Scott and South Florida had a big morning, adding two high-profile transfers in QB Jarren Williams, DB Christian Williams and WR Matthew Hill. The Bulls also landed late-rising in-state prep wideout Jimmy Horn, Jr.
12:20 pm - The nation's leading prep passer, Jaxson Dart, has committed to USC. He pairs with SI99 passer Miller Moss for perhaps the top incoming QB duo in the class of 2021.
12:13 pm - Texas Tech QB commitment Behren Morton will end the process today after announcing he was taking a step back earlier in the week.
"I am going to sign today," he tells SIAA.
12:11 pm - An SI All-American exclusive:
12:00 pm - OIe Miss is heating up again, flipping longtime Mississippi State two-way commitment MJ Daniels, an in-state win. The Rebels have added a staggering 10 commitments this month.
11:55 am - LSU lost a commitment earlier in the day but has added a pair in junior college linebacker Navonteque Strong and in flipping Mississippi State wide receiver commitment Malik Nabers.
11:51 am - Georgia has lost the commitment of JUCO DB De’Jahn Warren to Jackson State. A sign of how 2020 has been as a year, Kirby Smart has been beaten out for a player by Deion Sanders. Warren is choosing to play at the FCS level and the opportunity to be coached by Sanders was too good to pass up.
11:44 am - Auburn has gotten its first commitment since dismissing Gul Malzahn as head coach on Sunday. The newest Tiger is CB Amani Diamond, an in-state get for Auburn. Diamond is Auburn’s 13th commitment and a teammate of fellow future Tiger Lee Hunter.
11:29 am - SI99 IDL Leonard Taylor has made it official with Miami, as he has indeed signed a NLI this morning. Taylor has been dominant and physical at times on tape this season and gives Hurricanes head coach Manny Diaz a potential playmaker in the defensive trenches.
11:19 am - SI All-American OT prospect Savion Byrd has committed to Oklahoma. The Sooners plucked the athletic trenchman out of Texas. SI All-American’s Matt Solorio has more on Byrd’s pledge to play in Norman here.
11:13 am - SI99 EDGE Quentin Somerville had been committed to Michigan for most of the 2021 cycle. That has now changed, with Somerville opting to spurn the Wolverines for UCLA this morning. The Bruins haven’t had much spice in 2021 recruiting, but nabbing Somerville brings some sizzle to the class heading to Westwood.
Somerville's flip to UCLA is likely a domino falling in recent DE/EDGE recruiting over the past month. Notre Dame lost a commitment from EDGE David Abiara. The Irish responded by flipping EDGE Devin Aupiu from UCLA, which led UCLA to subsequently turn its focus on flipping Somerville.
10:44 am - CB prospect Ja’Den McBurrows will indeed sign today. The Michigan commit has been wavering some, with speculation he may wait until February. However, McBurrows confirmed via Twitter he will sign his NLI at 8pm ET, with Miami making a late push to keep him in Florida.
10:35 am - Michigan linebacker commitment Branden Jennings, from Jacksonville (Fla.) Sandalwood, flips from Michigan to Maryland. The Terps have come on strong of late but Jennings didn't know his pick 24 hours ago. Strong close by Mike Locksley and company.
10:28 am - The first big flip of the day is in and Alabama is the victor for Keanu Koht, who flips his longtime pledge off of LSU. The Vero Beach (Fla.) pass rusher had been considering the Tigers along with Florida down the stretch. Ohio State's lead in the team recruiting ranks gets that much slimmer.
10:10 am - SI99 offensive line prospect Tristan Leigh, who is considering Oklahoma, LSU, Ohio State, Clemson, Alabama and Florida, will no longer sign a Letter of Intent this week. He was planning on a silent signing before revealing his choice Jan. 2. 247Sports is reporting a signature now expected in February.
10:00 am - Atlanta (Ga.) Marist defensive back Josh Moore, who was once committed to Stanford before flipping to USC, has committed and signed with another Pac-12 program: UCLA.
9:18 am - The nation's No. 1 recruit, QB Caleb Williams, signs with Oklahoma and connects with his future head coach soon after.
9:05 am - USC, which held the No. 14 recruiting class entering the day, adds Texas wide receiver prospect Joseph Manjack this morning.
9:00 am - Ft. Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas defensive back Jaden McBurrows, a longtime Michigan commitment, will make a final decision between Michigan and Miami Wednesday night at 8:00 p.m. ET, he announces. The 'Canes don't have a cornerback committed in the class of 2021 to date.
8:47 am - Marquis Robinson, who told us he was likely to wait until February to sign after Gus Malzahn was fired, has signed with Auburn after all.
8:15 am - SI99 defensive back Avantae Dickerson, one of the top nickel prospects in the country, will not be signing on Wednesday. The longtime Minnesota commitment has never been to campus while the in-state Nebraska Cornhuskers push for a flip.
8:10 am - Tampa (Fla.) Carrollwood Day defensive lineman Desmond Mamudi, a longtime South Florida commitment, has flipped to Virginia Tech, he tells SIAA. Mamudi will ink with the Hokies today.
7:58 am - Mobile (Ala.) UMS-Wright DB Edwin White, who announced a decommitment from Tennessee Tuesday evening, says he will sign on Friday.
7:30 am - SI99 defensive lineman Lee Hunter, a longtime Auburn commitment, is set to sign at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday morning intel in the Mobile area suggests he will stick with AU despite interest from SEC and ACC programs over the last few days.
7:25 am - Keep an eye on Virginia Tech for Tampa (Fla.) Carrollwood Day defensive lineman Desmond Mamudi, who had a dominant senior season and recently added the Hokie offer. He had been committed to local South Florida for some time but has been back and forth over the last few days, per a source. VT giving Justin Fuente a vote of confidence to stay in Blacksburg will play big today.
7:20 am - Checking with sources in the Birmingham area, SI99 running back Armoni Goodwin was a strong possibility to stick with Auburn despite a decommitment on Nov. 30. But then the program moved on from Gus Malzahn and it has clouded this recruitment down the stretch. Our Tuesday evening prediction shifted to LSU, which has recruited him throughout the process.
7:15 am - Will be interesting to see how South Carolina fares on Wednesday just days after Shane Beamer officially took over the SEC East program. USC has just 10 public pledges as of this morning.
6:45 am - There are growing questions surrounding SI99 defensive lineman Lee Hunter, a longtime Auburn commitment. The in-state prospect grew up a big AU fan but the coaching change in recent days has him somewhat open to late runs from others in the region, per a source. Hunter will sign Wednesday and if there are programs to watch it would be Georgia, Florida and potentially Florida State, each of which were on his trail before he picked the Tigers. Hunter will ink somewhere at 11:00 a.m.
6:35 am - Late Tuesday night, SIAA sources indicated SI99 linebacker prospect and longtime LSU commitment Raesjon Davis wouldn't be signing a NLI during the Early Signing Period. Ohio State, USC and Arizona State are among the programs still in pursuit of the Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei prospect.
6:30 am - Michigan linebacker commitment Branden Jennings tells SI All-American he is considering Florida State, where he was once committed and stands as a legacy prospect, as well as Maryland entering National Signing Day. As of very late Tuesday evening, he had yet to come to a final decision.
6:05 am - How will programs without a head coach, like Auburn or Illinois, fare on a day where long-tenured coaches across America will be hyping up their Wednesday haul regardless of how many commitments make things official?
The Tigers have 12 verbal commitments and are in the running for several defensive prospects while looking to maintain their own. As of late Tuesday night, AU commitments Tar'varish Dawson, Phillip O'Brien and Marquis Robinson had plans to hold off on signing until later in the ESP or in February.
6:00 am - The first National Letter of Intent is in! West Virginia is the first FBS program on the board, officially, in the class of 2021 with the signing of Edward Vesterinen, a pass rusher from Finland.
More from SI All-American
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Auburn Recruits React to Malzahn Firing
Countdown to Signing Day Dec. 12 | Dec. 11 | Dec. 10 | Dec. 9
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2021 Dream On-Field Matchups Series Part 1 | Part 2
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