2023 College Football Recruiting Rankings
We saw some major shake-ups in the college football recruiting rankings for 2023 after a whirlwind kick off to the Early Signing Period that saw a series of bombshell commitments leading into National Signing Day.
Not least the pledge of No. 1 overall player Arch Manning, who ended his long and high-profile recruiting process by announcing he formally signed with Texas.
Oregon was the big winner on Day 1 of the early period, moving into the top 15 nationally as second-year head coach Dan Lanning made some great impressions heading into a crucial 2023 campaign.
Keep up: College football recruiting tracker: 2023 National Signing Day updates
Now, with most of the five-star prospects making their intentions known, it's time to get a closer look at where things stand in the national recruiting picture.
Where do things stand in the 2023 recruiting rankings on National Signing Day?
College football recruiting rankings for 2023 National Signing Day
10. Clemson
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Commits: 26
Top commits: DL Peter Woods, Edge Tomarrion Parker, DL Vic Burley
A crucial year for Dabo Swinney and the Tigers to re-assert their playoff-worthiness, and so far they've performed well on the trail, especially by luring 5-star defensive lineman Peter Woods away from in-state Alabama, securing the pledge of the No. 3 player at the position.
Christopher Vizzina, another Alabaman, signed on as the No. 6 ranked quarterback nationally. Two other top-15 defensive lineman picked Clemson, including Vic Burley, the No. 5 DL, and Tomarrion Parker, a one-time Penn State pledge and No. 11 at the position.
9. Tennessee
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Commits: 25
Top commits: QB Nico Iamaleava, DL Daevin Hobbs, WR Nathan Leacock
A solid showing for Josh Heupel and the Volunteers, who earned the pledge of near-consensus 5-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava, the No. 2 passer in the 2023 class who signed back in March.
Three vital defensive picks also highlight the class: 4-star lineman Daevin Hobbs, the No.4 player at his position; edge Caleb Herring, the No. 1 player from the state of Tennessee, and edge Chandavian Bradley, a top 75 prospect nationally and the No. 7 edge, according to Rivals.
8. Oregon
Commits: 30
Top commits: DL Matayo Uiagalelei, WR Jurrion Dickey, CB Rodrick Pleasant
Dan Lanning and the Ducks pulled down two crucial commitments on National Signing Day itself when five-star athlete Nyckoles Harbor and four-star cornerback Rodrick Pleasant both announced their pledges to the school.
Harbor projects as an elite tight end prospect out of Washington, D.C. and Pleasant is a consensus top 10 cornerback nationally from California. Both helped clinch Oregon's position as the No. 1 recruiting class in the Pac-12 in 2023.
It's been a successful offseason overall for the Ducks, which added four-star defensive lineman Matayo Uiagalelei, four-star quarterback Austin Novosad from Texas, and California based four-star corner Daylen Austin during the Early Signing Period.
7. LSU
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Commits: 25
Top commits: OT Zalance Heard, Edge Dashawn Womack, WR Jalen Brown
Brian Kelly signed his two most important additions to date when he added consensus 5-star offensive tackle Zalance Heard, the 4th ranked player at his position, and 4-star wide receiver Shelton Sampson, Jr., the No. 8 wideout in the nation out of Baton Rouge Catholic.
Jalen Brown, a top 15 receiver from Miami, signed with LSU, as did 4-star and 6th ranked cornerback Javien Toviano, who committed on Dec. 15.
6. Ohio State
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Commits: 20
Top commits: WR Carnell Tate, WR Brandon Inniss
Ryan Day earned two elite pickups at receiver in Carnell Tate and Brandon Inniss in a span of about 48 hours earlier this year, combined with four other WR/TE commits that rank in the top 60 nationally, including No. 9 receiver Noah Rogers.
But the Buckeyes also lost five commits, including South Florida running back Mark Fletcher, safety Dijon Johnson out of Tampa, and Memphis quarterback Brock Glenn, though the scarlet and gray made up for it by flipping former Washington commit quarterback Lincoln Keinholz, a top 15 option at the position.
5. Oklahoma
Commits: 26
Top commits: DB Peyton Bowen, Edge Adepoju Adebawore, QB Jackson Arnold
Brent Venables boasts eight top-100 recruits in the Sooners' 2023 haul, highlighted by 5-star quarterback Jackson Arnold, the No. 3 player from Texas and a top 10 passer in the cycle and 5-star, No. 2 ranked safety Peyton Bowen, who flipped to OU from Oregon, after having flipped from Notre Dame originally but with Sooner coaches in contact through the whole process.
4-star receiver Jaquaize Pettaway from Houston is a top 15 player at his position, and OU picked up an important piece on the edge with Adepoju Adebawore, the No. 1 player from Missouri and the 4th-ranked edge rusher nationally.
4. Miami
Commits: 25
Top commits: OT Francis Mauigoa, OT Samson Okunola, RB Mark Fletcher
A great start for first-year coach Mario Cristobal on the trail, signing a dynamic duo on the offensive line in 5-star tackles Samson Okunlola and Francis Mauigoa. That's after earning the pledge of 4-stars in receiver Nathaniel Joseph from Miami Edison and edge rushers Rueben Bain from Miami Central and Jayden Wayne from IMG.
Running back Mark Fletcher flipped to The U from Ohio State, but the Canes also lost quarterback Jalen Rashada to Florida, and it's still waiting on 5-star, No. 1 cornerback Cormani McClain, who turned some heads by not signing his NLI on Early Signing Day.
3. Texas
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Commits: 24
Top commits: QB Arch Manning, LB Anthony Hill, RB Cedric Baxter
Earning the pledge of No. 1 overall player Arch Manning was a landmark moment for the program, and Steve Sarkisian followed that up by adding two other elite 5-star pieces: Denton linebacker Anthony Hill, a former A&M pledge and the consensus No. 1 backer in America, and tailback Cedric Baxter from Orlando, the top-ranked runner nationally.
Manning's commitment helped Texas attract some legit perimeter speed in 4-star wideouts Johntay Cook from DeSoto and Ryan Niblett out of Houston.
2. Georgia
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Commits: 26
Top commits: Edge Damon Wilson, LB Raylen Wilson, LB Troy Bowles
College football's defending national champion sits in second place in the national recruiting rankings thanks to several top 50 prospects, including 5-star cornerback A.J. Harris, the No. 3 recruit at the position, and a trio of standout edge rushers: Samuel M'Pemba and Gabriel Harris, both out of IMG, and 4-star Venice (Fla.) Damon Wilson committed to UGA over Ohio State. Kirby Smart also landed three top 10 linebackers: Raylen Wilson and Troy Bowles out of Florida and CJ Allen from Barnesville (Ga.).
1. Alabama
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Commits: 28
Top commits: OT Kadyn Proctor, RB Justice Haynes, DB Caleb Downs
No debates over the top recruiting class in college football this year, inking a pair of 5-star teammates in the front seven in Qua Russaw and James Smith from Montgomery (Ala.) Carver. Bama also added some impressive secondary talent, including Jahlil Hurley, a top 5 corner nationally; Tony Mitchell, the No. 6 safety, and Caleb Downs, the No. 1 ranked safety.
Eli Holstein, the nation's eighth-ranked quarterback, also pledged to the Tide after flipping from Texas A&M, joined by 4-star Dylan Lonergan, the No. 9 passer nationally. Richard Young, a top-five running back and a top 25 overall prospect in the rankings, signed with the Tide in July. Bama's most recent pledges were from 5-star edge rusher Keon Keeley, a top 10 player who originally committed to Notre Dame, and 5-star offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor, a one-time Iowa commit.
Recruiting rankings as of 4 p.m. Eastern on Wed., Feb. 1, National Signing Day
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