National Power Plummets in ESPN's 2027 College Football Recruiting Rankings

This college football powerhouse has fallen in ESPN's updated team recruiting rankings for the 2027 cycle.

Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Arvell Reese (8) tackles Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) during the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

College football programs are working to stack top-tier talent in their 2027 football recruiting classes in early June of the 2026 offseason.

Programs will host prospects on official visits throughout June in an effort to make their case as the best program the prospects can play for over the next four years. In many cases, the official visit is the deciding factor in the prospect's recruitment.

ESPN released updated rankings of the top classes in the 2027 recruiting cycle in the midst of all these visits. One class that has taken a tumble in recent weeks is Ohio State, which fell from No. 5 to No. 8 in ESPN's rankings.

The Buckeyes currently hold 13 commits in their 2027 class, 11 of which are rated as four-star prospects or higher. Two five-star prospects are currently committed to Ohio State; Jamier Brown, the No. 2 wide receiver in the class, committed to the Buckeyes on Nov. 23, 2024, and DJ Jacobs, the No. 1 defensive end in the class, announced his commitment on Dec. 29, 2025.

Four of Ohio State's nine four-star commitments are from offensive linemen, and another two are from linebackers. The Buckeyes have a quarterback commit in Brady Edmunds, although UCLA is threatening to flip him away.

Programs that leaped ahead of Ohio State in ESPN's rankings

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney during Tiger Walk before the annnual Clemson Orange and White spring game at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina Saturday, March 28, 2026. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

UCLA jumped up two slots to No. 7 in ESPN's newest recruiting rankings. Bob Chesney's staff pieced together one of the busiest springs of any program on the recruiting trail this year; 18 of UCLA's 20 commits have announced their college decisions since the beginning of March.

All nine of the Bruins' four-star commitments joined the class within the last three months, and ESPN ranks six of them within the top 10 prospects in their position groups.

Clemson went from unranked to No. 6 overall in ESPN's updated 2027 class rankings. The Tigers' surge on the recruiting trail did not begin until the last three weeks; 15 of Clemson's current 22 commits announced their decisions in the weeks after May 17.

Unlike UCLA, quarterback Kharim Hughley is the only prospect committed to Clemson who ranks among the top 10 at his position group.

The other program that has leapfrogged Ohio State in ESPN's rankings is Miami, jumping from the Buckeyes' current place at No. 8 to No. 3 overall. May was busy for the Hurricanes as they landed eight of their four-star prospects over the course of the month.

Miami's most recent move was its flip of Jaiden Bryant from LSU on Wednesday, who ranks as the No. 4 defensive end in the class.