Signing the No. 1-ranked college football recruiting class requires a ton of work.
It means going head-to-head with the top programs in the country, battling for the elite recruits in that class.
It's difficult to accomplish, but it brings a significant amount of attention to that team and can, in turn, propel its future recruiting efforts and the product on the field.
The 2021 cycle is no different from any other, but there is a tight race for the top spot as the early signing period nears. No team has yet to run away with the whole thing, but there are only a handful of teams that realistically have a shot at closing at the top.
Here is a look at those teams and what they have left that could help push them to that No. 1 spot.
1. Alabama Crimson Tide
ESPN 300 commits: 17
Top offensive commit: OT Tommy Brockermeyer (No. 2)
Top defensive commit: DE Dallas Turner (No. 12)
The Crimson Tide currently have the No. 1-ranked class, so everyone is coming after them. Alabama has finished with the top-ranked class six times since 2012. The lowest the Tide have finished in that span is No. 6 in 2018.
In this cycle, Alabama has 17 ESPN 300 commitments, the most of any class and just one more than Ohio State. The staff has three five-stars committed in offensive tackles Tommy Brockermeyer and J.C. Latham, ranked Nos. 2 and 5, respectively, and linebacker Dallas Turner.
Ten of those 17 ESPN 300 commitments are ranked in the top 100, making it tough for any team to beat out Alabama for the top spot, especially considering whom the coaches still have on their board and have a shot with as the early signing period draws closer.
Alabama is still being listed for quite a few ESPN 300 recruits, including defensive end Tunmise Adeleye and running back Camar Wheaton, who has a top two of Alabama and Oklahoma. Safety Terrion Arnold has a top five of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU and Texas A&M. ESPN 300 wide receiver Brian Thomas, defensive tackles Maason Smith and J.T Tuimoloau and linebacker Xavian Sorey are also still listing Alabama.
The Tide are also trying to flip Michigan ESPN 300 wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who recently took a visit to Alabama.
The good news for opposing teams is that the Crimson Tide are not going to land all of these recruits, and not every recruit still listing Alabama is expected to pick them. Arnold seems to be favoring Florida, Smith could end up at LSU and so on. But there is a chance Alabama still gets a few of these targets.
If the coaches can get Worthy to flip, or can add Adeleye or Sorey, or any combination, it could make it difficult for any other team to take over the top spot.
2. Ohio State Buckeyes
ESPN 300 commits: 16
Top offensive commit: RB TreVeyon Henderson (No. 9)
Top defensive commit: DE Jack Sawyer (No. 1)
The Buckeyes are the No. 2-ranked team in the country right now and aren't far behind Alabama. While the Crimson Tide lead and still have a lot on the table, this race isn't over entering next Wednesday's signing day, especially with what Ohio State still has left as well.
The Buckeyes have 16 ESPN 300 commitments in the class along with two five-star recruits in defensive end Jack Sawyer and running back TreVeyon Henderson. Within those numbers, nine are ranked in the top 100.
If Ohio State gets one more five-star, the top of these classes will be almost identical. Luckily for the Buckeyes, there is still the potential to add a five-star in this class with defensive tackle J.T. Tuimoloau out of Washington.
He's a 6-foot-5, 280-pound prospect ranked No. 4 overall. Sawyer is the No. 1-ranked recruit and Henderson is No. 9, so if the Buckeyes added Tuimoloau to this class, the staff would actually have the higher ranked five-stars compared to Alabama.
Tuimoloau isn't likely to sign in December, though, so if he is going to get added to this class, the coaches might have to wait until February to see if they can finish the entire cycle at No. 1. Tuimoloau currently has a top list of Alabama, Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, USC and Washington. Ohio State is thought to be the leader, but there is still a lot of time left if he waits until February.
The Buckeyes are also still in on ESPN 300 wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, the No. 28-ranked prospect, who is also from Washington. He's considering Ohio State, Oklahoma and Washington and recently took a visit to Oklahoma, even getting to catch some passes from Sooners quarterback commit Caleb Williams.
Ohio State is the favorite, but the visit to Oklahoma could change things. It's not yet known when he will decide, but adding him would be a big help to the Buckeyes taking the top spot.
The other highly ranked prospect who could impact this race for the Buckeyes is ESPN 300 offensive lineman Tristan Leigh, who is ranked No. 22 overall and is considering Alabama, Clemson, LSU, Ohio State, Oklahoma. Leigh has also visited Oklahoma, and it seems as though he likely will not end up at Ohio State.
Essentially, Ohio State is likely going to need to land Tuimoloau and Egbuka if it wants a shot at supplanting Alabama, assuming Alabama gets one or two of its targets and doesn't lose any big names before the early signing period.
3. Georgia Bulldogs
ESPN 300 commits: 13
Top offensive commit: OT Amarius Mims (No. 19)
Top defensive commit: ATH Smael Mondon (No. 11)
The Dawgs have the No. 3-ranked class overall and currently have 13 ESPN 300 commitments in the class, behind Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson and LSU, and tied with Oregon and Florida.
The staff has one five-star committed in athlete Smael Mondon, the No. 11-ranked recruit, and has five commitments ranked in the top 100. It's a great class for Georgia, which has some big pieces in Mondon, quarterback Brock Vandagriff, offensive tackle Amarius Mims and safety David Daniel, among others.
Given how many ESPN 300 commitments and five-stars Alabama and Ohio State currently have, it might be difficult for Georgia to jump up to that No. 1 spot, however there are some big names left that could make it possible.
Among the prospects who still list Georgia are five-star defensive end Korey Foreman, ESPN 300 defensive tackle Maason Smith, linebacker Xavian Sorey, running back Donovan Edwards, cornerback Nyland Green and safety Terrion Arnold.
The staff has competition for each recruit and isn't likely to land all of them. It seems like Foreman could end up at LSU, Clemson or USC instead of Georgia, and Smith could end up at LSU. Edwards could end up at Notre Dame or Michigan, so Georgia is going to have to close strong if it wants to end up at No. 1.
4. LSU Tigers
ESPN 300 commits: 14
Top offensive commit: OT Garrett Dellinger (No. 31)
Top defensive commit: S Derrick Davis Jr. (No. 26)
The Tigers are one of the more intriguing teams in this race, at No. 4 in the class rankings. LSU has 14 ESPN 300 commitments, which is one behind Clemson, two behind Ohio State and three behind Alabama.
LSU is within striking range, especially if the coaches are able to close strong with some of the bigger targets still on the board.
LSU is still being listed for five-star defensive end Korey Foreman, ESPN 300 defensive tackle Maason Smith, offensive tackle Tristan Leigh, wide receiver Brian Thomas, athlete Damarius McGhee, defensive end Shemar Turner, running back L.J. Johnson and safety Terrion Arnold.
Thomas is also considering Alabama and Texas A&M and might not decide until February. Foreman and Smith have talked about potentially playing together in college, but as Foreman has taken visits to Clemson and a few other places, it's going to be a challenge to get both.
LSU seems to have the best shot with Smith, Foreman, McGhee and Leigh of the remaining bigger targets, but it has competition for all four. If the coaches can land all four, though, it would give LSU 18 ESPN 300 commitments, one five-star and 10 ranked in the top 100. That still might not be enough to get to the top spot, but it would make it close.