There is a little over a month until the early signing period starts in December, which means college football coaches are putting recruiting efforts into full gear.
With only 65 ESPN 300 prospects uncommitted, there are going to be plenty of battles down the stretch to close out classes. There are still six five-star recruits on the board, 13 ranked in the top 50 who are uncommitted and 27 uncommitted recruits in the top 100.
With little time left in this cycle until the first signing period, we looked at some of the more highly rated recruits remaining for each class in the top 25 of the class rankings.
1. Alabama Crimson Tide: WR Shazz Preston
ESPN 300 rank: 15
This position could be any number of recruits because Alabama still has a lot of highly sought-after recruits on the board. The staff is after USC five-star corner commit Domani Jackson, cornerbacks Denver Harris and Earl Little Jr., Kentucky offensive line commit Kiyaunta Goodwin, defensive lineman Shemar James and quite a few others. Preston is the pick, though, because the staff has only one ESPN 300 receiver committed in the class in Aaron Anderson. It seems as though the coaches will land an elite corner or two to fill that need, but Preston is one of the few highly ranked receivers left who could join this class. He recently took a visit to Alabama and has the Crimson Tide in his top four with Georgia, LSU and Texas.
2. Georgia Bulldogs: S Kamari Wilson
ESPN 300 rank: 14
Georgia has a number of highly ranked recruits left on the board, but we'll go with Wilson. He's a five-star safety from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. At 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, he's the highest-ranked safety in the class and a big priority for Georgia. He would add depth and youth to Georgia's secondary. Wilson hasn't named a top list yet, but Georgia is in the mix. Texas A&M, LSU, Auburn, Florida, Florida State and USC are all schools he has mentioned in the past.
3. Penn State Nittany Lions: LB Jaishawn Barham
ESPN 300 rank: 65
Penn State had the No. 1-ranked recruiting class for most of this cycle but has since been supplanted by Alabama and Georgia. The Nittany Lions can still close strong, but given who is left on the board, they likely won't finish at No. 1. There are still some big recruits out there, namely Barham. He's a 6-foot-3, 230-pound linebacker from St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, and he's the No. 7 outside linebacker in the class. Penn State is likely battling South Carolina, among a few others, for Barham, and adding him to this class would be a great way to close the stretch to the early signing period.
4. Oklahoma Sooners: S Azareyeh Thomas
ESPN 300 rank: 133
Oklahoma has quite a few targets still out there, including defensive lineman Hero Kanu, defensive end/linebacker Marvin Jones Jr. and a handful of others. Jones is the highest-ranked recruit and one of the most important, but Thomas is someone who can play safety or be versatile enough to move around in Oklahoma's defense at corner. Given current safeties Pat Fields, Delarrin Turner-Yell and Justin Broiles are all seniors, adding Thomas in this class would happen at a great time. Oklahoma will have to go against Florida, Georgia Tech and LSU, among others, for Thomas. Florida just fired defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, which might help Oklahoma's case, and LSU is going to have a whole new staff next season. If anything, Oklahoma's coaching stability is one notable factor in his recruitment.
5. Notre Dame Fighting Irish: OL Billy Schrauth
ESPN 300 rank: 231
Notre Dame has put together a really good class, especially on the defensive side with new coordinator Marcus Freeman. Linebackers Jaylen Sneed and Niuafe Tuihalamaka are the Irish's two top-rated commitments. The staff has two ESPN 300 offensive linemen in the class with interior lineman Joey Tanona and tackle Ty Chan. The Irish offensive line had some struggles early on in the season but has turned things around of late with some shuffling. Adding another interior lineman such as Schrauth, who is the No. 231 prospect overall, would be a big help. He's the No. 4 recruit in Wisconsin, and if history is any indication, Wisconsin offensive linemen are always a good bet. He has a top four of Notre Dame, Michigan, Ohio State and Wisconsin.
6. Texas A&M Aggies: DE Shemar Stewart
ESPN 300 rank: 3
The Aggies just got a commitment from the No. 1 prospect overall, defensive tackle Walter Nolen, and they still have quite a few big-name recruits on the board. There might not be another team in the country that has a better shot of skyrocketing up the rankings than the Aggies. Stewart, the No. 3 prospect overall, is a 6-foot-5, 255-pound defensive end from Miami and is the top-ranked defensive end in the class. Texas A&M is high on his list, along with Georgia and Miami. If Stewart were to join the class, coach Jimbo Fisher and his staff would have three five-star defensive linemen in the past two classes with Nolen and Shemar Turner, who signed in 2021. Those three, combined with Tunmise Adeleye, Jahzion Harris, Marcus Burris Jr. and Elijah Jeudy from 2021, as well as 2022 ESPN 300 defensive end Malick Sylla, make for a monster recruiting haul along the defensive line.
7. Texas Longhorns: WR Evan Stewart
ESPN 300 rank: 12
Texas got a late addition in the last class with wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who leads the team with 679 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. The third-leading receiver on the team, Joshua Moore, is headed to the transfer portal. Jordan Whittington will be a junior next season and Marcus Washington will be a senior. If Texas can pull Stewart in this class, who is also considering Alabama and Florida, among a few other teams, it would be a big win for coach Steve Sarkisian. Stewart is the No. 12 prospect overall, the No. 2 receiver and the No. 3 recruit in the state of Texas. Having two young, talented receivers in Stewart and Worthy would bring a positive outlook to that receiving corps for the future.
8. Ohio State Buckeyes: DE Omari Abor
ESPN 300 rank: 26
Ohio State still has quite a few big options on the board, and ESPN 300 safety Xavier Nwankpa very well could have been the pick here to help the secondary. Abor fits too, as he is one of the top defensive ends in the country. The Buckeyes have defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr. committed already, but the more depth the better at the position. Tyreke Smith and Tyler Friday are already seniors, while Zach Harrison and Javontae Jean-Baptiste will be seniors next season. The staff added Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau last class, but getting Abor would make that room that much more formidable in the future.
9. Oregon Ducks: WR Kevin Coleman
ESPN 300 rank: 58
Coleman is a 5-foot-11, 175-pound receiver out of Saint Mary's High School in St. Louis and is the No. 2 recruit in the state. He has a top list of Florida State, Oregon and USC, so Oregon has some competition for his commitment. The Ducks have only one ESPN 300 receiver in this class in Tetairoa McMillan from Anaheim, California, so getting a highly ranked receiver in Coleman would be an important add. Receivers Devon Williams and Mycah Pittman will both be juniors next season, while Jaylon Redd and Johnny Johnson III are currently seniors, so adding in some depth now is something the coaches would like to do.
10. North Carolina Tar Heels: WR Andre Greene Jr.
ESPN 300 rank: 100
Greene is a 6-foot-3, 180-pound receiver from St. Christopher's School in Richmond, Virginia, and is the No. 11 wide receiver in the class. He announced a top three of North Carolina, Clemson and Georgia, and he is expected to announce his commitment on Nov. 17. The staff has some really good offensive commitments in this class already, led by five-star offensive lineman Zach Rice and running backs George Pettaway and Omarion Hampton, both ranked in the ESPN 300. Tychaun Chapman is the only ESPN 300 receiver UNC has committed, so adding in Greene would give the staff quite a few good options on offense in this class.
11. Clemson Tigers: WR Andre Greene Jr.
ESPN 300 rank: 100
Clemson is also in on a few other prospects in this class, among them offensive lineman Julian Armella, linebacker Marvin Jones Jr. and running back Trevor Etienne. Clemson has only one ESPN 300 wide receiver committed this class in Adam Randall, so Greene would be a welcome addition. He is expected to visit Clemson before making his announcement next week, so the Tigers have a shot to get the last impression.
12. LSU Tigers: WR Shazz Preston
ESPN 300 rank: 15
This is a unique recruiting cycle for LSU, to say the least. The school has already announced Ed Orgeron won't be back next season, so it leaves a lot of the recruits and commitments in limbo for what will happen next. Quarterback commit Walker Howard took a visit to Notre Dame but is still committed. The administration is going to need to make a hire quickly so the staff can retain the current commits and get on the road to sign a few more recruits. Preston is on that list, as he is a five-star receiver out of Saint James, Louisiana. He's the state's top-ranked player, so he should be LSU's priority no matter who the coach is.
13. Missouri Tigers: DE D.J. Wesolak
ESPN 300 rank: 93
Wesolak is a 6-foot-4, 225-pound defensive end from Boonville High School in Boonville, Missouri, and he's the No. 10 end in the class. Missouri has been after him for a while, and despite the cycle starting to wind down, he is one of the Tigers' main remaining targets. An in-state recruit, ranked No. 3 in Missouri, he would be a big addition to the defense.
14. Stanford Cardinal: LB David Bailey
ESPN 300 rank: 128
Bailey is a 6-foot-4, 220-pound linebacker from Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California. He's the No. 8 prospect in California. Stanford has been after Bailey for a while and the Cardinal have put together an impressive recruiting class in this 2022 cycle with six ESPN 300 commitments, including defensive end Ernest Cooper IV, safety Kamari Ramsey and linebacker Tevarua Tafiti. Adding Bailey would make for a balanced effort on defense in this class, but Stanford has competition for him. He's considering USC, Oregon and UCLA, among a few others.
15. Florida State Seminoles: LB Marvin Jones Jr.
ESPN 300 rank: 62
This pick could be wide receiver Kevin Coleman, as the Seminoles need playmakers on offense. But the team needs playmakers, period, and Jones would give the Seminoles help on defense. He's a legacy recruit who is also considering Oklahoma and Georgia, among a few others. Missing out on him would be a big blow to its recruiting and the eventual defense.
16. Michigan State Spartans: OT Kiyaunta Goodwin
ESPN 300 rank: 70
Michigan State is trying to flip a few prospects committed elsewhere with offensive linemen Goodwin, a Kentucky commit, and Armani Winfield, who is committed to Texas. Goodwin is a 6-foot-7, 300-pound tackle from Charlestown, Indiana, who has been looking at other programs. He has heard from Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State, so while it might be a tough pull for the Spartans, the staff is trying.
17. Virginia Tech Hokies: TE Benji Gosnell
ESPN 300 rank: four stars
Gosnell is a 6-foot-3, 225-pound prospect from East Surry High School in Pilot Mountain, North Carolina. He had been committed to Ohio State early on in his recruitment but is no longer a Buckeyes commit. Gosnell is considering Virginia Tech, along with a few other schools, including North Carolina. He hasn't announced a commitment date as of yet.
18. Michigan Wolverines: CB Domani Jackson
ESPN 300 rank: 6
Jackson is committed to USC and hasn't decommitted, but he has taken visits to other schools, including Michigan. Jackson recently took a visit to Alabama, as well, but his father said Jackson doesn't plan on making any decisions until they find out who the next head coach is at USC. Michigan has ESPN 300 corner William Johnson committed now, and Johnson has formed a good friendship with Jackson. The two have talked about playing together, but Michigan is going to have a lot of competition to get him in this class. The secondary has a lot of veteran players, so pairing a five-star corner with Johnson would be a big win for defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald.
19. Kentucky Wildcats: OT Kiyaunta Goodwin
ESPN 300 rank: 70
Goodwin is committed to Kentucky but has been entertaining other programs. He is Kentucky's highest-ranked commit in the class and is the No. 9 offensive tackle overall. Goodwin has visited Alabama and is planning on taking a few other visits as well. Michigan, Ohio State and Michigan State are trying to get in the picture. Kentucky has never signed a top-100 recruit in the ESPN era, so it will be a battle for the Wildcats to keep him in the class.
20. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: ATH B.J. Diakite
ESPN 300 rank: three stars
Diakite had been committed to Vanderbilt but recently decommitted after a trip to Georgia Tech. He's a 6-foot-3, 210-pound player from Pinson Valley High School in Pinson, Alabama, and could either fill a need at linebacker or tight end if he were to join the Yellow Jackets.
21. South Carolina Gamecocks: WR Antonio Williams
ESPN 300 rank: 83
Williams, a 6-foot, 185-pound receiver out of Dutch Fork High School in Irmo, South Carolina, is the No. 9 wideout in the class. The Gamecocks need more offensive weapons with only two three-star receivers committed in this class. South Carolina will have competition, though, as Texas recently offered, and Williams has mentioned Ole Miss, Auburn and Florida State, as well.
22. West Virginia Mountaineers: S Miguel Mitchell
ESPN 300 rank: three stars
Mitchell decommitted from Vanderbilt in the beginning of November, and West Virginia offered just this week. It's a late addition to the recruiting board, but an offer this late in the process means the staff is serious about adding a prospect to the class. Mitchell is a 6-foot-1, 205-pound safety from Oxford High School in Oxford, Alabama, and would be a good addition to West Virginia's secondary if he were to join.
23. Florida Gators: WR Evan Stewart
ESPN 300 rank: 12
Florida's recruiting has sputtered with the No. 23-ranked class and only six ESPN 300 commitments. Dan Mullen firing defensive coordinator Todd Grantham and offensive line coach John Hevesy is only going to make things more difficult on the recruiting trail. The Gators need a big commit and playmakers on the roster. Stewart fits the bill for both as a five-star, but Florida could end up losing out on Stewart to one of the in-state Texas teams. Mullen isn't going to be able to move this class into the top 10, but signing a highly sought-after recruit like Stewart would go a long way to regaining some momentum.
24. Indiana Hoosiers: DT Dominick James
ESPN 300 rank: 229
James is a 6-foot-2, 280-pound defensive tackle at IMG Academy who is planning a visit to Indiana. He is the top-ranked recruit left on Indiana's board and would be a huge win for Tom Allen and his staff. The Hoosiers have a lot of competition, though, as South Carolina and Miami are also involved.
25. Arkansas Razorbacks: WR Samuel Mbake
ESPN 300 rank: three stars
Arkansas is basically full with this 2022 class, but if there is another spot for a high school recruit, it could go to Mbake. He's a 6-foot-3, 205-pound receiver out of North Cobb High School in Kennesaw, Georgia. He has visited Arkansas and has a slew of other SEC offers as well.