As the early college football signing period comes to a close and the majority of the 2024 recruits have now signed, it's the perfect time to take a peek ahead as most programs will now begin to pivot to the 2025 class.
There is much to still be determined, but several programs are off to strong starts and establishing themselves as contenders for a top class in the new cycle.
coverage:
Class rankings: Top 75 schools
Top 2025 recruit at each position
1. Georgia Bulldogs
Top offensive prospect: TE Elyiss Williams (No. 18)
Top defensive prospect: DT Justus Terry (No. 6)
The Bulldogs are close to securing the top class for the 2024 cycle and while they're nearing the finish line in accomplishing that task, they also are leading the pack in the early going for 2025. During their recent title runs, the tight ends played a key role, and they are reloading at this position. They have a pair of JR 300 in-state TEs committed in Ethan Barbour, who moves well and has good hands, and Elyiss Williams, who possesses a big frame at 6-foot-7 and can develop into a player in the mold of former Bulldogs TE Darnell Washington. The Bulldogs have also secured a big commitment on the defense line in five-star DL Justus Terry, a tough interior player with arm length, strength and lateral mobility. They also landed OLB Jadon Perlotte, a rangy edge defender out of Buford HS who can rush the passer as well as make plays in space.
2. Alabama Crimson Tide
Top offensive prospect: WR Jaime Ffrench (No. 13)
Top defensive prospect: DE Zion Grady (No. 40)
Despite five-star WR Ryan Williams reclassifying to the 2024 class, Alabama still has one of the strongest classes overall for 2025 and includes another elite receiver. Ranked No. 2 at the position, Ffrench is a target with good body control to adjust to passes and at 6-1 offers a wide catch radius. In the offensive trenches, the Tide pulled out of Georgia two JR 300 OLs in OT Mason Short and OG Dontrell Glover. They were able to secure multiple commitments along the defensive line including Grady, an edge defender with good length and first-step quickness, and Javion Hinson, a defender from Florida with excellent testing measurables which translate to his play as he notched nearly 100 tackles and 14 sacks this season.
3. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Top offensive prospect: QB Deuce Knight (No. 90)
Top defensive prospect: CB Ivan Taylor (No. 29)
The Fighting Irish have created buzz with their recent transfer portal pickup at QB (Riley Leonard) but they continue to add talent to develop at the position. They just signed top-five QB C.J. Carr and have added one of the top QBs for 2025 in Deuce Knight, a lefty with arm strength and mobility who brings physical tools and upside. With a tradition of identifying and developing TEs they have a JR 300 prospect on board in James Flanigan, whose father is a Notre Dame alum and former NFL player and whose grandfather also played in the NFL. Justin Thurman is an RB with a good blend of speed, quickness and explosiveness and was among the overall top testing numbers from this past camp season. A key pickup on defense is Ivan Taylor; another commit with NFL family ties -- his father, Ike, was a part of two Super Bowl wins. Not surprisingly, Ivan displays good technique for this stage and possesses good speed.
4. Oklahoma Sooners
Top offensive prospect: WR Gracen Harris (No. 130)
Top defensive prospect: DE Alexander Shieldnight (3 stars)
The Sooners' first official class as a member of the SEC has a strong foundation. In the early going this class is anchored by offensive firepower including three ESPN JR 300 WRs in Harris, Jaden Nickens (No. 141) and Elijah Thomas (No. 212). Harris is a little quicker than he is fast, but he can be sudden in his movements and has good, quick hands. Nickens is an in-state keep and bigger target with nice length who can adjust to the ball well. Trynae Washington is a prospect on the watchlist to move into the Jr 300 in the next update as he is a versatile player who could play on either side of the ball but at this stage looks poised to contribute on offense as another potential option in their passing attack. The Sooners stayed in-state for QB Kevin Sperry, a passer with a quick release and accuracy who this season threw for over 2,500 yards while completing 68% of his passes. On defense, Shieldnight is a nice in-state keep, a DE with first-step quickness and active hands who had 11 sacks as a junior.
5. Auburn Tigers
Top offensive prospect: OG Kalen Edwards (No. 244)
Top defensive prospect: S Kendarius Reddick (No. 34)
One of the big winners during the early signing period, the Tigers are looking like a contender for a top-10 class in 2025 as well. Reddick is an explosive playmaker in the secondary with excellent range and an aggressive style. They have two in-state Junior 300 DLs on board in Jourdin Crawford and Jakaleb Faulk. Crawford is a 300-pounder who can be stout, but what makes him stand out is how well he moves and that he can be a factor along the line of scrimmage. Faulk is an edge player who possesses nice length with good quickness and ability to redirect.
6. Clemson Tigers
Top offensive prospect: RB Gideon Davidson (No. 46)
Top defensive prospect: DT Amare Adams (No. 79)
The Tigers have checked several boxes early on with commitments at several positions. They already have two RBs in this class in Davidson and in-state prospect Marquise Henderson. Davidson is a runner with a nice blend of size, speed and power and posted monster numbers this season, rushing for 2,700 yards with 43 TDs. Blake Hebert missed most of his junior season with an injury but when healthy he is a QB with good size and a smooth, compact delivery who also moves well and can extend plays. In the trenches, DT Amare Adams is the top-ranked player in South Carolina and OT Easton Ware is used to opening running lanes for his teammate Davidson is a candidate to join him in the JR 300 in the next update.
7. Penn State Nittany Lions
Top offensive prospect: TE Brady O'Hara (No. 188)
Top defensive prospect: LB D.J. McClary (No. 123)
The Nittany Lions have already secured in-state talent on offense in TE O'Hara and RB Tiqwai Hayes. A tight end with excellent size (6-6, 240) O'Hara can use it to be an effective blocker but he also runs well and can contribute as a big target in the passing game. Hayes is a slashing runner who has been very productive, with over 5,000 career rushing yards in his high school career. They pulled out of neighboring New Jersey D.J. McClary, a linebacker with good quickness, agility and range who has been productive in high school as well with over 300 career tackles.
8. LSU Tigers
Top offensive prospect: WR Dakorien Moore (No. 4)
Top defensive prospect: LB Keylan Moses (No. 265)
The Tigers have been active in-state with several commitments including LB Moses, a prospect with size and quickness who can be active against the run as well as generate pressure as a pass-rusher. They have added promising talent at WR already including TaRon Francis, a big receiver with speed who can be physical after the catch. They dipped into Texas to land the top-rated WR, Moore, a speedy target who can generate big plays. As a junior he helped lead Duncanville to a state title as its primary target with over 60 catches and 1,200 yards.
9. SMU Mustangs
Top offensive prospect: WR Daylon Singleton (No. 182)
Top defensive prospect: Ath Demetrius Brisbon (3 stars)
The Mustangs are rolling into the ACC feeling good on a few levels as they notched an American Athletic Conference title and are off to a strong start on the recruiting trail for 2025. Not surprisingly, they are focusing on in-state talent and bringing in players from top programs with several commits from state title winners DeSoto and Duncanville. Out of the former, Singleton is a diminutive but fast WR with some shiftiness who had 17 receiving TDs. Out of Duncanville, QB Keelon Russell threw for 3,000 yards and completed 75% of his passes. Brisbon is a versatile, fluid athlete utilized at QB but projects to the secondary in college.
10. Oregon Ducks
Top offensive prospect: WR Dallas Wilson (No. 30)
Top defensive prospect: CB Na'eem Offord (No. 5)
The Ducks are coming out of the early signing period with a top-five class and off to a good start for 2025. They are bringing in a familiar name at QB in the son of former Oregon QB Akili Smith. Akili Smith Jr. is a tall (6-5), lean prospect with physical upside. While he needs to continue to fill out, he already displays good arm strength -- which should only improve -- and he can do a good job of adjusting and changing arm angles. He led his high school to an 11-1 record while throwing for over 2,400 yards with 25 TDs. Oregon just signed several ESPN 300 WRs but is looking to add more big-play players to that position with notable early commitments in ESPN JR 300 prospects Dallas Wilson and Adrian Wilson. Dallas, out of Florida, is a tall, rangy target (6-3) with good hands and feel for getting open and Adrian, out of Texas, is a receiver with agility who can generate yards after the catch.