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Craig Haubert, ESPN Staff Writer
The transfer portal is closed, and spring practices are in the rearview mirror. As summer quickly approaches, there will be more official visits and likely a spike in commitments. With the increased activity bubbling on the horizon, there will be a lot of fluctuation among the top recruiting classes.
Here’s how the top classes stack up.
NEW TEAMS IN: Arizona State, North Carolina, Ole Miss, Oregon, Virginia
TEAMS OUT: Baylor, Florida, Florida State, Purdue, Wisconsin
coverage:
Recruits to know in 2025 rankings
How top frosh WRs fit at their new schools
10 most interesting QBs in 2024 season
ESPN 300 commits: 10
Top offensive prospect: QB Tavien St. Clair
Top defensive prospect: CB Na’eem Offord
Previous ranking: 1
The Buckeyes missed the College Football Playoff last season, but they’re signaling a return to the national title mix soon. They signed a top-five class and have made headlines with impactful transfer portal additions in 2024. While those efforts are exciting, OSU is also enjoying great success with its 2025 class. Defensively, the Buckeyes have commitments from the nation’s two best cornerback prospects in Offord and Devin Sanchez. Offord is a versatile high school player who projects to defense with outstanding quickness and an aggressive style of play. The 6-foot-2 Sanchez has coveted length. He also has the speed and suddenness to match up with a variety of receivers. Sanchez could be in the mold of current Buckeyes standout corner Denzel Burke.
After bringing in two of the top 2024 quarterbacks in Julian Sayin and Air Noland, Ohio State continues to add more talent to that position room in St. Clair. He’s an in-state prospect with physical tools to develop — his mobility and arm strength. St. Clair has been very productive at Bellefontaine High School, throwing for nearly 6,000 yards the past two seasons while displaying consistency and completing roughly 70% of his passes.
ESPN 300 commits: 8
Top offensive prospect: QB Deuce Knight
Top defensive prospect: CB Ivan Taylor
Previous ranking: 4
The Fighting Irish created buzz with their transfer portal pickup of Riley Leonard at quarterback, but they continue to add young talent to develop at the position.They signed top-five 2024 quarterback C.J. Carr and have Knight, one of the top signal-callers in the 2025 class. He’s a lefty who pairs good arm strength and mobility with nice physical tools and upside. Justin Thurman is a running back with a good blend of speed, quickness and explosiveness, which he demonstrated by posting consistently strong testing numbers over the past two camp cycles.
Landing James Flanigan, an ESPN 300 prospect, continues Notre Dame’s tradition of identifying and developing tight ends. Ivan Taylor is a key defensive pickup. He also has good genes as his father, Ike, won two Super Bowls. Ivan displays solid technique for this stage and good speed.
ESPN 300 commits: 5
Top offensive prospect: QB Julian Lewis
Top defensive prospect: DT Justus Terry
Previous ranking: 5
Lincoln Riley has developed some of the top QBs in college football in recent years. Lewis could be next. USC will have to work to hold on to the five-star passer, who reclassified from the 2026 class to 2025. He has a smooth, quick release, possesses good fundamentals and has shown the tools to become one of college football’s next elite quarterbacks. Lewis’ commitment is key, but the Trojans need to strengthen their defense, which ranked No. 116 in 2023, if they want to become a true national title contender. They’re taking the steps to do it.
Flipping five-star defensive lineman Terry from Georgia was a big recruiting win. He fills a need and provides USC a tough interior player with nice arm length, strength and mobility. Edge defender Isaiah Gibson is another key defensive commitment out of Georgia. Gibson has tremendous length and can be a disruptive pass-rusher, having notched over 20 sacks in his previous two high school seasons. The Trojans also added a pair of ESPN 300 defenders in Hylton Stubbs, a safety, and versatile linebacker Matai Tagoa’i.
ESPN 300 commits: 6
Top offensive prospect: QB Bryce Underwood
Top defensive prospect: CB Jaboree Antoine
Previous ranking: 2
Few programs protect their home turf like the Tigers, and they’re taking advantage of Louisiana’s strong talent in 2025. LSU landed commitments from several of the state’s top prospects, including the top-rated offensive and defensive players. Antoine, the state’s No. 2 player, is one of the top cornerback prospects in the class. He’s a fluid defender with nice height at just over 6-1.
Running back Harlem Berry, the No. 1 player in Louisiana, has quick feet and home run speed and can be a playmaker with the ball in his hands. The Tigers went out of state as well to land Underwood. A rangy five-star quarterback, Underwood has good mobility and natural arm strength while being a poised, decisive passer. He threw for over 3,100 yards with 40 touchdowns to only two interceptions as a junior. When you land one of the premier passers in the class, you also need to make sure you can protect him, and LSU has added several OL prospects to help do that, including ESPN 300 big men Devin Harper and Tyler Miller.
ESPN 300 commits: 8
Top offensive prospect: RB Gideon Davidson
Top defensive prospect: DE Ari Watford
Previous ranking: 3
Despite ranking just 15th for the 2024 cycle, the Tigers have already checked several boxes in 2025 with big commitments at multiple positions. Davidson and in-state prospect Marquise Henderson are a pair of key running back pledges. Davidson, a top-five running back, runs with a nice blend of size, speed and power. He posted impressive numbers as a junior, rushing for 2,700 yards and 43 touchdowns. Henderson is more slightly built at roughly 5-10, 170 pounds, but has explosive, big-play speed. He rushed for more than 2,300 yards as a junior. Four-star quarterback Blake Hebert missed most of his junior season with an injury, but he has good size, he has a smooth and compact delivery, and he moves well and extends plays.
Led by Watford, Clemson landed several defensive linemen ranked in the ESPN 300. Watford is a lengthy player with good initial quickness who can develop into a disruptive edge rusher. In the trenches, Clemson landed defensive tackle Amare Adams, the top-ranked player in South Carolina. The Tigers also pulled tackle Isaiah Campbell out of neighboring North Carolina. Campbell has a big frame and good movement skills. One-time Georgia commit Tae Harris is a nice addition to the secondary. He projects to safety, but he’s versatile enough to play corner. He posted some of the top numbers on the spring camp circuit, including a blazing 4.38 40-yard dash.
ESPN 300 commits: 9
Top offensive prospect: RB Anthony Rogers
Top defensive prospect: ATH Derick Smith
Previous ranking: 6
Alabama raced to a fast start in the 2025 cycle, but many of the initial commitments fled following Nick Saban’s retirement. The new staff quickly rebounded and returned the Crimson Tide to near the top of the rankings, even if the class looks quite different. Landing one of the state’s top prospects, Smith, was a key win. He’s a lengthy, explosive player who could contribute at wide receiver but ultimately projects to defense, where he can be a versatile talent who makes plays in space. He also showed the ability to get after the quarterback (11 sacks) as a junior.
Darrell Johnson is another versatile player who contributed at multiple positions in high school and is expected to develop on defense. ESPN 300 LB Abduall Sanders Jr. was a nice pickup out of California. He lacks elite height and length but can be active against the run between the tackles with good agility and quickness. Sanders also moves deceptively well and showed he can be productive in coverage and be a three-down defender. Alabama also flipped Antonio Coleman back from rival Auburn. He’s an explosive and powerful interior defensive lineman who can be disruptive, having recorded 30 tackles for loss as a junior.
ESPN 300 commits: 8
Top offensive prospect: QB Kevin Sperry
Top defensive prospect: DE Trent Wilson
Previous ranking: 8
The Sooners’ first official class as a member of the SEC already has a strong foundation. It’s anchored by offensive firepower, including a pair of ESPN 300 wide receivers in Elijah Thomas and Gracen Harris. Harris is quick and has good hands. Thomas, an in-state commit, is a precise route-runner and offers a wide catch radius. Running back Tory Blaylock can be an electric playmaker with excellent speed — he has registered a max speed north of 21 mph in games.
The Sooners stayed in-state to land Sperry at QB. He has a quick release and good accuracy and threw for over 2,500 yards and completed 68% of his passes as a junior. In-state defensive end Alexander Shieldnight has first-step quickness and active hands and tallied 11 sacks as a junior. While much of their class hails from OU’s primary recruiting base, Trent Wilson was a nice win out of Maryland. He’s a defensive lineman with good initial quickness as well as agility, and he can be an active presence in the trenches.
ESPN 300 commits: 7
Top offensive prospect: OT Tavaris Dice
Top defensive prospect: DT Jourdin Crawford
Previous ranking: 7
The Tigers did a nice job addressing their need at receiver in 2024. Now, they’re adding to the defensive front in 2025. Auburn has three in-state ESPN 300 defensive linemen on the board: Crawford, Jakaleb Faulk and Malik Autry. Crawford is a stout 300-pounder who stands out because he moves quite well for his size. Faulk is an edge player with length, quickness and the ability to redirect. Autry is another 300-pounder who is a big, aggressive presence in the trenches. The Tigers also added several big men to their offensive line unit, including Dice and in-state ESPN 300 prospect Carde Smith. Both are physically impressive offensive linemen with good flexibility and power.
ESPN 300 commits: 7
Top offensive prospect: QB Husan Longstreet
Top defensive prospect: CB Deyjhon Pettaway
Previous ranking: 16
Mike Elko now has a full year to work on the recruiting trail as he looks to build the Aggies into a consistent SEC contender. Landon Rink is a very good in-state addition to their defensive line. A competitive prospect who has shown consistent improvement throughout his high school career, Rink blends agility, technique and effort. He could be a quick contributor to the defensive line unit once he arrives. One of the top inside linebackers in the class, Kelvion Riggins, can be a physical and active presence.
Pettaway needs to continue to fill out but is a corner with nice length and good movement skills. Despite not being a big body, he has shown physicality in his play. Riden is a back with a blend of size and speed and has rushed for over 1,000 yards each of the past two seasons.
Despite efforts down the stretch of the 2024 cycle, the Aggies were not able to sign an ESPN 300 QB, but they have early on in the 2025 cycle landed one in Longstreet. He is a passer with a quick release and strong arm who also moves well enough to create with his legs. A&M also added a four-star running back in Deondrae Riden who has a nice blend of size and speed and has rushed for over 1,000 yards each of the past two seasons.
ESPN 300 commits: 5
Top offensive prospect: RB Alvin Henderson
Top defensive prospect: LB D.J. McClary
Previous ranking: 9
In-state offensive talent is en route for the Nittany Lions. Tight end O’Hara has excellent size at 6-foot-6, 240 pounds. He uses it to block effectively, but also runs well for his size. He can contribute as a big target in the passing game. RB Tiqwai Hayes is a slashing runner who has already tallied more than 5,000 career rushing yards entering his senior year. Penn State further bolstered the running back position by going out of state and landing Henderson, an ESPN 300 prospect. He is an aggressive, decisive runner with big-play game speed.
Defensively, Alex Tatsch is a quality in-state addition who has good length, range and body control. He can be a well-rounded defender equally comfortable getting upfield to apply pressure or dropping and playing in space. Penn State pulled linebacker McClary from neighboring New Jersey. A very productive high school player with over 300 career tackles, McClary has solid quickness, ability and range.
ESPN 300 commits: 2
Top offensive prospect: QB Keelon Russell
Top defensive prospect: Zay Gentry
Previous ranking: 17
The Mustangs must feel good rolling into the ACC. They notched an American Athletic Conference title and are doing well on the recruiting trail, including landing Russell, one of the top quarterbacks in the class. He’s a dual threat who makes plays with his legs but can also be an accurate passer with a short, compact release. He threw for 3,000 yards and a 75% completion rate as a junior.
Daylon Singleton, a diminutive but fast wide receiver, can be a productive target — he caught 17 touchdowns as a junior. Gentry is a very good in-state keep on defense as he a corner with desired length and excellent speed, having been measured at 21 mph in game play. While it focused on in-state talent, SMU scored some victories out of state as well, including defensive tackle Kamron Cullins out of Georgia. He needs to add more mass but moves well with active hands and displays power.
ESPN 300 commits: 0
Top offensive prospect: WR Darien Williams
Top defensive prospect: DE Sharlandiin Strange
Previous ranking: 13
Former Georgia assistant Fran Brown hit the recruiting trail running. He quickly boosted Syracuse’s 2024 class to a strong finish. Now, with a full year to work, he’s ready to build on that momentum in the 2025 cycle. Maintaining a strong presence in the tri-state area — New York, New Jersey and Connecticut — is key for the Orange. They have landed multiple good commitments from that footprint, including wide receiver Williams and corner Javon Lawrence. A hometown prospect, Williams is a polished route-runner for a player at this stage and has good body control to adjust to the ball. Lawrence possesses a solid frame with length and brings upside.
Defensive end Strange was the first player to come aboard for 2025 and was a tone-setter for the class. He possesses good size and strength and can become a productive presence in the trenches with more technical development.
ESPN 300 commits: 8
Top offensive prospect: TE Elyiss Williams
Top defensive prospect: LB Jadon Perlotte
Previous ranking: 15
The Bulldogs signed the No. 1 class for the 2024 cycle and are working to line up a ninth straight top-three class. Tight ends played a key role in their recent title runs, and they’re reloading at the position in 2025. Georgia holds commitments from the top two tight ends in the class. Ethan Barbour moves well with good hands. Williams has a 6-7 frame and could develop into a player in the mold of former Georgia tight end Darnell Washington.
Bo Walker can give UGA another talented running back. He is a versatile playmaker who possesses good vision as a runner but also has solid hand-eye coordination and can be a receiving target as well. On defense, the Dawgs landed outside linebacker Perlotte, a rangy edge defender who can rush the passer and make plays in space.
ESPN 300 commits: 2
Top offensive prospect: QB George MacIntyre
Top defensive prospect: DT Ethan Utley
Previous ranking: 10
The Volunteers won a key recruiting battle to keep MacIntyre, the highest-ranked player in Tennessee and one of the nation’s top quarterbacks, at home. He’s a tall, rangy quarterback who also excels at basketball. He combines athleticism and pedigree with a smooth stroke and good arm strength as a passer. Fellow in-state commit Radarius Jackson could become a key target as he is a lengthy receiver with outstanding body control and can adjust to make tough catches. Three-star running back Justin Baker is a decisive runner who also can be productive without the ball and does well in pass protection.
Keeping tackle Utley at home was a big win for Tennessee’s defensive line. He has a nice frame to develop along with good reach and first-step quickness.
ESPN 300 commits: 6
Top offensive prospect: WR Dallas Wilson
Top defensive prospect: LB Nasir Wyatt
Previous ranking: Not ranked
The Ducks are bringing in a familiar name at the QB position in the son of former Oregon QB Akili Smith. At 6-5 and 225 pounds, Akili Smith Jr. is a lean prospect with good physical upside. While he needs to fill out, he already displays good arm strength which should only improve, and is good at adjusting and changing arm angles. In 2023, he led his high school to an 11-1 record while throwing for over 2,400 yards with 25 TDs. Oregon signed a handful of four-star WRs during the 2024 cycle but are looking to add more big-play talent to that position with several ESPN 300 prospects committed. Dallas Wilson, out of Florida, is a tall, rangy target (6-3) with good hands and feel for getting open. Cooper Perry could be a quick contributor as he is a polished route runner for this stage. On defense, Wyatt can be a disruptive edge rusher with good initial quickness and bend, while showing the ability to get after the QB. He has over two dozen sacks over the course of his sophomore and junior seasons.
ESPN 300 commits: 4
Top offensive prospect: QB K.J. Lacey
Top defensive prospect: DE Lance Jackson
Previous ranking: 22
The Longhorns didn’t sign an ESPN 300 quarterback in 2024, but K.J. Lacey is one of the more promising signal-callers in the 2025 class. He lacks ideal size at 5-11 and 180 pounds, but he throws a good deep ball, can create and also change arm angles. He threw for over 3,000 yards and 42 touchdowns as a junior. Tight end Emaree Winston lacks ideal height at the position, but he’s a physical presence with good hands and body control. He can move the chains as a receiver and develop into a productive blocker. RB Rickey Stewart is an explosive runner with proven production, having rushed for over 5,000 yards and 50 TDs over the last two seasons.
Defensive lineman Lance Jackson has coveted size and frame for the position. He could be a disruptive player in the trenches with good initial quickness and agility.
ESPN 300 commits: 3
Top offensive prospect: RB Akylin Dear
Top defensive prospect: LB Jarcoby Hopson
Previous ranking: Not ranked
The Rebels have made some noise in the transfer portal, but for 2025, they have also been active on the recruiting trail and mining some of the in-state talent. Dear, the No. 2-ranked player in Mississippi, can be a hardworking back. With a powerful build (6-feet, 205), he can break tackles, but also possesses the speed to pull away and create big plays when he gets into space. The Rebels pulled receiver Jerome Myles out of Utah. He is a player who has seen his stock rise, but was a nice early evaluation by Ole Miss’ staff. An early ESPN 300 entry, he can be an imposing target with his blend of size, explosiveness and speed. Hopson is one of the top defenders within the state and can be a physical presence with his range and ability to deliver punishing hits as a tackler.
ESPN 300 commits: 0
Top offensive prospect: QB Elijah Oehlke
Top defensive prospect: DT Nicco Maggio
Previous ranking: 14
Dave Clawson is building upon the theory that games are won and lost up front. Maggio is a defensive tackle who also plays baseball. He’s a physical presence who uses his hands well and could contribute quickly once he arrives. On the edge, Cole Funderburk demonstrated the ability to pressure the quarterback, racking up 16 sacks as a junior. Adding to Wake’s defensive line haul, Terry Nwabuisi-Ezeala is a big body who can play with leverage and be a stout interior defender. The Deacons have also added strong talent to their offensive line with Will Saba, who blends lower-body flexibility and agility with a tenacious play style.
Wake landed a sleeper at QB with nice upside in Oehlke, a passer who can make plays from the pocket. He also tested very well at the UA Next Charlotte camp this spring and can make plays with his legs.
ESPN 300 commits: 2
Top offensive prospect: OT Alex Payne
Top defensive prospect: DE Austin Alexander
Previous ranking: Not ranked
The Tar Heels stayed within the state for their QB. Bryce Baker is a raw passer but possesses good natural arm strength and shows good touch on his deep ball. To help protect their QB they added ESPN 300 OL Alex Payne, a big man who made great strides between his sophomore and junior seasons. He attacks everything he does with urgency and still has room to fill out his frame and grow as a player. UNC added a pair of high three-star tight ends in Marshall Pritchett and Logan Farrell.
On defense, Alexander is a prospect that has consistently tested well over the previous two springs and brings a nice blend of size, power and quickness.
ESPN 300 commits: 4
Top offensive prospect: RB Girard Pringle Jr.
Top defensive prospect: LB Elijah Melendez
Previous ranking: 23
After signing a top-10 class in 2024, which included some key in-state wins, Miami is looking to build upon its success in 2025. Linebacker Elijah Melendez saw his junior season cut short by injury, but he has a nice blend of speed, explosiveness and instincts when healthy. Running back Girard Pringle Jr. shows good power to break tackles and quick lateral movement to elude defenders. He ran for over 1,600 yards as a junior. At 6-6 with a wingspan over 80 inches, offensive lineman Lamar Williams is a big body to develop at tackle.
They went to the Midwest to land a pair of ESPN 300 tight ends in Luka Gilbert (Ohio) and Brock Schott (Indiana). Gilbert, at 6-7, is a massive target who can develop into an asset as a blocker, and Schott is a nice compliment, who while not as big, possesses good speed and body control and can be a productive receiving target.
ESPN 300 commits: 2
Top offensive prospect: RB Taevion Swint
Top defensive prospect: S Kendarius Reddick
Previous ranking: 18
The Knights have recruited well with their transition to the Big 12 under Gus Malzahn and are in the mix for one of the top classes in the conference. They’re leaning on a deep pool of surrounding talent in the Southeast. In-state running back Swint has a compact, sturdy build with good lateral quickness and vision. He has rushed for over 2,000 yards over the past two seasons.
WR Santonyo Isaac is another in-state offensive weapon. Though he has a slight build, he has some wiggle in the way he moves and tracks the ball well. On defense, UCF flipped Reddick, an ESPN 300 top-10 safety from Auburn. Out of south Georgia, he is fluid in his movements and an active defender who hauled in four interceptions and forced two fumbles as a junior.
ESPN 300 commits: 0
Top offensive prospect: QB Cole Geer
Top defensive prospect: LB Isaiah Reese
Previous ranking: Not ranked
Virginia finished over .500 for the first time since 2019, but is building for a brighter future with some strong additions in the 2025 class. Reese is a versatile defender with very good range and brings a high ceiling for development. A multi-sport athlete who is one of the nation’s top javelin throwers, he should only improve with focus on football once arriving at Virginia.
Geer is a sound passer with a strong arm and good footwork. From within state, receiver Isaiah Robinson is a rangy target with good hands and speed, and he can adjust well to the ball.
ESPN 300 commits: 1
Top offensive prospect: QB Ty Hawkins
Top defensive prospect: DT Floyd Guidry
Previous ranking: 24
The Horned Frogs made a run to the national title in 2022. But now, coming off a five-win season, they’re looking to infuse more talent and spark another ascension. They landed in-state ESPN 300 quarterback Ty Hawkins, a passer with a strong arm and smooth release. He’s thrown for over 2,000 yards each of his last two high school seasons, and as a junior, he completed nearly 70% of his passes.
TCU added some potential future receiving targets in Ed Small, who displays strong ball skills, and Chance Ables, who has good length and body control to adjust. On defense, defensive tackle Floyd Guidry uses good initial quickness and leverage to be disruptive.
ESPN 300 commits: 0
Top offensive prospect: WR Tristian Gentry
Top defensive prospect: LB Brock Golwas
Preview ranking: 12
Joey McGuire elevated the Red Raiders’ recruiting upon his arrival in Lubbock. He’s looking to build on the momentum of a top-25 class in 2024 that featured five-star receiver Micah Hudson. Texas Tech landed another talented in-state receiver in Gentry. He has excellent burst, good quickness and makes plays after the catch. Preztynn Harrison is listed at tight end but the multisport athlete is a hybrid-type target with outstanding length and good ball skills.
Texas Tech has done a good job with early evaluations and might have landed a defensive steal in linebacker Golwas. He’s a thickly built player with versatility, having played multiple positions in high school including wildcat quarterback. He has good body control and excellent range and has been recorded running over 21 mph in game play.
ESPN 300 commits: 1
Top offensive prospect: WR Adrian Wilson
Top defensive prospect: S Joseph Smith
The Sun Devils have been very active in the transfer portal to rebuild their roster but as they transition to the Big 12, Kenny Dillingham has also kept a focus on brining in younger talent to develop within the program. Wilson, an ESPN 300 prospect, was a big win out of Texas. He has a slight build but runs good routes and can be dangerous after the catch. Tight end A.J. Ia is a bigger target with good body control who can offer a wide catch radius. QB Michael Tollefson is a poised passer and displays good anticipation and touch. He should be a good fit in his system.