If it feels like the college football season just ended and we\u2019re already on to the next thing on the calendar \u2026 well, we are. Just like that, next Wednesday is national signing day.<\/p>\n
Although most prospects are off the board after signing in December \u2014 making the February period a lot tamer than it used to be \u2014 there\u2019s still plenty of intrigue heading into next week, as teams look to put the finishing touches on their classes.<\/p>\n
With that, some recruiting thoughts as we gear up for the final push.<\/p>\n
Note: All rankings are from the 247Sports Composite.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2022 The SEC is used to dominating the recruiting rankings, but the crown belongs to the Big Ten this year. Three of the nation\u2019s top five classes come from the Big Ten \u2014 No. 1 USC, No. 3 Oregon and No. 5 Ohio State. Oregon, at 92.37, has the highest average player rating in a class that includes nine top-100 prospects. The headliner is five-star offensive lineman Immanuel Iheanacho from Georgetown Preparatory in Maryland. The signings of five-star recruits from North Carolina (tight end Kendre Harrison), Texas (wide receiver Jalen Lott) and Alabama (edge Anthony Jones) prove once again that Oregon can go national and has no problem marching right into the SEC\u2019s backyard.<\/p>\n
\u2022 All of the top-100 prospects are already signed, making four-star defensive lineman Dylan Berymon the highest-rated unsigned prospect heading into Wednesday. Berymon, a Louisiana native who is ranked No. 191 overall, committed to Texas in June but backed off that pledge in November. He has taken official visits to Kentucky and Nebraska, and as recently as last week was posting on social media about spending time with coaches from Nebraska \u2014 including head coach Matt Rhule \u2014 and Oklahoma State. Should Nebraska land him, he\u2019d give the Cornhuskers a much-needed boost after they signed two top-160 prospects in December, but no other players ranked inside the top 600.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Four-star running back Brandon Smith is the second-highest-ranked prospect on the board. Smith signed with Arizona in December but announced on Jan. 17 that he\u2019d been granted a release. He committed to Oregon two days later and will now join a Ducks running back group that could have used more depth through the College Football Playoff. Smith is ranked No. 293 overall and the No. 21 running back.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Teddy Jarrard is the top unsigned quarterback, but he has been committed to Notre Dame since July. The Georgia native, who ranks No. 314 overall, recently reclassified to the Class of 2026 and is expected to sign with the Irish next week. He will be the second quarterback in Notre Dame\u2019s class, joining four-star Florida native Noah Grubbs. The Irish are on track to finish with their first top-five class in more than a decade.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Speaking of impressive classes, USC has been the group to beat all year, and the Trojans are on pace to finish with the nation\u2019s No. 1 class for the first time since 2006. Head coach Lincoln Riley already signed 35 players in December, and this is the type of crew that could help USC return to its glory days \u2026 or at least stay competitive with Oregon. The class is headlined by five top-50 prospects \u2014 tight end Mark Bowman, wide receiver Ethan \u201cBoobie\u201d Feaster, defensive lineman Jaimeon Winfield, edge Luke Wafle and cornerback Elbert Hill. USC also has its potential future quarterback in four-star Illinois native Jonas Williams, the nation\u2019s No. 9 QB who flipped from Oregon to the Trojans in February. It hasn\u2019t been all sunshine and roses for Riley in his first few years with the Trojans, but he spent a big chunk of 2025 recruiting like someone who has something to prove.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Lane Kiffin may be known for his affinity for the transfer portal, but LSU\u2019s new head coach did some strong work on the high school front this cycle, too. The Tigers currently have the nation\u2019s No. 11 class with an average player rating that ranks third nationally, behind Oregon and Alabama. Retaining five-star, in-state defensive linemen Lamar Brown and Richard Anderson \u2014 ranked No. 4 and No. 25 in the nation, respectively \u2014 from the Brian Kelly tenure was huge. The Tigers have five top-100 prospects, and 11 of their 17 commits are blue-chippers.<\/p>\n