Ask Farrell: Biggest surprise at top of team recruiting ranks?
MORE: 3-Point Stance on Heisman contenders, best defenses
CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals100 | Position | Team | State
There have been a lot of interesting developments in the team recruiting rankings and those changes have been magnified since the Early Signing Period is really the most important time of year in the recruiting calendar now.
Here are some examples of how the calendar has been pushed up: The top four teams nationally have 20 or more commits. Only three teams in the top 10 don’t have 20 commits, but all three are in the high teens. Illinois is the only Power Five program in the entire country without double-digit pledges.
So this is an optimal time with the Early Signing Period a couple months away to pinpoint some teams that have been major surprises in the team recruiting rankings.
LSU could definitely win that award, since the Tigers have the top-rated class in the country, just added a shocking commitment from five-star tight end Arik Gilbert and could very well be in the running for five-star RB Zachary Evans and others.
Clemson is currently in second place and is the only team in the country to have five five-star pledges, and they are the top-rated player in the country, D.J. Uiagalelei (QB); No. 2 overall Bryan Bresee (DL); the best player in Georgia in DE Myles Murphy and two of the top three prospects from Florida in RB Demarkcus Bowman and CB Fred Davis.
Ohio State comes in third, Alabama is fourth and Georgia, which won the last two team recruiting titles, is fifth in the team rankings
Rounding out the top 10 is a collection of schools in which some have underperformed on the field this season (Texas and Miami), one that hasn’t won a big game yet (Texas A&M), one that could be picking up steam (Michigan) and one that seems to be dominating the Pac-12 (Oregon).
FARRELL'S TAKE
We ask Rivals National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell which of the top 10 programs in the team recruiting rankings at this point has been the biggest surprise to him?
“Without a doubt it’s Miami as the biggest surprise to me because things have gone so poorly on the field so far this season and so many schools recruit South Florida now.
"The 'Canes have done a really nice job in 2020 and Manny Diaz and his staff have been excellent at keeping this class together and still attracting attention from high level players. A few of their commitments have been big targets for some schools having more success on the field, but they haven’t lost them yet, including running back Don Chaney. I doubt Miami will stay in the top 10, but it’s surprising to me the Hurricanes are in there this close to the Early Signing Period.”