Breakdown: How the 2017 class compares to its predecessors

As teams scramble to pick up last-minute commitments ahead of National Signing Day this week, fans across the country find new names to get excited about every day. While there is plenty of talent in the 2017 class to build that anticipation, how does this year’s group stack up to those of recent years?

Here is a position-by-position breakdown of where 2017’s recruits fall among those from the last five years before it. The results are based at the number of five-stars at each position group and combined with the number of four-star recruits and their average Rivals Ranking.

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2017 FIVE-STARS: Kellen Mond, Jake Fromm, Davis Mills and Hunter Johnson

2017 FOUR-STARS COLLECTIVE: 20 recruits with an average rating of 5.865

BEST QB CLASS, LAST SIX YEARS: 2017

ANALYSIS: The 2017 quarterback class comes out on top, edging out 2013’s class, headlined by five-stars Max Browne and Christian Hackenberg. The USC and Penn State commits were the only five-stars in their class, but the group of four-stars behind them was larger than this year’s by a count of 31 to 20 and an average RR of 5.858. This year’s group gets the edge based on the expected potential of more five-stars. No class in the previous five had more than two five-star passers.

2017 FIVE-STARS: Najee Harris, Cam Akers and Khalan Laborn

2017 FOUR-STARS COLLECTIVE: 24 recruits with an average rating of 5.858

BEST RB CLASS, LAST SIX YEARS: 2015

ANALYSIS: Even though two of the three players in the trio of 2017’s five-stars are top-three players nationally in Harris and Akers, this year’s numbers can’t compete with the classes of 2015 and 2014, for that matter. While some of the star runners in 2015’s group haven’t had an extensive opportunity to play, Tennessee’s Alvin Kamara and LSU’s Derrius Guise had chances to show their value last season. Jacques Patrick and Damien Harris will likely have more prominent roles at Florida State and Alabama respectively in 2017 as well. In addition to 2015’s six five-star running backs, 38 others were four-stars - the most from 2012-2017 - with an average RR of 5.868.

2017 FIVE-STARS: Tee Higgins, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Jerry Jeudy and Trevon Grimes

2017 FOUR-STARS COLLECTIVE: 73 recruits with an average rating of 5.856

BEST WR/TE CLASS, LAST SIX YEARS: 2016

ANALYSIS: This is a tough one because the 2015 and 2014 classes both had more five-star recruits, but 2016 wins out with its depth. Isaac Nauta, Tyler Vaughns and N’Keal Harry are the only five-stars in the class, but its 80 four-star pass-catchers are greater than 2017’s and beat them with an average RR of 5.875 to 5.856. The 2015 and 2014 classes both had six five-stars, but 2015 was particularly top-heavy with only 50 four-star recruits following its bunch at the top. The 2012 trio of Dorial Green-Beckham, Nelson Agholor and Stefon Diggs are all on NFL rosters, and with 62 four-stars with an average RR of 5.838 had a very respectable crop.

2017 FIVE-STARS: Alex Leatherwood, Wyatt Davis, Foster Sarell, Walker Little, Jedrick Wills and Isaiah Wilson

2017 FOUR-STARS COLLECTIVE: 49 recruits with an average rating of 5.853

BEST OL CLASS, LAST SIX YEARS: 2012

ANALYSIS: The 2017 crop of offensive lineman is a very close second to 2012’s, with just one fewer five- and four-star player by comparison. The four-stars in this class hold a higher average than 2012’s, 5.853 to 5.828, but time will tell if this year’s group can put as high of a percentage of five-star players into the NFL as 2012 produced. Andrus Peat, D.J. Humphries, John Theus and Kyle Murphy have all played in the league and Kyle Kalis could very well join them this season.

2017 FIVE-STARS: Marvin Wilson, Aubrey Solomon, A.J. Epenesa, Jaelan Phillips, Josh Kaindoh, Chase Young and Tyler Shelvin

2017 FOUR-STARS COLLECTIVE: 54 recruits with an average rating of 5.838

BEST DL CLASS, LAST SIX YEARS: 2016

ANALYSIS: This year’s defensive line group is very, very good, but again comes up just short relative to a class from the past. As far as the six-year sample size used here, 2012 had the most five-star players along the defensive front with 11, but last year’s class had 10, and had more four-star recruits (65) with a higher RR of 5.853. While a few from 2012 are still in college, most have gone on to spend at least some time on an NFL roster. The class of 2015 also saw 10 recruits finish as five-stars at defensive line positions, but had fewer four-stars (57) at just a marginally higher RR average of 5.864.

2017 FIVE-STARS: Baron Browning, Jacob Phillips, Jordan Anthony and Dylan Moses

2017 FOUR-STARS COLLECTIVE: 40 recruits with an average rating of 5.847

BEST LB CLASS, LAST SIX YEARS: 2016

ANALYSIS: This is a tough one because the five-star linebackers in 2017 are very good in their own right and the group behind them is a deep one. Even though there are some questions about the future potential of some of them in their college careers, it’s still too early to write any of them off. The crop of 10 five-stars in 2016 is by far the most of any class over the last six years. The argument can be made that 2017’s class is overall the deepest of those considered here, but all the five-stars from last year’s class is too much to deny.

2017 FIVE-STARS: JaCoby Stevens, Lamont Wade, A.J. Terrell, Darnay Holmes, Shaun Wade and Jeffrey Okudah

2017 FOUR-STARS COLLECTIVE: 61 recruits with an average rating of 5.863

BEST DB CLASS, LAST SIX YEARS: 2013

ANALYSIS: This is another close battle, with 2015 and 2014 finishing with two very impressive classes as well. The 2014 group is getting a lot of attention lately because of the number of five-star players expected to be at the top of many NFL teams’ draft boards, but 2013’s group all appears headed to the NFL if they haven’t made it already. The class of 2017 has a very impressive and deep class with the second-most four stars and highest average RR in the last six classes, but at this particular position, there just happens to be one better once again.

2017 FIVE-STARS: None

2017 FOUR-STARS COLLECTIVE: 37 recruits with an average rating 5.835

BEST ATHLETE CLASS, LAST SIX YEARS: 2017

ANALYSIS: Despite not having a five-star prospect in this year’s class, 2017’s group of 37 recruits at the position vastly outnumbers any other group in the past six with the second-highest average Rivals Rating during that time. The class of 2013 was void of a five star athlete, and no class in the last six years had more than two. The class of 2012 was the next-closest to 2017 in terms of numbers at athlete with 25 total players.

The class of 2017 is tied with 2015 for most the five-stars in a single class during the last six years, and in the terms of this examination, finished with a clear-cut advantage in two position groups - second only to 2016’s three. The group of 2017 four-star recruits at each position group is also in the top-three of the six considered classes except for the defensive line. This year’s class may not overall be considered the absolute best in recent memory, but should every prospect become the player they’re projected to be, 2017 should fall in the top two.