With the 2024 recruiting class in the books, we turn our complete focus to 2025 and beyond. Starting today with quarterback, Rivals.com national recruiting director Adam Gorney is taking a look at the recruitments of the top-10 players by position in 2025:
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1. JULIAN LEWIS
The No. 1 quarterback and No. 2 overall prospect in the 2025 class after reclassifying from 2026, Lewis has been committed to USC since late August but others – specifically, Georgia – have not given up trying to flip him.
There were rumors that Lewis might transfer to a school in Southern California for this season but he’s planning to stay at Carrollton, Ga. Lewis has talked highly of the Trojans and playing in coach Lincoln Riley’s offense but Georgia coach Kirby Smart has made him a massive priority.
Auburn, Colorado and others are trying heavily and so might be the new Alabama staff but this feels like a two-team showdown. After talking to Lewis a few weeks ago on signing day, it feels like he wants to wrap this up, over and done with, soon.
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2. BRYCE UNDERWOOD
Prior to his commitment to LSU, people close to Underwood said he was looking for a pass-friendly offense and then the five-star quarterback from Belleville, Mich., saw QB Jayden Daniels and the Tigers’ offense completely take off this season.
Michigan was very much in the running here but with a coaching change and a run-oriented offense, Underwood chose LSU and it seems like things have dramatically slowed down since his commitment.
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3. KJ LACEY
He could have committed to Alabama under former coach Nick Saban and didn’t and during his second visit to Texas, the four-star quarterback picked the Longhorns. He loves coach Steve Sarkisian (and his new contract could only make Lacey happier) and the offense seems like a perfect fit for Lacey’s skill set.
Here’s the interesting part though: The new Alabama coaching staff brings in an offense that will spread it out more and throw it more than the Saban Crimson Tide teams.
Auburn is trying hard but that would be a long shot at this point. Alabama won’t stop trying but Lacey seems more than happy with his Texas pledge even with five-star receiver teammate Ryan Williams signing with Alabama.
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4. GEORGE MACINTYRE
Does Alabama strike out on a top 2025 quarterback, have to flip someone or focus more on the portal? That’s the question after MacIntyre chose Tennessee over Alabama and LSU.
The Brentwood (Tenn.) Brentwood Academy four-star is arguably the best-looking quarterback in this class as he’s all of 6-foot-5 and is kind of a Joe Milton-type but with better accuracy on the deep ball.
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5. DEUCE KNIGHT
There has to be some intrigue in staying closer to home as Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin and Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby are pursuing the Lucedale (Miss.) George County four-star lefty quarterback really hard.
That could especially be something to watch as signing day gets closer but Knight has been committed to Notre Dame since mid-September and his decision was about more than football. Sure, that’s important but recently Knight said his pledge to the Irish is about setting up his family for the long term and there are on- and off-field considerations here.
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6. TAVIEN ST. CLAIR
Ohio State signed five-star lefty Air Noland and then five-star Julian Sayin unexpectedly transferred from Alabama to Ohio State after coach Nick Saban’s retirement so the Buckeyes’ quarterback room is loaded for years to come.
But that has not scared off St. Clair, who landed his dream offer from Ohio State and has committed. The Bellefontaine, Ohio, four-star has shown no signs of looking elsewhere since his pledge.
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7. CARTER SMITH
Michigan losing out on Underwood, a five-star in-state prospect, was not ideal but Smith is a phenomenal option as well and his versatility could be really special in coach Sherrone Moore’s offense.
The Fort Myers (Fla.) Bishop Verot four-star threw for 29 touchdowns last season on just 213 attempts and he also carried it for 715 yards and 19 scores on 103 carries. Through the coaching change to Moore from Jim Harbaugh and with an NCAA investigation still looming, Smith has shown no signs of looking at others.
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8. HUSAN LONGSTREET
If there is one quarterback in the 2025 class who still has significant question marks about where he’s going to end up it would be Longstreet. The list of favorites over time has changed for the four-star quarterback from Corona (Calif.) Centennial and right now the team to watch is Texas A&M after a great visit there.
But Miami and others have also piqued his interest and he could take his recruitment a little longer to figure out which other programs want to get involved.
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9. ALKILI SMITH JR.
It would be a total, 100-percent shock if Smith ended up anywhere other than Oregon. He’s a legacy as his father by the same name was a star quarterback for the Ducks and then was the third overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft.
Smith is following in his father’s footsteps in another way. He’s also now playing at San Diego (Calif.) Lincoln, his father’s alma mater, so an early commitment to Oregon was no surprise. A decommitment would be stunning.
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10. BEAR BACHMEIER
There was a time when it looked like Bachmeier was going to pick Notre Dame and he even visited South Bend to do just that. But then Knight pledged to the Irish so Bachmeier, a four-star from Murrieta (Calif.) Murrieta Valley, had to restart his recruitment.
Oregon was involved for some time but Stanford’s new offense fits his style, the academics are hard to turn down and Bachmeier will join his brother, Tiger, in the Cardinal offense.
