NSD 2023: Five programs that still have work to do in the 2024 cycle
Most of the National Signing Day dust has settled and the results are all over the place. On the downside, there are many programs that need to pick up the pace going forward – either in the final 48 hours of the Early Signing Period or come the New Year heading toward the Late Signing Period in February.
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MORE NSD: Latest on the top unsigned offensive players | All the news, analysis and interviews | Winners and losers | Who's still left? | UGA leads the race for No. 1 | National Signing Day Studio Show
NSD INTERVIEWS: South Carolina coach Shane Beamer | Florida signee Gregory Smith | Georgia Tech signee Anthony Carrie | Rutgers coach Greg Schiano | NC State coach Dave Doeren | Oregon State coach Trent Bray | TCU coach Sonny Dykes | Florida State coach Mike Norvell | Stanford coach Troy Taylor | Arizona coach Jedd Fisch | Illinois coach Bret Bielema | Washington State coach Jake Dickert | Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith | Auburn signee Amaris Williams | Syracuse coach Fran Brown | Georgia Tech coach Brent Key | No. 1 prospect Jeremiah Smith | West Virginia coach Neal Brown | Virginia Tech coach Brent Pry | Auburn coach Hugh Freeze | Amaris Williams announces live on Rivals | Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham | Clemson coach Dabo Swinney | Nebraska coach Matt Rhule | Purdue coach Ryan Walters | Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire | Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea | Larry Tarver discusses flip to Nebraska | Legendary coach Lou Holtz | CFB analyst Yogi Roth | Fitz and Gorney preview the big day | John Garcia Jr. previews signing day in the Southeast
TEAM RECRUITING RANKINGS: ACC | BIG TEN | BIG 12 | PAC-12 | SEC | OVERALL
CLASS OF 2024 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
TRANSFER PORTAL: Latest news | Transfer search | Transfer tracker/player ranking (football) | Transfer team ranking (football) | Transfer tracker/player ranking (basketball) | Transfer team ranking (basketball) | Rivals Portal Twitter
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BOSTON COLLEGE
Volume isn't the play for every program this time of year but when one brings in its fewest amount of signees in the modern recruiting era – going back to the class of 2002 – it's concerning. Boston College has just 12 prospects on its commitment list and dozens of Group of Five programs are ranked above the Eagles in the team rankings.
The Eagles' class ranks No. 95 in the country and that's after adding a key prospect from rival territory in Syracuse (N.Y.) Christian Brothers wide receiver Syair Torrence.
The program has no blue-chip signees at the prep level in addition to the lack of volume. Only UCLA, Colorado and SMU hold fewer commitments among the top 100 programs in the Rivals Team Recruiting Rankings.
At least the Eagles have hit the transfer portal well, checking in with the 30th-ranked class thus far. The portal group includes former Ohio State secondary player Ryan Turner.
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COLORADO
We could probably just leave the graphic there and allow it to speak for itself. And before onlookers pivot to portal conversation, we'll admit Deion Sanders has been plenty successful in that arena over the last two weeks. But the traditional way of building a roster is through the prep ranks and, in that area, the Buffs have faltered. Colorado ended Wednesday with just a handful of commitments from the prep ranks.
Not only are the numbers low from a signature perspective, but the Buffs' top recruit is still communicating with other programs. Five-star offensive lineman Jordan Seaton remains unsigned and the nation's top tackle will only hear from more programs, contenders from prior to his Colorado commitment or perhaps new suitors, as time marches on.
The Buffs also suffered a flip as Georgia native Amontrae Bradford signed with Georgia Tech and they also missed on their own flip candidate in Oregon signee Jac’Qawn McRoy.
Colorado needs bodies badly.
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FLORIDA
The Gators had an up and down Wednesday on the trail. Some delayed NLI timelines created extra anxiety with top commitments such as five-star quarterback DJ Lagway and All-American defensive lineman LJ McCray, but Florida held on to both.
It also added running back Jadan Baugh and intriguing safety Gregory Smith in the afternoon hours.
On the other side, Florida was poached three times on Wednesday, all four-stars, including Rivals250 defenders Amaris Williams (signed with Auburn) and Adarius Hayes (Miami). That marks eight defections since the beginning of November, and the Gators' class ranking has slipped from No. 3 in the country to the 20s as a result.
Billy Napier's program does have an opportunity to try and close the Early Signing Period with a win. Cornerback Zavier Mincey, who also lists Alabama, Miami and Florida State as finalists, signed in secret on Wednesday and will announce his decision on Jan. 6. Florida winning that battle and continuing to contend in the transfer portal looks like the best case scenario at this point.
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FLORIDA STATE
Wednesday won't soon be forgotten for Florida State fans. The Seminoles entered the day with a pair of five-star commitments and exited the day with none. Safety KJ Bolden flipped to Georgia and pass rusher Armondo Blount stayed home with Miami, though Florida State did take another defender soon after in three-star D'Nas White.
The Seminoles still have Mincey and fellow in-stater Amaree Williams in play for the 2024 class, so some of the work to be done can be done in short order.
The defections pushed the Seminoles' class down beyond the top 10 in the team rankings after beginning the day in the top five.
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TEXAS A&M
Transition classes are tough and Wednesday was a lesson in the ups and downs of it for Mike Elko and company. Texas A&M swung and hit big on a pair of Tampa-area four-stars in pass rusher Solomon Williams and wide receiver Izaiah Williams (no relation). But the duo represents two of just 12 confirmed signatures in for the Aggies as of Wednesday evening. Five-star commitment Terry Bussey is planning on signing in February as are blue-chip defensive linemen Dominick McKinley and Daelyn Evans.
A&M did hold off Alabama for linebacker Tristan Jernigan but the Aggies got poached at the same position by rival Texas, who won out for Tyanthony Smith.
The Aggies also missed on running back Anthony Carrie (Georgia Tech) after getting his last visit. The portal has begun to look good for the program, but 12 signees are far from enough in the SEC even for a new coaching staff. Expect some volume soon one way or another.