Today, Rivals is unveiling its inaugural Comprehensive Team Ranking, which takes into consideration both the high school prospects and transfers signed and on campus to compete this upcoming season.
The Comprehensive Team Ranking is designed to give college football fans a better view of the entire group of players a team signs during the recruiting cycle. That should be music to the ears of any college football fan who wonders just how successful their team has been at upgrading the talent on their roster.
We take a deep dive into some of the key storylines worth following as players look to make a name for themselves on a new team this fall.
FINAL 2023 TEAM RECRUITING RANKINGS: Comprehensive (overall) ranking | High school/JUCO ranking | Transfer portal ranking
RANKINGS FORMULA EXPLAINED: Comprehensive Rankings FAQ | Transfer Portal Rankings FAQ | HS/JUCO FAQ
TRANSFER PORTAL: Latest news | Transfer portal player ranking | Transfer Tracker | Message board
MORE: Gorney's thoughts on inaugural Rivals Comprehensive Ranking
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WHO'S NO. 1?
Alabama assumes the top spot in the inaugural Comprehensive Team Rankings. Nick Saban's recruiting class features five five-stars in Keon Keeley, Kadyn Proctor, Desmond Ricks, Caleb Downs and Yhonzae Pierre. Twelve prospects in the top 100 of the Rivals250 signed with Alabama. The Crimson Tide scored bonus points in the rankings by signing 21 Rivals250 prospects and added some additional bonus points thanks to their additions via the transfer portal.
Only five transfer prospects signed with the Crimson Tide but two of them, Trey Amos and Jaylen Key, earned top-100 bonus points to contribute to Alabama's Comprehensive Team Ranking score. Despite a Transfer Team Ranking outside the top 60, Alabama was still able to claim the No. 1 spot in the Comprehensive Team Rankings thanks to point values associated with its outstanding Recruiting Team Ranking.
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ROUNDING OUT THE TOP FIVE
Back-to-back national champion Georgia came in second in the Comprehensive Team Ranking. Kirby Smart and his staff signed three five-stars and a total of 19 Rivals250 prospects. The Bulldogs signed an absurd 13 top-100 Rivals250 prospects in the 2023 class. Georgia added four transfers in the 2023 cycle led by receivers Dominic Lovett and Rara Thomas. Lovett sits at No. 10 in the Transfer Ranking while Thomas finished at No. 61. Each of them contributed substantial bonus points to Georgia's Comprehensive Team Ranking point total but it wasn't enough to catch Alabama
USC jumped up a few spots in the Comprehensive Team Ranking compared to its Recruiting Team Ranking. The Trojans finished their 2023 recruiting class at No. 7 in the Recruiting Team Rankings thanks to their three five-star signees but their top-10 transfer portal haul helped push their Comprehensive Team Ranking to No. 3 overall. Five of their transfer signees earned top-100 bonus points and Bear Alexander (No. 2 overall transfer prospect), Marshawn Lloyd and Anthony Lucas each brought with them more than 70 bonus points.
LSU landed at No. 4 in the Comprehensive Team Rankings, moving up slightly from No. 5 in the Recruiting Team Rankings. Its top-15 Transfer Team Ranking helped push LSU up a spot. Two of Brian Kelly's top four signees in the 2023 recruiting cycle were transfer prospects Aaron Anderson (No. 3 overall transfer prospect) and Denver Harris. The other two top signees were five-star Zalance Heard and Javien Toviano.
Texas comes in at No. 5 in the Comprehensive Team Rankings. Its transfer haul isn't one to boast about but Adonai Mitchell, the Longhorns' top transfer signee, is certainly one to get excited about. He contributed some bonus points to Texas' Comprehensive Team Rankings score but the large majority of the credit for the high class ranking goes to the Longhorn recruiting class, led by Rivals250 No. 1 overall prospect Arch Manning. He is joined by five-stars Anthony Hill and Johntay Cook along with a slew of other blue chip prospects.
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NOW YOU SEE ME
So which teams have done the best job supplementing the talent they brought in from the high school ranks with talent from the transfer portal?
Florida State's No. 12 transfer class boosted its Comprehensive Team Ranking up to No. 17 thanks to six top-100 transfer signees. Colorado's No. 1 overall transfer class also moved its Comprehensive Team Ranking up to No. 28.
Ole Miss (16 spots) and Louisville (14 spots) also saw sizable moves up the Comprehensive Team Ranking thanks to their transfer portal hauls.
UCLA, Wisconsin, SMU, Cal and Cincinnati are just some of the programs who have a Comprehensive Team Ranking at least 20 spots higher than their Recruiting Team Ranking.
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CLASS OF 2024 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
TRANSFER PORTAL: Latest news | Transfer portal player ranking | Transfer portal team ranking | Transfer Tracker | Message board
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