Published Dec 5, 2014
Team rankings: Alabama holds top spot
Jason Howell
Football Recruiting Analyst
With a flurry of recent commits and our updated postseason class of 2015 prospect rankings, the Rivals team rankings have seen some movement over the past few weeks. Here is an update on the top 10 as we stand
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now, roughly two months in advance of National Signing Day.
(Note: Top 10 below as of 7 a.m. ET, Friday, Dec. 5. Click here for complete, real-time rankings.)
1
Alabama
The Crimson Tide continues its impressive recruiting haul with 14 commitments in
the Rivals250. Six prospects make the list in the top 40, including new five-star
quarterback Blake Barnett (above) who jumped 27 spots to No. 10 in the country.
Not everything was sunny for the Crimson Tide as Mekhi Brown slid out
of the Rivals250, but it is hard to feel bad for Nick Saban's program
as it has 16 total four
and five-star recruits out of 21 total commitments. Calvin Ridley leads
the way for Alabama's class and he is joined by Barnett,
Deionte Thompson, and Minkah Fitzpatrick in the five-star category.
2
Florida State
The defending national champions are competing for another championship-level
class in 2015. The Seminoles class is headlined by No. 2 overall prospect
Derwin James (above). Joining James at the top of the class are fellow five-stars
Jacques Patrick and Tarvarus McFadden. George Campbell moves up 43 spots to give the Seminoles another boost, and Deondre Francois makes five Seminoles commits in the Rivals100. A.J. Westbrook and Calvin Brewton joined the four-star ranks this time
around as well to give the Seminoles 15 total four and five-star pledges, with
half of the Seminoles 20 commitments making the Rivals250. Then there is
D.J. Jones who gives Florida State a nice, solid punch from the JUCO
level.
3
Georgia
Mark Richt and the Georgia Bulldogs are putting together another strong
class headlined by five-star standouts Terry Godwin, Trenton Thompson and
Rashad Roundtree. The Bulldogs count six commitments
in the Rivals100, including Natrez Patrick (above), and eight in the Rivals250. There was a bit of movement with
Van Jefferson making the biggest move as he slid 26 spots and
Michael Chigbu sliding down to the three-star level. The Bulldogs have
added depth along the defensive front and 10 of Georgia's 25 commitments ranked
four stars or above.
4
Clemson
The Clemson Tigers are giving Florida State a run for the ACC recruiting title
with five-stars Mitch Hyatt and
Ray Ray McCloud III (above) leading the way for the Tigers' 20-man recruiting class. Hyatt and McCloud are
joined by Deon Cain, Chad Smith and Jake Fruhmorgen
in the Rivals100. The Tigers round out the Rivals250 with nine total
commitments. Chad Smith and Clelin Ferrell moved the most as both slid
more than 20 spots, but for the most part the Tigers class held pretty steady.
Clemson also adds a prep school punch from four-star wide receiver Jae'lon Oglesby.
5
Tennessee
Butch Jones and the Tennessee Volunteers are putting together another
strong class in 2015. The Vols have already grabbed commitments from 11 four and
five-star high school prospects from seven different states. Their efforts are
headlined by five-star California defensive tackle Kahlil McKenzie.
Junior college running back Alvin Kamara gives Tennessee 12 out of 26
prospects ranked four-stars or higher. Jauan Jennings (above) jumped
into the Rivals250, giving the Vols seven
commitments in the Rivals250. 
6
Ohio State
Linebackers Jerome Baker (above) and Justin Hilliard lead the
way for Urban Meyer's 2015 recruiting class, which leads the way for
the Big Ten. Baker and Hilliard give the Buckeyes two national top 50
linebackers and are among seven Rivals250 commits
for Ohio State. The class did not see much movement this time around, but
Kevin Feder did make a big jump as he moved down 85 spots this ranking
period. Ten of Ohio State's 22 commitments are ranked four-stars, with the
Buckeyes tapping into talent in 10 different states.  
7
South Carolina
Steve Spurrier and his staff have already grabbed 27 commitments, with
junior college defensive end Marquavius Lewis leading the way for the
Gamecocks' 2015 recruiting class. On the high school level,
Sherrod Pittman (above) comes in at No. 85 in the Rivals100 with
Mark Fields, Zack Bailey and Octavis Johnson following in the
Rivals250. Lorenzo Nunez and Shameik Blackshear were big
movers for South Carolina as they slid, but the class remains strong with 10
four and five-star high school commitments. In addition to Lewis, Paris Palmer,
Dante Sawyer and Dexter Wideman are big time
additions from outside the high school ranks.  
7
Texas A&M
Texas A&M's biggest mover this go around was cornerback Roney Elam
(above), who jumped from the three-star level into the Rivals250.
Elam was joined by eight other Texas A&M commitments in the Rivals250, including
Keaton Sutherland who made a 55 spot jump himself. The Aggies 22-man
class is headlined by Rivals100 standouts Daylon Mack and
Kyler Murray, and features 11 high school prospects ranked four stars or higher.
 
9
Notre
Dame
Quarterback Brandon Wimbush (above) continued to move up the rankings
as he moved up 27 spots to No. 38 overall. Wimbush was not the only mover. In
fact he was not even the biggest. Shaun Crawford jumped up 51 spots
into the Rivals100. Six Fighting Irish commitments are included
in the Rivals250, while 10 of Notre Dame's 21 total pledges are four-stars. As usual the Fighting Irish class is heavy in the
Midwest but also features a strong national presence with prospects from
Louisiana, California, Texas, New Jersey and Nevada among its committed
prospects. 
10
Penn
State
Rivals100 cornerback Garrett Taylor headlines Penn State's 2015
recruiting class. Taylor is joined in the Rivals250 by six other Nittany Lion
commitments, with Saquon Barkley (above) making a 16 spot move to No.
101. All moves were not in the positive direction though with Taylor,
John Reid, and Sterling Jenkins each moving down the list. However,
Ryan Bates jumped up 47 spots this ranking period with
Daiquan Kelly and Manny Bowen earning four-star status.  
Jason Howell
Mid-South Recruiting Analyst
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