Nice to see Penn State on this losers' list
WINNERS
Michigan. The Wolverines capped their haul with the nationÂ’s consensus top recruit in defensive tackle Rashan Gary, who chose Michigan over Clemson. Gary is joined by a signing class brimming with the sort of talent Jim Harbaugh needs to overtake Ohio State in the Big Ten and compete for a national championship. In terms of an immediate and long-term impact, keep tabs on quarterback Brandon Peters, who joined Michigan in time to participate in spring drills.
Texas. After several sluggish months on the recruiting trail, Texas closed signing day with a flourish. A strong group of players committed to Charlie Strong and the Longhorns in signing-day ceremonies, including five-star linebacker Erick Fowler and four-star LB Jeffrey McCulloch and four-star defensive tackles Chris Daniels and D'andre Christmas-Giles. This recruiting class wonÂ’t immediately lift Texas to the top of Big 12, but the Longhorns took an enormous step toward national competitiveness.
Auburn. The TigersÂ’ place among the top-10 classes in the country was surprising for a simple reason: Auburn is coming off a wildly disappointing seven-win finish. That didnÂ’t dissuade several key prospects, including a quartet of top-ranked wide receivers clearly impressed with Gus MalzahnÂ’s vision for the TigersÂ’ offense.
Stanford. StanfordÂ’s recruiting class is headlined by five-star linebacker Curtis Robinson and four-star quarterback K.J. Costello, the latter perhaps in position to earn the starting job during the offseasonÂ’s wide-open position battle. The meat of the CardinalÂ’s group joined the fold since the start of January, continuing an annual tradition of closing strong during the weeks leading into signing day.
Ohio State. While Michigan feted its signing class with celebrities — Tom Brady, Lou Holtz, Ric Flair and more — Ohio State quietly celebrated signing day with a class ranked ahead of the Wolverines’ crop by every major recruiting service. It’s a helpless feeling for the rest of the Big Ten, perhaps with Michigan the lone exception: Already ahead of the curve, Ohio State gets more talented every February.
Florida State: The day started well when five-star cornerback Levonta Taylor's letter of intent was the first one to arrive in Tallahassee. By 11 a.m. ET, the Seminoles had added five-star defensive end Brian Burns, four-star offensive lineman Jauan Williams, four-star inside linebacker Dontavious Jackson and four-star cornerback Carlos Becker. Four-star offensive tackle Landon Dickerson was another key signing and the Seminoles were able to flip four-star defensive lineman Shavar Manuel from Florida.
LOSERS
Penn State. Once owners of a class ranked among the top five, Penn State ended signing day hovering on the fringes of the top 25. ItÂ’s still a solid group: James Franklin landed his quarterback of the future in Jake Zembiec, a top backfield prospect in Miles Sanders and a number of four-star linemen to add to the Nittany LionsÂ’ maligned offensive front. Penn State simply had plans for a stronger group before the start of the regular season.
Oklahoma. The SoonersÂ’ signing class does not include transfers Kyler Murray from Texas A&M and Geno Lewis from Penn State. ThereÂ’s still something off about this group, which counts just three players from Texas. Since his arrival in 1999, Bob Stoops has built a longstanding dynasty on the talent secured from OklahomaÂ’s next-door neighbor. In comparison, the Sooners signed three players from the same junior college in Scranton, Pa.
Maryland. Blame a coaching change and Ohio State for Maryland’s late recruiting swoon. Before firing Randy Edsall during the regular season — and for a few months afterwards — Maryland held verbal commitments from a number of the region’s top recruits. That changed in January, when four-star quarterback Dwayne Haskins and linebacker Keandre Jones flipped from the Terrapins to the Buckeyes.
Oklahoma State. Fresh off a surge into the College Football Playoff race, Oklahoma State signed its lowest-rated class since 2005, according to the team rankings compiled by Rivals.com. According to Rivals, just one of the Cowboys’ 20 signees, offensive tackle Tramonda Moore, was rated as a four-star prospect — and the coaching staff won’t know if Moore will qualify academically until the summer.