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Key signees: 5-star WR Caleb Cunningham, 4-star IOL Devin Harper, 4-star CB Maison Dunn
Analysis: It’s been Flip-mas season early in Oxford, as coach Lane Kiffin got an elite in-state player in Cunningham as well as Harper in the fold after they were pledged to Alabama and LSU, respectively. Cunningham is a huge win who will pay immediate dividends because he is special.
While Kiffin missed out on flipping instate quarterback Deuce Knight, he still had a big Wednesday. Cornerback Dunn and receiver Winston Watkins Jr. committed to the Rebels, and they flipped Tyler Lockhart from Mississippi State, too. There’s a lot to like about a class that has nine players who are at least 4-star prospects.
Key signees: 4-star edge Hayden Lowe, 4-star IOL Seuseu Alofaituli, 4-star RB Girard Pringle Jr.
Analysis: This is yet another strong class of talent put together by coach Mario Cristobal at The U, and while this season hasn’t ended the way the Hurricanes have wanted in their one year with Cam Ward under center, it’s still been a nice step forward that will continue with all the talent he’s assembling.
With 11 4-star prospects, Miami may be lacking that one jewel of the class, but a group that features defensive dominators like Lowe and Herbert Scroggins will be just fine. I also love Pringle and WR Joshua Moore, who will play right away, but losing Hylton Stubbs to Florida and Gavin Nix to Oregon this week were tough blows.
No. 13 South Carolina Gamecocks
Key signees: 4-star WR Malik Clark, 4-star S Kendall Daniels Jr., 4-star WR Lex Cyrus
Analysis: Shane Beamer’s season at South Carolina started horrendously, but the Gamecocks are now one of the hottest teams in the nation. They aren’t doing badly on the recruiting trail, either. This class is firmly in the top 25, and Carolina really did a good job with skill-position players.
Clark, Cyrus and Brian Rowe are a trio of 4-star pass-catchers who will be weapons for LaNorris Sellers soon. Beamer had a big Wednesday to add to the top-20 class, flipping former Georgia Tech 4-star OT Damola Ajidahun, top JUCO DL Zavion Hardy, former LSU TE recruit Mike Tyler and getting a commitment from DL Christian Ingram.
No. 12 Arizona State Sun Devils
Key signees: 4-star QB Cameron Dyer, 4-star TE AJ Ia, 3-star WR Cory Butler
Analysis: This certainly has been a banner year for Kenny Dillingham in Tempe, where he has the Sun Devils playing for the Big 12 title in just his second season as head coach and his team’s first in the league. The recruiting class has improved a few spots from what we’ve seen in the previous few years, but it’s still just sixth in the Big 12.
Still, there are some nice players, with Dyer leading the way as Sam Leavitt’s heir under center. Ia and Butler, along with Chance Ables, are good-looking weapons to surround Dyer with, and Dillingham has some quality defensive pieces coming, too, such as the safety tandem of Benjamin Alefaio and Xavier Skowron.
No. 11 Alabama Crimson Tide
Key signees: 5-star QB Keelon Russell, 5-star IOL Michael Carroll, 5-star CB Dijon Lee
Analysis: Whoever said Alabama would suffer in recruiting without Nick Saban seriously underestimated Kalen DeBoer, who has put together an exceptional first class in his first full haul in Tuscaloosa. Even with some defections, this is still one of the nation’s best.
Getting Derek Meadows to flip from LSU late Wednesday was a massive win.
Three 5-stars lead the way, and Russell is the most college-ready signal-caller in the class, even if Tavien St. Clair and Bryce Underwood perhaps have higher ceilings. Carroll will be road-grader for years to come. Nine additional four stars are in the class, too, but losing out on 5-star OT Ty Haywood and Donovan Starr signaled a rough finish to a great class.
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