Alabama, after the first day of the final registering for recruits at the Class of 2021, ended with the No. 1-ranked class overall — and potentially Nick Saban’s best since joining the Crimson Tide.
The Crimson Tide managed to maintain ESPN 300 running back Camar Wheaton from flipping to Oklahoma, and they signed ESPN 300 safety Terrion Arnold to finish with 22 ESPN 300 responsibilities. That includes three five-stars and 13 prospects rated in the top 100.
“[Saban’s] message me was just,’Why not visit a winning app?”‘ Arnold said during the ESPN telecast that aired his announcement. “The competition level there’s high-level contest, and if I feel like I’m one of the greatest players in the country, why don’t you go compete with the best?”
Saban credited his team with adjusting to the times and growing virtual connections with recruits during the pandemic.
“We turned what would have been official peaks and visits and all of those things into virtual reality, so to speak, in terms of how we handled, how we acquired relationships, the time we spent with the players we recruited and the connections we were able to grow,” Saban said.
Ohio State didn’t add any recruits within this signing period, as the staff is awaiting to get a decision from five-star defensive tackle J.T. Tuimoloau, the No. 4 prospect overall.
The top jump in the top 10 of the course rankings on the day had the Texas A&M Aggies moving up from No. 9 to No. 6 after landing ESPN 300 running back L.J. Johnson, the No. 86-ranked recruit overall.
Other motion included Oregon moving to the top 5 along with USC moving up to No. 8. LSU dropped two spots to No. 7.
Dickerson promotes Allergic to top-5 course: Cornerback Avante Dickerson, the No. 49-ranked prospect total and one of just four recruits left uncommitted in February within the top 50 of the ranks, dedicated to Oregon on Wednesday.
The 6-foot, 170-pound corner from Westside High School in Omaha, Nebraska, was committed to Minnesota and was the highest-ranked perpetrate that the Gophers had ever had, but he decommitted on Jan. 24 after not signing in December.
When he reopened his recruiting, Dickerson was contemplating Oregon, Nebraska and Minnesota, and ultimately chose the Ducks. His devotion adds to an already excellent recruiting class for Oregon, which was ranked No. 6 in the course rankings before his commitment.
Dickerson is now the highest-ranked devotion from the course for Oregon, 10 places before wide receiver Isaiah Brevard, who’s at No. 59.
The team already has built a foundation of young defensive players on the roster, with additional 13 defensive ESPN 300 prospects within the past 3 classes. In the 2021 cycle, seven of the top eight responsibilities are on offense.
Oregon has steadily been on the rise in recruiting ranks over the last few cycles under trainer Mario Cristobal, and also the 16 ESPN 300 responsibilities within this class will be the most the program has signed because the ESPN 300 began in 2013.
No. 46 Davis devotes to Trojans: USC additionally added a top-50 commitment to its class with linebacker Raesjon Davis, the No. 46 potential in general.
USC currently has commitments from three of the best four in-state recruits, such as defensive end Korey Foreman, the No. 1-ranked potential in California.
USC, which ended No. 54 entire last year, has made a significant jump to a top-15 class this year. The staff made a concerted attempt to maintain the best recruits out west in USC.
USC had only one ESPN 300 devotion in the 2020 cycle. In 2021, the coaching team has 10 with Davis in the course.
Defensive handle Malone opts for Ole Miss: Ole Miss managed to reel in ESPN 300 defensive tackle Tywone Malone, the No. 45-ranked recruit overall, despite him not fulfilling Lane Kiffin inside this recruiting cycle.
In addition, he plans to play baseball at Ole Miss, having been given the go-ahead to try his hand in both after being recruited by both coaching staffs.
Malone is the highest-ranked commit in the course. Ole Miss managed to flip ESPN 300 quarterback Luke Altmyer from Florida State and got a devotion from Nordic tight end Hudson Wolfe, who had decommitted from Tennessee.
In general, Kiffin includes seven ESPN 300 commitments from the course.
Receiver Hill chooses FSU: Florida State is still trying to reconstruct the roster and got a boost to the crime when ESPN 300 wide receiver Destyn Hill declared his devotion to the Seminoles.
Hill is the No. 89-ranked recruit overall and is now the highest-ranked commit in the course for trainer Mike Norvell along with his team. Hill is a 6-foot, 170-pound receiver out of Edna Karr High School in New Orleans, and is now the next ESPN 300 wide receiver commit from the class together with Malik McClain.
The staff now has six ESPN 300 obligations overall, but it has also focused heavily on the transport portal inside this cycle. Norvell has included eight transfers, such as quarterback McKenzie Milton, safety Jammie Robinson and operating back D.J. Williams.
Those transfers will help Norvell and his staff change the roster immediately by adding in gamers who will help immediately while the high school recruits continue to grow.
