College football recruiting: Georgia and Oregon had the most blue-chip signees in the 2024 class.
During the early signing period, these college football teams stocked up on top-tier talent.
Signing high-profile prospects is typically a good predictor of future success in college football. Although not assured, acquiring top-tier talent to a roster can help teams improve their potential if the prospects grow into major contributors. With the early signing period for the 2024 recruiting class already over, the great majority of the blue-chip recruits (five- and four-stars) have officially signed with the future team. But, according to 247Sports’ independent rankings, who teams signed the most blue-chip recruits?
Georgia already has the top-ranked recruiting class of the 2024 cycle, with 20 (!!) blue-chip signees, including three five-star defensive players. The Bulldogs are just one of many SEC programs that landed the most high-profile recruits in the class, but numerous Big Ten powers – and a newcomer – also flashed their recruiting talents.
During the early signing period, more than 60 teams signed at least one four-star player, while 14 clubs reached double-digit blue-chip signees.
According to 247Sports rankings, the following clubs signed the most blue-chip recruits (five- and four-stars) in the 2024 class.
5-stars: 0
4-stars: 7
Signees from the 2024 class: 22
247Sports Composite position: 23
Four of Wisconsin and coach Luke Fickell’s seven four-star signees in the 2024 class rated among the Top247. As the top recruit from Maryland, Towson (Md.) Concordia Prep defensive lineman Ernest Willor Jr. stands out among the Badgers’ new class. Wisconsin also landed Dilin Jones from Olney (Md.) Our Lady Good Counsel on the East Coast. The Badgers have the seventh-best recruiting class in the expanded Big Ten.
5-stars: 0
4-stars: 7
Signees from the 2024 class: 21
247Sports Composite position: 34
Under long-time coach Kirk Ferentz, Iowa has perhaps one of the strongest signing classes in the country. The Hawkeyes recruited seven four-star recruits, four more than in the previous two classes combined. The batch of newcomers to Iowa City includes Williamsburg (Iowa) outstanding linebacker Derek Weisskopf and Overland Park (Kan.) Blue Valley Northwest tight end Gavin Hoffman. Those two positions alone created a lot of success for Ferentz during his time with the Hawkeyes.
5-stars: 0
4-stars: 8
Signees from the 2024 class: 19
247Sports Composite position: 18
After signing four five-star prospects in the previous two cycles under Lincoln Riley, USC did not sign any in the 2024 class. Nonetheless, the Trojans added eight four-star recruits to their incoming class, with another committed but unsigned. Jason Zandamela of Clearwater (Fla.) Academy International is the highest-rated signee in the class for USC and ranks first in his position group nationally. Four of the Trojans’ six Top247 signees are among the top-100 in the 2024 class.
SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS – T17.
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5-stars: 1
4-stars: 7
Signees from the 2024 class: 16
247Sports Composite position: 20
South Carolina added Washington (D.C.) Friendship Collegiate Academy edge rusher Dylan Stewart to its 2024 roster for the second time in as many classes. The 6-foot-5, 235-pound talent ranks 23rd nationally in the overall class and first among all District of Columbia recruits. Stewart leads a Gamecocks signing class that includes seven four-star prospects, including a pair of in-state offensive tackles in Dillon (S.C.) standout Josiah Thompson and Dorchester (S.C.) Woodland giant Kam Pringle.
T14 PENNSYLVANIA STATE NITTANY LIONS — 9
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5-stars: 1
4-stars: 8
Signees from the 2024 class: 25
247Sports Composite position: 14
Penn State, along with Nebraska, Ohio State, and Oregon, is one of four Big Ten schools having a five-star signee in the 2024 class. With Cheshire (Conn.) Academy standout Luke Reynolds on his way to State College, the Nittany Lions have secured the top-ranked tight end in the class. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound tight end is the 27th-best overall recruit in the 2024 class. Penn State’s five highest-rated signees in the class all project to play on offense, indicating that James Franklin and the coaches placed a strong emphasis on surrounding former five-star quarterback Drew Allar with support.
FLORIDA GATORS — T14 — 9
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5-stars: 2
4-stars: 7
Signees from the 2024 class: 18
247Sports Composite position: 16
With a handful of de-commitments, Florida’s Signing Day – and even the weeks leading up to the event – were not ideal. Despite the recent drop, the Gators were able to secure a pair of five-stars and seven four-stars for the 2024 class, which is still ranked among the top-20 nationally. Billy Napier already has two five-star players in Willis (Texas) quarterback DJ Lagway and Daytona Beach (Fla.) Mainland defensive lineman LJ McCray. Both are ranked second in their respective positions for the 2024 class.
CLEMSON TIGERS — T14 — 9
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5-stars: 2
4-stars: 7
Signees from the 2024 class: 22
247Sports Composite position: 12
Dabo Swinney is still focusing on high school recruiting rather than the transfer site. While the Tigers’ recent results have been disappointing, the future in Death Valley remains bright, with two five-star recruits joining the team in the 2024 class. Sammy Brown of Jefferson (Ga.) and Bryant Wesco of Midlothian (Texas) are two of the greatest linebackers and wide receivers in this cycle. Clemson also added seven four-star recruits to go with their five-star combo, for a total of seven Top247 recruits.
FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES – T13.
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5-stars: 0
4-stars: 10
Signees from the 2024 class: 22
247Sports Composite position: 9
Florida State did not sign any five-star high school prospects in the 2024 class, but it did add ten four-star prospects to help secure a haul that is presently ranked in the top-10 in the country. With Savannah (Ga.) Benedictine Military School standout Luke Kromenhoek poised to arrive in Tallahassee for next season, the Seminoles have snagged one of the greatest quarterbacks in the class. He is the fourth-best quarterback in the class. Florida State’s defense remains a strength in this class, with two top-100 cornerbacks in Venice (Fla.) standout Charles Lester III and Miami (Fla.) Norland prospect Jamari Howard.
TEXAS LONGHORNS (T9) — 11
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5-stars: 4
4-stars: 7
Signees from the 2024 class: 23
247Sports Composite position: 3
Texas signed the most five-star prospects in the 2024 class. Saint Louis (Mo.) University wide receiver Ryan Wingo, Duncanville (Texas) linebacker Colin Simmons, Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei offensive tackle Brandon Baker, and McKinney (Texas) safety Xavier Filsaime are among the standouts. Aaron Butler, a four-star wide receiver from Calabasas, Calif., joined the Longhorns late Friday, shortly before the early signing period ended. Texas signed eight Top247 recruits, with six of them rating among the top-100 in the country. Perhaps a harbinger of things to come for Steve Sarkisian and Texas as they prepare to join the SEC in 2024.
T9 VOLUNTEERS IN TENNESSEE — 11
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5-stars: 2
4-stars: 9
Signees from the 2024 class: 21
247Sports Composite position: 13
Tennessee went to Alabama and landed the top-ranked edge rusher in the 2024 class, Birmingham (Ala.) Vestavia Hills five-star Jordan Ross, who will join the Volunteers in Knoxville. He is not, however, Tennessee’s lone five-star signee in the class, as he joins Lilburn (Ga.) Parkview wide receiver Mike Matthews. Coach Josh Huepel and his staff have signed nine four-star recruits, seven of whom are ranked in the Top247.
T9 — NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH
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5-stars: 0
4-stars: 11
Signees from the 2024 class: 23
Composite 247Sports ranking: 10
Notre Dame is another program with a solid 2024 signing class that lacks any five-star prospects. The Fighting Irish added a potential future pair in Saline (Mich.) quarterback CJ Carr – the grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr – and Glen Ellyn (Ill.) Glenbard South wide out Cam Williams to their second top-10 recruiting class under coach Marcus Freeman. The two four-star recruits are ranked among the top 50 overall recruits in the 2024 class. In this haul, Notre Dame added eight Top47 talents.
AUBURN TIGERS (T9) — 11
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5-stars: 2
4-stars: 9
Signees from the 2024 class: 20
Composite 247Sports ranking: 7
Hugh Freeze assembled one of the most deceptively good classes in the 2024 cycle at Auburn, with a pair of five-star signees and a huge list of four-stars. Cam Coleman of Phenix City Central and Perry Thompson of Foley (Ala.) Central top the new class as two five-star recruits. The Tigers sign ten Top247 prospects and are one of six SEC clubs to sign multiple five-star prospects in the 2024 class.
OHIO STATE BUCKEYES (12)
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5-stars: 2
4-stars: 10
Signees from the 2024 class: 20
247Sports Composite score: 5
Ohio State waited until late Wednesday night for papers from Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna. Prep five-star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, the top-ranked recruit in the whole 2024 class, but ultimately kept him as part of its signing class. Johnson is not the only five-star wideout for the Buckeyes, as Mylan Graham transfers from New Haven (Ind.). Ohio State signed ten Top247 talents, with five of them rating in the top-100 nationally.
OKLAHOMA SOONERS — T5 — 14
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5-stars: 1
4-stars: 13
Signees from the 2024 class: 27
247Sports Composite score: 8
Oklahoma made a number of significant adjustments in the 2024 recruiting cycle in preparation for its entry to the SEC the following season. The Sooners were able to lure back five-star defensive lineman David Stone from Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy, who is originally from Oklahoma. On the opposite side of the ball, top-ranked running back Taylor Tatum of Longview (Texas) has signed with the Sooners, who have 10 Top247 signees. In preparation for the SEC, Oklahoma addressed a variety of positions.
MICHIGAN WOLVERINES — T5 — 14
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5-stars: 0
4-stars: 14
Signees from the 2024 class: 27
Composite 247Sports ranking: 15
The three-time defending Big Ten champions did not sign a five-star recruit in the 2024 class, but they did add 14 four-star signees to help rebuild the future squad in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines’ top four signees all project to play offensive, with Kansas City (Mo.) Rockhurst tackle Andrew Sprague leading the way. The 6-foot-8, 295-pound prospect is ranked fourth in the 2024 draft class. Michigan signed nine Top247 recruits in the class, with all but one coming from outside the state (Rochester (Mich.) Adams tight end Brady Prieskorn).
T3 HURRICANES IN MIAMI — 15
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5-stars: 1
4-stars: 14
Signees from the 2024 class: 27
247Sports Composite score: 4
Miami made some late moves on Wednesday to add to their 2024 signing class, including a trade with rival Florida State for Miami (Fla.) Central four-star defensive lineman Armondo Blount. He joins five-star defensive lineman Justin Scott of Chicago (Ill.) St. Ignatius and four-star edge rusher Marquise Lightfoot of Chicago (Ill.) Kenwood Academy in a solid haul in the trenches for the Hurricanes. Six of the ten Top247 recruits Miami signed in the 2024 class are in the top-100 nationally. With a top-five incoming class, coach Mario Cristobal is under pressure to show on-field results.
T3: LSU TIGERS (15).
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5-stars: 0
4-stars: 15
Signees from the 2024 class: 28
Composite ranking on 247Sports: 11
Despite not adding a five-star recruit during the early period, LSU’s 2024 signing class is deep. The Tigers landed 15 four-star recruits throughout the cycle, with Zachary (La.) tight end Trey’Dez Green leading the way. LSU snatched up the majority of Louisiana’s finest players while also recruiting from adjacent Texas to fill out the top half of its class. Fourteen of the 15 four-star recruits are from one of these two states. Coach Brian Kelly and his staff have made it plain where they intend to target their recruiting efforts.
T3: ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE — 15 points
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5-stars: 2
4-stars: 13
Signees from the 2024 class: 23
247Sports Composite position: 2
With a pair of five-stars and 13 four-star signees in the 2024 class, Nick Saban and Alabama continue to demonstrate their ability to recruit blue-chip talent. The Crimson Tide are ranked second in the country in the Composite team rankings, with Carlsbad (Calif.) five-star quarterback Julian Sayin leading the way. On the defensive side, Alabama has two potential lockdown stars in the secondary in Pinson (Ala.) Clay-Chalkville five-star cornerback Jaylen Mbakwe and Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei four-star cornerback Zabien Brown.
DUCKS OF OREGON — 17
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5-stars: 2
4-stars: 15
Signees from the 2024 class: 26
247Sports Composite position: 6
During the early signing period, Oregon loaded up on blue-chip recruits as Dan Lanning hopes to capitalize on another good season for the Ducks with an approaching shift to the Big Ten. Aydin Breland of Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei and Elijah Rushing of Tucson (Ariz.) Salpointe Catholic are both five-star prospects from the West Coast. The Ducks signed 14 Top247 prospects, with six of those ranks ranking among the top-100 in the country.
20. GEORGIA BULLDOGS
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5-stars: 3
4-stars: 17
Signees from the 2024 class: 28
247Sports Composite position: 1
During the early signing period this week, Georgia landed the top recruiting class in 2024 with 20 blue-chip signees, including a trio of five-stars to improve the top-end of their total. The Bulldogs continue to bolster their defense, bringing in the nation’s best cornerback, linebacker, and safety. Georgia’s highest-rated signee is Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy cornerback Ellis Robinson IV, followed by Conroe (Texas) Oak Ridge linebacker Justin Williams and Buford (Ga.) safety KJ Bolden. The Bulldogs landed 18 Top247 recruits in the class, with 11 of those ranking in the top-100 nationally.
