It’s too early to tell, especially considering several players in the 2015 recruiting class won’t make an impact at least for a few years.
But it’s never too early to make a few value judgments. A few schools made a splash this year. A few others came up flat.
Who were the big winners and losers? Here’s a closer look at each Power 5 conference.
Winners: UCLA and USC
The Bruins already had 5-star quarterback Josh Rosen in hand. They added 5-star running back Soso Jamabo, which forced us to brush up on our Childish Gambino. UCLA also grabbed 4-star tight end along with Cordell Broadus, son of rapper Snoop Dogg. USC, meanwhile, countered by adding 5-star cornerback Iman Marshall to an already-deep class. Jim Mora and Steve Sarkisian are raking in the talent. Now these schools need to win a Pac-12 championship. The Trojans haven’t won since 2008; the Bruins have been waiting since 1998.
Loser: Oregon
The Ducks typically aren’t a heavy-hitter on Signing Day anyway, but Oregon didn’t do much to counter the talent overhaul at UCLA and USC. Defensive end Canton Kaumatule is the only 5-star in Mark Helfrich’s third recruiting class, and 4-star quarterback Travis Waller will be part of the quarterback derby to replace Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota. At Oregon, it’s always been about the system. Will that continue to be the case?
Winner: Texas A&M
The Aggies already proved the big winners in Texas by keeping 4-star quarterback Kyler Murray, regarded by some as the best high school player in the state’s history, from flipping to Texas. Texas A&M added in-state 5-star defensive tackle Daylon Mack on Wednesday. Clearly, the Aggies are using the SEC spotlight to their advantage.
Loser: Big 12
Texas A&M’s gain is the Big 12’s loss. Of the Top 50 recruits on 247 Sports, only three committed to Big 12 schools, including linebacker Malik Jefferson (Texas), quarterback Jarrett Stidham (Baylor) and defensive tackle Breiden Fehoko (Texas Tech). Texas missed the Top 10 recruiting classes for the third straight year. Oklahoma, meanwhile, missed the Top 10 for the fifth consecutive season.
Winner: The Iron Bowl
Alabama had a quiet day, but it didn’t stop the Tide from finishing with the No. 1 class for the fifth consecutive season. Auburn, meanwhile, countered by landing 5-star defensive end Byron Cowart, the No. 3 player in the country. Auburn also grabbed 4-star linebacker Jeffrey Holland and 4-star receiver Ryan Davis, both who were leaning toward Florida. Bringing in Will Muschamp clearly has its benefits for the Tigers.
Loser: Arkansas
Get this: Arkansas had the 24th best recruiting class in the nation according to 247Sports, but that’s good for 12th best class in the SEC. The Razorbacks lost K.J. Hill to Ohio State and didn’t get a five-star recruit. Ole Miss and Mississippi State also had better classes than Arkansas. It’s still an uphill battle for Bret Bielema despite last year’s strong finish.
Winners: Ohio State and Michigan State
Urban Meyer finished with a flurry, closing out the commitment of 4-star running back Mike Weber, who had been contemplating flipping to Michigan. Meyer also flipped wide receiver K.J. Hill from Arkansas en route to his fourth straight top-five class. Mark Dantonio, meanwhile, built a Top 25 class in East Lansing. The Spartans, who have won at least 11 games four of the last five seasons, didn’t have much Signing Day drama.
Loser: Michigan
This might not be fair considering Jim Harbaugh had less than a month to salvage his first recruiting class, but the Wolverines couldn’t sway Mike Weber, Chris Clark or Iman Marshall to flip to Michigan. Harbaugh should be better with a full class, however, and the Wolverines did add a familiar name to their class in four-star tight end Tyrone Wheatley Jr. Expect better results when Harbaugh has a full year of recruiting under his belt.
Winner: Clemson
Call it the “Deshaun Watson Effect.” Dabo Swinney brought in his best recruiting class yet, complete with 5-star players in tackle Mitch Hyatt, wide receiver Deon Cain and Christian Wilkins. Another 4-star athlete in Ray-Ray McCloud rounded out the class. Cain and McCloud continue Swinney’s success in the state of Florida. Now it’s time to make a move against Florida State, which reeled in another Top 10 class under Jimbo Fisher.
Losers: The rest of the ACC
Aside from Florida State and Clemson, no other school in the ACC landed a 247 Sports 5-star prospect. Louisville’s reputation took a hit when a South Carolina high school banned Bobby Petrino for pulling a scholarship offer. Virginia Tech and Miami ranked outside the Top 25.
