By Corey Long – @CoreyLong
Updated Sept. 11, 2019.
Follow @walterfootball for updates.
The top recruiting classes in the Class of 2020 recruiting cycle.
A quick refresher of definitions before we begin:
A blue-chip prospect is someone I expect will be a multi-year starter and has NFL draft upside.
A red-chip prospect is someone I believe will be a multi-year starter at the college level.
The top-10 Recruiting Classes in the Nation:
10. Michigan Wolverines (24 commitments) Key Players: WR/ATH A.J. Henning; DE Braiden McGregor; S Jordan Morant
Overview: This class is nearing full, and Jim Harbaugh has hit on the majority of his top targets. It’s a strong class with good depth from top to bottom. The one thing this class is missing is a true bell cow – a true tippy-top-level elite prospect. There’s a lot of good quality, but it’s missing that sort of Rashan Gary or Donovan Peoples-Jones prospect – a player who was at the top of his position in the nation. Michigan’s main rival, Ohio State, is getting a couple of those type of prospects, and that could be the difference in the next couple of years.
What’s Next: I don’t think Michigan is done recruiting. There could be some movement in this class late with possibly some players moving out and new targets moving in.
9. Texas A&M Aggies (17 commitments) Key Players: QB Haynes King; WR Demond Demas; S Jaylon Jones
Overview: Jimbo Fisher is setting the foundation to compete in the SEC for the next decade. King is arguably the No. 1 quarterback in the class, and Fisher has a great history of success with top arms like King. The wide receivers with Demas, Mushin Muhammad II and Troy Omeire are perfect targets for King. The recruiting along the interior lines, offensive and defensive, has been very good as well.
What’s Next: Fisher understands the talent level still needs to get considerably better across the board to compete with Alabama, LSU, Georgia, etc. So the Aggies will be big-game hunting down the stretch. In-state running back Zachary Evans is major target. Blue-chip athlete Arik Gilbert will visit College Station officially next week, and the Aggies could make a major move with him.
8. Florida State Seminoles (21 commitments) Key Players: RB Jaylan Knightion; QB Jeffrey Sims; CB Demorie Tate
Overview: ESPN pundit Paul Finebaum said on Sportscenter today,Sept. 10, that Willie Taggart had been recruiting well, but it’s “fallen off.” I can tell you that Finebaum really doesn’t know what he’s talking about unless he’s spouting off about Alabama or Auburn. Taggart is recruiting exceptionally well and has a pretty tight class with room to add on. A good on-field record could push this class higher, but as it is, it’s a strong group.
What’s Next: The Seminoles could use a second quarterback, another offensive lineman or two and another elite talent on defense in the front seven to bring this class home.
7. Auburn Tigers (18 commitments) Key Players: LB Trenton Simpson; WR Ze’Vian Capers; RB Tank Bigsby
Overview: The Tigers coaching staff hit one out of the park when in August when it came to recruiting. Auburn desperately needed some defensive backs and landed a junior college prospect, Marco Domio, who should contribute early and top Texas prospect Chris Thompson Jr. The Tigers also needed a running back and slipped past South Carolina and Georgia to land Tank Bigsby. It was a very strong month for Auburn.
What’s Next: Linebacker Phillip Webb, one of the best uncommitted pass-rushing prospects in the 2020 class, is a major target and would fill a big need. The Tigers have company though, as Alabama, Oklahoma, LSU and Clemson are also in the picture.
6. Ohio State Buckeyes (22 commitments) Key Players: OT Paris Johnson Jr.; WR Julian Fleming; OL Luke Wypier
Overview: For the longest time, Ohio State wasn’t just in the top five, but the program seemed to have an actual track toward the top spot overall. The second half of the summer hasn’t been so kind to Ryan Day and his staff, as they missed out on their two top targets at running back Jaylan Knighton, to Florida State, and Bijan Robinson, to Texas. But a bad month or two aside, this is a tremendous class, by far the top in the Big Ten and there’s still room to add more talent.
What’s Next: The Buckeyes need a running back. It doesn’t look like they will get in on Zach Evans, so that leaves in-state prospect Michael Drennen II. Drennen took an unofficial visit to Ohio State earlier in the month and will take an official visit to Kentucky this weekend. Those appear to be the two leading schools for Drennen right now.
5. LSU Tigers (23 commitments) Key Players: CB Elias Ricks; WR Jermaine Burton; DT Jaquelin Roy; S Jordan Toles; WR Rakim Jarrett
Overview: After receiving commitments from Roy and tight end prospect Kole Taylor at the end of July, LSU coaches seemed to shut down the recruiting part of the job to focus on the season. So far, it has worked and there’s no doubt that the wide receivers in this class should feel good about the new LSU offense that throws the ball around the yard. This class is nearly full, so a lot of the recruiting focus has shifted to 2021.
What’s Next: There have been rumors that Jarrett, a Washington, D.C. prospect, is looking hard at Tennessee, but that looks like a risky situation right now. Evans is the biggest remaining target, and he will be taking his official to LSU on October 26.
4. Texas Longhorns (18 commitments) Key Players: RB Bijan Robinson; WR Quentin Johnson; ATH Ja’Quiden Jackson; LB Prince Dorbah; CB Ethan Pouncey
Overview: At the last update, the Longhorns entered the top 20 and in this update; they busted through the top five. Impressive isn’t it. The Texas staff might’ve had the best recruiting run over a 60-day period that I’ve ever seen in over 20 years of following and writing about this stuff. It just seemed like everything Tom Herman and his staff did in the past two months led to another commitment from a blue-chip or red-chip prospect. The class isn’t done yet, but top to bottom, the quality is outstanding. When a high level, red-chip prospect like Princely Umanmielen isn’t in the top 10 of players committed in the class, it’s a class for the ages.
What’s Next: Can the Longhorns get to No. 1? YES. The big target here is cornerback Kelee Ringo, and that looks like a battle that could head all the way to national signing day with Texas and Georgia ahead of the pack and Alabama and USC in the mix.
3. Georgia Bulldogs (17 commitments) Key Players: DE Mekhail Sherman; RB Kendall Milton; OT Broderick Jones; DT Jalen Carter; OT Tate Ratledge
Overview: The Bulldogs slipped to fifth in the last updated but have since added Milton, a blue-chip running back, to the mix and moved right back up. Kirby Smart and his staff also landed two more offensive line targets in tackle Chad Lindberg, a high-end red-chip prospect from Texas, and Sedrick Van Pran, a blue-chip interior lineman from New Orleans. If the Bulldogs wouldn’t receive another commitment, the lowest this class could be ranked is sixth.
What’s Next: Georgia lives by the recruiting motto of “ABC” – Always be closing – and if the Bulldogs close like they should, this is a No. 1 class. Right now, Georgia is leading for or in very good standing with Ringo, Evans, blue-chip tight end Darnell Washington and red-chip wide receiver Arian Smith. Kirby Smart’s classes at Georgia have ranged from very good to great, but this 2020 group could be his best one yet.
2. Alabama Crimson Tide (22 commitments) Key Players: LB Quandarrius Robinson; DE Chris Braswell; LB Drew Sanders; LB Demouy Kennedy; DE Will Anderson
Overview: This is by far the most defense-heavy recruiting class among the top five, or the top 10 for that matter. Alabama had a need for linebackers, both inside and rush, and has landed all its top targets, including Sanders, who flipped from Oklahoma in the spring. So far it hasn’t been a flashy class, but in terms of quality and talent, it’s definitely on the top end of the spectrum.
What’s Next: Where’s the flash? This is a great class, and obviously many of these prospects will have fruitful college careers and futures in the NFL. But Alabama fans are still waiting for that one guy in this class who will have people talking. Maybe it will be Evans or blue-chip tight end Arik Gilbert or blue-chip linebacker Sa’Vell Smalls. And don’t forget the Crimson Tide are still after quarterback prospect Bryce Young, who is currently committed to USC. You know Nick Saban is going to get someone.
1. Clemson Tigers (20 commitments) Key Players: DE Myles Murphy; RB Demarckus Bowman; QB D.J. Uiagalelei; CB Fred Davis; DT Brian Bresee
Overview: Clemson has just had two commitments in the past six weeks, but the recruiting class has been so stacked to this point that no one can touch it. The commitments, by the way, included blue-chip wide receiver E.J. Williams and another wide receiver, Ajou Ajou, who isn’t ranked as high because he is playing high school in America for the first time this year after moving to Florida from Canada.
What’s Next: Well, the Tigers’ top two targets are defensive end Jordan Burch and linebacker Justin Flower. Both prospects are blue-chippers and would further fortify a tremendous class. Beyond that it’s hard to say. Dabo Swinney might be satisfied with a class of 22-23 players, though a lot of it might depend on early departures or transfers. As good as this class is, there are plenty of possibilities to make it better.
Back to recruiting classes 11-20+ for 2020
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