Some of us are old enough to remember when national signing day in early February was one of the biggest days on the college football calendar; some of us are even old enough to remember the shockingly large role the fax machine played in the recruiting process.
In recent years, the most dramatic adjustment has been the nearly wholesale shift by Bowl Subdivision programs to the earlier signing period, in early December. Another major change has been the emphasis on the transfer portal for roster management, leading to a notable deemphasis on the traditional four-year developmental process for recruits.
That means any evaluation of Wednesday’s signing day should also include December’s early period and how teams fared on the transfer market, a two-month stretch of Extreme Makeover: FBS edition. These are the biggest winners and losers from the young offseason:
Winners
Texas
The Longhorns locked down the nation’s top-ranked class back in December. This group includes five-star defensive backs Jonah Williams and Kade Phillips, five-star receiver Kaliq Lockett and another five star in defensive tackle Justus Terry, a huge pull out of Georgia. This makes Texas just the second team other than Alabama and Georgia to sign the nation’s best class since 2010, according to the composite rankings from 247Sports.com. While the Longhorns haven’t been very active in the portal, the offense could still use a more proven receiver to help new starting quarterback Arch Manning.
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Michigan
The Wolverines made Wednesday’s biggest splash by signing four-star offensive line Ty Haywood, the nation’s top uncommitted prospect. Haywood was originally committed to Alabama but backed off his verbal pledge back in December, eventually landing on the Wolverines over Florida State. This addition moves Michigan’s class into the top six nationally, according to 24/7 composite rankings, the program’s top-rated group since 2017. The Wolverines were also very active in the portal, bringing in immediate-impact transfers such as quarterback Mikey Keene (Fresno State) and running back Justice Haynes (Alabama).
Florida
On the field and in recruiting, Florida began to turn things around with November’s announcement that coach Billy Napier would return for his fourth season. Back in December, the Gators were able to turn safety Hylton Stubbs away from Miami, nab former Florida State running back commitment Byron Louis and reel back in four-star defensive lineman Joseph Mbatchou and wide receiver Naeshaun Montgomery. Florida’s most important transfer is former UCLA receiver J. Michael Sturdivant, who is expected to play a big role in the passing game.
Oregon
Oregon’s traditional recruiting class includes five-star receivers Dakorien Moore and Dallas Wilson five-star defensive back Na’eem Offord, who was flipped away in December from his longtime verbal commitment to Ohio State. The Ducks have also been very productive in the transfer market, bringing in running back Mekhi Hughes (Tulane), defensive tackle Bear Alexander (Southern California), wide receiver Malik Benson (Florida State) and offensive tackle Isaiah World (Nevada).
Losers
The Big 12
The conference is well off the pace set by the Big Ten and SEC, as well as the top teams in the ACC. TCU leads the Big 12 with the nation’s No. 24 ranked class, starring four-star receivers Terry Shelton and Ed Small. The Horned Frogs are followed by Kansas State, which was able to hang onto top-ranked tight end and in-state prospect Linkon Cure. While small, Colorado 14-person class includes multiple blue-chip prospects led by quarterback Julian Lewis. The Buffaloes are again very active in the portal as coach Deion Sanders looks to rebuild his roster. Overall, the league simply hasn’t added the talent needed to close the gap between the rest of the Power Four.
Florida State
Last year’s two-win debacle didn’t do too much damage to Florida State’s recruiting class, which ranks second in the ACC behind Miami, and the need for a roster overhaul helped Mike Norvell and his staff sign what may be the league’s top group of transfers. But there have been misses along the way that keep the Seminoles’ haul from ranking among the best in the FBS. A few of these misses have come on the defensive line, including one on Wednesday in four-star edge rusher Zahir Mathis. The former Ohio State commitment picked Maryland over Florida State.