Race for the No. 1 class: Alabama, Ohio State, LSU, Georgia and Oregon battling for nation's best
Plenty of time still remains between now and the new early signing period that begins December 4, but the battle for the top classes in the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings is taking shape already.
Twenty of the nation’s 32 five-star recruits are already pledged as we head toward the end of July. And a few more are expected to come off the board in the next few weeks, including three before mid-August. Of those 20 committed five-stars, 15 belong to just five programs: Alabama, Ohio State, LSU, Georgia and Oregon.
Not surprisingly, those all happen to be the five teams at the top of the current team rankings — and the ones with realistic shots to sign a No. 1 overall class. With that being said, here’s a look a the remaining targets for each:
Alabama
Top Remaining Targets: Five-Star Plus+ DL Justus Terry (No. 7), 5-star WR Kaliq Lockett (No. 17), 4-star RB Akylin Dear (No. 36)
The summer has been kind to the Crimson Tide, especially as it pertains to the top of their class. The Tide have already landed four five-stars since June 1; and they’re still in contention for a couple more elite uncommitted targets. Terry is considered a strong Georgia lean, but Alabama is putting up a strong fight for him. Much of the same can be said about Lockett, who Texas has put the full-court press on. However, Alabama is considered to be right behind them as his decision looms in August.
Dear, meanwhile, is a recent Ole Miss decommit who is trending heavily toward Alabama in the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM). With Ohio State right at their heels, the Tide will need to land one — if not two — of their five-star targets to hold onto the No. 1 class.
Ohio State
Top Remaining Targets: Five-Star Plus+ OT David Sanders Jr., 5-star IOL Josh Petty
Previously the holders of the nation’s top class, the Buckeyes are looking to retake their throne in the month of August with two major decisions on tap. Sanders, the nation’s No. 1 offensive tackle, is set to announce on August 17. And should he choose the Buckeyes over Tennessee, Georgia and Nebraska, he’d give Ryan Day and Co. four Five-Star Plus+ recruits — something that would be awfully tough for another program to overcome.
As for Petty, Florida State is considered the favorite ahead of his August 12 decision, but the Buckeyes are battling hard to overtake them, according to On3’s Steve Wiltfong.
LSU
Top Remaining Targets: 5-star WR Kaliq Lockett, 5-star WR Jaime Ffrench, 5-star SAF Jonah Williams
The Tigers pulled off a major shocker over the weekend by knocking off Oregon and Miami for Five-Star Plus+ cornerback DJ Pickett out of Florida. Pickett gives LSU three five-star commits along with QB Bryce Underwood and RB Harlem Berry. And they have one of the nation’s deepest classes from top to bottom.
At this point they might not be considered the favorite for Lockett, Ffrench or Williams, but they’re making noise for each as they battle Miami and Texas (Ffrench); Texas and Alabama (Lockett); and Texas A&M and Oregon (Williams).
Georgia
Top Remaining Targets: Five-Star Plus+ OT David Sanders, Five-Star Plus+ DL Elijah Griffin, Five-Star Plus+ DL Justus Terry
For a team with three five-star commitments of its own, the 2025 cycle has somehow seemed a bit ho-hum for the Bulldogs. Maybe that’s just the standard they’ve created. But their three biggest targets — both literally and physically — still remain on the board with Sanders, Griffin and Terry.
While they’re thought to be trailing both Tennessee and Ohio State for Sanders, they’re considered the overwhelming favorites with both Griffin and Terry. Landing both of them would not only give UGA one of the best defensive line classes in recent memory, but they’d be right in the thick of it for the top class nationally again.
Oregon
Top Remaining Targets: 5-star SAF Jonah Williams, 5-star SAF Trey McNutt
The Ducks took a brutal loss on the trail over the weekend by losing out on the aforementioned Pickett, who had been considered an Oregon lean for the better part of a few months. They still have a pair of five-star commits though in wide receivers Dakorien Moore and Dallas Wilson. And they very well might be the favorite for two more skills players on the other side of the field.
McNutt is trending heavily to the Ducks with a rescheduled commitment for August 3, while Williams is high on Oregon, Texas A&M and LSU with a visit to Texas coming up this weekend.