College football's top 25 recruiting classes of 2026: Auburn sets pace after Top247 update (2024)

25. HOUSTON COUGARS(28.42 POINTS)

24. OHIO STATE BUCKEYES(29.94)

23. TOLEDO ROCKETS(33.45)

They only have one commit on their ledger, but the Buckeyes are set up for another run at the national recruiting title in 2026. Wide receiver Chris Henry Jr. is the only five-star prospect in the class to announce a commitment thus far, and he is Ohio State-bound. The rich receiver tradition at this program continues for another year with the top wideout in the class making the early decision to play for Ryan Day.

22. WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS(35.93)

21. (36.72)

20. SOUTH CAROLINA GAMEco*ckS(38.13)

Mike Elko built a fantastic group of defensive backfield commits during the first half of the 2025 cycle, so it should come as no surprise that his first two pledges in the following cycle also hail from the secondary. A pair of three-star prospects in Markel Ford and Ryan Gilbert comprise the two-player class. Elko is one of the most proven defensive coaches in the nation and has plenty to sell at Texas A&M, where he looks ready to make a splash in Year 1 at the helm.

19. UCF KNIGHTS(38.90)

18. RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS(40.90)

17. NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH(41.27)

Rutgers is in the middle of a breakthrough 2025 cycle, and that momentum poured into Greg Schiano's 2026 efforts. Four-star wide receiver Dyzier Carter gives the Scarlet Knights a terrific building block for their next class after he committed this past weekend to the program. A highly-favorable schedule for the upcoming season and surge in recruiting for the future has Rutgers trending steeply upward during Schiano's second tenure.

16. BAYLOR BEARS(43.26)

15. MICHIGAN WOLVERINES(46.16)

14. FLORIDA GATORS(48.16)

Sherrone Moore is a force on the recruiting trail and off to a hot start as a first-year head coach. Not only did he spark a summer surge with huge pickups in Michigan's 2025 class, but he also set the stage for a big 2026 haul with his first two commits. Quarterback Brady Hart is the cornerstone, and the importance of landing a highly touted signal-caller early in a recruiting cycle cannot be overstated as they often attract hordes of similarly talented prospects.

13. MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS(49.90)

12. MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS(50.00)

11. TEXAS LONGHORNS(51.50)

Dia Bell, the No. 4 quarterback in the 2026 class, made one of the biggest splashes in the cycle when he committed in June to Texas. The prized signal-caller figures to compete for the Longhorns' starting job a few years down the line, after Arch Manning's reign over the offense comes to a close. He made notable early contributions at Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) American Heritage and even saw action three years ago as an eighth-grader.

Class summary:Two commits | No. 10 overall | No. 3 Big Ten | 97.51 average rating

Nothing screams "Oregon football" like an elite running back. The tradition continues in the 2026 recruiting class with Tradarian Ball, the No. 2 ball carrier in the cycle, who committed last weekend to the Ducks and serves as the early headliner in what looks to be another huge haul for Dan Lanning. The third-year coach and his staff are on an absolute recruiting tear this summer, Ball's commitment gives Oregon a second Top150 player in next year's class.

Class summary:Three commits | No. 9 overall | No. 4 SEC | 89.61 average rating

Quantity outweighs quality for LSU in the early stages of the 2026 cycle as the Tigers' top-10 ranking is due largely to their three commits — more than most schools. The lone four-star prospect of the three, however, is a big addition for this program. Defensive lineman Richard Anderson measures at 6-foot-3, 340 pounds and gives the Tigers optimism down the road at an interior defensive line spot that has been difficult to fill. LSU could use his size this year but has to wait a couple of seasons for his arrival.

Class summary:Three commits | No. 8 overall | No. 3 ACC | 92.59 average rating

Mario Cristobal is a force on the recruiting trail and, unsurprisingly, is already rolling in the 2026 cycle. The top two players in this haul committed to the program in 2023, far ahead of their college careers. Linebacker Jordan Campbell is a borderline-Top100 prospect while wide receiver Malachi Toney and quarterback Deron Coleman project to rank towards the middle of the Hurricanes' class when it comes to completion more than a year from now.

Class summary:Three commits | No. 7 overall | No. 2 ACC | 93.10average rating

The college football world had better get used to seeing Syracuse towards the top of the recruiting rankings, because first-year head coach Fran Brown is a menace on the trail. The defending 247Sports National Recruiter of the Year has a whopping 28 commits in his 2025 class (second-most nationally) and is off to an even better start in the 2026 cycle with a pair of four-star commits. Athlete Demetres Samuel Jr. and linebacker Izayia Williams should be two of the most talented players on the Orange's roster a couple of years from now.

Class summary:Three commits | No. 6 overall | No. 3 SEC | 94.41 average rating

Brent Venables is a defensive coach by nature but continues to build an offense capable of competing at the SEC's highest level. That momentum is apparent in the 2026 recruiting class, where all three of the Sooners' commits hail from that side of the ball. Top100 quarterback Jaden O'Neal is the foundation from which this haul will rise, and four-star running back Jonathan Hatton Jr. remains committed to the Sooners after he picked up high-profile offers this spring from Alabama, Ohio State and Texas A&M, among others.

Class summary:Three commits | No. 5 overall | No. 2 SEC | 95.35 average rating

Quarterback Jared Curtis is on pace to earn a fifth star before long. The headliner of the 2026 Georgia recruiting class is the nation's No. 9 player and third-ranked quarterback for his cycle, and the Bulldogs' potential signal-caller of the future should assist in building another monster haul. The early pieces are in place for Kirby Smart to recapture the national recruiting title, which should surprise nobody given his program's dominance on the trail over the past handful of years.

Class summary:Four commits | No. 4 overall | No. 2 Big Ten | 94.09 average rating

James Franklin put a fence around Pennsylvania early in the 2026 cycle, and the top two players in his haul are in-state products. Kevin Brown ranks the highest of the bunch as the nation's No. 83 overall player and No. 9 offensive tackle, while athlete Messiah Mickens is not too far behind at No. 166 overall. Penn State also looked to the West Coast for a quarterback and pulled four-star signal callers Troy Huhn out of Southern California.

Class summary:Five commits | No. 3 overall | No. 1 Big Ten | 92.12 average rating

Only three schools have five commits thus far, and each ranks inside the top three of the national team rankings. USC is one of those programs, which is a great sign for Lincoln Riley as he seeks to reverse the Trojans' concerning trajectory. Four of the squad's five commits are in-state products, but the headliner comes from Gainesville (Ga.) in linebackerXavier Griffin, who committed this past weekend as the No. 10 prospect in the cycle.

Class summary:Five commits | No. 2 overall | No. 1 ACC | 93.34 average rating

Brady Smigiel slipped a couple of spots in the national rankings but still checks in as the No. 5 quarterback in the cycle and will be in the five-star discussion if he puts together a strong junior season at Newbury Park (Calif.), which produced many a power conference signal-caller in recent years. He leads the way for a top-three Florida State class that also features four-star prospects in athlete Darryon Williams and wide receiver Efrem White.

Class summary:Five commits | No. 1 overall | No. 1 SEC | 94.13 average rating

No team is off to as hot of a start as Auburn in its 2026 recruiting efforts. The Tigers secured three commitments over the weekend, and each of those recent pickups are four-star prospects. Edge rusher Hezekiah Harris and linebackers Shadarius Toodle and JaMichael Garrett instantly became the top three players in Auburn's haul when the trio pledged to Hugh Freeze. The future is blindingly bright for this program as both of its 2025 and 2026 classes rank in the top five nationally.