2026 recruiting class top 25 rankings: USC bolsters its impressive class

It has been nearly a decade since USC has signed a top-five class and the Trojans have yet to make an appearance in the College Football Playoff, but Lincoln Riley is working to try and change the Trojans fortunes on both those fronts.

USC is setting the pace for the 2026 recruiting cycle with a class that ranks No. 1 and is anchored by a two five-star recruits, both of whom have come on board in recent days. The combination of Keenyi Pepe and Elbert Hills, has added size and speed to the class, with Pepe one of the top ranked offensive tackles in the class and Hill the No. 1 ranked cornerback.

Notre Dame is coming off an appearance in the national championship game and working to get back there as it continues to infuse its 2026 class with more talent and jumps into the top five. The Fighting Irish have landed multiple ESPN 300 commits in the last month, including running back Javian Osborne, who is out of Texas and a nice blend of speed, agility and vision.

Monday afternoon will bring big news for the 2026 class as five-star quarterback Jared Curtis is expected to announce his commitment, which seems to be down to Oregon or Georgia. That will bring another update these rankings.

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1. USC Trojans

Previous ranking: 1

ESPN 300 commits: 13 Top offensive prospect: OT Keenyi Pepe Top defensive prospect: CB Elbert Hill

No program has more 2026 momentum than USC under Lincoln Riley, especially after hiring general manager Chad Bowden away from Notre Dame. The Trojans have double-digit ESPN 300 commits, with several joining the list since January. That includes two five-stars to start May in Pepe and Hill, and a pair of four-star commits who flipped from Big Ten rival Oregon: in-state defensive lineman Tomuhini Topui and quarterback Jonas Williams. Topui is a physical, aggressive defensive tackle who could develop into an interior pass-rushing headache for opposing offenses, and Williams is a true dual-threat signal-caller.

USC also made it a point to beef up in the trenches. It pulled four-star defensive tackle Jaimeon Winfield out of Texas, landed in-state defensive end Simote Katoanga and traveled to Utah to snag Corner Canyon offensive lineman Esun Tafa. To further bolster the O-line, the Trojans landed Pepe out of IMG Academy. He is huge at roughly 6-foot-7 and 320 pounds, but is light on his feet as well as physical and can become a standout tackle. On the perimeter, in-state defender R.J. Sermons is one of the top CB prospects in the nation, and they pulled Hill, the top-ranked corner, out of the Midwest. Hill possesses elite speed, having been measured at over 22 mph in game play.

2. Ohio State Buckeyes

Previous ranking: 2

ESPN 300 commits: 10 Top offensive prospect: WR Chris Henry Jr. Top defensive prospect: S Blaine Bradford

Ryan Day has the luxury of building his 2026 class around one of the most coveted players in the country: five-star receiver Henry, whose father, the late Chris Henry, was a star receiver for West Virginia and the Cincinnati Bengals. Henry Jr. stands 6-6 and has a combination of length and quickness rarely seen from high school receivers.

The rest of the Buckeyes' class has started to take shape around Henry. The team has added a handful of ESPN 300 prospects since March, including Bradford out of Louisiana and linebacker Simeon Caldwell out of Florida. C.J. Sanna is a prospect we like on tape; he is a big, physical linebacker with excellent range and is a bit of an underrated pickup for this talented class. In-state offensive tackle Maxwell Riley is impressive changing direction and finishes plays with the type of nastiness that will endear him to fans in Columbus.

3. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Previous ranking: 8

ESPN 300 commits: 10 Top offensive prospect: OT Tyler Merrill Top defensive prospect: DE Rodney Dunham

Notre Dame started the year off slowly on the recruiting trail but heated up during the spring, landing a handful of ESPN 300 prospects in April. On defense, the Irish landed Dunham, an edge player with nice length and a quick first step, and Ayden Pouncey, a rangy safety out of Florida.

On offense, ESPN 300 OT Gregory Patrick joined a class that already featured several top OL prospects including top-10 OT Merrill, who at 6-7 and 335 pounds is a massive presence with physicality and power in the run game. This group collectively can continue the school's strong reputation as an offensive line factory.

The Irish also landed Thomas Davis Jr., whose father is former Panthers star Thomas Davis, and four-star quarterback Noah Grubbs, who already has shown impressive footwork and a sound release from the pocket.

4. LSU Tigers

Previous ranking: 4

ESPN 300 commits: 9 Top offensive prospect: WR Tristen Keys Top defensive prospect: CB Havon Finney Jr.

The Tigers are tough to beat for in-state talent, and they built the foundation for one of the top classes in the country on homegrown recruits. But landing Keys from nearby Mississippi delivered Brian Kelly and his staff their first five-star of the 2026 cycle. As of now, the 6-3 Keys would be the highest-rated receiver to make it to Baton Rouge since Kayshon Boutte. Keys is a long strider with long arms who prioritizes winning and is a favorite of coaches and teammates alike.

LSU also recently added wide receiver Jabari Mack (a strong route runner) and offensive tackle Brysten Martinez, a pair of in-state four-star recruits who bolster a class that now features more than half of the top 10 players from Louisiana. That includes a pair of teammates from Edna Karr High: DT Richard Anderson, a stout presence at more than 300 pounds with good initial quickness, and Aiden Hall, a safety with good length, speed and downhill physicality. Though much of their recruiting success is from within their primary recruiting footprint, the Tigers did go out west to land ESPN 300 Finney. A 2027 prospect who reclassified into the 2026 class, he has shown he can be physical in press coverage but also brings excellent speed to be able to run with receivers.

5. Clemson Tigers

Previous ranking: 3

ESPN 300 commits: 7 Top offensive prospect: WR Naeem Burroughs Top defensive prospect: DT Kameron Cody

Clemson is coming off a College Football Playoff appearance, but the Tigers are still chasing the heights of their mid-2010s success under Dabo Swinney, and their 2025 class ranked just 37th in the country. Their 2026 group is looking more promising, especially after a red-hot March in which Swinney landed eight verbals, including five ESPN 300 commits.

Much of the talent is currently concentrated on offense. Burroughs is a burner in the 100-meter dash who can take the top off a defense and has a high football IQ. Fellow receiver Connor Salmin is another big-play threat, and both Grant Wise and Adam Guthrie are four-star linemen. They could one day protect fellow four-star Tait Reynolds, a dual-threat QB out of Arizona who could push to be part of the long-term solution to replace Cade Klubnik.

6. Penn State Nittany Lions

Previous ranking: 7

ESPN 300 commits: 6 Top offensive prospect: OT Kevin Brown Top defensive prospect: S Matt Sieg

The Nittany Lions jumped out to a fast start fueled by strong in-state recruiting and have kept that momentum going. Their top three commits are all Pennsylvania natives, including four-star Harrisburg High School teammates Brown and Messiah Mickens. Brown is a big, flexible offensive tackle, while Mickens has been a productive prep running back, which bodes well for a Penn State program that must finally replace Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton after 2025.

James Franklin also landed in-state athlete David Davis Jr., who has clocked a 20.5 mph max speed and has the cover skills to fit into the back end of a defense one day. While most of the early commits are within Penn State's primary recruiting radius, the Nittany Lions also landed strong-armed quarterback Troy Huhn out of California. He's a big body with upside.

7. Texas A&M Aggies

Previous ranking: 5

ESPN 300 commits: 6 Top offensive prospect: RB Jonathan Hatton Jr. Top defensive prospect: CB Victor Singleton

Mike Elko has quickly proved he can identify and recruit at a high level. He has worked fertile recruiting grounds, landing the Aggies' top-ranked commit, defensive end Jordan Carter, out of Georgia. He landed fellow four-star defensive tackle Jermaine Kinsler out of New Jersey.

Elko has also been able to unearth talent from more unlikely places, such as quarterback Helaman Casuga out of Utah. Casuga is not a big, physical prospect at roughly 6 feet, but he has a live arm and can get the ball out quickly. Singleton, one of the top prospects in Ohio, was a nice flip from Illinois. He has clocked a 21 mph max speed and has the type of quickness and excellent feet to thrive in man coverage. A key in-state keep is Hatton, who has an excellent blend of size (200 pounds) and speed (he was measured hitting 21 mph on film).

8. Syracuse Orange

Previous ranking: 9

ESPN 300 commits: 1 Top offensive prospect: OT Javeion Cooper Top defensive prospect: DE Kamron Wilson

The Fran Brown era in Syracuse certainly isn't boring. He led the Orange to just their second 10-win season since 2001 behind Ohio State transfer Kyle McCord, then landed a solid 2025 recruiting class. Now he's pushing for more talent in 2026. Four-star defensive end Jarius Rodgers out of Florida is one of Brown's biggest gets so far. The 6-5, 220-pounder has tremendous length and an impressive track background. He has considerable physical tools and upside if Syracuse's coaching staff can harness it. Wilson is another big pull out of Florida; the edge defender has good initial quickness and tallied 17 sacks in 2024.

Cooper has real upside too. He has good size (6-5, 300 pounds), yet plays with impressive balance for someone with his power and contact explosiveness. The Orange also have been active in the Mid-Atlantic, landing three receivers from Delaware.

9. Kansas Jayhawks

Previous ranking: 11

ESPN 300 commits: 1 Top offensive prospect: OL Kaden Snyder Top defensive prospect: CB J.J. Dunnigan

Lance Leipold is no stranger to building a program, and he's off to a hot start in fortifying Kansas' 2026 class. At 6-3, 190 pounds, in-state corner Dunnigan has the length to reroute receivers off the line and the straight-line speed to hang with them on vertical routes. The Jayhawks have a few offensive linemen committed, led by 6-5 Kansas native Snyder, who has an enticing combination of athleticism, pass protection skills and upside if he can continue to fill out his frame.

The Jalon Daniels era enters its sixth and final season in 2025. In-state three-star commit Jaylen Mason is an intriguing developmental option for the future at QB.

10. Arizona State Sun Devils

Previous ranking: 21

ESPN 300 commits: 2 Top offensive prospect: QB Jake Fette Top defensive prospect: DE Julian Hugo

Kenny Dillingham deftly pulled all the roster-building levers available to him as he rebuilt the Sun Devils back to national relevancy. They have an interesting 2026 class so far that includes a pair of ESPN 300 recruits. Fette, a four-star Texas native, is a dual-threat playmaker with excellent short-area quickness and a smooth, consistent release.

They lost a key, potentially productive, target with the decommitment of Israel Briggs, but still sit in good position. The class already included another TE in Hayden Vercher, who possesses excellent ball skills and is a good route runner, with more than 1,000 yards receiving in 2024. Shortly after losing Briggs, they added ESPN 300 WR Nalin Scott, a big target at roughly 6-3, 210 pounds who moves well for his size and can be tough to tackle after the catch.

11. North Carolina Tar Heels

Previous ranking: 19

ESPN 300 commits: 1 Top offensive prospect: RB Crew Davis Top defensive prospect: DT Trashawn Ruffin

Unsurprisingly given his ethos, Bill Belichick is building North Carolina's 2026 class from the inside out. In-state four-star defensive tackle Ruffin flipped from Texas A&M and the 300-pounder has plenty of raw physicality to mold. Ruffin is one of several interior linemen in the class right now, and Belichick went to his former home base in Massachusetts to bring in 335-pound guard Lenneil Hall. The Tar Heels also pulled a pair of three-star corners out of California in Justin Lewis and Marcellous Ryan. High three-star athlete O'Mari Johnson further bolsters that unit as he also projects to the secondary.

Now North Carolina is beginning to layer in skill players such as three-star receiver Darrion Kirksey, who picked the Tar Heels over offers from Ole Miss and Arkansas and has outstanding short-area quickness. Davis can be a versatile back with the power to run between the tackles, but he also possesses good ball skills. As a junior, he rushed for more than 1,300 yards and also hauled in more than 50 receptions.

12. Louisville Cardinals

Previous ranking: 12

ESPN 300 commits: 1 Top offensive prospect: RB Evan Hampton Top defensive prospect: DB Jaydin Broadnax

Jeff Brohm has raised Louisville's floor with a 19-8 record and an appearance in the ACC championship game two years ago. His 2026 class already has more than a dozen commits, with four-star defensive back Broadnax out of Florida the biggest get so far. At nearly 6-3, he has great length, balance and body control for a corner. DE Kevontay Hugan was another nice pull out of Florida. He lacks ideal length but possesses a quick first step and has been a versatile defender for his high school and was productive as a junior with more than 100 tackles with 18 sacks.

Hampton, a three-star running back, ran for 1,549 yards and 20 touchdowns as a junior at in-state Owensboro High School. He's an elusive, upright runner with the ball skills to affect the pass game and also has a baseball background; he originally committed to rival Kentucky as a freshman before pursuing football. Adding more help along the line could be a focus for Louisville after Miami flipped three-star offensive tackle Joel Ervin.

13. Illinois Fighting Illini

Previous ranking: 10

ESPN 300 commits: 0 Top offensive prospect: OL Casey Thomann Top defensive prospect: LB Cam Thomas

Bret Bielema and his staff were unable to hold on to four-star corner Victor Singleton, a big early recruiting win, but they still have built a strong foundation for 2026. Four-star Thomas is a defender with an outstanding first step and could develop into an edge rusher with big upside. Tony Williams, out of Florida, is a middle linebacker with good instincts and can be a physical presence between the tackles.

The Illini have made some strong in-state additions in the trenches. At 6-7, Thomann is one of the top OL prospects in Illinois, and three-star Tony Balanganayi is an interesting big man. He projects to the defensive line, where he has shown he can be disruptive but with more mass could offer higher upside as an OL.

14. Oregon Ducks

Previous ranking: 6

ESPN 300 commits: 4 Top offensive prospect: TE Kendre' Harrison Top defensive prospect: DT Tony Cumberland

Dan Lanning's run of sustained excellence in Eugene rolls on with Oregon's 2026 class. Reeling in five-star tight end Harrison in November set the tone. The 6-6, 250-pounder is a dynamic two-sport athlete with an exceptional catch radius who is a nightmare for opposing defenses in the red zone. In late February, they added four-star defensive back Xavier Lherisse, who clocked an impressive 1.62 10-yard dash and 4.49 40-yard dash a few days later at the Under Armour Miami camp. Four-star running back Tradarian Ball adds explosiveness and excellent ball skills.

Offensive and defensive linemen laid the initial foundation for this class, although Lanning and the Ducks will need to work hard to keep it that way as rivals work to pull talent away, as USC did in flipping four-star defensive tackle Tomuhini Topui. They did secure the top two big men in-state, in ESPN 300 DTs Cumberland and Viliami Moala.

15. Auburn Tigers

Previous ranking: 13

ESPN 300 commits: 5 Top offensive prospect: WR Devin Carter Top defensive prospect: DE Hezekiah Harris

Though other teams have more total commits at this stage, Hugh Freeze has done a great job attracting premium talent to the Plains as he rebuilds the Tigers. In-state defensive talent forms the early foundation, with commitments from Harris and linebackers JaMichael Garrett and Shadarius Toodle. Harris is a lengthy edge defender with good power and range. Toodle and Garrett are highly productive players who have combined for more than 200 tackles and 20 tackles for loss in their careers.

Freeze then added four-star Carter out of Douglasville (Georgia) High School in January. The son of 1990 NFL first-round running back Dexter Carter, Devin is one of the faster receivers in the class and pairs his speed with fluid, smooth route-running ability.

16. Miami Hurricanes

Previous ranking: 15

ESPN 300 commits: 4 Top offensive prospect: RB Javian Mallory Top defensive prospect: LB Jordan Campbell

Despite a rocky finish to the 2024 season, the Hurricanes are trending in the right direction. They're coming off a 10-win season, former QB Cam Ward was the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft and they've reeled in two consecutive top-15 recruiting classes. Mario Cristobal's 2026 class isn't particularly deep yet, but he's laying a solid foundation.

QB Dereon Coleman has room for growth but has a quick release and accuracy. Four-star Miami native Campbell is 6-2, 220 pounds with the versatility to make plays in pursuit and the bend and power that portends a potential impact pass rusher. He's a candidate to take a leap with college coaching. The Hurricanes landed a trio of offensive linemen recently, including 6-6 tackle Joel Ervin, who flipped from ACC rival Louisville.

17. Tennessee Volunteers

Previous ranking: 14

ESPN 300 commits: 3 Top offensive prospect: QB Faizon Brandon Top defensive prospect: LB Braylon Outlaw

Brandon, a five-star quarterback, is the headliner, and rightfully so. He's a strong, accurate passer who fits Tennessee's offense perfectly. His commitment was big initially but seems even more impactful now after the well-publicized split with Nico Iamaleava.

In-state four-star receiver Tyreek King (Knoxville Catholic) pairs well alongside Brandon. He is a quick, fluid target who has clocked in-game speeds faster than 21 mph. They also added 6-3 wide receiver Tyran Evans out of North Carolina in January, and likely aren't done at the position. Keep an eye on in-state offensive tackle Gabriel Osenda, who is a massive presence (6-7, 330 pounds) for the Vols to develop.

18. Florida State Seminoles

Previous ranking: 18

ESPN 300 commits: 3 Top offensive prospect: ATH Efrem White Top defensive prospect: S Tedarius Hughes

The Seminoles are coming off a disastrous 2-10 season and a disappointing No. 26 finish in the 2025 recruiting cycle after losing several ESPN 300 commitments down the stretch. Florida State also took a hit when four-star 2026 quarterback Brady Smigiel decommitted in late January. Despite the challenges, they are still scoring some victories on the recruiting trail.

In-state athlete White projects as a receiver but has been a jack-of-all-trades in his high school career as a quarterback, corner and returner. Though he's undersized at 155 pounds, his speed, quickness and creativity make him dangerous in space. Fellow four-star athlete Darryon Williams has the elusiveness and ball skills to develop into a valuable receiver in the open field once he gets to campus. The Seminoles further bolstered their class by adding a trio of in-state prospects early in 2025: offensive tackle Xavier Payne, running back Amari Thomas and linebacker Karon Maycock, who can close well and be a physical hitter.

19. Washington Huskies

Previous ranking: NR

ESPN 300 commits: 2 Top offensive prospect: OT Kodi Greene Top defensive prospect: DE Derek Colman-Brusa

Jedd Fisch did an excellent job bringing in talent at Arizona and is now working to retool Washington's roster and get the Huskies back into the playoff hunt. The Huskies won a key recruiting battle by pulling away Greene, an ESPN 300 OL, from rival Oregon. He is a 300-pounder who moves very well for his size with good quickness and the one-time Washington resident can be a key option in the trenches. The Huskies went east to land their QB in Derek Zammit, a tough, smart player with a smooth, quick release. He should continue to improve with the tools to develop into a productive starter.

Washington landed several commitments in the secondary, including in-state Durr, who has good size at roughly 6 feet and is smooth in his movements. He could develop at cornerback or safety.

20. Boston College Eagles

Previous ranking: 20

ESPN 300 commits: 1 Top offensive prospect: OG Marek Jin Top defensive prospect: DE Mason Leak

Bill O'Brien has injected new life into Boston College by returning the program to its local roots. That has continued so far in 2026, with most of BC's commits hailing from Massachusetts, Connecticut or New York. A key add from that Northeast footprint is Jin, an ESPN 300 OL. At their height, the Eagles built a reputation for developing NFL-caliber talent, particularly along the offensive line and on defense, and just recently had two offensive linemen drafted into the NFL. Jin, who played both ways in high school, fits that mold but projects to the offensive line, where he can be very productive with a nice blend of flexibility and mobility.

On defense, Leak is an interesting prospect who probably will need developmental time but flashes very good raw tools and could in time be a breakout player from this class.

21. Arkansas Razorbacks

Previous ranking: 17

ESPN 300 commits: 0 Top offensive prospect: WR Dequane Prevo Top defensive prospect: DE Colton Yarbrough

The talk about coach Sam Pittman on the hot seat seemed to cool off entering the offseason, which will benefit recruiting and aid a 2026 class that already has a solid foundation. Four-star Prevo out of Texas is a 5-10 receiver who has outstanding balance, body control and short-area burst. Several high-three-star prospects anchor the class, including quarterback Jayvon Gilmore, a tall (6-4) but lean passer with a nice frame to develop. He has a strong arm with a smooth release and is a nice early pickup by the Razorbacks.

Yarbrough brings upside at defensive end with good first-step quickness and range. Pittman, a former offensive line coach, also landed in-state big man Tucker Young, who can get push and help create lanes in the run game.

22. Georgia Bulldogs

Previous ranking: NR

ESPN 300 commits: 3 Top offensive prospect: WR Brady Marchese Top defensive prospect: S Zechariah Fort

The Bulldogs have been a consistent staple among the top three overall classes during Kirby Smart's tenure and look to be a contender to do so again in 2026. With three of their top four pass catchers from 2024 having moved on and the fourth likely to leave after this season, Georgia is bringing in some new receiving targets with speed. Vance Spafford out of California won the fastest man competition last summer at the UA Future 50 event, and in-state prospect Marchese has been recorded topping 22 mph in game play.

After signing two ESPN 300 TEs in their 2025 class, the Dawgs continue to add there with Lincoln Keyes. With his big frame and good body control, he can offer a wide catch radius. On defense, Fort is a safety with good range who can be active in run support.

23. BYU Cougars

Previous ranking: NR

ESPN 300 commits: 2 Top offensive prospect: TE Brock Harris Top defensive prospect: DT Bott Mulitalo

The Cougars finished 63rd in the 2025 cycle but are capitalizing on in-state talent to compete for one of the top classes in the Big 12 in 2026. Harris is the top-rated player in the state of Utah and one of the top TE prospects in the country. He has excellent size at roughly 6-6 and is smooth in his movements with excellent ball skills. Harris could be a highly productive target in BYU's passing attack.

Mulitalo, the top-ranked defensive player in the state, can offer versatility along the line and, in camp evaluations, has demonstrated an intense demeanor with the ability to take and apply coaching well. The Cougars also stayed in-state to land a QB to develop in Kaneal Sweetwyne, who has a rangy frame with quick feet and can be a dual-threat option with nice upside as a passer.

24. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Previous ranking: 22

ESPN 300 commits: 2 Top offensive prospect: WR Dyzier Carter Top defensive prospect: ATH Chris Hewitt Jr.

The Scarlet Knights have added some top talent to their wide receiver room with Carter and Elias Coke, both of whom have been long-time commits, having joined the class before the 2024 season started. Carter is a good route runner with strong hands and could be a quick contributor once arriving. Coke is a nice target at roughly 6-2.

On defense, Joey Kopec is a two-way player in high school, contributing at RB and LB. He has good range and is effective dropping into coverage. Athlete Hewitt projects to the secondary.

25. Baylor Bears

Previous ranking: 24

ESPN 300 commits: 2 Top offensive prospect: ATH Ryelan Morris Top defensive prospect: CB Jamarion Vincent

Baylor picked up London Smith, a wide receiver with strong ties to the program; his father was a two-sport star (football and basketball) at Baylor and his mother was a national champion triple jumper for the Bears. London is a quick, smooth target with good body control.

Athlete Morris, who can be a versatile offensive weapon, adds some potential firepower. Vincent, an ESPN 300 CB, possesses coveted size (6-2) and blends that with good speed and is smooth in his movements.