published on June 01, 2024 in gacor

College football recruiting re-rank: Grading 2019s actual top 25 classes, 4 years later

The transfer portal and NIL money have made roster-building in college football a more chaotic experience for all, but the fundamentals of recruiting haven’t changed. Whether your program is aiming for the College Football Playoff, a conference title or even just a bowl game, success still depends on a coaching staff’s ability to identify, develop and retain talent.

And that’s why, for six years, The Athletic has made re-evaluating recruiting classes an annual tradition. It’s time once again to review how college football’s highest-rated recruiting classes from four years ago panned out. This year, we’re grading the best classes of 2019.

The purpose of this project is to find out which programs and coaching staffs are doing the best job of finding great players, keeping them in their program and winning with them. We have already re-ranked the classes of 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015 and 2014. This year, we waited until after the NFL Draft and the new offseason transfer portal windows in an effort to better evaluate these classes.

This year’s revised top 25 features nine classes that did not finish in the top 25 of the 247Sports Composite team rankings on signing day. That means nine classes fell out of the top 25: Texas (then No. 3), LSU (5), Oklahoma (6), Florida (9), Tennessee (13), Nebraska (17), South Carolina (21), Mississippi State (24) and Purdue (25).

The scoring system for grading these classes remains the same 0-to-5 scale inspired by the recruiting industry’s star system. We are grading scholarship players and walk-ons who earned scholarships based on what they’ve achieved over four years, not what they might do in the future.

5 points: All-American, award winner, top-50 NFL Draft pick
4: Multiyear starter, all-conference honors
3: One-year starter or key reserve
2: Career backup
0: Minor or no contribution

Because class sizes vary, we focus on class average (total points divided by total signees) as the measuring stick. A bonus is added to each class based on its four-year record. The attrition rate listed counts all signees who left school due to transfer, grad transfer, dismissal, ineligibility or injury. Players are graded by their contribution to the program regardless of whether they transferred. The impact of the portal era is clearly creeping into these rankings: Among this year’s top 25, the average class attrition rate was 49 percent.

Which programs minimized their misses and developed difference-makers? Here is our re-ranked top 25 for the Class of 2019.

1. Georgia

Adjusted average: 3.30
Class rank in 2019: 2nd
Four-year record: 49-5
Attrition: 46%
Top signees: QB Stetson Bennett, LB Nakobe Dean, DL Travon Walker, DB Lewis Cine, LB Nolan Smith, OL Warren McClendon, WR George Pickens, RB Kenny McIntosh, OL Xavier Truss, DE Jermaine Johnson II

A quarterback who delivered two national championships. A Butkus Award-winning linebacker. A No. 1 overall draft pick on the defensive line. And a bunch more blue-chip recruits who lived up to the hype and have bright futures in the NFL. There’s really not much room for debate over whose 2019 recruiting class was most rewarding.

When this group signed in December 2018, one topic dominated discussion at Kirby Smart’s news conference: Justin Fields. The freshman quarterback had just entered the transfer portal and was exploring his options. After answering five questions about Fields and QB recruiting, Smart wished to change the subject.

“Look, guys, I’m not trying to be disrespectful,” Smart said, “but I do wanna talk about these signees. There’s some really good football players. I’d hate for Justin Fields just to overshadow that.”

The next question he got was about D’Wan Mathis, the Ohio State quarterback commit who’d flipped and signed earlier that day. But the Bulldogs weren’t done. A few hours after Smart spoke with reporters, he officially added one more QB to the class. Bennett went into the day ready to sign with Louisiana and play for Billy Napier. After leaving Georgia and playing at Jones College in Mississippi in 2018, he wasn’t planning to come back to Athens. Georgia reentered the picture and made a last-minute scholarship offer on signing day to bring back their former walk-on.

SIGNED ✅ #ATD

Welcome to the family, @StetsonIV ! #GoDawgs #NewBreed19 pic.twitter.com/UW8WupdArc

— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) December 20, 2018

Good call on that signing. Bennett leaves as a Georgia legend and a Heisman Trophy finalist with two rings. He’s one of 19 players in this class who started games for the Bulldogs. Ten have already been drafted.

Dean, Walker and Smith all came in as five-stars and teamed with Cine, a top-50 recruit, to become key starters and leaders for the Bulldogs’ incredible 2021 defense that powered the program’s first run to a national title since 1980. McClendon was a three-year starter and first-team All-SEC pick at right tackle. McIntosh waited his turn and put up more than 1,300 yards as a senior. Pickens only started 10 games for the Bulldogs but was one of the NFL’s top rookie wideouts in 2022.

Even some of the players who left ended up being special. Georgia inked another future first-rounder in this class in Johnson, who became the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in his lone season at Florida State. They also signed cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, who transferred to Miami and was a second-round pick this spring.

2. Ohio State

Adjusted average: 3.12
Class rank in 2019: 14th
Four-year record: 42-6
Attrition: 40%
Top signees: QB Justin Fields, WR Garrett Wilson, DL Zach Harrison, OL Dawand Jones, LB Tommy Eichenberg

This was a smaller class for the Buckeyes, but nine of the 20 signees have earned All-Big Ten honors in their career. They were recruited during the final year of the Urban Meyer era and have helped coach Ryan Day keep the Buckeyes in title contention year after year with two Big Ten titles, three trips to the College Football Playoff and one national title game appearance in 2020.

This staff brought out the best in Fields, the Georgia transfer who immediately became the best quarterback in the Big Ten, a Heisman finalist and a first-round draft pick. Wilson, now the NFL’s reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year, lived up to the five-star hype. Harrison, Eichenberg and offensive lineman Jonah Jackson became first-team all-conference picks as well. This class also had receiver Jameson Williams, who started in 2020 before joining Alabama for one season and breaking out as a first-round talent. Five of these signees are still in the program and should make an impact in 2023.

Adjusted average: 2.85
Class rank in 2019: 8th
Four-year record: 36-11
Attrition: 44%
Top signees: DB Daxton Hill, DL Mazi Smith, LB David Ojabo, DB DJ Turner, DL Mike Morris

Jim Harbaugh and his coaches found 13 starters and eight All-Big Ten players in this class, hitting on a remarkable number of NFL-caliber defenders who helped lead the run to back-to-back Big Ten championships and College Football Playoff appearances. Smith joined Hill in becoming a first-round draft pick this spring, while Ojabo and Turner were both second-round selections. Morris and defensive lineman Mike Danna also got drafted, and D-lineman Christopher Hinton is playing in the league as well.

The Wolverines’ offensive haul in 2019 included quarterback Cade McNamara, offensive linemen Trevor Keegan and Karsen Barnhart, wide receiver Cornelius Johnson and running back Zach Charbonnet, who became the best back in the Pac-12 after transferring to UCLA.

4. Alabama

Adjusted average: 2.77
Class rank in 2019: 1st
Four-year record: 48-6
Attrition: 61%
Top signees: OL Evan Neal, OL Landon Dickerson, DB Jordan Battle, LB Christian Harris, WR John Metchie III

This was not a bad recruiting class by any means, but it’s not quite up to Alabama’s elite standard. Nick Saban and his staff brought in quite a few players in this cycle — Neal, Dickerson, Battle, Harris, Metchie, defensive lineman Byron Young, defensive lineman DJ Dale, DB DeMarcco Hellams and kicker Will Reichard — who emerged as impactful multi-year starters. They helped the Crimson Tide win a national championship in 2020 and play for another one in 2021. Neal, Battle, Harris and Reichard ended up logging 40 or more starts. So far, seven of these players have been drafted.

The Tide also signed a dozen players in this cycle who transferred out before graduating. Other than quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa (now starting at Maryland), few have found success elsewhere. The highest-rated member of this class, five-star D-lineman Antonio Alfano, didn’t last a year in the program. Others just didn’t break through and earn a job. To its credit, Alabama easily recruited over them with some terrific players in the 2020 class.

5. Clemson

Adjusted average: 2.73
Class rank in 2019: 10th
Four-year record: 45-9
Attrition: 55%
Top signees: DL Tyler Davis, CB Andrew Booth Jr., TE Davis Allen, OL Will Putnam, DL Ruke Orhorhoro

Clemson’s recruiting classes almost always grade out well in these re-ranks. This one isn’t as loaded as the classes of 2016 or 2018, but it still provided the Tigers a lot of key contributors. Davis, a four-year starter who became an All-American last season, opted to come back for one more year. He’s not the only one. Eight members of this class are still in the program going into 2023. Booth developed into a second-round draft pick and Allen became a fifth-rounder this spring. This group was hit a little harder by attrition than typical Clemson classes, with seven transfers, four grad transfers and five players having to retire due to injury.

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Adjusted average: 2.69
Class rank in 2019: 12th
Four-year record: 33-15
Attrition: 44%
Top signees: DB Jaquan Brisker, CB Joey Porter Jr., LB Brandon Smith, TE Brenton Strange, DE Adisa Isaac

We have been doing these recruiting re-ranks for six years now. Only five programs have finished in the top 25 every year: Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Georgia and Penn State. The Nittany Lions have four top-10 finishes. James Franklin and his staff deserve a lot of credit for that consistency in quality talent evaluation and development since taking over this program.

This class has helped achieve two 11-win seasons with victories in the Rose Bowl and Cotton Bowl and has already produced six All-Big Ten players and five NFL Draft picks. Among the 18 players in this class who have earned starts, we could see six or more — Isaac, offensive lineman Caedan Wallace, offensive lineman Sal Wormley, defensive tackle Hakeem Beamon, defensive tackle Dvon Ellies and defensive back Keaton Ellis — in the starting lineup as fifth-year seniors for a Penn State squad with big-time expectations for 2023.

With recruiting wins like Jaquan Brisker (1), James Franklin has built Penn State back into a consistent contender. (Jeffrey Becker / USA Today)

7. Texas A&M

Adjusted average: 2.68
Class rank in 2019: 4th
Four-year record: 30-17
Attrition: 63%
Top signees: OL Kenyon Green, DL DeMarvin Leal, RB Isaiah Spiller, DB Demani Richardson, WR Ainias Smith

You knew Jimbo Fisher’s first full recruiting class at Texas A&M was going to be loaded. The Aggies signed 16 blue-chip recruits in this cycle and trusted quite a few of them to play right away. Green, a 2022 first-round pick, and Leal lived up to the five-star hype and developed into All-SEC players. So did Spiller, tight end Jalen Wydermyer and O-lineman Layden Robinson. This class ended up delivering 20 players who logged starts for the Aggies and several leaders like Richardson (43 career starts) and Smith (25) who are returning for more in 2023. The quick emergence of the top players in this group was a big reason why the Aggies were able to go 9-1, win the Orange Bowl and achieve their second-best finish in the AP poll (No. 4) in program history.

Adjusted average: 2.66
Class rank in 2019: 32nd
Four-year record: 29-20
Attrition: 30%
Top signees: OL Ikem Ekwonu, LB Drake Thomas, RB Zonovan Knight, CB Shyheim Battle, OL Dylan McMahon

NC State has notched eight or more wins in five of the last six years thanks to classes like this one. Dave Doeren and his staff had a strong in-state haul in this cycle with 16 signees from North Carolina and did a great job of retaining and developing this group. Ekwonu became a dominant force in the ACC and the No. 6 pick in the 2022 draft. “Bam” Knight proved to be an All-ACC playmaker and an NFL back. Thomas, Battle, receiver Keyon Lesane, O-lineman Timothy McKay, defensive end Savion Jackson and defensive tackle C.J. Clark all came from that in-state group, too, and started for the Wolfpack last season.

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9. Pitt

Adjusted average: 2.64
Class rank in 2019: 54th
Four-year record: 34-17
Attrition: 35%
Top signees: DL Calijah Kancey, LB SirVocea Dennis, DB Brandon Hill, WR Jared Wayne, OL Matt Goncalves

After playing in the ACC title game in 2018, Pat Narduzzi and Pitt’s coaching staff inked a recruiting class that helped them get back to that big stage. They found 10 future starters and several NFL-caliber players from this group. They managed to pull Kancey, an undersized three-star recruit, out of Miami and aced that evaluation. The unanimous All-American and ACC Defensive Player of the Year became the No. 19 pick in this year’s draft. Dennis was arguably an even better find, a two-star prep school recruit who flipped from Air Force late in the cycle and ended up being an All-ACC linebacker and fifth-round pick. These guys helped the Panthers win their first ACC title in 2021 and achieve a No. 11 finish in the AP poll, their best in 40 years.

10. Ole Miss

Adjusted average: 2.59
Class rank in 2019: 22nd
Four-year record: 27-21
Attrition: 58%
Top signees: WR Jonathan Mingo, DL Sam Williams, OL Nick Broeker, RB Jerrion Ealy, DB AJ Finley

Lane Kiffin and his staff inherited this recruiting class that signed to play for Matt Luke and were able to develop 11 multi-year starters and four NFL Draft picks so far. Mingo and Williams became All-SEC players and second-round picks. There were plenty more offensive playmakers in this class with Ealy, running back Snoop Conner, receiver Dontario Drummond and quarterback John Rhys Plumee (who is now starting at UCF), and the trio of Broeker, Jeremy James and Caleb Warren have all started 30-plus games on the offensive line. Eleven members of this class were starters for the Rebels in 2021 when they won 10 games, played in the Sugar Bowl and finished No. 11.

Adjusted average: 2.59
Class rank in 2019: 16th
Four-year record: 41-10
Attrition: 50%
Top signees: DB Kyle Hamilton, DL Isaiah Foskey, RB Kyren Williams, LB JD Bertrand, DB Cam Hart

This class got the Fighting Irish back to the College Football Playoff in 2020 and achieved another top-10 finish in 2021. Hamilton was truly one of the best players in the entire 2019 cycle. He proved that right away on his way to becoming a two-time All-American and first-round draft pick. Foskey joined him in earning consensus All-America status last season and becoming a top-50 pick. The attrition rate doesn’t look ideal, but six of those departures were grad transfers. The big positive here is eight members of this class are returning for their fifth year in 2023, including six starters.

12. Utah

Adjusted average: 2.58
Class rank in 2019: 43rd
Four-year record: 34-13
Attrition: 43%
Top signees: QB Cameron Rising, OL Sataoa Laumea, DT Junior Tafuna, LB Nephi Sewell, WR Devaughn Vele

The back-to-back Pac-12 champs found some real gems in this class, including eight starters for their 2022 squad and a total of 10 signees who have earned all-conference recognition. Rising joined the program after one season at Texas and has proven to be one of the Pac-12’s top passers. Vele, a former walk-on, emerged as their No. 1 wide receiver last season. They hit on several offensive line signings with Laumea, Keaton Bills and Bamidele Olaseni, and Tafuna was the Pac-12’s Defensive Freshman of the Year. This crew has won 10-plus games in three of their four seasons and has a chance to do it again this fall.

Adjusted average: 2.58
Class rank in 2019: 53rd
Four-year record: 24-21
Attrition: 40%
Top signees: LB Omar Speights, OL Joshua Gray, OL Nathan Eldridge, TE Luke Musgrave, WR Anthony Gould

Head coach Jonathan Smith’s first full recruiting class for the Beavers brought in 17 players who have started games for the program. Nine of those players have earned All-Pac-12 honors, and three members of the class – Musgrave (second round), defensive back Nahshon Wright (third) and defensive back Alex Austin (seventh) – have already been drafted.

Smith and his staff did a terrific job of finding core players for their rebuild through high school, junior college and portal recruiting. Speights, a Freshman All-American who became a first-team all-conference selection, opted to grad transfer to LSU but made a big impact as a four-year starter. Eldridge, an Arizona transfer, became the top center in the Pac-12, and Gould was an All-American last season as a punt returner. Classes like these are how you pull off the leap from two wins to 10.

Adjusted average: 2.55
Class rank in 2019: 95th
Four-year record: 34-18
Attrition: 39%
Top signees: RB Sincere McCormick, WR Zakhari Franklin, OL Ahofitu Maka, DB Rashad Wisdom, WR Joshua Cephus

Jeff Traylor took over UTSA in December 2019 and has taken the program to new heights with back-to-back Conference USA titles. This class signed to play for Frank Wilson but has given Traylor and his coaches all the buy-in they needed to build something special. The top Group of 5 class in our re-rank ended up yielding 16 starters, 11 of whom have earned All-CUSA recognition.

“I think that’s kind of the high school coach in me, honestly,” Traylor said. “You take what you’ve got and you do what those guys can do.”

McCormick was arguably the best player in UTSA history as its first-ever AP All-American and a two-time Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year who set 20 school records. This staff developed a trio of all-conference wideouts in Franklin, Cephus and De’Corian Clark, a pair of starting tight ends in Leroy Watson and Oscar Cardenas and a 51-game starter at center in Maka. Wisdom, linebacker Trevor Harmanson and defensive back Antonio Parks emerged as multi-year starters on defense, and punter Lucas Dean was CUSA Special Teams Player of the Year in 2020.

Franklin did transfer to Ole Miss this summer, but this staff has otherwise been able to hold onto their studs, and eight of these signees — including Cephus, Clark, Cardenas, Wisdom and Dean — are returning as fifth-year seniors in 2023.

Traylor praises his predecessors, Larry Coker and Wilson, for what they established at a school that played its inaugural season in 2011. He couldn’t be prouder of these players and how they’ve embraced accountability in their development. All the accolades they’ve earned are nice, but Traylor points to something else as proof of their buy-in.

In his program, one annual tradition for their “210 Triangle of Toughness” brand is giving out single-digit jersey numbers to players who best exemplify their culture. Those leaders have to be unselfish and re-earn their number every year, donning a different jersey in the offseason until the team vote in August. So far, 10 members of this 2019 class have worn single-digit jerseys.

“I’ve said this all the time, and it’s boring but it’s so true: The evaluation piece is very important. The recruiting piece is very important. But the most important piece of all this is the development phase,” Traylor said. “Spiritually, psychologically, physically, emotionally, football IQ – that’s the most important piece.”

Jeff Traylor has used the foundation set by the 2019 class signed prior to his arrival to go 30-10 in his first three years at UTSA. (Ivan Pierre Aguirre / USA Today)

15. Oregon

Adjusted average: 2.55
Class rank in 2019: 7th
Four-year record: 36-12
Attrition: 46%
Top signees: DE Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE Brandon Dorlus, CB Mykael Wright, OL Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, LB Mase Funa

On signing day, this was the highest-rated recruiting class in Oregon history. Mario Cristobal and the Ducks won a big-time battle for Thibodeaux, the No. 2 overall recruit, and brought in 14 four-star signees. They won big with these guys with a top-five finish and Rose Bowl victory in 2019, a Pac-12 title in 2020 and a return trip to the Pac-12 title game in 2021. Thibodeaux lived up to the hype as a unanimous All-American and No. 5 draft pick, and Dorlus and Wright joined him in becoming first-team All-Pac-12 standouts. But almost half of the members of this signing class did end up entering the transfer portal.

Adjusted average: 2.55
Class rank in 2019: 15th
Four-year record: 26-16
Attrition: 42%
Top signees: CB Trent McDuffie, edge Bralen Trice, OL Troy Fautanu, DB Asa Turner, OL Corey Luciano

This class has gone through quite a journey. They signed when the Huskies were rolling under Chris Petersen. They got one year with Petersen, two with Jimmy Lake and then a breakthrough 11-win season under Kalen DeBoer in 2022. McDuffie was a gem, a first-round pick for the Chiefs who already has a Super Bowl ring. Trice shined last season and could be a preseason All-American this year, and Fautanu is one of the top returning linemen in the Pac-12. There are some tough what-ifs with how well Laiatu Latu (UCLA) and Puka Nacua (BYU) fared elsewhere, but it’s impressive that 12 members of this class are still in the program today. They’ll contribute to another big year in 2023.

Adjusted average: 2.54
Class rank in 2019: 56th
Four-year record: 21-25
Attrition: 32%
Top signees: CB Devon Witherspoon, RB Chase Brown, WR Isaiah Williams, LB Tarique Barnes, QB Brandon Peters

Give Lovie Smith and Illinois’ former staff plenty of credit: They found some dudes who can play. Bret Bielema and his coaches have done a great job of retaining and developing them, too. Witherspoon, the No. 5 pick in this year’s draft, came in as a no-star recruit and a late qualifier and turned into an All-American. Brown finished No. 3 nationally in rushing last season and became a fifth-round pick. Williams, a big get as a four-star athlete, is one of the more electric wideouts in the Big Ten. This class also benefited from some successful portal recruiting with Brown, Peters, defensive lineman Oluwole Betiku Jr., receiver Josh Imatorbhebhe, tight end Luke Ford and offensive lineman Richie Petitbon all making an impact.

Adjusted average: 2.53
Class rank in 2019: 18th
Four-year record: 24-23
Attrition: 60%
Top signees: QB Jordan Travis, DB Akeem Dent, LB Kalen DeLoach, OL Maurice Smith, OL Darius Washington

The final recruiting class of the Willie Taggart era at Florida State dealt with some tough attrition prior to signing day (Sam Howell, Charles Cross, Nick Cross) and much more after this group got to campus, but those who stuck around have a chance to achieve big things in 2023. Travis, a Louisville transfer, ended up being the gem of the class. The All-ACC quarterback is one of seven players in this class – along with Dent, DeLoach, Smith, Washington, cornerback Renardo Green and kicker Ryan Fitzgerald – who are expected starters this fall for a squad that’s chasing an ACC title. It’s a senior class that had to play early and often throughout coach Mike Norvell’s rebuild, got recruited over and still produced valuable contributors.

19. Arkansas

Adjusted average: 2.47
Class rank in 2019: 23rd
Four-year record: 21-27
Attrition: 52%
Top signees: WR Treylon Burks, QB KJ Jefferson, OL Rickey Stromberg, OL Beaux Limmer, DB Jalen Catalon

This class endured a brutal Year 1 (2-10, 0-8 in the SEC) and the firing of Chad Morris but played a big role in helping coach Sam Pittman get the Razorbacks back on track. He and his staff developed 14 future starters in this class, including walk-ons Hudson Clark and Luke Jones rising up to earn scholarships. Burks, a first-round draft pick, and Jefferson are the highlights of a strong haul on offense, and this class also delivered five starters on the offensive line in Stromberg, Limmer, Jones, Brady Latham and Myron Cunningham. They got good production, too, out of players like Catalon, Greg Brooks Jr. and Trey Knox, who finished their careers elsewhere.

Adjusted average: 2.46
Class rank in 2019: 85th
Four-year record: 27-18
Attrition: 59%
Top signees: QB Jake Haener, WR Jalen Moreno-Cropper, DE David Perales, DB Evan Williams, LB Levelle Bailey

This class produced 17 future starters and helped the program pull off back-to-back 10-win seasons under Kalen DeBoer and Jeff Tedford. They signed when the Bulldogs were coming off a Mountain West title and managed to lead them back to another top-25 finish in 2022. Haener transferred from Washington to Fresno State in 2019 and became one of the best passers in program history and a fourth-round draft pick. Moreno-Cropper, Perales, Williams and offensive tackle Alex Akingbulu joined him in earning first-team All-Mountain West honors during their careers.

Adjusted average: 2.46
Class rank in 2019: 28th
Four-year record: 30-17
Attrition: 55%
Top signees: LB Leo Chenal, DT Keeanu Benton, OL Joe Tippmann, QB Graham Mertz, LB Maema Njongmeta

At the time, this was Wisconsin’s highest-rated class in the modern recruiting era. It’s a smaller class at 20 signees that had some great hits led by Chenal, an All-American who just won a Super Bowl as a rookie with the Chiefs, and Benton and Tippmann were top-50 draft picks this spring. The two highest-rated players in this class did end up moving on, as did eight other signees. Mertz transferred to Florida after three seasons as the Badgers’ starting quarterback, and five-star tackle Logan Brown was dismissed from the program and is now at Kansas.

Adjusted average: 2.44
Class rank in 2019: 31st
Four-year record: 30-22
Attrition: 54%
Top signees: QB Sam Howell, OL Asim Richards, DL Raymond Vohasek, DL Tomari Fox, P Ben Kiernan

This was Mack Brown’s transition recruiting class, signed just weeks after he made his return to coaching college football. Seven members of this class stayed committed during the transition, and the new Tar Heels staff went out and found 21 more signees who helped this program play in the Orange Bowl in 2020 and play for an ACC title last season. They hit the jackpot in flipping Howell from Florida State. The All-ACC standout became North Carolina’s all-time leading passer in just three seasons. Richards and Vohasek also developed into NFL Draft picks, and nine more signees became multi-year starters under Brown.

Adjusted average: 2.44
Class rank in 2019: 20th
Four-year record: 14-28
Attrition: 80%
Top signees: CB Kyu Blue Kelly, WR Elijah Higgins, OL Walter Rouse, OL Drake Nugent, LB Levani Damuni

This is a fascinating recruiting class. The past four seasons have been rough for the Cardinal, and they leaned on this group quite a bit. A whopping 20 signees from their 2019 class started games for the program. Kelly and Higgins developed into draft picks and eight more members of the class earned honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors. And now, since coach David Shaw stepped down, almost all of them are gone. Thirteen of these signees left as grad transfers this offseason. You’ll see them playing at Oklahoma (Rouse), Michigan (Nugent), Utah (Damuni), Texas (punter Ryan Sanborn), Louisville (D-lineman Stephen Herron) and all over the country this fall.

Adjusted average: 2.43
Class rank in 2019: 11th
Four-year record: 26-23
Attrition: 57%
Top signees: DE Derick Hall, QB Bo Nix, DE Colby Wooden, CB Nehemiah Pritchett, LB Owen Pappoe

It has certainly been an interesting time on the Plains for this group. The seniors still in the program today enjoyed a nine-win season and No. 14 finish as freshmen in 2019. Now they’re on their fourth head coach in four years. Nix, the face of the class and former SEC Freshman of the Year, is at Oregon. There’s some good NFL talent in this class with Hall — an All-SEC performer and second-round pick — as well as Wooden, Pappoe and several more multi-year starters, but 13 of 23 signees ended up transferring.

Adjusted average: 2.41
Class rank in 2019: 19th
Four-year record: 28-17
Attrition: 48%
Top signees: WR Drake London, DL Drake Jackson, QB Kedon Slovis, CB Chris Steele, DB Max Williams

USC’s 2020 recruiting class was much more troubling for the trajectory of the Clay Helton era, but the class that preceded it wasn’t particularly deep. London developed into the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year and the No. 8 overall pick. Jackson shined right away and became a second-rounder, and Slovis helped lead the Trojans to a Pac-12 title game in the shortened 2020 season. This class still ended up having a few too many misses, though the roster turnover following the coaching change contributed to that.

Honorable mention: 26. UAB (2.41); 27. Wake Forest (2.40); 28. SMU (2.38); 29. Oklahoma (2.38); 30. Purdue (2.37); 31. TCU (2.35); 32. Oklahoma State (2.35); 33. BYU (2.32); 34. Tulane (2.31); 35. Virginia Tech (2.30).

(Top illustration: Rachel Orr for The Athletic; Photos: Todd Kirkland, Mike Mulholland, Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

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