The key college football recruit for each top 25 class: Future X factors and difference-makers (2024)

With roughly three weeks until the early signing period starts for college football recruits, 261 prospects in the ESPN 300 are already committed.

Spots are limited with so few elite recruits left on the board. With the transfer portal window opening on Monday, a few additions will be made down the stretch into December, but most programs have the majority of their classes filled and future playmakers locked up.

Some of the prospects in this class have garnered major attention, especially the quarterbacks. Arch Manning's recruitment was followed closely before he made waves by choosing Texas. When USC coach Lincoln Riley got quarterback Malachi Nelson, the No. 1 overall recruit, to flip from Oklahoma, it turned the heads of some other recruits.

Each team has potential playmakers in their recruiting class, so we looked at the top prospects for every program ranked in the Top 25 of the class rankings.

Some prospects will play right away. Some add depth. Some fill voids when current players depart for either another school or the NFL. Some are pure game changers. Here are the most important commits for each school.

1. Alabama: Richard Young, RB

2023 ESPN 300 ranking: 19

While safety Caleb Downs is the class' highest-ranked commit (No. 12) and fills a position of need, Young fits the bill for what Alabama needs at running back.

Current starter Jahmyr Gibbs could very well go to the NFL after this season, as he is ESPN's consensus No. 2 draft-eligible running back. Trey Sanders entered the transfer portal, and most of the other backs on the roster are already upperclassmen.

The staff did sign Emmanuel Henderson Jr. and Jamarion Miller last cycle, but Young and fellow 2023 running back Justice Haynes, the top two backs in this cycle who are both ranked in the top 25 overall, could contribute early given their talent.

2. Notre Dame: Peyton Bowen, S

2023 ESPN 300 ranking: 14

Bowen is the No. 2 safety in the class and the Irish's highest-ranked commit. As much as the offense needs playmakers (and addressed that need with WR Braylon James), so does the secondary.

Last year, the staff brought in All-American safety Brandon Joseph through the transfer portal to help with the departure of Kyle Hamilton. Joseph is a junior this year, and fellow Irish safeties Houston Griffith and DJ Brown are both seniors.

Enter Bowen, an elite five-star recruit. Corners Benjamin Morrison and Jaden Mickey are among the true freshmen who have made an impact this season, so it's not out of the question to expect Bowen to contribute early in the secondary as well.

3. Georgia: A.J. Harris, CB

2023 ESPN 300 ranking: 33

Georgia has produced some elite players in the secondary recently, and Harris is in line to be another great corner for the Dawgs. He's 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds and is the No. 4 corner in the class.

Kelee Ringo is a redshirt sophom*ore, but he's currently ranked as Todd McShay's best corner prospect in the upcoming NFL draft and the No. 3 corner by Mel Kiper Jr. Kamari Lassiter will be a junior next season, and there are some talented young players on the roster, but Harris could contribute early on.

4. Oklahoma: Jackson Arnold, QB

2023 ESPN 300 ranking: 8

Arnold is the No. 2 dual-threat quarterback in the class and a five-star from Denton, Texas. He had offers from nearly every major program in the country and has totaled 31 passing touchdowns, three interceptions and 14 rushing touchdowns for his high school team.

Brent Venables' staff has the benefit of getting starting quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who transferred from UCF last year, for another season, but as we have seen in college football, it's imperative to build depth and have quarterbacks ready to go when called upon. Quarterback Nick Evers, also from Texas, was the No. 166 recruit overall last cycle, so Venables will have two options once Gabriel moves on.

5. Texas: Arch Manning, QB

2023 ESPN 300 ranking: 2

Manning was one of the most watched recruits in recent memory, as his lineage -- he's the nephew of Peyton and Eli, and the grandson of Archie -- brought extra attention.

He is coming in at a perfect time for the Longhorns, who have uncertainty at the position. Current starter Quinn Ewers dealt with an injury this season and was inconsistent when he was on the field. He had success against Alabama before his injury but was held to under 200 passing yards in each of his final four games of the season. Hudson Card recently announced his intent to enter the transfer portal, which leaves Ewers and freshman Maalik Murphy on the depth chart.

Manning is coach Steve Sarkisian's biggest recruiting victory, and given his mobility and his mechanics (as well as the hype), he could push Ewers for playing time early.

6. Miami: Cormani McClain, CB

2023 ESPN 300 ranking: 4

McClain is the No. 1 corner in the class and a 6-foot-2, 165-pound prospect out of Lakeland, Florida. He had offers from nearly every major program and committed to Miami in June, which was somewhat of a surprise.

Miami gave up 233.1 passing yards per game this season, which is ranked 81st among 131 FBS teams. The defense is ranked 107th in touchdown throws allowed per attempt, 39th in touchdowns allowed to interceptions and 72nd in percentage of completions of 10 or more yards.

Corners Tyrique Stevenson and Te'Cory Couch will both be seniors next season. Bringing in McClain and knowing he doesn't have to be a star corner right away will help his development and allow Miami to ease him in.

7. LSU: Shelton Sampson Jr., WR

2023 ESPN 300 ranking: 41

Sampson is a 6-foot-4, 185-pound receiver from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and is the No. 7 receiver in the class. He's the highest-ranked commit for LSU and is going to be a big target in Brian Kelly's offense.

Sophom*ore Malik Nabers led the team with 726 receiving yards and senior Jaray Jenkins had a team-high five receiving touchdowns. Kayshon Boutte, the second-leading receiver (431 yards), is a junior and one of ESPN's top draft-eligible pass catchers. There isn't much depth beyond those names, and adding Sampson will only help the offense next year.

8. Florida: Jaden Rashada, QB

2023 ESPN 300 ranking: 27

Defensive line was a big priority for Billy Napier, and he addressed that with five ESPN 300 defensive linemen. But Rashada, the No. 2 dual-threat quarterback, is an important piece to the class.

The Gators lost a commitment from ESPN 300 quarterback Nick Evers in the 2022 class when he flipped to Oklahoma. Napier signed three-star Max Brown to fill the void of Evers, but the 6-foot-4, 185-pound Rashada is a big win for the future of the program.

Rashada, who is from Pittsburg, California, originally committed to Miami but flipped to Florida in early November. Current starter Anthony Richardson will enter his fourth season next year, and behind him is Ohio State transfer Jack Miller III. Giving Rashada a year to learn under Richardson will give the coaching staff a solid option once Richardson moves on.

9. Ohio State: Jason Moore, DE

2023 ESPN 300 ranking: 53

Moore is a 6-foot-6, 260-pound defensive end from DeMatha Catholic in Maryland. The last time the Buckeyes signed a big end from DeMatha, it worked out pretty well in the form of Chase Young.

The Buckeyes are looking for defensive linemen in this class and are still targeting uncommitted ends Keon Keeley and Damon Wilson, both ranked in the top 31, but Moore, a player who has room to refine his game, can be important in the pass rush.

Zach Harrison, Javontae Jean-Baptiste and Tyler Friday are all seniors. The staff signed some good defensive end prospects in the 2022 class in Caden Curry and Omari Abor, but more depth is needed and more talent for the future roster.

10. Clemson: Peter Woods, DT

2023 ESPN 300 ranking: 9

Christopher Vizzina is Clemson's highest-ranked offensive recruit (No. 38) and will join a quarterback room that also includes freshman Cade Klubnik, who was the top dual-threat QB in last year's class. But the Tigers will lose some big pieces up front and need to address it.

Defensive ends K.J. Henry, Xavier Thomas and Justin Mascoll are all seniors, as is defensive tackle Tyler Davis. Juniors Bryan Bresee and Myles Murphy are projected first-round picks by Mel Kiper Jr. in the upcoming NFL draft.

That would be a lot to lose in one offseason, so adding in the 6-foot-3, 275-pound Woods, who is the No. 1 defensive tackle in the class, was imperative.

11. Oregon: Dante Moore, QB

2023 ESPN 300 ranking: 3

Oregon fought tooth and nail to land Moore, a five-star quarterback out of Detroit and the No. 3 pocket-passing quarterback in the 2023 cycle, beating out Notre Dame among others for his commitment.

Moore, the Ducks' highest-ranked commit, has won back-to-back high school state championships. He will have time to adjust to the college level with current starter Bo Nix entering his fifth season next year.

Once Nix moves on, Moore will compete with Ty Thompson for the starting job after Jay Butterfield announced his intent to enter the transfer portal. Oregon will have to worry, though, as offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham leaving the Ducks to be Arizona State's head coach could impact Moore's commitment.

12. USC: Malachi Nelson, QB

2023 ESPN 300 ranking: 1

Nelson is a 6-foot-3, 185-pound recruit from Los Alamitos, California. He's the No. 1 overall prospect and decommitted from Oklahoma once Lincoln Riley took the head coaching job at USC. Nelson is teammates with ESPN 300 receiver Makai Lemon, the No. 13 recruit overall (and also a USC commit).

Riley recruited one quarterback every other class at Oklahoma and had a ton of success with that formula. He has Caleb Williams on the roster for at least one more season before he is eligible for the NFL draft. Miller Moss is a redshirt freshman with little playing experience but will also be on the roster once Nelson arrives barring a transfer.

It's an optimal situation for all parties with Williams finishing out his career and allowing Nelson to come in and learn the offense before taking over. Nelson threw for 2,898 yards, 35 touchdowns and four interceptions this season for Los Alamitos High School (California) and also had two rushing touchdowns. Riley can develop Nelson and get him ready to continue the high-powered offense we've seen this season.

13. Tennessee: Nicholaus Iamaleava, QB

2023 ESPN 300 ranking: 32

Iamaleava is a 6-foot-6, 195-pound quarterback from Downey, California, and is ranked as the No. 6 pocket-passer in the country. He is the highest-ranked commit in the class and followed his 2,244-yard, 33-touchdown junior season with 1,986 passing yards and 25 touchdowns as a senior.

Both Hendon Hooker and Joe Milton III are seniors and coach Josh Heupel will need a new quarterback. The staff have sophom*ores Gaston Moore and Navy Shuler, as well as freshman Tayven Jackson, but none have a significant amount of experience.

Given the lack of depth, Iamaleava should have an opportunity to come in and compete right away.

14. Penn State: Alex Birchmeier, OL

2023 ESPN 300 ranking: 78

Birchmeier (6-5, 280) and fellow ESPN 300 offensive lineman J'ven Williams (6-4, 285) are the Nos. 2 and 3 guards in the class, both ranked in the top 100 overall. Adding in quality linemen in this class was important, especially with some young running backs and a young quarterback on the roster.

Both Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen showed promise at running back this season, combining for 1,771 rushing yards and 19 rushing touchdowns. quarterback Drew Allar is waiting to get his shot to start as well.

Coach James Franklin has redshirt freshman Landon Tengwall at guard, however Juice Scruggs and Hunter Nourzad are both seniors and Sal Wormley is a redshirt junior. The staff received big news when top left tackle Olu Fashanu announced he is coming back for the 2023 season, rather than entering the NFL draft. Having some younger offensive linemen to bolster the Nittany Lions' offense up front will be key.

15. South Carolina: Desmond Umeozulu, DE

2023 ESPN 300 ranking: 114

South Carolina's leading sack leaders are all veteran players with limited eligibility remaining. Zacch Pickens is a senior and Jordan Burch and Tonka Hemingway are juniors. The team had 18 sacks on the season but ranked 115th in sacks per pass attempt on defense.

The unit ranked 113th among 131 teams in tackles for loss and 108th in total sacks. Adding in some help for the future pass rush was imperative and Umeozulu will help with that. He's 6-foot-6, 240 pounds and can play the edge for the Gameco*cks.

16. Arkansas: Jaylon Braxton, CB

2023 ESPN 300 ranking: 127

Arkansas ranked No. 119 in passing yards allowed per game (273.9), No. 104 in interceptions per opponent pass attempt, No. 94 in interceptions and No. 95 in opponent passing touchdowns to interceptions.

On top of that, the leaders in the secondary are running out of eligibility. Dwight McGlothern and Hudson Clark will be seniors next season while Latavious Brini is already a senior, as is LaDarrius Bishop.

Adding Braxton, a 6-foot, 170-pound corner from Frisco, Texas, will give the Razorbacks some needed depth and a good prospect to develop for the future.

17. Florida State: Hykeem Williams, WR

2023 ESPN 300 ranking: 24

At quarterback, Florida State has Jordan Travis returning next season with Tate Rodemaker and A.J. Duffy, both former ESPN 300 prospects, waiting their turn. Mike Norvell has some playmakers at quarterback for the near future, so adding playmakers around them at receiver was important.

Johnny Wilson, Mycah Pittman and Kentron Poitier all have eligibility remaining, but the team will lose some of its receiving leaders outside of those three. Williams is a 6-foot-3, 200-pound receiver who could be used in a variety of ways within the offense, whether on the outside or even at tight end.

18. Texas Tech: Brenden Jordan, S

2023 ESPN 300 ranking: 224

Isaiah Crawford is an excellent EDGE player who's 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, but the secondary depth in the next few years will need help.

Jordan is the No. 13 safety and is joined in the class by Jordan Sanford, who could be a safety or corner. Both prospects will help with a secondary that has seniors in Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, Reggie Pearson Jr., Malik Dunlap and Rayshad Williams, among a few others.

Adding in young talent was imperative for Joey McGuire and his staff, and Jordan, along with Sanford, could provide some help early next season for a team that ranked 98th in total passing yards allowed and 114th in yards per reception allowed in 2022.

19. Louisville: Rueben Owens II, RB

2023 ESPN 300 ranking: 42

Quarterback Pierce Clarkson has made a big impact on the recruiting trail for the Cardinals, but Owens is the No. 4 running back in the class who can pay dividends in the short- and long-term.

Owens, a 5-foot-11, 180-pound recruit from El Campo, Texas, picked Louisville over Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Ohio State, among plenty of other big programs.

The staff returns running backs Jawhar Jordan and Tiyon Evans, who combined for over 1,200 rushing yards, however it loses quarterback Malik Cunningham, who led the team with 12 rushing touchdowns on the season.

Jordan and Evans combined for eight rushing scores, but Owens will add another element to the Louisville attack, and given he won't need to carry the main load his first season, he will be ready to take over once Jordan and Evans use up their eligibility.

20. Baylor: Austin Novosad, QB

2023 ESPN 300 ranking: 270

Novosad is a 6-foot-2, 180-pound quarterback out of Dripping Springs, Texas. He is the second-highest-ranked commit in the class for Baylor, just behind offensive lineman Isaiah Robinson, and is adding to the quarterback room for the Bears.

Starting quarterback Blake Shapen, who threw for 2,602 yards, 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions this season, will be a junior next season. As we have seen throughout football, a team can never have too many quarterbacks.

Novosad might not get playing time in his first season, but getting him time to develop and get acclimated should set Baylor up well for the future. He is Baylor's first ESPN 300 quarterback since the Bears signed Jacob Zeno in 2019, so it's a big win for the staff.

21. TCU: Cordale Russell, WR

2023 ESPN 300 ranking: 278

The passing game is so important to TCU's offense, and Russell is a talented receiver at 6-foot-2, 190 pounds out of Mesquite, Texas.

Quentin Johnson led the team with 764 receiving yards and could leave for the NFL given he is a consensus top-five draft-eligible wide receiver. Both Taye Barber and Derius Davis are seniors now, as are Gunnar Henderson and tight end Jared Wiley. Savion Williams will be a senior next season, but it's easy to see that the Horned Frogs need some youth in the receiver room for once the current players exhaust their eligibility.

Russell had 1,059 receiving yards and 11 touchdown receptions as a high school senior, averaging 105.9 receiving yards per game. He should fit in well within the offense, whether he contributes right away or adding depth to the position in the future.

22. : David Hicks, DT

2023 ESPN 300 ranking: 15

Jimbo Fisher needs to add prospects on offense, but as of now, just two of the Aggies' six ESPN 300 recruits (both offensive tackles) project to that side of the ball. Hicks is ranked the highest of the bunch and gives Texas A&M a stout defender up front.

Sure, Texas A&M signed seven ESPN 300 defensive linemen in the 2022 class, but fighting off Oklahoma to keep the five-star Hicks, the third-best recruit in the state of Texas, home says hope is not lost for a team that finished 5-7 in 2022.

23. Ole Miss: Suntarine Perkins, ATH

2023 ESPN 300 ranking: 48

Perkins is listed as an athlete, but will likely be a linebacker for Ole Miss. He's a 6-foot-3, 200-pound prospect from Raleigh, Mississippi, and the top prospect in the state.

He is the highest-ranked commit for Ole Miss and will help add to a linebacker unit that has a lot of seniority and experience. Perkins might take some time to get adjusted and put on the right weight, but he is an excellent recruit that should help the defense soon.

24. Michigan: Cole Cabana, RB

2023 ESPN 300 ranking: 116

The run game is such an important part of Michigan's offense, and star running back Blake Corum is a senior this season. He accounted for 18 of Michigan's 35 touchdowns despite taking just two snaps in the final game of the season against Ohio State.

Running back Donovan Edwards will be a junior next season and the staff has utilized a two-back system very well with Hassan Haskins and Corum in 2021 and Corum and Edwards in 2022.

Isaiah Gash, C.J. Stokes and Tavierre Dunlap all have experience, but none have taken over as the absolute choice to be the No. 2 with Edwards. Cabana is a track star who had 24 rushing touchdowns and four receiving touchdowns in his junior season.

He had 1,518 rush yards with 27 touchdowns on the ground, 472 receiving yards with six touchdown receptions and also had 444 return yards with three touchdowns this season for Dexter High School (Michigan). He is agile and versatile, and should be able to make an impact at Michigan early on.

25. North Carolina: Jaybron Harvey, DE/OLB

2023 ESPN 300 ranking: 186

North Carolina ranks No. 122 of 131 FBS teams in sacks with 16 this season and No. 69 in defensive pressures. The Tar Heels could use help in the pass rush and needed a few prospects in this class to do so.

Harvey can play a few different roles, whether he's standing up or has his hand in the dirt. He can provide a pass-rush presence, as he had 28 sacks his junior season and 42 QB hurries as a senior. At 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, he'll need to bulk up, but he has the frame to do so.