Tag: 2024 football recruiting

Florida recruiting just outside top 10 in 2024 blue-chip ratio rankings

Despite some panic during the early signing period, Florida’s 2024 recruiting class is still among the best as far as blue-chip ratio is concerned.

The 2024 recruiting class was a dramatic one for the Florida football program, which saw its stock drop precipitously heading into the early signing period.

But alas, the Gators were able to recover, and despite being among the top schools heading into the home stretch, still finished No. 15 according to 24Sports. That also landed the Orange and Blue at No. 11 among Southeastern Conference peers in what was a loaded league in the cycle.

Nonetheless, [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and Co.’s efforts resulted in the 11th-best blue-chip ratio in the 2024 class at 63%, hauling in two five-star and 10 four-star recruits out of 19 total additions; the other seven were three-star prospects.

Take a look below at the top 16 schools ranked by their respective blue-chip ratios.

Ohio State Buckeyes 90%
Alabama Crimson Tide 88%
Georgia Bulldogs 80%
Texas A&M Aggies 79%
Oregon Ducks 76%
Oklahoma Sooners 73%
Texas Longhorns 72%
LSU Tigers 70%
Notre Dame Fighting Irish 67%
Clemson Tigers 64%
Florida Gators 63%
Miami Hurricanes 61%
Penn State Nittany Lions 61%
USC Trojans 59%
Michigan Wolverines 56%
Auburn Tigers 53%

Below is a look at what CBS Sports offered regarding statistical performance and the essence of the stat.

How has this stat performed in the past?

  • 2023: Michigan won it all with a 54% mark.
  • 2022: Georgia took home the title in dominant fashion with a 77% ratio.
  • 2021: Georgia had an 80% BCR and won it all, beating the No. 1 BCR team, Alabama, in the title game. Three of the four CFP teams were BCR teams; Cincinnati was the first party crasher since 2017.
  • 2020: Alabama had an 83% BCR and won it all. All four CFP teams were BCR schools.
  • 2019: LSU won it with a 64% BCR. All four CFP teams were BCR schools.
  • 2018: Clemson took it home with a 68% mark. All four CFP teams were BCR schools.
  • 2017: Alabama won it all with an incredible 80% mark.
  • 2016: Clemson took home the title after signing 52% blue chips in the 2013-16 classes.
  • 2015: Alabama had a 77% mark.
  • 2014: Ohio State won the title with a 68%.
  • 2013: Florida State was at 53%.
  • 2012: Alabama was at 71%.
  • 2011: ‘Bama won the first of its back-to-back titles … also with a 71% mark.

The Blue-Chip Ratio is not…

“A requirement to make the College Football Playoff. While related, making the College Football Playoff and winning it are two drastically different accomplishments in terms of difficulty. Schedule strength plays a much bigger role in the former. Plenty of teams outside the BCR threshold made the four-team College Football Playoff (typically getting crushed, by the way), and many more will make the new 12-team field.”

“A substitute for player development, culture or coaching. All of those elements matter and are necessary to win the national title. The BCR is simply the minimum historical standard of recruiting necessary to win it all.”

“To be used to pick games. It is not an effective predictive measure in single-game settings.”

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Top 100: Updated USA TODAY High School Sports 2024 composite recruiting rankings

USA TODAY High School Sports unveils its top 100 recruiting rankings for the class of 2024.

The class of 2024 has a wealth of talent, with players like Jeremiah Smith, Williams Nwaneri and Dylan Raiola jockeying for the No. 1 spot in the rankings and other players from around the nation like Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, Air Noland and Myles Graham providing star powers to their teams.

Below are the 2024 composite recruiting rankings for the top 100 seniors, based off an average of rankings from industry leaders. As a note, the recruits’ measurements and positions are all according to 247Sports.

Note: the USA TODAY Staff will update flips and undecided recruits’ choices accordingly.

Florida’s DJ Lagway focus of The Athletic’s SEC recruiting roundup

The Athletic’s college football staff took a recent look at the outcome of the latest recruiting cycle for the Southeastern Conference.

It was a brutal finish for the Florida football program in the 2024 cycle, which saw the Gators tumble from among the top three schools in the rankings to the mid-teens by the end of the signing period. It was a demoralizing stretch that had many wondering what the heck was happening in Gainesville.

However, not all was lost in the hailstorm of decommitments as Billy Napier and Co. managed to hang on to their prized possession in the clas — five-star quarterback DJ Lagway.

The Athletic’s college football staff took a recent look at the outcome of the latest recruiting cycle for the Southeastern Conference and Lagway’s name came up frequently. Firstly, as noted before, simply making it through the signing period gauntlet without losing their potential star gunslinger was a coup in and of itself.

“Florida’s ability to retain five-star quarterback [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag],” Grace Raynor offers in response to the question of the biggest development. “The Gators had another losing season in 2023, which raised all sorts of questions about coach Billy Napier’s future. From November to January, Florida had nine prospects decommit from the program, in addition to star running back Trevor Etienne hitting the transfer portal. Hanging on to Lagway and five-star defensive lineman LJ McCray was simultaneously impressive and surprising.”

Ari Wasserman was more surprised by Napier and Co.’s collapse during the home stretch. “Florida’s class taking a massive hit,” was his initial answer to the query.

“I agree with Grace’s assertion that the Gators did a good job of holding on to Lagway. The quarterback prospects are always going to reign supreme in the court of public opinion. But Napier’s entire existence as Florida’s coach is to be an outstanding recruiter, and it was surprising to see him lose so many of the top prospects in the class,” he continued.

“Yes, recruits want to see wins on the field, but Florida’s future was so promising with the core of players it had. Lagway is already enrolled, but the vibe of the Gators’ program would be entirely different right now without all of those decommitments.”

As for the question of which 2024 recruit was most likely to start a game this coming fall, the panel was unanimous.

“Graham Mertz is the most experienced returning starting quarterback in the league (43 starts, 2,806 snaps), but Napier is going to be under a lot of pressure to show he’s building something going in the right direction,” Manny Navarro notes. “There’s no better way to show that than having the No. 2-ranked quarterback recruit in the 2024 cycle in the lineup and playing more than a handful of plays a game in special packages.”

“It’s got to be Lagway,” Raynor responded. “The second Napier is in hot water, he’ll need to prove there is hope for the future.”

“He is the bridge to the future, and as Grace pointed out, Florida may want to tap into that resource, even if we have heard about Mertz’s tremendous development since arriving in Gainesville,” Wasserman adds.

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Where LSU’s 2024 class stands in final 247Sports composite recruiting rankings

After an uneventful signing day, here’s how things stand for the Tigers in the final recruiting rankings.

National Signing Day is in the books, and it was fairly uneventful for the Tigers.

The one player they were looking to add, five-star athlete [autotag]Terry Bussey[/autotag], held firm to his commitment to Texas A&M. After [autotag]Dominick McKinley[/autotag] — LSU’s only commit who didn’t sign during the early signing period — made things official, that was officially a wrap on the Tigers’ 2024 class.

Though it had the chance to move up into the top five with a flip of Bussey, LSU still finishes with one of the nation’s stronger classes. Here’s how it all shakes out in the final 247Sports composite rankings.

Highlights from Billy Napier’s press conference on national signing day

Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier addressed the media on 2024 national signing day and addressed all the offseason questions

National signing day concluded on Wednesday afternoon, and Florida football coach Billy Napier took time to address the media and any burning questions for the offseason.

The Gators made several changes following the 24-15 loss to Florida State, including coaching replacements and interacting with the dreaded transfer portal which seems to take more, rather than give.

Napier didn’t hesitate to answer the dire questions regarding all the above and even broke down how the team wants to utilize name, image, and likeness laws in Florida’s favor.

Members of the media were also curious about the new executive head coach title for staff newcomer Ron Roberts and what his role will be on the sidelines.

Check out all the highlights from Wednesday’s press conference on national signing day with Florida head coach Billy Napier.

Every player Florida Gators inked on 2024 national signing day

National signing day isn’t what it used to be, but the Florida Gators still brought in a nice haul thanks to the transfer portal.

National signing day has lost much of its shine thanks to the emergence of the early signing period, but the Florida Gators still added some key names to the program on Wednesday.

Fortunately, the winter transfer period allows teams to fill in the voids left once all the top recruits in the country are spoken for. Billy Napier was selective with who he brought in, but there are a few instant contributors on the list.

Here are all the players who chose Florida on national signing day.

SIGNED: 5-star DL commit Dominick McKinley makes it official with LSU

The top commit in LSU’s 2024 class made things official on National Signing Day.

It wasn’t the national signing day LSU fans hoped for as five-star athlete Terry Bussey upheld his commitment to Texas A&M, signing with the Aggies over the Tigers on Wednesday morning.

However, LSU received one major piece of good news. Five-star defensive lineman [autotag]Dominick McKinley[/autotag], who had been committed to Texas A&M but flipped to the Tigers on New Year’s Eve, made his pledge official. He signed his national letter of intent with LSU.

McKinley is the No. 1 player in the state of Louisiana and the highest-rated member of the Tigers’ 29-man signing class. He could be an instant impact player at a major position of need on LSU’s roster.

With McKinley official on board, that should be a wrap on the 2024 cycle for LSU. The Tigers’ class finished ninth overall per 247Sports and seventh per On3.

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LSU players, recruits make their final pitch to 5-star athlete Terry Bussey

LSU players are using #BusseyBus2BR in an attempt to make one final push for the elite Texas A&M commit.

National Signing Day is on Wednesday, and for the most part, LSU has wrapped up its 2024 class. Not entirely, however.

There’s one more piece the Tigers are after, and it’s a big one. Five-star athlete [autotag]Terry Bussey[/autotag] is currently committed to Texas A&M, but LSU has been relentlessly recruiting him from the jump and hoping for a last-second flip.

He would give the Tigers a top-five class in the 2024 cycle, and he’s set to make his final decision and ink his national letter of intent on Wednesday.

Bussey visited Baton Rouge last week, and LSU players and recruits took to Twitter this week to make the final push for Bussey using the hashtag “#BusseyBus2BR.”

LSU’s top remaining 2024 target Terry Bussey reportedly down to two schools

The Tigers will hope they’ve done enough to sway Terry Bussey from his commitment to the Aggies.

LSU has mostly turned its attention to the 2025 recruiting class, which has the makings of being elite.

But the Tigers are trying to add one more 2024 prospect who would provide a massive boost to the class. Five-star athlete [autotag]Terry Bussey[/autotag] is committed to Texas A&M, but LSU has been present throughout his recruiting process.

The Timpson, Texas, prospect will sign on Wednesday, and his decision has reportedly come down to the Aggies and Tigers, as was first reported by On3’s Sam Spiegelman.

The Tigers got to plead their case this past week as he was on campus for a visit on Wednesday, but they didn’t get the last word in as he took an official visit to College Station over the weekend.

Flipping Bussey won’t be easy, but it would likely give LSU a top-five class in the 2024 cycle if it can pull that off.

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LSU signee Trey’Dez Green finishes as No. 2 tight end in final On3 rankings

Trey’Dez Green could be the next great LSU tight end.

LSU landed a lot of talented players in the 2024 cycle, but not many have the chance to be as impactful a player as tight end [autotag]Trey’Dez Green[/autotag].

One of the best overall signees in the class for the Tigers, Green ranks as the No. 31 player nationally in On3’s industry rankings and the No. 1 tight end in the nation.

In On3’s own rankings, he isn’t far behind. He ranks 32nd overall, though he ranks as the No. 2 tight end in the class behind Alabama signee Caleb Odom, who sits just two spots higher in the overall rankings.

Here’s the overall scouting breakdown on Green, who stands at 6-foot-6.5 and 230 pounds.

“High flying tight end prospect who plays above the rim on the football field as well as the basketball court. Highly rated basketball player who has serious bounce on the hardwood. 50-50 balls are closer to 70-30 for him with his ability to high point the football. Has rare body control and balance for someone his age with his size. Will have some growing pains as a blocker, but his ability to move and go up and get the football with his size is rare for the position. Arguably the top pass-catching mismatch in the 2024 cycle.”

As On3 notes, Green also demonstrates his athletic ability as a high school basketball player.

The Tigers have seen a lot of success from tight end [autotag]Mason Taylor[/autotag] under coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag], and Green has the potential to be the next great player at the position for the Tigers.

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