Tag: Early signing period

Rocky Top 24 digital billboards on display recognizing signing class

Rocky Top 24 digital billboards are on display recognizing Tennessee’s 2024 signing class.

The early signing period took place Dec. 20-22.

Rocky Top 24 digital billboards are on display through Tuesday recognizing Tennessee’s 2024 football signing class.

UT press release with information regarding the Vols’ billboards and locations:

Players from the state of Tennessee who joined the Vols include Kaleb Beasley, Marshall Box, Boo Carter, Carson Gentle, Marcus Goree Jr., Jackson Mathews, Jesse Perry, Edwin Spillman and Jakobe Thomas. They are featured on various billboards along with the rest of the class in Knoxville (Interstate 40); Nashville (Exit 79 off Interstate 65, Interstate 65 near Brentwood); Memphis (Interstate 69), Chattanoogaand Cleveland.

Billboards are also on display in (click links for exact location):

Vestavia Hills, Alabama – (I-65) (Jordan Ross)
Atlanta, Georgia – Cobb Pkwy SE, Stone Mountain Hwy  (Jordan Burns, Mike Matthews)
Columbia, South Carolina – Huger St. (Braylon Staley)
Frisco, Texas – I-35 E (Max Anderson)
Springfield, Missouri (Kellen Lindstrom)
Akron, Ohio – Beacon St. (William Satterwhite)
Roanoke, Virginia – Valley View Blvd. NW (Peyton Lewis)
Rome, Georgia – Broad St. (Jeremias Heard)
Savannah, Georgia – White Bluff Road, E. Montgomery Cross Road  (Jake Merklinger)

Top ranked recruit for every Big Ten team after the early signing period

A look at each Big Ten team’s top rated prospect after the early signing period. #GoBucks

The early signing period has come and gone, and the Ohio State football program put together another fantastic class. Almost all recruiting services have it ranked as the top-rated class in the Big Ten.

But the Buckeyes weren’t the only Big Ten program to bring in some really good prospects. Oregon had a very fine day, as did Penn State and Michigan to a lesser degree. However, each class has its crown jewel that you can build around. While not all of them pan out, the central piece of each recruiting class can really make or break the future of a program at certain positions.

Not all recruiting classes are created equal, but it’s worth taking a look at each conference program’s top rated recruit is according to the 247Sports Composite rankings to follow careers from here through their amateur careers.

Here’s a look at all 18 Big Ten programs and the guy rated as the best in their 2024 recruiting class after the end of the early signing period. We’ll start from the last rated class to the best.

2024 SEC football recruiting rankings following early signing period

2024 SEC football recruiting rankings following the early signing period.

The early signing period for the 2024 recruiting class took place Wednesday-Friday.

The Vols signed 21 prospects in the 2024 class:

Cornerback Kaleb Beasley, defensive lineman Carson Gentle, athlete Marcus Goree Jr., quarterback Jake Merklinger, offensive tackle Jesse Perry, offensive tackle Gage Ginther, safety Edrees Farooq, defensive lineman Jeremias Heard, edge rusher Kellen Lindstrom, running back Peyton Lewis, athlete Boo Carter, linebacker Jordan Burns, offensive lineman Max Anderson, wide receiver Braylon Staley, offensive lineman William Satterwhite, wide receiver Mike Matthews, linebacker Edwin Spillman, offensive lineman Bennett Warren, edge Jordan Ross, defensive lineman Jamal Wallace and tight end Cole Harrison.

Following the early signing period, Vols Wire looks at 2024 SEC football team recruiting rankings from On3 and are listed below.

Ohio State football: Post 2024 early signing period thoughts

What are your takeaways from on Ohio State’s early signing period class? #GoBucks

Ohio State football signed 21 prospects during the 2024 early signing period, a class that ranked No. 4 in the country according to the 247Sports team composite.

The Buckeyes dropped a couple of spots on the day, but still remained inside the top five and had the top class in the Big Ten, even when including the new teams that will join the conference in the summer.

There was plenty to like about what head coach Ryan Day accomplished on the recruiting trail, but there were also issues. First-world college football problems right? Anyway, here are my thoughts on the Ohio State signees and some bigger picture items during the 2024 early signing period.

Each SEC football program’s highest-ranked 2024 commit after early signing period

The program with the highest-rated commit so afar might surprise you.

The USA TODAY High School Sports top 100 college recruits have been posted, highlighting the best among the class of 2024.

Now, the focus shifts to the slowdown of the early signing period rush and the build-up to February 2024.

So far, many of the top recruits have made commitments to programs, which have included some headline-grabbing flips. And as more official updates hit the airwaves, we’re beginning to see the larger picture among the conferences next season.

At the top is an SEC that will have a new look as Texas and Oklahoma join the ranks.

Based on the recruiting rankings, here is the top recruit for each SEC team (so far) in 2024.

Everything Florida HC Billy Napier said during the early signing period

Florida head coach Billy Napier spoke to the media Wednesday about the Gators’ early signing period haul and a few of the new transfers coming over.

Florida’s early signing period didn’t go as planned, but Billy Napier remained positive about the haul he brought in on Wednesday when speaking to the press.

Napier evaded questions about the players lost in the cycle that saw Florida fall from a top-three class to a middle-teens one. He also broke some news on staff changes going on in Gainesville this offseason.

One thing Napier made clear was that Florida’s 2024 cycle isn’t over. The staff expects to be active in the transfer portal, and there are still recruits up for grabs that can sign in February.

Here is everything Billy Napier said on Wednesday about the class of 2024 early signing period.

Vols’ signee Peyton Lewis ‘is electric with the ball in his hands’

Josh Heupel discusses Tennessee running back signee Peyton Lewis being “electric with the ball in his hands.”

Running back Peyton Lewis signed with Tennessee on Wednesday during the early signing period.

The 6-foot, 197-pound Lewis is from Salem High School in Salem, Virginia.

On Wednesday, Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel discussed Lewis after he signed with the Vols.

“A track kid that is electric with the ball in his hands,” Heupel said of Lewis. “This year, you look at his development between the tackles, great vision, great ability, quickness, constantly chewing up ground as he’s working through the line of scrimmage, developed the ability to play with great pad level, smart, tough and competitive. Really excited about him.”

READ: Tennessee football early signing period tracker for 2024 class

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Thoughts on Notre Dame’s 2024 early signee recruiting class

What were your biggest takeaways from yesterday’s signing day for the Irish?

Wednesday was quite the day for Notre Dame football, as it saw all 23 commits send in paperwork to South Bend fax machines, yeah those still exist, and officially become members of the Fighting Irish.

The collective group is ranked as one of the best in the country, 247Sports Composite Team Rankings has them as the No. 10 group nationally. It was a great effort from Marcus Freeman and his staff, even with some changes, they kept all their commits.

Now that the dust has settled, there have been more than a few thoughts in my mind about this Irish class. Find them out below.

ESPN says Florida’s 2024 recruiting haul ‘could’ve been a lot better’

A few close recruiting decisions went against Florida during the early signing period, and ESPN says the Gators “missed out.”

Florida’s early signing period brought plenty of surprises, and the experts at ESPN say the Gators are among the teams “who missed out” on Wednesday.

“While the Gators did hold on to five-star quarterback D.J. Lagway, who was being targeted by Texas A&M, Florida lost nine recruits throughout the entire process, including ESPN 300 safety Xavier Filsaime,” ESPN staff writer Tom VanHaaren wrote.

“Florida also lost five-star defensive lineman Jamonta Waller and four-star DE Amaris Williams, who both flipped to Auburn. … This is still a good haul for Florida, but it could’ve been a lot better, and the signing day process doesn’t instill a lot of confidence given how many recruits almost flipped, or considered flipping, near the end.”

Harsh, but VanHaaren sums up Florida’s early signing period slump about as good anyone. Gator Nation expected a top-five class to be signed, but it came away with a top-15 class instead. That’s not too shabby for most Power Five clubs, but there are at least eight other SEC teams that pulled in higher-ranked classes.

Locking up quarterback DJ Lagway and defensive lineman LJ McCray was huge for Billy Napier and Co., though. Lagway is the kind of generational player who can lead a team back to national relevance, and losing McCray would have been devastating to an already depleted defensive class.

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Josh Heupel details state of Tennessee’s secondary entering 2024

Josh Heupel details the state of Tennessee’s secondary entering 2024.

High school and NCAA transfer portal prospects signed with Tennessee on Wednesday during the early signed period.

The Vols signed defensive backs Boo Carter (safety), Kaleb Beasley (cornerback), Marcus Goree Jr. (cornerback), Edrees Farooq (safety), Jermod McCoy (cornerback) and Jakobe Thomas (safety) on Wednesday.

Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel discussed the state of the Vols’ secondary entering 2024.

“I like the physical traits of the guys that are in the building right now,” Heupel said. “We have some young guys that got to grow and mature as football players, but I love the athletic traits. That’s true of the young guys that were with us this past season, true of the signees that are coming in. We felt like we wanted to add some experience in those positions. We’ve attacked that through the portal with a couple guys, as well.”

READ: Tennessee football early signing period tracker