Tag: Rivals

Where Clemson ranks in every updated 2024 team recruiting rankings

Here is how Clemson currently fares across all major recruiting platforms.

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson football program but many programs across took advantage of the early signing period, which allows teams to lock in their talented recruits to join their program.

The Tigers have had a successful early signing day, landing two offensive linemen in Elyjah Thurmon and Mason Wade while also securing the signings of other commits who have been waiting a long time for this moment. In the ever-changing world of college football, getting players signed and prepared to join the team has become much more important. 

With signing day over, we’ve seen Clemson climb team recruiting rankings as they added more members to their 2024 recruiting class and signed some of the top players around the country. Below is a look at where the Tigers stand in each of the four top recruiting outlets: 247Sports, ESPN, On3, and Rivals.

Updated 4/16

Where do the Aggies land in Rivals’ Top 5 linebacker class rankings?

After landing 2025 4-star linebacker Kelvion Riggins, Texas A&M is currently one Rival’s Top 5 linebacker classes in the cycle.

It’s early, but so far, new Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko has begun to check several boxes, including hiring a formidable coaching staff while already landing three prospects in the 2025 recruiting class, including 4-star linebacker Kelvion Riggins, 4-star cornerback Deyjhon Pettaway and 4-star running back Deondrae “Tiger” Riden.

With a focus on defense, Elko’s elite pedigree should do wonders for the current players on the roster, led by incoming sophomore linebacker Taurean York, who looks to further develop under the new regime. Sticking to linebacker, York is the present and the future, but to feel good going into 2025, landing two or three LB prospects is a must.

However, with Riggins fully committed, 2025 4-star linebackers Elijah Barnes and Riley Pettajohn remain the program’s premier targets, landing in both players’ respective Top program lists last month.

Even with just one linebacker commit, the Aggies, according to Rivals, are already one of the top teams positionally rankings-wise, landing in the Top 5 2025 LB classes. Here are the four teams they joined.

Oklahoma offers five-star tight end Kendre Harrison from NC

Oklahoma offered five-star athlete and projected tight end Kendre Harrison out of Reidsville, NC. Harrison is a five-star prospect from the 2026 class.

The tight end was a sore spot for the Sooners in 2023. Production never met expectations, and the Sooners offense received nothing from the room this past season.

Tight ends coach Joe Jon Finley was elevated to co-offensive coordinator. Because of that, the expectations of him as a recruiter have also elevated.

He has a much better assortment of talent to work with in 2024. Four-star tight end Davon Mitchell will be a big boost to the room, but the Sooners have their work cut out to rebuild the position to the caliber of OU standards from the past.

One attempt to do that has the Sooners offering one of North Carolina’s best players, if not the best player in the state. Kendre Harrison is a five-star athlete who projects as a tight end for the Sooners. He’s equally capable of playing defensive end at the Power Five level, but most teams see him as a tight end. He’s the number one prospect in North Carolina for the class of 2026, but you’d be hard-pressed to find someone in NC who doesn’t think he’s simply the best player in the state, regardless of class.

Harrison’s physicality oozes on film. Though he’s not necessarily a fluid route runner, he showcases the ability to be molded into a more refined product.

Every major school in the country has offered or shown interest in Harrison, and some have offered him as a basketball player. He could very well be a five-star basketball player when his high school career is over.

Kendre Harrison’s Recruiting Profile

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Oklahoma offers one of nation’s top 2026 defensive backs in Justice Fitzpatrick

Oklahoma offered five-star 2026 prospect Justice Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick is the younger brother of NFL star Minkah Fitzpatrick.

Oklahoma has been on an offer spree in January, and it’s very apparent the Sooners are attempting to build their recruiting board for 2025 while also starting to piece together their board for the 2026 class.

While the class of 2025 is the next up, relationships start years before they become seniors, which rings true as the Sooners’ offer 2026 five-star defensive back Justice Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick is already a composite five-star across the primary recruiting services and is ranked in the top 30 on most recruiting websites.

He stands six feet tall now and showcases a level of feel and understanding for football beyond his years. He’s played both cornerback and safety in his two years at the high school level. He is also a track participant and is the brother of one of the best defensive backs in the NFL, Minkah Fitzpatrick.

He is already a state title winner at St. Thomas Aquinas, one of the most well-known football programs in the country. Alabama, his brother’s alma mater, has yet to offer, but some heavy hitters, including Oklahoma, have entered the pursuit for the talented and versatile defensive back.

Justice Fitzpatrick’s Recruiting Profile

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Oklahoma Sooners offer 4-star cornerback and Georgia Bulldogs commit

Jay Valai offered four-star cornerback and UGA commit Tae Harris on Wednesday morning.

Oklahoma’s defensive backs had an up-and-down season in 2023. They’ll be looking for more consistency as the Sooners prepare for the SEC. The Sooner defensive backs are a talented unit, and they had excellent production with interceptions, as the Sooners were in the top five as a team in that category. They can improve to be more sticky in coverage going into 2024.

Jay Valai has been an excellent recruiter since coming to Oklahoma, and he’s looking to continue building that room with an offer to Tae Harris out of Cedartown, Georgia, on Wednesday morning.

Harris, a four-star, six-foot cornerback in the 2025 class, is already committed to Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs. However, Harris is not planning to shut down his recruitment anytime soon and continues to visit other schools.

The 247Sports composite rankings have Harris rated as a four-star prospect and the No. 221 prospect in the country, the No. 27 cornerback, and the No. 28 prospect in Georgia.

Harris is a dual-sport athlete with excellent track times in the 100-meter dash and some very nice numbers on the gridiron. He is a two-way player for his Cedartown High School team who plays receiver when not locking down receivers. He also showcased versatility as a defensive back and played free safety. He could be a candidate to play the nickel for the Sooners in college given his versatility.

Tae Harris’s Recruiting Profile

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Report: True freshman phenom DJ Hicks returning to Texas A&M for next season

Per Landyn Rosow of Rivals, the Aggies true freshman defensive lineman is returning to Kyle Field for his sophomore year in College Station.

Texas A&M phenomenal freshman defensive lineman David “DJ” Hicks Jr. is reportedly returning to Kyle Field for his true sophomore season in Bryan-College Station.

According to a report from Landy Rosow, Rivals’ Texas A&M recruiting insider & writer, Hicks will not be entering the NCAA Transfer Portal and intends to play for new head Aggies head coach Mike Elko and his staff in 2024.

Hicks will work directly with Sean Spencer, who was hired from Florida to coach the defensive line. The 6-foot-5, 290-pound native of Katy, Texas graduated from Paetow High School last year.

He committed to Texas A&M as a 5-star recruit who was ranked amongst the top 15 players in the country. According to 247Sports, Hicks was the No. 1 player from the Lone Star State in the Class of 2023. He was selected to play in the Under Armour All-America game and Polynesian Bowl.

Hicks played in 11 games for the Aggies this season, tallying 13 tackles (6 solo), 2 tackles for a loss of yards and 1 sack. He racked up 2 tackles during the Texas Bowl on Dec. 27 against No. 20 Oklahoma State.

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Where does the Aggies’ 2024 recruiting class rank in the SEC and nationally?

As the Early Signing Day period comes to a close for 2023, it’s time to see where the Aggies’ 2024 class ranks among SEC foes and nationally.

As the Early Signing Day period comes to a close for 2023, it’s time to see where Texas A&M‘s 2024 class ranks among Southeastern Conference rivals and nationally.

After having the No. 1 recruiting class in 2022, Mike Elko has set the bar high for his first haul of prospects as Aggies head coach. Texas A&M ranks in the top 20 nationally according to the three most prominent college sports media and data companies.

The highest nationwide ranking comes from On3 Sports, which has the Aggies slotted at No. 12 in the country. 247Sports has Texas A&M at No. 17 and Rivals ranks the Aggies at No. 19 nationally. Among SEC foes, On3 and Rivals have Texas A&M ranked No. 7 while 247 slotted the Aggies at No. 9.

Texas A&M has signed 16 total recruits, most of which are four-star prospects. The list of signees includes Papa Ahfua, Ernest Campbell, Myles Davis, Dealyn Evans, Ashton Funk, Blake Ivy, Kendall Jackson, Tristan Jernigan, Eric Karner, Jordan Lockhart, Miles O’Neill, Jordan Pride, Izaiah Williams and Solomon Williams.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Shaun on Twitter: @Shaun_Holkko.

Saints statement game brewing against the Rams, one of their oldest rivals

The Saints are hoping to make a statement on Thursday night against one of their oldest rivals. A look back at their series history with the Rams:

We’re in for a big one on Thursday night — maybe the biggest game of the year for the New Orleans Saints. A win over the Los Angeles Rams wouldn’t just help open a second path to a playoff berth for the Saints, meaning they could reach the postseason without an NFC South title; it would also tip the scales back in their favor in the all-time record against one of their oldest rivals.

The Rams may have beaten the Saints often in their early years as neighbors in the old NFC West, but New Orleans evened the score by winning 16 of their 22 matchups from 1985 to 1995, including an undefeated stretch of seven games from Dec. 9, 1990 to Oct. 3, 1993. Now, Los Angeles maintains a lead of 43-35 in the all-time record between these two teams.

Can the Saints notch another win after beating the Rams 27-20 in New Orleans last season? They have their work cut out for them against a red-hot L.A. squad that has won four of its last five games, having taken the 11-3 Baltimore Ravens to overtime in a last-second loss.

We’re going to learn a lot about the Saints in this game. If Dennis Allen’s team can pull off the upset and stay alive in the playoffs race, it will validate the swagger he’s shown as of late after knocking out the New York Giants and Carolina Panthers. If they fall short and regress after making some big strides, well: the criticism Allen has drawn from all corners in New Orleans is only going to return with vengeance.

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Oklahoma Sooners land commitment from talented 4-star OL Eddy Pierre-Louis

Oklahoma has continued to stack up offensive line depth for the future, earning a commitment from four-star guard Eddy Pierre-Louis.

We are now just days away from Oklahoma finalizing their 2024 recruiting class with the early signing period coming on December 20th. Many athletes are having signing day ceremonies early since some schools will be out for winter break during that time.

The recruiting process has ended for many prospects, but for some, it has taken them a lot longer to figure out where they would play college football.

Oklahoma had to play the waiting game for one of their prospects, but with the athleticism and the upside that this one possesses, it could end up being worth the wait. Four-star Tampa Catholic offensive lineman Eddy Pierre-Louis announced his commitment to the Oklahoma Sooners on Friday.

Pierre-Louis chose the Sooners over offers from Oregon, Alabama, UCF, Auburn, Florida, Michigan, USC and many others. The talented offensive lineman is a composite four-star at 247Sports is Rivals number one guard prospect in the country.

This recruitment has been a roller coaster, with UCF holding a distinct advantage at times. Oregon led for some time, as did Oklahoma. The one constant in this was Oklahoma’s ability to never get too far down the pecking order. When the opportunity came for the Sooners to seize control for good, they did just that.

Eddy Pierre-Louis has game-ready size as he stands 6-foot-4 and weighs over 315 pounds already. He is most definitely a guard in college, but he could end up being an all-conference type of guard if his athleticism translates to the collegiate level.

He runs track and field, and his high school tape showcases a physical player who thrives as a pulling lineman, where he can get out in space and punish defenders. With Oklahoma using many more gap-oriented run schemes, which Seth Littrell has incorporated in his offenses before, he has a clear path to showcasing his best skills.

Bill Bedenbaugh is getting a terrific talent whose athleticism raises his ceiling significantly. With Oklahoma’s lack of depth along the interior, it’s entirely possible that Pierre-Louis needs to be ready to play at some point next season.

With him in the boat, the Oklahoma Sooners have 28 high school commitments and remain one of the ten best recruiting classes in the country.

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Florida’s 2024 quarterback recruit earns fifth star from Rivals

The announcement gives Lagway a unanimous consensus as a five-star athlete across the major scouting services.

It was a rough season for the Florida football program but there is hope waiting just over the horizon thanks to the efforts Billy Napier and Co. have made on the high school recruiting trail.

The crown jewel of the 2024 class, blue-chip quarterback [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag] out of Willis (Texas), has been the focus of the Gator Nation’s optimism for next season and beyond. Recently, Rivals’ national recruiting director Adam Gorney released his updated five-star prospects in that cycle which included the Florida commit, giving him a unanimous consensus as a five-star athlete across the major scouting services.

“Statistics are not the end-all, be-all of rankings but sometimes it’s just foolish to ignore production, especially at the level DJ Lagway produced this season,” Gorney notes. “The Florida quarterback was simply incredible nearly every week and has now moved up to five-star status.

“The 6-foot-3, 190-pound quarterback – who actually looks bigger – completed 72% of his passes for 4,604 yards with 58 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Amazingly, Lagway also rushed for 957 yards and 16 scores as well.”

Lagway is ranked No. 17 overall and No. 3 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 2 and 11, respectively.

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