The recruiting cycle’s first signing day is upon us. While NIL and the early signing period in December—which runs from Wednesday, Dec. 3 through Friday, Dec. 5—have done away with much of the drama that existed in the past, it is still a huge day for college football programs across the country as they welcome their future players into the fold.
The 2026 recruiting class is one of the deepest in recent memory, and top talent has gone to the usual suspects, but also some programs you might not expect. USC has the top recruiting class in the country according to 247Sports, with Alabama, Notre Dame, Oregon and Ohio State rounding out the top five. But a host of top 100 players have gone to schools rarely in the mix for top talent.
