Looking Back at the Weekend on the 2021 CFB Recruiting Trail

SI All-American takes a look at several happenings on the recruiting trail from this past weekend

It's common for many casual fans to assume things slow down on the recruiting trail this time of year. With the Early Signing Period in tow, Christmas just passing and New Year's Day approaching, one could assume recruiting action subsides.

However, that is not the case. Recruiting never stops, and a few programs received good news on Christmas Day. As we race towards February 3rd, we wanted to look back and catch up on some of the biggest happenings that took place this past weekend on the recruiting trail. 

Jaeden Roberts commits to Alabama

Alabama swooped in on Signing Day to unseat Ohio State as the top recruiting class in the country. The Crimson Tide’s haul got even stronger on Christmas Eve-Eve when elite RB prospect Camar Wheaton announced he was headed to Tuscaloosa. Already possessing an all-time OL class within this group, Bama got another elite blocker for Wheaton on Christmas when IOL prospect Jaeden Roberts, who decommitted from nemesis Auburn on Signing Day, committed to come to the Capstone. While the Buckeyes still have a chance to finish with the No. 1 class, it will take a big feat between now and February 3rd to overtake the 26-man class Nick Saban and his staff have put together.

Auburn loses Phillip O'Brien Jr. to Pitt

The Tigers have their head man in place and impressively hung on to most of their recruiting class on Signing Day, outside of losing IOL Jaeden Roberts. However, some didn’t sign with AU, including DB Phillip O'Brien Jr. He has since flipped to Pitt. Hailing from Florida, O’Brien is a 6-foot-1, 190-pound backend-defender who can work as a safety in the seams. Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi is a defensive-oriented leader who surely will deploy the Sunshine State prospect in an effective manner in Western Pennsylvania. It’s not everyday we see Auburn lose to Pitt in a recruiting race, but credit Narduzzi and his staff for its Christmas Day win.

Colorado Secures a Victory

IDL prospect Victory Vaka decommitted from Texas A&M in late November, before citing BYU, Penn State, Florida State, Michigan and Vanderbilt as finalists. Also in that group were the Colorado Buffaloes, who have had a surprising 4-1 season and will face Texas in the Alamo Bowl. Head coach Karl Dorrell is no stranger to recruiting in California due to his prior stint leading UCLA. Vaka, who is from Southern California, announced on Christmas his intention to take his space-eating 6-foot-2, 350-pound frame to play for Dorrell in Boulder. Colorado has 20 commitments for its 2021 class.

Texas’ 20th

This hasn’t been an ideal season for Texas and head coach Tom Herman, though athletic director Chris Del Conte has given Herman a vote of confidence. The Longhorns have the No. 18 class in our recruiting rankings, and added to it on Christmas with the addition of slot WR prospect Keithron Lee. An in-state get for the offensive-minded Herman, Lee is a 5-foot-10, 175-pound prospect who can also work as a supplemental running back.

South Carolina nabs a Commitment

New South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer has experience recruiting in the South, as he has had stints at Mississippi State, Georgia and Virginia Tech. Beamer also was an assistant in Columbia for four seasons, so he knows his way around the SEC footprint. He dipped into the JUCO ranks on Christmas, securing a pledge from 6-foot cornerback Isaiah Norris out of Georgia Military College. Beamer still has a lot of work to do in this 2021 cycle, as Norris is just the Gamecocks’ 10th commitment.

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