SI

Top 25 College Football Team Recruiting Rankings

Resetting the SI All-American Team Recruiting Rankings as the calendar turns to September

John Garcia, Jr.

The rush of college commitments through the month of June and July took a slight downturn in August, as top prospects focus on their current teams more than future colors, but several SI99 prospects decisions still came in. 

Notre Dame, ranked fourth in the SI All-American rankings to kick off the month, was the only program to pick up multiple SI99 prospects in recent weeks in wide receivers Tobias Merriweather and C.J. Williams, pushing their total to a half-dozen -- the same as Alabama. Only Clemson holds more at this point in the 2022 cycle, at eight. The Irish move up to No. 2 behind Penn State's strong class nationally. 

Oregon moves from 10 to No. 5 having added several prospects, including an SI99 wide receiver of their own in California's Tetairoa McMillan, but Georgia and Texas added the most volume in the top 10 without losing pledges, combining for nine new commitments.

Kirby Smart's program moves from No. 8 to No. 6 on the heels of adding multiple offensive linemen and a pair of wide receivers while Texas resides as one of the hottest programs on the trail, having added five new commitments in the month of August, including a pair of pass rushers to close out the month in order to move inside the top 10 at No. 7. 

Stanford isn't far behind, debuting in the rankings after adding a half-dozen new pledges over recent weeks, bumping Indiana from the list in the process. 

Track all movement, including some big de-commitments, in the updated SIAA Top 25. 

1. Penn State (No. 1 in August)

24 Verbal Commitments

James Franklin's program holds steady at the top of the mountain with a strong combination of top talent and volume, sporting the nation's largest class to date. The headliners, including No. 1 running back Nicholas Singleton and top-five quarterback Drew Allar, continue to shine early in the high school season, too. 

2. Notre Dame (4)

21 Verbal Commitments

The Irish are red hot on the trail and are addressing primary needs, like diverse talent on the outside, with the latest SI99 additions. Merriweather becomes the highest-ranked prospect in the class at No. 46 overall. 

3. Alabama (2)

14 Verbal Commitments

Alabama's big early summer push still stands strong, but it did play even in August in losing running back pledge Le'Veon Moss and adding top 10 safety Jake Pope to the commitment list.  

4. Ohio State (3)

14 Verbal Commitments

The Buckeyes are positioning themselves for a big late cycle run, but the small slide in September was about the current roster, as No. 2 QB Quinn Ewers departed the 2022 class to enroll this fall -- and he is doing so with considerable cash coming in. 

5. Oregon (10)

19 Verbal Commitments

Oregon has made one of the biggest moves up list with McMillan and defensive backs Jalil Tucker and Jahlil Florence jumping on the commitment list. The Ducks have moved up 14 spots since the July release. Only Alabama has made a bigger jump this summer.

6. Georgia (8)

16 Verbal Commitments

Georgia had strong momentum in August with four commitments, including wide receivers Dillon Bell and Cole Speer along with offensive linemen Griffin Scroggs and Jacob Hood. Another run at a top five class is likely given prospects still on the board for UGA. 

7. Texas (12)

20 Verbal Commitments

Texas picked up the biggest August haul among top 25 programs, adding interior defensive linemen Jaray Bledsoe and Aaron Bryant, Edge J'Mond Tapp, linebacker Eoghan Kerry and New Orleans cornerback Ronald 'Champ' Lewis, a flip from Colorado. 

8. Texas A&M (7)

14 Verbal Commitments

A&M is heating up in a hurry with its national recruiting footprint, adding two-way star Deyon 'Smoke' Bouie to the commitment list in August. Back in the home state it added SI99 safety Bryce Anderson, too. 

[Related: Checking in on America's top uncommitted recruits]

9. Clemson (5)

12 Verbal Commitments

The Tigers still hold arguably the top pound-for-pound class in the nation and as usual, Dabo Swinney and company are taking their time building it. Eight of the 12 pledges are members of the SI99 rankings, led by QB1 Cade Klubnik. 

10. LSU (6)

15 Verbal Commitments

LSU did not add any new commitments and lost the pledge of New Orleans native and former Arch Manning go-to target AJ Johnson, who is playing his senior season in south Florida. 

11. Florida State (9)

18 Verbal Commitments

Led by No. 1 overall recruit Travis Hunter, the Seminoles continue to recruit beyond on-field expectation. 

12. Oklahoma (11) 

14 Verbal Commitments

The biggest de-commitment in August was undoubtedly SI99 wide receiver Luther Burden, as OU has now lost three pledges at the position in the class of 2022. The Sooners have yet to suffer defections elsewhere. On the bright side, the early 2023 haul is America's best early on, including most recent pledge in wide receiver Brandon Inniss.

13. Boston College (13)

22 Verbal Commitments

The Eagles have the ACC's biggest recruiting class and it has strong depth and premium positions addressed within, including talent in the trenches and in the secondary. 

14. Michigan (14)

15 Verbal Commitments

It looked like UM would be adding a trench talent to the commitment list in Tawfiq Thoms, but a last minute change of timeline plans locked in a steady month for the program without tangible movement. 

15. South Carolina (17)

16 Verbal Commitments

The Gamecocks bump up a couple of spots with attrition behind them in the rankings. Finishing anywhere in the top 25 would hold as a strong indicator for new head coach Shane Beamer.

16. Rutgers (16)

15 Verbal Commitments

One of the darlings of the 2022 cycle is Rutgers' recruiting resurgence. Can it keep up the rankings when the on-field product is on full display?

17. North Carolina (21)

13 Verbal Commitments

The most critical commitment in August went to North Carolina in keeping interior defensive lineman Travis Shaw within state lines. The No. 2 IDL prospect and top 10 overall recruit instantly becomes the class headliner along the way. 

18. Virginia Tech (19)

22 Verbal Commitments

VT added four pledges and lost one in what was a busy month of August. Two of the additions came in the secondary in Cam Johnson and Mansoor Delane, each from pipeline state Maryland. 

19. Baylor (15)

20 Verbal Commitments

Baylor losing in-state wide receiver recruit Caleb Douglas from the commitment list, combined with Texas' momentum, has each program at 20 verbal pledges atop the Big 12 in number.

20. Florida (25)

13 Verbal Commitments

Florida added EJ Lightsey, the Peach State linebacker who announced his decision with SI All-American. It also picked up in-state offensive lineman David Conner, helping to strengthen a major position of need for Dan Mullen up front. 

21. Arkansas (18)

17 Verbal Commitments

The Hogs are holding steady with one of America's best offensive line hauls as it paces half of the league on the trail. 

22. Mississippi State (24)

18 Verbal Commitments

Mississippi State was busy in August, adding Louisiana linebacker Javae Gilmore and Peach State defensive backs Donovan Johnson and Audavion Collins. It suffered a decommitment, too, losing the pledge of junior college cover man DeCarlos Nicholson, but the Bulldogs have America's biggest secondary haul to date. 

23. West Virginia (23)

17 Verbal Commitments

West Virginia holds steady on the trail and added Florida linebacker Travious Lathan in recent weeks.  

24. Iowa State (20)

18 Verbal Commitments

ISU remains in the top 25 after a big run in July and stands as one of the few programs yet to suffer a decommitment in the class of 2022. 

25. Stanford (NR)

17 Verbal Commitments

The Cardinal are officially the hottest team on the trail within this group, cracking the rankings after adding a handful of prospects in August, plus one. Stanford picked up pass rusher Ernest Cooper, interior defensive lineman Zach Rowell, linebacker Benjamin Hudson, safety Kamari Ramsey, wide receiver Elic Ayomanor and tight end Pat Caughey. In typical Stanford fashion, five different states were represented among the six additions.

Dropped out: Indiana (25)

Under consideration: Missouri, Michigan State, Tennessee, Georgia Tech, Northwestern

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John Garcia, Jr.
JOHN GARCIA, JR.

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