SEC 2025 Early Signing Period Winners and Losers

Which SEC teams signed the best 2025 recruiting classes?

Nov 30, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian reacts during the second quarter against the Texas A&M Aggies. The Longhorns defeated the Aggies 17-7 at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images / Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Talent is everything in college football… and all that talent is seemingly headed to the SEC, again. The nation’s top conference locked up seven spots in the top 10 in the race for the top spot with the Texas Longhorns supplanting Georgia as college football’s best. With Georgia and Alabama just behind Texas, it only reinforces how strong the conference is overall. After years of hard work on the 2025 class, there are those popping champagne bottles, and other SEC staffs perhaps eating a frozen microwave dinner over the kitchen sink after the day on Wednesday.

THE WINNERS

The top of the class combined to sign 13 five-stars or composite five-stars with Texas bringing in four, Georgia five, and Alabama four. Auburn, Texas A&M, LSU, and Tennessee held strong placing in the top 10 with each signing at least one five-star.

Of the top three performers out of the SEC, Alabama signed arguably the best in quarterback Keelon Russell. The addition of offensive tackle Ty Haywood, corner Dijon Lee, and offensive lineman Michael Carroll is an impressive haul by the Crimson Tide. But the Bulldogs got two top 10 talents in end Isaiah Gibson and defensive lineman Elijah Griffin… that nasty Kirby Smart defense will remain so.

The athleticism in Austin got even better with safeties Jonah Williams, Kade Phillips, athlete Michael Terry, edge rusher Lance Jackson, and receivers Kaliq Lockett and Jaime French. That’s just five of the 24 the Longhorns signed, five players most programs would do anything for to get.

Auburn got into the top 10 by owning the state of Alabama. Oregon snuck in signing corner Na’eem Offord and Ohio State got edge rusher Zion Grady, but every other top player effectively went to the Tigers. The Crimson Tide landed one in-state four-star, tackle Micah DeBose.

THE LOSERS

Each coaching staff hits the recruiting trail with different objectives. For Vanderbilt, the portal looks like the way forward. The Commodores signed 13; 12 three-stars and one four-star. Per the rankings, Vanderbilt was at the bottom of the conference, but what they do in the transfer portal can quickly make up for lost ground.

Besides Vanderbilt, Arkansas (5), Kentucky (7), and Mississippi State (3) were the only SEC teams to not bring in 10 or more four-star recruits. Both Arkansas and Mississippi State opted for a close to full class with 24 each. The respective staffs have to feel that they have some underrated players heading to campus… that is the hope for the fanbases.

Worth noting that Bear Bryant notched Kentucky’s first double-digit winning season in program history during the 1950 campaign and the feat has only been accomplished three other times, in 1977 under Fran Curci and twice with Mark Stoops (2018, 2021). Being outside a talent-rich recruiting area that overlaps SEC and Big Ten country, year after year the Wildcats get the most out of their players. The 2025 class was strong enough to be in the top 30, but how will that translate on the field against SEC competition that is outpacing the bottom tier of the conference.