College football recruitment remains a marathon and not a sprint.
The coming months will change the rankings, especially with challenges still presented due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
One thing is clear, however: there is no single path to success on the recruiting track. Alabama’s 2021 class, for example, finished first nationally, but it took time to develop and only beat the last ten years in July.
Conversely, Tennessee and Minnesota were examples of classes that came in the top 10 a year ago, before finally ending up at 19 and 31 on National Signing Day in February, respectively.
The state of Ohio has shown that it is possible to send a strong start to an equally strong finish, and never fall below 2 in the 2021 cycle. Now the Buckeyes are striving to show equally impressive consistency for 2022.
While time will tell how this class takes shape, there is a look at ten classes to watch as they lead the group in the early stages of the 2022 cycle.
ESPN Jr. 300 connected: 9
Top offensive commit: QB Quinn Ewers (No. 1)
Highest defense commitment: CB Jaheim Singletary (No. 32)
The Buckeyes have not signed an overall number 1 in the ESPN 300 era, but they have come in second place with three Class 2s in the previous five cycles, and they indicate that they will be at the top once again .
Ewers, the leading prospect in the ESPN Jr. 300, who was released from Texas in October and committed to the Buckeyes in November. He is a good player with a quick, smooth release and the arm strength to make all the throws. He is an already deep and talented class that includes WR Caleb Burton, a fellow Texan who is overall no. 42 is.
Defense was well represented with a handful of ESPN Jr. 300 bets projected on that side of the ball, including some top-12 cornerbacks in Singletary and Jyaire Brown.
ESPN Jr. 300 connected: 7
Top offensive commit: QB Walker Howard (No. 30)
Highest defense commitment: CB JaDarian Rhym (No. 128)
Despite struggling during the 2020 season, LSU were able to maintain a strong presence on the recruiting path, having just signed the No. 6 class. The Tigers are now starting one of the warmest starts for 2022.
They are always tough to beat on their home field and have commitments from several important prospects in the state, led by Howard and the top-10 OT Will Campbell. There will be plenty of eyes on Isidore Newman High School in New Orleans, as it is home to the prestigious, uninvolved QB Arch Manning of 2023, but in the immediate future the Tigers had success at school for 2022, bringing the teammates OT Bo Bordelon, an aggressive and flexible big man whose father was an offensive linebacker at LSU, and WR AJ Johnson, one of Manning’s big targets.
Based on their tradition of offering excellent defensive backs, LSU already has commitments from three four-star corners, including the long and instinctive rhyme.
ESPN Jr. 300 connected: 6
Top offensive commit: QB Gunner Stockton (No. 41)
Top defense commitment: DE Tire-West (No. 8)
Georgia has tied five consecutive top-three classes together and looks ready to expand the series to six. Its early success was inferred from talent in the state, as the Bulldogs class contained bets from four of the state’s top 10 prospects.
One of the most important pickups in the home state is Stockton, a former verb in South Carolina who is a strong-armed passer-by and is quick to help bolster the talent and depth in that position. Stockton will join QB Brock Vandagriff, a four-star QB, in Athens.
The foundation of this class is currently in defense with several four-star defensive line additions, led by West, the best player in the state. Deyon Bouie can play on either side of the ball, but projects to defense. He and his fellow CB, Marquis Groves-Killebrew, give Georgia two ESPN Jr. 300 commitments in the secondary.
ESPN Jr. 300 connected: 6
Top offensive commit: QB Maalik Murphy (No. 16)
Highest defense commitment: S Bryan Allen Jr. (No. 78)
After Steve Sarkisian led one of the strongest attacks in college football as an offensive coordinator in Alabama, he is now putting together his first full class as head coach in Texas.
Offensive defines this group early. The Longhorns went west to California for their quarterback, and landed Murphy, a prospect with limited player experience in high school so far, but someone who has some impressive physical qualities, including a big arm.
The class also features some big offensive targets from in-states: top-10 wide receivers, Evan Stewart and Armani Winfield, and Jaydon Blue, an explosive runner who also has good ball skills.
Defense is also not overlooked, and the Longhorns recently added one of the top defensive rugby prospects in the state in Allen, a top-five safety that is fluid with good instinct.
ESPN Jr. 300 connected: 5
Top offensive commit: WR Talyn Shettron (No. 13)
Top defense commitment: OLB Kobe McKinzie (No. 81)
Lincoln Riley may need to figure out a way to pick up a second footballer in his attacking attack with the depth of playmakers he’s gaining. The Sooners have signed one of the best wide receiver classes in the 2021 cycle, and another 20 top attacking weapons are on board for 2022.
The class consists of three ESPN Jr. 300 top-10 wide receivers: Shettron, Jordan Hudson from Texas and Luther Burden, a fast and smooth target from Illinois. The attacking firepower adds the top-three RB Raleek Brown, a sudden and rapid recoil type that can be dangerous in space.
ESPN Jr. 300 connected: 7
Top offensive commit: OT Drew Shelton (No. 97)
Highest defense commitment: DE Ken Talley (103)
The Nittany Lions’ 2021 class never reached higher than number 15 and eventually finished outside the top 25, but they are showing signs of a stronger year on the 2022 recruiting route.
The early success was built from talent in the state with commitments from five of the top ten players in Pennsylvania, led by Shelton, who will play his senior year at the IMG Academy in Florida, and Talley, who is an explosive defender with a good car is. .
QB Beau Pribula is a prospect to look at as he possesses some qualities in the form of former Penn State QB Trace McSorley. Head coach James Franklin is on his way to putting together one of the most talented groups of passers-by in this class, especially as the ESPN Jr. 300-athlete Mehki Flowers used at a wide receiver.
ESPN Jr. 300 connected: 5
Top offensive commit: OT PJ Williams (No. 95)
Highest defense commitment: DE Malick Sylla (No. 37)
The Aggies have strongly completed the 2021 cycle and are carrying the momentum in the 2022 class. All their commitments came in the new year, and the start of the run was Sylla, a defensive end in the state with a good first step and a good head.
If he joins a talented D-line group just signed, led by five-star Shemar Turner, Texas A&M could give a formidable defensive front. The Aggies also recently met Sylla’s high school teammate in the ESPN Jr. 300 defender Bobby Taylor, a tall and fast cornerback, added.
They have their QB on board in Conner Weigman, a powerful pitcher with good accuracy.
ESPN Jr. 300 connected: 5
Top offensive commit: OT Joey Tanona (No. 87)
Top defense commitment: DE Tyson Ford (No. 148)
The Fighting Irish hit the top 10 classes early. After exhibiting one of the best offensive line units during the 2020 season, they are working to keep the unit strong with some ESPN Jr. 300 attacks in Tanona, a big man and Ty Chan.
The running Jadarian Price not only has a good speed but is also a tough runner who can produce after contact. The four-star Ford, a defensive linebacker with a good initial outburst as well as good agility, leads several commitments to the top seven.
ESPN Jr. 300 connected: 3
Top offensive commit: QB Nicco Marchiol (No. 231)
Top defense commitment: CB Travis Hunter (No. 19)
The Seminoles have struggled at quarterback for the past few years, but Mike Norvell has secured his passing quickly for the 2022 cycle in Marchiol. A leftist with a quick release and good accuracy, his stock rose during his junior season as he also showed the type of mobility to offer problems as a runner as well.
The Seminoles also achieved one of the best defensive prospects in this class in Hunter, which has an excellent mix of speed, speed, length and toughness. The addition of top-five athlete Sam McCall, who is an explosive player who could be a sideline-to-sideline presence, could give the Seminoles two big players in their secondary series. Among the good early defensive pickups are some four-star defensive lines in Nyjalik Kelly and Aaron Hester.
ESPN Jr. 300 connected: 2
Top offensive commit: WR Taylor Groves (four stars)
Highest defense commitment: CB William Johnson (No. 29)
The Wolverines signed the No. 2 class in the Big Ten for the 2021 cycle, and they remain near the top early in the conference.
The second security has benefited from two strong pickups in Johnson and fellow prospector KPN Jones, ESPN 300. The impeccable Johnson is an important commitment as he is not only one of the top five prospects in the class, but is also the best player in the state of Michigan. Jones, who has excellent speed, is listed as an athlete but projects as a cornerback.
Michigan has two four-star commitments from Tennessee in Jones and Groves, which is a long, reliable target with his ball skills. TE Marlin Klein is committed to watching. Originally from Germany, but now plays his high school football in Georgia, and is a prospect with promising upside; at 6 feet-6, 220 pounds, he displayed the physical tools to grow into a versatile and physically offensive weapon.