The Early Signing Period for the 2025 college football recruiting class opened Wednesday, and the West Coast football programs all got off to strong starts.
USC coach Lincoln Riley might take a victory lap. Oregon's Dan Lanning won't be far behind, and Washington emerged with a strong class under Jedd Fisch.
According to 247Sports.com rankings, the Trojans clinched the No. 1 recruiting class for 2026. It's the first time since 2008 that a school from the Southeastern Conference will not be No. 1. Texas (2025), Georgia (2024) and Alabama (2023) held that distinction for the SEC each of the last three seasons. The Longhorns, Bulldogs and Crimson Tide still were still among the top-10 classes, but there is no doubt the elite talent is stretching out more in the NIL and transfer portal era.
Proof of concept: Quarterback Keisean Henderson (Legacy the School of Sports Sciences, Spring, Texas) – the No. 1 recruit in the 2026 class – committed to Houston in the Big 12. That was not the only surprise among five-star quarterbacks this week Five-star defensive lineman Lamar Brown (University Lab, Baton Rouge, La.) Did not sign a letter-of-intent to LSU and new coach Lane Kiffin yet.
That could influence these rankings down the line.
As it stands, here is a look at the early winners and losers from Early Signing Day on Wednesday.
Signing Day winners
Winner: USC hauls in No. 1 class for Lincoln Riley
We shouldn't be that surprised about this when it comes to Riley, who has put together seven top-10 classes in eight full cycles between Oklahoma and USC. That is an under-publicized track record.
Keenyi Pepe (IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla.) – a 6-7, 320-pound tackle – is the five-star centerpiece of the class. He chose USC over Alabama, a huge win for Riley in the trenches. The Trojans landed six top-100 players, including a pair of receivers in four-star Kayden Dixon Wyatt (Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif.) And Ethan Feaster (DeSoto, DeSoto, Texas). USC kept seven of the top 25 recruits in California, the most of any school. That is an increase from four last year. It's a 35-player class, which is massive, but that includes 21 players with a four-star ranking.
USC finished 9-3 with a 7-2 record in Big Ten play this season. That's an improvement from last year, and this is a class to build on.
Winner: Oregon and Washington
The Ducks and Huskies also are experiencing success after moving to the Big Ten.
Oregon has the No. 2 recruiting class under Dan Lanning, who was able to pull five-star edge rusher Anthony Jones (St. Paul's Episcopal, Mobile, Ala.) Out of the South and five-star interior lineman Immanuel Iheanacho (Georgetown Preparatory, North, Bethesda, Md.) Out of the Mid-Atlantic region.
Washington pieced together a top-15 class under second-year coach Jedd Fisch, which is built around five-star tackle Kodi Greene (Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif.). The Big Ten is won in the trenches, and the Huskies are doing their part to stay competitive up front. Washington also added four-star running back Brian Bonner (Valencia, Calif.) And four-star defensive lineman JD Hill (Mission Viejo, Calif.) From California. Fisch clearly is connected there.
MORE: Tracking all the coaching hires in CFB
Winner: Marcus Freeman hauls in Notre Dame's best class yet
Freeman put together Notre Dame's best recruiting class of the College Football Playoff era, one highlighted by three five-star recruits. Edge rusher Rodney Dunham (Myers Park, Charlotte, N.C.), tight end Ian Premer (Great Bend, Kan.) And safety Joey O'Brien (La Salle College, Wyndmoor, Pa.) Are part of another talented class that proved Freeman can win the major battles on the national level.
Freeman continues to build depth through recruiting. Will the national championship window is starting to open in South Bend as a result?
Notre Dame finished between No. 10 and No. 12 in the last three cycles, and Freeman is starting to stack top-10 classes.
Winner: Vanderbilt flips five-star QB Jared Curtis
The Commodores flipped five-star quarterback Jared Curtis (Nashville Christian High School) from Georgia — and this isn't just about keeping an elite hometown recruit. It's a sign that coach Clark Lea – who signed a six-year extension to stay with Vanderbilt – can build off the Diego Pavia era. Vanderbilt ranks eighth in the FBS with an offense that averaged 39.4 points per game. Curtis – a 6-4, 225-pound quarterback – gives Vanderbilt stability at the most-important position.
Henderson and Curtis signing with Houston and Vanderbilt also is intriguing. The other two five-star quarterbacks in the 247Sports.com class were Tennessee's Faizon Brandon (Grimsley, Greensboro, N.C.) And Texas’ Dia Bell (American Heritage, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Winner: Bill Belichick's first UNC recruiting class is solid
North Carolina finished 4-8 in Bill Belichick's first season, but the 73-year-old coach insisted he is committed to building a winner in Chapel Hill, N.C. The Tar Heels have a top-20 class that ranks third in the ACC behind Miami and Florida State – and not by much. Four-star quarterback Travis Burgess (Grayson, Logansville, Ga.) Is a top-10 QB in the class, and North Carolina is bringing in more than 40 new players. That is a much-different philosophy than how Deion Sanders recruited at Colorado.
North Carolina has not had a top-25 recruiting class since 2021.
Winner: Texas Tech and BYU build on Big 12 momentum
At Big 12 Media Days, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark expressed the desire to see few Big 12 schools separate from the parity that has made the conference compelling the last two years.
"I think ultimately over time and hopefully sooner rather than later there will be a couple of our schools that emerge as elite schools that are always part of conversations at the highest levels." Yormark said. "That’s what we’re working toward."
Maybe Texas Tech and BYU are becoming those teams. The Red Raiders and Cougars had the top two classes in the conference ahead of their Big 12 championship game matchup Saturday.
The Red Raiders picked up five-star tackle Felix Ojo (Mansfield, Texas) and edge rusher LaDamion Guyton (Savannah, Ga.). The Cougars retained coach Kalani Sitake and reeled in a top-25 class.
Signing Day losers
Loser: Penn State loses recruits to James Franklin, Virginia Tech
This is what happens when you fire a head coach during the season and don't have the replacement lined up. Penn State ranks last in the Big Ten. Four-star safety Matt Sieg (Fort Cherry, McDonald, Pa.) Flipped to West Virginia. Penn State had two top-10 recruiting classes in the four-team CFP era under James Franklin, but the former Nittany Lions coach flipped 11 recruits to Virginia Tech, including four-star linebacker Terry Wiggins (Coatesville, Pa.). The Hokies also trolled the Nittany Lions on Signing Day with Crumbl Cookies – the company whose CEO Jason McGowan was instrumental in keeping Sitake at BYU.
The Nittany Lions did land four-star quarterback Peyton Falzone (Nazareth, Pa.), but that next coach has work to do.
Coincidental dessert choice at the #Hokies' signing day ceremony put on today by James Franklin? Pic.twitter.com/eQKPQ9CsbB
— Andy Bitter (@AndyBitterVT) December 3, 2025
Loser: Brian Harline leaving Ohio State for USF, five-star Chris Henry Jr. Still deciding
Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline is leaving to take the job at USF. Hartline has turned the Buckeyes into "WRU" with an impressive line of receivers that has five first-round picks in the last four drafts with Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Marvin Harrison Jr. And Emeka Egbuka. Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate are next, and five-star freshman Chris Henry Jr. (Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif.) Will need more time on his decision.
Henry – a 6-5, 205-pound receiver — is the son of the late Chris Henry, who starred for the Cincinnati Bengals from 2005-09. Will that pipeline change with Hartline gone? That is being a touch over-dramatic, and Henry could easily stay with Ohio State and pair with Smith for one season. Stay tuned.
I have not signed yet. Still trying to weigh my options due to coaching changes I just want to make the right decision for my future.
— Chris Henry Jr (@ChrisHenryJr) December 3, 2025
Gods plan
Loser: Ole Miss struggles to maintain top-25 class
Ole Miss had the No. 34 recruiting class in 2020 before Kiffin arrived. The Rebels had an average recruiting class ranking of 16.2 from 2021-25 under Lane Kiffin, and now the program is barely a top-25 class. Four-star receiver Corey Barber (Clay-Chalkville, Pinson, Ala.) De-committed from Ole Miss and joined Kiffin at LSU. This isn't just about this cycle. Pete Golding's biggest challenge will be keeping the Rebels in that 15-17 range in the yearly recruiting rankings. As of Wednesday night, Ole Miss was at No. 32.
Loser: Auburn feels impact of a fifth straight losing season
Auburn had back-to-back top-10 classes the last two seasons. Say what you want about Hugh Freeze, but he could recruit. The Tigers were at No. 60 with just 13 recruits as the Early Signing Period opened. Is this the product of five straight losing seasons? The Tigers landed just two of the top 25 recruits in the state. Four-star linebackers Jaquez Wilkes (Wadley, Ala.) And Shadarius Toodle (Cottage Hill Christian Academy, Mobile, Ala.) Will be very important recruits for first-year coach Alex Golesh. The Tigers did get defensive linemen Corey Wells and Chris Wells – both from Petal, Miss., to flip from Texas.
Loser: Miami, Florida and Florida and lose elite in-state talent
Miami might get a third straight top-10 class under Mario Cristobal, but it’s close. Florida is making another coaching change to Jon Sumrall, and Florida State has endured back-to-back losing seasons under Mike Norvell. What is the key to getting back for all three? Start with the top-10 recruits in the state. Only two – Florida State commit Chauncey Kennon (Booker, Sarasota, Fla.) And Miami commit Somourian Wingo (St. Augustine, Fla.) Stayed home. That is the solution for Cristobal, Sumrall and Norvell. You have to keep the elite high-school talent in Florida.
How did Lane Kiffin impact Signing Day at LSU?
Kiffin has been LSU's coach for less than a week, and he inherits what could be a top-10 recruiting class once the coaching staff is assembled.
Three potential defensive recruits did not commit on Wednesday. Brown – a 6-foot-4, 285-pound defensive lineman – is the most-important piece.
Four-star defensive lineman Deuce Geralds (Collins Hill, Suwanee, Ga.) Held off on his commitment and is being pursued by Georgia Tech. Cornerback Havon Finney (Sierra Canyon, Los Angeles) signed his letter-of-intent later in the day. Kiffin has three top-100 players that he needs to close the deal with – and that is before the self-proclaimed "Portal King" gets to work.
The Tigers have had a top-10 recruiting class in six of the last seven seasons leading up to 2026. That will be the expectation for Kiffin every single year moving forward. Keep an eye on Brown. That is a significant first step for Kiffin in Baton Rouge, La.
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