Rivals Rankings Week: Texas secures 2025 team recruiting crown
The team recruiting champion has hailed from the SEC every year since 2015 and this year is no different. Texas and head coach Steve Sarkisian have won the team recruiting crown following their first season as a SEC program.
Rivals began tracking the national recruiting race in 2002 and this win by Texas was the smallest margin victory on record.
Georgia finished second, securing their ninth consecutive top-five finish and Ohio State finished third, its sixth consecutive top-five recruiting class.
1.
TEXAS
The final Rivals250 update was good for the Longhorns. Texas finished with four five-star signees, which is one more than it had at the conclusion of the Early Signing Period. Receiver Kaliq Lockett and defensive end Lance Jackson were awarded their fifth stars, joining defensive lineman Justus Terry and Swiss Army knife Jonah Williams. The late surge made by the Longhorns in the recruitment of Terry was one of the biggest upsets of this recruiting cycle.
Arch Manning has to be excited about the receiver haul of Lockett, No. 48 overall prospect Jaime Ffrench and top-100 prospect Daylan McCutcheon. Speaking of quarterbacks, Longhorn signee KJ Lacey moved into the top 50 in the Rivals250 after an impressive showing at the Under Armour All-America Game earlier this month.
2. GEORGIA
Kirby Smart missed out on signing his fourth No. 1 recruiting class by the smallest margin on record but Georgia fans still have plenty to be excited about in this recruiting class.
The top-ranked defensive tackle, strongside defensive end, tight end and outside linebacker are all Georgia natives and they all signed with the Bulldogs. Pairing five-star defensive tackle Elijah Griffin, the highest-ranked non-quarterback in the Rivals250, and five-star strongside defensive end Isaiah Gibson together has the potential to make Georgia’s defensive front just as potent as it was during its national championship seasons.
UGA’s outstanding defensive haul includes five other Rivals250 prospects, including No. 1 outside linebacker Zayden Walker. Tight end Elyiss Williams was elevated to a five-star in the final Rivals250. His 6-foot-7, 240-pound frame and athletic skill set should make him the next in a long line of elite tight ends in Athens.
Georgia addressed its receiving corps, which was a top priority, by signing No. 40 overall prospect CJ Wiley and No. 41 overall prospect Talyn Taylor along with receivers Tyler Williams and Thomas Blackshear, both four-stars, and three-star Landon Roldan.
The group of signees on the offensive line is led by top-100 prospects Mason Short and Juan Gaston Jr.
3. OHIO STATE
After winning the national title on Monday night, head coach Ryan Day and company are going to be in position to contend for years to come, partly because of this recruiting class. The Buckeyes signed three five-star prospects in quarterback Tavien St. Clair, who finished No. 2 in the Rivals250, top-ranked cornerback Devin Sanchez and the No. 1 linebacker in the Rivals250, Riley Pettijohn.
Ohio State signed five other top-100 prospects in receiver Quincy Porter, offensive tackle Carter Lowe, safety Faheem Delane, defensive tackle Jarquez Carter and all-purpose running back Anthony “Turbo” Rogers.
Weakside defensive end Zion Grady (No. 101 overall) and outside linebacker Tarvos Alford (No. 104 overall) were coveted recruits as well.
Ohio State is just one of two programs to sign 17 Rivals250 prospects this cycle, with the other being Texas.
