National Signing Day: Grading the SEC
The 2025 recruiting class is mostly wrapped up now as some programs did really well, others not as much. Here is the SEC Report Card looking at the recruiting class for each program after National Signing Day.
ALABAMA
FULL LIST: Alabama’s 2025 recruiting class
Kalen DeBoer‘s first full recruiting class as Alabama‘s head coach ranks inside the top five of the Rivals Team Rankings and features several foundational pieces like five-star QB Keelon Russell and five-star OL Michael Carroll. Alabama lost recent RB target Jace Clarizio to Michigan State on National Signing Day. It also ended the day with a flip of four-star WR Derek Meadows from LSU.
Grade: A
ARKANSAS
FULL LIST: Arkansas’ 2025 recruiting class
Sam Pittman is expected to remain in Fayetteville for the 2025 season and he has some reinforcements on the way to bolster the roster. The Razorbacks inked longtime commitment Tavion Wallace, a four-star LB from the Peach State coveted heavily by Georgia and Florida State late. Arkansas flipped four-star QB Madden Iamaleava away from UCLA in a head-turner on Wednesday. It also added a commitment from four-star Texas WR Ja’kayden Ferguson, a former Kentucky verbal, who brings some size and speed to the receiving corps for Iamaleava.
Grade: C+
AUBURN
FULL LIST: Auburn’s 2025 recruiting class
Hugh Freeze has assembled a star-studded 2025 recruiting class to revitalize the Auburn roster. The Tigers inked four of the 50 top recruits in the Rivals250, including flipping elite four-star QB Deuce Knight away from Notre Dame and record-setting in-state back Alvin Henderson from Penn State along the way. Auburn made a serious dent inside their home state — signing elite DE Jared Smith despite South Carolina and Ole Miss closing in. The Tigers also kept four-star DB Anquon Fegans and four-star ATH Derick Smith in-state, and held onto four-star CB Donovan Starr despite a late push from Alabama and Vanderbilt. They came up short trying to flip five-star CB Na’eem Offord and lost four-star CB Shamar Arnoux to the Seminoles, but still managed to ink a top-10 haul.
Grade: A
FLORIDA
FULL LIST: Florida’s 2025 recruiting class
No program in the country closed as well as Billy Napier and the Gators, who caught fire on the field and also on the recruiting trail over the final weeks of the 2025 recruiting calendar. Since Nov. 17, Florida has flipped double-digit recruits, including five-star DB Hylton Stubbs, four-star DE Jayden Woods, four-star LB Ty Jackson, four-star OT Tavarius Dice, four-star QB Tramell Jones, four-star RB Byron Louis, four-star DL Joseph Mbatchou, among others.
On National Signing Day, The Gators added another blue-chip DB in Lagonza Hayward, a former Vols verbal. They also fended off Georgia late for four-star DL Jeramiah McCloud and both the Tide and Louisville for four-star WR Naeshaun Montgomery. Florida was on the wrong end of a four-star TE Tae’shaun Gelsey‘s flip to Florida State and couldn’t come away with a late flip of touted in-state five-star WR Jaime Ffrench.
Grade: B+
GEORGIA
FULL LIST: Georgia’s 2025 recruiting class
Kirby Smart and the Dawgs have a recruiting title in sight after a huge in-season surge on the recruiting trail to close out the 2025 cycle. Midway through October, Georgia landed a commitment from five-star DL Elijah Griffin, which had a domino effect. The Dawgs have since flipped four targets inside the Peach State headlined by four-star LB Anthony Kruah and four-star WR CJ Wiley, who flipped from North Carolina and Florida State, respectively. They’ve also brought in elite DE Chase Linton and are trending for five-star DL Justus Terry, who will lock in his decision on Friday.
Grade: A
KENTUCKY
FULL LIST: Kentucky’s 2025 recruiting class
Mark Stoops and the Wildcats reeled in a top-25 class on the Rivals Team Rankings. Kentucky has some foundational pieces in the class headlined by talented four-star hybrid DB Martels Carter Jr., four-star DE Javeon Campbell, four-star CB Andrew Purcell and four-star TE Mikkel Skinner, who flipped to the Wildcats amid a breakout season in South Carolina. Kentucky closed on a high note, too, flipping three-star DB Grant Grayton from Minnesota and three-star ATH Cameron Miller from Wisconsin.
Grade: C+
LSU
FULL LIST: LSU’s 2025 recruiting class
Brian Kelly and the Tigers were challenging for a top-five class for a good portion of the past year. Now, a top-10 haul is coming to the Bayou. Over the past month, attrition took its toll as LSU lost five-star QB Bryce Underwood to Michigan, four-star WR Derek Meadows to Alabama, four-star CB Kade Phillips to Texas, and four-star in-state OL Devin Harper to Ole Miss. LSU was able to ink five-star RB Harlem Berry despite other programs making late pushes. It also kept four-star LB Keylan Moses on-board despite late run from the Aggies and added four-star LB Zach Weeks, who reclassified into this 2025 class. The Tigers also staved off Ole Miss for four-star OT Tyler Miller and flipped five-star OL Solomon Thomas away from Florida State to add more talent to its offensive line. The Tigers remain in play with top-100 North Carolina QB commit Bryce Baker, who will no longer sign this week
Grade: B+
MISSISSIPPI STATE
FULL LIST: Mississippi State’s 2025 recruiting class
Jeff Lebby is adding a bona fide playmaker at quarterback in four-star in-state passer Kamario Taylor. Taylor is one of three blue-chippers in Mississippi State‘s 2025 class along with talented four-star RB Geron Johnson out of Tennessee and four-star LB Tyler Lockhart, who flipped to and from Ole Miss on National Signing Day before ultimately inking with State. State also flipped three-star DB Kyle Johnson away from Houston. The Bulldogs could be in line for more playmakers on offense when four-star WR Cam Sparks makes his decision in February.
Grade: C-
MISSOURI
FULL LIST: Missouri’s 2025 recruiting class
Eli Drinkwitz has a knack for making noise on National Signing Day. That theme continued this year as five-star DE Javion Hilson declared for Missouri over Michigan, Texas, and Texas A&M in a recruitment that went in several different directions late. The Tigers also pulled off late flips of RB Brendon Haygood from Boise State, WR DaMarion Fowlkes from Pitt, and RB Marquise Davis from Kentucky. Mizzou held onto four-star QB Matt Zollers despite a late push from Penn State highlighting a top-25 class.
Grade: B
OKLAHOMA
FULL LIST: Oklahoma’s 2025 recruiting class
It was a quiet National Signing Day in Norman — for the better. Brent Venables and the Sooners added a quarterback to the fold in the form of three-star QB Jett Nieu, who flipped from rival Oklahoma State. Oklahoma also staved off both Texas and Texas A&M for five-star OT Michael Fasusi, Rivals’ No. 12 overall prospect. Fasusi sticking is a massive victory and highlights a haul littered with talent. Oklahoma’s Early Signing Period was lessened after four-star WR Cortez Mills flipped to Nebraska and four-star QB Kevin Sperry flipped to Florida State.
Grade: B
OLE MISS
FULL LIST: Ole Miss’ 2025 recruiting class
Lane Kiffin and the Rebels have made a habit out of keeping the best in the Sip. That trend continued for a third-consecutive recruiting cycle as elite Mississippi WR Caleb Cunningham flipped to the Rebels last month. Cunningham’s flip was followed by four-star OL Devin Harper, who flipped from LSU; and three-star DB Dante Core, who flipped from Auburn. Ole Miss also added four-star WR Winston Watkins at the buzzer for a top-15 haul.
Grade: B
SOUTH CAROLINA
FULL LIST: South Carolina’s 2025 recruiting class
Shane Beamer and the South Carolina staff have made it a priority to keep the best talent in-state. In the 2025 cycle, that strategy is paying dividends. Over the final 10 weeks of the recruiting calendar, the Gamecocks flipped four-star WR Malik Clark and three-star DE Josh Smith, and added a huge commitment from in-state four-star WR Jordon Gidron, who reclassified into the current class. On National Signing Day, South Carolina set off fireworks by flipping four-star OT Damola Ajidahun away from Georgia Tech, four-star JUCO DL Zavion Hardy from Mississippi State and three-star TE Mike Tyler from LSU. It also edged out USC for four-star DL Christian Ingram to seal a top-20 class.
Grade: B+
TENNESSEE
FULL LIST: Tennessee’s 2025 recruiting class
Tennessee‘s top-10 class remained intact despite some late additions and losses. Josh Heupel‘s Vols added major firepower on National Signing Day by way of top-100 DL Isaiah Campbell, who picked Tennessee over North Carolina. The Vols also flipped four-star DB Timothy Merritt away from Miami and three-star LB Jadon Perlotte from USC. Perlotte joined former USC verbal Daune Morris, who also flipped and inked with Tennessee. The Vols are also trending to sign five-star OT David Sanders, who is expected to put pen to paper on Thursday.
Grade: A
TEXAS
FULL LIST: Texas’ 2025 recruiting class
Steve Sarkisian and this Texas staff know how to close in style. The Longhorns have been making noise over the final weeks of the 2025 recruiting cycle — flipping four-star in-state WR Daylan McCutcheon away from Florida State and speedy four-star CB Graceson Littleton from Clemson. Elite four-star CB Kade Phillips followed suit ahead of National Signing Day before top-100 ATH Michael Terry jumped on board to bolster a top-five class, which includes five-star WR Jaime Ffrench. All signs point to Texas being right in the mix with five-star DL Justus Terry, who is set to sign on Friday.
Grade: A
TEXAS A&M
FULL LIST: Texas A&M’s 2025 recruiting class
Mike Elko‘s first full recruiting class at the helm of the Aggies was good for a top-10 haul. Texas A&M made a massive imprint inside the Lone Star State after Elko returned to College Station — evident by notable in-state signees like four-star OL Marcus Garcia, four-star DL DJ Sanders and four-star WR Kelshaun Johnson. The Aggies turned it up another gear down the stretch — securing signatures from blue-chip recruits like QB Brady Hart, OT Lamont Rogers, RB Jamarion Morrow, and WR Jerome Myles on Wednesday.
Grade: A
VANDERBILT
FULL LIST: Vanderbilt’s 2025 recruiting class
Clark Lea makes a habit out of bringing talent to Nashville each year. His 2025 haul is highlighted by four-star in-state playing DB Carson Lawrence out of Chattanooga (Tenn.) McCallie School. The Commodores fended off West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Michigan and various other programs for one of the state’s best. Vandy padded its class by flipping three-star in-state LB Austin Howard last month and adding speedy Oklahoma WR Kayleb Barnett this past week.
Grade: C-
