Every year, on the first Wednesday of February, hundreds of high school football players sign letters of intent that bind them to a university to play football and further their education. ESPN airs an all-day show that features ceremonies for certain high caliber players who decide where they will be attending school to play football. Here are some of the news and notes from National Signing Day:
Alabama Lands the #1 Class… Again
For the sixth year in a row, the Alabama Crimson Tide landed the best class in the nation. With a myriad of four and five star players, Alabama continues to assert itself as a College Football dynasty. This recruiting class comes immediately after the Crimson Tide’s 16th National Championship. Their class is highlighted by the number ten player in the nation, Ben Davis, who is a 5-star prospect hailing from Gordo, AL. He is also the top rated linebacker in the nation. To complement the addition of Davis, Lyndell Wilson, the second best rated linebacker, has also committed to the Crimson Tide.
Michigan Lands the #1 Overall Prospect
Rashan Gary, a 5-star defensive tackle out of Paramus, NJ was the consensus number one overall prospect, and he announced his commitment to the University of Michigan over offers from Clemson, USC, Auburn, and Ole Miss. Gary is the first number one overall prospect to sign with a team in the Big-10 conference; he is also Michigan’s first ever number one overall prospect. Gary was also the first ever DT to be named the number one overall prospect in the country. Last year, Michigan landed the second best overall prospect, Jabrill Peppers, a cornerback who attended the same high school as Gary.
Texas Wins Big After a Losing Season
Despite going 5-7 this season, the University of Texas won big on National Signing Day. The Longhorns shot up 22 spots to the tenth overall slot on the ESPN Class Rankings. Texas landed commitments from the number one safety, Brandon Jones, and the fourth best overall linebacker, Jeffrey McCulloch. According to 24/7 Sports, most of Texas’s recruiting class comes from in state. Considering the state of Texas has a large number of FBS programs and high caliber recruits, this recruiting class is truly exceptional.
Demetris Robertson is Still Unsigned
The top rated wide receiver in the Class of 2016, Demetris Robertson, remains unsigned at the moment. Robertson has narrowed his choices down to four schools: Stanford, Notre Dame, Alabama, and Georgia. Robertson has held off on signing his letter of intent, and he has skipped out on a few unofficial and official visits. In an interview with Dawg Nation, Robertson said that he is attempting to raise his SAT scores by around 100 points in order to be admitted into Stanford, which remains his top choice. Since he is from Georgia, the Georgia Bulldogs are definitely trying their best to land one of the best players in the state. Robertson seems to be the rare example of an athlete who places an immense value on their academics and is using their athleticism to better their education.
Recruitment Class Rankings provided by 24/7 Sports
Photo Courtesy of SaturdayBlitz.com