College football signing day tracker 2021: Live updates, top recruits & classes for early signing period

By | December 16, 2020

The fourth year of college football’s early signing period added a few difficult hurdles for coaches and recruiters to overcome.

The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic not only limited campus visits for would-be recruits, but essentially eliminated all in-person meetings that could otherwise have taken place between players and coaches. How that affects the outcome of this year’s class remains to be seen, but one thing is apparent already:

Pandemic or no, college football’s top teams will do just fine in the 2021 recruiting class.

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Heading into Wednesday’s 72-hour early signing period, No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Ohio State created a significant distance between themselves and the rest of the pack. Teams such as Georgia, Clemson and LSU also stand to pull in elite classes that have legitimate College Football Playoff aspirations.

Even so, there are a few battles still left to be won, such as No. 1 overall recruit Korey Foreman. The strong-side defensive end seems to have narrowed his choices to USC and LSU. Other players, such as strong-side defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau (No. 3 overall), offensive tackle Tristan Leigh (No. 11 overall) and inside linebacker Terrence Lewis (No. 16 overall) remain uncommitted as well.

Follow along as Sporting News tracks the biggest commitments and signings from the early signing period:

MORE: Eight possible CFP scenarios from championship weekend

College football signing day tracker 2021

(All player and team ratings reflect 247Sports Composite rankings).

Strong-side defensive ends

Player (Overall rank) Star ranking Signed with
1. Korey Foreman (No. 1) 5-star  
2. J.T. Tuimoloau (No. 3) 5-star  
3. Jack Sawyer (No. 4) 5-star Ohio State
4. Shemar Turner (No. 31) 5-star Texas A&M
5. Keeshawn Silver (No. 32) 5-star North Carolina
6. Tunmise Adeleye (No. 37) 4-star  
7. Monkell Goodwine (No. 89) 4-star  
8. Tyreak Sapp (No. 96) 4-star  

Offensive tackles

Player (Overall rank) Star ranking Signed with
1. JC Latham (No. 2) 5-star  
2. Tommy Brockermeyer (No. 5) 5-star  
3. Amarius Mims (No. 7) 5-star  
4. Tristan Leigh (No. 11) 5-star  
5. Nolan Rucci (No. 15) 5-star Wisconsin
6. Kingsley Suamataia (No. 35) 4-star  
7. Landon Tengwall (No. 50) 4-star  
8. Blake Fisher (No. 52) 4-star Notre Dame
9. Savion Byrd (No. 62) 4-star  
10. Micah Morris (No. 63) 4-star Georgia
11. Bram Walden (No. 82) 4-star  
12. Giovanni El-Hadi (No. 85) 4-star  
13. Reuben Fatheree (No. 87) 4-star Texas A&M
14. Garrett Dellinger (No. 90) 4-star LSU

Dual-threat quarterbacks

Player (Overall rank) Star ranking Signed with
1. Caleb Williams (No. 6) 5-star Oklahoma
2. Brock Vandagriff (No. 14) 5-star  
3. Tyler Buchner (No. 65) 4-star  
4. Jalen Milroe (No. 78) 4-star  

Weak-side defensive ends

Player (Overall rank) Star ranking Signed with
1. Dallas Turner (No. 8) 5-star  
2. Clayton Smith (No. 43) 4-star Oklahoma
3. Dylan Brooks (No. 51) 4-star  
4. Demeioun Robinson (No. 64) 4-star  
5. Jeremiah Williams (No. 73) 4-star  

Wide receivers

Player (Overall rank) Star ranking Signed with
1. Emeka Egbuka (No. 9) 5-star  
2. Jacorey Brooks (No. 34) 5-star Alabama
3. Troy Franklin (No. 36) 4-star  
4. Mario Williams (No. 42) 4-star Oklahoma
5. JoJo Earle (No. 48) 4-star  
6. Dont’E Thornton (No. 53) 4-star  
7. Agiye Hall (No. 56) 4-star  
8. Jayden Ballard (No. 66) 4-star Ohio State
9. Christian Leary (No. 68) 4-star  
10. Deion Smith (No. 70) 4-star  
11. Chris Hilton (No. 75) 4-star  
12. Xavier Worthy (No. 76) 4-star  
13. Brian Thomas Jr. (No. 79) 4-star  
14. Beaux Collins (No. 83) 4-star  
15. Marvin Harrison Jr. (No. 91) 4-star Ohio State
16. Deion Colzie (No. 98) 4-star Notre Dame

Defensive tackles

Player (Overall rank) Star ranking Signed with
1. Leonard Taylor (No. 10) 5-star  
2. Maason Smith (No. 18) 5-star  
3. Damon Payne (No. 19) 5-star  
4. Mike Hall (No. 49) 4-star Ohio State
5. Tywone Malone (No. 61) 4-star  
6. Lee Hunter (No. 80) 4-star  
7. Payton Page (No. 93) 4-star Clemson

Pro-style Quarterbacks

Player (Overall rank) Star ranking Signed with
1. Sam Huard (No. 12) 5-star  
2. J.J. McCarthy (No. 22) 5-star  
3. Kyle McCord (No. 25) 5-star Ohio State
4. Ty Thompson (No. 39) 4-star  
5. Jake Garcia (No. 46) 4-star  
6. Drake Maye (No. 57) 4-star North Carolina
7. Miller Moss (No. 71) 4-star  
8. Garrett Nussmeier (No. 86) 4-star LSU

Safeties

Player (Overall rank) Star ranking Signed with
1. James Williams (No. 13) 5-star  
2. Sage Ryan (No. 28) 5-star  
3. Derrick Davis Jr. (No. 58) 4-star  
4. Kendal Daniels (No. 100) 4-star Texas A&M

Inside linebackers

Player (Overall rank) Star ranking Signed with
1. Terrence Lewis (No. 16) 5-star  
2. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (No. 41) 4-star Clemson
3. Deontae Lawson (No. 55) 4-star Alabama
4. Ethan Calvert (No. 74) 4-star  
5. Reid Carrico (No. 84) 4-star  

Offensive guards

Player (Overall rank) Star ranking Signed with
1. Donovan Jackson (No. 17) 5-star Ohio State
2. Terrence Ferguson (No. 54) 4-star  
3. Rocco Spindler (No. 60) 4-star Notre Dame
4. Bryce Foster (No. 72) 4-star  
5. Dylan Fairchild (No. 97) 4-star Georgia

Outside linebackers

Player (Overall rank) Star ranking Signed with
1. Xavian Sorey (No. 20) 5-star  
2. Smael Mondon (No. 29) 5-star  
3. Barrett Carter (No. 33) 5-star Clemson
4. Raesjon Davis (No. 45) 4-star  
5. Junior Colson (No. 95) 4-star  
4. Raneiria Dillworth (No. 99) 4-star North Carolina

Athletes

Player (Overall rank) Star ranking Signed with
1. Ja’Tavion Sanders (No. 21) 5-star  
2. Billy Bowman (No. 38) 4-star  
3. David Daniel (No. 92) 4-star Georgia

Cornerbacks

Player (Overall rank) Star ranking Signed with
1. Ga’Quincy McKinstry (No. 23) 5-star  
2. Jason Marshall (No. 27) 5-star  
3. Jakailin Johnson (No. 47) 4-star Ohio State
4. Jordan Hancock (No. 67) 4-star Ohio State
5. Nyland Green (No. 69) 4-star  
6. Ceyair Wright (No. 77) 4-star  

Running backs

Player (Overall rank) Star ranking Signed with
1. TreVeyon Henderson (No. 24) 5-star Ohio State
2. Camar Wheaton (No. 26) 5-star  
3. LJ Johnson (No. 40) 4-star  
4. Donovan Edwards (No. 44) 4-star  
6. Armoni Goodwin (No. 94) 4-star  

All-purpose backs

Player (Overall rank) Star ranking Signed with
1. Will Shipley (No. 30) 5-star Clemson
2. Evan Pryor (No. 81) 4-star Ohio State

Tight ends

Player (Overall rank) Star ranking Signed with
1. Jake Briningstool (No. 59) 4-star Clemson
2. Thomas Fidone (No. 88) 4-star  

Top 10 2021 signing classes

Rank (Conference rank) 5-stars 4-stars Points
1. Alabama (No. 1 SEC) 6 12 314.18
2. Ohio State (No. 1 Big Ten) 5 13 310.39
3. Georgia (No. 2 SEC) 3 12 289.11
4. LSU (No. 3 SEC) 1 14 284.10
5. Clemson (No. 1 ACC) 2 14 282.31
6. Oregon (No. 1 Pac-12) 0 16 280.77
7. Florida (No. 4 SEC) 1 14 267.27
8. Notre Dame (No. 1 Independent) 0 11 265.00
9. Michigan (No. 2 Big Ten) 1 11 261.13
10. Oklahoma (No. 1 Big 12) 1 11 257.23

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