By Alec Nederveld
As Early Signing Day gets closer to concluding, most recruits sign their National Letter of Intent (NLI) and move towards their future. However, flips and late commits can leave a great, or a sour taste in the mouth of fans. Here are the programs that won and lost on Early Signing Day.
Winners
Alabama
In case there was any doubt, Nick Saban can still flip guys. He brought four-star RB and Alabama native Kevin Riley back from Miami and four-star ATH Aeryn Hampton from Texas.
Saban couldn’t get five-star DL Eddrick Houston from Ohio State despite rumors of a flip. However, four-star Canadian Steve Mboumoua committed and will play a similar role for the Tide. Alabama will finish with the #2 ranked class.
Miami
Mario Cristobal closed 2024 by stealing two commits from in-state schools. While Riley did decommit, it isn’t much of a loss as the Canes landed fellow four-star RB Jordan Lyle two days prior. On signing day, four-star LB Adarius Hayes from Florida and five-star DL Armondo Blount from Florida State both flipped to the Canes. Miami is up to the 3rd ranked class, the highest in over 10 years.
Miami’s #3 Ranked Recruiting Class:
5⭐️ DL Justin Scott
4⭐️ DL Armondo Blount
4⭐️ ATH Zaquan Patterson
4⭐️ EDGE Marquise Lightfoot
4⭐️ WR Ny Carr
4⭐️ WR Joshisa Trader
4⭐️ WR Chance Robinson
4⭐️ LB Adarius Hayes
4⭐️ TE Elija Lofton
4⭐️ DL Artavius Jones
4⭐️ OT Markel Bell
4⭐️ LB… pic.twitter.com/ONSJDLSqZs— College Football Report (@CFBRep) December 21, 2023
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Oregon
The Ducks have quietly gotten to the fifth-ranked class. On signing day, they added to it with two four-star receiver flips. Jeremiah McClellan flipped from the receiver factory Ohio State, and Ryan Pellum came in from USC. Dan Lanning and co. did a great job closing on a fantastic class.
Losers
Florida
The Gators, who once had the #3 class, have seen a steady stream of decommits since the season ended. It carried over onto Signing Day, where three four-star players decommitted. The previously mentioned Adarius Hayes went to Miami, DL Amaris Williams to Auburn, and WR Izaiah Williams to Texas A&M.
After a 5-7 season, Billy Napier is firmly on the Hot Seat. His prized recruiting class has greatly fallen to 16th in the composite.
Florida over the last month:
❌ 3rd straight losing season (1st time since 1945-47)
❌ 7 Decommitments (one 5⭐️, five 4⭐️, one 3⭐️)
❌ Fell from #3 recruiting class to #15
— Pick Six Previews (@PickSixPreviews) December 20, 2023
Florida State
A very impressive class turned late on the Seminoles with two five-star flips. S KJ Bolden was rumored to flip to Auburn or Georgia for a long time and signed with the Dawgs today. Later that day, Armondo Blount flipped to rival Miami. Mike Norvell‘s class now ranks ninth, continuing a scary signing day trend.
2021: Travis Hunter
2022: Keldric Faulk
2023: KJ Bolden & Armondo BlountNational Signing Day, können wir.
— Dennis Sikorski (@denkoboldmaki) December 20, 2023
Duke
Going through a coaching change, the Blue Devils have seen multiple decommits and portal entries. This continued today with two talented recruits landing at higher-prestige schools. Four-star S Paul Mencke Jr. flipped to Washington, and Mason Wade, a three-star OT, chose Clemson.
Manny Diaz will have a lot of work to do with his Blue Devils and their 53rd-ranked class.
#Clemson flips @_MasonWade from Duke to join it's 2024 Recruiting class. https://t.co/gFRIuVb5sJ
— ClemsonSportsNews (@ClemSportNews) December 20, 2023
