Mike Farrell Sports

College Football Recruiting, Opinion, and Analysis

Five Teams Who Surprised on Signing Day

A look at five teams who surprised on signing day

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Sep 30
Sep 30

When signing day is over, when the ink is dry, and we tabulate the results we have come to expect to see Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, and Texas near the top of the list. In this article though we divert from the traditional blue bloods though and take a look at five teams who were pleasant surprises this early signing day. Whether it’s because they aren’t usually near the top of recruiting rankings or poor on-field performance in 2022, these five all brought in stellar classes with multiple guys who should contribute.

Oregon

If you follow recruiting you’ve no doubt seen the picture of head coach Dan Lanning puffing a celebratory cigar and that’s for good reason. The Ducks brought in a top ten class, not to mention additions through the portal. QB Austin Novosad was a late flip from Baylor and could be their signal caller of the future. WR Jurrion Dickey and DL Matayo Uiagalelei are the stars of the class but there are multiple other 4-star recruits who could be studs. 

These include TE Kenyon Sadiq, CB Daylen Austin, and RB Dante Dowdell. The Ducks did a great job of taking guys from across the country and top teams as well, going to Mississippi (RB Dante Dowdell), Texas (WR Ashton Cozart, DL’s Johnny Bowens and Terrance Green, and S Tyler Turner), Hawai’i (OL Iapani Laloulu), District of Columbia (CB Collin Gill), and Florida (OL Gerrnorris Wilson) for recruits. Classes like this look to keep the Ducks near the top of the Pac-12 for years to come.

Utah

Staying in the Pac-12 we have the Utes up next. In all of Kyle Whittingham’s success at Utah, this was the first top-25 recruiting class for the conference champs. Whittingham appeared to prioritize the trenches with this class. The top two prospects are both OT’s, Caleb Lomu and Spencer Fano. 

Edge Hunter Clegg, CB’s Smith Snowden and CJ Blocker, and RB John Randle Jr. (son of former Kansas RB) are players who come to Salt Lake City with high accolades. ATH Dijon Stanley is an interesting prospect who could play RB or DB. With solid defenders, tough OL, and depth at RB, the Utah recruiting class looks a lot like the product we have come to expect from them on the field.

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Oklahoma

I think every Sooner fan secretly thought, at least once, that they really missed Lincoln Riley, though none of them would admit it. It was a first season to forget for first-year head coach Brent Venables, which makes his dominating signing day truly a surprise and a pleasant ending to a fall of transitions. The big headline here was #2 ranked S Peyton Bowen. The Texas native was a Notre Dame commit, then an Oregon commit, then a Sooner signee. The other marquee player is his high school teammate, #3 QB Jackson Arnold. 

This top-10 class by the Sooners is full of other high-end P5 recruits, including Edge Adepoju Adebawore, WR Jaquaize Pettway, OT Cayden Green, S Makari Vickers, LB’s Samuel Omosigho and Lewis Carter, and DL Derrick LeBlanc. ATH Jacobe Johnson is likely a DB though he may end up at WR, he’s also a dual-sport star who may play basketball for the Sooners as well.

Texas Tech

Head coach Joey McGuire brought in a top-20 class for the Red Raiders in his first full recruiting cycle. Coming off of a 7-5 debut season it was a good haul for them, especially considering the imbalance on the squad that he inherited. The top four prospects in this class come from Texas and are on the defensive side of the ball. 

Edge Isaiah Crawford, CB Jordan Sanford, S Brenden Johnson, and DL Dylan Spencer are the guys to watch here. WR Tyrone West and ATH Anquan Willis, who will look to play WR, will be solid additions in the passing game too.

South Carolina

Shane Beamer has done nothing but impress people since coming to Columbia two years ago. Taking over a two-win team he has led the Gamecocks to a seven and eight-win season with a game to play this season still. Additions in recruiting and the portal have helped him a great deal, though there were some key losses in the portal this year too. 

Interior OL Markee Anderson is the top signee here with Edge Desmond Umeozulu, LB Grayson Howard, DT Xzavier McLeod, and OT Oluwatosin Babalade. These are guys who could improve the trenches on both sides, which was the weakness for South Carolina this year. This class may be lighter on skill position guys, with RB Dontavius Braswell a noted exception, but prioritizing the lines and defense will help with the foundation and depth of the squad. It appears that Beamer’s model will be to target those skill guys through the transfer portal. 

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