| rank | team | no. of players | composite score | PTS. BEHIND |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | OHIO STATE | 14 | 270.99 | ----- |
| 2 | MIAMI | 18 | 270.39 | 0.60 |
| 3 | LSU | 18 | 230.86 | 40.13 |
| 4 | PENN STATE | 13 | 222.14 | 48.85 |
| 5 | TEXAS | 11 | 213.38 | 57.61 |
With the commitment of 4★ DT Matthew Jones on Saturday, Ohio State took over the top spot on 247's composite rankings. However, Miami narrowed the lead to 0.60 with the addition of 4★ CB Al Blades Jr. on Father's Day. Let's take a closer look at the current Top 5 on 247's composite board.
No. 5 Texas // 213.38
| TEXAS' TOP COMMITS |
|---|
| S BJ Foster ★★★★★ // S Caden Sterns ★★★★ // WR Justin Watkins ★★★★ |
| TEXAS' TOP PROSPECTS |
|---|
| CB Anthony Cook ★★★★★ // WR Brennan Eagles ★★★★★ // DT Keondre Coburn ★★★★ |
Is anybody surprised that Tom Herman has been doing work with his first recruiting class in Austin? Didn't think so. The former Ohio State offensive coordinator has assembled 11 players with an average rating of .927. The average rises to .938 when kicker Cameron Dicker (rated No. 1 at his position) is not included.
Build that wall. That is exactly what Herman is doing in Texas. Seven of his 11 commits are from the Lone Star state. With that in mind, Herman is tracking the following 5★ Texas players: CB Anthony Cook (.995) and WR Brennan Eagles (.985). The Longhorns are also in strong play for nine 4★ recruits from the state of Texas.
Top 5 Prediction: Strong. Texas has a great chance of finishing third...or better.
No. 4 Penn State // 222.14
| PENN STATE'S TOP COMMITS |
|---|
| APB Ricky Slade ★★★★★ // WR Justin Shorter ★★★★ // OT Nana Asiedu ★★★★ |
| PENN STATE'S TOP PROSPECTS |
|---|
| WDE Eyabi Anoma ★★★★ // CB Houston Griffith ★★★★ // WR Jahan Dotson ★★★★ |
The Nittany Lions are currently ranked fourth after spending many months in first place. The departures of WDE Micah Parsons, QB Justin Fields and OT Chris Bleich were keys to the fall. Even with the losses, the average recruit in James Franklin's 2018 class has a .914 rating.
East Coast Dominance. On the bright side, James Franklin is continuing Penn State's dominance along the Atlantic. Nine of PSU's 13 commits are from Pennsylvania or a state bordering the Atlantic. The Nittany Lions can make some noise if they are able to get dual-threat quarterback Justin Fields out of Georgia.
Top 5 Prediction: Just out. Penn State will have to hold off Florida State, Clemson, Michigan and Alabama to stay in the Top 5.
No. 3 LSU // 230.86
| LSU'S TOP COMMITS |
|---|
| OLB Adam Anderson ★★★★ // CB Kelvin Joseph ★★★★ // DT Dare Rosenthal ★★★★ |
| LSU'S TOP PROSPECTS |
|---|
| CB Patrick Surtain Jr. ★★★★★ // WR Terrace Marshall ★★★★★ // OT Richard Gouraige ★★★★ |
Ed Orgeron and the Tigers are currently in third place due in large part to having 18 commits. LSU's class is made up of nine 4★ and nine 3★ players. 56% of the commits are from Louisiana.
Paper Tigers? Of the five teams in the Top 5, LSU's average composite rating of 12.83 per player is the lowest. With only five to eight spots remaining, LSU should fall as the 2018 cycle continues.
Top 5 Prediction: Out. With a low composite average per player, LSU will get passed by teams with more available scholarships and better comp. averages.
No. 2 Miami // 270.39
| MIAMI'S TOP COMMITS |
|---|
| RB Lorenzo Lingard ★★★★★ // TE Brevin Jordan ★★★★ // QB Artur Sitkowski ★★★★ |
| MIAMI'S TOP PROSPECTS |
|---|
| CB Tyson Campbell ★★★★ // WR Warren Thompson ★★★★ // DT Trevor Trout ★★★★ |
The Hurricanes currently have 18 commits and held the No. 1 spot for a minute. Mark Richt went 9–4 during his first season with Miami and is trying to rebuild the Hurricane brand with top-rated players. His 2018 class currently has an average player rating of .921, but that average climbs to .929 when kicker Bubba Baxa (.790) is not included.
Florida or bust. 16 of Richt's 18 recruits are from talent-rich state of Florida. It is obvious that the Hurricanes are using the blueprints of the past to make the future brighter for the program. Bring in talented quarterbacks, running backs and receivers while winning the recruiting battle in Florida and championships will follow.
Top 5 Prediction: Out. Like LSU, Miami's composite average per player is low. If the Hurricanes have a large class (27-29 players) they might make the Top 5 due to numbers, but I wouldn't bank on that.
No. 1 Ohio State // 270.99
| OHIO STATE'S TOP COMMITS |
|---|
| DT Taron Vincent ★★★★★ // DE Brenton Cox ★★★★★ // QB Emory Jones ★★★★★ |
| OHIO STATE'S TOP PROSPECTS |
|---|
| WDE Micah Parsons ★★★★★ // CB Anthony Cook ★★★★★ // OT Jackson Carman ★★★★★ |
Of the teams in the Top 5 Top 40, Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes have the most 5★ and least amount of 3★ players.
Ohio State is the only team in the nation with three 5★ commits. The Buckeyes only 3★ commit is likely to get a rating boost before the 2018 cycle concludes.
Planting flags. The Buckeyes' 14 recruits are from eight different states. As of today, Florida (4) is the state with the most players in this class. Ohio (2) is tied with Tennessee and Georgia for second place. Meyer and company have shown that they are willing to travel the country to get the best players. The only concern at this point is that none of the commits are from Texas, a state that has been friendly to Ohio State in recent years.
Top 5 Prediction: Yes. The only question now is will Ohio State claim first place? The Buckeyes appear to be the favorite with the talent that has been offered. However, don't sleep on Texas or the team that is currently ranked 61st.
