There’s still seven months until the early signing period begins on Dec. 20, and perennial recruiting powers such as Texas and USC have hardly made a dent in lining up commitments.
It’s also still early in the evaluation process. As 247Sports scouting director Andrew Ivins told us last week, there are still regions where hard data such as size and speed have yet to be collected. The 247Sports Composite for 2024 had 1,312 players ranked as of Tuesday — roughly 1,000 shy of the final mark in the 2023 cycle. So, there’s a lot more work to be done.
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Still, it’s never too early to start digging into who is committed where and who still has yet to make a pledge.
As of Tuesday, 401 high school recruits in the 2024 cycle had committed to Power 5 programs — and a good chunk tied their future to Big Ten (102), ACC (99) and SEC schools (98). So, it shouldn’t come as a shock a good chunk of those commits come from states in the southeastern and midwest portions of the country.
Here’s a closer look at the top 10 states in terms of talent and where their top players could be headed.
Where the talent comes from — 2024 cycle
State
| 5-star
| T-100
| BC
| T-1K
| PTS
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Texas | 5 | 18 | 70 | 136 | 234 |
Florida | 6 | 17 | 64 | 133 | 226 |
Georgia | 5 | 16 | 47 | 102 | 175 |
California | 1 | 12 | 34 | 79 | 127 |
Alabama | 3 | 5 | 24 | 37 | 72 |
Ohio | 0 | 3 | 14 | 40 | 57 |
North Carolina | 1 | 1 | 13 | 31 | 47 |
Tennessee | 0 | 0 | 10 | 36 | 46 |
Louisiana | 1 | 2 | 9 | 31 | 44 |
Maryland | 0 | 2 | 13 | 29 | 44 |
To reflect both quantity and quality, we developed a formula to give each state points — five points for a five-star, three points for a top-100 prospect, two points for a blue-chipper (four- and five-stars) and one point for a top-1,000 recruit. And a player counted for only one category; a five-star gives a state only five points.
1. Texas
Players ranked in 247Sports Composite: 146
Committed: 39 percent (22 blue-chips, six top-100 recruits)
Blue-chips: 70 (5 five-stars, 18 top 100 recruits)
Top uncommitted recruits: Colin Simmons, five-star edge (No. 3 overall); Micah Hudson, five-star WR (No. 5); Justin Williams, five-star LB (No. 17); Kobe Black, five-star CB (No. 20); Taylor Tatum, four-star RB (No. 33)
The skinny: Five of the top six recruits in the state are uncommitted. Oklahoma has the biggest collection of blue-chips in the Lone Star State through April with three, but Texas and Texas A&M haven’t really started to operate. The Florida Gators have the top two commitments in the state in five-star quarterback DJ Lagway and four-star safety Xavier Filsaime. Simmons told On3 last month that LSU and Texas would be on his official visit list. Hudson, the No. 2-ranked receiver nationally, has given the impression Texas and Texas Tech are his top two schools. Oregon is the 247 crystal ball leader for Williams, and Texas is trending early for Black.
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2. Florida
Players ranked in the 247Sports Composite: 180
Committed: 33 percent (20 blue-chips, six top-100 recruits)
Blue-chips: 64 (6 five-stars, 17 top-100 recruits)
Top uncommitted recruits: David Stone, five-star DL (No. 8 overall); Charles Lester, five-star CB (No. 15); Joshisa Trader, five-star ATH (No. 16); Jerrick Gibson, five-star RB (No. 26); Ernest Willor Jr., four-star DL (No. 43).
The skinny: Outsiders from the SEC and Big Ten usually pluck the best players from the Sunshine State, and that really hasn’t changed with this cycle. Ohio State landed No. 1 overall receiver Jeremiah Smith in December and Georgia has had top cornerback Ellis Robinson IV committed since February. The Bulldogs, who signed 16 top-100 ranked players in Florida the four previous cycles combined, have commitments from two of the 10 players ranked in the top 50 nationally from the state. Stone received three On3 predictions for Oklahoma this week. Lester is trending toward Florida State. Miami and Ohio State are battling for Trader. Texas appears to be the leader for Gibson.
3. Georgia
Players ranked in the 247Sports Composite: 109
Committed: 46 percent (23 blue-chips, eight top-100 recruits)
Blue-chips: 47 (5 five-stars, 16 top-100 recruits)
Top uncommitted recruits: Mike Matthews, five-star WR (No. 6 overall); KJ Bolden, five-star S (No. 9); Sammy Brown, five-star LB (No. 12), Eddrick Houston, five-star DL (No. 14), Justin Greene, four-star DL (No. 76).
The skinny: The top four recruits in the state are uncommitted, and Florida State has pledges from the next two: top-ranked tight end Landen Thomas and four-star running back Kameron Davis. FSU and Clemson hold the overall lead for blue-chip commitments in the Peach State with four. Matthews has a trip lined up to USC in June, but Clemson and Georgia loom. Bolden has a visit to Ohio State in June, but the hometown Bulldogs are also fighting for him. Brown, the top-ranked linebacker, has visits set for June (Tennessee, Clemson, Georgia, Oklahoma and Ohio State) and his eyes on a decision for early July. Houston has targeted Aug. 22nd — his 18th birthday — as his announcement date. Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Clemson all want him badly.
4. California
Players ranked in the 247Sports Composite: 122
Committed: 16 percent (six blue-chips, two top-100 recruits)
Blue-chips: 34 (1 five-stars, 12 top-100 recruits)
Top uncommitted recruits: Brandon Baker, four-star OT (No. 32 overall); Aydin Breland, four-star DL (No. 37); Ryan Pellum, four-star WR (No. 54); Zabien Brown, four-star CB (No. 57); Elijah Brown, four-star QB (No. 67)
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The skinny: For whatever reason, the West Coast seems to be slower at commitments than the rest of the country. The top two committed players in the state are both committed to SEC schools: five-star quarterback Julian Sayin (Alabama) and four-star safety Peyton Woodyard (Georgia). Baker, the nation’s top offensive tackle, is coming off an unofficial visit to Oregon where he raved about the Ducks. He has official visits to Ohio State and Georgia lined up for June. Breland has toured the country this spring, but has yet to put out a top 10 or line up official visits. It appears to be a USC-Oregon battle for Pellum. Brown’s final four is Alabama, Ohio State, USC and Oregon.
5. Alabama
Players ranked in the 247Sports Composite: 51
Committed: 31 percent (10 blue-chips, 3 top-100 recruits)
Blue-chips: 24 (3 five-stars, 5 top-100 recruits)
Top uncommitted recruits: Jordan Ross, four-star edge (No. 39 overall); Cameron Coleman, four-star WR (No. 59 overall); Kevin Riley, four-star RB (No. 102 overall); Jeremiah Beaman, four-star DL (No. 106 overall); Travaris Banks, four-star S (No. 146 overall)
The skinny: The hometown Crimson Tide have two of the three five-star commitments from the state: athlete Jaylen Mbakwe and receiver Perry Thompson. Kirby Smart and Georgia have the other in linebacker Demarcus Riddick. Alabama and Auburn have an even split with three commitments each among the blue-chip recruits in the cycle. Ross has visits lined up for Florida, Georgia, Texas and Tennessee in June. Coleman, rated a five-star by On3, likes Auburn, Texas A&M and Florida State.
Players ranked in the 247Sports Composite: 61
Committed: 31 percent (7 blue-chips, 1 top-100 recruit)
Blue-chips: 14 (0 five-stars, 3 top-100 recruits)
Top uncommitted recruits: Bryce West, four-star CB (No. 47 overall); Aaron Scott, four-star CB (No. 60); Brian Robinson, four-star edge (No. 125); William Satterwhite, four-star OL (No. 165); Koy Beasley, four-star S (No. 222)
The skinny: Ohio State and Michigan have battled for most of the top recruits in the state. The Wolverines have the top commitment in four-star running back Jordan Marshall (No. 80 overall) and four of the state’s top-15 ranked players. The Buckeyes have three of the top-15 commitments, anchored by four-star linebacker Garrett Stover (No. 143). West, the top-ranked in-state recruit, has received multiple crystal ball projections for Ohio State. The Buckeyes are also in it with Michigan, Penn State, USC and Oregon for Scott, whom 247 ranks as its top player in the state apart from the composite.
7. North Carolina
Players ranked in the 247Sports Composite: 35
Committed: 46 percent (5 blue-chips, 1 top-100 recruit)
Blue-chips: 13 (1 five-star, 1 top-100 recruit)
Top uncommitted recruits: Jonathan Paylor, four-star ATH (No. 195 overall); OT Ethan Calloway, four-star OT (No. 211); Malcolm Ziglar, four-star S (No. 278); Alex Taylor, four-star WR (No. 289); Amaris Williams, four-star DL (No. 307)
The skinny: Like Florida, the Tar Heel State belongs mostly to outsiders this cycle. Michigan landed the only five-star recruit in the state in quarterback Jadyn Davis, and Alabama has a pledge from the top defensive player in the state in four-star linebacker Cayden Jones. Notre Dame, meanwhile, leads all with three commitments from blue-chip recruits in the state. The group is anchored by four-star receiver Micah Gilbert. Paylor has been crystal balled to South Carolina, but NC State is trying to put up a fight. Calloway has visits lined up to Florida and Penn State.
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Players ranked in the 247Sports Composite: 49
Committed: 43 percent (5 blue-chips, 0 top-100 recruits)
Blue-chips: 10 (0 five-stars, 0 top-100 recruits)
Top uncommitted recruits: Marcellus Barnes Jr., four-star CB (No. 225 overall); Edwin Spillman, four-star LB (No. 234); Boo Carter, four-star ATH (No. 337); Amari Jefferson, four-star ATH (No. 265); Ondre Evans, four-star ATH (No. 355)
The skinny: Four-star cornerback Kaleb Beasley, the top-ranked recruit in-state, has been committed to Tennessee since October. The Vols have four of the state’s top 30 recruits, but outsiders have taken some blue-chip talent. Michigan has a pledge from four-star linebacker Mason Curtis, and Ohio State has one from four-star tight end Max LeBlanc. Barnes Jr. has offers from Florida State, Baylor, Ole Miss, Virginia Tech, Georgia and Virginia. Carter has an official visit lined up to Ohio State and recently attended Colorado’s spring game.
Four-star athlete Boo Carter is one of the top uncommitted recruits in Tennessee. (Manny Navarro / The Athletic)Players ranked in the 247Sports Composite: 41
Committed: 32 percent (3 blue-chips, 1 top-100 recruit)
Blue-chips: 9 (1 five-star, 2 top-100 recruits)
Top uncommitted recruits: Dominick McKinley, five-star DL (No. 30 overall); Wardell Mack, four-star CB (No. 112); Tylen Singleton, four-star LB (No. 127); Ju’Juan Johnson, four-star ATH (No. 267); Joel Rogers, four-star S (No. 308)
The skinny: LSU usually cleans up at home, and that’s the story once again. The Tigers have commitments from three of the top six blue-chip recruits in-state: four-star tight end Trey’Dez Green (No. 56), four-star linebacker Kolaj Cobbins (No. 197) and four-star safety Dashawn McBryde (No. 262). Keeping McKinley home may be tough. He has locked in official visits to Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Texas.
10. Maryland
Players ranked in the 247Sports Composite: 34
Committed: 29 percent (1 blue-chip, 0 top-100 recruits)
Blue-chips: 13 (0 five-stars, 2 top-100 recruits)
Top uncommitted recruits: Aaron Chiles, four-star LB (No. 75 overall); Ify Obidegwu, four-star CB (No. 99); Michael Van Buren, four-star QB (No. 129); Dilin Jones, four-star RB (No. 170); Darien Mayo, four-star edge (No. 181)
The skinny: South Carolina has the only commitment from a blue-chip recruit in Maryland: four-star cornerback Braydon Lee (No. 249). The top six recruits in the state are uncommitted. Chiles has official visits lined up to Florida and Michigan, and the Wolverines are considered the favorite according to insiders. Obidegwu said last month that Oregon was among his contenders along with Tennessee, Ohio State and Alabama.
(Top photo of David Stone, from IMG Academy in Florida: Manny Navarro / The Athletic)
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