2024 College Football Top 40 Recruiting Classes

[Wagerallsports]

2024 college football recruiting class rankings: Top 40 schools​

ESPN PLUS $ MATERIAL

While on-field play is the main focus for many right now, wins on the recruiting trail can bring some joy to fan bases battling through tough Saturday losses. Texas A&M, Texas, Miami and Kentucky all recently experienced letdowns on the field but have continued to be big winners in recruiting.

Texas A&M added one of the most versatile players in Texas to their class in Terry Bussey. Bussey can make an impact in all three phases of the game and has thrown and run for over 2,000 yards on offense, created turnovers on defense and could project to receiver or cornerback for the Aggies; his speed, fluidity and playmaking skills will likely land him on defense.

Miami added a second top-10 receiver prospect to its class as one-time Georgia commit Ny Carr joined five-star JoJo Trader. Carr has big-play speed (he was recently recorded running at nearly 22 mph in a game).

In a down year for offensive line prospects, Texas reached out west to land one of the nation's top tackles in Brandon Baker. Out of California powerhouse program Mater Dei, he is a big man with good body quickness, flexibility and some nastiness in his play.

Kentucky moved into the top 25 after several key defensive commitments. The Wildcats added the top two prospects in the state in Jacob and Jerod Smith. Big flips from Michigan, the twins bring a competitive demeanor with Jerod being more of an interior player who can disrupt with a nice blend of quickness and power and Jacob a defender with the tools to be a menacing edge rusher. Kentucky also bolstered its defensive line class with a commitment from ESPN 300 DE Brian Robinson out of Ohio.

Here are the top 40 college football recruiting classes for the Class of 2024 (updated Oct. 11):

 

[Wagerallsports]

40. TCU Horned Frogs​

ESPN 300 commits: 2 | Previous ranking: 39

Big 12 rank: 6 of 14
Top offensive commit: WR Gekyle Baker (No. 207)
Top defensive commit: DE Travis Jackson (three stars)

Coming off a run at the national title with a roster that was powered by excellent evaluations, recruiting and development, the Horned Frogs are back on the trail looking to stay in the College Football Playoff hunt. The foundation of this class is on the offensive side of the ball, which includes QB Hauss Hejny, a onetime Duke commit whom TCU was ultimately able to keep in state. He lacks ideal size (5-foot-11, 185 pounds) but has a live arm and is a playmaker who runs well. He can create and throw on the move or tuck the ball and gain yards as a runner. WR Gekyle Baker can be a game-breaking target, as he has the speed to stretch the field and be a vertical threat. TCU also landed a pair of top-10 in-state RBs in Jeremy Payne and Nate Palmer.

 

[Wagerallsports]

39. Virginia Tech Hokies​

ESPN 300 commits: 2 | Previous ranking: 37

ACC rank: 7 of 14
Top offensive commit: WR Keylen Adams (No. 180)
Top defensive commit: LB Gabriel Williams (four stars)

As Virginia Tech comes off three straight losing seasons and coach Brent Pry enters his second season leading the program, he continues to work to upgrade the talent and that starts in state. The Hokies landed one of the top prospects in Virginia in ESPN 300 WR Keylen Adams, a target with big-play ability. He has a nice blend of length, speed and body control. Chanz Wiggins is another strong in-state addition who strengthens their receiver corps as the four-star is a tall (6-foot-3) target with a big catch radius and has great quickness to create after the catch.

They pulled out of Florida QB Davi Belfort, who lacks ideal size (5-foot-11) but is a highly competitive player who has a smooth, quick release and good arm strength. Defensively, Gabriel Williams is a promising edge defender with a high ceiling for development -- he has nice length with a lean frame to develop.

 

[Wagerallsports]

38. Missouri Tigers​

ESPN 300 commits: 2 | Previous ranking: 40

SEC rank: 13 of 14
Top offensive commit: WR James Madison II (No. 284)
Top defensive commit: DE Williams Nwaneri (No. 12)

Missouri has assembled a smaller class heading into the fall but has added some quality prospects. The class is led by one of the top defensive lineman in the nation, Williams Nwaneri a critical in-state win for them. With a big frame, elite length and excellent quickness he can be a versatile presence in the trenches who can allow the Tigers to move him around exploit matchups. They went out of state to get Edge defender Elias Williams, a defender with good length and flexibility, is another strong addition to their defensive front. Four-star LB Nicholas Rodriguez lacks some in ideal measurables but has excellent range and a nose for the ball. His teammate at South Florida power Saint Thomas Aquinas, James Madison II, has also committed to the Tigers and he gives their offense a big target with good body control.

 

[Wagerallsports]

37. Maryland Terrapins​

ESPN 300 commits: 2 | Previous ranking: 38

Big Ten rank: 10 of 14
Top offensive commit: RB DeJuan Williams (No. 261)
Top defensive commit: S Brandon Jacob (No. 143)

Keeping DMV talent continues to be a battle for Maryland, but it's extremely important for this program. Having had success with local power program St. Frances in the past, the Terps returned to pluck more talent from that roster this time in ESPN 300 RB DeJuan Williams, who has a sturdy build and game-breaking speed. To help open lanes in the ground game, they have added several OL prospects including high three-stars Ryan Howerton and Samir Camacho. Howerton, who was named MVP at the Baltimore Under Armour camp, is a big lineman (6-foot-5, 315 pounds) who is not only physical and aggressive but has good quickness and balance.

ESPN 300 S Brandon Jacob is a big win out of Florida, as Texas A&M and UCF were also in the mix. He is an active defender with great range and ball skills to make plays; he had five interceptions as a junior.

 

[Wagerallsports]

36. Minnesota Golden Gophers​

ESPN 300 commits: 1 | Previous ranking: 35

Big Ten rank: 9 of 14
Top offensive commit: OT Nathan Roy (No. 259)
Top defensive commit: S Koi Perich (four stars)

The Gophers remain a busy team on the recruiting trail, mining good, underrated talent to develop. They have been active in state, landing the top-rated prospect in Koi Perich, an instinctive and physical safety who displays skills to be a productive performer, if not a potential leader. Jalen Smith is another key in-state keep, as he is a receiver with good speed and big-play potential. Riley Sunram is an interesting prospect out of North Dakota, as he is an agile lineman who looks poised to develop as a DL but may have even greater upside as an offensive lineman. Either way, he gives them a promising big man to develop in the trenches. A commitment sure to develop on the O-line is four-star Nathan Roy, a powerful big man out of Wisconsin who bends and moves well.

 

[Wagerallsports]

35. Iowa Hawkeyes​

ESPN 300 commits: 1 | Previous ranking: 34

Big Ten rank: 8 of 14
Top offensive commit: G Cody Fox (No. 172)
Top defensive commit: LB Preston Ries (four stars)

The Hawkeyes are building a core of talent with top in-state prospects, including commitments from four of the top five prospects in Iowa. Cody Fox has good flexibility and body quickness and is among the top interior OL prospects in the nation. They have kept two very good versatile players home in Cam Buffington and Preston Ries, who both project to play linebacker. Ries, who also plays quarterback for Monticello Community High School, has tested well on the camp circuit, and his speed and quickness translate to the field. He should only improve with a focus on defense.

Edge defender Drew Campbell, the younger brother of All-American LB Jack Campbell, can be a disruptive pass-rusher himself; he has good leverage, bend and effort. Known for developing offensive linemen, Iowa pulled out of Illinois two OTs with promising upside in high three-stars Will Nolan and Bodey McCaslin.

 

[Wagerallsports]

34. Rutgers Scarlet Knights​

ESPN 300 commits: 1 | Previous ranking: 32

Big Ten rank: 7 of 14
Top offensive commit: ATH Gabriel Winowich (No. 289)
Top defensive commit: S Antonio White (three stars)

Coach Greg Schiano continues to work to elevate the Rutgers program through recruiting in the increasingly competitive Big Ten. The Scarlet Knights went into the heart of Big Ten country to land ATH Gabe Winowich out of Michigan. He projects to play RB -- he has good quickness and a low center of gravity. A key metro-area addition was Korey (KJ) Duff Jr., a big target in the passing game with good body control and strong hands. The Long Island native competed in the Orlando Under Armour camp this spring and snatched MVP honors.

S Antonio White was a nice pull out of Georgia as he gives Rutgers a lengthy defender with good range and a high ceiling for development. Florida remains a key recruiting ground for Schiano and Rutgers. They secured some good three-star defensive talent out of the Sunshine State in LB Sam Robinson, a flip from UCF, and DLs Tyclean and Tycoolhill Luman.

 

[Wagerallsports]

33. Cincinnati Bearcats​

ESPN 300 commits: 2 | Previous ranking: 33

Big 12 rank: 5 of 14
Top offensive commit: QB Samaj Jones (No. 250)
Top defensive commit: CB Daniel James (three stars)

Former coach Luke Fickell elevated the Bearcats' recruiting, and while he may be gone to Wisconsin, new coach Scott Satterfield and staff have not let this program regress. QB Samaj Jones might lack in some ideal measurables, but he is a nice pickup. A multiple-year starter for Philadelphia-area power program St. Joseph's Prep, he is a thickly built competitor with big hands and can be effective as a passer and productive as a runner. He accounted for more than 3,000 yards of offense as a junior and is a signal-caller in the mold of Eagles star Jalen Hurts.

RB Jason Patterson is a runner with good vision and speed, posting one of the best 40-yard dash times for RBs on the camp circuit. He has proved he can be highly productive, rushing for more than 2,000 yards with 35 TDs as a junior. A starter on a talent-rich St. Frances (Maryland) defense, Simeon Coleman can be a powerful and physical presence at the LB position. OL Jake Wheelock is a strong in-state commitment, as he has a nice frame to develop and good bend.

 

[Wagerallsports]

32. NC State Wolfpack​

ESPN 300 commits: 2 | Previous ranking: 36

ACC rank: 6 of 14
Top offensive commit: ATH Jonathan Paylor (No. 90)
Top defensive commit: ATH Ronnie Royal III (four stars)

The Wolfpack have added versatile talent to their roster with the additions of Jonathan Paylor and Ronnie Royal III. Paylor can be an offensive playmaker, as he has outstanding speed, which was backed up by clocking one of the fastest 40-yard dash times (4.43) of this spring's Under Armour camp series. Royal can contribute in multiple ways as well but projects to play in the secondary for NC State.

Cedric Bailey is a tall, long QB who has been a multiyear starter for Chaminade-Madonna, a successful program in South Florida. As a junior, he led a 13-1 team and threw for more than 3,300 yards while completing 70% of his passes. ESPN 300 WR Jimmar Boston can be a vertical threat with excellent play speed having being clocked at 22 mph. In-state S prospect Brody Barnhardt and CB Asaad Brown are two good high-three-star additions to their secondary. Barnhardt is a tough, instinctive player, and Brown is a competitor with good feet and hips who can be physical on the outside.

 

[Wagerallsports]

31. Mississippi State Bulldogs​

ESPN 300 commits: 5 | Previous ranking: 30

SEC rank: 12 of 14
Top offensive commit: WR Braylon Burnside (No. 164)
Top defensive commit: DT Terrance Hibbler (No. 282)

The late Mike Leach always had the Bulldogs contending for a top-25 class, and new coach Zach Arnett seems to be keeping them recruiting strongly. Wide receivers Braylon Burnside and J.J. Harrell are two of the top in-state prospects. Burnside is a hometown pickup who tallied over 70 catches and 1,000 yards receiving last season, and Harrell was a onetime Tennessee commit whom they ultimately kept closer to home. QB Josh Flowers brings good physical skills to develop with a strong arm and the ability to extend plays and improvise. In the trenches, Terrance Hibbler has the ability to be a physical and powerful presence who can help stuff the run and collapse the pocket.

 

[Wagerallsports]

30. Purdue Boilermakers​

ESPN 300 commits: 1 | Previous ranking: 31

Big Ten rank: 6 of 14
Top offensive commit: ATH Jaheim Merriweather (three stars)
Top defensive commit: S Koy Beasley (No. 140)

New coach Ryan Walters and staff used June to add multiple commitments, including a pair of four-star defensive prospects in Koy Beasley and Earl Kulp. ESPN 300 safety Beasley brings elite range to the Boilermakers' secondary, clocking a 4.41-second 40 this spring at the Ohio UA camp and recording a blazing 21.7 mph max speed score, showing that speed also translates to the field. Kulp comes out of a top program in Florida, St. Thomas Aquinas, and is a smooth CB with good length and quickness. Purdue pulled QB Marcos Davila -- a passer who can put some zip on the ball, make tough throws and has thrown for nearly 6,000 yards heading into his senior season -- out of Texas. Athlete Jaheim Merriweather is a versatile player who projects to the offense as a running back and has good ball skills to also be utilized in the passing game.

 

[Wagerallsports]

29. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets​

ESPN 300 commits: 1 | Previous ranking: 26

ACC rank: 6 of 14
Top offensive commit: ATH Isiah Canion (No. 187)
Top defensive commit: CB Troy Stevenson (four-stars)

The Yellow Jackets have been able to keep a few talented in-state recruits, including ATH Isiah Canion, a big keep especially after he had been committed to Notre Dame for a spell. A spring riser on the recruiting trail after an excellent performance at the Atlanta Under Armour camp -- he posted a laser-timed 4.51 40-yard dash -- the versatile prospect has played QB, WR and DB. He brings home run threat potential as an offensive playmaker for Georgia Tech.

The Yellow Jackets pulled four-star QB Graham Knowles out of Texas, and he's a tall (6-foot-7) pocket passer with good accuracy and the ability to drive the ball downfield. Coach Brent Key, whose background is coaching the offensive line, has to be thrilled with the addition of C Santana Alo-Tupuola. A powerful big man with good quickness, Alo-Tupuola is a recruit the IMG staff speaks highly of as an underrated player in their program. He could be a steal and early contributor in the trenches.

 

[Wagerallsports]

28. North Carolina Tar Heels​

ESPN 300 commits: 1 | Previous ranking: 28

ACC rank: 5 of 14
Top offensive commit: RB Davion Gause (No. 299)
Top defensive commit: ATH Khalil Conley (four stars)

In the 2022 season, the Tar Heels' leading rusher was their quarterback. While they have some young promising talent at running back, they continue to bolster the backfield with the addition of Davion Gause, a thickly built and powerful runner who can carry the load and generate big plays, running for over 1,000 yards as a junior at Chaminade-Madonna in Florida. To further propel its ground game, North Carolina has quickly added multiple offensive linemen, including a pair of high three-stars out of Georgia in Andrew Rosinski and Aidan Banfield. It continues to do well close to home and has landed in-state four-star ATH Khalil Conley, who projects to the secondary.

 

[Wagerallsports]

27. Nebraska Cornhuskers​

ESPN 300 commits: 2 | Previous ranking: 27

Big Ten rank: 5 of 14
Top offensive commit: OG Preston Taumua (No. 178)
Top defensive commit: CB Mario Buford (four stars)

As Matt Rhule assembles his first full class at Nebraska, he is scoring some key victories on the recruiting trail as well as adding some underrated talent to develop. The talent pool is not very deep in the Cornhuskers' home state, but keeping the area's top players at home is a must. They landed the state's top prospect, ESPN 300 TE Carter Nelson, who might need to adjust from playing eight-man football but is a versatile multisport athlete who brings very good physical tools to develop and promising upside. WR Dae'vonn Hall is another key in-state addition, as the four-star is an agile target with good hands and can be dangerous in space.

Daniel Kaelin also hails from in state and is a passer with a good arm who threw for over 3,000 yards as a junior. High three-star Willis McGahee IV was a nice pickup out of Florida. He is an edge defender who lacks ideal height but has good initial quickness and has shown he can get after the QB. The Cornhuskers pulled out of Hawaii one of the best interior OL prospects in this class in Preston Taumua, a big man with good body quickness and flexibility.

 

[Wagerallsports]

26. Wisconsin Badgers​

ESPN 300 commits: 3 | Previous ranking: 25

Big Ten rank: 4 of 14
Top offensive commit: RB Dilin Jones (No. 123)
Top defensive commit: CB Omillio Agard (No. 264)

Wisconsin has done well in the past going east for RBs Ron Dayne, Corey Clement and Jonathan Taylor from New Jersey, and James White from Florida, and this staff has gone back to the East Coast in this cycle to land Dilin Jones (Maryland), an aggressive, slashing runner with the acceleration to separate and generate yards.

The Badgers landed one of the top tight ends in the 2024 class in Grant Stec (6-foot-6, 225 pounds), who runs well, has good hands and, just as importantly, can be a productive blocker. They went into Texas to land a nice fit at QB in Mabrey Mettauer, who possesses a strong arm and has continued to improve as a passer in high school, throwing for 2,600 yards and 32 TDs as a junior. Not surprisingly, they have added an in-state OL in Derek Jensen, who can push defenders around. ESPN 300 CB Omillio Agard won't wow you with his measurables, but he is a confident defender with good feel for the position who can simply play the game well.

 

[Wagerallsports]

25. UCF Knights​

ESPN 300 commits: 3 | Previous ranking: 24

Big 12 rank: 4 of 14
Top offensive commit: C Waltclaire Flynn Jr. (No. 168)
Top defensive commit: S Jaylen Heyward (No. 71)

As the Knights transition to the Big 12, they are leaning heavily on the deep pool of talent in the Southeast. They have secured four-star in-state talent with RB Stacy Gage and WR DayDay Farmer. Gage is a shifty runner with good power and balance. They flipped Farmer from Pitt to keep him at home; he's a quick receiver with excellent ball skills and was a highly productive target as a junior. Onetime Georgia commit Jaylen Heyward was a big in-state commitment, and he brings a nice blend of length, speed and physicality. He can be a versatile presence in their secondary.

UCF also has dipped in neighboring talent-rich Georgia for key additions. TE Kylan Fox can be a versatile playmaker in the passing game -- he is a lengthy target with good hands and a wide catch radius. C Waltclaire Flynn Jr. could be a quick contributor for the Knights on the interior of their O-line, as he has great flexibility, balance and agility. On defense, OLB Qua Birdsong is another strong addition out of Georgia; he can develop into a disruptive presence off the edge with his length and an explosive first step.

 

[Wagerallsports]

24. Texas Tech Red Raiders​

ESPN 300 commits: 2 | Previous ranking: 23

Big 12 rank: 3 of 14
Top offensive commit: WR Micah Hudson (No. 13)
Top defensive commit: DE Cheta Ofili (No. 209)

Coach Joey McGuire continues to elevate the Red Raiders on the recruiting trail and is focusing on in-state talent. They have found success offensively with several talented playmakers, led by five-star WR Micah Hudson. The Red Raiders' highest-ranked commit in the ESPN 300 era, Hudson has the tools to be a big play weapon not seen in Lubbock since Michael Crabtree. A target with the speed to be a vertical threat, he also has strong hands and tremendous leaping ability to win contested matchups. Another key offensive addition is QB Will Hammond, who displays savvy and good touch and brings skills to develop at the position. He is looking to be a potential steal for the Red Raiders after creating a positive buzz with his performance at this summer's Elite 11 finals. High three-star WRs Tyson Turner, Lorenzo Johnson and Chandlin Myers are all strong in-state additions who could develop into productive targets in their passing attack. They will need to add to their defense as the cycle unfolds but have some promising pieces to build off, like Cheta Ofili, an explosive and lengthy edge defender who brings promising upside.

 

[Wagerallsports]

23. Stanford Cardinal​

ESPN 300 commits: 5 | Previous ranking: 22

Pac-12 rank: 3 of 12
Top offensive commit: QB Elijah Brown (No. 246)
Top defensive commit: DE Benedict Umeh (No. 72)

Entering June with just a handful of commitments, Stanford surged ahead and added more than 20 new prospects to its class, including several in the ESPN 300. QB Elijah Brown comes out of in-state powerhouse program Mater Dei and has thrown for over 5,000 yards and 60 TDs over the past two seasons. Always a national recruiting presence, the Cardinal pulled out of Mississippi Chris Davis Jr., a fluid runner who accelerates well and can be a versatile offensive target. Chase Farrell, a longtime commit compared to many in the class (March), brings game-changing speed, notching a 21.4 mph max speed measurable.

Defensively, Dylan Stephenson and Benedict Umeh give Stanford a pair of ESPN 300 DLs. Stephenson has good initial quickness and a nice frame to develop, and Umeh has great length, is explosive and can be disruptive against the run and as a pass-rusher.

 

[Wagerallsports]

22. Kentucky Wildcats​

ESPN 300 commits: 4 | Previous ranking: Unranked

SEC rank: 11 of 14
Top offensive commit: QB Cutter Boley (four-stars)
Top defensive commit: DE Brian Robinson (No. 79)

The Wildcats have scored big recruiting wins close to home to build a class that is contending for a top-25 finish. Mark Stoops has kept the top three in-state prospects, which includes QB Cutter Boley, who initially was a 2025 prospect but will arrive in Lexington with this class after reclassifying. A passer with good arm strength and a big frame, his early arrival will likely be used to further develop his raw tools, but he brings promising upside.

Playing well in the defensive trenches is a must in the SEC, and Kentucky added multiple ESPN 300 defenders. Twins Jacob Smith and Jerod Smith had been attending prep schools in the Northeast and were Michigan commits, but they returned to Kentucky this offseason, where they have roots, and flipped their commitment to the Wildcats. Their addition gives Kentucky two disruptive players with different strengths -- Jerod combines a competitive demeanor with a versatile skill set as he possesses a nice blend of size, quickness and power. Jacob shares similar traits but is leaner and quicker with excellent body control and can develop into a menacing edge rusher. Kentucky also went into Ohio to land DE Brian Robinson, a prospect with good length and a great work ethic. All three could be quick contributors. Four-star Terhyon Nichols, a corner with excellent speed, is also an aggressive tackler.