College football recruiting: Scouting 2026's top five classes, led by USC and Alabama
Our Summary
On National Signing Day, 247Sports director of scouting Andrew Ivins analyzed the top five recruiting classes for the 2026 college football cycle. The top classes were from USC, Alabama, Oregon, Ohio State, and Notre Dame, in that order. This marks the first time in over eight seasons that USC and Notre Dame have ranked in the top five. Meanwhile, Oregon, Alabama, and Ohio State have each secured top-five recruiting classes for three consecutive cycles.
The influence of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals has led to increased recruiting parity. In the 2026 class, 20 programs signed at least one five-star prospect, compared to just 14 programs in 2021. No single program signed more than three five-star recruits.
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Monday Morning - Chiefs Trade + 4 More Stories
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