By The Athletic.
We know what the recruiting rankings say. We know which programs sign the best — and worst — classes. But what programs have the highest potential with what they currently have in place? Which ones are set up to recruit the best moving forward?
Eight members of The Athletic’s college football staff — Sam Khan Jr., Mitch Light, Antonio Morales, Manny Navarro, Max Olson, Grace Raynor, Andy Staples and Ari Wasserman — submitted their own rankings of the Power 5 programs, Nos. 1 through 69, based on recruiting potential.
The current head coach factored heavily into the rankings, but this was about the entire program as well — location, history, facilities, etc. We didn’t ignore NIL, either. It wasn’t the only reason we ranked a school where we did, but it was definitely part of the equation.
We’ve included the highest and lowest vote each program received, as well.
1. Georgia — The Bulldogs have won the past two national titles. They’ve had 31 players chosen in the past three drafts — including eight first-rounders. Kirby Smart has built a machine that looks to be every bit as potent as the one in Tuscaloosa. This one, however, happens to be situated in one of the best talent-producing states in the country with no other in-state SEC power to provide competition. — AS
Highest vote: 1 Lowest vote: 2
2. Alabama — Is it a bit strange that the program that has signed the No. 1 class 10 times in the last 13 cycles, including in 2023, is not No. 1 on our list? Yes, it is. But the team that is No. 1 has won the last two national titles and is located in a state that produces far more blue-chip prospects. — ML
Highest vote: 1 Lowest vote: 2
3. Ohio State — Through decades and coaching changes, Ohio State is one of the only programs in college football that hasn’t had a prolonged down period. Part of that is because of recruiting advantages — being the only Power 5 program in the state of Ohio — but it’s also the tradition of excellence. There’s a straightforward path to winning at Ohio State. — AW
Highest vote: 3 Lowest vote: 6
4. LSU – Yes, Brian Kelly looked dorky dancing in a video with Walker Howard, and he faked a Southern accent talking to fans at a basketball game. But he didn’t embarrass himself on the field or on the recruiting trail in Year 1. Eight of the 18 blue-chip recruits in Louisiana stayed home to play for the Tigers last cycle, and there’s always talent in the Bayou. — MN
Highest vote: 3 Lowest vote: 7
Texas — Steve Sarkisian aims to get the best in-state prospects but recruits nationally, too, signing players from 11 states in the last two classes. From facilities to location to NIL to competition — the Longhorns will join the SEC in 2024 — Texas checks a lot of boxes. A solid Year 2 under Sarkisian suggests a positive trajectory. — SK
Highest vote: 3 Lowest vote: 12
6. USC — USC is the most high-profile program in one of the most fertile recruiting regions in the country. When a good coach (like Lincoln Riley) is in charge, USC recruits well, and it has the brand power to recruit nationally. The ceiling will be raised if the program figures out the NIL landscape. — AM
Highest vote: 4 Lowest vote: 9
7. Texas A&M — The Aggies are recruiting better than ever under Jimbo Fisher, both in Texas and nationally, and have turned College Station into a destination for five-stars. The No. 1 ranked class in 2022 was no fluke. Texas A&M has a lot to offer and can compete for the best of the best. — MO
Highest vote: 5 Lowest vote: 16
8. Clemson — Signing top-10 classes has been and should be the norm at Clemson, where the Tigers are hoping to become regulars in the College Football Playoff again. Even with Clemson at a bit of a crossroads, Dabo Swinney’s ability to recruit like an SEC school continues to be among his greatest strengths. — GR
Highest vote: 4 Lowest vote: 13
9. Oregon — With its past two coaching hires, Oregon has made it clear that talent acquisition is king. Dan Lanning has continued to build upon the SEC recruiting mindsetMario Cristobal brought to Eugene, and his first full recruiting class suggests he might be doing it better than his predecessor. — AM
Highest vote: 4 Lowest vote: 17
10. Oklahoma — At Oklahoma, the championship tradition sells itself. When you take the proven results — two decades of excellence, elite offenses, NFL Draft picks — and you add SEC status, it’s not hard to get blue-chip recruits to buy in and build top-five recruiting classes. — MO
11 Miami — The U has underwhelmed for decades, but Mario Cristobal — with the help of some solid NIL backing — still convinced the seventh-best recruiting class in the countryto come to Coral Gables following an ugly 5-7 season. Just imagine what he could do if he averaged eight wins per season like every other Miami coach since Larry Coker. — MN
Highest vote: 6 Lowest vote: 18
12. Notre Dame — The Fighting Irish truly recruit nationally, with signees from 22 states making up their back-to-back top-10 classes. Their historical success, national relevance, recent track record of winning and consistent draft pick production makes Notre Dame an attractive destination. — SK
Highest vote: 5 Lowest vote: 18
13. Tennessee — Two years ago, the Volunteers would have been lower on this list. But a combination of the success under coach Josh Heupel and an early, organized, aggressive NIL strategy has made Tennessee a place that elite recruits will at least examine and possibly decide to call home. — AS
Highest vote: 11 Lowest vote: 15
14. Michigan — This might seem a bit low for a program with this much tradition — and one that has made the CFP the last two seasons — but the Wolverines failed to sign a top-100 player in the 2023 class and aren’t exactly known for an aggressive NIL strategy. — ML
Highest vote: 4 Lowest vote: 17
15. Auburn — How many programs in the current construct of college football have winning a national title as its ceiling? Auburn is one of them. It’s a traditional SEC program that can sign a top-15 class with any head coach who believes recruiting is remotely important. — AW
Highest vote: 9 Lowest vote: 24
We know what the recruiting rankings say. We know which programs sign the best — and worst — classes. But what programs have the highest potential with what they currently have in place? Which ones are set up to recruit the best moving forward?
Eight members of The Athletic’s college football staff — Sam Khan Jr., Mitch Light, Antonio Morales, Manny Navarro, Max Olson, Grace Raynor, Andy Staples and Ari Wasserman — submitted their own rankings of the Power 5 programs, Nos. 1 through 69, based on recruiting potential.
The current head coach factored heavily into the rankings, but this was about the entire program as well — location, history, facilities, etc. We didn’t ignore NIL, either. It wasn’t the only reason we ranked a school where we did, but it was definitely part of the equation.
We’ve included the highest and lowest vote each program received, as well.
1. Georgia — The Bulldogs have won the past two national titles. They’ve had 31 players chosen in the past three drafts — including eight first-rounders. Kirby Smart has built a machine that looks to be every bit as potent as the one in Tuscaloosa. This one, however, happens to be situated in one of the best talent-producing states in the country with no other in-state SEC power to provide competition. — AS
Highest vote: 1 Lowest vote: 2
2. Alabama — Is it a bit strange that the program that has signed the No. 1 class 10 times in the last 13 cycles, including in 2023, is not No. 1 on our list? Yes, it is. But the team that is No. 1 has won the last two national titles and is located in a state that produces far more blue-chip prospects. — ML
Highest vote: 1 Lowest vote: 2
3. Ohio State — Through decades and coaching changes, Ohio State is one of the only programs in college football that hasn’t had a prolonged down period. Part of that is because of recruiting advantages — being the only Power 5 program in the state of Ohio — but it’s also the tradition of excellence. There’s a straightforward path to winning at Ohio State. — AW
Highest vote: 3 Lowest vote: 6
4. LSU – Yes, Brian Kelly looked dorky dancing in a video with Walker Howard, and he faked a Southern accent talking to fans at a basketball game. But he didn’t embarrass himself on the field or on the recruiting trail in Year 1. Eight of the 18 blue-chip recruits in Louisiana stayed home to play for the Tigers last cycle, and there’s always talent in the Bayou. — MN
Highest vote: 3 Lowest vote: 7
Texas — Steve Sarkisian aims to get the best in-state prospects but recruits nationally, too, signing players from 11 states in the last two classes. From facilities to location to NIL to competition — the Longhorns will join the SEC in 2024 — Texas checks a lot of boxes. A solid Year 2 under Sarkisian suggests a positive trajectory. — SK
Highest vote: 3 Lowest vote: 12
6. USC — USC is the most high-profile program in one of the most fertile recruiting regions in the country. When a good coach (like Lincoln Riley) is in charge, USC recruits well, and it has the brand power to recruit nationally. The ceiling will be raised if the program figures out the NIL landscape. — AM
Highest vote: 4 Lowest vote: 9
7. Texas A&M — The Aggies are recruiting better than ever under Jimbo Fisher, both in Texas and nationally, and have turned College Station into a destination for five-stars. The No. 1 ranked class in 2022 was no fluke. Texas A&M has a lot to offer and can compete for the best of the best. — MO
Highest vote: 5 Lowest vote: 16
8. Clemson — Signing top-10 classes has been and should be the norm at Clemson, where the Tigers are hoping to become regulars in the College Football Playoff again. Even with Clemson at a bit of a crossroads, Dabo Swinney’s ability to recruit like an SEC school continues to be among his greatest strengths. — GR
Highest vote: 4 Lowest vote: 13
9. Oregon — With its past two coaching hires, Oregon has made it clear that talent acquisition is king. Dan Lanning has continued to build upon the SEC recruiting mindsetMario Cristobal brought to Eugene, and his first full recruiting class suggests he might be doing it better than his predecessor. — AM
Highest vote: 4 Lowest vote: 17
10. Oklahoma — At Oklahoma, the championship tradition sells itself. When you take the proven results — two decades of excellence, elite offenses, NFL Draft picks — and you add SEC status, it’s not hard to get blue-chip recruits to buy in and build top-five recruiting classes. — MO
11 Miami — The U has underwhelmed for decades, but Mario Cristobal — with the help of some solid NIL backing — still convinced the seventh-best recruiting class in the countryto come to Coral Gables following an ugly 5-7 season. Just imagine what he could do if he averaged eight wins per season like every other Miami coach since Larry Coker. — MN
Highest vote: 6 Lowest vote: 18
12. Notre Dame — The Fighting Irish truly recruit nationally, with signees from 22 states making up their back-to-back top-10 classes. Their historical success, national relevance, recent track record of winning and consistent draft pick production makes Notre Dame an attractive destination. — SK
Highest vote: 5 Lowest vote: 18
13. Tennessee — Two years ago, the Volunteers would have been lower on this list. But a combination of the success under coach Josh Heupel and an early, organized, aggressive NIL strategy has made Tennessee a place that elite recruits will at least examine and possibly decide to call home. — AS
Highest vote: 11 Lowest vote: 15
14. Michigan — This might seem a bit low for a program with this much tradition — and one that has made the CFP the last two seasons — but the Wolverines failed to sign a top-100 player in the 2023 class and aren’t exactly known for an aggressive NIL strategy. — ML
Highest vote: 4 Lowest vote: 17
15. Auburn — How many programs in the current construct of college football have winning a national title as its ceiling? Auburn is one of them. It’s a traditional SEC program that can sign a top-15 class with any head coach who believes recruiting is remotely important. — AW
Highest vote: 9 Lowest vote: 24
