A longtime power on the recruiting trail, Southern California stumbled last year when it signed only one ESPN 300 prospect and finished outside the top 50 nationally. The Trojans have rebounded in the 2021 cycle and climbed within the top 10. Showing their national reach, they pulled out a potential offensive playmaker in Michael Trigg, an ESPN 300 tight end from Florida who possesses good hands, feet and body control.
Georgia moved into the top 10 with a vital in-state pickup in Amarius Mims, who is the No. 3-ranked in-state prospect and the third-ranked OT nationally. With conference rival Alabama landing the nation's top two tackles, Mims helps Georgia keep pace with a strong offensive line haul of its own. An aggressive, flexible and agile big man with a nice frame, Mims now leads a group of four ESPN 300 OLs headed to Athens.
Dave Doeren has NC State on the cusp of the top 25 and in position for its highest-ranked class in over a decade. The Wolfpack's in-state LB commit Jordan Poole moved into the ESPN 300 in the latest player rankings update, and they also added an in-state four-star safety in Chase Hattley, a lengthy, physical and well-rounded defender.