The 2022 college football recruiting trail is just beginning. Many prospects are still waiting for the extended dead period to end for the opportunity to take visits and interact with coaches in person.
Commitments could begin to spike over the summer, but so far, more than 100 prospects in the ESPN 300 are among those already committed. Several programs have either gotten off to a strong start or began to a build a good foundation as they work to further grow their classes over the coming months. Some usual suspects, like Ohio State and Georgia, which signed the Nos. 2- and 3-ranked classes, respectively, for the 2021 cycle, are at or near the top again.
Meanwhile, perennial top-five contenders Alabama, which just signed the top-ranked class, and Clemson start a little further back, but again remain teams to watch.