With roughly three weeks until the early signing period starts for college football recruits, 261 prospects in the ESPN 300 are already committed.
Spots are limited with so few elite recruits left on the board. With the transfer portal window opening on Monday, a few additions will be made down the stretch into December, but most programs have the majority of their classes filled and future playmakers locked up.
Some of the prospects in this class have garnered major attention, especially the quarterbacks. Arch Manning's recruitment was followed closely before he made waves by choosing Texas. When USC coach Lincoln Riley got quarterback Malachi Nelson, the No. 1 overall recruit, to flip from Oklahoma, it turned the heads of some other recruits.
Each team has potential playmakers in their recruiting class, so we looked at the top prospects for every program ranked in the Top 25 of the class rankings.
Some prospects will play right away. Some add depth. Some fill voids when current players depart for either another school or the NFL. Some are pure game changers. Here are the most important commits for each school.
1. Alabama: Richard Young, RB
2023 ESPN 300 ranking: 19
While safety Caleb Downs is the class' highest-ranked commit (No. 12) and fills a position of need, Young fits the bill for what Alabama needs at running back.
Current starter Jahmyr Gibbs could very well go to the NFL after this season, as he is ESPN's consensus No. 2 draft-eligible running back. Trey Sanders entered the transfer portal, and most of the other backs on the roster are already upperclassmen.
The staff did sign Emmanuel Henderson Jr. and Jamarion Miller last cycle, but Young and fellow 2023 running back Justice Haynes, the top two backs in this cycle who are both ranked in the top 25 overall, could contribute early given their talent.