B&S National Signing Day 2021 primer
The action has already started - you can get caught up on all the latest on SEC Network starting at 1:00 PM EST.
By: Bossman Slim, The Waco Kid
The man of the hour is highly sought after 4-star S Terrion Arnold (Photo: via @ArnoldTerrion)
National Signing Day no longer has the luster it once did with the new Early Signing Period, but it still packs some of the drama with a few big time recruits set to sign today and programs putting the finishing touches on their 2021 classes. We’ve got a quick primer for you on what to expect today and what has already gone down this morning.
Let’s get into it, starting in the East.
SEC East
Florida
Current rank: 13
The offseason has been a bit rocky in Gainesville, with Dan Mullen to the NFL rumors and the stench of a late-season collapse still fresh on everyone’s mind. But bringing in a top 10 class would ease the pain of 2020 and give Gators a shot of hope straight to the arm (how’s that for a timely reference? Ha. Vaccine.). But it doesn’t look like that will be the case - however, it may not matter. Mullen has been working the transfer portal hard, and most recently brought in former 5-star tight end Arik Gilbert from LSU. That won’t count towards Florida’s final 2021 class ranking, but it’s no small thing whenever you bring in a five-star. Another 5-star is on campus from the transfer portal in former Clemson Tiger RB Demarckus Bowman. A late class loss of 3-star OL Adrein Strickland isn’t great, but it sounds like the Gators pulled his offer just ahead of NSD. Recruiting can be a messed up business.
The Gators are still battling hard for the commitment of 4-star safety Terrion Arnold, and are up against Alabama and Georgia for his talents.
Georgia
Current rank: 3
Kirby Smart continues to recruit in rare air, up with the likes of Alabama and Ohio State, this year’s National Championship contestants. The class boasts four 5-stars, headlined by QB Brock Vandagriff, the heir apparent to J.T. “Peg Leg” Daniels. The Dawgs have one more hunt in 2021 - as mentioned above. They’re in a battle to the death for 4-star safety Terrion Arnold with the Gators and Tide. Arnold will be announcing his decision at 3:30 PM EST on ESPN.
Missouri
Current rank: 25
Eli Drinkwitz is doing just fine with his first full year of recruiting. The Tigers feed off of diamonds in the rough and developing within the program - they always have. Top-ranked recruiting classes almost never come through the door. But sitting at #25? That’s solid work in Columbia, and it will serve Mizzou just fine. Two 4-stars headline the 2021 class: DE Travion Ford out of St. Louis and Dominic Lovett, a 5’10 WR out of East St. Louis, IL. It doesn’t look like there will be much movement today for the Tigers in terms of adding new commits, but we’re keeping our eye on it. If you’re a Mizzou fan, let us know if we’re overlooking a big piece of the puzzle that could sign today.
Kentucky
Current rank: 30
Like Florida, Kentucky has been active in grabbing players from the transfer portal, the latest being former 3-star Michigan State Spartan LB Luke Fulton. The Wildcats also picked up former 4-star WR Wan’Dale Robinson from Nebraska. Mark Stoops also picked up a big commitment this morning from four-star LB Trevin Wallace, who catapulted the ‘Cats 10 spots up the board from 40 to 30. He chose Kentucky Blue over Georgia, Auburn and Ole Miss. Wallace was the ‘Cats final top priority of the class, so don’t expect too much more movement from Stoops today, barring a surprise.
Tennessee
Current rank: 16
The fact that Tennesee still sits at #16 in the recruiting rankings after all that has gone on in Rocky Top over the past month is an absolute miracle. When Will Muschamp was fired at South Carolina, the Gamecocks class plummeted into the 90s. Somehow, the Vols have been able to keep the wobbly wheels on the wagon - at least in recruiting. There was an ugly exchange the other day when a high school coach in Alabama blasted the new staff for pulling a scholarship offer the day before NSD, but all in all, keeping this class in the top 20 is incredible.
The Vols have a few spots open in the 2021 class, so Heupel and the new staff will be active today - and have already been so this morning. Most outlets expect them to try and add 1-3 recruits to the 2021 class today. USC transfer kicker Chase McGrath filled one of those spots this morning. Jeremiah Crawford, a 3-star JUCO OL also signed with Tennessee this morning, filling another spot. There was also some flip speculation around WR Tar’varish Dawson, but he kept his commitment to Bryan Harsin and Auburn. It’s possible the Vols could add more today, so keep a watch on Knoxville.
South Carolina
Current rank: 94
The Gamecocks are hurting. Sitting in the basement of the recruiting rankings sandwiched between East Carolina and Ball State is not where the program of Jadaveon Clowney, Marcus Lattimore, and Alshon Jeffrey should be. South Carolina’s 2021 class only has 11 commits - leaving plenty of room for signees. Expect plenty of movement today and in the coming weeks as Shane Beamer looks to plug holes in the roster. Even if there isn’t much signing movement today, look for Beamer and staff to continue digging into the transfer portal, which they’ve done seven times already this offseason, including nabbing former Nebraska Cornhusker and 4-star DT Jahkeem Green.
Vanderbilt
Current rank: 50
Got’em right where you want them...at #50 this is a typical Vandy recruiting class. Not much has changed on the recruiting trail since coach Clark Lea took over for the fired Derek Mason. Lea has been feverishly building his staff, and it was expected that recruiting would lag. I mean...it always lags at Vanderbilt. Lea will begin being judged on the 2022 recruiting class. Vandy already added a few players this morning in LB Michael Mincey and RB Dylan Betts-Pauley. ATH CJ Taylor is expected to make it official with the Commodores at noon EST.
Bossman Slim
SEC West
Alabama
Current rank: 1
I mean, what is there to say? Alabama gonna Alabama. Tide gonna roll. Roll gonna Tide. And on and on. Bama is poised to sign the highest-rated class since the ranking system began, and there are still pieces on the board. 5-star running back Camar Wheaton out of Texas signed this morning, solidifying his verbal commitment and giving Tide fans a sigh of relief. Still on the board is 4-star safety Terrion Arnold and 4-star wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. The number 3 player in the country, J.T. Tulmoloau, is also a top target but is not expected to sign tomorrow, and will instead sign later this year in hopes he can make school visits in the spring. Even without those three recruits, Bama is reloading faster than the Russians in the Cold War. The Tide aren’t going anywhere.
Texas A&M
Current rank: 7
After an impressive 2020 season for the Fightin’Texas Aggies, Jimbo and the crew have been setting the recruiting trail on fire. They are killing it left and right which has led to its emergence as the #7 class in the nation. The Ags are returning the majority of starters on the #1 overall defense in the SEC (their most notable losses being Bobby Brown III and Buddy Johnson) and building on that already stacked squad. The revival of the Wrecking Crew down south has continued with the signing of 4 of the top 25 defensive ends in the nation. This group included two top ten DEs in Shemar Turner and Tunmise Adeleye. A&M also added the top players from Arkansas and Oklahoma, both of whom are defensive backs. They aren’t even done yet, DT Tywone Malone still has TAMU as one of his top choices and will announce his decision today at 4:00 EST. This defense should bring nightmares to opposing teams when the 2021 season kicks off.
On the offensive side, Fisher was able to gain commitments from two top 20 linemen, Bryce Foster and Reuben Fatheree II, and a top receiver in Shadrach Banks. The Aggies’ biggest concern on offense is finding a viable replacement for 4-year starting quarterback Kellen Mond and to fill the holes on the offensive line, which should be a little easier with recruits like Foster and Fatheree. College Station could still be the landing place of top running back LJ Johnson and wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., although he is expected to stay in-state and play for LSU. If A&M lands Malone and Johnson, or even just one, A&M could make a push into the top 5. Either way, the program is on an upward trend going into 2021.
Auburn
Current rank: 37
It was a difficult season for the Auburn Tigers, forget the 6-5 record or the loss to Northwestern in the Citrus Bowl, they had to play with Bo Nix at quarterback. A hard obstacle to overcome for any team, let alone one playing in the SEC West. If the season wasn’t bad enough the administration poured salt in the wound by firing Gus Malzahn after a regular-season finale win against Mississippi State. The players loved Malzahn and were given some dude from Idaho as a replacement. This clearly did not sit well with some players, Big Kat Bryant and D.J. Williams were two notable Tigers that entered the transfer portal after their head coach was let go (Big Kat could still come back after - it remains a mystery). Auburn still has momentum going into today with the possibility of nabbing two 3-star defensive backs in Dontae Balfour and Juwon Gaston, and could receive a commitment from 3-star running back Jarquez Hunter. The program needs these players so they can leave recruiting season on a high note and maybe boost an unexpected poor ranking.
Auburn seems to be fighting an uphill battle in the coming years, but maybe Bryan Harsin can tap into some of the potential we saw from Bo Nix playing Oregon in 2019. If he cannot release that potential or keep Nix under control during games, the Tigers are looking at a disappointing 2021 on top of a sad recruiting season.
LSU
Current rank: 4
The biggest headline of the offseason was 5-star tight end Arik Gilbert entering the transfer portal, and then choosing SEC East rival Florida as his landing spot. Despite this loss, LSU has once again put together a top 5 class. The team that played in 2020 should not have brought in any highly ranked recruits. The Tigers went 5-5 and lost to Mississippi State, MISSOURI, Auburn and were not impressive in any matchup they played in. Coach O must have sacrificed a season to Papa Legba in return for a good recruiting class because I can see no other way how he pulled this off, especially with all the coaching staff turnover. He was able to secure the #1 safety in the nation as well as top 10 linemen on both sides of the ball. In-state WR target Brian Thomas Jr. could still add to an already loaded recruiting class with a commitment, but LSU will have to fend off Texas A&M and Alabama for his services.
Baton Rouge will experience at least one more rebuilding year, but the Tigers will field a competitive team purely due to a talented roster and will be poised to compete for the West in another year or so.
Ole Miss
Current rank: 19
I hear the Lane train a comin’, it’s rolling round the bend. And they ain’t seen a Natty since we don’t know when. They’re stuck in Mississippi, and time keeps movin’ slow. But that train keeps a rollin’ up towards Indy and the snow.
When he was just a baby Nick Saban told him “Son, that’s called an ass-chewing just run the damn shotgun,” but Kiffin missed the bus…just to chat it up, so Saban fired his ass and gave less the one f***.
I bet the West didn’t want him that far, so they banished him to Florida in a town called BR, even though he made the best of it he knew he wanted to leave, because those recruits kept a-movin’ down to the SEC.
FAU freed him from his contract and the choice was all his, so he decided to accept the job at Ole Miss, he drove the train to Oxford to set up and stay and will have a top 20 recruiting class come signing day.
The Rebels showed much improvement on offense and little on defense. Kiffin’s mentality is to outscore opponents and he will look to build on that in the offseason. With a top 20 class and eyes on defensive tackle Tywone Malone’s announcement tomorrow, Mississippi is poised to break records on both offense and defense next season. The latter of which will not be a record an SEC school should be proud of.
Arkansas
Current rank: 22
Even though it may not seem like it, Arkansas had a program-changing season in 2020. We saw Sam Pittman turn that damn jukebox on, Feleipe Franks sling the ball, and the Razorbacks win 3 games (one more than the previous year). If we are being honest UA should have had at least three more wins on the season against Auburn, LSU, and Missouri. The Auburn game was a joke due to a bad choice by Bo Nix and a worse call by the refs. Sure, 3 wins doesn’t scream improvement but it's the man behind the wins that will turn a subpar program into a competitive one within a year or two. Pittman has the trust and respect of the players and it showed, which is always a good selling point for incoming recruits. This team never gave up all season, played hurt and against all odds, and for the most part, competed against teams that should have run them out of the stadium.
With a top 25 recruiting class, including the #1 JUCO defensive tackle and multiple top 300 players out of Texas and Oklahoma, I think it is safe to say that Arkansas is BACK BABY. And not back in the University of Texas sense, the Hogs are actually back to being competitive while playing in a top conference. No expected signings today, barring a late unexpected pickup. I cannot speak highly enough about their head coach, but I will leave it at this: Arkansas 8 years ago was a national competitor, Pittman will have them back in the running as soon as the nation starts listening to that damn jukebox.
Mississippi State
Current rank: 27
Mike Leach’s inaugural year was not the one fans in Starkville were hoping for. The season started off with a bang when the Bulldogs upset defending national champions LSU. Everyone was singing the Pirate song but little did the nation know the Tigers were a shell of what the 2019 team was. Things quickly went down from there, with MSU losing 4 straight and ending the regular season with only 3 wins. Despite this abysmal record, the team was invited to play #24 Tulsa in the Armed Forces Bowl. They beat the #24 team in the nation because, well it was Tulsa, whose biggest game was against Cincinnati. It was a rough year for Leach but a top 30 recruiting class led by the signing of Lubbock Coronado quarterback Sawyer Robertson is a solid start towards the new direction the program is headed (which is obviously the air raid). No recruits signing tomorrow are expected to go with State but there could always be a rogue one, waiting silently in the group.
The Waco Kid