CFB: 10 Early signing period, transfer portal takeaways

1) Deion Sanders flips Florida State commit Travis Hunter: The most shocking commitment during early signing period was certainly when the #1 recruit in the 2022 class per 247 Sports spurned Florida State, Georgia and others for Jackson State. Hunter became the first 5-star in history to sign with a historically black university and a Group of Five program. The 6'1 cornerback could change the current recruiting landscape as he decides to join legendary head coach Deion Sanders.

2) Alabama adds defensive standouts including Eli Ricks: Saban recently picked up LSU defensive back Eli Ricks and Georgia Tech running back Jahmyr Gibbs, a couple of very sought after players on the transfer market. Ricks had four picks as a freshman and will be immediately eligible alongside Gibbs in 2022. Alabama also added Jeremiah Alexander (#1 edge rusher) to a strong unit while 5-stars Ty Simpson and Emmanuel Henderson headline the Crimson Tide's offensive haul.

3) Texas A&M surpasses fellow SEC rivals for early period: Not only did Jimbo Fisher and Elijah Robinson continue to dominate on the recruiting trail recently, slightly passing Alabama and Georgia to lead the 247 Sports rankings, but the Aggies also brought in former LSU quarterback Max Johnson. Texas A&M pulled in four 5-star recruits including Walter Nolen (#1 defensive lineman) and Evan Stewart (#2 wide receiver), and are still in the mix to sign the highest uncommitted recruit Harold Perkins.

4) Ohio State defense, secondary should see improvement: Ryan Day couldn't convince the aforementioned Ricks to choose Ohio State over Alabama but two other major defensive additions CJ Hicks (top ranked player in Ohio) and Sonny Styles (#1 safety) will land in Columbus. Styles is the 13th rated recruit after re-classifying to 2022. The Buckeyes hired former Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, who will have the 4th ranked class to work with as he takes over.

5) Lincoln Riley reels in Domani Jackson in underwhelming class: USC hired head coach Lincoln Riley less than a month ago so it's not a surprise the recruiting class is suboptimal but keeping Domani Jackson in-state can not be understated. The 5-star cornerback from Mater Dei High School committed to the Trojans on Friday. USC's recruiting class (ranked 70th) moved up 29 spots following Jackson's decision but still trail Pac-12 foes Colorado and Oregon State.

6) Notre Dame, Oklahoma survive coaching changes: Several major schools had head coach openings leading up to the early signing period, most notably Florida, LSU, Oklahoma, Oregon, Miami, Notre Dame, and USC. While some teams struggled to keep their commits intact, the Fighting Irish and Sooners still produced top-10 classes despite hiring new leaders in December. Marcus Freeman and Brent Venables will each try to recruit at the same rate as their predecessors.

7) Kirby Smart cranks out sixth straight top-five class: Smart's recruiting prowess has only been rivaled by few, securing a top-five class every cycle since becoming the Georgia head coach in 2016. The Bulldogs currently have the 3rd ranked class with five 5-star commits, featuring in-state prospect Malaki Starks and Jacksonville-product Jaheim Singletary. Starks is the second best recruit from Georgia behind Hunter and should have a huge impact in Athens.

8) Jim Harbaugh jumps into top-10 with recent boost: Michigan won the Big Ten for the first time since 2004 and clinched a spot in the upcoming College Football Playoff, which frequently results in a recruiting boost. Will Johnson, a 6'3 cornerback, is the only 5-star in the class coming to Ann Arbor but Harbaugh also hauled in a slew of 4-star prospects including defensive standouts Derrick Moore and Keon Sabb (IMG Academy safety), as well as skilled receivers Tyler Morris and Darrius Clemons.

9) Michigan State, South Carolina capitalize on transfer portal: Several programs have capitalized on the portal like UCLA picking up former UCF quarterback Dillon Gabriel and Arkansas signing Oklahoma wide receiver Jadon Haselwood, but Mel Tucker and Shane Beamer have been the biggest winners. Michigan State earned commitments from Aaron Brule and Jalen Berger (Wisconsin running back), while South Carolina added Spencer Ratter (Oklahoma quarterback) and Austin Stogner.

10) Kentucky surprisingly slips past blue blood SEC programs: Mark Stoops has done a phenomenal job turning Kentucky into a consistently competitive team, which has helped create the 4th best class in the SEC. That's a remarkable feat considering Auburn, Florida, LSU, and Tennessee reside in the same league. Tight ends coach Vince Marrow is a big reason why after he brought in 10 commitments (the second most of any major recruiter) this year including 5-star tackle Kiyaunta Goodwin.

Photo Credit: Sports Illustrated.