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Prime Time didn’t wait until sunset to steal the show Wednesday.
Deion Sanders poached the No. 1 overall recruit in the country when long-time FSU commit Travis Hunter dramatically flipped to Sanders and HBCU Jackson State. Hunter also is the No. 1 ranked cornerback in the country as well as the No. 1 player in the state of Georgia.
SEC heavyweights offered Hunter but were never seriously in the mix. He was thought to be an FSU lock — until Prime pulled off his best interception as a head coach.
The SEC shook off that disappointment, however. As usual, the conference signed the vast majority of the Top 100 recruits in the country, securing 42 signatures and 5 more commitments.
Here is a conference-by-conference breakdown of where the Top 100 recruits are headed after Day 1 of the Early Signing Period, starting with those who have not committed.
Still uncommitted: 13 players
This list includes 4 of the top 10 players in the country, including a couple who have Texas A&M among their finalists. Jimbo Fisher’s already-stacked class could become historic if 5-star LB Harold Perkins and 5-star DL Shemar Stewart both sign. Pickens said he will announce his choice during the Under Armour All-America Game on Jan. 2. Stewart will sign on the traditional February signing date (Wednesday, Feb. 2).
SEC: 47 commitments/42 signed
Where to begin? The SEC landed 3 5-star QBs. The best conference in the country signed 13 5-stars — and is the heavy favorite to land at least 3 more. Texas A&M signed the best defensive line class in the country — a group that included a pair of 5-stars and a highly-rated 4-star. The rich got richer Wednesday.
Big Ten: 19 commitments/17 signed
The B1G didn’t land a player in the top 10, but it added 5 players in the top 50. Ohio State addressed its shaky defense by adding a 5-star LB CJ Hicks and 5-star safety Sonny Styles. Penn State addressed its QB issues by adding 5-star Drew Allar, the nation’s No. 4 QB overall and highest QB signee in the B1G. Ohio State, Michigan State and Purdue signed a 4-star QB ranked among the 15 best in the country.
ACC: 9 commitments/9 signed
The ACC had arguably the most notable flip in recruiting history — losing the No. 1 overall prospect to an FCS program — but also added 5 of the nation’s top 40 players. Clemson signed its QB of the future, Cade Klubnik, the nation’s No. 1 QB recruit. Klubnik is a 5-star from Westlake High, a QB factory in Austin, Texas. FSU added 4-star QB AJ Duffy from IMG Academy. Miami also signed a 4-star QB, Jacurri Brown from Valdosta, Georgia.
This list does not include linebacker Jaylen Sneed, the No. 35 overall player who signed with Notre Dame.
Big 12: 6 commitments/5 signed
Only 1 player in the top 50 signed with a Big 12 program. Even worse? Four of the 5 top-100 players who signed Wednesday will play for Texas and Oklahoma. Those schools are on their way to the SEC, arrival time TBA.
Pac-12: 4 commitments/2 signed
And we wonder why the Pac-12 hasn’t been a Playoff threat? Nobody inside the top 30 signed with a Pac-12 school. They’re favored to land 2 of the 13 uncommitted players, including 5-star cornerback Domani Jackson, who is the No. 7 player overall. But Jackson is the only 5-star in the mix to play out West. It’s a good thing Lincoln Riley is hitting the transfer portal.
Managing Editor
A 30-time APSE award-winning editor with previous stints at the Miami Herald, The Indianapolis Star and News & Observer, Executive Editor Chris Wright oversees editorial operations for Saturday Down South.
