The three biggest takeaways from National Signing Day, 2016, around the Southeastern Conference:

1. Don’t ever underestimate Alabama

The narrative in the recruiting media world (including here) was that the Crimson Tide’s streak of five straight No. 1 classes was coming to an end.

Not so fast.

Alabama finished with a flurry, landing two five-star linebackers, plus elite defensive linemen Terrell Hall and Jamar King, among others, on signing day. That helped the program finish with the top overall class for the sixth straight recruiting cycle.

Let this be a lesson that no matter how far Alabama seems from No. 1, if there are enough elite prospects on the Tide’s board heading down the stretch, as long as there are enough of them, Alabama has a chance to finish strong and top the rest of the country in the recruiting rankings.

2. It’s always an adventure in Mississippi

Heading into signing day week, most believed that offensive tackle Scott Lashley and defensive tackle Kobe Jones, both local prospects from West Point and Starkville, respectively, would head to Mississippi State while wide receiver A.J. Brown, also from Starkville, was up in the air and defensive end Jefffery Simmons from Macon, Miss., would head to Ole Miss.

Jones was the only one that worked out the way it was expected.

Lashley bolted across the state line to Alabama, Brown ended up in Oxford and Simmons in Starkville.

The two major programs in the state of Mississippi continue to get their share of top prospects to stay at home, but just like Leo Lewis last cycle you never know how it is going to turn out.

3. The tide may be turning in Texas

If you are a Texas A&M fan, you ended up landing a good class, but you can’t ignore that in-state rival Texas and its late surge.

The Longhorns got six top 30 in-state prospects down the stretch and topped the Aggies on several prospects including top-ranked safety Brandon Jones.

Nobody needs to proclaim the end of Texas A&M football or anything, but it wasn’t the signing day that Aggies have become accustomed to the last several years.