Upheaval in the American Athletic Conference head coaching ranks made a big impact on the early signing period for the recruiting Class of 2025.
Five AAC coaches were dismissed during the regular season, causing large numbers of previously verbally committed to players to look elsewhere by the time the early signing period began on Dec. 4. That meant less activity for some programs during the early period.
But with new head coaches now in place, the AAC will be a league to watch between now and traditional signing period in February as the transfer portal comes into play more than ever.
Here’s our team-by-team look at how the AAC fared during the early signing period.
ARMY
THE HEADLINE: Per usual, due to the Army’s appointment process, names of recruited players aren’t officially released until they arrive for Reception Day in the summer. But winning the AAC title in their first season has led to some impressive talent opting to join the Cadets in the Class of 2025.
HOW MANY SIGNED: Depending on which recruiting service you consult, Army has between 50 and 80 players committed for the Class of 2025, all from high school programs.
CLASS RATINGS: 247Sports.com (No. 122 nationally, unranked in AAC); On3.com (No. 110 nationally, unranked in AAC); Rivals.com (No. 76 nationally, No. 5 in AAC).
TOP-RATED SIGNEES: Edge SAM HAYWARD (6-3, 205) from Providence High in Jacksonville, Fla., is the top-rated Army recruit in the history of the rankings compiled by 247Sports.com. Hayward has an 86 player rating from 247 and is the nation’s No. 59 edge rusher in the composite rankings.
SETH SHIGG (5-10, 185), from Culver City, Calif., is rated the No. 89 quarterback prospect nationally by 247Sports.com. Shigg piled up 6,251 yards and 61 touchdowns passing during his career at Culver City High, while rushing for 2,755 and 31 more scores.
CLASS NOTES & NOTABLES: Hayward’s father, REGGIE HAYWARD, played defensive end at Iowa State (1997-2000) and was a third-round NFL draft pick. … Army has commitments from teammates CHARLIE DALY (6-2, 215 linebacker) and TOMMY GHISLANDI (6-5, 235, edge) from Loyola Academy in Wilmette, Ill. … Running back JADEN PYDYN (6-1, 195) will play football and baseball at Army. An outfielder on the diamond, he hit .423 as a sophomore. … Quarterback NELSON LAYNE (6-3, 192), from Midlothian, Va., has laser timed at 4.39 seconds in the 40-yard dash. … The Cadets landed cornerback TIM WALLACE (5-10, 160) from Mililani, Hawaii, which is 4,951 miles from West Point, N.Y.
CHARLOTTE
THE HEADLINE: The 49ers endured the untimely dismissal of head coach Biff Poggi on Nov. 18. Poggi’s departure ultimately dismantled what was shaping up to be a solid class for Charlotte. Tim Albin, the former Ohio University head coach, was hired Dec. 8 to pick up the pieces, but faces a long road to recovery.
HOW MANY SIGNED: The school released no list during the early signing period, but the various recruiting sites have between four and seven prospects still verbally committed. We suspect the number is only the lower end.
CLASS RATINGS: 247Sports.com (No. 129 nationally, No. 11 in AAC); On3.com (No. 135 nationally, No. 12 in AAC); Rivals.com (Unranked nationally, No. 13 in AAC).
TOP-RATED SIGNEES: N.J. Gatorade Player of the Year JACK MORAN (6-5, 215) has yet to back out of his commitment to Charlotte publicly. Moran, No. 83 among quarterbacks in the composite national rankings, chose the 49ers over Maryland. He was also offered by ECU and made an unofficial visit to Greenville in April.
NARE MEANS (5-10, 160), from Cary, N.C., is ranked No. 270 among wide receivers nationally, while Cornelius, N.C., cornerback REGGIE RAINER JR. (5-11, 170) is rated No. 180 by On3.com. Rainer was recently chosen to represent North Carolina in the annual Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas all-star game.
CLASS NOTES & NOTABLES: Means is the son of former North Carolina and NFL running back NATRONE MEANS. … Two other players currently listed as commits on the recruiting website — defensive lineman JADYN FARMER from Charlotte, N.C., and receiver JEREMIAH HOFFMAN from Severance, Colo. — have stated on their Twitter pages that they have re-opened their recruitment. … As of Dec. 10, 24 Charlotte players had entered their names in the transfer portal.
EAST CAROLINA
THE HEADLINE: When the Pirates decided to oust head coach MIKE HOUSTON in October, both the season and recruiting appeared in jeopardy. Enter defensive coordinator BLAKE HARRELL who not only salvaged the season by winning four of the final five regular-season games, but he saved the recruiting class as well. As a result, the Pirates are headed to a post-season bowl game and Harrell has been named the permanent head coach.
HOW MANY SIGNED: The Pirates signed 21 players during the early period, all from the high school ranks.
CLASS RATINGS: 247Sports.com (No. 72 nationally, No. 4 in AAC); On3.com (No. 74 nationally, No. 4 in AAC); Rivals.com (No. 80 nationally, No. 7 in AAC).
TOP-RATED SIGNEES: EDDIE LOVE JR. (5-8, 175) from Fort Walton Beach, Fla., is rated the No. 73 running back nationally in the composite rankings. He entertained offers from Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Buffalo, Colorado, Florida Atlantic, Georgia Southern, Liberty, Louisiana, Marshall, Pittsburgh, South Florida, Southern Miss, Toledo, Troy, Tulane and West Virginia.
Right behind Love in the ratings is DERROION HORSLEY (6-2, 185) from Sharpsburg, Ga.. Horsley is the No. 97 cornerback nationally, according to 247Sports.com. In the biggest surprise of the early signing period, the Pirates grabbed up Horsley after he had previously committed to Mississippi State.
CLASS NOTES & NOTABLES: ECU’s signees include two players who were originally part of the Class of 2024 — quarterback COLE HODGE and offensive lineman PEYTON REEDER. … Both delayed their enrollment to ECU while recovering from surgeries. … Linebacker KENDRIC DAVIS from Charlotte, N.C., has been chosen to represent North Carolina in the annual Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas all-star game. … Quarterback CHASTON DITTA (6-0, 190) is the 11th Lake Travis High (Austin, Tx.) quarterback to earn an FBS scholarship since 2005, including 2017 Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield. … DARRELL MILES SR., the father of linebacker JORDAN DAVID MILES (6-1, 200), from Huntersville, Ala., played safety at California from 1993-94. … Defensive back DURANTE SPEER’S grandfather, EDDIE SHEATS, played defensive line for Kansas in the early 1970s and was selected by the Washington Redskins in the 1973 NFL Draft. Speer’s father, TERRENCE, was a cornerback at Alabama A&M and cousin DEMARIO MINTER is a former NFL cornerback.
FLORIDA ATLANTIC
THE HEADLINE: The Owls dismissed head coach Tom Herman with two games left in the regular season but named his successor two days before the early signing period on Dec. 2. FAU tabbed Texas Tech offensive coordinator Zack Kittley to replace Herman. Kittley, who becomes the youngest head coach in the FBS at age 33, was able to hold the recruiting class together for the most part.
HOW MANY SIGNED: The Owls signed 17 players during the early period, all from the high school ranks and eight from the Tri-County area around Boca Raton.
CLASS RATINGS: 247Sports.com (No. 78 nationally, No. 5 in AAC); On3.com (No. 77 nationally, No. 5 in AAC); Rivals.com (No. 72 nationally, No. 3 in AAC).
TOP-RATED SIGNEES: Wide receiver JADE CARD (6-2, 200) from Miami was rated the nation’s No. 69 athlete and had offers from Florida State, Indiana, Mississippi, SMU and South Carolina among others.
The Owls also landed the nation’s No. 74-ranked tight end, JAMEZ YOUNG (6-4, 205) from Robinson High in Tampa. Young had 16 overall offers, including Florida and Indiana. ECU also offered Young as well as FAU running back signee ETHAN ERVIN from Buford, Ga. Ervin is rated the nation’s No. 127 rusher by 247Sports.com.
CLASS NOTES & NOTABLES: The FAU class consists of one quarterback, a running back, three wide receivers, a tight end, three offensive linemen, four defensive linemen, two linebackers, and two defensive backs. … Fifteen of the signees hail from Florida and two from Georgia. … Running back signee ETHAN ERVIN’s brother GABE is a running back at Nebraska. … Edge rusher ADRIAN FARROW, a teammate of receiver signee JADE CARDE at Norland High in Miami, was committed to FAU but didn’t sign during the early period. … At least eight players defected from the FAU class after the coaching change, including 3-star receiver CAMERON SAPP from Miami Palmetto. Sapp, who was father is former NFL full CECIL SAPP, wound up signing with Pittsburgh. … Thirteen Owls have also entered the transfer portal. Headling that group is FAU’s leading rusher, C.J. CAMPBELL, who had 844 yards this season.
MEMPHIS
THE HEADLINE: Recent success on the field and continuity off of it helped the Tigers produce the largest number of early signees in the 2025 cycle. Coach RYAN SILVERFIELDR has directed Memphis to above .500 marks four of the last five seasons and taken the Tigers to five consecutive bowl games. That’s paid off in recruiting where Memphis has, for now, the consensus top-rated class in the American Athletic Conference.
HOW MANY SIGNED: The Tigers signed 23 players during the early period, 18 from the high school ranks, four from junior college and one FBS transfer.
CLASS RATINGS: 247Sports.com (No. 55 nationally, No. 1 in AAC); On3.com (No. 58 nationally, No. 1 in AAC); Rivals.com (No. 55 nationally, No. 1 in AAC).
TOP-RATED SIGNEES: Quarterback A.J. HILL (6-4, 215), from Houston County High in Warner Robins, Ga., is rated the nation’s No. 5 quarterback by ESPN.com and No. 10 by 247Sports.com. The four-year varsity starter, who has thrown for more than 10,000 career yards, was originally committed to Colorado, but back off that pledge on Nov. 26 to join the Tigers.
Wide receiver XAVIER JOHNSON (6-0, 165) was awarded four-star status by 247Sports.com, which also rated him the nation’s No. 46 prospect at that position. Johnson, from Richland High in North Richland Hill, Texas, was also pursued by the likes of Baylor, SMU (first committed to the Mustangs), TCU and Texas Tech.
XAVIER THOMPSON, a 6-foot, 170-pound cornerback from Pensacola, Fla., is rated No. 79 in the composite rankings. As a side note, East Carolina also offered Thompson.
CLASS NOTES & NOTABLES: The Memphis signees include eight players from Georgia, five from Florida, three from Mississippi, two each from Tennessee and Texas, and one each from Iowa, Maryland and Michigan. … Offensive lineman SAM BROWDER (6-6, 286) attended The Christ School in Asheville, N.C., and took an official recruiting visit to East Carolina in June before committing to Memphis. … The Tigers signed POODA WALKER (6-1, 305), a defensive lineman who made 27 tackles in nine games for Kennesaw State this season. … At least 10 of the Memphis signees originally committed to other schools. … Quarterback A.J. HILL and running back AMIR THOMAS were teammates at Houston County High. … Thomas is the shortest signee in the ACC, standing just 5-foot-4.
NAVY
THE HEADLINE: Like its Army counterpart, Navy traditionally doesn’t announce a signing list until the summer. It did, however, publish Twitter posts by prospects who announced their signing to the Middies during the early period. Navy’s 8-3 mark heading into the annual showdown with Army apparently had an impact because that list was quite long and significant.
HOW MANY SIGNED: Between 50 and 80 have verbally committed to Navy, depending on which recruiting service you follow. All must receive appointments to make that a reality, however, so the lower figure is more reasonable to believe.
CLASS RATINGS: 247Sports.com (No. 138 nationally, No. 12 in AAC); On3.com (No. 118 nationally, No. 9 in AAC); Rivals.com (No. 79 nationally, No. 6 in AAC).
TOP-RATED SIGNEES: Headlining the Middies early signings is MERRICK BARLOW, a 6-5, 215-pound tight end from St. John’s Prep in Maine. Barlow is rated the nation’s No. 109 tight end by 247Sports.com.
Two-way Georgetown, Ky., standout BUDDY COLLINS (5-10, 175) is the No. 137 Athlete nationally, according to 247Sports.com, while 6-3, 210 tight end JORDAN COLLINS (no relation) is No. 152 at his position (247Sports.com). Collins, from Rock Hill, S.C., has been picked to represent South Carolina in the annual Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas later this month.
CLASS NOTES & NOTABLES: KALEB NELSON (5-11, 185), a receiver from Blair Academy in N.J., carries a 5.1 grade point average and has 4.4-second speed in the 40-yard dash. … Linebacker JAKE BAUER from Malvern (Pa.) Prep was named his league’s most valuable player as a senior. … Defensive lineman GARRISON DIBBLE (6-4, 235) from Winston-Salem, N.C., was tied for first among the nation’s high school players with 31 sacks this season. Dibble has 43 sacks in his career. … The Middies lost Bauer’s Malvern Prep teammate, safety ANDREW PELLICCIOTTA, in the week leading up to the early signing period. Pellicciotta backed the pledge to Navy to sign with Duke.
NORTH TEXAS
THE HEADLINE: Head coach Eric Morris kept it simple during the early signing period. Morris spent most of his scholarships close to home while filling some holes in the Mean Green roster. But he also left plenty of room to work the junior college ranks and the transfer portal between now and the traditional signing period in February.
HOW MANY SIGNED: The Mean Green signed nine players during the early period, all from the prep ranks.
CLASS RATINGS: 247Sports.com (No. 110 nationally, No. 8 in AAC); On3.com (No. 98 nationally, No. 6 in AAC); Rivals.com (Unranked nationally, No. 12 in AAC).
TOP-RATED SIGNEES: TYLER BROWN (5-10, 170) is rated by 247Sports.com as the nation’s 16 wide receiver prospect. Brown was the Texas state 200-meter dash champion as a junior. Tulsa had their hands on BRAYDEN KNOX (6-3, 220), a defensive lineman from Oklahoma City, Okla. But the Mean Green managed to secure Knox’s services after he decommitted on Oct. 30. Ranked the nation’s No. 129 linebacker by 247Sports.com, Knox was also recruited by Indiana and Louisville.
Houston’s JORDAN REASONOVER (6-4, 265) is the No. 102 offensive tackle in the composite rankings.
CLASS NOTES & NOTABLES: Three linebackers, two defensive linemen, a quarterback, running back, wide receiver and an offensive lineman make up the current Mean Green signees. … Seven of the nine are homegrown Texans and two are from Oklahoma. … Defensive lineman ANTWON BROWN is the brother of North Texas defensive lineman RODERICK BROWN. … Quarterback CHRIS JIMERSON JR., from Fort Worth, Tx., originally committed to play for TCU in Oct. 2023. But Jimerson backed off that pledge on June 19, opening the door for North Texas. … Jimerson will reunite at North Texas with his former top receiving target at North Crowley High, MASON FERGUSON, who is a true freshman this season.
RICE
THE HEADLINE: Relatively speaking, the Owls enjoyed a strong early signing period. A good portion inking letters of intent to play for Rice on Dec. 4 have strong football pedigrees, which they hope to translate into productive careers with the Owls.
HOW MANY SIGNED: The Owls signed 12 players during the early period, all high school players.
CLASS RATINGS: 247Sports.com (No. 96 nationally, No. 6 in AAC); On3.com (No. 100 nationally, No. 7 in AAC); Rivals.com (Unranked nationally, No. 9 in AAC).
TOP-RATED SIGNEES: Two players among the top 100 nationally at their positions signed with the Owls. COLTEN ALBERDING (6-4, 295), from Allen, Tx., is rated the No. 63 interior offensive lineman by 247Sports.com, while TYVONN BYARS (5-10, 210) of Montgomery, Tx., is the No, 80 running back. Rice beat out TCU for Byars’ services.
Linebacker C.J. WITTEN (6-1, 205) starred at Liberty Christian High in Argyle, Tx., where he’s rated No. 127 at his position by 247Sports.com.
CLASS NOTES & NOTABLES: The early signees include 10 players from Texas and two from California. … The group features two running backs, two wide receivers, a tight end, three offensive linemen, one defensive lineman, two linebackers and a defensive back. … Offensive lineman ERBEN BIRKHOFF was a member of USA Rugby’s Under-18 national team. … And now to the family connections. … Offensive lineman COLTON ALBERDING’s father Shawn is a former Rice defensive end (1990-92). … Alberding’s brother ASHER is a tight end at California. … Tight end WILL SWARTZ’s father, TONY, was an offensive lineman at Arkansas. … Linebacker C.J. WITTEN’S father is former Dallas Cowboys tight end JASON WITTEN, an 11-time Pro Bowler. … Safety MICHAEL AMEY III is the great nephew of former heavyweight boxing champion GEORGE FOREMAN.
SOUTH FLORIDA
THE HEADLINE: As one of the most consistent programs in the AAC, the Bulls annually produce quality recruiting classes. This early period was no different. Other than the two military academics, USF signed the most players of any team in the conference.
HOW MANY SIGNED: The Bulls signed 25 players during the early period, 23 of them from high school, one from junior college and an international player from Australia.
CLASS RATINGS: 247Sports.com (No. 63 nationally, No. 2 in AAC); On3.com (No. 68 nationally, No. 3 in AAC); Rivals.com (No. 61 nationally, No. 2 in AAC).
TOP-RATED SIGNEES: CHRISTIAN NEPTUNE (5-11, 180), who’ll play receiver at USF, is rated No. 33 nationally as an athlete in the composite rankings. From Cantonment, Fla., Nepture fielded 22 offers, including those from Boston College and Stanford.
A Toledo commitment early in the recruiting cycle, cornerback GAVIN JENKINS (6-2, 168), from Union County High in Lake Butler, Fla., backed out of that pledge on Nov. 11 to join the Bulls’ class. Jenkins is the nation’s No. 52 cornerback prospect, according to 247Sports.com. Speedster running back TRAY KINKLE (5-10, 185) of Holly Springs, Md., is the No. 72 running back on the composite charts.
CLASS NOTES & NOTABLES: USF’s signees include a quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, two tight ends, five offensive linemen, five defensive linemen, two linebackers and four defensive backs. … Running back signee TRAY KINKLE is the defending Mississippi state 3A champion in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dashes. … Kinkle turned a 10.69-second time over 100 meters. … Quarterback LOCKLAN HEWLETT (6-1, 175), from Saint Augustine, Fla., is a U.S. Army All-American Game pick who initially committed to Wake Forest. … Cornerback JABARI “SHOWTIME” SMITH of Apopka, Fla., picked off seven career passes and will participate in the Blue-Gray All-American Bowl. … Tight end BRANDON KUBAY (6-3, 225) is from Manitoba, Canada, and played his first year of organized football in the United States this season at St. Thomas More in Oakdale, Conn.
TEMPLE
THE HEADLINE: Temple sacked head coach STAN DRAYTON after three seasons on Nov. 18, causing a major shakeup for the early signing period. Interim coach EVERETT WITHERS tried to hold things together while also coaching the team in its remaining games. But by the time K.C. KEELER was named head coach on Dec. 1 the damage had been done.
HOW MANY SIGNED: The Owls signed six players during the early period, four from high school and one from junior college.
CLASS RATINGS: 247Sports.com (No. 118 nationally, No. 10 in AAC); On3.com (No. 132 nationally, No. 11 in AAC); Rivals.com (Unranked nationally, No. 11 in AAC).
TOP-RATED SIGNEES: DECARLOS YOUNG (5-10, 235) drew offers from the likes of Boston College, Michigan, Maryland and West Virginia before settling on Temple. Young, who averaged 11 yards a carry over three prep seasons in Upper Marlboro, Md., is rated the No. 124 running back in the composite rankings.
Washington D.C.’s CAMREN BAYLOR (6-1, 184) is rated the nation’s No. 134 quarterback prospect by 247Sports.come and 5-9, 170-pound JAMARCUS PIERRE from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is the No. 167 cornerback.
CLASS NOTES & NOTABLES: Temple signed one player each at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, linebacker and defensive back. … Two players each are from Florida and Maryland, and one each from Pennsylvania and Canada. … The Canadian is tight end RYDER KUSCH, who hails from British Columbia. … Kusch’s father was a striker on Canada’s national soccer team in the 1990s. … Quarterback CAMREN BOYKINS’ brother KHALEEL CARRINGTON was a cornerback at Liberty and his father, CLARENCE, played quarterback for NCAA Division II Bowie State. … Fourteen Temple players had entered the transfer portal as of Dec. 10. … One of those is former East Carolina linebacker TYQUAN KING.
TULANE
THE HEADLINE: The Green Waves produced one of the largest crops of signees during the early period among AAC teams. It was a continuation of the success on the field where Tulane advanced to the AAC championship game for the third straight season under coach JON SUMRALL.
HOW MANY SIGNED: Tulane signed 15 players during the early period, all from the high school ranks.
CLASS RATINGS: 247Sports.com (No. 69 nationally, No. 3 in AAC); On3.com (No. 66 nationally, No. 2 in AAC); Rivals.com (No. 73 nationally, No. 4 in AAC).
TOP-RATED SIGNEES: MICHAEL IGBINOGHENE (5-10, 180) is a two-time state 100-meter champion (10.75 seconds) from Trussville, Ala., who is rated the nation’s No. 56 cornerback prospect in the composite rankings. Igbinoghene received 24 scholarship offers, including ones from Arkansas and Florida State.
Hometown New Orleans product WARREN ROBERTS JR. (6-2, 220) is rated the No. 55 edge rusher nationally by 247Sports.com and was No. 68 in the composite rankings. Roberts’ teammate at St. Augustine High, JUELZ BAPTISTE (6-4, 270), is the No. 50 offensive tackle prospect, according to On3.com.
CLASS NOTES & NOTABLES: Tulane’s early signing class includes three defensive linemen, two defensive backs, a hybrid bandit, two offensive linemen, two receivers, two tight ends, a quarterback, running back and a player labeled as an athlete. … Seven of the signees hails from Louisiana, three from Alabama, two from Florida and one each from Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee. … Cornerback Igbinoghene’s parents both represented Nigeria in the Olympics, while his brother NOAH played at Auburn and was a first-round NFL Draft pick in 2020 by Miami. … The Green Waves flipped four early signees from other schools – defensive lineman JOSHUA LEWIS from Missouri, running back JAVIN GORDON from Duke, defensive lineman NIKOLAS ALSTON from Liberty and defensive lineman PALANDING DRAMMEH from Troy.
TULSA
THE HEADLINE: It’s starting to sound like a broken record. But Tulsa, too, parted ways with head coach KEVIN WILSON on Nov. 24 after a 7-16 mark in two seasons. A 63-30 loss against USF sealed Wilson’s fate and paved the way for East Tennessee State head coach TRE LAMB to be hired on Dec. 8. Although the move did cost the Golden Hurricanes in recruiting, they managed to salvage a good portion of the previously committed Class of 2025.
HOW MANY SIGNED: The Golden Hurricanes signed 14 players during the early period, all from the high school ranks.
CLASS RATINGS: 247Sports.com (No. 101 nationally, No. 7 in AAC); On3.com (No. 109 nationally, No. 8 in AAC); Rivals.com (Unranked nationally, No. 9 in AAC).
TOP-RATED SIGNEES: Interior offensive lineman IAN MAYES (6-2, 270), from Bowie High in Arlington, Texas, was rated among the top 100 players at his position by 247Sports.com. Mayes, who was No. 69 at his position, was also courted by California and Colorado.
Linebacker TRISTAN LAWYER (6-4, 225), from Frisco, Texas, and defensive lineman HUDSON BALL (6-1, 235), from Prescott, Arkansas, were Top 200 prospects. Lawyer was No. 155 by 247Sports.com at linebacker and Ball was the No. 152 edge rusher in the composite rankings.
CLASS NOTES & NOTABLES: Tulsa’s signees were evening mixed between offense and defense. … The group consisted of three offensive linemen, two wide receivers, a tight end and quarterback, three linebackers, two defensive linemen and two defensive backs. … Texas produced eight of the signees, Oklahoma three, Arkansas two and one is from Kansas. … Linebacker SAM STONE, from Oklahoma powerhouse Jenks High School, finished second on the school’s career tackle list with 351. He ranks second behind Oklahoma and NFL linebacker ROCKY CALMUS. … Stone and offensive lineman JAVION ANTA were teammates at Jenks. … Defensive end HUDSON BALL also played two seasons at Jenks before finishing his career at Shiloh Christian in Arkansas. … Ball originally committed to UNLV back in August, but decommitted Nov. 28 to sign with Tulsa.
UAB
THE HEADLINE: Instead of celebrating adding talent during the early signing period, UAB was debating on whether or not to retain head coach TRENT DILFER. After going 7-17 in two seasons, the former NFL quarterback was under fire. But 24 hours before the early signing period, athletic director MARK INGRAM penned a letter to fans asking for support of Dilfer that overshadowed any potential signings.
HOW MANY SIGNED: The Blazers signed five players during the early period, all from the high school ranks.
CLASS RATINGS: 247Sports.com (No. 139 nationally, No. 13 in AAC); On3.com (No. 147 nationally, No. 13 in AAC); Rivals.com (Unranked nationally, No. 13 in AAC).
TOP-RATED SIGNEES: Tight end GABRIEL CLINE (6-4, 205) from Opa Locka, Fla., was rated the nation’s No. 111 tight end by 247Sports.com. Cline chose UAB over other FBS offers from Coastal Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Indiana, Liberty and West Virginia.
The Blazers also signed 3-star wide receiver JAYLEN ELDER (5-11, 170) from Morgan County High in Madison, Ga. Elder is rated the nation’s No. 141 receiver prospect by 247sports.com.
CLASS NOTES & NOTABLES: The class features two defensive backs, a defensive lineman, wide receiver and a tight end. … The recruits hail from Florida (2), Georgia (2) and Mississippi (1). … ELDER produced the seventh-highest single-season receiving yardage in Georgia history this season with 1,715. His is seven yards shy of sixth place, which is held by Colorado’s Heisman Trophy favorite, TRAVIS HUNTER. … Three recruits backed off earlier pledges to UAB, most notably quarterback J.T. KITNA from Middletown, Ohio. He’s the son of former NFL quarterback JON KITNA and wound up signing with Bowling Green during the early period. … At least 17 UAB players had entered the transfer portal as of Dec. 10, including leading receiver Amare Thomas (62 catches, 670 yards, eight touchdown this season).
UTSA
THE HEADLINE: UTSA head football coach Jeff Traylor seems to be following a similar pattern to last year with the recruiting Class of 2025. Traylor added a limited number of prospects to his roster during the early signing period with the goal of filling out the class with junior college and portal transfers between now and the traditional signing day in February.
HOW MANY SIGNED: The Roadrunners signed 10 players during the early period, seven from high school and three from junior college.
CLASS RATINGS: 247Sports.com (No. 115 nationally, No. 9 in AAC); On3.com (No. 121 nationally, No. 10 in AAC); Rivals.com (Unranked nationally, No. 10 in AAC).
TOP-RATED SIGNEES: TY RUPE (6-7, 245) of Spring, Tx., is rated No. 37 nationally among tight ends by 247Sports.com and accumulated scholarships offers from Colorado and Nebraska among others. Arizona State was in the running for Dallas running back-safety MARK RAYSON III (6-1, 205) before he chose UTSA. Rayson is No. 131 among safeties nationally as rated by 247Sports.com.
MAX GEERLICH (6-3, 190) is a quarterback from Austin, who is rated No. 78 nationally in the composite rankings.
CLASS NOTES & NOTABLES: One player each at quarterback, running back, receiver, tight end, offensive line, defensive line, linebacker, defensive back and punter make up the early signees. … Five of players hail from Texas, two from Florida and one each from Louisiana, Mississippi and Pennsylvania. … Tight end TY RUPE is the son of former major league pitcher RYAN RUPE. … Rupe’s mother, Bryn Blalack Rupe, was an all-american soccer player at Texas A&M. … Punter BRECK CHAMBERS led the junior college ranks with a 44.9-yard average this season at Blinn College. … The Roadrunners are still waiting on tight end ISAIAH BUTLER-TANNER (6-5, 245) from Killeen, Tx., who decommitted from Oklahoma State on Oct. 23 and made a pledge to UTSA on Nov. 20.
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