College football's early signing period opened Wednesday with much of the 2026 recruiting class committed. That added some extra drama for those teams chasing last-minute additions and flips.
Coaching changes weighed heavily on the end of this cycle. Virginia Tech saw its class skyrocket with new coach James Franklin bringing 11 former Penn State commits to his new school. Meanwhile Lane Kiffin and LSU's class are a bit on hold. Lamar Brown, the No. 1 overall player, has delayed his signing to wait on further LSU staff anouncements.
As some College Football Playoff regulars reloaded their rosters, there are a few up-and-comers and CFP hopefuls whose 2026 classes became big storylines of the cycle.
Here's a look at the winners, the programs that missed out Wednesday and the questions that still loom over the 2026 cycle:
Jump to: Franklin's big moves | Parity arrives | Texas' haul
CFP boost | Who has overachieved | Impact QBs
Penn State's class crushed at the hands of Virginia Tech
Still without a head coach after missing out on BYU's Kalani Sitake, Penn State fans watched the program's tattered 2026 recruiting class limp to the finish line Tuesday.
The commitment of four-star quarterback Peyton Falzone, who had previously flipped from the Nittany Lions to Auburn Tigers, was a bright spot. The signature of defensive end Jackson Ford -- the last man standing from a class that ranked 17th nationally in mid-October -- marked another admirable win. But there's no getting around it: the Nittany Lions' two-man signing class, the result of 24 decommitments since Oct. 12, is disastrous for whomever gets the Penn State job.
Worse yet for the folks in Happy Valley, the primary beneficiary of the Nittany Lions' mass exodus was none other than James Franklin. Fired after 12 seasons at Penn State, Franklin took over at Virginia Tech on Nov. 17 and rapidly pulled 11 former Nittany Lions commits with him into the Hokies' 2026 class. Included in that group: five ESPN 300 prospects between quarterback Troy Huhn, skill position talents Davion Brown, Messiah Mickens and Pierce Petersohn and offensive guard Benjamin Eziuka.
Fueled by ex-Penn State pledges, perhaps no program in the country rolled stronger into the early signing period than Virginia Tech, which closed Wednesday with ESPN's No. 23 class nationally. The Hokies' late flips of Nittany Lions defenders Terry Wiggins and Amauri Polydor on Wednesday, as Penn State spent the first day of the early signing period effectively dormant, arrived as the final bits of salt in the wound.
The fall of 2025 began with Franklin poised to lead Penn State to the mountain top. It ended with him on a campus 366 miles away signing nearly 50% of what was supposed to be the Nittany Lions' 2026 class. -- Eli Lederman
Parity has come to recruiting (at least this year)
Perhaps parity hasn't fully overtaken college football in the NIL/transfer portal era. But we're seeing it flow through the College Football Playoff field for yet another fall in 2025. And it's certainly shown up in the spread of elite talent in the 2026 cycle.
In the end, the story of the Class of 2026 was defined as much by the sport's bluebloods as it was by historically overlooked rosters climbing up the recruiting food chain.
The first day of the early signing period on Wednesday saw relative football minnows Houston (Keisean Henderson) and Vanderbilt (Jared Curtis) sign the nation's top two quarterbacks. BYU landed the No. 5 overall passer in the cycle, securing Ryder Lyons as the highest-ranked signee in program history and the cornerstone of the class with more ESPN 300 pledges -- three -- than the Cougars have ever signed before. SMU set a school record of its own with six top-300 signees, headlined by its first-ever top 100 commit Sam Utu, who was Alabama-bound until last week. In four-star offensive tackle Micah Smith (No. 81 overall), Illinois landed its highest-ranked pledge since 2007.
All told, eight of ESPN's top 10 prospects wound up spread across eight schools. The cycle's 25 five-star prospects landed with 17 different programs, a group that includes Houston, Maryland and Vanderbilt. Texas Tech, powered by the dollars of billionaire booster Cody Campbell, might not feel like an underdog, but even the Red Raiders made a bit of program history in 2026, landing two five-stars in the same cycle for the first time.
ESPN's class rankings are still being dominated by the perennial powers from the Big Ten and SEC. But more and more, rising programs across the country are flexing their muscles, not only going toe-to-toe with, but beating top schools on the recruiting trail. -- Lederman
Texas' five-star haul is impressive
A few teams landed multiple five-star prospects, but none has more than the Longhorns. The class fills needs but also has extremely talented players at impact positions.
On defense, linebacker Tyler Atkinson (No. 17 overall) has a combination of skills and production that can't be ignored. He recorded 550 tackles in his prep career and had three double-digit sack seasons. He's a versatile and explosive defender whether he's rushing off the edge or in coverage. He is joined by defensive end Richard Wesley, No. 8 overall. After the Longhorns leaned some on the transfer portal this past offseason to retool their defensive line, Wesley will be a key player who projects to be versatile within their front, with the strength and heavy hands to set the edge and the ability to slide inside and expose mismatches with his quickness.
Offensively, QB Dia Bell, the sixth overall prospect, might be the most well-rounded, having been a multiyear starter and consistently playing at a high level of competition. While he is not a true dual threat, he can create second chances and be effective when asked to run. As a passer, his basketball background has helped develop his pocket movement and he has good touch on his deep ball. In running back Derrek Cooper, Texas has its future replacement for Quintrevion Wisner. Cooper's initial impact could be limited but he brings similar attributes, with the ability to be a 1,000-yard rushing threat and rank among UT's most productive pass catchers. Again, Texas has set itself up to replace a productive player with a prospect with arguably even greater impact ability. -- Craig Haubert
Which teams improved their CFP chances?
35 commitments
ESPN 300 commits: 18, two five-stars
USC is getting close and just lost a game at Oregon that would have likely thrust it into the CFP in 2025. The class is loaded top to bottom, even including juco prospects. To take the next step, though, the Trojans must continue to beef up the trenches. They pulled four-star defensive tackle Jaimeon Winfield out of Texas, landed in-state defensive end Simote Katoanga and traveled to Utah to snag offensive lineman Esun Tafa. To further bolster the offensive line, the Trojans landed Keenyi Pepe out of IMG Academy. He has great size at 6-foot-7 and 320 pounds but is light on his feet as well as physical and can become a standout tackle. Five-star cornerback Elbert Hill headlines the skill-position players. Hill possesses elite speed, having been measured at over 22 mph in game play.
25 commitments
ESPN 300 commits: 12, one five-star
Michigan has quietly put together a very successful season, winning five games in a row prior to a loss to Ohio State despite multiple offensive injuries at running back and a true freshman QB in Bryce Underwood. This class features six players who rank in the top 10 at their respective position. Michigan bolstered its backfield by landing No. 2 running back Savion Hiter, a runner with a nice blend of size (6 feet, 200 pounds), power and speed who can also catch the ball out of the backfield. After losing two defensive linemen in the first round of the NFL draft, Michigan added several to this class, including four-stars Titan Davis, McHale Blade and Tariq Boney. Michigan has also received a commitment from five-star Carter Meadows, a rangy edge defender who can affect the QB. -- Tom Luginbill
Which teams have overachieved?
18 commitments: one five-star, 17 three-stars
Coach Willie Fritz has made huge strides in his second season at Houston and recruiting has picked up as a result.
The class has been headlined for several months by five-star quarterback Keisean Henderson, the No. 1 dual-threat QB in the country. Henderson could become a program-defining prospect that thrusts the Cougars into Big 12 championship contenders for years to come. Henderson has also been a loyal commitment throughout the process despite obvious overtures by other bigger programs to flip him. He's dynamic as a runner and a gamer as a passer.
UH's class also features the sixth-ranked tight end in the country in Jaivion Martin. The 250-pounder is a well-rounded blocker and receiver who can play as an inline in the run game. He also competes in track and field. The Cougars have also nabbed a top-25 athlete in Paris Melvin, who could project at cornerback or wide receiver and is a dangerous return man who ran a 10.86 100m in the spring of 2025. One of the more underrated running back prospects in the class is John Hebert, a Ryan Switzer-type scatback/utility weapon. He ran a 4.54 40-yard laser timed in the spring and has posted a max speed of 21.3 mph.
This class is full of high-end three-star prospects, and perhaps no coach in the country has a better track record of developing prospects than Fritz.
21 commitments: six four-stars
SMU is now running with the big dogs not only on the field, but in recruiting circles as well. The Mustangs have added several offensive linemen, no bigger than Sam Utu, an ESPN 300 player with tackle athleticism and guard power. The Mustangs also picked up Evan Goodwin, a massive presence at 6-7 and 320 pounds, and in-state guard Drew Evers, a thickly built and strong blocker who can latch on and control defenders. Rhett Lashley knows the trenches are what's going to elevate the program.
Capitalizing on the rich talent base in Texas, SMU has added several in-state prospects, including SC Next 300 back Christian Rhodes. Rhodes, an explosive runner who has been recorded hitting better than 21 mph max speed in game play, also brings a physical running style at 6-1, 200 pounds. High three-star Aljour Miles II, a lengthy receiver who has good quickness and body control, is another nice in-state addition. Another receiving target with big-play potential, Jakai Anderson, was pulled out of Louisiana. Not quite as big a target, he brings a good blend of speed and elusiveness and could also be productive in the return game.
On defense, defensive end Hudson Woods shows some savvy as a pass rusher, with active hands and good bend. Linebacker Kenneth Goodwin out of California is a versatile, physical defender who can rush the passer.
12 commitments: six ESPN 300 prospects, eight total four-stars
Despite the firing of coach Hugh Freeze and some late defectors, this class still has major talent upgrades committed, particularly on defense. The class is not large, but it is stacked with overall top-end talent. There are four players ranked within the top 11 players in the country at their respective position and two within the top three.
Adam Balogoun-Ali is the country's No. 1 inside linebacker and also happens to have significant growth upside with his lengthy frame. He can play inside and on the outside as an edge rusher and excels in space due to his speed and agility. The Tigers also have a commitment from the No. 3 inside linebacker in the class, Shadarius Toodle. Toodle is just a step behind Balogoun-Ali in terms of overall speed and is a downhill gap plugger in the middle of the field.
New head coach Alex Golesh has a good foundation to head into the dead period with and attack the transfer portal in January for more additions. -- Luginbill
Welcome to the Family, @ryderly0ns 🤙 pic.twitter.com/PfJ0xsGx0o
— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) December 3, 2025
These 2026 QBs could start early
Jake Fette, Arizona State Sun Devils: Assuming Sam Leavitt goes in the portal, Fette, the No. 4-ranked dual threat, brings a lot of great traits to the Sun Devils offense. He's super athletic and mobile, with the field vision to keep his eyes downfield while on the move. Fette is very similar to Leavitt in stressing defenses with his arms and legs. Fette also has good touch and anticipation on short to midrange throws. Coach Kenny Dillingham will challenge defenses schematically with a lot of shifts, motions and backfield action that will maximize Fette's dynamic skill set in and outside the pocket.
Oscar Rios, Arizona Wildcats: Rios is the Wildcats' highest-rated pocket passer signee in the ESPN 300 era. How immediate the impact depends on whether Noah Fifita returns for the 2026 season. If Fifita chooses to return, Rios could redshirt as a true freshman and be the favorite to become the starter in 2027. Rios' quick release and great arm strength should lead to big numbers under coordinator Seth Doege in Tucson. -- Billy Tucker