College Football Recruiting Rankings 2020: Projecting Top Classes and Schools
The class of 2021 college football recruiting cycle has all of the nation's elite programs at its forefront.
The Alabama Crimson Tide and Ohio State Buckeyes are battling for the top spot in the team rankings, while the Georgia Bulldogs are also expected to be in the top three.
Only a handful of the best uncommitted recruits will pledge their futures on National Signing Day, which means there shouldn't be too much change at the top of the list.
Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia and many other blue-blood programs did the bulk of their recruiting work before the early signing period opens Wednesday, which has become the new normal since the December slot came into effect.
1. Alabama
Alabama has progressed up the recruiting rankings over the last few months. It gathered commitments from six five-star players, including the nation's top two offensive linemen.
JC Latham and Tommy Brockermeyer are the cornerstones of the offensive class along with wide receiver Jacorey Brooks.
The other three top recruits line up on the defensive side of the ball, with defensive end Dallas Turner being the highest-rated player of that group. The bulk of the commitments have come on the interior, as nine linemen are part of the class.
Alabama is not in the mix for many of the top-tier players scheduled to make their decisions known on Wednesday, but neither is Ohio State, so the Crimson Tide should remain on top of the team rankings.
2. Ohio State
Ohio State has one fewer five-star and an additional four-star player in its class compared to Alabama, but the recent commitment of wide receiver Emeka Egbuka bolstered the high level of offensive talent scheduled to join the Buckeyes.
Four of the five top-tier recruits committed to Ohio State are offensive players. Egbuka is the highest-rated athlete of that quartet.
The other difference when measuring up Ohio State and Alabama is the abundance of talent on the outside that the Buckeyes are bringing in. Ryan Day's staff have earned the pledges of four wide receivers and five defensive backs.
Ohio State can get closer to Alabama in the team rankings by landing No. 3 overall prospect J.T. Tuimoloau, but he is not expected to commit on Wednesday.
If the Buckeyes gain the signature of the defensive end, they can make a push for the No. 1 ranking. For now, though, they remain behind the Crimson Tide.
3. Georgia
Georgia could make the most progress at the top of the team rankings on Wednesday. It is in the mix for linebacker Xavian Sorey and defensive tackle Maason Smith, but it appears more likely to land the former.
Smith, who is a Louisiana native, is widely tipped to join LSU instead of committing to the SEC East program.
Even if Georgia lands one of the two top-20 prospects, it can gain a bit of ground on Alabama and Ohio State. Kirby Smart's staff already earned verbal pledges from three five-star prospects, a group led by offensive tackle Amarius Mims.
The bulk of the Bulldogs' class of 2021 come from in state, with 11 of its 20 commitments being Georgia-based players.
The grip on the top talent inside Georgia should help it keep top in-state players away from its rivals and reinforce its roster as it looks to earn the SEC Championship in 2021.
Recruiting information obtained from 247Sports.com.