Signing day preview: Which recruits are still available and what to expect Wednesday
National signing day is Wednesday, which will be the last official day when college football recruits in the 2023 class can sign their national letters of intent.
Between the early signing period in December and the transfer windows that closed on Jan. 18, there isn’t much left on the board for the February signing period. In total, 293 of the recruits in the ESPN 300 have either signed with their school of choice or are committed and will sign Wednesday.
How did we get here? A wild week in December. Oregon flipped a few recruits, including quarterback Austin Novosad from Baylor, running back Jayden Limar from Notre Dame and corner Daylen Austin from LSU. Five-star safety Peyton Bowen flipped from Notre Dame to Oregon, only to flip again to Oklahoma the next day.
Alabama flexed its recruiting muscle in December by flipping five-star tackle Kadyn Proctor from Iowa, signing defensive end Keon Keeley and getting top-25 teammates Jaquavious Russaw and James Smith. Those additions helped keep Alabama at No. 1 in the class rankings and helped shape the current landscape of where the 2023 class currently stands.
That doesn’t mean there isn’t anything to watch or talk about, though, as coaches look to wrap up their recruiting classes this week. Of the seven uncommitted top-300 recruits, four are ranked in the top 100.
None are drawing more attention than quarterback Jaden Rashada, the No. 31 prospect, who signed with Florida in December only to ask for a release from his national letter of intent after a multimillion-dollar name, image and likeness deal fell through with a Florida collective.
Despite the small number of available recruits, there is still plenty to discuss, quite a bit to recap and a whole lot to look forward to. Our ESPN writers give you a look at what to watch for and how things have played out in this 2023 recruiting cycle. — Tom VanHaaren
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Uncommitted recruits | Top classes
Standout coaches | Question marks
Who are the uncommitted recruits still available?
Four top-100 recruits remain uncommitted entering signing day, led by the No. 2-ranked dual-threat quarterback, Jaden Rashada.
Rashada’s recruitment has been a whirlwind. Name, image and likeness issues after he signed with Florida prompted the Pittsburg High School (California) quarterback to request a release from his national letter of intent with Florida, which the program granted on Jan. 20.
Rashada, who threw for 3,055 yards and 32 touchdowns as a high school senior, initially committed to Miami on June 26, then changed course and flipped to Florida on Nov. 10. He signed during December’s early signing period before a reported $13.5 million NIL contract with Florida’s Gator Collective fell through.
Now, Arizona State, TCU, Washington and California could all be potential landing spots for him. Rashada was in Fort Worth, Texas, visiting Sonny Dykes and the national runner-up Horned Frogs this past weekend.
Nyckoles Harbor (No. 39, No. 1 ATH) and Duce Robinson (No. 40, No. 1 TE), the only other top-50 uncommitted recruits, decided to wait until February rather than sign in December.
Harbor, who doubles as a track star out of the Washington, D.C., area with Archbishop Carroll High School, is looking at Maryland, South Carolina, USC, Oregon, Michigan, LSU and Miami.
Robinson, meanwhile, is down to Alabama, USC, Texas and Georgia. Robinson, who also is a high-level baseball prospect, hauled in 56 passes for 1,067 yards and 10 touchdowns for Pinnacle High School (Arizona) in 2022.
Rodrick Pleasant (No. 100, No. 11 CB), from Junipero Serra High School (Georgia), is also signing on Wednesday. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound cornerback is considering Oregon, UCLA, USC, Boston College and California. — Blake Baumgartner
Which recruits are committed but unsigned?
Five-star cornerback Cormani McClain (No. 14 overall, No. 1 CB) didn’t sign with Miami in December despite committing to Mario Cristobal and the Hurricanes in late October. Then on Jan. 19, he flipped to Colorado, just days after visiting Boulder.
The 6-2, 165-pound McClain, a product of Lakeland High School (Florida), became the highest-ranked recruit to commit to Colorado, making this the second consecutive cycle that coach Deion Sanders landed the top-ranked cornerback recruit (Travis Hunter at Jackson State).
Four-star wide receiver Raymond Cottrell (No. 162 overall), who caught 46 passes for 651 yards and nine TDs as a senior for Milton High School (Florida), committed to Texas A&M on Jan. 1. Athlete Mikal Harrison-Pilot (No. 184 overall), who attends Temple High School (Texas), committed to Houston on Jan. 7.
Shamar Easter (No. 198 overall, No. 6 TE-H), from Ashdown High School (Arkansas) has been committed to Sam Pittman and Arkansas since Aug. 13, 2021. He recently reaffirmed his intent to sign with the Razorbacks, bolstering a class ESPN has ranked 22nd overall. — Baumgartner
Which schools have the top recruiting classes in each Power 5 conference?
ACC: Miami (No. 5 overall). The Hurricanes’ 2023 cycle has come with some defeats, losing commits like Rashada and McClain along the way, but there have been more big wins. During his first full cycle as the head coach, Mario Cristobal has Miami sitting atop the ACC rankings and allowing for hopes of a brighter future coming off a five-win season. A pair of five-star offensive line signings (Francis Mauigoa and Samson Okunlola) and some key hometown additions anchor the ACC’s top class.
Big Ten: Ohio State (No. 8). The Buckeyes are on the verge of signing the top class in their conference for the fourth straight year. Penn State and Michigan both sit inside the top 20 overall, but neither is in a position to catch the Buckeyes. This top-10 class should keep their WR corps a strength with three ESPN 300 signings and includes one of the big risers in the final player ranking update in Jermaine Mathews, an in-state cornerback who has recorded a blazing 21.9 mph max speed.
Big 12: Texas (No. 3). Texas and Oklahoma both sit in the top five and have traded spots throughout this cycle, with the Longhorns currently sitting one spot ahead. This race for the Big 12’s top class is not locked in yet, and both classes are led by five-star QBs in Arch Manning (No. 5) for Texas and Jackson Arnold (No. 3) for the Sooners. While the race certainly remains one to watch, it appears Texas should be able to outlast and edge its rival to finish No. 1 in the conference.
Pac 12: Oregon (No. 9). Oregon currently leads the conference and sits within the top 10 overall. USC has some ground to make up at No. 14 overall, but the Trojans are still in play for several commits who could give them a boost, like top-rated tight end Duce Robinson and speedy defensive back Rodrick Pleasant, both top-100 prospects. Nevertheless, Oregon is not sitting passively by and could even extend its lead and rise inside the top 10. The Ducks are also in play for Pleasant and could slam the door shut on the conference recruiting title if they can land Nyckoles Harbor.
SEC: Alabama (No. 1). The SEC occupies the first two slots overall, and that doesn’t look to change as Georgia seems poised to still add some more ESPN 300 talent to its class. That still won’t be enough to pass Alabama, though, which has a nation-leading 23 ESPN 300 commits (13 in the top 50 overall). The Crimson Tide not only have the best class for the 2023 cycle; there is an argument it’s the best class we’ve seen since maybe the Crimson Tide’s impressive 2017 haul. — Craig Haubert
Which new college football coach has stood out and made key moves since the early signing period?
Tom Luginbill: Zach Arnett, Mississippi State. Not only did Arnett have to lead the program through the death of coach Mike Leach on Dec. 12, but he also had to prepare a team for a bowl game and was named coach of the Bulldogs on Dec. 14, one week prior to the early signing period. All he did was secure the No. 26 class with 25 total signees, 12 of whom are early enrolled. Seven additions have also come through the portal in January.
Even if the Bulldogs don’t sign any players Wednesday, Arnett has been remarkable. Keep in mind, Arnett and his staff did this with the vast majority of the class not knowing who would or would not be on the coaching staff for 2023.
VanHaaren: Jeff Brohm, Louisville. Brohm has done quite a bit to add to the roster for the Cardinals. He was able to hang on to four-star quarterback Pierce Clarkson, and while he lost a commitment from ESPN 300 running back Rueben Owens II, Brohm has plenty to be happy about. He and his staff used the transfer portal in a big way, adding Cal quarterback Jack Plummer (who played for Brohm at Purdue); receivers Jamari Thrash, Kevin Coleman Jr., Jimmy Calloway and Jadon Thompson; and running back Isaac Guerendo.
On defense, the Cardinals added corner Marquis Groves-Killebrew, defensive ends Stephen Herron and Rodney McGraw, and safety Gilbert Frierson.
Haubert: Deion Sanders, Colorado. I need to first give a hat tip here to Matt Rhule and the job he has done at Nebraska in a short time. The Cornhuskers have added several quality three-star prospects, and he has them in contention for a top-25 class. That appeared to be a home run hire, and early returns support that, but ultimately, this question can’t be addressed without mentioning Sanders. Colorado hired him from Jackson State to elevate this program, and so far he has brought its recruiting into Prime Time.
A year after shocking the recruiting world by flipping cornerback Travis Hunter, Sanders did it again by flipping McClain, a lengthy five-star corner with excellent range and body control, from Miami. That move alone is enough to land Sanders here, but he and his staff have continued to work the transfer portal hard and have brought in several more potential early contributors to join Hunter and QB Shedeur Sanders, like former Kentucky RB Kavosiey Smoke.
Which teams have the most to gain?
VanHaaren: TCU and Arizona State. Both schools are in the mix for Rashada, and the No. 31 overall prospect would be a big get for either. Kenny Dillingham and his new Sun Devils staff have taken in some transfer quarterbacks but could use a nationally known recruit who could help bring in other prospects.
TCU, on the heels of reaching the national championship game, could keep its offense at a high level with a high-level quarterback. If Sonny Dykes could help turn Max Duggan into a Heisman finalist, it would be interesting to see what he could do with Rashada leading the offense. We don’t yet have a commitment date for Rashada, so it might come after Wednesday, but the fact remains that Rashada could help either program.
Luginbill: Colorado. While what the Buffaloes have done in a short period of time under Sanders is impressive, he knows there is more work to be done, particularly at the high school level. Twenty-three incoming transfers might be the short-term magic wand, but also consider 12 of those prospects are coming from either FCS or Group of 5 schools.
Hunter and Shedeur Sanders obviously instantly upgrade the roster, but the core of this rebuild is going to have come from the high school ranks. While McClain is a huge addition, Coach Prime needs it to have a domino effect, as the Buffaloes are going to have to be national in their recruiting efforts. He knows better than anyone that he has as far a reach and as big of an impact as any coach in America right now.
Haubert: Maryland. Heading into the early signing period, I had identified Maryland as a class with quite a bit at stake. The Terps closed well, but it was an uneventful 72 hours. Now, they have a chance to add more talent, starting with the top-rated prospect in the crucial DMV recruiting footprint for Maryland: Nyckoles Harbor. A 6-foot-5, lengthy prospect with elite speed (10.28 100-meter dash), he can be a versatile player developing as a disruptive edge defender or, more likely, a big-play vertical threat at tight end.
Landing Harbor would boost the class — the Terps entered signing day ranked No. 32 overall — and be a statement pickup for coach Mike Locksley. Track is obviously a factor in his recruitment, and the Terps have competition, led by Oregon, but they are in the thick of it for this key target.
Beyond Harbor, the Harris twins, Andrew and Michael, would also be big defensive additions for the Terps. Maryland is in play for the two ESPN 300 prospects who were strong performers at the Under Armour All America game. Landing all three would naturally be a big close for the Terps; getting either would still be a nice finish; and missing on all three would be a disappointment.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — In his first full day as Sabres general manager, Jarmo Kekalainen pointed to Buffalo’s depth of talent for giving him every reason to believe the team can climb back into playoff contention.
For that to happen, Kekalainen on Tuesday placed an emphasis on building team character and consistency — qualities the Sabres have been criticized for lacking during their NHL-record 14-year playoff drought.
“I think character is the biggest part of talent … and that’s the talent we need to focus on,” said Kekalainen, who initially was hired by Buffalo in May to serve as a senior adviser.
“There’s been games this year where we looked like it was going to be easy, and then we lost because we got outworked. That’s unacceptable,” he added. “That’s going to be something that we’re going to focus on each and every day, because the talent, the skill alone is not going to get you wins.”
Kekalainen’s message was not so much groundbreaking or different from the four GMs who preceded him over the course of Buffalo’s drought. And they include Kevyn Adams, who was fired on Monday after five-plus seasons on the job.
Adams gets credit for rebuilding the team through a youth movement that led to Buffalo parting ways with Jack Eichel (traded to Vegas) and Sam Reinhart (Florida).
Missing during Adams’ tenure was sustained success. After topping out with 91 points in 2022-23, when they missed the playoffs by one win, the Sabres have regressed, finishing with 84 points the next season and 79 last year.
“[Fans] have every right to be frustrated,” Kekalainen said. “[But] we have some really good core pieces here. We’re close. Now we just have to take the next step.”
The 59-year-old from Finland distanced himself from Adams, who a year ago blamed high taxes and cold winters as reasons for having difficulty attracting and retaining talent.
“Winning hockey games is the most important ingredient,” Kekalainen said, drawing on the 11 years he spent as the Columbus Blue Jackets GM. “Everybody wants to play for a winner.”
Kekalainen said he has full authority in overseeing the hockey department and has owner Terry Pegula’s approval to spend to the salary cap limit.
Kekalianen’s observations, as much as his hiring, provide the Sabres a reset in a season they’ve spent yo-yoing between demoralizing skids and encouraging winning stretches.
At 14-14-4, Buffalo opened the day sitting tied for last with the Columbus in the Eastern Conference standings but only six points back of the eighth-place Boston Bruins. And after splitting a six-game road trip, Buffalo is riding its first three-game winning streak of the season.
With the exception of meeting with Kekalainen on Tuesday, players had the past two days off, and resume practice Wednesday, a day before hosting Philadelphia.
Kekalainen didn’t rule out making changes, while backing coach Lindy Ruff by saying: “Lindy’s résumé speaks for itself … And I’ve really enjoyed my time so far with Lindy.” Ruff, the team’s winningest coach, is in the second season of his second stint with Buffalo.
One change on the horizon will have Buffalo moving ahead with two rather than three goalies, though the decision on who will be the odd man out can wait, with Colten Ellis on injured reserve. Ellis, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon must first clear waivers before being demoted.
Kekalainen also placed a priority on resuming negotiations to re-sign top-line forward Alex Tuch, who is in the final year of his contract.
As for other potential changes, Kekalainen said he’s still evaluating. His promotion came after spending last week in Finland to be with his father, who died on Sunday following a lengthy illness.
“This has been quite a roller-coaster of emotions for me this weekend. So I’m just starting today,” he said.
Kekalainen is Buffalo’s 10th general manager, and first with past GM experience since Scotty Bowman held the job from 1979 to 1987. And based on Kekalainen’s track record in Columbus, he brings a no-nonsense approach and is unafraid to make bold moves.
In the summer of 2022, Kekalainen signed the late Johnny Gaudreau in free agency. In 2019, he stood pat by not trading top stars Artemi Panarin, Matt Duchene and Sergei Bobrovsky to keep his roster intact for the playoffs, despite eventually losing all three in free agency that summer.
“Over the last seven months, he’s shown to me that he is capable of leading our organization into the future,” Pegula said while introducing Kekalainen. “He’s made bold moves in the past … and just has a confidence that I believe will help our organization.”
Kekalainen said the one thing he won’t do is cut corners simply to make the playoffs and end the drought.
“I told the players to forget about the 14-years thing that’s kind of hanging around like a black cloud. And I’m going to do the same thing,” he said. “I’m not going to sacrifice the ultimate goal for the sake of making the playoffs and then not having any sustainability for our goal as a team to take the next step.”
PITTSBURGH — For the first time in NHL history, goalies that were involved in the same trade faced one another within seven days of the deal.
Tristan Jarry and Stuart Skinner, traded for one another just five days ago, starred against their former teams as Edmonton defeated Pittsburgh 6-4 on Tuesday night.
“I thought both goalies handled themselves well,” said Connor McDavid, who scored twice and had a four-point game. “It was a unique situation and probably a strange night for both guys.”
On Friday, the Oilers dealt Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak and a 2029 second-round pick to Pittsburgh in exchange for Jarry and forward Sam Poulin. Both goaltenders were unable to have new masks ready in time for Tuesday’s game. Jarry wore blue goalie pads and his Penguins’ mask, while Skinner had white and gold pads and his old Oilers’ mask.
“We should’ve switched masks,” Skinner said. “I feel like the mask takes the longest because you have to get a paint job. It would’ve been funny if we saw each other in warm-ups at the red line and changed helmets.”
The Penguins honored Jarry during the first television timeout on Tuesday. Fans applauded as Jarry waved his stick to the crowd, tapped his chest and held his glove in the air. The home crowd also took to their new goaltender with deep chants of “Stu” after each save early in the game.
“I saw a couple signs out there and somebody had a picture of my face,” Skinner said. “It was a great welcome. I really appreciate it from the fans.”
The two-time Western Conference champions acquired Jarry from the Penguins in the hopes of shoring up a position that has cost them during their deep playoff runs in recent years. Jarry stopped 25 shots during his Oilers’ debut against Toronto on Saturday and he made 26 saves on Tuesday. Skinner stopped 17 shots in his Penguins’ debut Tuesday, after he and Kulak spent the weekend settling the immigration process.
“It’s odd, just the whole situation of how quickly we played them after the trade happened,” said Leon Draisaitl, who finished with four assists and reached 1,000 career points. “I’m sure there are lots of people who felt odd about it.”
Skinner, a 2017 third-round pick who has the fifth-most wins in Oilers’ history, helped Edmonton reach the Stanley Cup Final the past two seasons. Pittsburgh also has a deep prospect pool in goal, led by 21-year-old Sergei Murashov, in addition to 23-year-old Joel Blomqvist and 24-year-old Arturs Silovs, the backup to Skinner on Tuesday.
The Oilers’ problems in goal have played a role in keeping McDavid and Draisaitl and company from getting over the hump and winning the Stanley Cup, particularly in the last two seasons against Florida.
“Those guys were a big part of this group the last number of years,” McDavid said. “It’s strange to see him in the other net.”
Jarry, a two-time All-Star with Pittsburgh, starred for the Edmonton Oil Kings in junior hockey. He signed a five-year contract with Pittsburgh in 2023, but struggled so badly last season that the Penguins demoted him to their minor league affiliate. The 30-year-old Jarry bounced back under first-year Penguins’ coach Dan Muse, starting the season 9-3-1 with a 2.66 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage.
“I’m sure they’re both excited to get this out of the way,” McDavid said. “I’m happy we came in here and won the game for [Jarry]. Now, we can look ahead.”
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