
MLB Power Rankings: Where every team stands heading into the All-Star break
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adminSoon, the baseball world will pause to watch some of the biggest names in the sport participate in the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game in Atlanta.
A number of teams might welcome the reset that comes with the All-Star break. Powerhouses such as the Dodgers and Yankees have struggled of late, and the Braves continue to not be able to dig themselves out of their below-.500 hole; all three will hope to stop their respective skids. On the other hand, red-hot clubs such as the Blue Jays (debuting at No. 6 this week) and Tigers and the steadily-rising Astros and Cubs (who cracked the top three for the first time this season) will hope to ride their momentum into the second half.
Where do all 30 teams stand ahead of some of the most anticipated baseball events of the summer?
Our expert panel has ranked every team based on a combination of what we’ve seen so far and what we already knew going into the 162-game marathon that is a full baseball season. We also asked ESPN MLB experts David Schoenfield, Jesse Rogers and Jorge Castillo to weigh in with analysis on the players selected as All-Stars for all 30 teams.
Record: 59-35
Previous ranking: 2
Tarik Skubal joined elected starters Riley Greene, Gleyber Torres and Javier Baez as an All-Star selection, giving the Tigers four All-Stars for the first time since 2015, when Miguel Cabrera, J.D. Martinez, David Price and Jose Iglesias made it. Baez will become the first player to ever start an All-Star Game at shortstop and the outfield. (Robin Yount won an MVP as a shortstop and center fielder, but he never made an All-Star team as an outfielder.) Skubal’s next scheduled start is Saturday, so he’s a candidate to start if the Tigers are willing to let him pitch an inning on two days of rest. — Schoenfield
Record: 56-38
Previous ranking: 1
You have to wonder if all the pitching injuries will catch up to the Dodgers — and maybe it did this past weekend, when the Astros outscored the Dodgers 29-6 in an embarrassing three-game sweep at Dodger Stadium. Yoshinobu Yamamoto followed up his All-Star selection with his worst start as a Dodger, getting knocked out in the first inning in a 9-1 loss to the Brewers the following day as manager Dave Roberts was forced to remove him after just 41 pitches. The Dodgers have now used 35 different pitchers, tied with the Mets for most in the majors (that includes two position players). — Schoenfield
Record: 54-38
Previous ranking: 5
Lefty Matthew Boyd is another feel-good story at this year’s All-Star Game. A first timer at age 34, he’s been dynamic for the Cubs — especially after teammates Justin Steele and Shota Imanaga went down with injuries. After making just eight regular-season starts in 2024, plus three more in the playoffs, Boyd earned a two-year, $29 million contract with the Cubs. He’s already outpitched his value, throwing a nasty changeup to righties and a sneaky good slider to lefties. And he’s made every first-half start. He’s a well-deserving All-Star. — Rogers
Record: 55-38
Previous ranking: 4
Hunter Brown isn’t quite a household name like Paul Skenes, Tarik Skubal and Jacob deGrom, but he belongs in that tier of starting pitchers. The 26-year-old right-hander ranks in the top five in ERA and strikeout rate across the majors and allows the fewest hits per nine innings in the American League. He’s been a reliable starter, compiling 110 innings over 18 starts. Just when we thought the Astros were done making the postseason every year, here they are again. They keep chugging along atop the AL West — and Brown is a huge reason why. — Castillo
Record: 54-39
Previous ranking: 3
Zack Wheeler has seemingly only gotten better with age and could finally be in line for his first Cy Young Award after finishing second twice. He ranks near the top of the National League in stats across the board, including ERA (2nd), innings pitched (tied for 2nd), strikeouts (1st), WHIP (1st) and batting average against (1st). Batters are hitting .161 off his four-seam fastball — that will play in any park in any conditions. Considering the injuries the Phillies have endured from Ranger Suarez to Aaron Nola to Bryce Harper, Wheeler might also be the MVP of the team. — Rogers
Record: 54-39
Previous ranking: 10
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. wasn’t the only Blue Jays All-Star signed to a contract extension this year. While Guerrero signed for $500 million over 14 years, Alejandro Kirk agreed to a five-year, $58 million deal that flew under the radar in March. The portly 5-foot-8 catcher from Mexico is now a two-time All-Star — he started behind the plate for the AL in 2022 — after a strong first half following two disappointing seasons.
Kirk is batting .306 with seven home runs, a .775 OPS and a slim 9.8% strikeout rate — stout numbers for most any catcher not named Cal Raleigh. Defensively, he ranks in the 98th percentile in framing, 97th percentile in catching would-be base stealers and 100th percentile in blocking pitches. The early returns on Toronto’s modest investment are excellent. — Castillo
Record: 53-39
Previous ranking: 9
Edwin Diaz wasn’t a sure-fire All-Star at the end of the season’s first month but found his groove in time to end up in Atlanta nonetheless. He’s given up just one run since April 21. May and June were lights out for the Mets’ closer, whose fastball/slider combination has been stellar. The body language of hitters facing Diaz tells a story: They look uncomfortable. Diaz has exactly the same number of plate appearances end in a slider as a fastball. The result is a .172 batting average on the former and a .160 average on the latter. — Rogers
Record: 51-41
Previous ranking: 6
Babe Ruth registered the top four fWAR (Fangraphs) seasons in MLB history. Aaron Judge is on pace to finish tied for fifth. The superstar has compiled 7.1 fWAR — 1.4 ahead of second-place Cal Raleigh — and is on course to accumulate 12.7 after posting 11.3 fWAR in 2024. Ruth finished with 12.9 fWAR while tormenting pitchers for the 1927 Murderers’ Row Yankees. Barry Bonds totaled his career-high 12.7 in 2002. Judge’s 2025 total would tie Bonds as he continues to make his case as the greatest right-handed hitter of all time. — Castillo
Record: 53-40
Previous ranking: 8
With so much change around him from year to year, righty Freddy Peralta is the one constant in the Brewers’ rotation. He’s making his second All-Star appearance after a three-year absence thanks to a solid first half, which featured a minuscule 6.7 hits per nine innings pitched. And he has taken the ball every five days for a team that was pitching-depleted to start the season. With Brandon Woodruff back and rookie Jacob Misiorowski lighting up radar guns, it’s not all on Peralta in the second half, but he was undoubtedly the rock that kept Milwaukee afloat during a rough start to the year. — Rogers
Record: 50-43
Previous ranking: 7
Junior Caminero turned 22 on July 5. Four days later, he was added to the AL All-Star team as a replacement for the injured Alex Bregman, becoming the youngest All-Star in baseball this season. Camerino, who has 22 home runs and a .503 slugging percentage, also committed to participate in the Home Run Derby. It’ll be an opportunity for the small-market Rays’ franchise cornerstone — and one of the sport’s brightest stars — to shine on the national stage. — Castillo
Record: 51-43
Previous ranking: 13
Logan Webb, Robbie Ray and Randy Rodriguez were named All-Stars, giving the Giants three All-Star pitchers for the first time since 2011, when they landed four (Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Ryan Vogelsong and Brian Wilson). Rodriguez was a minor surprise, making it as a setup guy, but he has been one of the best relievers in the majors, with a sub-1.00 ERA. The players voted him in as one of the three NL relievers alongside Edwin Diaz and Jason Adam. — Schoenfield
Record: 48-44
Previous ranking: 14
The Mariners have four All-Stars, which is their most since 2018. Their two position player representatives drew very different reactions upon selection. On one end, there’s Cal Raleigh, who is having the best offensive season by a catcher in history and is a no-brainer starter. The “Big Dumper,” as he’s affectionately nicknamed, leads the majors in home runs while casually remaining one of the best backstops in baseball. Then there’s Julio Rodriguez, whose OPS starts with a six but who provides enough value in the field and on the bases to be on pace for a 4.0-fWAR season. Still, Rodriguez’s inclusion raised eyebrows. — Castillo
Record: 49-43
Previous ranking: 12
Manny Machado‘s fourth-inning single on Monday was the 2,000th hit of his career, as he became the fifth active player to reach that milestone. While Machado turned 33 on Sunday, this is categorized as his age-32 season, meaning he’s just the 12th player with 2,000 hits and 350 home runs by his age-32 season. Eight of the other 11 are Hall of Famers, while the three non-Hall of Famers are Miguel Cabrera and Albert Pujols, who are not yet eligible, and Alex Rodriguez. — Schoenfield
Record: 49-45
Previous ranking: 18
Boston’s three All-Stars — Garrett Crochet, Alex Bregman and Aroldis Chapman — were all acquired over the offseason. Crochet and Bregman were expected to supply All-Star-level production. Chapman, however, is 37 years old. His All-Star days appeared behind him — but he might be better than ever. The hard-throwing closer has been a revelation on a one-year, $10.75 million contract, posting a 1.25 ERA and 0.78 WHIP across 39 appearances. His 39% strikeout rate ranks fourth among relievers with at least 20 innings thrown, and he is 15-for-16 on save opportunities. As a result, he is an All-Star for the eighth time and for the first time since 2021 as a Yankee. — Castillo
Record: 49-44
Previous ranking: 11
No, it’s not third baseman Nolan Arenado or closer Ryan Helsley going to the All-Star Game for St. Louis. Instead, its jack-of-all-trades Brendan Donovan getting his first nod. Donovan has played second base, left field and even some shortstop this year for the Cardinals, while producing some career numbers at the plate. His .800-plus OPS would rank as the highest of his career. Donovan has been a steady force on a team that doesn’t feature star-level players like it used to, recording a hit in all but one game this month. St. Louis needs that kind of production to stay in the wild-card race in the second half. — Rogers
Record: 47-46
Previous ranking: 15
It just keeps getting better and better for Elly De La Cruz. The 23-year-old has increased his batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage in each of his first three seasons in the big leagues, while continuing to steal bases at a high clip. Another good note? His strikeout to walk ratio is coming down as well. The better he understands the strike zone, the more pitches he’ll get to slug there. He’s also at the top of the majors in arm strength among shortstops. It might only be a matter of time before MVP is next to his name instead of just All-Star. — Rogers
Record: 46-47
Previous ranking: 16
Maybe there’s some hope for the Diamondbacks’ rotation. Zac Gallen has reeled off back-to-back quality starts, allowing just one earned run while racking up 19 strikeouts in 13 innings. Ryne Nelson has been excellent since joining the rotation, going 4-1 with a 2.41 ERA since May 20, and Merrill Kelly has been the one consistent starter all season. Even Eduardo Rodriguez had reeled off a series of solid starts before a poor outing on July 4. — Schoenfield
Record: 45-48
Previous ranking: 17
Jacob deGrom is Jacob deGrom again, just with a few slight adjustments. His velocity is down from his peak, leading to fewer strikeouts and more hard contact. But this 37-year-old version of deGrom remains one of the best pitchers in baseball with a 2.29 ERA. Most importantly, the two-time Cy Young Award winner has made 18 starts and logged 106⅓ innings. That output nearly matches the 105⅓ innings across 20 outings he accrued over the last three seasons. When deGrom is healthy, he’s elite. — Castillo
Record: 46-48
Previous ranking: 23
The Royals ended up with two All-Stars in Bobby Witt Jr. and Kris Bubic, although Maikel Garcia, Seth Lugo and Carlos Estevez had strong first halves as well. Salvador Perez will miss just his third All-Star Game since 2013, previously not making it only in 2022 and 2019 (when he missed the entire season with an elbow injury). Perez has 13 home runs and 54 RBIs, but his current .712 OPS would be the third lowest total of his 14-year career. — Schoenfield
Record: 45-47
Previous ranking: 22
Byron Buxton is the Twins’ lone All-Star rep, getting selected for the second time in his career after starting the 2022 contest. He’ll also compete in the Home Run Derby, becoming the first Twins player to participate since Miguel Sano in 2017, who finished as the runner-up to Aaron Judge. Health has been the key for Buxton, as he’s on pace to play 130 games for just the second time in his career and first since 2017. If he stays on the field and gets to 6.0 WAR, he’d be the first Twins outfielder with a 6-WAR season since Kirby Puckett and Shane Mack in 1992. — Schoenfield
Record: 45-47
Previous ranking: 21
The Angels’ decision to give Yusei Kikuchi a three-year, $63 million contract in November generated plenty of second-guessing for its timing and price point, but the aggressive move has paid off so far. Kikuchi has been a stabilizing force in the overachieving club’s rotation, registering a 3.02 ERA across 107⅓ innings. That was good enough for the 34-year-old left-hander’s second All-Star bid as the Angels’ lone representative. — Castillo
Record: 43-48
Previous ranking: 20
The Guardians saw their playoff hopes crumble with a 10-game losing streak in which they were shut out five times with two 1-0 losses along the way. It was the franchise’s longest skid since an 11-game streak in 2012 that cost manager Manny Acta his job and led to the hiring of Terry Francona for 2013. The Guardians hit just .166 during the streak and scored 15 runs, with six coming in one inning. They’re on pace for their lowest team OPS since 1972 — a notorious low-scoring season across the AL. — Schoenfield
Record: 42-49
Previous ranking: 25
Kyle Stowers is one of those feel-good stories everyone can get behind. He was going about his business his first few years in the majors — trying to establish himself in Baltimore — until a trade to Miami last July changed everything. But not right away. After hitting .186 in 50 games for the Marlins last year, no one knew what his role would be this season. He was even doubting himself this spring, but then the regular season started and things began to click. The hits came first and then the power. Two multi-home run games in the span of three days in late April showed what he was capable of — and helped lead Stowers to his first All-Star appearance. — Rogers
Record: 40-51
Previous ranking: 19
Somehow he pulled it off. Despite missing nearly two months of the season recovering from a torn ACL, Ronald Acuña Jr. still made the All-Star team thanks to his hot start. He showed no rust in collecting hits in seven of his first eight games, including a home run in his first at-bat in late May. He hasn’t stopped hitting — although he’s slowed down on the bases, where he’s usually a major threat. A back issue that sidelined him this week, however, could impact his All-Star participation. Considering Acuña’s lofty batting average and OPS over 1.000, his main goal for the Braves should be to stay in the lineup. — Rogers
Record: 40-50
Previous ranking: 24
Ryan O’Hearn jokingly thanked Red Sox president of baseball operations Craig Breslow for trading Rafael Devers to the NL and clearing the path for him to start the All-Star Game as the AL’s designated hitter. But O’Hearn is a worthy All-Star nonetheless. The veteran has been one of the few consistent performers on a disappointing club, slashing .286/.378/.462 with 11 home runs in 77 games this season. Two years after being designated for assignment by the Orioles and beginning the 2023 season in Triple-A, he heads to Atlanta as the club’s lone representative. — Castillo
Record: 38-56
Previous ranking: 26
What can you say about Paul Skenes that hasn’t been said before? He’s the best pitcher in the majors right now — at least, according to ERA. He’s the lone NL pitcher with a sub-2.00 mark, yet he’s just 4-7 on the season. Thank the Pirates’ offense for that. Skenes has given up just five home runs in 116 innings pitched, making it extremely difficult to put up a crooked number against him. And he’s been even better than last season, when he won Rookie of the Year. Could Cy Young be next? He and Zack Wheeler will duke it out in the second half for that honor. — Rogers
27. Athletics
Record: 38-56
Previous ranking: 28
The Athletics — the Moneyball franchise famous for deemphasizing batting average in favor of on-base percentage — have a star rookie shortstop who harkens back to a different time. Jacob Wilson is an elite contact hitter who prefers making contact and doesn’t strike out often — his 7.3% strikeout rate ranks third in the majors. He also doesn’t walk often — he drew his first walk in his 88th plate appearance this season and has just a 5.6% walk rate. The formula is unique in 2025 and it’s working. Wilson is second in the majors in batting average behind Aaron Judge as he vies to become the first Athletic to win a batting crown since Ferris Fain in 1952 — back when the A’s were in Philadelphia. That was three cities ago. — Castillo
Record: 38-54
Previous ranking: 27
Stop me if you’ve heard this before: James Wood is the most unheralded rising star in the game. A top-five OPS combined with an ability to steal bases while also improving his play in the outfield landed him in not only his first All-Star Game, but the Home Run Derby too. The latter event will give him some well-deserved national attention after he’s made such a huge leap from his rookie season of 2024 to now. He’s already blown by his home run and RBI totals from last year while increasing his on-base percentage to nearly 40%. His elite hitting stuff is the reason he’s in Atlanta. — Rogers
Record: 31-62
Previous ranking: 29
Right-hander Shane Smith is Chicago’s lone All-Star, becoming the first White Sox rookie pitcher to ever make an All-Star team. A Rule 5 pick in the offseason from the Brewers, Smith had an excellent first two-plus months with a 2.37 ERA through June 10. He’s struggled of late, however, allowing 22 runs over his past four starts to see his ERA climb to 4.20. He’s the second Rule 5 pick to make an All-Star team in the year immediately after he was drafted, following Dan Uggla, who made it with the Marlins in 2006. — Schoenfield
Record: 21-72
Previous ranking: 30
After hitting .190 in 2024, Hunter Goodman is an All-Star — and it’s more than just a token selection. The players voted Goodman in as the backup catcher behind the Dodgers’ Will Smith. Goodman played first and right field for the Rockies in 2023 and served as a utility player last season, catching just 23 games. But he has focused on his work behind the plate this year, and it’s brought out the best in his offensive game as well. He’s just the second Rockies All-Star catcher in franchise history, after Elias Diaz made it in 2023 (and won ASG MVP honors with a home run). — Schoenfield
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Sports
Stanford hires former Nike CEO Donahoe as AD
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2 hours agoon
August 2, 2025By
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Seth Wickersham
CloseSeth Wickersham
ESPN Senior Writer
- Senior Writer for ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine
- Joined ESPN The Magazine after graduating from the University of Missouri.
- Although he primarily covers the NFL, his assignments also have taken him to the Athens Olympics, the World Series, the NCAA tournament and the NHL and NBA playoffs.
Jul 31, 2025, 11:10 PM ET
Stanford has hired former Nike CEO John Donahoe as the school’s new athletic director, the university announced Thursday.
Donahoe, 65, will arrive in the collegiate athletic director space with a vast swath of business experience, as Stanford officials viewed him as a “unicorn candidate” because of both his business ties and history at the school. Stanford coveted a nontraditional candidate for the role, and Donahoe’s hire delivers a seasoned CEO with stints at Nike, Bain & Company and eBay. He also served as the board chair of PayPal.
He also brings strong Stanford ties as a 1986 MBA graduate. He has had two stints on the Stanford business school’s advisory board, including currently serving in that role.
“My north star for 40 years has been servant leadership, and it is a tremendous honor to be able to come back to serve a university I love and to lead Stanford Athletics through a pivotal and tumultuous time in collegiate sports,” Donahoe said in a statement. “Stanford has enormous strengths and enormous potential in a changing environment, including being the model for achieving both academic and athletic excellence at the highest levels. I can’t wait to work in partnership with the Stanford team to build momentum for Stanford Athletics and ensure the best possible experiences for our student-athletes.”
Donahoe replaces Bernard Muir, who announced in February that he was stepping down after serving in that role since 2012. Alden Mitchell has been the school’s interim athletic director.
The hire is a head-turning one for Stanford, bringing in someone with Donahoe’s high-level business experience. And it comes at a time when the athletic department has struggled in its highest-profile sports, as football is amid four consecutive 3-9 seasons and the men’s basketball team hasn’t reached the NCAA tournament since 2014.
In hiring Donahoe, Stanford is aiming for someone who can find an innovative way to support general manager Andrew Luck and the football program while also figuring out a sustainable model for the future of Stanford’s Olympic sports.
“Stanford occupies a unique place in the national athletics landscape,” university president Jonathan Levin said in a statement. “We needed a distinctive leader — someone with the vision, judgment, and strategic acumen for a new era of college athletics, and with a deep appreciation for Stanford’s model of scholar-athlete excellence. John embodies these characteristics. We’re grateful he has agreed to lead Stanford Athletics through this critical period in college sports.”
Stanford’s Olympic sports remain the best in the country, as Stanford athletes or former athletes accounted for 39 medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics. If Stanford were a country, it would have tied with Canada for the 11th-most medals. Stanford has also won 26 of the possible 31 director’s cups for overall athletic success in college, including a 25-year streak from 1995 to 2019.
School officials approached Donahoe in recent weeks about the position, with both Levin and former women’s basketball coach Tara VanDerveer among the chief recruiters. Donahoe has a long-standing relationship with both, as he maintained strong ties to the school throughout his career.
Sources said Luck will report to Donahoe. Luck spent time with him in the interview process and is excited to work with him, sources said. It’s also a change from the prior structure, as upon Luck’s hiring he had been slated to report to Levin.
“I am absolutely thrilled John Donahoe is joining as our next athletic director,” Luck said in a statement. “He brings unparalleled experience and elite leadership to our athletic department in a time of opportunity and change. I could not be more excited to partner with and learn from him.”
Stanford is set to begin a football season in which it is picked to finish last in the 17-team ACC. Former NFL coach Frank Reich is the interim coach, and both sides have made clear this is a definitive interim situation and that he won’t return after the 2025 season.
Sports
Iowa State extends Campbell, bumps pay to $5M
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2 hours agoon
August 2, 2025By
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Max OlsonAug 1, 2025, 04:59 PM ET
Close- Covers the Big 12
- Joined ESPN in 2012
- Graduate of the University of Nebraska
Iowa State and coach Matt Campbell have finalized a contract extension through 2032 after the winningest coach in program history led the Cyclones to their first-ever 11-win season in 2024.
Campbell will earn $5 million per year in total compensation, according to a copy of the contract obtained by ESPN on Friday. The three-time Big 12 Coach of the Year honoree took a discount on the deal, sources told ESPN, to ensure that his staff salary pool increased and to allow Iowa State to allocate an additional $1 million to revenue-sharing funds for its football roster.
Campbell earned $4 million in 2024 while leading the Cyclones to a Big 12 championship game appearance, an 11-3 record and a No. 15 finish in the AP poll. He’s entering his 10th season in Ames and has won a school record of 64 games during his tenure.
Colorado coach Deion Sanders will be the Big 12’s highest-paid head coach this year at $10 million after landing a five-year, $54 million contract extension in March. Campbell’s new salary will not rank among the top five in the conference, but he prioritized maximizing Iowa State’s ability to invest in its football roster following a historic season.
Campbell, 45, told ESPN in July at Big 12 media days that “probably our top 20 guys took a pay cut to come back to Iowa State” for 2025, relative to what they could’ve earned in NIL compensation by entering the transfer portal.
The head coach’s deal includes performance incentives based on the Cyclones’ regular-season record, starting at $250,000 for seven wins and climbing to $1.5 million for a 12-0 season. He’ll earn at least $100,000 for a Big 12 title game appearance and up to $500,000 for a Big 12 championship. The deal also permits him to distribute up to $100,000 of his performance incentive earnings each year to his football staff.
If Campbell accepts another Power 4 head coaching job before the end of his contract, his buyout would be $2 million. He would not owe liquidated damages if he departs for an NFL coaching opportunity. Campbell interviewed with the Chicago Bears in January during the organization’s head coaching search.
Campbell surpassed Dan McCarney as the program’s winningest head coach last season and has led the Cyclones to bowl games in seven of the past eight seasons, including a Fiesta Bowl victory and a top-10 finish in 2020.
Sports
What you missed from college football recruiting this summer
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2 hours agoon
August 2, 2025By
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Eli LedermanAug 2, 2025, 07:33 AM ET
Close- Eli Lederman covers college football and recruiting for ESPN.com. He joined ESPN in 2024 after covering the University of Oklahoma for Sellout Crowd and the Tulsa World.
The busiest 60 days of the annual recruiting calendar are officially behind us. And while another four months still remain before the December early signing period, college football’s top programs have already wrapped up the majority of their business in the 2026 cycle.
Per ESPN Research, a total of 155 prospects in the 2026 ESPN 300 made commitments in an avalanche of summer recruiting business from June 1 to July 31. In the wake of that, only 16 uncommitteds remain in the ESPN 300 as of Saturday morning. Within that group are just nine top-100 recruits, with five-star defensive end Jake Kreul, No. 2 running back Savion Hiter and No. 2 defensive tackle Deuce Geralds among those expected to come off the board in August.
More settled by this point of the cycle than any other in recent memory, college football’s 2026 class is unfolding against the backdrop of yet another moment of change in the sport. The House settlement and earliest ebbs of college athletics’ revenue sharing era have already shaped the 2026 cycle, and their effects will continue to ripple across the class until February’s national signing day.
As the recruiting trail prepares to take a (relative) back seat to fall camp practices, here’s a look at how the cycle played out this summer and what could come next for the class of 2026:
Revenue sharing and a new era in recruiting
The House settlement, which now permits schools to pay their athletes directly, among other sweeping changes, officially took effect July 1.
But according to personnel staffers, agents, recruits and parents surveyed by ESPN this month on the condition of anonymity, byproducts of college football’s new reality and the initial revenue sharing cap of $20.5 million across all sports have been steering the 2026 cycle for months. “In the past, collectives would always say we’re only going to offer what we know we can pay you,” a player agent told ESPN. “Now programs know what the budget will be, and harder numbers were discussed earlier than usual. The ability for programs to get those numbers out there early was huge.” As schools prepared roster budgets and braced for post-settlement oversight this spring, a number of Power 4 programs began front-loading their 2025 rosters in the lead-up to July 1.
In some cases, that meant negotiating updated, pre-settlement contracts with transfers and current players, deals that will not count against the post-July 1 revenue share cap. In others, sources told ESPN that programs and collectives found workarounds on the recruiting trail, doling out upfront payments as high as $25,000 per month to committed recruits in the 2026 class, primarily through advantageous high school NIL laws that exist in states such as California, Oregon and Washington.
Those front-loading efforts helped several programs jump out to fast starts in the 2026 cycle. Per sources, the impending arrival of revenue sharing also played a significant role in speeding up the 2026 class this spring. With programs in position to present firmer financial figures, a flurry of elite prospects committed to schools on verbal agreements before July 1.
“People rushed to get deals done pre-House,” a Power 4 personnel staffer told ESPN. “You know there’s only so much money available, and schools let kids know that. The first one to say yes gets it.”
Friday loomed especially large in the short-lived history of the House settlement.
Per the settlement, Aug. 1 was the first official date rising seniors could formally receive written revenue share contracts from programs and NIL collectives, the latter of which will now operate under looser regulation from the newly founded College Sports Commission, per a memo sent to athletic directors on Thursday. Put another way, Aug. 1 was the first day committed prospects and their families could officially learn whether terms they had agreed to earlier this year were legit.
“We’re going to see how serious these schools are,” said the parent of an ESPN 300 quarterback. “I think we might see some kids decommit and find new schools this fall.”
Across the industry, sources believe programs will, for the most part, deliver on the verbal agreements. Multiple agents and personnel staffers told ESPN that a number of programs have also generally ignored the Aug. 1 stipulation across the spring and summer, presenting frameworks of agreements to prospective recruits or flouting the rule entirely. Another question hovering over the months ahead: How much will these agreements do to contain the annual shuffle of flips, decommitments and late-cycle drama in the 2026 class?
“These deals should keep things more in check,” another Power 4 personnel staffer said. “But I’m not naive to think some won’t flip. There’s some snakes out there.”
0:46
No. 1 overall prospect Lamar Brown commits to LSU
No. 1 overall prospect Lamar Brown stays home and commits to play for the LSU Tigers.
Where do things stand with the 2026 five-star class?
Oregon offensive tackle commit Immanuel Iheanacho, No. 13 in the 2026 ESPN 300, initially planned to announce his commitment Aug. 5. But, like many of the 2026 five-stars who entered late spring still uncommitted, Iheanacho felt the heat of an accelerated market in June.
“There were a couple of schools I was looking at that asked me to commit early, really wanting to get me in their class,” Iheanacho told ESPN. “Oregon didn’t rush me at all.”
Even so, Iheanacho eventually shifted his commitment timeline forward more than a month. ESPN’s second-ranked offensive line prospect picked the Ducks over Auburn, LSU and Penn State on July 3, landing as one of 11 five-star recruits to commit between June 14 and July 20.
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DT Lamar Brown, LSU, No. 1 overall
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RB Derrek Cooper, Texas, No. 7 overall
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DE JaReylan McCoy, Florida, No. 9 overall
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DE Richard Wesley, Texas, No. 11 overall
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OT Immanuel Iheanacho, Oregon, No. 13 overall
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OLB Tyler Atkinson, Texas, No. 14 overall
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ATH Brandon Arrington, Texas A&M, No. 15 overall
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TE Kaiden Prothro, Georgia, No. 19 overall
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OT Felix Ojo, Texas Tech, No. 20 overall
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S Jett Washington, Oregon, No. 21 overall
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S Jireh Edwards, Alabama, No. 23 overall
As of Saturday morning, only one of the record 23 five-star prospects in ESPN’s class rankings for 2026 remains uncommitted. LSU secured a class cornerstone and the highest-ranked pledge of the Brian Kelly era in No. 1 overall recruit Lamar Brown on July 10. Meanwhile, Florida (McCoy) and Texas A&M (Arrington) each landed a top-15 defender, Ojo landed a historic deal with Texas Tech, and Texas closed July with the most five-star pledges — four — in the country.
With Kreul, the skilled pass rusher from Florida’s IMG Academy nearing a decision from among Ole Miss, Oklahoma and Texas, ESPN’s 2026 five-star class could be closed out before Week 0.
No matter how it plays out from here, the cycle’s five-stars are already historically settled. As of Saturday morning, 95.6% of the five-star class is committed among 14 schools across the Power 4 conferences. Per ESPN Research, it’s by far the highest Aug. 1 five-star pledge rate in any cycle since at least 2020. Just over a decade ago, only six of the 20 five-stars (30%) in the 2015 cycle were committed on Aug. 1, 2014; nearly half the class committed after New Year’s Day.
Highest rate of five-star pledges by Aug. 1 since the start of the 2020 cycle
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2026: 95.6%
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2024: 76.1%
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2025: 72.7%
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2021: 66.6%
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2020: 58.8%
A number of factors — the early signing period, NIL, transfer portal, new rules around recruiting windows and on-campus visits — explain why elite recruiting continues to inch further and further from the traditional February signing day. Amid the fallout of the House settlement, the latest five-star class seemingly received another nudge this summer.
What’s left for the 2026 QB market after summer moves?
The last major quarterback domino in the 2026 class fell July 18 when four-star Landon Duckworth (No. 178 overall) committed to South Carolina. More than four months from the early signing period, the quarterback market in 2026 is effectively closed.
After Ryder Lyons (BYU), Bowe Bentley (Oklahoma) and Jaden O’Neal (Florida State) found homes in June, Duckworth was the last uncommitted ESPN 300 quarterback. Further down the class, several major programs across the Big Ten and SEC dipped into the flip market or outside the top 300 to secure their 2026 quarterback pledge(s) this summer.
Notable quarterback moves since June 1:
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Ryder Lyons, BYU, No. 49 overall
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Jaden O’Neal, Florida State, No. 166 overall
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Bowe Bentley, Oklahoma, No. 168 overall
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Peyton Falzone, Auburn, No. 208 overall
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Jett Thomalla, Alabama, No. 14 pocket passer
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Bryson Beaver, Oregon, No. 15 pocket passer
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Matt Ponatoski, Kentucky, No. 16 pocket passer
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Tayden-Evan Kaawa, No. 24 pocket passer
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Luke Fahey, Ohio State, No. 28 pocket passer
Oregon ended its monthslong chase for a quarterback pledge June 25 with former Boise State commit Beaver. One of the cycle’s top summer risers after a standout Elite 11 finals showing, Beaver landed with Ducks coach Dan Lanning and offensive coordinator Will Stein over interest Alabama, Auburn, LSU and Ole Miss in whirlwind, 13-day rerecruitment.
Alabama has five-star freshman Keelon Russell. But still repairing the program’s quarterback pipeline under coach Kalen DeBoer, the Crimson Tide added two pledges this summer between Thomalla — an Iowa State flip — and Kaawa. Across the state, Auburn and coach Hugh Freeze made their move June 26 flipping Falzone from Penn State before Ohio State (Fahey) and Kentucky (Ponatoski), another pair of quarterback-needy programs, landed pledges in July.
For now, the quarterback class is settled and only so many major programs are still searching in 2026.
Among the 68 Power 4 programs and Notre Dame, only 10 reached August without at least one pledge among the 106 quarterback prospects rated by ESPN: Colorado, Georgia Tech, LSU, Iowa, Iowa State, Maryland, Stanford, UCLA, Virginia Tech and West Virginia.
Who might still be looking within that group?
Colorado (Julian Lewis), Maryland (Malik Washington) and UCLA (Madden Iamaleava) each signed a top-300 quarterback in the 2025 class. With all three programs in the midst of roster rebuilds, none is likely to make a serious push at the position this fall.
With Garrett Nussmeier out of eligibility in 2025, and after the LSU lost No. 1 overall recruit Bryce Underwood to Michigan last fall, the Tigers remain a program to watch in the coming months.
What did ESPN’s top five classes do this summer?
The Trojans got the bulk of their work done on the trail this spring and began June with the most ESPN 300 pledges of any program nationally. That remains the case as USC has bolstered its top-ranked incoming class with five more ESPN 300 pledges over the past eight weeks, adding defenders Talanoa Ili (No. 54 overall), Luke Wafle (No. 104) and Peyton Dyer (No. 269), a July 4 pledge from No. 3 wide receiver Ethan “Boobie” Feaster (No. 25) and the commitment of highly regarded four-star offensive guard Breck Kolojay (No. 198) on Friday.
Can USC hold on to secure its first No. 1 class since 2013? Time will tell. Sources told ESPN that the Trojans’ biggest moves in the cycle are likely finished while the program continues to target the tight end and safety positions, but there’s still time for plenty more to unfold this fall.
The Bulldogs went for volume and quality this summer, collecting 19 commitments including 12 from inside the ESPN 300. Georgia continued to build around five-star quarterback Jared Curtis with five-star tight end Kaiden Prothro, top-50 offensive tackle Ekene Ogboko, running back Jae Lamar and pass catchers Brayden Fogle and Craig Dandridge. On the other side of the ball, defensive backs Justice Fitzpatrick, Chase Calicut and Caden Harris, and defensive tackle Pierre Dean Jr. rank among the newest arrivals in an increasingly deep Bulldogs defensive class.
Georgia’s summer wasn’t without a few major misses. Losing out to Texas on No. 1 outside linebacker Tyler Atkinson — a priority in-state target — stung. Top running back Derrek Cooper’s subsequent pledge to the Longhorns marked another blow, as did wide receiver Vance Spafford‘s decision to flip to Miami in late June. But the Bulldogs are loaded up once again on top during this cycle and will hit the fall in line to secure the program’s 10th straight top-three signing class for 2026.
The Aggies landed a key local recruiting win over Texas on June 17 with a commitment from No. 5 running back K.J. Edwards, the state’s No. 6 prospect in 2026. But Texas A&M’s summer of recruiting was defined on defense, where coach Mike Elko is building another monster class.
Five-star athlete Brandon Arrington, who will play defensive back in college, became the program’s top-ranked 2026 pledge on June 19. Behind him, the Aggies have added top-150 defenders Bryce Perry-Wright, Camren Hamiel and Tristian Givens, and top 300 linebacker Daquives Beck since June 1 to a defensive class that features nine ESPN 300 pledges.
Even after narrowly missing on top defenders Lamar Brown (LSU) and Anthony Jones (Oregon) in July, Texas A&M holds one of the nation’s deepest classes and appears poised to contend later this year for its first top-five class since the Aggies went No. 1 in 2022.
It was a five-star bonanza for coach Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns this summer.
It began with a late-June pledge from Oregon decommit Richard Wesley, ESPN’s No. 3 defensive end. From there, Texas went on to secure its latest pair of recruiting wins over Georgia last month, swooping in to land Atkinson on July 15 before earning Derrek Cooper’s commitment five days later. With No. 1 quarterback Dia Bell already in the fold, the Longhorns have as many five-star pledges in 2026 as the program signed across 11 classes from 2011 to 2021.
Top-50 offensive lineman John Turntine III marked a key addition July 4, and the Longhorns got deeper on defense with commitments from cornerback Samari Matthews and former Georgia defensive tackle pledge James Johnson. But the five-star moves have been the story for Texas this summer, and Sarkisian & Co. might not be done yet with the Longhorns heavily in the mix for Jake Kreul, the last remaining five-star in the 2026 class.
After a productive spring, the Irish landed five ESPN 300 pledges after June 1, plugging the few remaining holes in the program’s 2026 class with a series of elite high school prospects.
Notre Dame landed its top two defensive back commitments within hours of each other on June 20 with pledges from cornerback Khary Adams and Joey O’Brien. On June 26, the Irish secured their highest-ranked tight end commit since the 2021 class in four-star Ian Premer. And in early July, Notre Dame bolstered its wide receiver class with an infusion of talent and NFL pedigree, adding Kaydon Finley (son of Jermichael Finley), Brayden Robinson and Devin Fitzgerald (son of Larry Fitzgerald).
Notre Dame’s trip to last season’s national title game arrived amid the program’s steady rise on the recruiting trail under coach Marcus Freeman. That has continued in 2026, where the Irish are poised to sign more ESPN 300 pledges — 17 — than in any cycle since at least 2006.
Five programs poised to push for a top-five finish this fall
Current ESPN class ranking: No. 6
Only one program can match USC’s count of nine top-100 pledges in 2026: Alabama.
The Crimson Tide’s second class under coach Kalen DeBoer boomed in June and July as the Crimson Tide secured a slew of commitments on defense with five-star safety Jireh Edwards (No. 23 overall), No. 3 outside linebacker Xavier Griffin (No. 30) and defensive ends Nolan Wilson (No. 53) and Jamarion Matthews (No. 92). Priority in-state offensive targets Ezavier Crowell (No. 31) and Cederian Morgan (No. 47) marked two more key additions this summer.
Alabama whiffed on another major in-state recruit Thursday when four-star outside linebacker Anthony Jones, the state’s No. 1 prospect in 2026, committed to Oregon. Jones represented one of the last elite targets on the Crimson Tide’s board. But Alabama has already flipped four Power 4 commits this summer and could continue to climb this fall as long as DeBoer and his staff remain active within the class from now to the early signing period.
Current ESPN class ranking: No. 11
LSU enters the month with ESPN’s No. 1 overall recruit, a five-star wide receiver in Tristen Keys (No. 10 overall) and 10 total ESPN 300 commits in the program’s incoming recruiting class.
How can the Tigers climb into the upper reaches of the 2026 cycle this fall? First and foremost, they have to hang onto Keys, ESPN’s No. 3 wide receiver. He has been committed to LSU since March 19, but that didn’t keep him from taking multiple official visits in the spring or shield him from serious flips efforts from Miami, Tennessee and Texas A&M this summer.
The Tigers’ battle to keep Keys could stretch all the way to the early signing period.
Sources expect LSU to ramp up its own flip efforts with in-state safety and Ohio State pledge Blaine Bradford (No. 34 overall) in the coming months. The Tigers are also finalists for Deuce Geralds and remain top contenders in the recruitments of offensive linemen Darius Gray (No. 73) and wide receiver Jase Mathews, both of whom are set to commit in August. LSU can’t be counted out from renewing its work in the 2026 quarterback this fall, either.
Current ESPN class ranking: No. 7
The defending national champs had a relatively quiet summer atop the 2026 cycle, adding only four ESPN 300 pledges highlighted by the in-state pledges of outside linebacker Cincere Johnson (No. 82 overall) and running back Favour Akih (No. 160). Fahey, ESPN’s No. 28 pocket passer, will pad Ohio State’s future quarterback depth after Air Noland‘s offseason transfer, too.
One priority target who could help push the Buckeyes over the edge is four-star prospect Bralan Womack (No. 32). Ohio State has been consistent a leader in the recruitment of ESPN’s No. 3 safety through the spring and summer, and coach Ryan Day & Co. will have to hold off late pushes from fellow finalists Auburn, Florida and Texas A&M from now until Womack’s Aug. 22 commitment date. The Buckeyes also remain involved in the recruitments of No. 2 running back Savion Hiter and Darius Gray, the nation’s 10th-ranked offensive lineman.
Current ESPN class ranking: No. 8
Wolverines coach Sherrone Moore has filled out his class with nine ESPN 300 pledges since June 1, headlined by top-100 defender Carter Meadows (No. 88 overall), who trails only quarterback Brady Smigiel (No. 44) among the top prospects pledged to Michigan in 2026.
Who could be next for the Wolverines? Michigan are finalists for ESPN 300 defenders Davon Benjamin (No. 63) and Anthony Davis Jr. (No. 299) with each set for a decision Saturday. More prominently, the Wolverines remain focused on Hiter (No. 24 overall), a top priority for the Michigan staff this summer whose commitment date is set for Aug. 19. The Wolverines also continue to be linked with Syracuse wide receiver pledge Calvin Russell (No. 28). ESPN’s No. 4 wide receiver closed a narrowing process with a commitment to the Orange on July 5, but sources expect Michigan and Miami to remain involved with Russell this fall.
Current ESPN class ranking: No. 10
No. 2 outside linebacker Anthony Jones committed to the Ducks on Thursday, joining five-stars Immanuel Iheanacho and Jett Washington in a string of high-profile pledges for Oregon this summer.
Insiders believe the Ducks have backed off at the very top of the 2026 class after spending in the 2025 cycle, but Jones’ pledge could be the first move in a late-summer surge for coach Dan Lanning. Oregon is viewed as the front-runner for both Deuce Geralds and Davon Benjamin as the pair of top-65 prospects prepare to announce their commitments Saturday afternoon. If the Ducks land both, Lanning & Co. could be in position to sign another top-five class by December.
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