Grading the Top 25 recruiting classes after 2021 Early Signing Day

No. 12 Missouri — Grade: A

How many expected Missouri to put together a nearly top-10 recruiting class. The Tigers were 27th last year and made a big leap this recruiting cycle thanks in large part to signing the No. 3 overall prospect and top-ranked player Luther Burden.

Quarterback Sam Horn (No. 9 QB, 125th overall) and running back Tavorus Jones who is ranked 163rd overall, were huge additions and Missouri added seven total four-star signees with another top-200 recruit still committed.

The Tigers signed just 15 prospects including DJ Wesolak, who is ranked just outside the top 200, and also top-200 D-lineman Marquis Gracial. But give Eli Drinkwitz credit because he did as good a job as any SEC head coach this cycle. This is the ceiling for Missouri recruiting.

No. 11 Kentucky — Grade: A

Mark Stoops has done a stellar job at the University of Kentucky and posted a 9-3 record this past season, which led to a stellar recruiting class for the Wildcats.

The centerpiece of the class came on 2021 Early Signing Day with the signing of five-star offensive tackle Kiyaunta Goodwin. The Wildcats signed a total of nine four-star recruits including Deone Walker, a 6-foot-6, 340-pound defensive tackle from the state of Michigan, who chose the Wildcats over Michigan.

Keaten Wade is another big addition at linebacker, as well as four-star wideout Dane Key. And when you see this haul, you can see why Mark Stoops stayed in Lexington.