5 burning questions for the 2026 College Football Recruiting Class

College Football recruiting is at a critical phase in the process. As of June 1st, we are down to about 6 months are so until the early signing period. So, in June, you generally see lots of official visits and commitments because starting on June 23rd through July 31st a recruiting dead period comes into place where coaches are not allowed to make face-to-face contact with recruits. The next 3 weeks are a critical period for putting together the 2026 recruiting classes. All class rankings are based on the 24/7 Sports team rankings. Below are 5 burning questions about the 2026 recruiting classes.

1) Can USC keep the top 2026 class?

USC has the top recruiting class so far, as they have hit the ground running with a great class. They currently have 27 commits, which is an incredible number. Of the 27 commits, 17 are either 4 or 5-star prospects, which is a good ratio. They also have 17 from California, which is an area they have struggled with under Lincoln Riley. I think USC will land a top 5 class, but keeping the top class might be more difficult. No matter what, if you're a USC fan, this is an impressive class, if they can keep most of them together.

2) Is Clemson going to land a top 5 recruiting class?

It seems like Dabo Swinney's program has fallen off in the last few years on the field and as a top-flight recruiting destination, but this year it seems like a different story. 1st he has a National Championship level roster and now he has the 5th ranked recruiting class. Of the 15 commits, 10 are 4 stars which is a good ratio. Clemson seems like they are in a good way as a program and Swinney has turned the corner back to an elite level.

3) Can SMU, Kansas, Rutgers, and others land top 25 recruiting classes?

Currently, SMU, Kansas, Rutgers, Illinois, Arizona State, and Syracuse all have top 25 recruiting classes. None of them are considered blue-blood type of programs, so it is encouraging for all these programs. If any of these programs sign top 25 classes, it would be a massive improvement over anything they have signed over the last several years.

4) Oregon has recently struggled to maintain recruiting momentum. Can they right the ship and land a top 10 class?

Oregon has been a staple of one of the top 10 recruiting classes over the last 5 years or so, but has struggled to maintain this level in the 2026 class. They currently have the 27th ranked recruiting class, with only 7 commits. Of the 7 commits, 5 are 4- or 5-star prospects, which is impressive, but they have also lost out on several top prospects. It's fascinating to see if they can fix it in time to land a great class. I would not bet against Dan Lanning and Oregon, though.

5) Will Notre Dame land a top 3 recruiting class?

Notre Dame has improved under Marcus Freeman, and they have recruited well under his guidance, but after making the National Title game, Freeman is stepping up his game even more on the recruiting circuit. They currently have the 2nd ranked recruiting class behind USC. Among the 16 commits, 15 of them are 4 stars, which is a great percentage of top players. Notre Dame is in a great position to land a top 3 recruiting class.

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