While it’s true some holdouts skipped the 72-hour early signing period in lieu of National Signing Day on Feb. 2, the vast majority of high school recruits chose to end their recruiting process, signing with their preferred teams of choice. Following the early signing period, only 12 top-100 recruits, including five five-star-rated players, have yet to sign (or, at least, have not made their signing public).
MORE: Sporting News 2021 College Football All-America Team
The early signing day often sees some major shake-ups in the recruiting cycle, and already on Wednesday, there was some major news in the morning. Jake Johnson, the top tight end in the 2022 class, will join Texas A&M, his high school said. Johnson had previously been an LSU commit, but decommitted at the same time his brother, quarterback Max Johnson, announed that he would be leaving the Tigers. Will Max Johnson now join his brother with the Aggies?
And another major recruit reportedly joined a football program. Days after Quinn Ewers left Ohio State for the Longhorns, four-star cornerback Terrance Brooks has reportedly decommitted from the Buckeyes and joined the Texas 2022 recruiting class, according to The Athletic’s Ari Wasserman.
Early Signing Period winners and losers: Texas, Texas A&M load up, Oklahoma, Clemson slide
With that, Sporting News breaks down everything you need to know about the early signing period, including player and signing class rankings, as well as where each recruit will continue their football careers:
MORE: The biggest storylines to watch for National Signing Day
Nation’s top recruit to Jackson State
Deion Sanders has landed the nation’s No. 1 recruit.
Cornerback Travis Hunter Jr., listed by 247Sports Composite Rankings as the nation’s top prospect in 2022, announced that he has flipped his commitment from Florida State to Jackson State.
Sanders, a former Florida State corner himself, coached the Tigers to a SWAC East division title and conference title behind an 11-1 record and perfect 8-0 record. He has already made plenty of waves in recruiting circles as the HBCU ranked as the No. 55 recruiting class in the nation based on 247Sports Composite Team rankings for the 2021 class.
Hunter certainly sounded ready to make headlines this morning.
Texas flips two Big Ten commits
The Longhorns are making a run at some of the Big Ten’s top talent. After landing Ewers in a transer, Texas has also flipped four-star cornerback Terrance Brooks. The team account retweeted the following at his decision to join the Longhorns.
Brooks is listed as the No. 59 recruit in the 2022 class, and the No. 8 cornerback by 247Sports Composite Rankings.
But Brooks wasn’t the only Big Ten recruit to flip on Wednesday. Edge-rusher Ethan Burke announced that he was flipping from Michigan to Texas. 247Sports Composite Rankings currently lists the three-star recruit as the No. 601 prospect in the nation and the No. 38 player at his position.
Texas A&M lands top tight end
Johnson hasn’t officially signed as of yet, but his high school indicates that he is ready to put pen to paper.
247Sports Composite Rankings has Johnson listed as a four-star recruit, the No. 83 recruit in the class, and the top tight end.
His brother, Max Johnson, is listed by 247Sports as the No. 12 transfer currently in the portal. He and his brother were both set to be in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, next year, and both announced that wouldn’t be the case at the same time, indicating a move together could be in the works. Last year, Johnson completed 60.3 percent of his passes for 2,815 yards with 27 touchdowns and six interceptions in his second year with the Tigers.
National Signing Day: Top-100 commits from early signing period
Player ratings reflect 247Sports Composite rankings.
MORE: Ranking college football’s top transfer QBs for 2022, from Spencer Rattler to Jack Miller
National Signing Day: Top 10 classes from early signing period
Team ratings reflect 247Sports Composite rankings.
