The final Top247 rankings for the 2026 recruiting class are out, and the landscape looks a whole lot different than it did just five years ago. With 32 five-star prospects in the mix - including four new additions to that elite tier - the balance of power in college football recruiting continues to shift in intriguing ways. Eight programs landed multiple five-star talents, while a dozen more secured at least one.
And the biggest storyline? Parity.
NIL has clearly leveled the playing field. Back in 2021, Alabama, Ohio State, and Georgia were hoarding five-stars like playoff berths.
Fast forward to 2026, and no program landed more than three. Instead, 20 different schools walked away with at least one five-star recruit - a significant jump from the 14 who did so five cycles ago.
Let’s break down where the top-tier talent is heading, starting with the program that made the biggest splash.
USC - Class Ranking: No. 1
For the first time since 2018, USC finishes with the No. 1 recruiting class in the country - and they did it in style.
Pepe, a top-five overall prospect, becomes just the second player ranked that high to sign with the Trojans in the last decade. That’s a major win for a program that’s been chasing its former glory on the national stage.
Then there’s Wafle, who rocketed 63 spots in the final update to land at No. 7 overall. That makes USC one of just two programs - alongside LSU - to sign multiple top-10 recruits in this cycle. The Trojans didn’t just win the rankings battle; they made a statement about where they’re headed under this new era.
Alabama - Class Ranking: No. 2
Alabama might not be stockpiling five-stars like it did in the early 2020s, but don’t let that fool you - the Tide are still firmly entrenched among college football’s recruiting elite.
Linebacker Xavier Griffin headlines the class, a name that’s been on radars for a while now. But perhaps the most eye-popping addition is running back Ezavier Crowell.
Just a year ago, he was outside the top 90. Now?
He’s a five-star after a monster senior season: 2,632 yards on 209 carries and 35 touchdowns. That’s video game production.
Cornerback Jorden Edmonds rounds out the trio, giving Alabama another balanced group of blue-chippers on both sides of the ball.
Oregon - Class Ranking: No. 3
Dan Lanning continues to build something special in Eugene. Oregon finishes with its third straight top-five class - a feat matched only by Alabama over the past three cycles.
What’s even more impressive? The Ducks did it with just 22 signees, the smallest class among the top 10. But when you look at the top-end talent, the quality is undeniable.
EDGE rusher Anthony Jones brings explosiveness off the edge and is already drawing comparisons to NFL-bound pass rushers. Safety Jett Washington, another top-25 signee, projects as a future star in the mold of Nick Emmanwori. And on the offensive line, Immanuel Iheanacho gives Oregon a powerful anchor up front.
Tennessee - Class Ranking: No. 8
The Vols had themselves a historic recruiting cycle. For the first time in over a decade, Tennessee landed multiple five-stars - and they matched their total from the previous six classes combined.
The centerpiece? Quarterback Brandon, who becomes the second-highest-rated QB to ever commit to Tennessee in the modern recruiting era. He headlines a class that ranks among the program’s best in recent memory and could signal a serious step forward in Knoxville’s long-term rebuild.
Notre Dame - Class Ranking: No. 5
Notre Dame has quietly been stacking solid classes under Marcus Freeman, but 2026 took things to another level. The Irish cracked the top five for the first time in over a decade.
EDGE Rodney Dunham and tight end Ian Premer are the headliners, both holding on to five-star status in the final update. While safety Joey O’Brien dropped out of the five-star ranks, this is still a major win for a program that had signed just one five-star recruit between 2020 and 2025. Freeman’s vision is clearly resonating with elite talent.
Ohio State - Class Ranking: No. 4
The Buckeyes added a second five-star on Monday when Johnson jumped from No. 40 to No. 25 overall. That gives Ohio State another top-five finish - their seventh in a row - and their largest class in over a decade with 29 signees.
What’s notable here is that, for just the second time since 2020, the Buckeyes didn’t land a top-10 recruit. Still, the class is deep and includes wide receiver Henry, who became the 18th top-100 WR to commit to Brian Hartline. That pipeline is alive and well in Columbus.
LSU - Class Ranking: No. 11
Even with a coaching transition, LSU kept its top-end talent intact - and that’s no small feat. Lane Kiffin took over and managed to hold on to two five-star studs in athlete Lamar Brown and defensive lineman Richard Anderson.
Brown is the second-highest-rated recruit to ever sign with LSU in the modern era, behind only Leonard Fournette. Anderson, meanwhile, closed out his high school career with 22 tackles for loss and 10 sacks - a disruptive force in the trenches.
The Tigers only signed 17 players, tied for the second-smallest class in the SEC, but seven of them made the Top247. That’s elite efficiency.
Michigan - Class Ranking: No. 12
The Wolverines are starting to find their five-star groove again. After a three-year drought, Michigan has now signed four five-stars in the past two cycles.
EDGE Carter Meadows and running back Savion Hiter both dipped slightly in the final rankings but maintained their five-star status. Hiter is especially notable - he’s the first five-star RB to sign with Michigan in over 20 years. He’ll join last year’s No. 1 overall recruit, quarterback Bryce Underwood, in what could be a dynamic backfield duo next fall.
Final Takeaway
The 2026 recruiting cycle underscores just how much the landscape has evolved. The days of a few powerhouse programs monopolizing top-tier talent are fading. NIL, coaching changes, and shifting priorities have opened the door for more programs to make noise.
From USC’s return to the top, to Tennessee’s resurgence, to Oregon’s consistency, this class is a snapshot of a new era in college football recruiting - one where the blue-chip pie is being sliced more ways than ever before. And that’s a win for fans, parity, and the game itself.