Big 12 Early Signing Day Recruiting Rankings are led by Texas Tech and TCU.
With the start of the Early Signing period on Wednesday, thousands of high school student athletes signed their National Letters of Intent. Five-star receiver Micah Hudson (Temple, TX) committed to Texas Tech, which helped the Red Raiders take the top spot in the Big 12 rankings for 2024. The West Virginia Mountaineers, UCF Knights, Kansas Jayhawks, and TCU Horned Frogs signed the next-to-last class.
Of the recruits in this class, the majority are signed, with just two players in 247Sports’ Top 100 still unsigned. Despite the possibility of some rearranging of the Big 12 rankings on National Signing Day (February 7), the majority of classes have been filled. Let’s now examine how the redesigned Big 12 fared in terms of their recruiting classes. Note: Transfers are not included in these rankings; only high school signees are. The window for winter transfers is open through January 2.
Thirty-two recruits receive the highest rating under the updated five-star system; one recruit is awarded for each pick made in the first round of the NFL Draft. Hudson is the fifth-ranked receiver in the nation, coming in at number eighteen. Tech received the boost it needed to take the top spot in the rankings for the first time ever as the only five-star recruit signed with the Big 12.
Four 4-star recruits were also added, with quarterback Will Hammond (Hutto, TX) being the standout. The other four-stars are safety Peyton Morgan (Pflugerville, TX), edge rusher Cheta Ofili (Sachse, TX), and offensive tackle Ellis Davis (Prosper, TX). TCU, WVU, UCF, and KANSAS FINAL SUMMARY OF TOP 5 Aledo quarterback Hauss Hejny, a four-star prospect, and two other four-stars lead TCU’s recruiting class. With 18 out of their 21 signees hailing from the Lone Star State, the Horned Frogs had a strong Texas presence. Kyle Lemmermann (Southlake, TX), the best kicker in the country, was also signed by TCU.
Three four-star recruits were added by UCF, including Frankie Arthur, a running back from Conroe, Texas. Ten of UCF’s eighteen commits are from within the state, and three of their top five recruits are from Georgia. With 17 commits, Kansas signed the smallest class among the Top 10 programs in the Big 12. Two of their six highest-signed recruits ever are pass rushers Dakyus Brinkley (Katy, TX) and Deshawn Warner (Goodyear, AZ), both of whom are four stars. Warner’s ranking of second best is evidence of Lance Leipold’s excellent work in Lawrence.
WVU won eight games and signed the fifth-best recruiting class in the conference, all in spite of Neal Brown being under fire starting in 2023. In a deep class, the Mountaineers bring in twenty three-stars. Ric’Darious Farmer, a four-star receiver out of Melbourne, Florida, is their top recruit. ARIZONA IS THE LEADER IN NEWCOMERS A few weeks after Jedd Fisch, the head coach, was extended, Arizona signed the best recruiting class of the four Big 12 newcomers for 2024. QB Demond Williams (Chandler, AZ) is one of the three 4-star recruits that the Wildcats signed. Their top eight recruits are either “athletes” or play on the offensive end of the court.
rival After adding two 4-star recruits of their own, tight end Jayden Fortier (Tualatin, OR) and running back Jason Brown (Seattle, WA), Arizona State drops two spots in the rankings. In addition, the Sun Devils add four excellent 3-stars (88 or higher) to strengthen a strong class. QB Isaac Wilson and tackle Isaiah Garcia, both of Corner Canyon High School in Draper, Utah, were signed by Utah as 4-star prospects. Don’t undervalue the Utes’ ability to develop players, even though they only sign 15 players. Although Utah has been a dominant team in the Pac-12, the team has historically finished in the middle of the pack. As a result, they will probably start 2024 as the Big 12 favorite.
Colorado trails behind following a wave of withdrawals. Similar to the current roster, Colorado has a top-heavy recruiting class. Three four-star players were signed by them: Brandon Davis-Swain (West Bloomfield, MI), Davis-Swain Mikell (Statesboro, GA), and receiver Drelon Miller (Silsbee, TX). Jordan Seaton, a five-star commit, resumed accepting applications.
