With the arrival of Wednesday’s national signing day, college football’s 2025 recruiting cycle is effectively closed.

Nearly all of the nation’s elite prospects and programs finished their 2025 recruiting business during the early signing period from Dec. 4-6, leaving only three members of the 2025 ESPN 300 still uncommitted after the first week of January. Still, there has been some late activity in the 2025 class.

Four-star offensive tackle Chastan Brown (No. 263 in the 2025 ESPN 300) announced his commitment to Florida State on Jan. 26. On Tuesday, four-star cornerback Onis Konanbanny officially made his long-awaited flip from Tennessee to Florida. And the start of the signing period on Wednesday saw one of the remaining pair of uncommitted top 100 prospects — five-star offensive tackle Ty Haywood (Michigan) — find a new home to close out the cycle. Four-star defensive end Zahir Mathis, choosing between Maryland and Florida State, remains uncommitted.

Elsewhere, Bill Belichick completed a busy late flourish to his first recruiting class at North Carolina, securing commitments from 15 recruits from Dec. 21 to Feb. 2, after the Tar Heels retained blue-chip pledges Bryce Baker (No. 200 in the 2025 ESPN 300) and Austin Alexander in December. Still left among the select group of uncommitted 2025 prospects is four-star cornerback J’Vari Flowers, who reclassified into 2025 from the 2026 class last week and is not expected to make a decision until the spring with Georgia, Miami, Florida, Florida State and Syracuse among those chasing his signature.

As the door closes on the latest cycle and attention turns to 2026, our experts looked back on the class of 2025.

Jump to a section:

Surprises | Biggest winner | Biggest riser | Most disappointing class
Favorite fits | Impact freshmen | Under-the-radar recruits
Which QB starts first? | QB with the brightest future

Most surprising moves

The run of QB flips: In a recruiting cycle packed with quarterback drama, the action began with the five-star passers at the very top of the class in 2025.

Before leading Duncanville (Texas) High School to a second straight state title and rising to status as ESPN’s second overall prospect in the fall, Keelon Russell kicked off the summer with a flip from SMU to Alabama on June 4. Julian Lewis (No. 12 overall) delivered another round of fireworks when he ended his prolonged recruiting saga and flipped from USC to Colorado in November. Finally, there perhaps was no bigger coup in the 2025 cycle than Bryce Underwood‘s flip from LSU to Michigan on Nov. 21, securing the Wolverines a pledge from the No. 1 recruit in the class.

Factor in Deuce Knight (Notre Dame to Auburn) and Husan Longstreet (Texas A&M to USC), and five of ESPN’s top six quarterbacks flipped on their commitments in the 2025 cycle. Quarterback movement was confined to the top of the class either; of the 26 passers ranked within the 2025 ESPN 300, 11 — roughly 42% — flipped between June 1 and Dec. 4.

Na’eem Offord‘s stunning move: It wasn’t just that ESPN’s No. 1 defender flipped on his pledge to Ohio State, but where Offord (No. 5 in the 2025 ESPN 300) ultimately landed that felt significant.

While the five-star cornerback from Birmingham, Alabama, spent much of the fall linked closely with in-state Auburn, Oregon remained an afterthought in Offord’s recruitment all the way up to his surprise commitment to the Ducks hours into the early signing period on Dec. 4.

If Offord’s move was a gut punch to a Buckeyes class that lost three top-100 defenders in the final weeks before the early signing period, losing out on him to newly minted conference rivals Oregon added insult to injury for Ohio State. Alongside Michigan, the Ducks and Buckeyes appear poised to battle for Big Ten recruiting supremacy for years to come, and Offord’s flip marked a powerful opening salvo from coach Dan Lanning and Oregon.

Justus Terry to Texas: The Longhorns are in line to secure their first No. 1 recruiting class in the ESPN recruiting rankings era (dating to 2006), and Terry (No. 8 in the 2025 ESPN 300) is a key reason.

The imposing, 6-foot-5, 270-pound defensive tackle flirted with Georgia and Auburn through the fall, but he visited Texas in October with an open mind. Less than two months later, Terry took his commitment announcement to the final hours of the early signing period of Dec. 6 and delivered one of the biggest recruiting upsets of the cycle with his pledge to the Longhorns.

Terry carries college-ready size from Day 1 and has the potential to develop into Texas’ next great interior disruptor. Alongside five-star safety Jonah Williams (No. 9 overall), Terry is the headliner in a Longhorns class that includes 17 ESPN 300 signees and ranks top of the nation at the end of the program’s first cycle as a full member of the SEC. — Eli Lederman

Biggest winner of the cycle: Michigan

Only a handful of elite programs recruited better than the Wolverines in 2025, but none finished stronger than Michigan at the end of coach Sherrone Moore’s debut cycle.

All told, the Wolverines secured commitments from six ESPN 300 prospects between Oct. 21 and the start of the early signing period, more than any program outside of Florida (6) in that span. Underwood, the coveted quarterback from Belleville, Michigan, marked the most significant haul over that stretch as a potential program-defining addition. But four-star offensive tackle Andrew Babalola (No. 28 in the 2025 ESPN 300) was a key get, too, and Michigan reinforced on defense late in the cycle with top-100 additions Shamari Earls (No. 68 overall), Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng (No. 76), Nathaniel Marshall (No. 77) and Jordan Young (No. 96). Wednesday’s commitment from Haywood — ESPN’s No. 3 offensive tackle and a one-time Alabama pledge — is a cherry on top to an impressive final stretch.

ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg reported in December on the Wolverines’ revamped NIL setup. With resources fortified and a ferocious push from the Michigan staff, the Wolverines surged late in the cycle, lending Moore credibility on the recruiting trail and laying a foundation for the Wolverines’ future in recruiting with the ninth-ranked signing class arriving on campus ahead of the 2025 season despite an 8-5 finish this past fall.

Biggest riser: North Carolina

While their overall ranking is far from the nation’s best, new coach Bill Belichick did resuscitate it enough to keep it from being this cycle’s most disappointing, if not, worst class. This class never really gained traction, with two brief stints within the top 50 of the class ranking during this cycle prior to landing at No. 48 in the latest update. The transition from Mack Brown to Belichick which spanned the early signing period, hurt this class further.

Holding onto ESPN 300 QB Bryce Baker, who drew interest from several programs during the coaching change, was key, as he gives the Tar Heels one of the more promising QBs to develop. Belichick inherited two very good defensive linemen in Austin Alexander and Devin Ancrum while adding high three-star recruits in Nicco Maggio, Chinedu Onyeagoro and Terry Nwabuisi-Ezeala. These will not only strengthen and deepen their defensive line unit but all three also came from the classes of rival ACC programs. There is a lot of work to still be done with the upcoming class, but these signings are a nice springboard. — Craig Haubert

Most disappointing class: Oklahoma

Oklahoma finished its first season in the SEC at 6-7 while rival Texas went to the SEC championship and the CFP. While the Longhorns have the top 2025 class, the Sooners are in the middle of the pack among the league’s recruiters. Several factors contributed to OU’s struggles this past season including issues at quarterback. The Sooners have yet to find success at the position since Lincoln Riley left then lost Jackson Arnold, a former top QB recruit, to the transfer portal and four-star 2025 commitment Kevin Sperry to Florida State. OU needed to retool the QB room and address depth. The Sooners flipped three-star Jett Niu from Oklahoma State. He has shown flashes but won’t be an early contributor. Things could look very different next year after hiring Washington State offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle who brought along QB John Mateer, one of the top players in the portal.

Concerns on the perimeter remain. OU signed several defensive backs, but only one, Trystan Haynes, was ranked in the ESPN 300. The bigger questions are at receiver, where the Sooners had issues with injuries and production and now have experienced quite a bit of turnover at the position. After multiple decommitments, OU signed only two receivers and a tight end with only Elijah Thomas ranked in the ESPN 300.

There are some building blocks in this class, namely five-star offensive tackle Michael Fasusi, who could be a quick contributor and elite SEC player. In a conference that has seven teams among the top-10 classes and for a program that has made four playoff appearances, this class lacks the impact to propel them within the SEC and return them to national prominence. — Haubert

Favorite fits of the cycle

Dakorien Moore, WR, Oregon: This one is easy. We just saw multiple freshman receivers impact college football in 2024. After Ryan Williams (Alabama) and Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State) this last season, Moore arrives with the same type of impact ability. The five-star has the physical tools with good height (5-foot-11), length and game-breaking speed. In addition to elite ability, he is also a good route runner and accentuates all that with a fierce competitive nature. The Ducks, who are a title contender, lost three of their top four pass catchers from 2024; they accounted for 171 catches and 18 touchdowns. Moore can help replace that production.

Expect Moore to play a key role in the Ducks’ offense in 2025 and post similar stats to what Williams had in his first season (48 receptions, 8 TDs). — Haubert

Keelon Russell, QB, Alabama: He’s the ideal QB to get the ball out quickly and accurately push it downfield in Kalen DeBoer’s offense. He has also shown touch when needed in short to intermediate throws. He can extend plays with his legs, attack defenses as a designed runner and is an absolute winner and the perfect QB to bring Bama back to the top. — Tom Luginbill

Tavien St. Clair, QB, Ohio State: St. Clair gives Ohio State a quarterback with skills the Buckeyes have not had since Justin Fields. He’s big (6-4, 225), strong, mobile and can make all the throws. He will need to polish his fundamentals, but his raw talent and upside are through the roof. — Billy Tucker

Which recruits are poised to impact the 2025 CFP?

Anthony Rogers and Bo Jackson, RBs, Ohio State: While Ohio State QB Will Howard and receiver Jeremiah Smith received the biggest headlines on the national championship team, running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins were arguably the catalyst behind the title run. James Peoples returns as the incumbent at the position but the former ESPN 300 back ranked 14th at the position will be challenged by incoming freshmen backs Anthony Rogers and Bo Jackson, ranked fourth and eighth, respectively. Rogers will fill the Henderson role with his strength, speed and polished receiving skills. Like Judkins, Jackson has a bit more power and effective inline vision and cutting skills. Together they could fill a significant ground game void in a quest for another title.

Jonah Williams, S, Texas: He’ll be playing college baseball this spring for the Longhorns and coming off injury, the five-star safety would still be in the mix to contribute early. Reminiscent of the Baltimore Ravens’ Kyle Hamilton, Williams has immense talent to bring to a secondary that is reloading. At 6-3 and 205 pounds, Williams has a frame to put on another 15 pounds and retain his 4.5-second speed in the 40 and a blazing 22.2 200-meter. He can be physical in the box and pursue sideline-to-sideline like a linebacker or turn and run with athletic tight ends in coverage. — Tucker

Favorite three-star recruit from the cycle

Marcus Romain, QB, Northwestern: At 6-1 and 205 pounds, he ran a verified sub-4.6 40-yard dash as a junior and just shy of 10.9 in the 100-meter. Combine that with a 38-inch vertical and 10-foot broad jump and you have a highly explosive athlete. While he can move the chains in chunks as a runner, he has a smooth, quick release with nice touch as a passer. The Wildcats’ offense struggled last year but Romain, with some development, will provide an early spark in his career. — Tucker

Sione Motuapuaka, DT, Utah: The Utah signee has been an underrated but key cog in Las Vegas powerhouse Bishop Gorman’s success. At 6-foot, 275, he lacks ideal height and bulk but plays with leverage, power and relentless effort. He prefers and projects to defensive tackle, but he also brings value in his versatility and unselfishness. He played offensive guard as a sophomore, defensive tackle as a junior, and — when a need developed on the offensive line this past fall — he played on both sides of the ball. — Haubert

Which ESPN 300 QB will see the field first?

Bryce Underwood, Michigan: Underwood must compete with incoming transfer Mikey Keene, but will be given every opportunity to take over the job if he proves he is mature enough to handle the jump. His physical attributes will be superior to every other QB on Michigan’s roster which makes him the most difficult to defend when it comes to designing the offense around him. Even if Underwood doesn’t become the starter immediately, it’s a long season and he should have his moments.

Antwann Hill, Memphis: With the departure of four-year starter Seth Henigan, the door is open for Hill to see the field immediately as he’ll be competing with unproven reserves Harris Boyd and Arrington Maiden. Nevada transfer Brendan Lewis joins the room as well. Hill is a Power 4-level talent and chose a highly successful Group of 5 program to prove his worth, likely earlier than had he signed with a Power-4 program.

Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, Cal: With 2024 starter Fernando Mendoza off to Indiana, the door is wide open for Sagapolutele to start as a freshman in Berkeley. He is a very gifted deep ball passer, but he is also raw physically and needs polish and honing of technique. He’ll be battling Ohio transfer CJ Harris who saw limited duty for the Bobcats the past two years. — Luginbill

Which ESPN 300 will have the best NFL career?

Keelon Russell, Alabama: Russell is a student of the game. He loves football and wants to put in the work to be great. He has intangible traits you can’t coach. Combine that with his physical attributes and the personnel he’ll have around him at Alabama in Kalen DeBoer’s offense and there’s a very probable recipe for NFL success down the road. Russell could play in 2025, but he would benefit from getting time to developI which would only enhance his ceiling through patience and maturity. — Luginbill

Deuce Knight, Auburn: There’s a reason Auburn worked so hard to pry Knight from Notre Dame’s recruiting class in the fall. With true dual-threat ability, a powerful arm and an impressive frame at 6-foot-5, 205-pounds, Knight hits all the testing metrics and possesses the tools to become an elite playmaking quarterback. He showed improved accuracy in his senior high school season, and while the Tigers added three portal quarterbacks this offseason including former Oklahoma passer Jackson Arnold, Knight represents the future under center at Auburn. If he can stay healthy, Knight has the build and upside to develop into the kind of modern quarterback NFL teams will take a bet on, at the very least. — Lederman

Matt Zollers, Missouri: While Underwood is probably the best choice, Zollers is a good wild card. The top-rated QB in Pennsylvania might be the steal of this quarterback class. The ball pops out of his hand. Physically, Zollers is very gifted with pocket passer size and arm strength, but he can really run for QB at that stature, too. There is a mature swagger and presence about him too. Zollers could be another Josh Allen. — Tucker