College football’s 2022 recruiting classes have been signed, and more of these prospects have enrolled early in school. That translates to more first-year players providing an immediate impact, which in turn gives teams the opportunity to win sooner on Saturdays.
How will this recruiting cycle affect the 2022 College Football Playoff? For a handful of teams that didn’t reach the playoff last season, the 2022 additions could result in a top-four spot. We did not factor in college transfers for this piece.
No, the sky is not falling in Clemson, South Carolina. Despite the loss of multiple NFL draft choices, a rash of injuries and below-average quarterback play, this team still won 10 games and beat Iowa State in its bowl game. The Tigers are young, but now experienced and very talented at key spots with a feature player at running back in Will Shipley.
So why do they make the list? An upgrade at QB.
Clemson is still the class of the ACC, and with slightly improved QB play, they will be tough to beat. So, can Cade Klubnik beat out D.J. Uiagalelei? Clemson needs him to. The problem with Uiagalelei isn’t a lack of talent; it’s a lack of accuracy, and that can’t always be taught. Klubnik is an early enrollee and should push Uiagalelei hard. With Klubnik at the helm, the offense could become less prone to mistakes.
Aside from the quarterback position, Clemson signed top players at all the spots where it had significant losses. It added some talent to its secondary with several ESPN 300 additions in defender Sherrod Covil, a physical safety, and cornerbacks Toriano Pride and Jeadyn Lukus.
Yes, yes, yes, this class on paper is as good as it gets, and we are all expecting this group to be the one that propels the Aggies to the SEC championship game and beyond.
However, this isn’t a team that was 10-2 the past couple of years; in fact, this team hasn’t won double-digit games since 2012. This begs the question: How close is Texas A&M to Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State and Clemson? And can this class close the gap quickly?
Looking at them up front, absolutely. Gabe Brownlow-Dindy, Shemar Stewart, Walter Nolen, Enai White, Anthony Lucas and Malick Sylla — in this class alone — add to what was a very talented 2021 class.
We believe the Aggies can compete up front on both sides of the ball with anyone, but the quarterback position has to come up huge. Don’t be surprised if QB Conner Weigman competes for the job or even ends up at No. 2 and sees the field. He has a powerful arm and the accuracy Jimbo Fisher’s offense excels with.
Did you notice how all the opt-outs in the Rose Bowl had practically no effect on the Ohio State offense that returns essentially every playmaker, including QB C.J. Stroud and RB TreVeyon Henderson? That’s how talented the Buckeyes are. Also, last year’s Ohio State team was its youngest defense in years and returns a wealth of talent. This team is right on the verge of being dominant once again.
The Buckeyes are loaded in this 2022 class on offense. They have multiple ESPN 300 wide receivers, including Kaleb Brown, who can be a versatile offensive option, Caleb Burton, Kyion Grayes and Kojo Antwi. They added QB Devin Brown after losing two quarterbacks in the portal.
Defensively, they upgraded a young and extremely talented front group with DE Omari Abor joining Kenyatta Jackson Jr. Just prior to the early signing period, in-state five-star athlete Alex Styles joined this group by reclassifying from 2023 to 2022. He could be the next great Buckeye in the secondary.
We know, we know. How can we put Texas on this list? Well, given the current state of the Big 12 and changeover at Oklahoma, this Longhorn class, despite the on-field performance last fall, ended up being very strong, and the conference is wide open.
The quarterback position is settled (we think), but let’s focus on where Texas gained the most ground: the offensive line and defensive front. Three top-10 offensive linemen, including No. 1 guard Devon Campbell, and four top-20 defensive linemen, featuring No. 11 DE Justice Finkley, should drastically improve this team on which skill is already abundant, but trench play needed to be upgraded.
The secondary, the third premium position addressed in this class, features No. 4 safety Bryan Allen Jr. and No. 16 CB Terrance Brooks. Much like Texas A&M, the Longhorns need to prove they belong and that their recruiting prowess isn’t just a paper champion.
This is a bit of a sleeper pick, but given the state of the Big 12 and the fact that Baylor is fresh off 11- and 12-win seasons in two of the past three years, the Bears are prime for a jump. The Big 12 and Sugar Bowl champs have changed the perception of the program in just two years under head coach Dave Aranda.
The Bears brought in a big class in 2022 that is not transfer heavy. WR Armani Winfield is a nice new playmaker to help the offense to stretch the field. Baylor loaded up at tight end with three top-15 players at the position and are looking to become even more physical in the trenches than they already are.
In a spread-happy conference, these jumbo athletes will make the Bears difficult to handle up front. Six four-star players headline this class, which is a significant improvement over the previous two classes (2020, 2021) when Baylor signed a combined three four-star players.