Michigan Wolverines

This Wolverines class boasted two playoff appearances and a national championship, propelling them from No. 8 to the No. 1 slot. Yes, those playoff appearances came during this class's freshman and sophomore seasons, but this group still contributed.

Penn State Nittany Lions

The Nittany Lions' 2022 class appeared strong enough to rank in the top 10 nationally at the time. Fast forward a few years and it looks even better. Penn State's class was among the most elite and productive classes of the cycle, yielding several starters and key contributors en route to 34 wins over the last three seasons and a College Football Playoff run in 2024.

Georgia Bulldogs

This group was part of two SEC titles and a national championship. That title came in Year 1 for this class, but it still provided an impact. Top signee Malaki Starks started 14 games in 2022 and wasted no time introducing himself to college football. He notched a highlight-reel interception in the first quarter of their game against Oregon and finished as Georgia's leading tackler before becoming an All-American.

Boise State Broncos

Excellent production from this class spurred the Broncos' stampede up the reranking. Like the rest of this class, running back Jeanty proved to be wildly underrated. He projected as a three-star Group of 5 prospect, where almost all of his offers came from. He posted solid measurables (5-foot-8½, 193 pounds) and testing numbers as a 2021 Under Armour camp participant in his home state of Texas, but nothing that indicated what was coming. Jeanty ran for over 1,800 yards as a high school senior, and an excellent evaluation and recruiting move paid big dividends for Boise State. He quickly contributed more than 2,000 yards over his first two seasons, developing into a Heisman Trophy runner-up and arguably the single most important player to his team in 2024.

Texas Longhorns

The Longhorns went a disappointing 8-5 in their first season, but Texas surged to 12 wins in Year 2, and the 2022 group helped lead the Longhorns to the playoff.

LSU Tigers

This is an interesting class to gauge. An SEC championship appearance and two bowl wins is a success, but the class has not had an SEC title or made a playoff. Either way, Brian Kelly's first full class at LSU had talent and spawned multiple key starters.

Alabama Crimson Tide

This group was one of the final classes of Nick Saban's career. While it didn't quite match initial expectations, it delivered some quality talent, and members of this class helped deliver Saban one last SEC title and playoff appearance before his retirement.

Iowa State Cyclones

This class provided the foundation for Iowa State's progression over the past three years and is an excellent example of what recruiting should look like. The Cyclones went 4-8 their first year with minimal impact from this class outside of high-three-star safety Jeremiah Cooper, who started multiple games. On special teams, punter Tyler Perkins quickly became a three-year starter.

Arizona Wildcats

Jedd Fisch took over a hurting Wildcats program in the middle of three straight losing seasons that hadn't posted double-digit wins since 2014. Arizona then struggled to a 1-11 season in 2021. But with a full year to work on the recruiting trail, Fisch assembled a top-25 class that signaled positive change was coming. The rebuild allowed freshmen to play right away. Several did, including three-star linebacker Jacob Manu and top signee wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan. This class also included several key transfers, such as wide receiver Jacob Cowing (UTEP), who led the team in receptions, defensive end Hunter Echols (USC) and quarterback Jayden de Laura (Washington State), who assumed the starting role.

Tennessee Volunteers

After years of struggles, Josh Heupel has returned Tennessee back to SEC and national relevance. His first full recruiting class in 2022 helped guide the Volunteers to the CFP this season. This group had minimal impact on Tennessee's 11-win season in 2022, but Squirrel White (who transferred to Florida State in early January) stepped in and caught 30 passes that season. Wide receiver Bru McCoy, a touted 2019 recruit, began to live up to his potential after transferring from USC and has proven an excellent transfer addition.

Ohio State Buckeyes

Winning a national championship is the ultimate goal. Members of this class helped the Buckeyes achieve that against Notre Dame. Sonny Styles wasn't initially slated for this class, but the in-state athlete reclassified, contributed as a versatile freshman and developed into a starter at linebacker. Styles was among OSU's leading tacklers during the season.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Even though the Fighting Irish fell short of a national championship, this class positioned them to amass 24 wins over the past two seasons. Top prospect Jaylen Sneed developed into a starter this season and was among the team leaders with 51 tackles. Though he missed time this season with an injury, four-star corner Benjamin Morrison emerged as the top prospect from this class and quickly made an impact with six interceptions in 2022. He became a multiyear starter and team captain. Junior Tuihalamaka and Donovan Hinish combined for 7.5 sacks this season. On offense, Notre Dame developed a pair of starters on their offensive line and tight end Eli Raridon was a key contributor. ESPN 300 running back Jadarian Price added 746 yards on the ground this season.

Clemson Tigers

This class didn't deliver on any playoff success, but it did help keep the Tigers near the top of the ACC with two conference titles and one playoff appearance. Their top signee, Cade Klubnik, emerged as a two-year starter, throwing for 3,639 yards and accounting for 43 touchdowns this season. He plans to return to Clemson in 2025. Wide receiver Antonio Williams was another ESPN 300 signee who took a big step forward in 2024 and was clearly their top target this past season. Blake Miller became a three-year starter at tackle and was one of two starters along the offensive line from this class. Defensively, this class supplied three-star Wade Woodaz, Clemson's leading tackler this season.

Ole Miss Rebels

The transfer portal has changed the landscape of recruiting, and few have been more active using that avenue than Ole Miss. It has paid dividends. Consecutive double-digit win seasons were spurred by multiple transfers. Jaxson Dart, a 2021 ESPN 300 QB, was the most notable. He arrived after one season at USC and took over the offense. His passing numbers increased each year and he threw for 10,617 yards while with the Rebels. The versatile JJ Pegues (Auburn) also arrived in this cycle and was among team leaders this season in rushing touchdowns and tackles for loss.

Oregon Ducks

At the time, Oregon's class was pushed down the rankings amid a coaching transition from Mario Cristobal to Dan Lanning. Lanning did a good job in a short window. He delivered a class that contributed to over 30 wins, a Big Ten title and a playoff appearance. Top signee Josh Conerly Jr. met expectations as a two-year starter at left tackle. Tennessee native Jordan James led the Ducks in rushing this year (1,267 yards) and was an ESPN 300 signing in 2022. Their leading rusher in 2023, Bucky Irving, arrived as a transfer in this class as well out of Minnesota. Auburn transfer Bo Nix, who revitalized his career in Eugene, developed into a Heisman finalist and subsequent first-round pick.

Washington Huskies

Kalen DeBoer inherited a four-win program and a small recruiting class. That's a tough situation. While his time with the Huskies was short, he made the most of it, making key moves that helped Washington jump to 11 wins in 2022 and a national title appearance in 2023. Virginia transfer Wayne Taulapapa led the Huskies' ground game in 2022. On defense, linebacker Cam Bright arrived via Pittsburgh and was among their most productive defenders. Both moved on after that season. Another vital transfer, Indiana's Michael Penix Jr., did not. He threw for over 4,000 yards in 2022 and then did so again in 2023, along with 35 touchdowns, to become a Heisman finalist.

Missouri Tigers

This class showed the potential to help move Missouri forward under Eli Drinkwitz. While it had some misses and players that didn't meet expectations, it ultimately produced back-to-back double-digit win seasons. Signing five-star receiver Luther Burden III was a statement at the time. He stayed with the program and was an impact presence with nearly 200 receptions and over 2,220 yards across three seasons. In-state three-star offensive lineman Armand Membou moved into a starting role as a freshman and became a consistent starter at right tackle over the past two seasons. They added several productive transfers including Cody Schrader, a little-known walk-on Division II transfer who produced big results. He rushed for 2,372 yards in two seasons, including 1,627 yards during the Tigers' 11-win 2023 season to become an All-American.

Tulane Green Wave

Tulane's signing class had a limited impact on its 12-win season in 2022, but it hit its peak to help the Green Wave rack up 20 wins over the past two seasons. ESPN 300 WR Lawrence Keys III, a 2018 recruit, returned home after signing with Notre Dame out of high school and made 30 catches for Tulane's 2022 American Conference title squad. He followed it up with 33 more catches in 2023. Three-star receiver signee Chris Brazzell II led the 11-win 2023 team in receptions. Makhi Hughes broke out for 1,378 rushing yards in 2023. He followed that up with a 1,400-yard season and 15 touchdowns this past fall. Hughes was one of the more sought-after running backs in the transfer portal before landing at Oregon. Tight end Alex Bauman transferred to Miami in early January, but not before leaving his mark. He caught 63 passes and scored 13 touchdowns over the past three seasons.

Iowa Hawkeyes

With just two ESPN 300 signees, this was not an overly heralded class compared to many other Power 5 classes, but it was a talented group that produced and proved it was among the best in that 2022 cycle. This group has not had a losing season and played for the Big Ten title in 2023. Top signee Xavier Nwankpa, a key in-state addition, has carried his weight. He made an early impression with a pick-six in his first career start for the Hawkeyes in their bowl win over Kentucky his freshman year. He has been a starter since and could continue to make an impact after announcing he will return for his senior season. Iowa's other in-state ESPN 300 signee, Aaron Graves, has been a strong addition to its defensive line and developing into a productive starter. The Hawkeyes signed two high-three-star running backs in the class and both have produced though Kaleb Johnson has stood out. He made an immediate impact, leading the team in rushing as a freshman and again as a junior rushing for over 1,500 yards. Another highlight from the class was Addison Ostrenga who didn't have any other reported offers but has proven to be a good evaluation that has added value to their roster contributing each season he has been on campus.

USC Trojans

The Trojans lured Riley away from Oklahoma and he found immediate success in his first season at USC on the field and the recruiting trail. USC went 11-3 in 2022, led by transfer signee Caleb Williams who followed his coach from OU and would win the Heisman Trophy after throwing for 4,537 yards and 42 touchdowns with another 10 touchdowns on the ground. Williams' favorite target that year was transfer WR Jordan Addison, who led the Trojans in receptions and yards after winning the Biletnikoff Award in 2021 as the nation's top receiver while playing at Pittsburgh. Addison declared for draft and went No. 23 overall to the Minnesota Vikings, while Williams played one more year for the Trojans, going 8-5 but being selected first overall by the Chicago Bears. On defense, Wyoming DE transfer Solomon Byrd tallied 18.5 tackles for a loss including 10 sacks in two seasons at USC, while linebacker Eric Gentry was a productive three-year linebacker after transferring from Arizona State.

California Golden Bears

Cal hasn't won 10 games in a season since 2006. So while this class's record sits under.500, it's notable they have made back-to-back bowl appearances. Four-star running back Jaydn Ott was an impactful signing. Injuries slowed him 2024, but he led the team in rushing as a freshman and was one of the top backs in college football in 2023, rushing for over 1,315 yards with 11 touchdowns. He is now among the top 10 in school history in rushing touchdowns.

Illinois Fighting Illini

Bret Bielema's first full class helped rebuild a Fighting Illini program that hit the 10-win mark in 2024 for the first time since 2001. A pair of defensive signees out of Florida, linebacker Gabe Jacas and defensive back Xavier Scott have been key additions. Both have contributed since year one and developed into all-conference-caliber players. In-state defensive back signee Matthew Bailey also played as a freshman and developed into a starter. Coming over from conference rival Northwestern, defensive lineman TeRah Edwards has been a productive addition over the past three seasons. Syracuse transfer quarterback Tommy DeVito (Syracuse) helped jump-start the rebuild by stepping in during the 2022 season.

Washington State Cougars

We would not have expected the Cougars to climb into the top 25 in 2022. Their new ranking is anchored by two key quarterback additions in the 2022 class via both the transfer portal and prep ranks. Cam Ward made the initial impact. He arrived from FCS program Incarnate Word and threw for over 6,500 yards in two seasons. His success made him a coveted target when he decided to transfer again. High-three-star signee John Mateer out of Texas stepped in following Ward's departure. A lightly recruited late add to their 2022 class, he flashed good physical tools and swagger, then helped lead the Cougars to eight wins while throwing for over 3,000 yards. His success has also made him a coveted transfer target as he leaves the program for Oklahoma. Defenders Daiyan Henley (linebacker) and Cam Lampkin (defensive back) were productive transfers as well. Tight end Andre Dollar and in-state running back Djouvensky Schlenbaker, who were prep signees, have never broken out but remained with the program and contributed.

Florida State Seminoles

This Seminoles class is an excellent example of the highs and lows that come with recruiting success and missteps. In a way, this class played a pivotal role in their successes during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, as well as in their sharp decline in 2024.Key transfer additions helped them to rip off 19 straight wins, including 13 straight in 2023. Defensive end transfer Jared Verse jumped up from FCS Albany and was one of the nation's top pass rushers while at Florida State for two seasons. Offensively, wide receiver Johnny Wilson (Arizona State) came in and became a top target in their passing game, and Trey Benson (Oregon) helped power the run game in that same span. Those and several other transfers played big roles in their success that led to 24 wins in two years.

Texas A&M Aggies

The buzz around this class was immense at the conclusion of the 2022 cycle. With five five-star players, it was being discussed as one of the greatest ever. The drop from that high point has been steep, though. Many pieces from this class went on to good college careers, but the sum of the parts never equaled success for the Aggies. Many have left the program, and a coaching change occurred during this stretch.