Which teams finished with the best classes on National Signing Day?
National Signing Day has come and gone, and after a lot of moving pieces in the last few days before the biggest recruiting day of the year, we have a clear picture of which teams made out the best in the class of 2015.
Every coach will brag about having a great class, but here's who the recruiting rankings say came out on top of the sweepstakes, according to the 247Sports Composite, which combines all four major rankings into one.
To no surprise, the teams at the top of the list are generally the ones who have dominated on the field over the past few seasons.
1. Alabama Crimson Tide (Roll Bama Roll)
| Class Size | Average Rating (per 247) | 5-stars | 4-stars | 3-stars |
| 24 | 93.72 | 6 | 14 | 5 |
Alabama might have a two-year title drought, and the Crimson Tide might have lost the SEC's throne to the Big Ten in this year's College Football Playoff. However, Nick Saban has been dominating the recruiting trail, helping Alabama reach the top spot in the ratings for the fifth year in a row.
The Crimson Tide will bring in five-star pro-style quarterback recruit Blake Barnett, from Corona, Calif. -- the second-best player in the class at his position -- along with the 11th-ranked player in the country, Calvin Ridley, who could help replace All-American wide receiver Amari Cooper. The Tide's four-year [edited] haul of 76 four- or five-star rated recruits is absolutely ridiculous.
2. USC Trojans (Conquest Chronicles)
| Class Size | Average Rating (per 247) | 5-stars | 4-stars | 3-stars |
| 26 | 92.83 | 4 | 18 | 4 |
2015 was the first class since the Reggie Bush sanctions in which USC had a full allotment of scholarships, and it really paid off for the Trojans, who have put together a stellar class that ranks just a hair behind the Tide.
They're doing that partly by dominating the state, with 20 recruits coming from California. USC loaded up on defense, signing 13 defenders, 11 of which ranked four- or five-stars, including superstar cornerback Iman Marshall. On offense, the recruit everyone will want to see is four-star quarterback Ricky Town, but they'll have to wait at least a year as Town learns behind Cody Kessler.
3. Florida State Seminoles (Tomahawk Nation)
| Class Size | Average Rating (per 247) | 5-stars | 4-stars | 3-stars |
| 20 | 92.46 | 4 | 10 | 6 |
Florida State is expected to have a bit of a rebuilding year after losing Jameis Winston, but the Seminoles look like they'll be back in the national conversation very soon with yet another top class.
The top-end talent is what makes this class so exciting. Derwin James is one of the highest-rated safety recruits in the history of recruiting rankings, and end Josh Sweat is a player who, if not for a major knee injury, would likely have been the No. 1-overall prospect.
4. Tennessee Volunteers (Rocky Top Talk)
| Class Size | Average Rating (per 247) | 5-stars | 4-stars | 3-stars |
| 29 | 89.78 | 1 | 15 | 12 |
Butch Jones has some solid momentum going forward at Tennessee, winning the TaxSlayer Bowl with a young team.
This year, the Volunteers will bring in a massive, 29-player recruiting class to get more players into Knoxville to compete for playing time. The player most fans will be excited about right away is Kahlil McKenzie, a five-star defensive tackle who ranks sixth nationally in the Composite ratings.
5. LSU Tigers (And the Valley Shook)
| Class Size | Average Rating (per 247) | 5-stars | 4-stars | 3-stars |
| 25 | 89.98 | 2 | 11 | 10 |
LSU had a great final week, adding multiple top prospects down the stretch.
The Odell Beckham-less Tigers struggled on offense last year, and they've brought in five-star wide receiver Tyron Johnson to be a playmaker. They'll also hope that five-star corner Kevin Toliver II can continue their tradition of having top-flight defensive backs.
6. Ohio State Buckeyes (Land-Grant Holy Land)
| Class Size | Average Rating (per 247) | 5-stars | 4-stars | 3-stars |
| 27 | 90.06 | 1 | 14 | 11 |
Ohio State might not feel the full effect of its National Championship recruiting bump until the class of 2016, but the Buckeyes still have the best class in the Big Ten this year, and they're right up there with the best in the country.
There's a lot to be excited about in the front seven, with five-star linebacker Justin Hilliard and four-star defensive end Jashon Cornell, but there is a plethora of athletes across the board.
7. UCLA (Bruins Nation)*
| Class Size | Average Rating (per 247) | 5-stars | 4-stars | 3-stars |
| 20 | 91.94 | 3 | 11 | 6 |
The Bruins closed with a fury on National Signing Day, adding several out-of-state stars, including tight end Chris Clark, running back SoSo Jamobo, and receiver Cordell Broadus. Though USC dominated in-state, UCLA still inked an extremely impressive class. Jim Mora has upped the level of talent in Westwood in a hurry.
* Includes four-star Roquan Smith, who committed to UCLA but did not fax his letter of intent and is now re-examining his options amid defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbricht's reported departure for the Falcons. If he leaves, UCLA will drop and likely put Texas or Texas A&M into the top 10.
8. Clemson Tigers (Shakin' the Southland)
| Class Size | Average Rating (per 247) | 5-stars | 4-stars | 3-stars |
| 25 | 89.48 | 3 | 9 | 11 |
Florida State is the recruiting king of the ACC, but Clemson isn't far behind, and the gap between the Tigers and the rest of the league is huge.
The Tigers look to be on track to challenge for the division and the conference for years to come, and they've solidified their place nationally with a very good class. Offensively, five-star wide receiver Deon Cain will have fans dreaming he's the next Sammy Watkins, while five-star defensive tackle Christian Wilkins could be the next great Tigers defensive lineman.
9. Auburn Tigers (College and Magnolia)
| Class Size | Average Rating (per 247) | 5-stars | 4-stars | 3-stars |
| 27 | 90.13 | 1 | 19 | 7 |
Gus Malzahn's decision to hire Will Muschamp paid off in a big way, as more than half of the Tigers' defensive signees came after the move. The huge win for Auburn was five-star defensive end Byron Cowart, beating out Muschamp's old team, the Florida Gators.
The most intriguing recruit in this class on offense is Jovon Robinson, who has been a Tiger before but had to leave for academic reasons. He was the best running back in the JUCO ranks this year and should make an immediate impact.
10. Georgia Bulldogs (Dawg Sports)
| Class Size | Average Rating (per 247) | 5-stars | 4-stars | 3-stars |
| 28 | 89.65 | 2 | 11 | 15 |
Mark Richt has come under fire for missing out on the SEC East title in the past two years, but he's still bringing in a lot of talent to Athens, and that's no exception in 2015. The recruit everyone is most excited about is defensive tackle Trent Thompson, who's arguably top player in the nation. It's a defense-focused class for UGA, but there's talent all throughout.