By: Ryan Moreland (@ryanmoreland)
This offseason has been a whirlwind. An unprecedented amount of new recruits, four expansion teams added, and a transfer portal overflowing with talent. Every athletic director and coach across the country has been scrambling to ensure their team’s future. This list was compiled to see exactly how well they did.
Before we jump into the rankings, here is a quick breakdown of how this list was decided. Each recruit and transfer was given a score based on their star level. Bonus points were awarded for players that appear in the Top 25 Transfers and the Top 25 and 100 recruits. Each team was then given a composite score based on their top 10 recruits and transfers. Without further ado, here are the CFSL Offseason Rankings.
#27t Ohio State
Composite Score: 471
Players in Top 25 Transfers: HB Jalen Thomas
Players in Top 25 Recruits: N/A
Number of Top 100 Recruits: 1
#27t Kentucky
Composite Score: 471
Players in Top 25 Transfers: CB DJ Brooks
Players in Top 25 Recruits: N/A
Number of Top 100 Recruits: 1
#26 Texas
Composite Score: 493
Players in Top 25 Transfers: N/A
Players in Top 25 Recruits: WR Quinn James
Number of Top 100 Recruits: 4
#25 Texas A&M
Composite Score: 522
Players in Top 25 Transfers: N/A
Players in Top 25 Recruits: N/A
Number of Top 100 Recruits: 2
#24 Wisconsin
Composite Score: 532
Players in Top 25 Transfers: SS Leo Guerrero
Players in Top 25 Recruits: N/A
Number of Top 100 Recruits: 2
#23 West Virginia
Composite Score: 566
Players in Top 25 Transfers: N/A
Players in Top 25 Recruits: N/A
Number of Top 100 Recruits: 6
#22 Tennessee
Composite Score: 590
Players in Top 25 Transfers: DE Charles Davis
Players in Top 25 Recruits: N/A
Number of Top 100 Recruits: 0
#21 Nebraska
Composite Score: 592
Players in Top 25 Transfers: WR Kieran Ennis
Players in Top 25 Recruits: N/A
Number of Top 100 Recruits: 2
#20 Oregon
Composite Score: 622
Players in Top 25 Transfers: N/A
Players in Top 25 Recruits: RB Derek Eldridge, CB Darian Conner
Number of Top 100 Recruits: 4
#19 Washington
Composite Score: 632
Players in Top 25 Transfers: CB JJ Smoke
Players in Top 25 Recruits: N/A
Number of Top 100 Recruits: 2
#18 Georgia
Composite Score: 650
Players in Top 25 Transfers: MLB Haikili Arroyo
Players in Top 25 Recruits: N/A
Number of Top 100 Recruits: 0
#17 Missouri
Composite Score: 653
Players in Top 25 Transfers: N/A
Players in Top 25 Recruits: CB Silus Riggs
Number of Top 100 Recruits: 4
#16 Boise State
Composite Score: 663
Players in Top 25 Transfers: N/A
Players in Top 25 Recruits: N/A
Number of Top 100 Recruits: 3
#15 Notre Dame
Composite Score: 671
Players in Top 25 Transfers: WR Kareem Parker, HB Duane Sammons
Players in Top 25 Recruits: DT Balor Blaise Dale, CB Connor Miles
Number of Top 100 Recruits: 3
#14 Clemson
Composite Score: 711
Players in Top 25 Transfers: N/A
Players in Top 25 Recruits: QB Loki Gunderson, WR Jrue Ward Johnson
Number of Top 100 Recruits: 3
#13 Florida
Composite Score: 735
Players in Top 25 Transfers: N/A
Players in Top 25 Recruits: CB Wrangler Brown
Number of Top 100 Recruits: 6
#12 Miami
Composite Score: 742
Players in Top 25 Transfers: DE Alden Forrester
Players in Top 25 Recruits: DT Jay Gates
Number of Top 100 Recruits: 3
#10t Auburn
Composite Score: 783
Players in Top 25 Transfers: N/A
Players in Top 25 Recruits: N/A
Number of Top 100 Recruits: 3
The Tigers may not have gotten any players on either of the top 25 lists, but don’t let that fool you. Auburn landed plenty of talent this offseason.
Auburn started their offseason by being active in the transfer portal. Elites DT Raven Remington and FS Martrell Wright headline a transfer class that also included the four-star safety pairing of Malachi Shaffer and Michael Clendennin.
Their eight recruit signees fill out the rest of their class. Ryder Mears (MLB #5), Brodie Bailey (HB #8), and Thane Lewis (WR #14) all made the Top 100 recruits list. Auburn also added five-stars TE Joseph Bautista and WR Nate Hayes among others.
This class was good enough to land the War Eagle team in the top 10 and should help them bounce back from a down year.
#10t Pittsburgh
Composite Score: 783
Players in Top 25 Transfers: N/A
Players in Top 25 Recruits: N/A
Number of Top 100 Recruits: 3
Three of the four expansion teams made our top ten list, including the Pittsburgh Panthers. Expansion teams have been a mixed bag in the past. Some haven’t won a single game in their first year while others claimed a conference title out of the gate. This class should help Pitt be a little closer to the latter than the former.
Helix Myers was the only quarterback to enter the portal this offseason and the Panthers were excited to land him. Myers spent his freshman year riding the bench behind Jim Carr for Florida State. We haven’t seen him play at the college level yet, but Myers was a highly recruited prospect out of high school.
Pitt was eager to get weapons for their new signal caller and they did just that. Transfers HB Rashuad Black and WR Xavius Holmes will be joined by the fifth-ranked tight end recruit Justin Duke. The defense will also get key pieces, most notably the seventh-best defensive tackle recruit, Colin McDowell.
Overall, Pitt had a great class. They filled a lot of big roles with talented players. The Panthers will be a dangerous team in their first year.
#9 Michigan
Composite Score: 802
Players in Top 25 Transfers: CB Charlie Pickett, CB Lincoln Griffin
Players in Top 25 Recruits: TE Daniel Begley
Number of Top 100 Recruits: 3
The Michigan Wolverines had a slower start to recruiting this year, but thanks to a great effort in late-season recruiting they found themselves in the top ten. A playoff team adding this amount of talent can sure be dangerous.
The Wolverines weren’t the most active team in the portal, but the two guys they did land are sure to be valuable additions. Cornerbacks Charlie Pickett and Lincoln Griffin made the CFSL’s Top 25 Transfers, ranking 4th and 17th respectively. Having that kind of talent in the secondary will be scary for opposing quarterbacks.
Michigan did most of its damage in recruiting. Commit Daniel Begley is not only the 23rd overall ranked recruit but is also the second-highest rated tight end. They also landed the ninth-ranked defensive tackle (Kad Padgett) and the 15th-ranked wide receiver (Trystin Haynes). Other commits include defensive linemen Wes Krimm and Daniel Winston.
Overall, this is a solid class that will join an already talented roster. The Wolverines are almost unanimously projected to be near the top of the Big Ten and this class backs that up.
#8 Florida State
Composite Score: 812
Players in Top 25 Transfers: N/A
Players in Top 25 Recruits: DT Laci White, MLB Maverick Rivers, DE Scott Reichle
Number of Top 100 Recruits: 5
The reigning champs lost a lot of talent in the offseason, including last season’s defensive player of the year Isaac Frost. This offseason would determine if the Seminoles would need a quick rebuild or if they would be right back in the hunt. The rest of the ACC will be upset to see Florida State ranks 8th on this list.
Florida State filled seven of their scholarships with elite players and added a pair of three-stars as well. Through the portal, they landed the defensive back pair of CB Thor Brown and SS Matt Carpenter. Three of their new recruits, DT Laci White (#5), MLB Maverick Rivers (#9), and DE Scott Reichle (#25) made it on the top 25 recruits list. They also added the class’s best fullback, Juni Brown, and seventh-best cornerback, DJ Hanson.
Overall, Florida State is going to continue to be scary. The defense did well to replace the losses that they had and the offense kept most of its talent. Sorry ACC teams, FSU is going to continue to be a nightmare.
#7 Oklahoma
Composite Score: 834
Players in Top 25 Transfers: FB Benny Beukeboom, TE Hugo Swanson
Players in Top 25 Recruits: DT Shane Lloyd
Number of Top 100 Recruits: 5
The Oklahoma Sooners are coming off one of the best seasons in school history. After winning the Big 12, they beat Michigan in the opening round of the playoffs before losing to the eventual runners-up, Wisconsin. Oklahoma AD Dustin Hall and his staff knew that a good offseason would make them a strong contender.
The Sooners used nine of their ten scholarships in the first signing period and six of them were five stars or higher. DT Benny Beuekboom (15th ranked transfer), DT Shane Lloyd (2nd ranked recruit), and linebacker Steven Adams (4th ranked OLB) are welcome additions to the 3rd best defense in the Big 12. On the other side of the ball, Derrick Power (QB #8) and tight end Hugo Swanson join the Big 12’s 3rd best offense.
Overall, Oklahoma filled needs and did so with big names. No question that this team has the talent to be a National Championship contender.
#6 Alabama
Composite Score: 843
Players in Top 25 Transfers: N/A
Players in Top 25 Recruits: WR Titus Price, HB Blake Elder
Number of Top 100 Recruits: 5
There were four teams that did not land a transfer this offseason, but only one graced the top 10. Alabama may not have hit the portal hard this year, but they did land some stellar recruits, including two of the best offensive weapons of the class.
Wideout Titus Price and halfback Blake Elder earned the 15th and 16th spot on the CFSL’s Top 25 recruits, respectively. However, they are hardly the only talent heading to Tuscaloosa. Muhammad Smith may have fallen off the top 25 list, but he is still the second-best defensive end in the class.
Overall, this is a talented recruiting class to add to an already talented team. Alabama has been in the playoffs in each of the last two seasons and this class likely ensures a third trip. Who knows, they could be in the running for their first National Championship.
#5 LSU
Composite Score: 873
Players in Top 25 Transfers: WR Elliot Griffin, MLB Griff Martin, CB Trey Woodard
Players in Top 25 Recruits: N/A
Number of Top 100 Recruits: 3
The good news is that LSU is just two years removed from a Rose Bowl appearance. The bad news is last year they only won two games. So what is on the horizon? Well, judging by this class, the Tigers are coming back.
Only one team in the CFSL was more aggressive in the transfer portal than the Bayou Bengals were. That aggressiveness paid off big. LSU landed three top 25 transfers with WR Elliot Griffin (7th), MLB Griff Martin (14th), and Trey Woodard (22nd). Elite safety Martell Wright and five-stars CB Kenneth Swift and SS Malcolm Kemp Brown round out the talent-packed transfer haul.
The Tigers weren’t as tenacious in recruiting, but they still managed to sign the fifth and sixth-ranked wide receiver recruits, Smoke Orleans and Josiah Mosley, along with the fifth-ranked recruit, DT Israel Jordan Ward.
Overall, do not be surprised to see LSU in the playoff hunt this season. SEC, you have been warned.
#4 North Carolina
Composite Score: 984
Players in Top 25 Transfers: WR Dominik Flores, SS Jackson Tate
Players in Top 25 Recruits: CB Trevor Austin, TE Cadbury Wellington, QB Ayden Martinez
Number of Top 100 Recruits: 7
There is a lot to like about this Tar Heels recruiting class. They landed top-end talent, evenly balanced between offense and defense, and got enough transfers to ensure good locker room leadership in their first season.
The portal was kind to the Tar Heels. WR Dominik Flores, MLB Chance Thomas, and SS Jackson Tate are all elites. In fact, Flores and Tate appear on the top 25 transfer list at 8 and 25 respectively.
But as kind as the portal was, recruiting is where UNC made this class. TE Cadbury Wellington and CB Trevor Austin both rank as the best recruit at their respective positions. Clay Allen (HB #5) and Ayden Martinez (QB #3) will take over the reins of the offense.
Overall, the Tar Heels pulled in one of the most talented classes in the league. They should have no issue making an impact in their first season.
#3 Illinois
Composite Score: 997
Players in Top 25 Transfers: DT Andrew Fields
Players in Top 25 Recruits: N/A
Number of Top 100 Recruits: 7
The Fighting Illini made a bang in their first offseason. Not only is this one of the most talented classes, but it is also the deepest in the CFSL.
In the portal, Illinois landed 10th ranked transfer DT Andrew Fields, along with fellow elites WR Jackon Cain, TE Conner Stephens, and CB Damien Daniels. Throw in five-star tailback Shaq Edwards and four-star safety MJ Boomer and you have the most impressive transfer signings in the CFSL.
Recruiting went their way as well. The second-ranked OLB (Thomas Schultz), fourth-ranked DE (Houston Kai), seventh-ranked QB (Dylan Shumate), and tenth-ranked CB (Zay Martinez) all signed with the Illini. They also added two other defensive five-stars in OLB JW Eibeck and FS Frank Mason.
Overall, this will go down as one of the best offseasons an expansion team has ever had. Illinois could realistically be a playoff threat in their first year.
#2 Iowa
Composite Score: 1240
Players in Top 25 Transfers: CB Dawson Daniels, WR Garrett Warner, DE Dante Bonilla
Players in Top 25 Recruits: MLB Ryan Schultz
Number of Top 100 Recruits: 5
The Iowa Hawkeyes haven’t had the most storied history in the CFSL. They have never made a playoff appearance, they have a sub-400 all-time win percentage, and, if that isn’t enough, they are coming off the worst year in the school’s history. However, all of that looks like it is going to change. The Hawkeyes had the second-best offseason in the CFSL.
Iowa signed five transfers; four are elite and three are ranked among the Top 25 Transfers. This includes CB Dawson Daniels (#11), CB/WR Garrett Warner (#13), DE Dante Bonilla (#24), and HB Tavian Tyree. They also landed five-star wide-out Chael Covington.
The Hawkeyes’ recruiting went just as well. Iowa commits MLB Ryan Schultz is the fourth-ranked recruit in the nation. He will be joined by Dahzaun Richarson (MLB #4), Cece Range (QB #6), Hiro Nakajima (DT #6), and Alexander Kirsch (CB #8).
The Hawkeyes still have a way to go before most will consider them a contender, but this class was a giant leap forward. And this Hawkeye defense might be one of the best in the Big Ten.
#1 Oklahoma State
Composite Score: 1440
Players in Top 25 Transfers: CB Max Capone, DE Les McAdoo
Players in Top 25 Recruits: WR JT Cass Jr, QB Ryan Moreland, FS Tyrone Wysinger, CB Rishaun Rylan
Number of Top 100 Recruits: 8
And number one goes to…the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Like Iowa, their class is made up of nine elites and a lone five-star. Unlike Iowa, the Cowboys were on the verge of a playoff berth last season. A recruiting class this good should make them a dangerous team.
The transfer class wasn’t big, but it was talented. Max Capone ranked as the 18th transfer and the fifth best transfer corner. The other Cowboy transfer, Les McAdoo, ranked as the 21st transfer and second among defensive ends.
The real work for Oklahoma State came in recruiting. Four recruits, WR JT Cass Jr (#1), QB Ryan Moreland (#12), FS Tyrone Wysinger (#17), and CB Rishaun Rylan (#19), were ranked among the class’ top 25. They also landed top-ranked OLB Tymundus Bell, third-ranked TE Steven Eastridge, seventh-ranked WR Steven Rodriguez, and eighth-ranked DT Ezra Rogalski. They did so well in fact, that they were the only team with eight recruits in the top 100.
Congratulations to Oklahoma State AD Houston Freeman and his staff on having the nation’s best offseason. Now all you have to do is live up to the lofty expectations your fans no doubt have.
