National champion Alabama has also dominated Signing Day over the past half-decade, reeling in the nation’s top recruiting class five years in a row. That gap has started to close, as USC very nearly overtook the Tide in the Class of 2015 consensus rankings and did rank No. 1 at Rivals and Scout.
These 6 teams could end Alabama’s streak of No. 1 recruiting classes
Then again, the Tide are right in the mix to make it six years in a row.
There is now some real mystery regarding which recruiting power will sign the No. 1 class in February. Could Alabama’s streak finally end?
In order to compete for the top mark, a team usually has to top 300 points on the 247Sports Composite. Alabama knows it well -- here are the top-ranked classes for each of the past 10 seasons.
| Year | Team | Points |
| 2006 | USC | 315 |
| 2007 | Florida | 310 |
| 2008 | Notre Dame | 295 |
| 2009 | LSU | 291 |
| 2010 | Florida | 324 |
| 2011 | Alabama | 299 |
| 2012 | Alabama | 310 |
| 2013 | Alabama | 319 |
| 2014 | Alabama | 320 |
| 2015 | Alabama | 311 |
| Average | 309 |
What does that look like within a class? The average No. 1 class over the past decade has had 27.7 commitments, with 18.5 blue-chippers (4.6 of them five-star prospects).
That means the nation’s top class has, on average, been 67 percent blue-chippers and 17 percent five-stars.
So these are the benchmarks for a No. 1-quality class ...
- Final Composite points: 309
- Final blue chip percentage: 67
- Five-star signees: Four or five
... and here are the teams with the best chances to hit them.
Alabama
- Current ranking: No. 7, 257 points
- Current blue chip percentage: 59
- Five-star commits: OT Jonah Williams
- Likely commits: LB Ben Davis, LB Lyndell Wilson, DE Terrell Hall
- Top-5 battles (biggest competition): DE Jeffery Simmons (Ole Miss), CB Nigel Knott (Mississippi State), WR A.J. Brown (Mississippi State), LB Dontavious Jackson (Texas), OT Jauan Williams (Florida State), Keith Gavin (Florida State), TE Irvin Smith, CB Shyheim Carter (LSU)
Florida State
- Current ranking: No. 4, 264 points
- Current blue chip percentage: 60
- Five-star commits: CB Levonta Taylor
- Likely commits: OT Landon Dickerson, OT Jauan Williams, CB Carlos Becker
- Top battles (biggest competition): CB Trayvon Mullen (LSU), LB Dontavious Jackson (Texas), WR Keith Gavin (Alabama), DE Brian Burns (Florida)
Georgia
- Current ranking: No. 9, 247 points
- Current blue chip percentage: 73
- Five-star commits: QB Jacob Eason, TE Isaac Nauta
- Likely commits: , WR Mecole Hardman Jr., OT E.J. Price, DT Michail Carter
- Top battles (biggest competition): S Nigel Warrior (Tennessee), LB Lyndell Wilson (Alabama), DE Brian Burns (Florida), LB Ben Davis (Alabama), DT Derrick Brown (Auburn), ATH Demetris Robertson (Notre Dame)
LSU
- Current ranking: No. 1, 287 points
- Current blue chip percentage: 82
- Five-star commits: Rashard Lawrence
- Likely commits: CB Kristian Fulton, DT D’Andre Christmas-Giles
- Top battles (biggest competition): DT Rashan Gary (Michigan), S Deontay Anderson (Ole Miss), DT Stephon Taylor (Texas A&M), CB Trayvon Mullen (FSU)
Michigan
- Current ranking: No. 3, 265 points
- Current blue chip percentage: 50
- Five-star commits: None
- Likely commits: CB Lavert Hill, Rashan Gary (Ole Miss)
- Top battles (biggest competition): DE Connor Murphy (USC), , LB Jonathan Jones (Notre Dame)
Ohio State
- Current ranking: No. 2, 283 points
- Current blue chip percentage: 73
- Five-star commits: Nick Bosa
- Likely commits: ATH Jordan Fuller
- Top battles (biggest competition): CB Damar Hamlin (Pitt), CB Carlos Becker (FSU), Mecole Hardman (Georgia)
Ole Miss
- Current ranking: No. 4, 264 points
- Current blue chip percentage: 59
- Five-star commits: QB Shea Patterson, OT Greg Little, DT Benito Jones
- Likely commits: S Deontay Anderson
- Top battles (biggest competition): DT Rashan Gary (Michigan), DE Jeffery Simmons (Mississippi State), LB Mique Juarez (UCLA), CB Shyheim Carter (Alabama), WR Mykel Jones (Alabama)
* * *
SB Nation presents: The official way-too-early 2016 college football top 10
