College football recruiting intel: Could we see big flips? Which classes could rise?

What twists and turns inactive stay for assemblage football's 2026 recruiting cycle? Time volition tell.

After aboriginal payments and revenue-share agreements drove a torrid summertime of commitments atop the 2026 class, the recruiting way has been strikingly dilatory since Aug. 1. As of Friday, lone 3 of ESPN's Top 300 prospects stay uncommitted 2 months from the aboriginal signing period: No. 5 extracurricular linebacker D.Q. Forkpa and a brace of post-coaching alteration decommits successful violative tackles Johnnie Jones (UCLA) and Thomas Wilder (Virginia Tech).

The 2026 people is settled (for now) earlier than immoderate people successful caller memory. But the 59 days betwixt present and the commencement of the aboriginal signing play Dec. 3 permission plentifulness of clip for field trips, astonishment flips and each the accepted late-cycle recruiting drama.

"Programs are going to commencement throwing wealth astir successful a mode that's unexpected close astatine the end," an SEC unit manager told ESPN. "I person a feeling that we're going to spot immoderate brainsick flips. Teams get excited oregon hopeless this clip of twelvemonth and bash things that they astir apt shouldn't bash otherwise."

One period into the 2025 assemblage shot season, here's what we're proceeding astir the cycle's apical classes, programs positioned to emergence and autumn and however sources crossed the manufacture expect the people of 2026 to play retired from present until the aboriginal period.

Jump to:
Final 2 months | Premium positions
Top 5 classes | Classes to rise
Struggling programs | Transfer portal shift

What volition the last 2 months of the 2026 rhythm look like?

The nation's apical programs spent heavy successful the outpouring and aboriginal summer, striking deals with prospects earlier the House colony -- which permits schools to wage athletes straight -- took effect July 1. Through front-loaded agreements and aboriginal NIL payments, astir of assemblage football's bluebloods sorted retired their respective 2026 recruiting classes earlier Week 1.

As for what happens from here, determination are 2 prevailing opinions crossed the industry:

1. The last 8 weeks of the 2026 rhythm volition beryllium quiet. Programs person exhausted their budgets for the 2026 people and are turning their attraction (and resources) toward the transportation portal and 2027 recruits. Prospects who agreed to deals successful the outpouring volition beryllium little inclined to flip and wary of stipulations related to returning aboriginal payments.

2. It's precocious schoolhouse recruiting ... of course, determination volition beryllium precocious drama, particularly with apical programs operating with a firmer consciousness for enforcement (or deficiency thereof) astir revenue-share caps and NIL payments respective months successful the sport's post-House era.

"I deliberation radical are going to commencement throwing bags present successful October," 1 Big Ten wide manager told ESPN. "I deliberation it's truly going to prime up. Everyone's conscionable benignant of been scheming, watching tape, verifying worldly earlier they strike."

Personnel sources ex...