National Signing Day is upon us.
Tomorrow, many will be hanging on the decisions of players who have yet to play a down of college football. Many things, both negative and positive, can be said about recruiting and National Signing Day, but the fact is that winning on this day is integral for college coaches and their programs. A big signing day not only restocks a team’s roster, but can also can breathe new life into the program and restore the faith of the fan base.
Let’s take a look at five of the biggest announcements coming tomorrow that could make or break a school’s recruiting class:
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CeCe Jefferson, DE, Glen Saint Mary, FL
When will he announce? 2:30 PM on ESPNU
Jefferson is ranked as the No. 7 player in the country by 24/7’s composite rankings. He has reduced his list to Auburn, Florida, Florida State, and Ole Miss. FSU is currently sitting second in the team rankings on 24/7‘s site, so this isn’t a make-or-break recruit for the Noles. But what about Florida? Florida has been in the Top 10 every year since 2011 (and the Gators finished 12th in the recruiting rankings that season), but this year they aren’t even in the Top 40. It’s been a rough transition from Will Muschamp to Jim McElwain, and if the Gators can land Jefferson, he would be their first five-star signee of this class. Ole Miss could also use a win, as the Rebels currently rank 19th, which isn’t bad but is below their 15th-place finish last season and doesn’t compare to their 8th-place finish in 2013.
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Byron Cowart, DE, Seffner, FL
When will he announce? 9 am on ESPNU
Could Cowart, Cece Jefferson and Jeffrey Holland be a package deal? Like Jefferson, Cowart has Florida, FSU and Auburn as his top three. If one team could land both of these defensive ends, it could be set at that position for years. For Florida, it could be just the shot in the arm McElwain needs to get the Gators headed in the right direction. Cowart’s decision comes before Jefferson’s, so it will be interesting to see where he goes and then to see if Jefferson follows, as has been rumored.
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Martez Ivey, OT, Apopka, FL
When will he announce? 11 am on ESPNU
Ivey is the No. 1 offensive tackle prospect and No. 2 overall prospect in 24/7’s composite rankings. According to 24/7, Ivey has 19 offers, but it’s down to Auburn and Florida. Ivey took unofficial visits to both schools over the last week and is said to be 50/50. Once again, Florida is in the mix on a top recruit, but we need to see if McElwain has the ability to close the deal.
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Iman Marshall, CB, Long Beach, CA
When will he announce? 4 PM on ESPNU
Marshall is the top recruit out of the fertile recruiting ground that is California. He is the No. 4 recruit in the country. There are still five teams possibly in the mix for Marshall: USC, Michigan, LSU, FSU, and Notre Dame. The most intriguing school to watch here is Michigan, which currently ranks 73rd on 24/7’s composite team rankings. Jim Harbaugh needs some big-name signees to come his way on NSD, since Big Blue got a late start on recruiting. If Harbaugh expects to compete with Urban Meyer and Ohio State, he needs to start landing some top targets. Marshall is one of the biggest names on the board.
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Cordell Broadus, WR, Las Vegas, Nevada
When will he announce? 2 PM on ESPNU
What list would be complete without Snoop Dogg’s son? Unlike the other four players on this list, Broadus isn’t a top-10-rated recruit, but then again, not many players are. Broadus is one of the top uncommitted wide receivers on the board and has five teams on his list: Arizona State, Arizona, Baylor, LSU and Notre Dame. Broadus also has something that the others don’t: His father is a world-renowned superstar. The team that lands Broadus will not only land his talent but also his father, which will no doubt aid the lucky school in recruiting for years to come.
Here’s the complete list of recruits that will be announcing on ESPNU on Wednesday.
