National Signing Day 2018: Ranking the Top 25 Offensive Prospects

QB Trevor Lawrence has been long-regarded as the top football recruit in the 2018 high school class, and he headlines our ranking of 2018's top 25 offensive prospects.

True freshmen made an immediate impact on offense in 2017. Look no further than the national championship game for proof of that. Tua Tagovailoa got most of the postgame love, but Jake Fromm, Najee Harris, Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III, DeVonta Smith and D'Andre Swift were all members of last year's recruiting class who played a key part in that game.

So, who's next?

Based on a combination of the (ever-changing) recruiting rankings on ESPN, 247Sports, Rivals and the 247Sports' composite rankings, this is intended to be a consensus top 25 list. On more than one occasion, two of the sites wildly disagreed about a player's potential, but a player's average position on those four sites was the driving force behind these rankings.

Not all 25 of these offensive studs will be in a position to instantly shine as true freshmen, but these are names you're going to hear a lot over the course of the next three to five years. Might as well get acquainted with them now.

Height/Weight: 6'1", 189 lbs

High School: Christian Brothers College; St. Louis

247 Sports Composite Ranking: No. 13 wide receiver, No. 73 overall

Signed with Ohio State on Dec. 20

Missouri isn't typically a hotbed for recruiting, but Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes appear to have gotten a good one in 4-star WR Kamryn Babb.

Babb missed his entire senior season after tearing his ACL in August—this after he only played in six games as a junior due to an undisclosed injury. Because of the ACL, he almost certainly won't be able to get in any work during spring practices. But there's a good chance Babb would be redshirting the upcoming season anyway because Ohio State should get back all of its wide receivers from 2017.

Give this speedster an extra year to get back to full health, gain some strength and learn the playbook, and he could be a special part of Ohio State's offense as early as 2019. 

1 Thing to Know

When he was healthy, Babb did a little bit of everything. Per MaxPreps, he had 832 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, five interceptions and two punt return touchdowns as a sophomore. Ohio State always has a ton of talent to choose from, but it shouldn't be hard to find a way to get Babb onto the field.

Height/Weight: 6'6", 220 lbs

High School: Centennial High School; Corona, California 

247 Sports Composite Ranking: No. 6 quarterback, No. 46 overall

Uncommitted (Considering Alabama, Stanford, Texas, Texas A&M, Washington, BYU)

Of the top 50 quarterbacks in the 247 Sports Composite rankings, only two have not yet committed to a school: No. 22 James Foster and 4-star No. 3 Tanner McKee. That makes McKee arguably the hottest commodity on National Signing Day—even though he won't be able to play until 2020.

That's because McKee will be taking a two-year LDS mission before continuing his football career. But he will be signing with a team this February with the expectation that it will keep a scholarship open for him when it's time to return to the gridiron.

He'll be worth the wait, though.

While most QBs are somewhere around 6'2" coming out of high school, one of the biggest draws with McKee is his 6'6" frame. Those extra inches should help him see over the trenches and read the field to find open receivers. And we all know the NFL can't help itself from falling in love with big QBs. (See: Carsen Wentz, Josh Allen.)

1 Thing to Know

McKee is listed as a pro-style QB, but he's no statue in the pocket. Per MaxPreps, McKee rushed for 1,214 yards and 26 touchdowns over the past two seasons.

Height/Weight: 6'2", 175 lbs

High School: Green Hope High School; Cary, North Carolina

247 Sports Composite Ranking: No. 8 wide receiver, No. 58 overall

Signed with North Carolina on Dec. 20

When 4-star WR Jordyn Adams transferred from a high school in South Carolina to one in North Carolina prior to his senior year, perhaps that should have been our first clue that he would ultimately choose the North Carolina Tar Heels over the Clemson Tigers.

The reigning three-time College Football Playoff participants still have plenty of talent in the receiving corps without Adams, but this was a massive pickup for a Larry Fedora-coached team in dire need of a deep threat. Per CFB Stats, UNC was one of 20 teams in 2017 held without a single reception that went for at least 60 yards.

According to Scout, Adams had 54 receptions for 1,060 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior. He also had three punt-return touchdowns in a single game, all of which shows the big-play potential he'll be bringing to Chapel Hill.

1 Thing to Know

Adams might be the most versatile athlete in this year's class. As a junior at Blytheville High School, he was a dual-threat QB who also served as the punter. And football might not even be his best sport. On the baseball diamond, he batted .494 as a senior and may well get drafted by the MLB this summer. Adams also had a dunk video that went viral in August 2016.

Height/Weight: 6'1", 195 lbs

High School: Archbishop Rummel; Metairie, Louisiana 

247 Sports Composite Ranking: No. 15 wide receiver, No. 84 overall

Uncommitted (Considering Auburn, LSU, Michigan, TCU)

4-star WR JaMarr Chase is one of just four players in our top 25 who has yet to make a final decision about college.

Since he played high school ball in Louisiana, the smart money is on LSU. However, considering the Tigers already signed WR Terrace Marshall Jr., perhaps Michigan or TCU will be his destination.

Wherever he lands, that team will be getting a bona fide playmaker. Per MaxPreps, Chase had more than 1,000 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns in just 10 games as a senior. But he also racked up more than 500 combined all-purpose yards from rushing attempts, kickoff returns and punt returns.

1 Thing to Know

Per Cam Smith of USA Today, Chase was originally scheduled to announce his school of choice on July 3 at The Opening finals, but his televised ceremony got bumped when another player went too long with his commitment. Though Chase did pledge to Florida later in the month, that extra time to think—and the firing of head coach Jim McElwain—may have been contributed to his decision to then de-commit in early November.

Height/Weight: 6'3.5", 346 lbs

High School: Houston County High School; Warner Robins, Georgia 

247 Sports Composite Ranking: No. 3 offensive guard, No. 62 overall

Signed with Georgia on Dec. 20

Georgia has had some trouble keeping its top talent in state in recent years. Last year, the Bulldogs let 5-star guys Davis Mills and Aubrey Solomon to Stanford and Michigan, respectively. The year before that, only one of the top seven high school players from Georgia actually ended up at UGA. But this year, Kirby Smart and Co. have done a great job shoring up the state lines, as 4-star OG Trey Hill is one of five top-six players from Georgia who signed with the Bulldogs.

Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports offered a synopsis of Hill when he committed in mid-December:

"Hill is extremely quick off the snap, he's a relentless run-blocker that has pass-protected a ton on the prep level. He has a good base, [is] athletic, moves well and brings a finisher's mentality. Hill has also dominated on the defensive line."

Long story short: The rich get richer. Dominant play from the offensive line was arguably the biggest reason Georgia made it to the national championship this year, and Hill should help the Dawgs remain near the top of the nation in that regard.

1 Thing to Know

Hill was high school teammates with Georgia QB Jake Fromm at Houston County. But don't expect this stud from Warner Robins to start as a true freshman. He's big enough for the job, but Georgia should be getting back four of five starters on the offensive line. And if any freshman is getting a job, it's more likely to be Cade Mays or Jamaree Salyer. To reiterate: The rich got richer.

Height/Weight: 6'1", 175 lbs

High School: Miami Southridge High School; Hialeah, Florida

247 Sports Composite Ranking: No. 11 wide receiver, No. 67 overall

Signed with Miami on Dec. 20

Though only rated as the 13th-best recruit from the talent-rich state of Florida, 4-star WR Mark Pope has been one of the nation's fastest-rising stars.

When he committed to Miami this past March, Scout.com had him rated as the 282nd overall player in the country, per B/R's Alec Nathan. But now, the likely slot receiver of the Hurricanes future is No. 66 overall on 247 Sports and No. 28 on Rivals.

Pope is as explosive as they come. Per David Wilson of Die Hards, Pope's final game at Miami Southridge consisted of three receptions for 117 yards and two touchdowns. If he doesn't immediately find a home in Miami's receiving corps, there's a good chance he replaces the outgoing Braxton Berrios as the primary punt returner for Mark Richt's special teams.

1 Thing to Know

Pope was originally supposed to be part of the 2019 recruiting class, but he reclassified in May 2016. Given his meteoric rise up the rankings in the past 10 months, that seems to have been a good decision. He doesn't need another year to prove his mettle.

Height/Weight: 6'2.5", 195 lbs

High School: Heard County High School; Franklin, Georgia 

247 Sports Composite Ranking: No. 10 quarterback, No. 85 overall

Signed with Florida on Dec. 20

In a state (Georgia) responsible for the top two quarterbacks—and top two overall players—in this year's class, Emory Jones has flown a bit below the national radar. But the 4-star QB is ready to make a name for himself with the Florida Gators.

Jones is a dual-threat QB, which is something the Gators desperately need. Even if he doesn't destroy opponents with his scrambling, at least Jones is mobile enough to avoid sacks. The same could not be said of Florida's QBs this past season, who ranked 124th nationally in sacks taken per game.

But Jones is much more than just a nice pair of legs. In fact, his cannon arm—and his ability to use it while rolling out of the pocket—should be his best attribute.

Aside from six games of Will Grier in 2015, it has been a while since Florida last had a QB worth writing home about. It wouldn't take much for him to become Florida's best signal-caller since Tim Tebow.

1 Thing to Know

Jones originally committed to Ohio State in July 2016, but when Matt Corral flipped from Florida to Ole Miss, Dan Mullen convinced Jones to flip from the Buckeyes to the Gators just before last month's early signing period.

Height/Weight: 5'11.5", 181 lbs

High School: Miami Northwestern High School; Miami

247 Sports Composite Ranking: No. 5 running back, No. 41 overall

Signed with Georgia on Dec. 20

Dalvin Cook became a star at Florida State, and his 4-star younger brother, James Cook, originally planned to follow in his footsteps, committing to the Seminoles in March 2016. But he had a change of heart this past summer and will instead be crossing the state line to suit up for the Georgia Bulldogs next season.

If Cook brings to Georgia what he brought to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, the Bulldogs are in luck. He only received four touches on offense, but he rushed for 19 yards and a touchdown and had 21 receiving yards with a second TD. Cook also returned three kickoffs for 64 yards.

Will there be any room for him to shine, though?

Nick Chubb and Sony Michel both graduated, but Georgia still has D'Andre Swift, Brian Herrion and Elijah Holyfield. Plus, Cook isn't even the highest-rated running back in Kirby Smart's 2018 class, as Zamir White checks in higher on this list and figures to have the brighter future with the Dawgs.

Regardless of how much of an opportunity he immediately receives—even Mecole Hardman Jr. will be blocking his path to kick and punt returns—this all-purpose back should eventually be a highlight-maker.

1 Thing to Know

If a job never opens up for him in Georgia's backfield, Cook could be a playmaker on defense. Per MaxPreps, Cook had three interceptions and a pair of pick-sixes in the fourth quarter of a game this past October.

Height/Weight: 6'2", 205 lbs

High School: Mater Dei High School; Santa Ana, California 

247 Sports Composite Ranking: No. 3 quarterback, No. 16 overall

Committed to USC on July 30

It has been a few years since USC last signed a quarterback from outside the state of California, but why bother looking elsewhere when you can find a 5-star QB like JT Daniels underan hour away from campus?

Daniels was originally supposed to be part of the 2019 class, but he is graduating early and reclassifying to join USC this fall. Both in the classroom and on the field, he did four years' worth of work in just three. Per MaxPreps, Daniels accounted for 165 touchdowns (152 passing, 13 rushing) with just 14 interceptions in three seasons at Mater Dei High School and finished his abbreviated career with more than 12,000 passing yards.

And in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, Daniels looked even more prepared for the next level than the seniors. He led all six quarterbacks in both rushing and passing yards, including a gorgeous 46-yard bomb early in the first quarter.

With Sam Darnold off to the NFL, the job of starting QB for the Trojans should be Matt Fink's to lose. However, don't be surprised if Daniels swoops in and steals it, given the success of true-freshman quarterbacks over the past couple of seasons.

1 Thing to Know

The top target for Daniels over the past two seasons at Mater Dei was Amon-Ra St. Brown, who also signed with USC. No guarantee that either one will start as a freshman, but they should eventually get on the field together to take advantage of an established connection.

Height/Weight: 6'7", 320 lbs

High School: Westmoore High School; Moore, Oklahoma

247 Sports Composite Ranking: No. 4 offensive tackle, No. 29 overall

Signed with Oklahoma on Dec. 20

Home is where the heart is, and 4-star OT Brey Walker—the highest-rated recruit from the state of Oklahoma—has had his heart set on his home-state Sooners for years. Walker originally committed to Oklahoma in November 2015, and he stuck by that decision in spite of Bob Stoops' sudden retirement this past June.

Even by offensive tackle standards, Walker is a large man. He's not quite the 6'8", 400-pound giant that Orlando Brown once was, but he should immediately help the Sooners replace Zeus on the O-line.

Signing these big OTs has become Oklahoma's wheelhouse. In addition to Walker, the Sooners added 6'7" Darrell Simpson in this year's class, signed 6'6" Adrian Ealy last year and got 6'7" Erik Swenson the year before that. It's like the Sooners are making it a priority in recruiting to just be bigger than everyone else.

1 Thing to Know

Wrestling is what drew football coaches to Walker early in his high school career. "His first offer was from Oklahoma State during wrestling season when he was a freshman," Southmoore coach Jeremy Stark told  The Oklahoman's Scott Wright. "He had just won some tournament and they saw him wrestle live. They said that was all they needed to see—a guy who can move and bend like that."

Height/Weight: 6'5.5", 238 lbs

High School: Lindenhurst High School; Lindenhurst, New York

247 Sports Composite Ranking: No. 2 tight end, No. 37 overall

Signed with Ohio State on Dec. 20

Pop quiz time: Can you name the last Ohio State tight end who had 500 or more receiving yards in a season?

If you guessed Rickey Dudley in 1995, congratulations. Your knowledge of pass-catchers for the Buckeyes is oddly incredible. But don't be surprised if Jeremy Ruckert—the No. 2 TE in the 2018 class—changes that trivia answer at some point in the next four years.

Ohio State has already been getting away from almost exclusively using its tight ends as blockers. This past season, Marcus Baugh had 304 receiving yards, and backup Rashod Berry got 100. Neither one is quite the big-play threat that Ruckert is.

And though it has been a few years, it's not like Urban Meyer is entirely unfamiliar with how to utilize a deep threat at tight end. In 2009, L=late in Meyer's tenure with Florida, Aaron Hernandez had 850 receiving yards.

1 Thing to Know

Per 247 Sports, Ruckert racked up a combined 1,618 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns in his sophomore and junior seasons.

Height/Weight: 5'9", 185 lbs

High School: C.D. Hylton High School; Woodbridge, Virginia 

247 Sports Composite Ranking: No. 3 running back, No. 27 overall

Signed with Penn State on Dec. 20

Ricky Slade—the highest-rated recruit in Virginia—received offers from 26 schools before deciding to go to Penn State to hopefully become the latest in a long line of outstanding running backs for the Nittany Lions.

Slade had been a highly coveted recruit since rushing for 1,309 yards as a freshman in 2014, but he went bonkers as a senior. Per Tyler Donohue of Land of 10, Slade had an eight-touchdown game in October, rushed for 1,978 yards on the season, had 2,700 all-purpose yards and scored 40 touchdowns.

No wonder coaches from all over the country were desperately courting this guy.

Saquon Barkley is off to the NFL, but Slade will likely still begin his career behind former 5-star recruit Miles Sanders. Once Slade gets a chance to show how fast and elusive he is, you'll want to watch him as often as possible.

1 Thing to Know

That eight-touchdown game this past October? It wasn't the first of his career. He also had one in September 2014.

Height/Weight: 6'6", 272 lbs

High School: Berkeley Prep; Tampa, Florida

247 Sports Composite Ranking: No. 1 offensive tackle, No. 7 overall

Uncommitted (Considering Alabama, Florida, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State)

Even in the talent-rich state of Florida, 5-star OT Nicholas Petit-Frere has been standing out in this year's class for a while.

So much, in fact, that he received an offer from Jim Harbaugh and Michigan when he was only a sophomore.

Typically, the highest-rated tackles are mountainous individuals who tip the scales at well over 300 pounds. Each of the top seven OTs in last year's class weighed in at 310 pounds or more. Four of this year's top five are measuring at 318 pounds or greater. But Petit-Frere is—forgive the pun—a bit petite for his position at just 272.

His technique and intelligence, however, are off the charts. He has already gained about 30 pounds since his sophomore year of high school, and the hope for the iconic program that signs Petit-Frere is that it will be able to add some more mass and muscle to his frame. If and when that happens, look for him to become the anchor of an offense seeking a spot in the 2020-21 College Football Playoff.

1 Thing to Know

Petit-Frere and cornerbacks Patrick Surtain Jr. and Tyson Campbell are the only top-20 players in the 247 Sports Composite rankings who have not yet chosen a school. With Alabama and Ohio State pursuing all three guys, it's possible one makes a huge splash on what is otherwise expected to be a rather quiet National Signing Day.

Height/Weight: 6'1", 182 lbs

High School: Westerville South High School; Westerville, Ohio

247 Sports Composite Ranking: No. 4 running back, No. 30 overall

Signed with Ohio State on Dec. 20

Westerville South High School is fewer than 15 miles away from The Horseshoe, so it was always a strong possibility that 5-star RB Jaelen Gill would choose to sign with the Buckeyes.

Proximity isn't the be-all and end-all when it comes to recruiting, combined with unwavering interest from a school that has produced eight first-round draft picks in the last two years, it's a hard pitch to beat.

Gill isn't a bruiser like Mike Weber or J.K. Dobbins. Rather, he's a versatile athlete who should fit beautifully into the role of H-back that Curtis Samuel played for Ohio State in 2016, amassing 771 rushing yards, 865 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns.

The Buckeyes do still have one more year of Parris Campbell, though, so it might not be until 2019 that Gill is given a chance to strut his stuff.

1 Thing to Know

Gill missed most of his junior season due to an injury, but it didn't temper excitement about his eventual college career. Nor did it cause him to lose a step. Per the Buckeyes' official site, he had 138 rushing yards and four touchdowns in the first game of his senior year.

Height/Weight: 6'0", 190 lbs

High School: University High School; Orlando, Florida

247 Sports Composite Ranking: No. 2 running back, No. 25 overall

Signed with Miami on Dec. 20

Losing Mark Walton a year early to the NFL draft was a big blow to Miami's offense, but at least the Hurricanes still have Travis Homer and are adding in-state stud, Lorenzo Lingard.

Lingard was one of the most heavily recruited players in this year's class, receiving 33 offers, according to 247Sports. And that doesn't include the dozens of smaller schools who would have gladly extended an offer if they thought he would even take their call.

Eventually, he went with Mark Richt and Miami, which is kind of a huge deal for that program.

The 5-star running back had 1,418 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns as a junior, and he was just getting warmed up. Per David Wilson of Die Hards, Lingard had 358 yards and four touchdowns in one game this past October. He finished his senior year with 1,701 yards and 26 scores.

1 Thing to Know

Lingard is Miami's first 5-star signing since Chad Thomas in 2014, and Miami's first 5-star player on offense since Duke Johnson in 2012. If he makes an immediate impact, perhaps more top-notch recruits will be choosing the U in the near future.

Height/Weight: 6'4", 200 lbs

High School: Antelope Valley High School; Lancaster, California

247 Sports Composite Ranking: No. 6 wide receiver, No. 40 overall

Uncommitted (Considering Oregon, USC, Utah, Alabama and UCLA)

Though Devon Williams is listed as a 4-star wide receiver on the 247 Sports Composite rankings, he is an athlete who could end up playing just about anywhere aside from the trenches.

Williams was primarily a receiver as a senior with 72 receptions for 1,164 yards and 13 touchdowns. But he also served as both a dual-threat QB and a safety as a junior. He's big enough to be moulded into a tight end or a linebacker. But as long as he's getting playing time, he'll be happy.

"I honestly don't have a preference between offense or defense, I'll play anywhere," Williams told Greg Biggins of Scout last February. "I just want to play. Whatever gets me on the field fastest is what I want to play. I just love football, so wherever my team needs me, I'll do it."

1 Thing to Know

For the majority of the past seven months, the crystal ball at 247Sports had Williams almost unanimously landing at Oregon, but there have been a few predictions for USC in recent days. Either way, it's looking like a lot of Pac-12 teams are going to have a problem to deal with for the next four years.

Height/Weight: 6'6", 318 lbs

High School: Knoxville Catholic; Knoxville, Tennessee

247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 3 offensive tackle, No. 22 overall

Signed with Georgia on Dec. 20

As loss piled on top of loss for Tennessee, the college football world waited for the inevitable firing of head coach Butch Jones. And when Cade Mays—the top recruit in the state of Tennessee—decommitted from the Vols on Nov. 7, that was one of the final straws. Jones finally got the ax four days after losing a 5-star recruit who had been committed to the program for more than two years.

For the next few seasons, Tennessee will be painfully reminded of that loss as Mays doles out bone-crushing blocks in the annual games against division-rival Georgia.

"[Georgia head coach Kirby] Smart's got the program going in the right way, going the right direction...they really treat me like family," Mays said on ESPN U when committing to UGA in December. "It's just where I wanted to call home for the next four years."

1 Thing to Know

Mays made mincemeat of opposing defensive ends while playing left tackle for Knoxville Catholic. He and Jamaree Salyer (No. 5 on this list) could eventually become a dominant LT-LG combo on par with what potential first-round draft picks Mike McGlinchey and Quenton Nelson were for Notre Dame this past season. Add in OG Trey Hill (No. 21 on this list), and it's hard to imagine Georgia's ceding any sacks a few years from now.

Height/Weight: 6'2 ½", 192 lbs

High School: Parkway High School; Bossier City, Louisiana

247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 3 wide receiver, No. 13 overall

Signed with LSU on Dec. 22

For the sixth consecutive year, the top recruit in the state of Louisiana is staying home with LSU, as 5-star wide receiver Terrace Marshall will be suiting up with the Bayou Bengals in 2018.

And, buddy, do they ever need him.

Trying to figure out LSU's offense for next season is like throwing at a dartboard—except all the radial sections are question marks, making it a waste of time. The Tigers lost Danny Etling, Derrius Guice, Darrel Williams, D.J. Chark and Russell Gage, leaving, well, not much. The best returning player is Texas Tech transfer WR Jonathan Giles, who might be the only person who can keep Marshall from becoming an instant star.

Marshall didn't play much as a senior, but two years ago as a junior, he averaged 22.7 yards per reception and finished with 1,250 yards and 16 touchdowns. LSU hasn't had a receiver this explosive since somehow going just 10-3 in 2013 with Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry—not to mention Jeremy Hill at running back. We'll see how the rest of the offense shapes up, but expect Marshall to be a focal point of this attack for the next three years.

1 Thing to Know

The reason Marshall didn't play much this year? A fractured fibula and an outside ankle dislocation, per Sam Spiegelman of SEC Country. That sounds nasty, but the recovery time is nothing compared to something like a torn ACL. He should already be back to full health, and the early enrollee will almost certainly be a full participant in spring camp.

Height/Weight: 5'11 ½", 191 lbs

High School: Mater Dei High School; Santa Ana, CA

247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 2 wide receiver; No. 11 overall

Committed to USC on Jan. 6

Amon-Ra St. Brown has been rated as the No. 1 player in the state of California, which puts him in elite company.

In 2012, Shaq Thompson received that honor. The following year was Su'a Cravens. In 2014, it was Adoree' Jackson. And when Iman Marshall gets drafted in 2019, he'll almost certainly become the fourth consecutive top recruit from California to go in the first two rounds of the NFL draft.

Nothing is guaranteed in recruiting, but it's a great indication of the talent USC should be getting in St. Brown.

With fellow USC commit JT Daniels throwing him the ball at Mater Dei, St. Brown averaged nearly 20 yards per reception over the past two seasons by racking up 2,412 yards and 39 touchdowns. The Trojans do still have a couple of capable receivers in Tyler Vaughns and Michael Pittman Jr., but with Deontay Burnett and Steven Mitchell gone, St. Brown may get a chance to put up big numbers for a third straight year. 

1 Thing to Know

Oftentimes in college basketball, when a family has three children who all play D-I hoops, we're promised that the youngest one is the best of the bunch. Same goes for the St. Brown family in football. The eldest, Equanimeous, just declared for the NFL draft after three seasons with Notre Dame, and Osiris will be entering his second season at Stanford. It should make for a fun early-season story when Amon-Ra's Trojans face the Cardinal in Week 2.

Height/Weight: 6'4", 213 lbs

High School: South Brunswick High School; Monmouth Junction, New Jersey

247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 1 wide receiver, No. 8 overall

Signed with Penn State on Dec. 20

It's ironic that Justin Shorter is taller than just about every other wide receiver in this year's class. The 5-star pass-catcher is also the highest-ranked recruit from New Jersey by a landslide.

Penn State's offense loses a ton this offseason. WR DaeSean Hamilton (53 receptions, 857 yards, one TD) and TE Mike Gesicki (57 receptions, 563 yards, nine TD) both graduate. More notably, do-it-all RB Saquon Barkley (1,903 yards from scrimmage, 21 TD) is leaving a year early for the NFL draft. That means there are a ton of holes to fill.

And yet, with the addition of Shorter to play opposite Juwan Johnson, QB Trace McSorley should be one of the early favorites for the 2018 Heisman. Shorter's combination of speed and footwork enable him to get over the top of just about every cornerback he faces, which should make for an outstanding passing attack from the Nittany Lions.

Maybe it won't immediately happen as a freshman, but before he's done in State College, Shorter should be putting up numbers like Oklahoma State's James Washington did in the last two seasons.

1 Thing to Know

Shorter didn't play football until the August before his eighth-grade year. Per Daniel Gallen of PennLive.com, Shorter was a baseball player until then and went to his first football practice in baseball cleats.

Height/Weight: 6'4", 342 lbs

High School: Pace Academy; Atlanta

247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 1 offensive guard, No. 10 overall

Signed with Georgia on Dec. 20

The Bulldogs didn't need to look far to find Jamaree Salyer. The top guard in this year's class and the No. 3 recruit in the state of Georgia played his high school football in northwest Atlanta, about 75 miles away from Sanford Stadium. And if Salyer wasn't already sold on the nearby university, watching UGA roll into his hometown and dominate the SEC Championship Game was probably a strong selling point.

In addition to being the proximal favorite, one of the biggest reasons the Bulldogs were always the most likely team to get Salyer was offensive line coach Sam Pittman. He had been recruiting Salyer since his freshman year, when Pittman was with Arkansas. After taking the job at Georgia in December 2015, it seemed like only a matter of time before Salyer chose the Dawgs.

"He always tells me that he never thought he had a chance with me when he was [with Arkansas]," Salyer said of Pittman after committing to Georgia, per Scout's Dean Legge. "When he came to Athens, he was like: ‘I hit the jackpot.’ He was excited about the opportunity."

He was excited indeed. After Salyer announced his decision, Pittman awkwardly celebrated with pompoms.

1 Thing to Know

In addition to his connection with Pittman, Salyer was a high school teammate of Andrew Thomas—a top-50 recruit in last year's class who chose the Bulldogs. Georgia's offensive line is overflowing with talent, but the big men from Pace Academy may eventually work together again in the near future.

Height/Weight: 6'6", 330 lbs

High School: Fairfield High School; Fairfield, Ohio

247 Sports Composite Ranking: No. 2 offensive tackle, No. 17 overall

Signed with Clemson on Dec. 20

One of the biggest surprises of this recruiting cycle was 5-star OT Jackson Carman choosing Clemson over the in-state Ohio State Buckeyes. Granted, South Carolina high schools aren't usually loaded with can't-miss talent and Dabo Swinney has to get his guys from somewhere, but to go into Urban Meyer's backyard and steal a top priority is rather impressive.

Maybe it shouldn't have been a surprise, though, based on an interview Carman did with Land of 10's Jeremy Birmingham at The Opening in Cleveland last April. Per Birmingham, Carman said, "I’m not sure that I want to stay close to home," and "I feel like if Ohio State wasn’t in Ohio, I’d already be committed there."

Bummer for the Buckeyes, but a huge win for the Tigers, who have a small-but-mighty class of top talent.

Rated as the second-best offensive tackle in the nation, Carman will immediately become the heir apparent to likely 2018 preseason first-team All-American Mitch Hyatt.

1 Thing to Know

Ohio State has one of the biggest fanbases in the nation, but it wasn't big enough to get Carman. Twitter user @BDuncan975 asked Carman how many retweets he would need to get in order for Carman to end his recruitment and sign with Ohio State. Carman told him 100,000. But the tweet barely eclipsed 5,000 RTs. Coupled with Ohio State alumnus Kirk Herbstreit effectively subtweeting Carman to mind his own business about the Buckeyes' quarterback situation, social media didn't do Meyer and his team any favors with this recruit.

Height/Weight: 6'1", 220 lbs

High School: Scotland County High School; Laurinburg, North Carolina

247 Sports Composite Ranking: No. 1 running back, No. 9 overall

Signed with Georgia on Dec. 20

Zamir White is the No. 1 running back in this year's recruiting class. In his sensational four years in high school, he rushed for 7,169 yards and 119 touchdowns. As a senior, he averaged better than 14 yards per carry. And in his final game, he ran for 149 yards and three touchdowns on just eight touches.

Unfortunately, that performance this past November may be his last for a while. He tore his ACL, which means he won't be able to participate in spring camp and likely won't be ready for the start of the 2018 season.

As previously mentioned with James Cook (No. 18 on this list), Georgia is still loaded at running back. Kirby Smart and Co. might have initially been planning on making White a featured piece of the offense as a true freshman, but the Bulldogs don't need to rush him back to the field.

Quite the luxury to not necessarily need a guy that every school in the country wanted, but that's what happens when you have one of the top recruiting classes. Whenever he's healthy enough to play, though, he should feature prominently on the star-studded list of running backs who have suited up for UGA.

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In February, White will receive the Sam B. Nicola Award, annually given to the nation's top high school football player by the Touchdown Club of Columbus.

Height/Weight: 6'3", 221 lbs

High School: Harrison High School; Kennesaw, Georgia

247 Sports Composite Ranking: No. 2 quarterback, No. 2 overall

Signed with Georgia on Dec. 20

For the third straight year, Georgia has signed one of the top three quarterbacks in the country. Two years ago, it was No. 2 QB and No. 5 overall recruit Jacob Eason. Last year was No. 3 QB and top-50 recruit Jake Fromm. This time around, it's No. 2 QB and No. 2 overall recruit Justin Fields.

Could Fields repeat what Fromm did by immediately coming in and stealing the starting job?

Barring injury, probably not. Fromm was fantastic as a true freshman, leading the Bulldogs to the precipice of a national championship. He'll likely be one of the top three candidates to win the Heisman. And the only reason he was put in a position to supplant Eason was because the incumbent QB suffered a knee injury in the season opener.

Fromm is a pocket passer and Fields is a dual threat who rushed for 30 touchdowns and more than 2,000 yards over the last two seasons, so it's not outlandish to think we could see a bit of a timeshare, similar to what Texas did in 2016 with using Shane Buechele in passing situations and Tyrone Swoopes on rushing downs.

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Ideally, the Dawgs would at least call the occasional passing play for Fields so the defense can't just sell out for a run every time he steps on the field. Even if he exclusively runs the ball, though, he gives this offense a dimension it hasn't had in more than a decade. The last Georgia QB to rush for at least 200 yards in a season was D.J. Shockley in 2005.

Height/Weight: 6'6", 208 lbs

High School: Cartersville High School; Cartersville, Georgia

247 Sports Composite Ranking: No. 1 quarterback, No. 1 overall

Signed with Clemson on Dec. 20

No, that's not Sunshine from Remember the Titans. It's No. 1 overall recruit Trevor Lawrence, and he is going to immediately contend for the job of starting quarterback for a Clemson team seeking its fourth consecutive trip to the College Football Playoff.

Kelly Bryant was a fine one-year stopgap between Deshaun Watson and Lawrence, but this young man is going to take the college football world by storm sooner than later.

Recruiting rankings change constantly, but it's hard to recall any point in the past two years when anyone other than Lawrence was sitting at No. 1 on Scout or 247Sports. Recruiting analysts and college coaches alike have been in love with this prototypical quarterback since long before the start of his sophomore year of high school.

During NBC's broadcast of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl—which ended up being a disappointing, two-interception showing from Lawrence—one of the commentators called him the best quarterback prospect in at least a decade.

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As a senior, Lawrence threw for 3,148 yards and 40 touchdowns with just one interception. He has a cannon for an arm, but he doesn't just launch the ball up there for anyone to grab. He is also a precise passer who will enter his college career as the runaway favorite for the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NFL draft.