ORLANDO, Fla. — The Under Armour Next High School All-American game has undergone a bit of a transformation in recent years. Specifically, it’s getting younger.

Saturday’s 18th annual all-star game features 72 underclassmen from the Class of 2027. That’s up quite a bit from the 33 underclassmen in the Class of 2026 who played in last year’s game.

With more players enrolling early in college and players committing to top programs earlier to secure high-end revenue-sharing deals with NIL sweeteners, business is getting done faster.

This event used to be a showcase for seniors to make dramatic college announcements. There are only two seniors in this year’s game uncommitted: four-star defensive lineman Dylan Berymon of Monroe, La. and four-star receiver Tyren Hornes from Sarasota, Fla. Twenty-one juniors are already committed.

Here are some key takeaways from Tuesday’s media day session with players:

1. Ohio State over Miami

The nation’s biggest recruiting story this week revolves around the commitment of 2027 five-star edge rusher David Jacobs, who picked Ohio State over Miami.

It looked like the Hurricanes were the front-runner until Jacobs, the eighth-ranked player in the 247Sports Composite from Roswell (Ga.) Blessed Trinity Catholic, received the promise of a bigger financial deal from the Buckeyes. Jacobs’ representatives at Athletes First handled the deal, he said.

“Separating the programs at the end (the financial aspect) was significant, because they show how much they want you at the end,” Jacobs said in an interview with On3 in front of other media on Tuesday. “It was definitely big. Down the stretch, it was rough. The last 24 hours were hectic.”

Why did Jacobs (6-5, 237 pounds) decide to make a commitment 11 months before being able to sign with the Buckeyes?

“The time was right,” the nation’s top-ranked edge rusher said. “Going into the All-Star game, having your mind on a school you want to go to — I just did.”

Jacobs said he still plans to take visits in the spring, but he hasn’t decided where they will be yet. He said Miami told him it will continue to recruit him.

“I want to see what people do after this — what are they going to do now,” Jacobs told The Athletic. “But my eyes are fully on Ohio State.”

The Buckeyes have nine commitments in their 2027 recruiting class.

Five-star linebacker Kaden Henderson, a close friend of Jacobs from Tampa (Fla.) Jesuit High, said Jacobs’ commitment definitely “boosts up Ohio State” for him.

2. Next up for BYU’s new QB signee

Quarterback Ryder Lyons made his commitment to BYU on “The Pat McAfee Show” in June and signed with the Cougars this month.

Lyons’ next stop after a quick trip back home to Folsom, Calif.: his mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“I’ll be going to Mexico to learn Spanish for six weeks, and then I’ll be here in Orlando for a year,” Lyons said. “Pretty strict rules. No social media. But you can work out every single day, which a lot of people don’t know. I’ll train, throw. (I have a) 9:30 p.m. curfew, (and a) 6:30 a.m. wake-up every day for a whole year. I think it’ll be good for me. I’ll learn some life skills by living by myself.”

The plan after that is to enroll in classes in Provo in 2027. By then, Bear Bachmeier will likely be heading into his third year as the Cougars’ starter.

Could Lyons end up looking to transfer elsewhere? Not necessarily. But he does have a really good relationship with Oregon coach Dan Lanning and new Kentucky coach Will Stein, who was the offensive coordinator for the Ducks.

3. Not every five-star recruit needs an agent

Zion Elee, the No. 1 edge rusher in the 2026 cycle from St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, told The Athletic he brokered his own financial deal with Maryland after he said he dumped his representative toward the end of negotiations.

“I had representation in my junior year, and as I was learning from them how they were negotiating and doing things, I realized I could really do this myself,” Elee said. “To me, agents are just there to relay the message and take five percent of your money. There’s a guy eating off you. You don’t need them. Lamar Jackson has his mother taking care of everything. They just email my mother all the contracts and we get my lawyer to look over it, sign it. It’s pretty simple.”

Elee, a second-time participant in the All-Star Game, committed to Maryland a year ago and then took official visits to Auburn and South Carolina before signing with the Terrapins. He showed up Tuesday with a diamond-studded watch and chain, including a charm with his first name on it.

“I didn’t grow up with this stuff at all,” Elee said of his jewelry. “It feels great to have something on me that makes me feel bigger. I’m a big man in a bigger room now.”

Elee said he plans to use his money investing in property and buying cars. His mother is a nurse who used to work 16-hour shifts, Elee said, and he’s one of four children.

“Ever since I started getting paid, she works a lot less now,” Elee said. “I’m planning on stopping her from working at all.”

Elee is the first five-star to sign with Maryland since linebacker Terrence Lewis in 2021.

“It was hard to stay committed,” Elee said of his recruitment. “Texas, South Carolina, Ohio State, Oregon and LSU wanted me. They were pursuing me the hardest. South Carolina was offering me way more than Maryland was. It just feels great to be the leader, the highest-ranked recruit in Maryland history.”

Five-star edge rusher Anthony Sweeney, the top-ranked player in the state of Maryland in the 2027 cycle from Our Lady of Good Counsel, said Elee’s decision to sign with the Terrapins was eye-opening for him. They share the same position trainer.

Sweeney said he’s visiting Tennessee in January for junior day. Sweeney also mentioned he’d like to visit Alabama, LSU, Ohio State, South Carolina and Maryland this spring.

4. Fallout from Michigan

The firing of Sherrone Moore at Michigan cost the Wolverines three signees from the 2026 cycle. Three-star offensive lineman Bear McWhorter discussed his process in the aftermath, which eventually led to him signing with Auburn.

McWhorter said Wolverines interim coach Biff Poggi got all of Michigan’s recruits on a Zoom call and explained to them he wanted them to stay signed, but they likely wouldn’t have a full-time coach in place for several weeks. McWhorter decided after a couple of days to look at other options.

“When I saw the news at first, I was freaking out,” McWhorter said. “The first couple of days, I didn’t know who had room for me because everyone had just signed their high school class. NC State and Auburn were the first two schools who called. One thing I did throughout my process is never burn any bridges.”

McWhorter, a 6-3, 293-pound offensive tackle from Cartersville, Ga., credits his long-term relationship with new Tigers coach Alex Golesh as to what led to him flipping to the Tigers, who didn’t recruit him under Hugh Freeze. The strange twist in all this? McWhorter’s father Josh, a diehard Alabama fan, named his son after Bear Bryant.

“My real name is Joshua,” McWhorter said. “But my mom didn’t want two Joshuas in the house.”

McWhorter has no regrets about jumping ship before Kyle Whittingham’s recent hire. “I still did the right thing, and I still wish the best for Michigan,” he said.

Three-star defensive lineman Tariq Boney, who was on the same call with McWhorter, decided to stick with the Wolverines. He said he’s interested in getting to know the new staff. He won’t get to meet them until he enrolls this summer.

“I’m just waiting to hear from Coach and just build a relationship,” Boney said. “I want to be in Ann Arbor. Whatever we have to do to make it work, that’s where I want to be. There’s a life after football, and Michigan is a great place to be after football.”

Boney, a 6-1, 235-pound edge rusher from Washington (D.C.) St. John’s College, said Tulane was the runner-up to land him. He’s been committed to Michigan, though, since the spring and didn’t take visits elsewhere.