How do you judge the success of a high school recruiting class in the modern era of college football when the transfer portal plays a significant role in shaping teams year-to-year?
We posed the question to a few personnel staffers at Power 4 schools.
“I’d say 60 percent of those signees — in a good recruiting class — are probably gone. The other 40 percent are either in the NFL or still there helping you,” an SEC recruiting coordinator said. “For those that leave, I think we also have to take into consideration the reasons some of those players left. They’re either leaving for money, playing time or they’re busts.”
“A good recruiting class, you’d like about half of them to become starters for you at some point and a handful to become NFL Draft picks,” an SEC staffer at another school said.
With that in mind, we decided to take a look back at the 2023 recruiting cycle. This isn’t a re-rank — more of an evaluation of how the top 10 classes, according to the 247Sports Composite, panned out now that the players in this cycle have completed three years of college.
Note: We classified starters as players who started at least six games in a season.
1. Alabama
Signees: 28
Starters: 11 (six transferred)
Transferred: 22 (six in 2024, six in 2025, 10 in 2026)
Drafted: 3 (two from Alabama)
3-year record: 32-10
Nick Saban’s next-to-last recruiting class included two five-stars who turned into first-round picks in three years: safety Caleb Downs (transferred to Ohio State in 2024) and offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor. Five of the players became starters elsewhere after leaving, including cornerback Dezz Ricks (Texas A&M) and quarterback Eli Holstein (Pittsburgh, now at Virginia). Defensive lineman James Smith (Ohio State), edge rusher Qua Russaw (Ohio State) and offensive tackle Wilkin Formby (Texas A&M) are three starters who departed after serving as full-time starters last season.
Six of the five-star signees became starters in Tuscaloosa, but the class also had several busts. Five-star edge rusher Keon Keeley, the No. 2 player in the cycle, never started a game over three seasons in Tuscaloosa and transferred to Notre Dame this winter. Only four members of the class remain at Alabama, and three were starters last season: edge rusher Yhonzae Pierre, safety Bray Hubbard and kicker Conor Talty.
Final word: For comparative purposes, 16 members of Alabama’s 25-man 2020 recruiting class transferred out of the program. But 15 earned starts before leaving Tuscaloosa, and eight were multiyear starters. Eight were drafted after finishing their careers at Alabama, two in the first round: Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young and SEC Defensive Player of the Year Will Anderson. This Crimson Tide class will fall short of matching that standard.
Kadyn Proctor catching and running the football in space is unfair. 🚛
— Touchdown Alabama (@TDAlabamaMag) September 28, 2025
2. Georgia
Signees: 26
Starters: 9 (one transferred)
Transferred: 18 (four in 2024, seven in 2025, seven in 2026)
Drafted: 2
3-year record: 36-6
Kirby Smart won two SEC titles with this group of signees, which includes three players who have been multiyear starters: linebacker CJ Allen, tight end Lawson Luckie and kicker Peyton Woodring. Offensive tackle Monroe Freeling was a first-round NFL Draft pick last month, while Allen went in the second round.
Seven starters are back this fall from this class, including linebacker Raylen Wilson, edge rusher Gabe Harris Jr. and defensive lineman Jordan Hall. The only starter who transferred out was safety Joenel Aguero (Ole Miss). Four of the portal transfers left Athens as backups and became P4 starters elsewhere: top recruit and five-star edge rusher Damon Wilson (Missouri, now at Miami), cornerback A.J. Harris (Penn State, now at Indiana), cornerback Chris Peal (Syracuse) and receiver Anthony Evans III (Mississippi State).
Final word: Georgia would be a strong candidate to come out No. 1 if this were a re-ranking of the Class.
3. Texas
Signees: 25
Starters: 9 (four transferred)
Transferred: 12 (three in 2024, four in 2025, five in 2026)
Drafted: 2
3-year record: 35-8
Before signing the No. 1 class in 2025, Steve Sarkisian hauled in this group led by No. 1 overall recruit Arch Manning, five-star linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. and six other top-100 recruits. Recent draft picks Hill (second round) and cornerback Malik Muhammad (fourth round) are among five multiyear starters in the group. The other three transferred after the 2025 season: receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. (Colorado), linebacker Liona Lefau (Colorado) and running back Quintrevion Wisner (Florida State).
Manning, safety Jelani McDonald and offensive tackle Trevor Goosby are the only starters from this class still at Texas. Wide receiver Johntay Cook, who is now at Ole Miss after spending one season at Syracuse, is the only player to transfer out and become a starter at another Power 4 school.
Final word: If Manning wins the Heisman Trophy and leads the Longhorns to a national championship, this will probably be viewed as one of Texas’ best recruiting classes in recent memory. If not, it should still be valued as a top-10 class in the cycle.
4. Ohio State
Signees: 21
Starters: 7 (none transferred)
Transferred: 10 (two in 2024, four in 2025, five in 2026)
Drafted: 3
3-year record: 37-6
Two members of this class were drafted in the top five last month: receiver Carnell Tate and linebacker Arvell Reese. Defensive lineman Kayden McDonald, a 14-game starter in 2025, was a second-round pick. The four other starters from the class are still with the team: receiver Brandon Inniss (the only five-star in the class), cornerback Jermaine Mathews Jr., and offensive linemen Luke Montgomery and Austin Siereveld. Only one of the departures became a starter at another P4 program: receiver Noah Rogers, who spent two seasons at NC State and transferred to Alabama for his senior year.
Final word: With three high draft picks and potentially more on the way, the Buckeyes are definitely a contender for best in class.
5. Oklahoma
Signees: 26
Starters: 5 (two transferred)
Transferred: 18 (five in 2024, nine in 2025, four in 2026)
Drafted: 0
3-year record: 26-13
Brent Venables’ highest-ranked class at Oklahoma — and the program’s first top-five class since 2010 — failed to live up to the hype. Top recruit Jackson Arnold started nine games at quarterback in 2024 before being run out of town. The three starters in the class still at OU are safety Peyton Bowen, offensive tackle Heath Ozaeta and edge rusher Taylor Wein. Four blue-chip recruits left Norman as backups and became starters for other P4 programs: offensive lineman Cayden Green (Missouri), linebacker Lewis Carter (UCF), running back Hollywood Smothers (NC State, now at Texas) and center Joshua Bates (SMU).
Final word: This class just didn’t pan out. Far too many misses.
6. LSU
Signees: 28
Starters: 5 (four transferred)
Transferred: 26 (11 in 2024, six in 2025, nine in 2026)
Drafted: 0
3-year record: 26-13
Why did the Brian Kelly era fail in Baton Rouge? A lack of player development, starting with this class, could certainly be a reason. The top recruit in the class, offensive tackle Lance Heard, left Baton Rouge and became a two-year starter at Tennessee (he’s now at Kentucky). Edge rusher Da’Shawn Womack, the other five-star recruit in the class, still hasn’t started a game in college and is now at his third school (Auburn). The only starter in the class still at LSU is linebacker Whit Weeks. The other four starters — offensive tackles DJ Chester (Mississippi State), Tyree Adams (Texas A&M), Paul Mubenga (Nebraska) and cornerback Ashton Stamps (Arizona State) — left after Kelly was fired. The only player who transferred and became a starter at another P4 program is edge rusher Jaxon Howard (Minnesota).
Final word: This class, which included 18 blue-chippers, is a good example of coaches failing to do their jobs — identifying and developing players — with ample resources.
7. Miami
Signees: 26
Starters: 4 (none transferred)
Transferred: 19 (four in 2024, nine in 2025, six in 2026)
Drafted: 2
3-year record: 30-12
First-round picks Francis Mauigoa and Rueben Bain Jr. were two key foundational pieces in Mario Cristobal’s rebuild. But the rest of the class — outside of running back Mark Fletcher Jr., punter Dylan Joyce and cornerback Damari Brown — didn’t exactly deliver huge results. Former five-star offensive tackle Samson Okunlola may finally end up cracking the starting lineup as a senior at left guard. Edge rusher Jayden Wayne (Washington, now at Cal) is the only member of the class who has cracked a starting lineup at a Power 4 program.
Final word: The overall view of Cristobal’s first top-10 class at Miami may change if Fletcher, Brown and Okunlola pan out and become NFL Draft picks, but this group is an example of why head coaches have to be really good at both recruiting and mining the transfer portal.
8. USC
Signees: 24
Starters: 9 (two transferred)
Transferred: 16 (three in 2024, 11 in 2025, two in 2026)
Drafted: 3 (two at USC)
3-year record: 24-15
Lincoln Riley’s first top-10 recruiting class at USC featured lots of hits on offense. Receivers Makai Lemon, Ja’Kobi Lane and Zachariah Branch were all drafted last month (Branch did so as a Georgia Bulldog). Five starters from the class are still playing for the Trojans: edge rusher Braylan Shelby, left tackle Elijah Paige, safety Christian Pierce, right guard Alani Noa and offensive lineman Tobias Raymond. Three other members became starters at other P4 schools: linebacker Tackett Curtis (Wisconsin, now at UCF), receiver Duce Robinson (Florida State) and edge rusher Sam Greene (Kentucky). The big bust in the class was five-star quarterback Malachi Nelson, who is now at his fourth school (Syracuse).
Final word: Riley and his staff did an excellent job identifying and signing some talented players — and may end up having the most NFL Draft picks in the cycle.
Makai Lemon just turned on the BURNERS 🔥💨
40-yard touchdown for @uscfb 🤝#B1GFootball on FOX 📺 pic.twitter.com/keAIokY3Jv
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) October 26, 2024
9. Oregon
Signees: 30
Starters: 6 (none transferred)
Transferred: 22 (six in 2024, seven in 2025, nine in 2026)
Drafted: 1
3-year record: 38-5
Dan Lanning has signed three consecutive top-five recruiting classes since this one. This group included three multiyear starters and five starters overall from last year’s roster who are still playing for the Ducks: edge rushers Matayo Uiagalelei and Teitum Tuioti, defensive lineman A’Mauri Washington, center Iapani Laloulu and linebacker Jerry Mixon. Tight end Kenyon Sadiq went in the first round last month. Three portal departures have become starters at other P4 programs: cornerback Rodrick Pleasant (UCLA), running back Dante Dowdell (Nebraska, now at Georgia) and safety Cole Martin (UCLA).
Final word: A few of the returning starters played huge roles in Oregon winning a Big Ten championship and reaching the College Football Playoff semifinal this past season. With a strong finish, this could end up being one of the top two or three classes in the cycle.
10. Tennessee
Signees: 25
Starters: 5 (two transferred)
Transferred: 18 (three in 2024, 11 in 2025, four in 2026)
Drafted: 0
3-year record: 27-12
Quarterback Nico Iamaleava ‚ the headliner in the class, led the Volunteers to the College Football Playoff and then bolted for UCLA, where he and the team struggled this past fall. Three members of the class have stuck around and been strong contributors: linebackers Arion Carter and Jeremiah Telander and offensive tackle Shamurad Umarov. Cornerback Rickey Gibson III, a starter in 2024, left for Texas A&M after playing in only one game for the Vols last season. Tight end Ethan Davis (four starts in 2025) and defensive linemen Daevin Hobbs and Nathan Robinson are the other three members in the class who remain in Knoxville. Hobbs is a former top-50 recruit with one career start.
Final word: Losing Iamaleava really hurt the potential of the class, but there were a lot of other misses in the group.