Alabama Football is in great shape with its 2022 class. The Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs are again competing for the nation’s best class. Based on the 247Sports Composite, Georgia currently has the No. 1 class, with the Crimson Tide at No. 2.
What gives the Bulldogs a current edge is having 21 verbal commits, while Alabama Football is at 17 commits. Based on the average player ratings, the Crimson Tide currently has the most highly rated class.
Elsewhere in the SEC, Texas A&M is doing well, as are the Florida Gators. Doing surprisingly well with the SEC’s No. 5 class are the Missouri Tigers. The Kentucky Wildcats are also seeing the recruiting benefits of another strong season under Mark Stoops.
Two SEC football programs are in trouble. Their problems stem from very different reasons. The Auburn Tigers have a new coach, delivering a good number of wins, but their recruiting is so weak, their ’22 class only beats out Vandy. Auburn’s class is ranked No. 35 in the FBS. It has 13 verbal commits, but the highest-rated player among those commits is the No. 222 player overall. In comparison to the Alabama Football commits, whose average rating is 94.51, Auburn’s average is 88.2.
Bryan Harsin may be a solid football coach, but so far, recruiting SEC-level talent appears too much for him.
In Baton Rouge, the situation is a lame-duck coach and a program trying to avert a recruiting meltdown. LSU has the SEC’s fourth-best class and is ranked No. 12 in the FBS. Holding on to such a strong ranking is unlikely unless the Bengal Tigers can announce a big-name hire soon. In fact, moving on from Ed Orgeron sooner than later was an attempt to salvage the ’22 class.
So far, LSU has lost one commit since Coach O was fired. He is 4-Star wide receiver, Aaron Anderson, from New Orleans. Anderson is a target for the Crimson Tide and Auburn is trying hard to get a chance.
Alabama Football 2022 Verbal Commits
One commit flip would not be a reason for panic in Baton Rouge, except, the Tigers have not added a verbal commit since July. Auburn is also trying to flip two LSU cornerback commits, 4-Star, Laterrance Welch and 4-Star, JaDarian Rhym.
Alabama Football is not thought to be pursuing any of LSU’s current commits but many other schools are. More attrition is inevitable in Baton Rouge and there is little doubt the final LSU 2022 signing class will be weakened by the coaching change. Holding on to Orgeron for a few more weeks would have been a mistake. Keeping him on as a lame duck may also prove to be a negative.
With two months left until the December Early Signing Period, much can change. But, based on current trends for Auburn and LSU, finishing with a top-five class in the SEC West might be the ceiling for both programs.