The two premiere ACC teams, Clemson and Florida State, were again head and shoulders over the conference in recruiting this past National Signing Day. Three-time defending conference champion Florida State saw it’s class finish second in the nation at ESPN and third at Rivals.com. Clemson finished fourth nationally both at ESPN and Rivals.com. From there the Miami Hurricanes, North Carolina Tar Heels, and Virginia Tech Hokies all finished with top 25 in the country ranked classes. Let’s take a look at the ACC and its National Signing Day highlights.
Seminole Nation Continues to Rise
Head coach Jimbo Fisher continues to capitalize on his success at rebuilding the program into a perennial national championship contender. Fisher has also capitalized on the fertile recruiting grounds of the state of Florida. Fisher landed a total of three five-star signees according to ESPN with athlete George Campbell, safety Derwin James, and defensive end Josh Stewart. Four-star quarterback Deondre Francois is another stellar find and could help Fisher replace Jameis Winston, who figures to be a top pick in April’s NFL Draft. Florida State continues to stockpile Southeastern Conference level talent for a league that is far easier to dominate, which means that they will be in the national playoff conversation for years to come.
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Clemson no Toothless Tigers
Like Fisher, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney has done a similarly good job with his program in rebuilding it back into a perennial national power. Swinney is one of the top recruiters in the country and it shows with his 2015 class. Five-star offensive tackle Mitch Hyatt fills an immediate need of shoring up a thin offensive line. The Tigers singed a total of 18 four-star recruits headed with wide receiver Deon Cain. Four-star defensive tackles Christian Wilkins, Sterling Johnson, and Noah Green will further solidify a strong defense that has shown improvement each year under coordinator Brent Venables.
Wolfpack Emerges
The North Carolina State Wolfpack had a relatively impressive class that ranked 33rd in the nation at ESPN. Four star running backs Johnny Frasier and Nyheim Hines headline head coach Dave Doeren’s improving program, which rebounded with an impressive 8-5 season.
Good Class Comes to Papa
It was a solid first season for the Louisville Cardinals and head coach Bobby Petrino as new members of the ACC last year. That success of a 9-4 season and near upset of Florida State has carried over as Louisville ranked 30th in the nation for their 2015 class. Defensive end Devonte Fields, athlete Traveon Samuel, wide receiver Devante Peete, and wide receiver Emonee Spence headline the four-star recruits that will take the field at Papa John’s Stadium.
New Reality for U
The days of Miami as a national power are long gone as evidenced by their 2015 recruiting class that ranked 23rd in the nation at ESPN. Head coach Al Golden is having to deal with the continued fallout of sanctions and scandal that were blown open shortly after he arrived. Golden has had to clean up the program and suffer through previous seasons of scholarship limits. Poor crowds at home games further add to the tough sell that Golden has to make each year before signing day. The fact that Golden could put together such a class for 2015 is a credit to him and his staff. The Canes did accumulate a total of 10 four-star signees led by offensive tackle Tyree St. Louis, running back Mark Walton, and athlete Jaquan Johnson.
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Tar Heels Close Well
Head coach Larry Fedora has seen the win total of his North Carolina teams decrease by one each season with a mark of 6-7 last year, making his seat much warmer. The cloud of academic scandal further haunts the Tar Heels and adds to the negative recruiting of their opponents. Fedora should receive credit for salvaging a class that ranked 24th in the nation at ESPN. A total of 10 four-star signees head the Tar Heels class led by defensive end Jalen Dalton, running back Ty’Son Williams, and center Tommy Hatton. Four star inside linebacker Johnathon Sutton and four star defensive end Jason Stowbridge may get immediate opportunities for playing time on a unit that was a liability last year.
