Arizona State Returns to Top of Big 12 Recruiting Ranks

The 2026 recruiting battles are in full swing for the Arizona State Sun Devils - as signing day is now around five months away.

While head coach Kenny Dillingham has done an exemplary job on many fronts since taking over in November 2022, he still has not secured a top 25 recruiting class.

That could change come the upcoming class.

Dillingham's fourth class as the head coach of Arizona State has been inside the top 20 nationally among numerous recruiting services prior to recent sliding due to other programs securing new commits.

That recent slip included Kansas taking the top spot in the Big 12 rankings per 247 Sports - but the Sun Devils just regained the top spot in the conference following the commitment of three-star DL Mickey Williams on Sunday.

Via Chris Karpman of SunDevilSource

"Despite climbing in Big 12 rankings, ASU's average prospect rating dipped from a high of 88.51 in May to 87.42 at the outset of the recruiting dead period that runs through the end of July, during which coaches are not permitted to meet with prospects on or off campus or to evaluate them in person."

"Even though its average prospect ranking has dropped, ASU is still tied with  for third among Big 12 teams in the category, behind only  (88.62), which has just nine commits, and  (88.60). Since 2010, the Sun Devils have finished with an average prospect raking better than its current 87.42 just three times: 2020 (88.32); 2015 (87.82); and 2021 (87.87)."

The fact that Dillingham has been able to build a sustainable winner without securing a great recruiting class is telling - the ceiling of the program is likely to be extraordinarily high once the classes continuously reach top-20 levels.

An undeniable factor in the recent improvements is the battles that have been won in the state of Texas - where DB coach Bryan Carrington has a strong background in, along with Arizona - where Dillingham, TE coach Jason Mohns, and RB coach Shaun Aguano have incredible backgrounds in.

Jake Fette is the current crown jewel of the 2026 class - and is proof that Dillingham's track record along with an improved NIL sphere is enough to push the Arizona State program to the forefront of the recruiting world.

Read more on Arizona State's positioning as a recruiting power in the future here, and if Clayton Smith can be the key to the Sun Devil defense in 2025 here.

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