National Signing Day brought a ton of surprises and chaos, but the biggest winners were very easy to see

College football programs across the country were doing everything they could to build top-tier recruiting classes for 2026. With the early signing period beginning today, there were many shocking surprises and unexpected flips.

Despite all of the noise, it's clear which teams were the biggest winners from the day. Ryan Roberts and I each pitched which programs we were the most impressed with.

The biggest winners from National Signing Day

USC

"Chad Bowden was clearly an impactful hire this offseason by the Trojans. Rivals has ranked the 2026 class as the best. Lincoln Riley had been criticized in the past for his struggles in recruiting, and the massive leap forward is noticeable, especially given his emphasis on locking down top recruits in California. The Trojans' two most notable gets are gifted tight end Mark Bowman and defensive end Luke Wafle. This is the type of class Riley needed to continue the momentum of a solid 2025 season."

Notre Dame

"Notre Dame isn’t the easiest place to recruit at, but head coach Marcus Freeman has completely altered the expectations on the recruiting trail. The Fighting Irish were the only team that did not have a single decommitment in the 2027 group, another testament to Coach Freeman and his staff. This class is led five-star players Joey O’Brien, Grayson McKeough, and Rodney Dunham, as well as top-rated tight end Ian Premer. This group is deep, talented, and is by far the best program in the Freeman Era." -Ryan Roberts

Virginia Tech

"James Franklin just pulled off an absolute heist. He's clearly the one who came out on top with his divorce from Penn State, considering they still don't have a coach, and he stole away many of Penn State's top commits. While this class doesn't boast any five-star recruits, it's still a stellar class for an ACC program, currently ranked 24th in the Rivals Industry ranking. The class is headlined by two Pennsylvania guys in 4-star linebacker Terry Wiggins and 4-star running back Messiah Mickens." -Joe DeLeone

Tennessee

"With the Volunteers able to flip dynamic athelete Legend Bey back from Ohio State late in this process, that gives head coach Josh Heupel a dynamic skill class to work with. That includes five-star quarterback Faizon Brandon and wide receiver Tristen Keys. The team also signed five-star offensive tackle Gabriel Osenda, continuing to prioritize the offensive line. Although the product on the field has continued to be a bit inconsistent, Coach Heupel has been stockpiling a ton of talent. The 2026 Tennessee team could be one of the deeper teams we have seen in some time, and a big reason is this outstanding recruiting haul." -Ryan Roberts

LSU

"There have been numerous gripes during the recent head-coaching carousel about the timing of National Signing Day, the College Football Playoff, and the opening of the transfer portal. With the apparent chaos of the timing and the most dramatic coaching change we've ever witnessed with Lane Kiffin leaving Ole Miss for LSU, this 2026 class is a massive success. Kiffin had a very short window to communicate with the committed recruits in the class and was able to prevent any major flips. Most notably, they were able to keep elite linemen Lamar Brown and Richard Johnson. This class is loaded with big bodies on both lines of scrimmage, setting a sturdy foundation for Kiffin." -Joe DeLeone

This story was originally published by A to Z Sports on Dec 3, 2025, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add A to Z Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.