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It doesn’t matter which recruiting service you check, the SEC has a majority of the top 10 and top 25 recruiting classes for 2016.
The SEC has as many as six programs ranked in the top 10 and nine in the top 25.
While rankings are subjective, there’s no denying that the SEC recruits better than any other conference in the country.
With National Signing Day about a month away, Saturday Down South looks at the top 20 prospects at each position group and how many will or could play for SEC teams in 2016.
Editor’s Note: Below is a list of the consensus top 20 wide receivers across all three major recruiting services: 247Sports, Rivals and Scout.
Wide Receivers: The wideout class is filled with athletic playmakers. However, just five of the top 20 receivers from the class are headed to an SEC program.
Uncommitted Targets: The good news for the SEC, though, is there are still top receivers remaining, including perhaps the best wide receiver in the class.
TOP 20 WIDE RECEIVERS
1. Nate Craig-Myers, uncommitted – Craig-Myers’ tremendous speed and strong hands make him the No. 1 wideout at Rivals and Scout. The Dade City, Fla., prospect is considering seven schools, including Florida, Ole Miss and Auburn.
2. Tyler Vaughns, Southern Cal – 247 Sports’ No. 1 receiver has great speed and ball skills, but the Californian chose the Trojans over the Tide.
3. Devin Duvernay, Baylor – A consensus top 10 wide receiver, the Texan is one of two receivers on this list joining the Bears.
4. DeKaylin Metcalf, Ole Miss – The son of former Ole Miss and NFL lineman Terrence Metcalf, the Oxford native is the last consensus top 10 wide receiver on the list. Scout ranked him the No. 3 best wideout in the class.
5. Theo Howard, UCLA – The Southern California native chose to stay close to home and attend UCLA. Texas A&M was the only SEC school he was considering.
6. Michael Pittman, Southern Cal – This 209-pound California product, the son of former NFL running back Michael Pittman, might have the most raw talent on this list and a 6-foot-4 frame.
7. Binjimen Victor, uncommitted – The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., prospect is considering SEC schools. Florida is the frontrunner, but Tennessee and Alabama are also in the running.
8. Sam Bruce, Miami – Bruce will stay in his hometown despite the firing of Al Golden.
9. Javon McKinley, uncommitted – Tennessee is on McKinley’s list of schools, but he’s was expected to commit to Notre Dame on Saturday.
10. Kyle Davis. Auburn – The Tigers were able to score two wideouts among the consensus top 20. Davis was ranked as high as the fourth-best receiver.
11. Tren’Davian Dickson, Baylor – The 5-11 Texan committed to Baylor in 2014, but changed his mind to Texas. Later, Dickson altered his plans again and is back on the Bears’ bandwagon.
12. Drake Davis, LSU – Davis, who chose his hometown Tigers over Alabama and Arkansas, is the highest-rated offensive player in an LSU recruiting class widely considered the best in the country.
13. A.J. Brown, uncommitted – Arguably the best uncommitted receiver outside of Craig-Myers, the 6-1, 220-pound Starkville native is ranked the fifth-best wideout, according to 247 Sports. Mississippi State is considered a strong favorite for the hometown prospect over Alabama.
14. Austin Mack, Ohio State – Another receiver chose to stay closer to home rather than attend Alabama. Mack is from Fort Wayne, Ind.
15. N’Keal Harry, Arizona State – An Arizona native, Harry is ranked as high as the second-best receiver and as low as No. 29.
16. Donnie Corley, uncommited – The Michigan native has Michigan State among his favorite schools. And actually, Corley’s second choice at the moment appears to be Ohio State.
17. Eli Stove, Auburn – Gus Malzahn’s offense has a chance to be much better in 2016 with Stove, a Niceville, Fla., native, and Davis on the outside.
18. Scott Bracey, Duke – The Richmond, Va., native is listed among the top “athletes” by a few scouting services, but should be a receiving asset at Duke.
19. Tyrie Cleveland, Houston – The Houston native has made a soft verbal commitment. Florida and Arkansas, who were among his top choices, still have hope.
20. Trevon Diggs, Alabama – Diggs de-committed from Maryland, where his brother, Stefon, played wide receiver before joining the NFL, the Maryland native committed to Alabama in November.
Dave covers SEC football for Saturday Down South.
