College football recruiting rankings: Miami, UNC lead ACC in early signing period
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The Atlantic Coast Conference has fallen behind the other Power Four conferences in the current college football landscape.
Clemson football was the last team from the ACC to win a national championship, which came during the 2018 season. This season, if Duke beats Virginia in the ACC championship game, the conference could be left on the outside looking in for a College Football Playoff spot.
Through the first day of the early signing period ― which opened on Wednesday, Dec. 3 ― just one ACC team was in the top 10 for the 2026 recruiting team rankings, per 247Sports. Miami led the way, coming in at No. 10, while Florida State snuck just inside the top 15, despite finishing with a losing record for the second straight year.
For the third straight year, Clemson is outside the top 10 and struggling with high school recruiting despite still having Dabo Swinney leading the way.
As the 2026 early signing period is underway, here’s what you need to know about the recruiting efforts of the ACC's 17 programs and what top players they’re bringing aboard:
ACC football recruiting rankings
As of 6 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Dec. 3, ACC programs accounted for four of the top 20 recruiting classes in the FBS, including just one of the top 10, according to 247Sports’ Composite Rankings.
All but one of the league’s 17 programs have top-62 classes. With Big Ten powers USC and Oregon, along with independent Notre Dame, notching the top three positions, Miami is the highest-ranked ACC program in recruiting rankings this cycle, coming in at No. 10, while Florida State, North Carolina and Clemson crack the top 20.
Virginia Tech has made a massive leap into the top 25 following the hiring of former Penn State coach James Franklin.
Here’s a look at how ACC programs measure up in their 2025 recruiting class, in the order of their national recruiting ranking:
- 10. Miami
- 14. Florida State
- 17. UNC
- 18. Clemson
- 22. Virginia Tech
- 24. SMU
- 29. Syracuse
- 40. Stanford
- 43. Pittsburgh
- 45. Wake Forest
- 46. Georgia Tech
- 47. Louisville
- 48. Boston College
- 49. NC State
- 54. California
- 64. Duke
- 92. Virginia
ACC football best recruits
Of the top 50 recruits nationally, according to 247Sports’ Composite Rankings, two have given a verbal commitment or signed a letter of intent to an ACC program, as of Wednesday, Dec. 3.
Here’s a look at players in the top 100 of the rankings who have committed to an ACC program, along with their national recruiting ranking:
- (4). OT Jackson Cantwell, Miami
- (41). CB Chauncey Kennon, FSU
- (59). WR Somourian Wingo, Miami
- (61). WR Naaem Burroughs, Clemson
- (70). WR Calvin Russell, Syracuse*
- (78). LB Izayia Williams, FSU
- (85) S Kentavion Anderson, Clemson
*indicates not signed letter of intent as of Wednesday, Dec. 3
When is the early signing period for college football?
The early signing period for the 2026 recruiting class begins on Wednesday, Dec. 3 and runs through Friday, Dec. 5.
Last season, it ran from Dec. 4 through Dec. 6, and from Dec. 20 through Dec. 22 in 2024. The early signing period was moved up in March to avoid overlapping with the opening of the transfer portal window.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: College football recruiting rankings: Miami, UNC, Clemson lead ACC
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