This past Wednesday commemorated National Signing Day, the first chance that 2018’s high school seniors can sign a binding letter of intent to play collegiate sports in the NCAA next year. Signings can happen in any sport, and across the VNN network we saw athletes at our partner schools committing to the next level in track, soccer, and lacrosse among others.
Often, the most-followed commitments by fans and sports media are for college football, and this year our network didn’t disappoint. VNN partner schools contributed 20 of the nation’s top 100 signees to next year’s college football landscape, including the top two prospects in the 247sports rating system, Cartersville (GA)‘s Trevor Lawrence, who committed to Clemson, and Harrison (GA)’s Justin Fields, who committed to the Georgia Bulldogs. Both are quarterbacks.
Overall, it looks as if VNN’s Class of 2018 bleeds purple and orange, with the Clemson Tigers recruiting the most of our top partner school players with four, followed by the Texas Longhorns with three, and Ohio State, USC, and Georgia with two a piece. Signing one VNN-partner school player out of the Top 100 was Miami, Florida State, Washington, Ole Miss, Florida, Penn State, and Texas A&M.
Here’s the full list, sorted by 247 Sports prospect ranking:
#1 Trevor Lawrence – QB – Cartersville (GA) – Clemson
#2 Justin Fields – QB – Harrison (GA) – Georgia
#14 KJ Henry – WDE – West Forsyth (NC) – Clemson
#17 Jack Carman – OT – Fairfield (OH) – Clemson
#18 Adam Anderson – OLB – Rome (GA) – Georgia
#19 Caden Sterns – S – Steele (TX) – Texas
#26 Derion Kendrick – WR – South Point (SC) – Clemson
#27 Lorenzo Lingard – RB – University (FL) – Miami
#28 Olaijah Griffin – CB – Mission Viejo (CA) – USC
#30 Jaelen Gill – APB – Westerville South (OH) – Ohio State
#32 Isaac Taylor-Stuart – CB – Helix (CA) – USC
#34 Tyreke Smith – WDE – Cleveland Heights (OH) – Ohio State
#47 Jalen Green – CB – Heights (TX) – Texas
#50 Anthony Lytton – CB – Wise (MD) – Florida State
#59 Marquis Spiker – WR – Murietta Valley (CA) – Washington
#63 Matt Corral – QB – Long Beach Poly (CA) – Ole Miss
#64 Anthony Cook – CB – Lamar (TX) – Texas
#65 Rasheed Walker – OT – North Point (MD) – Penn State
#75 Leon O’Neal Jr. – S – Cypress Springs (TX) – Texas A&M
#89 Justin Watkins – WR – East Ridge (FL) – Florida
