June not only signals the start of summer, but it also brings a frenzied uptick in commitments on the recruiting trail. Many college football programs across the country have given their 2024 classes a boost with multiple commitments, including several schools notching double-digit additions this month.
The increased activity has impacted the class rankings — just not at the very top. Georgia continues to have a firm grip on the No. 1 class despite the flurry of activity. Helping the Bulldogs stay on top was flipping ESPN 300 RB Chauncey Bowens from Florida. A thickly built back (5-foot-11, 217 pounds) with good vision, body control and forward lean to generate yards after contact, he has the tools to help keep the RB position an area of strength for their offensive attack.
Though the Gators lost Bowen’s commitment, they still made up a lot of ground and leapt from outside the top 10 into the top five, thanks to some impactful additions on defense. Five-star Jamonta Waller is an edge defender who lacks ideal height (6-2) but possesses good arm length, has posted strong testing numbers (including a 34-inch vertical) and can be a disruptive force on the field with an explosive burst, good quickness and a strong motor.
The recruiting battles out West have heated up with Oregon, Stanford and USC all among the big movers. The Ducks jumped into the top five with several strong recent commitments, including five-star QB Michael Van Buren, a poised and confident player who can be an accurate passer and effective on the move and will contend to take over once Bo Nix moves on.
As Oregon continues to fight to defend its place atop the Pac-12, the Trojans and Cardinal are in pursuit. Stanford went on a tear in June, nearly tripling the size of its class and moving into the top 10. It added an ESPN 300 QB as well in Elijah Brown out of in-state power program Mater Dei and also landed the versatile Chris Davis Jr., a fluid, speedy playmaker who has contributed on both sides of the ball but projects as an offensive weapon.
The Trojans also surged in recent weeks, powered by big defensive additions, including one of California’s top DB prospects in Dakoda Fields and four-star LB Elijah Newby, a prospect poised to make a move up the ESPN 300 rankings with excellent physical skills and a frame to develop.
