Recharging Power: Three programs off to hot 2018 starts

It’s been less than a month since National Signing Day, but programs have already turned the page to the 2018 class, with some having more success than others. An early look at the 2018 Rivals.com Team Rankings shows three teams that have been college football power players in recent years loading up early on talent. We break down who is in the fold and how these schools can maintain their hot start to the cycle.

2018 COMMIT PREDICTIONS: Midwest | Southeast | Mid-Atlantic

Breakdown: Despite a losing season in 2016, the Irish are showing no ill effects on the recruiting trail. This week alone the school has added three 2018 commitments, highlighted by the nation’s No. 36 overall player, defensive back Derrik Allen. The school also has been active recruiting nationally, with Allen hailing from Georgia, offensive lineman Cole Mabry from Tennessee and other commits from Michigan, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Six of the school's nine commitments are ranked as four-stars. The Irish are No. 2 in the 2018 Rivals.com Team Rankings.

Local reaction: “Notre Dame’s staff has seen a significant upgrade in recruiting ability, and the new hires have shown themselves to be grinders. Their message has been hitting home with recruits. The success they’ve had at previous stops will be even greater at Notre Dame thanks to an upgrade in talent. Notre Dame has also benefitted from it being a strong talent year in the North, with eight of the nine early commitments coming from prospects above the Mason-Dixon Line. Notre Dame will look to add a trio of Rivals250 players in four-star receiver Micah Jones, four-star defensive end Malik Vann and four-star athlete Braden Lenzy in the near future. The key to adding to the class and keeping it together, of course, is winning some games on the field this season.” - Bryan Driskell, Blue & Gold Illustrated

Breakdown: The Hurricanes finished No. 11 in the 2017 Rivals.com Team Rankings and are looking to finish even higher in 2018. Right now the school sits at No. 3 overall and already has nine commitments, highlighted by the country’s No. 16 overall player, running back Lorenzo Lingard. In total, four of the school’s early commits are ranked as four-stars, including defensive tackle Nesta Silvera, who committed earlier this week. The most notable fact about the Canes' early success might be that all nine commits are from the state of Florida.

Local reaction: “Miami has gotten out ahead of the game in 2018 by laying the groundwork with the top kids in the next class while they were recruiting in 2017. You would never have known they were not all from one class. They have done a great job blending the 2018 kids with the 2017 kids and using those relationships to build momentum for the program. It is getting back to the point where the kids are recruiting each other and that was a hallmark of the Miami program through the decades where Miami was dominant.” - Gary Ferman, CaneSport.com

Breakdown: The Spartans don’t have the volume of early commits that the Irish and Hurricanes have, but the three pledges they do have is good enough for No. 12 in the Team Rankings. The group is highlighted by four-star tight end Trenton Gillison, the No. 99 overall player in the country. Joining him on the commitment list are fellow Ohio natives, wide receiver Joseph Scates (No. 133 overall) and defensive back Xavier Henderson (No. 236).

Local reaction: “The Michigan State staff has strong ties in the state of Ohio and they spend as much time recruiting there as they do in Michigan. The Spartans had the majority of their 2017 class committed early, which allowed them to get a jump-start on 2018. The schools they have commitments from are traditionally strong programs that the same staff members have been recruiting for nearly a decade. The staff is hoping to keep momentum going in Ohio with recruits such as Jalen Gill, Malik Vann, Aeneas Hawkins and Michael Dowell.” - Matt Dorsey, SpartanMag.com