The early signing period is entering the horizon and the heat is turning up on the 2026 recruiting cycle in the final weeks of the college football regular season.
Atop the 2026 class, multiple programs are stepping up their efforts to flip five-star Maryland defensive end commit Zion Elee, ESPN's No. 2 overall recruit. Meanwhile, Miami, Ohio State, Ole Miss and Texas A&M -- expected to be among the most active programs in the closing stages of the cycle -- are each set to host coveted flip targets in Week 12. The 2026 wide receiver market, led by Penn State decommit Davion Brown (No. 109 overall), is bubbling, too.
Only 19 days out from the three-day early signing period (Dec. 3-5), here's the latest intel on the 2026 class as games get set to kick off across the country in Week 12:
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SEC trio pushing to flip No. 1 defensive end Zion Elee
It's been nearly a year since Zion Elee, ESPN's No. 2 overall prospect in 2026, committed to Maryland. The five-star pass rusher from Baltimore has remained locked in with the Terps since Elee publicly closed his recruitment in February, but as Maryland sits at 4-5 with uncertainty swirling over head coach Mike Locksley, there could be movement in Elee's process before the early signing period.
"It's been shaky [with Maryland]," Elee told ESPN. "Things are stirring. They're not really having the season they were supposed to have, so coaching changes might happen... Right now, the communication is kind of dry."
Elee hasn't yet wavered on his pledge. But if he ultimately exits the Terps' 2026 class in the coming weeks, Auburn, South Carolina and Texas project as Elee's most likely landing spots.
Auburn hosted Elee for an official visit in the spring, and Tigers' assistant linebackers coach Wayne Dorsey has kept in close touch with this fall. The program's recent talent pipeline from the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia area -- Auburn signed three recruits from Elee's defense at Maryland's St. Frances Academy in the 2025 cycle -- has always appealed to Elee. However, the Tigers' own coaching staff upheaval could make Auburn a tricky flip destination.
A more realistic contender might be South Carolina, which has maintained its pursuit of Elee this fall, as well. Gamecocks defensive assistant Sterling Lucas has forged a strong relationship with Elee across his process, and Lucas was central to getting Elee on campus for an official visit at South Carolina late last month. Elee's social media post this past weekend, which featured a photo of him in a Gamecocks uniform alongside Lucas, only stoked the flames surrounding South Carolina's efforts to pair Elee with star edge rusher Dylan Stewart next fall.
Meanwhile, Texas has emerged as a surprise late flip contender. Elee told ESPN that Longhorns edge coach LaAllen Clark offered him shortly after the former Ohio State assistant joined the program in February. Texas has turned up the heat on Elee in recent weeks, and Elee is considering taking an official visit with the Longhorns before the end of the regular season.
With the majority of the 2026 cycle's five-star class locked in, Elee -- one of its longest-tenured pledges -- might not be fully settled. His recruitment will be one to watch in the coming weeks.
Texas A&M hosting key flips targets in Week 12
The Aggies enter Week 12 at 9-0 and holding onto ESPN's No. 3 recruiting class in the 2026 cycle. As coach Mike Elko and Co. continue building on-field momentum, Texas A&M is working on several late moves before the early signing period.
Sources tell ESPN that the Aggies remain in touch with No. 1 overall prospect and LSU commit Lamar Brown amid the Tigers' coaching search. However, sources continue to believe that Brown remains firm with LSU and will sign with the program early next month.
Four-star Auburn commit Bralan Womack (No. 39) is expected to lead a talented collection of flip targets on hand for Texas A&M's Week 12 visit from South Carolina on Saturday. The Aggies were finalists in Womack's recruitment in August, and sources now expect ESPN's No. 3 safety to land somewhere other than Auburn following coach Hugh Freeze's firing earlier this month. Mississippi State has emerged as another late contender in Womack's process; he visited the Bulldogs in Week 11 and sources suggest he could return for another visit in the coming weeks.
Florida defensive end pledge Kevin Ford Jr. (No. 158 overall) is set to return to Texas A&M for a third time this fall. The four-star edge rusher remains committed to the Gators, but told ESPN that he has been in touch with Clemson, Texas Tech and USC, along with the Aggies, over the past month. Ford did not ultimately make a scheduled trip to Texas Tech last weekend, and sources now view Texas A&M as the favorite to flip ESPN's No. 20 defensive end with the Aggies still looking to add on the defensive line, particularly following the Nov. 1 decommitment of four-star Jordan Carter (No. 57).
After an unofficial trip in October, four-star Houston wide receiver pledge Jayden Warren (No. 237 overall) will take his official visit with the Aggies in Week 12. The 6-foot-2 pass catcher from Iowa Colony, Texas, has been committed to Houston since July, and Warren returning to campus last weekend marked an encouraging development for the Cougars amid Texas A&M's ongoing flip efforts this fall. The Aggies will get another chance to impress Warren up close on Saturday.
Red-hot Miami working to continue its recruiting momentum
No program has been more productive on the recruiting trail in the 2026 class over the past few weeks than Miami. All told, coach Mario Cristobal and his staff have added six 2026 pledges since Oct. 28, including four in the past six days headlined by No. 13 safety J.J. Dunnigan (No. 155 overall) and four-star defensive end DeAnthony Lafayette, a recent LSU decommit.
And as NC State visits on Saturday, the Hurricanes might not be done yet.
Sources tell ESPN that Miami is eager to pick up another safety alongside Dunnigan, and the Hurricanes have been heavily involved in the recruitment of four-star Blake Stewart, who pulled his pledge from Clemson last month. Stewart was last on campus at Miami during his official visit in June. The Hurricanes are joined by Georgia among the leading contenders for Stewart.
Four-star Wisconsin running back pledge Amari Latimer is another key target. Miami has been battling Ohio State and Tennessee for the nation's 20th-ranked rusher this fall. It remains to be seen how the Badgers' decision to retain coach Luke Fickell will impact Latimer's recruitment.
Colorado tight end commit Gavin Mueller is expected to visit this weekend alongside a number of recent Hurricanes commits, including Dunnigan and defensive lineman Keshawn Stancil. Pledged to Colorado since May, Mueller already has visited Miami once this fall, and sources expect the Hurricanes to make another heavy push to flip his commitment this weekend.
Rivals programs circling Florida defensive back commits
Florida's 2026 class has remained intact since coach Billy Napier's firing last month. But there could be movement in the weeks ahead, particularly among the Gators' trio of top-300, in-state defensive back commits: cornerback C.J. Bronaugh and safeties Kaiden Hall and C.J. Hester.
Bronaugh (No. 245 overall) committed to Florida in June and kept in touch with Gators defensive backs coach Deron Wilson following Napier's exit. Michigan and Texas are among the schools pursuing Bronaugh, but ESPN's No. 25 cornerback told ESPN that Ohio State has been the most active program in his recruitment since the Buckeyes offered on Oct. 25.
Bronaugh has been impressed with the pitch presented by Buckeyes secondary coach Tim Walton. Ohio State has already flipped Florida State cornerback Lawrence Timmons (No. 195 overall) this month, and Bronaugh now stands as the program's next target at the position as he prepares to visit the Buckeyes for the first time this weekend.
"I'm going to take this visit, see how it is," Bronaugh told ESPN. "When I come home, I'll talk it all out with my family and go from there."
Ole Miss has intensified its efforts with Hall (No. 205 overall) in recent weeks, and the program is set to host the 6-foot-3 safety from Milton, Florida, for an official visit on Saturday when the Rebels host Florida. Sources tell ESPN that Hall continues to see his future with the Gators, but he intends to explore his options amid Florida's coaching search with Georgia Tech also involved.
Sources tell ESPN that Missouri and Iowa are the leaders in the late-cycle recruitment of Hester, ESPN's No. 289 overall recruit. Hester visited Missouri in September but has not taken any additional trips outside of Florida since. Iowa State, UCF, Vanderbilt and Wisconsin are among the other programs in the mix if Hester chooses to formally reopen his recruitment this month.
Checking in on the 2026 wide receiver market
Former Penn State commit Lavar Keys, out of Hyattsville, Maryland, will announce his commitment Sunday between finalists Indiana, Kansas State and Maryland.
The three-star pass catcher decommitted from the Nittany Lions hours after the program fired coach James Franklin on Oct. 12. Indiana and Maryland were among the schools that had already been pursuing Keys this fall, and the elusive, 5-foot-10 playmaker from DeMatha Catholic (Maryland) High School visited both programs over the last month. Initially set for a Nov. 29 trip to Kansas State -- which extended an offer on Oct. 14 -- Keys told ESPN that he will not ultimately visit the Wildcats before he closes his reopened recruitment this weekend.
"I want to go to a school that's going to develop me and prepare me for the next level," Keys told ESPN. "It's going to be a school that does good with their development. I've got to make sure it's an offense that fits me and my skillset."
All signs point toward Keys landing at Indiana.
He's grown close with Maryland's coaching staff over the past few years. But after experiencing the upheaval at Penn State earlier this fall, Keys is wary of potential instability surrounding the program and Terps coach Mike Locksley. And despite a fast-forming relationship with Kansas State assistant Matthew Middleton, the Wildcats' late-emerging interest may not be enough to secure Keys' pledge.
The Hoosiers, meanwhile, boast not only on-field success en route to consecutive College Football Playoff appearances, but also a proven track record utilizing undersized wide receivers, such as Ke'Shawn Williams and Myles Price, under offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan. Keys is a fit for Indiana, and he could soon arrive as the top-ranked wide receiver in the program's 2026 class, which is expected to grow before the early signing period.
Keys' commitment on Sunday will represent one of the first dominoes to fall in the wide receiver market this month. Here's the latest on some of the nation's other high-profile pass catchers:
Davion Brown, No. 109 overall: ESPN's No. 13 wide receiver prospect has kept a low profile since pulling his commitment from Penn State on Oct. 13. Brown played for a state title with Virginia's Trinity Episcopal School Friday night. With his senior season now closed, Brown's process is expected to heat up in the coming weeks with Duke, Indiana, Kansas State, Maryland and Nebraska among the interested programs.
Jayden Petit, No. 178 overall: The Wisconsin commit has attracted significant flip interest this fall. Sources believe the Badgers' move to keep coach Luke Fickell in charge could bolster Wisconsin's chances of hanging onto Petit's pledge. But Oklahoma remains involved in Petit's process following his visit to the Sooners last month, and Petit is expected on campus at Washington this weekend while Louisville and South Florida are also keeping tabs.
Jayden Warren, No. 237 overall: Committed to Houston since July, Warren is facing a late-cycle decision between the Cougars and Texas A&M. After visiting Houston in Week 11, his trip to see the Aggies host South Carolina on Sunday could be decisive, one way or another.
Marquez Daniel, No. 247 overall: At 6-foot-5, Daniel projects as a potential Day 1 playmaker at the next level and he remains the fourth-ranked skill position commit in Florida's 2026 class. Tulane has emerged as a surprise contender in Daniel's process, and he's set to visit the Green Wave on Saturday. Sources tell ESPN that Auburn and Miami also remain in the mix.
Tyren Hornes, No. 290 overall: The former Michigan State commit has courted interest from Auburn, Penn State and Washington, among others, since pulling his pledge from the Spartans in early October. Hornes was also previously committed to UCF earlier in his recruitment, and the pass catcher from Sarasota, Florida, returned for a visit with the Knights on Friday. Hornes also visited Auburn last month and could take another trip to see the Tigers later this month.
How recent commits fit with their new schools
Miami and Ohio State have been two of the nation's two busiest programs in the 2026 class over the past week. ESPN College Football National recruiting coordinator Craig Haubert breaks down how the newcomers in each program's respective class will fit when they land on campus:
Safety J.J. Dunnigan, Miami, No. 155 in ESPN 300: He's a tall, lengthy defender with a great frame to develop into the mold of players currently in the Hurricanes' secondary, like Zechariah Poyser and the outgoing Jakobe Thomas. While those two defensive backs have been productive, Dunnigan can be an even more impactful piece not only because he could get bigger and bring excellent range, but also because he moves well for his size. Dunnigan showed strong coverage skills against some of the nation's top receivers at the Under Armour All-America Game, and he could end up being a versatile player within Miami's secondary.
CB Lawrence Timmons, Ohio State, No. 195 in ESPN 300: With the Buckeyes set to lose several contributors in the secondary after this season, Timmons helps them to reload with more talent. A sturdy defensive back, Timmons doesn't shy away from an opportunity to compete, and he posted strong testing numbers this offseason. On the field, he has proved to be a savvy route runner on offense, and that agility and knowledge serves him well on defense, where he blends speed and physicality. He will immediately bolster Ohio State's depth with the potential to contribute in a rotational role and/or on special teams next fall. From there, Timmons has all the tools to be among the Buckeyes' next top defensive backs down the line.
ATH Legend Bey, Ohio State, No. 24 athlete: A dual-threat high school quarterback, Bey has rushed and thrown for over 1,000 yards in each of the past two seasons and can certainly assume a role in college at quarterback. The natural instinct would be to move him to running back or wide receiver at the next level. While Bey lacks ideal height, he's a unique playmaker that could be developed into a player in the mold of Washington QB Demond Williams Jr, who is also roughly 5-foot-11 but has thrown for over 2,000 yards so far this season. If that is not the path, Bey could be an offensive weapon used much in the same way of former Ohio State standout, Curtis Samuel.
DE DeAnthony Lafayette, Miami, No. 47 defensive end: He lacks some in the measurables department in terms of height and physical upside. If you can look past that, as LSU and now Miami have, you see a very good football player. A shade under 6-feet, Lafayette has good arm length for his build, possesses a good get-off and can set the edge and disrupt as a pass rusher with a nice blend of speed and power. The four-star pass rusher has amassed over 30 sacks over the past two seasons.
DT Emanuel Ruffin, Ohio State, No. 30 defensive tackle: The key for the Buckeyes will be pulling consistency out of Ruffin in his technique and having him better maximize the size he carries. The raw tools he flashes point to why they brought him into the mix. He can move well and is capable of exploding off the ball. He can be tough against the run and disrupt as an interior pass rusher, when he controls his pad level and uses his hands. Ruffin is one of five defensive line commits in Ohio State's 2026 class, which fits Ruffin as he comes into a group where he won't need to jump into a large role immediately and can instead work to further maximize his natural ability. In time, he can be a highly productive contributor on the Buckeyes' defensive front.
