📠 The first Wednesday in February used to be special

Today: Remembering Signing Days past, the highest-paid recruits, the most impactful portal moves, and checking in with Jim Phillips.

~8 minute read (1,720 words)

If this email was forwarded to you, please subscribe.

NATIONAL SIGNING DAY

Let's gather 'round the fax machine and remember when the February signing day was the greatest day

The only constant in college football is change. Resisting that is usually pointless. Still, today is the first Wednesday in February, and this day should be more special than it currently feels.

Fans woke up early, refreshed Rivals.com obsessively, and waited for breaking news. National Signing Day was an event, complete with drama, anticipation, and occasional chaos. It was theater. Today, it still exists in name, but not in spirit.

Players in the 2026 class are allowed to sign beginning at 7 a.m. local time, yet most already signed in December. Only a handful of prospects remain, and the rituals that once defined the day have largely disappeared. Fax machines are gone. Live announcements barely register. The urgency has faded.

That matters because National Signing Day once delivered moments that defined the sport's culture...

We got Isaiah Crowell committing to Georgia with the puppy version of Uga.
We got Miami linebacker Willie Williams chronicling official visits to Florida State, Auburn, and Miami in the pages of the Miami Herald. Sample paragraph (from the Florida State visit):"I ordered a steak and a lobster tail. The lobster tail was like $49.99. I couldn't believe something so little could cost so much. The steak didn't even have a price. The menu said something about market value. I was kind of embarrassed so I didn't order a lot. But then I saw what the other guys were ordering, I was like, 'Forget this.' I called the waiter back and told him to bring me four lobster tails, two steaks and a Shrimp Scampi." The story about Williams' trip to Florida the weekend before NSD never got written because Williams was accused of crimes in three separate incidents in three different locations. With charges pending, Williams signed with Miami that Wednesday.
We got Alex Collins' mom refusing to sign her son's paperwork and then hiring a lawyer because she disagreed with his choice of Arkansas.
We got Landon Collins signing with Alabama even though his mother had accused then-Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban of offering Collins' girlfriend a job. Mother April Justin, who wanted Collins to go to home-state LSU, also shot her son this look when he announced his intent to play for Alabama at the Under Armour All-America game the previous December.

Strange things still happen, like Legend Bey's situation this year, but they are drowned out by the College Football Playoff, the transfer portal, and a new financial reality. "We got the DocuSign" simply doesn't carry the same weight as "The fax is in."

In today's landscape, the paperwork that matters most is tied to revenue sharing and buyouts, not National Letters of Intent. Many freshmen enroll early, sign multiple agreements, and begin offseason workouts weeks before February arrives. Returning to a single signing day would not restore what has been lost.

And that's OK. The world moves on. The things we loved at the turn of the century become the things that cause our kids to roll their eyes when we wax nostalgic.

If a fax machine still exists in some football building, can someone just point a camera at it and turn on the live stream? We'd probably watch for at least a few minutes.

Read Andy Staples' full story here.

NCAA FOOTBALL

Inside the NIL negotiations with the 2026 recruiting class

Lincoln Riley, Mark Bowman, Jackson Cantwell, Joey McGuire

The value of high school recruiting has shifted dramatically over the last five years as the transfer portal reshaped roster construction. Elite programs now devote a growing share of their payrolls to retaining starters and acquiring proven college talent in what has effectively become the sport's free agency.

Still, high school recruiting remains essential to building a full 105-man roster. Wednesday marks National Signing Day, once treated as a national holiday in college football. Today, however, the process looks far more professionalized. Nearly every top-300 recruit now has representation, and many expect to be paid immediately upon arrival on campus.

"The agents wanting to broker junior day visits," an SEC general manager told On3. "They have official visit expectations. A fucking flight and hotel rooms for a high school kid for junior day. And then $1,000 for an official visit."

On3 spoke with 13 Power Four general managers and NIL personnel staffers to understand what the 2026 recruiting cycle looked like: which programs spent the most, which recruits commanded the jaw-dropping deals, and which staffs believe they're using their money smarter than the competition. Sources were given anonymity to speak freely about how the 2026 recruiting class came together.

The biggest spenders

Of the 13 staffers surveyed, 12 pointed to USC as the biggest spender in the 2026 class. USC currently sits No. 1 in the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Ranking with 35 commits, including two five-stars. One SEC source estimated the class cost between $10 and $12 million, while another noted much of the spending was front-loaded before revenue sharing took effect last summer.

"They're doing something because they spent a lot of fucking money," a Big 12 general manager said. "They got a good class. But is Lincoln Riley going to be the one to see them grow up?"

Texas Tech was the second-most mentioned program, with Miami, Oregon, and Texas A&M also frequently cited. One SEC general manager said the "Texas Tech tax" is real, with agents referencing Red Raiders offers to drive up prices elsewhere.

While USC spent heavily, Georgia was repeatedly mentioned as the program that used its money most efficiently. Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech, Alabama, and Washington were also cited as schools maximizing value.

"To get a four-star kid away from Georgia, you have to outspend them by a ton," an ACC general manager said. "But they're not paying a lot because it's Kirby Smart and they're consistently winning."

Top-paid 2026 recruits

When asked about the highest-paid recruits, seven of the 13 staffers pointed to Jackson Cantwell, a five-star offensive tackle committed to Miami, who is expected to earn more than $2 million in Year 1.

Vanderbilt five-star quarterback Jared Curtis, who flipped from Georgia in December, was the next most-cited name, with several staffers estimating his first-year earnings around $2 million.

USC tight end Mark Bowman was also mentioned by multiple general managers, with sources estimating his total deal between $5 and $6.5 million over three years.

"Mark Bowman got paid," a Big 12 general manager said. "That guy has to be a major hit."

As for some of the dumbest amenity requests? "Whoever caved into giving out the first car for free deserves to lose their job," said an SEC GM. That has not stopped some jaw-dropping requests.

"We had a kid ask for a signing bonus, flight stipend, jersey number choice guaranteed, insurance policy, loss of home and disability, vehicle stipend, stipend for rental house, award campaign push, preferred walk-on spot, tickets to home and away games, and field passes for agents," a Big Ten general manager said.

Don't miss the full story from Pete Nakos.

TRANSFER PORTAL

Ari Wasserman's most impactful moves in this year's college football transfer portal window

Cam Coleman, Sam Leavitt, Byrum Brown, Darian Mensah

College football's transfer portal window has closed, and rosters are largely set for the 2026 season. The focus now shifts to sorting through the movement and projecting which teams have taken meaningful steps toward contention.

Which portal additions mattered most this cycle? Here are the top 10 most impactful movers, counting down from five to one.

5. DE John Henry Daley: Utah to Michigan

Michigan could have been destabilized after the unexpected loss of Sherrone Moore, but the Wolverines responded by hiring former Utah coach Kyle Whittingham and bringing Daley with him. In his first season as a full-time starter, Daley posted 17.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks in just 11 games, ranking among the national leaders in both categories. Michigan's identity has always been tied to dominant edge play, and Daley fits that mold perfectly.

4. OT Jacarrius Peak: NC State to South Carolina

After Indiana's championship run, the sport has spent months dissecting the value of age and experience. Peak checks both boxes. He started 33 games at NC State, a profile rarely available in the portal. South Carolina already has elite athleticism at the skill positions, including Nyck Harbor, and adding a veteran tackle helps stabilize the offensive line and protect quarterback LaNorris Sellers in a pivotal season.

3. DE Damon Wilson II: Missouri to Miami

Miami's path to the national title game last season was fueled by elite edge play from Ruben Bain and Akheem Mesidor, both of whom are now in the NFL. Mario Cristobal responded by landing Wilson, who recorded nine sacks at Missouri. While Miami's offense will be dangerous behind quarterback Darian Mensah, replacing that defensive havoc was critical, and Wilson gives the Hurricanes another disruptive force up front.

2. QB Sam Leavitt: Arizona State to LSU

Lane Kiffin's move from Ole Miss to LSU dominated the offseason, and the Tigers capped the transition by landing one of the portal's top quarterbacks. Leavitt played a major role in Arizona State's College Football Playoff run two years ago, even if some of the spotlight went elsewhere. He brings consistency, poise, and playmaking ability to Baton Rouge and positions LSU to contend immediately in Kiffin's first season.

1. WR Cam Coleman: Auburn to Texas

Quarterbacks dominate portal rankings for good reason, but Coleman may have been the best overall player available. His production at Auburn was limited by inconsistent quarterback play, yet his talent was obvious. Coleman is an NFL-caliber receiver now paired with Arch Manning in Steve Sarkisian's offense. Texas already had championship aspirations, and adding a true difference-maker on the perimeter raises the Longhorns' ceiling even higher. Coleman is the closest thing college football has to Jeremiah Smith.

See Wasserman's full Top 10.

🚨Headlines

NCAA FOOTBALL

ACC's Jim Phillips on changing tiebreakers, future realignment, Notre Dame, football success & more

With Sunday marking Jim Phillips' five-year anniversary as the ACC's commissioner, Phillips conducted a Q&A with On3's Brett McMurphy. He discussed several topics, including conference realignment (past and future), the challenges presented by Florida State and Clemson, and a very public discourse with Notre Dame. The portion below is an excerpt of the full interview, which can be read here.

Will the ACC change its football title game tiebreakers?

"Certainly. We commiserated (with the other power conference commissioners) that what happened this year could have happened to anybody and it wasn't from a lack of effort. We had spent quite a bit of time on (the tiebreaker format) with our ADs and head football coaches, but who would have ever thought we would go to the seventh tiebreaker with five teams tied at 6-2. You live and learn, and you're better for it."

The ACC went through some challenging times directly associated with a few of its members. Despite this, how has the ACC thrived when those schools were publicly indicating their desire to potentially leave the league?

"I would say in any of those types of issues and challenges, you have to work collaboratively together. That's what we did. It was a difficult period of time, but you have to stay steady, stay consistent. It's no time to overreact. My job is to bring the league together in all times and issues and we were able to do that.

"I'm proud of how we were able to navigate something that really no one had ever seen or experienced before. I give the credit to our great board of directors, our presidents and chancellors, and our athletic directors. But I needed to be really consistent with them and try to take some of the emotion away from it and get to the end result. That is Florida State and Clemson are better being in the ACC, and the ACC is better having Florida State and Clemson within the league. Everyone agreed with that.

"I'm pleased where we came out on this. There's been no residual from that. I haven't felt it and I certainly haven't seen it within the league's dynamics. That's a credit to everybody involved. Sometimes, when you go through those types of periods, it really galvanizes you as a group and brings the group together. We've not looked back since that period of time. There was an awful lot of things said and written about what was going to happen to the ACC and none of that was true, other than we came together and we got to a really successful conclusion for all."

What's your relationship with Notre Dame following their public remarks about the ACC at the beginning of December?

"We're in a really good place with Notre Dame, and reconciliation is something that's important in my life and in others, and you're not always going to see eye to eye on every issue with everyone. I really feel we handled it in a very professional and respectful manner. (Notre Dame AD) Pete (Bevacqua) and I got together. We talked quite a bit, but we got together a week after the public discourse and had a great conversation.

"Since then, I've seen Pete and (Notre Dame president) father Bob (Dowd) and talked with them. It makes a relationship stronger to me when you go through some difficult periods. We all learned quite a bit. I feel really good about it. Notre Dame is a really important member of the ACC and Notre Dame enjoys being in the ACC and values that tremendously. I know the ACC values tremendously Notre Dame being part of the league, and that has not changed one iota."

Read the full interview here.

TRIVIA

Now here's a guy...

Below, you'll find 3 facts about a random college football player. You'll try to guess who the player is based on the facts. Let's go.

I was a four-year starter at Texas, finishing my college career with 5,540 rushing yards, second in school history behind only Ricky Williams.
In 2004, I won the Doak Walker Award as the nation's top running back after rushing for more than 1,800 yards and earning first-team All-American honors.
I was selected fourth overall in the 2005 NFL Draft and spent eight seasons in the league as a running back for the Bears, Bengals, and Packers.

Answer at the bottom.

SHAREWORTHY