Evening Update: As Some SEC East Teams Finish Their National Signing Day

It's that time of year again. National Signing Day has come and is wrapping up. But, Don't forget that prospects can submit their NLI's until Friday. This is usually the biggest day of the year -- hell, it's a holiday in the South -- as young players make their decisions about which school impressed them the most. But the transfer portal acts as the new gateway for players, and we're still in the learning curve of how it will affect the early signing period.

But as we look toward a wild day, it's still easy to get excited for your team. The celebrations that take place when a commit places a few hats on a table and fans hold their breath as they closely watch to see which one the recruit picks up. It's the small things, like watching a coaching staff on television go crazy for a recruit when his papers are faxed in or he announces on television. Signing Day is a wild celebration that makes grown men refresh their computers every minute, seeing if their favorite school has either landed or lost a commitment.

So, as we look forward to a crazy day of results, almost like a presidential election, let's take a look at where each SEC East team stands as of early Wednesday evening. These rankings are courtesy of 247Sports. 

Georgia (Ranked No.3 Currently)

The Dawgs have 26 commits as of right now and are looking to finish strong. They currently rank first in the country in the rankings. Kirby Smart has three 5-stars, 15 4-stars and eight 3-stars. They finished the 2021 Signing Day as fourth in the country, but have a strong chance to wrap up the overall signing period in the top-3.

Kentucky (Ranked No.12 currently)

The Wildcats have had a successful recruiting period, coming off a 9-win regular season. It finally feels as though Mark Stoops is putting the pieces together in Lexington. But as we all know, you have to continue proving it on the field. The Cats currently have 18 commits and will look to add more. They have one 5-star, seven 4-stars and nine 3-stars. This currently puts them fourth in the SEC overall.

Missouri (Ranked No.11 currently)

Talk about a surprise in the SEC. Eli Drinkwitz and his staff have the Tigers sitting at 5th overall in the conference and 3rd in the East. Now, we will see if this holds through the day. Most likely they will drop once other schools start signing more, but they currently have 15 commits. The Tigers have one 5-star, six 4-stars and eight 3-stars. The Tigers are holding their own right now, and this should be looked at as a successful day, even as other schools jump them.

South Carolina (Ranked No.23 currently)

The Gamecocks have put together a very nice class in Shane Beamer's first year at the helm. The additions of QB Spencer Rattler and TE Austin Stogner from Oklahoma will only help this team in the future. The way this staff has handled the transfer portal is another factor in how these teams are looking at high school recruiting, as they are finding other ways to add talent. They currently have no 5-stars, Three 4-stars and 18 3-stars, bringing the total to 21 commits at the moment. We will see if there are any surprises today.

Tennessee (Ranked No.13 currently)

Well, Josh Heupel and his staff have had to play catch-up this recruiting period. It sure didn't help things with the investigation that was happening, but they've had their opportunities with a good number of players. The one key thing that sticks out to me is the lack of in-state players. This is an area the staff must build upon in 2023. The biggest news Tennessee could've received was Hendon Hooker returning for another season, as this will greatly benefit the Vols' offense. They currently have Zero 5-stars, Seven 4-stars, Thirteen 3-stars and rank fourth in the East. The Vols coaching staff did a fantastic job of putting this class together, especially against the obstacles. Look for them to rely on the portal for a few key players, as they finish up the recruiting cycle until February.

Vanderbilt (Ranked No.37 currently)

How about the job Clark Lea and his staff have done on the recruiting trail. Coming off a 2-10 season, the Dores have been able to snag commitments from some really nice players, especially on defense. They rank 6th in the SEC East currently and 11th overall in the conference. The Dores have no 5-stars, no 4-stars, but 24 3-stars. This should be seen as a success for the first year staff. Though they will drop in the rankings, it shouldn't take away from the hard work these coaches have put in on the trail.

Florida (Ranked No.50 currently)

Well, with only eight commits right now, it's hard to tell exactly how things are going to look in the future for Billy Napier. But, he's maintained since he took the Florida job two weeks ago that patience should be practiced with this recruiting class. The firing of Dan Mullen didn't help with a few players, but let's not act like Mullen was killing it on the recruiting trail. Napier has a lot of work to do between now and the February signing period. Look for him to add players from the portal and sneak in a few guys today. They currently have One 5-Star, Five 4-stars and Four 3-stars, but these numbers should at least go up a bit. Adding elite safety Kamari Wilson was a nice touch.

Well, we've made it to Signing Day. Get ready to be upset over a young player choosing a different school or some kind of shenanigans on television that agitate a fan base. It's all about the allure of the day, which makes this day so wild. I am ready to see some surprises, because there's nothing like National Signing Day in the South.

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