Top-rated Group of Five commits at each position in the 2026 class

It remains a challenge to consistently recruit well as a Group of Five program. Just two schools — USF, Boise State — check in with a 2026 recruiting class inside the top 70 of the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings, as of Aug. 30.

With football season underway and not many top prospects left on the board coming out of the summer, the goal for many is to keep their class afloat and deny the Power Four schools who will eventually come calling for a prospect or two ahead of the December signing period.

Rivals looks at which G5 schools hold the highest-rated commitments by position group thus far:

QB — Deagan Rose (Oregon State)

School: Clovis (Calif.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 559 NATL. (No. 32 QB)
The Skinny: As Oregon State navigates its post Power Four life, it still manages to make an impact at the quarterback position. Rose, a top-50 player in the Golden State, committed to the Beavers last July and has remained solid since. After throwing for over 2,700 yards as a junior in 2024, he’s poised for a big senior season this fall. He threw for three touchdowns in Clovis’ season-opening win last weekend.

RB — Keilan Chavies (Tulsa)

School: Hutto (Texas)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 820 NATL. (No. 52 RB)
The Skinny: Despite piling up offers from Power Four programs like Houston, Kansas State, Texas Tech, Baylor and more, Chavies locked in with Tulsa on May 24. An electric all-purpose running back in the Lone Star State, Chavies had nearly 1,200 total yards as a junior and is looking to bolster his stock further this fall. “I chose TU because the coaches believe in me and my talent,” Chavies told Inside Tulsa Sports. “Coach Kam (Martin) has a clear plan for my skillset, and we believe I will have an opportunity to contribute to the success of the team early.”

WR — Trez Davis (Tulane)

School: West Monroe (La.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 381 NATL. (No. 58 WR)
The Skinny: Now a four-star prospect, Davis chose in-state Tulane in June, giving head coach Jon Sumrall and Co. a massive win on the trail. He, of course, headlines the 2026 class for the Green Wave and is now the No. 13 recruit in Louisiana this cycle, too. Playing for a notable high school program in The Boot, Davis will likely continue his surge this fall as West Monroe guns for a state title.

TE — Jalen Williams (USF)

School: Bloomington South (Ind.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 1,156 NATL. (No. 66 TE)
The Skinny: Alex Golesh and the Bulls landed a commitment from Williams in early June. He’s now the No. 19 prospect in Indiana this cycle. “I committed to USF because of the people, the environment and development with Coach (Jack) Taylor and Coach (Justin) Stolberg,” Williams told Bulls Insider last month. “Coming from never playing tight end to having to play it in college, I know I have to be somewhere I can develop and learn the position. Every time I step foot in the bay it feels like home.”

OT — John Watkins (Temple)

School: St. Frances Academy (Md.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 1,342 NATL. (No. 104 OT)
The Skinny: The Temple class has a Northeast flavor and Watkins is among that bunch. Playing for Baltimore powerhouse St. Frances Academy, the 6-foot-5, 330-pounder chose the Owls on June 8 amidst official visit season. The Panthers are now the No. 3 team in the nation, per the Massey Ratings, and Watkins will play a key role in the trenches this fall before making his way to Philadelphia next year.

IOL — Malik White (San Diego State)

School: Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 896 NATL. (No. 89 IOL)
The Skinny: The 6-foot-5, 300-pounder committed to the in-state Aztecs back in January. Set to be one of the top trench monsters in the Golden State this season, White chose San Diego State while also holding offers from the likes of Illinois, Arizona State, Utah and Syracuse. White is the longest-tenured commit in the SDSU class, too.

EDGE — Malachi Ervin (Buffalo)

School: Pickerington North (Ohio)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 1,090 NATL. (No. 92 EDGE)
The Skinny: Buffalo currently has the No. 3 class in the MAC this cycle and Ervin checks in as the No. 2 pledge in the fold for head coach Pete Lambo and Co. The No. 47 recruit in Ohio, Ervin chose the Bulls over a slew of other G5 programs, as well as Pittsburgh and Iowa State. Pickerington North is a program on the rise in Ohio and Ervin will look to guide the Panthers to a notable 2025 season.

DL — Jude Okeleke (Temple)

School: The Taft School (Conn.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 667 NATL. (No. 69 DL)
The Skinny: The No. 3 recruit in Connecticut and the top-ranked prospect in Temple’s 2026 class, Okeleke looks the part. He committed to the Owls on June 19, choosing the AAC program over the likes of Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Duke and West Virginia. Okeleke checks in at 6-foot-1 and 285 pounds,

LB — Chad Fairchild (East Carolina)

School: Lovejoy (Ga.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 878 NATL. (No. 76 LB)
The Skinny: Another prospect who garnered serious Power Four attention but opted to head elsewhere, Fairchild chose East Carolina on June 16. The 6-foot-1, 215-pounder visited the likes of NC State, South Carolina and Georgia Tech, but the Pirates won out after his official visit to Greenville. ECU checks in with the No. 5 class in the AAC to date and Fairchild sits atop the pledge list.

CB — Kamden Jennings (James Madison)

School: Denmark (Ga.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 650 NATL. (No. 63 CB)
The Skinny: James Madison currently has the No. 3 class in the Sun Belt and Jennings sits atop the class to date. The 5-foot-10 defensive back committed to the Dukes on June 20 during official visit season. He’s the No. 73 recruit in Georgia this cycle and the lone Peach State recruit in the class for head coach Bob Chesney.

S — Amari Jones (USF)

School: IMG Academy (Fla.)
Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 765 NATL. (No. 71 S)
The Skinny: No high school program has as many ranked prospects on its roster as IMG Academy in Bradenton. Jones is one of the Ascenders’ top defensive backs this season and he locked in with the in-state Bulls back in April. Unlike some of the top prospects at IMG, Jones is a Florida native, checking in out of Dunnellon. He’s the top-ranked commit in USF’s 2026 class to date.