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National Signing Day 2023: Predictions for Top Recruits After CFP Championship

Maurice Bobb

Georgia just dominated TCU to the tune of 65-7 for its second straight College Football Playoff championship.

That should translate in big recruiting wins for the rest of this year.

With that in mind, the focus now turns to national signing day, when schools are trying to line up some big-time recruits to add to their rosters.

Traditionally, the majority of blue-chip prospects sign on the dotted line in December, but there are still some holdouts who wait until February.

Those talented footballers have until February 1 to declare their intentions, which will in turn give insight on which programs have the best chance to experience what Georgia just accomplished.

With just a few weeks until the deadline, here's a look at three of the top undeclared prospects on the board and where they might sign.

Rodrick Pleasant, CB, Gardena, CA

Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Got the need for speed? Rodrick Pleasant has it in droves.

This past season, he set the state record in the 100 meters (10.14 seconds).

That speed didn't just help him make a name for himself on the track; it translated to the football field, where he became one of the top cornerbacks in the nation.

Checking in at No. 86 on 247Sports' composite rankings, the standout from Junipero Serra in Gardena, California, is a force to be reckoned with on defense.

Right now, Boston College, Cal, Miami, Oregon and UCLA are on his list, with no favorite listed in 247Sports' crystal ball.

But what is known is that he'll be a two-sport athlete and will likely choose the program that gives him the freedom to pursue both.

Prediction: Pleasant signs with UCLA.

Nyckoles Harbor, Edge, Washington, D.C.

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When scouts say that Nyckoles Harbor is an elite athlete, they are not kidding.

Standing 6'5" and 225 pounds, Harbor is big, strong and fast.

"Fast" isn't a term used loosely, either. He ran 10.28 seconds in the 100 meters and 20.79 in the 200 meters last year.

Harbor also has athleticism in the genes, as his father, Jean, played for the United States men's national soccer team.

And while he's listed as an edge, he could also play tight end, which he did so in the Under Armour All-America Game last week.

Harbor is listed as No. 16 on 247Sports' composite rankings, and all other players ranked above him are already committed to their program of choice.

Harbor remains undecided, but he told On3's Joseph Hastings last week that he has five finalists: Maryland, Michigan, Oregon, South Carolina and USC.

His continued interest in the Wolverines will likely hinge on whether or not Jim Harbaugh stays in Ann Arbor or bolts for the NFL.

It should be noted that the 247Sports crystal ball prediction has him 100 percent going to South Carolina.

The fact that Harbaugh might be on the move and Michigan might see some fallout because of NCAA investigations greatly enhances the Gamecocks' chances to be Harbor's choice.

Either way, the team that lands Harbor will instantly see a huge bump in their recruiting class rankings.

Prediction: Harbor signs with South Carolina.

Duce Robinson, TE, Phoenix

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Most of the top 20 players in the country have already selected the school they'll be playing for next year, but Duce Robinson, who is ranked No. 17 by 247Sports, is still weighing his options.

Luckily for Robinson, he's so good that programs will wait for him to announce where he's taking his impressive talents.

But like the old saying goes, a closed mouth won't get fed, so other players are actively recruiting Robinson to come to their school.

That includes the country's No. 1 recruit, Arch Manning.

Manning already decided to take his impressive family pedigree to Texas, and the quarterback has been busy recruiting Robinson as his security blanket to throw to.

And it's easy to see why.

Robinson has immaculate hands, speed and agility for his size (6'6", 225 lbs).

He's also a two-sport athlete (baseball and football) who is talented enough to get drafted by an MLB team.

Right now, Georgia is program to beat, and that could be a very tall order considering what the Bulldogs just pulled off against TCU.

But Manning is a generational quarterback, and teaming up with him could be one of the best moves of his young career.

The 247Sports crystal ball has him at 81.8 percent signing with the Bulldogs, but don't count out the Longhorns.

Prediction: Robinson signs with Texas.

   

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