Alabama, Oklahoma, Michigan State and Clemson all have key players to replace in order to get back to the NCAA college football playoffs.
Video: Who's Out, Who's In: CFB Playoff TeamsAlabama, Clemson, Oklahoma and Michigan State, the four teams that reached the College Football National Championships, all have key players that they need to replace next year. Of those four teams, none rank higher than the top 8 in the
247Sports team recruiting rankings.
Alabama has the No. 8 recruiting class among the four playoff teams while Michigan State is No. 9. Clemson comes in at No. 10 while Oklahoma is No. 28.
Of course the rankings will likely drastically change on National Signing Day, when the remaining uncommitted top recruits make their decisions.
See the latest photos, video and info on top recruits on our National Signing Day PageHere's a look at some of the key players each team needs to replace and who has been recruited to replace them.
Jonah Williams could be an immediate replacement on the offensive line for Alabama.
Photo by Chris Trim
The Sooners' biggest losses are at linebacker, where Dominique Alexander, Devante Bond and Eric Striker have departed. Oklahoma's top linebacker recruit is
Bryce Youngquist of
Los Osos (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.), ranked No. 16 at the position by 247Sports.
Oklahoma also has gaps to fill on the offensive line with the departures of Ty Darlington at center and Nila Kasitati at guard. The Sooners bring in
Johncarlo Valentin of
Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia), ranked No. 17 at the position.
Other key defensive departures include Charles Tapper at defensive end and Zach Sanchez at cornerback. Oklahoma has two of the nation's top recruits at those spots in
Amani Bledsoe of
Lawrence (Kan.), the No. 8 defensive end, and
Jordan Parker of
Pittsburg (Calif.), the No. 16 cornerback.
Alabama
The national champion loses an anchor on the offensive line at right tackle in Dominick Jackson, but they might have an ample replacement in
Folsom (Calif.) tackle
Jonah Williams, a 6-foot-5, 296-pound All-American ranked No. 2 in the nation by 247Sports.
The Crimson Tide also loses Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry at running back.
Freedom (Morganton, N.C.) running back
B.J. Emmons, a four-star recruit ranked No. 2 in the nation at his position, will be asked to fill those big shoes.
Dillon Lee and Reggie Ragland are key players gone at linebacker. So far,
Riley Cole of
Oneonta (Ala.), ranked No. 63 at the position, is the only linebacker among Alabama's 16 recruits.
Quarterback Jake Coker is also gone. Replacing him could be dual-threat quarterback recruit
Jalen Hurts of
Channelview (Texas), ranked No. 4 at the position and No. 179 nationally, is the only quarterback recruit for the Crimson Tide.
ClemsonThe runners-up to Alabama in the National Championship Game, Clemson returns Heisman Trophy candidate DeShaun Watson at quarterback, but it loses receiver Charone Peake.
Tavien Feaster of
Spartanburg (S.C.), the No. 1-ranked all-purpose player in the nation by 247Sports and the No. 1 player in the state of South Carolina, could be an ample replacement.
Clemson also picked up commitments from receivers
Cornell Powell of
Rose (Greenville, N.C.), ranked No. 27 at receiver, and
Diondre Overton of
Page (Greensboro, N.C.), ranked No. 38.
The Tigers lost key defensive players Shaq Lawson and Kevin Dodd at defensive end and B.J. Goodson and Travis Blanks at linebacker. However, Clemson picked up one of the top recruits in the nation in
Dexter Lawrence II of
Wake Forest (Forest, N.C.), the No. 3 overall player by 247Sports and the No. 2 defensive tackle in the country.
At linebacker, the Tigers bring in
Tre' Lamar of
Roswell (Ga.), the No. 2 ranked player at inside linebacker, and
Rahshaun Smith of
IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), the No. 3-ranked inside linebacker.
Michigan StateSome of the Spartans' key losses come at wide receiver, where Aaron Burbridge and Macgarrett Kings Jr. are gone. However the top player in the state,
Donnie Corley of
King (Detroit) has already enrolled. He is ranked No. 15 at the position by 247Sports.
Trishton Jackson of
West Bloomfield (Mich.), ranked No. 44 at the position, has also committed to the Spartans as has
Justin Layne of
Benedictine (Cleveland), the No. 39-ranked receiver and
Cameron Chambers of
Timber Creek Regional (Erial, N.J.), the No. 48-ranked receiver.
Michigan State also lost key offensive linemen Jack Allen at center, Donovan Clark at guard and Jack Conklin at tackle. The Spartans will try to replace them with
Thiyo Lukasa of
DePaul Catholic (Wayne, N.J.), the No. 37-ranked tackle,
Matt Allen of
Hinsdale Central (Hinsdale, Ill.), the No. 10-ranked center, and
A.J. Arcuri of
Olentangy Liberty (Powell, Ohio), the No. 86-ranked offensive tackle.
Michigan State's toughest replacement might be quarterback Connor Cook. The only quarterback recruited so far is pro-style passer
Messiah Deweaver of
Trotwood-Madison (Trotwood, Ohio), who is ranked No. 11 at the position and No. 257 nationally.
The Spartans have several key recruits on the defensive line in
Joshua King of
Hinsdale South (Darien, Ill.) and
Auston Robertson of
Fort Wayne Wayne (Ind.). King is ranked No. 6 at the position while Robertson is ranked No. 9. They will help replace departing defensive linemen Joel Heath and Lawrence Thomas.
