One of the top skills a college coach can have that differentiates them from other levels of their sport is the ability to recognize talent across the country, establish a relationship, and convince them to come to their university to compete.
As a result, coaches can build a reputation for themselves as recruiters and parlay that success into upgraded roles, particularly position coaches at the college football level. Three of the top seven recruiters from the 2021 cycle serve as head coaches heading into 2025.
With the 2025 recruiting cycle approaching a close, who are the top 10 recruiters in college football for the Class of 2026?
Class of 2026 — Top 10 Recruiters in College Football
All information is accurate as of Feb. 19, 2025, according to 247Sports’ Composite Coach Rankings.
1) Doug Belk, Secondary Coach, USC
Currently credited with three recruits in the 2026 cycle, including two four-stars, USC Trojans coach Doug Belk joined the program in 2024 after spending half a decade with the Houston Cougars.
At Houston, Delk served as the defensive coordinator and associate head coach, helping lead a defense that transitioned from the AAC to the Big 12. In his first season in the Big 12 (2023), he landed four defensive players on CSN’s All-Big 12 teams. However, his best season came in 2021.
2) Tony Tuioti, Defensive Line Coach, Oregon
After spending time at Nebraska, Tony Tuioti joined the Oregon Ducks’ staff under Dan Lanning during his inaugural season in 2021. Since then, he has led one of the premier defensive-line pipelines in college football, sending players like Brandon Dorlus, Derrick Harmon, and Jordan Burch to the NFL.
He has been especially connected with the West Coast and Hawaii/Pacific Islands, which Lanning has lauded in the past, and he has logged three four-star recruits for the 2026 class already.
3) D.J. Durkin, Defensive Coordinator, Auburn
D.J. Durkin has been all over Southeast America in the last decade, spending time with five programs in seven seasons between the NFL and college football. However, his connections have landed him in a solid position with an Auburn defense that’s looking to improve in 2025.
If the Tigers can turn things around, especially after a promising transfer class after the 2024 season, then Auburn could be in a strong position to recruit after losing its footing to Alabama over the last decade.
4) Aazaar Abdul-Rahim, Co-Defensive Coordinator, Maryland
With the No. 4 player in the nation in his pocket (edge rusher Zion Elee from Saint Frances Academy in Baltimore), Maryland co-DC Aazaar Abdul-Rahim has a solid start in the Class of 2026.
Abdul-Rahim joined Maryland in 2024 after four seasons at Boston College and has deep ties to the DMV area due to his long-time residency at programs in the region. With Boston College, he worked with several key players as a co-DC/DBs coach, like Elijah Jones and Jaiden Woodbey.
5) Burl Toler III, Wide Receivers Coach, UCLA
After playing at Cal and returning for two separate stints as an assistant coach, Burl Toler III joined the UCLA Bruins for the 2025 season in several different roles (listed as an assistant coach and passing game coordinator/recruiting coordinator/wide receivers coach on the UCLA website).
Notably, Toler recruited and coached J.Michael Sturdivant, who transferred to UCLA in 2023 and Florida in 2025 after a 755-yard, seven-TD season with Cal in 2022. He is credited with four recruits, including two four-star receivers.
6) Sean Spencer, Defensive Line Coach, Texas A&M
Sean Spencer joined the Texas A&M coaching staff in 2024 as the defensive line coach, and while he did not get a ton of individual production out of his trio of star pass rushers (Nic Scourton: five sacks; Shemar Turner: two; Shemar Stewart: 1.5), his reputation proceeds him.
He led a defensive line at Florida that included players like Princely Umanmielen and Gervon Dexter Sr. but has made a claim as a top recruiter, landing big fish like Micah Parsons (Penn State) and LJ McCray (Florida), as well as a laundry list of other stars like Saquon Barkley and Odafe Oweh.
7) Holmon Wiggins, Wide Receivers Coach, Texas A&M
Holmon Wiggins is not a new name to these lists, as the Texas A&M Aggies often prioritize top recruiters. Wiggins was at Alabama from 2019-23 and brought in several notable names like Julian Sayin, Ja’Corey Brooks, and Agiye Hall, among others.
With the Aggies, he’s set to coach a wide receiver room in 2025 that includes transfers like Kevin Concepcion, Mario Craver, and Micah Hudson, as well as returning players like Terry Bussey. He has a pair of four-star receivers on the ledger for 2026.
8) Donté Williams, Defensive Backs Coach, Georgia
With nearly two decades of experience coaching defensive backs, Donté Williams joined the Georgia Bulldogs in 2024 after spending multiple seasons with the USC Trojans. While there, he worked with players like Mekhi Blackmon under Lincoln Riley’s staff.
However, his bevy of experience with high-end recruits (credited with landing multiple five-star players like Zachariah Branch, Domani Jackson, and Justin Flowe) gives him an edge on the trails.
9) Marcus Davis, Wide Receivers Coach, Auburn
Cam Coleman was the big get for Marcus Davis during the 2024 cycle, and his electric freshman season will only further facilitate the Tigers’ recruiting efforts, though both of Davis’ four-star WR recruits for 2026 are currently from out of state.
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However, with Horatio Fields and Eric Singleton Jr. in the fold for 2025, the Tigers could be ready to swing back their standing in the state of Alabama in due time.
10) Frank Wilson, Associate Head Coach, LSU
Frank Wilson joined the LSU Tigers in 2022, his second stint after being with the team from 2010-15. During his initial run, he landed five-star players like Leonard Fournette, Anthony Johnson, and Jarvis Landry, all of whom came from in-state.
Since rejoining the program, he has also signed five-star athletes like Harold Perkins Jr., Dominick McKinley, and Harlem Berry. With a strong résumé, Wilson is in a strong position to continue landing top talent in a fertile area of the country for football talent.
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