COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW
AMERICAN CONFERENCE RECRUITING REPORT

Tulane sets the pace as USF stays firmly in the national picture
The 2029 recruiting cycle solidified a clear top tier in the American Conference, with Tulane emerging as the league’s most complete and nationally competitive class. The Green Wave finished 21st nationally, signing 17 prospects highlighted by one five-star and nine four-star recruits. Tulane’s 208.05 points represent the highest total in the conference and one of the strongest AAC classes of the modern era, blending quality and balance across the roster.
South Florida followed closely behind, checking in at 31st nationally with a 21-player class built around seven four-stars and fourteen three-stars. While the Bulls again avoided a heavy reliance on low-end depth pieces, their 197.45 score reflects a continuation of DJ Porter’s emphasis on roster stability and positional depth, keeping USF firmly among the conference’s national leaders.
Florida Atlantic and North Texas formed the next cluster, both leaning heavily on volume-driven classes. FAU signed 24 total players, including fourteen three-stars and ten two-stars, while North Texas brought in an 18-player group anchored by fourteen three-stars. UTSA took the most aggressive quantity approach in the league, signing 28 prospects — eighteen of them two-stars — to fuel long-term development.
Temple and East Carolina delivered steady, mid-range classes built around three-star depth, while Memphis mirrored that approach with a balanced 20-player haul. Rice and UAB once again emphasized sheer numbers, with both programs stacking two-star prospects to maintain roster continuity.
Tulsa and Charlotte rounded out the standings. Tulsa’s class mixed moderate volume with limited upper-tier talent, while Charlotte’s 16-player group struggled to gain traction nationally, weighed down by a heavy one-star count.
With Tulane and USF separating themselves at the top and a dense middle tier forming behind them, the American Conference enters the 2029 season with clearer stratification — but plenty of room for on-field performance to reshape the hierarchy.
American Conference Recruiting Rankings (2029)
| Nat Rank | Team | Total | 5★ | 4★ | 3★ | 2★ | 1★ | Points |
| 21 | Tulane | 17 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 208.05 |
| 31 | USF | 21 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 197.45 |
| 60 | Florida Atlantic | 24 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 10 | 0 | 163.55 |
| 66 | North Texas | 18 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 161.15 |
| 68 | UTSA | 28 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 18 | 0 | 160.75 |
| 73 | Temple | 16 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 155.90 |
| 75 | East Carolina | 22 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 154.70 |
| 78 | Memphis | 20 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 153.15 |
| 85 | Rice | 24 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 18 | 0 | 144.50 |
| 87 | UAB | 25 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 18 | 1 | 143.65 |
| 89 | Tulsa | 20 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 14 | 0 | 141.90 |
| 125 | Charlotte | 16 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 97.45 |