Hot Board: Five-star predictions for early signing period commits

The first early signing period for college football is here. From Dec. 20-22, recruits can sign letters of intent more than a month ahead of the traditional February signing period.

Several high-profile prospects will commit this week. Here are our predictions for where they'll be going:

Eyabi Anoma | DE, 6-6, 223, Baltimore/St. Frances Academy, ESPN 300 No. 4

Prediction: Alabama
Main competition: Michigan
Others in the mix: Maryland and Ohio State
Anoma has long been considered a lean to Alabama over Michigan and others, with Maryland trying desperately to keep the five-star at home. In the Wolverines' corner is St. Francis head coach Biff Poggi being a former staff member at Michigan under Jim Harbaugh, while the Crimson Tide have the defensive scheme that provides Anoma the ability to play in a stand-up pass-rushing role that is the best fit.

K.J. Henry | DE, 6-6, 234, Winston-Salem, N.C./West Forsyth, ESPN 300 No. 5

Watch his commitment on ESPNU at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

Prediction: Clemson
Main competition: Georgia
Others in the mix: Alabama, South Carolina, Virginia Tech
Henry is the son of a college coach and has gone about his process very diligently. He has taken visits to most of the schools in his top list, and Clemson has been the school to come up the most when talking to sources about his recruitment. The Tigers would be a great fit, but Georgia and South Carolina have been hanging around as well. Henry keeps everything pretty close to the vest and has said he will make his final decision shortly before Wednesday, but it seems as though Clemson would be the landing spot.

Micah Parsons | DL, 6-3, 241, Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg, ESPN 300 No. 7

Prediction: Penn State
Main competition: Georgia
Others in the mix: Oklahoma, Nebraska
Parsons has had a winding recruitment, and it wouldn't be surprising to see this decision change in the days before he announces his commitment. He committed to Penn State in February, 2016, but ultimately decommitted this past April. At one point it looked as though Ohio State would be the landing spot, and that quickly changed. Other schools got in the mix and the Nittany Lions started to surge. It is very possible that Parsons decides to recommit to Penn State, but a late visit to Georgia before the dead period, and before his announcement, could factor in.

Terrace Marshall Jr. | WR, 6-3, 193, Bossier City, La./Parkway, ESPN 300 No. 10

Watch his commitment on ESPNU at 3:30 p.m. ET on Friday.

Prediction: LSU
Main competition: Texas A&M
Others in the mix: Texas and Florida State
It looks like this is an SEC West battle with LSU trying to hold off surging Texas A&M with Jimbo Fisher now in College Station. Both programs made in-home visits with the Under Armour All-America Game receiver late in the week. While the home-state Tigers have been considered the favorite for the majority of the recruitment, Fisher has thrown the kitchen sink into this recruitment, to the point of offering Marshall's good friend and teammate Justin Rogers, the ESPN 300 quarterback and TCU verbal.

Jackson Carman | OL, 6-6, 346, Fairfield, Ohio/Fairfield Senior, ESPN 300 No. 12

Prediction: Ohio State
Main competition: Clemson
Others in the mix: USC
Typically a top in-state prospect is someone whom Urban Meyer and his staff would already have locked down, but Carman has been different this whole process. Clemson has made this recruitment very difficult for the Buckeyes, and USC received his last official visit before his announcement. Traveling to warm California in the middle of December is usually appealing to any Midwesterner, and that visit likely boosted the Trojans' efforts. It's tough to imagine that Meyer and his staff could lose out on such a highly-sought-after recruit from Ohio, though, so the Buckeyes are the pick.

Brenton Cox | DE, 6-5, 250, Stockbridge, Ga./Stockbridge, ESPN 300 No. 13

Watch his commitment on ESPNU at 3 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

Prediction: Georgia
Main competition: Alabama and Ohio State
One of the six uncommitted five-stars scheduled to announce this week pulled a shocker when he decommitted from Ohio State Dec. 8. After looking like a prospect who was locked into the Buckeyes due to a great relationship with Larry Johnson, Cox's decision came in the days after making an official visit to Alabama, so some thought the Crimson Tide had become the team to beat. That is not the case. It will be an upset if Cox doesn't pick Georgia on Wednesday.

Cade Mays | OL, 6-6, 237, Knoxville, Tenn./Knoxville Catholic, ESPN 300 No. 19

Watch his commitment on ESPNU at 2:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

Prediction: Clemson
Main competition: Georgia
Others in the mix: Ohio State
Mays is from Knoxville and decommitted from Tennessee after head coach Butch Jones was fired. That was a big blow to the Vols' class, especially because of how close to the signing period it happened. It didn't leave the new staff any time to try to convince Mays to jump back in. It also left other programs, including Clemson and Georgia, just enough time to squeeze into the picture. Clemson made an early impression, and it looks as though the Tigers could be the benefactor of Tennessee's coaching change. Georgia, however, did receive the last visit this past weekend before the dead period, and anything can happen on a visit and with the last chance to make an impression.

Jamaree Salyer | OG, 6-4, 342, Atlanta, Ga./Pace Academy, ESPN 300 No. 28

Prediction: Georgia
Main competition: Clemson
Others in the mix: Florida
While Clemson was the early favorite, Georgia had made a huge jump to the prohibitive favorite since the late summer and throughout the Bulldogs' run to the SEC championship. Salyer had been expected to commit and sign on Wednesday, but that is now in question and a commitment might not come until February. For Clemson, that is the best news possible, especially if fellow top national offensive line recruit and friend Cade Mays were to sign with Clemson over Georgia on Wednesday. Salyer and Mays were part of a star-studded group in Athens for official visits over the weekend, so Salyer's plans could change again prior to Wednesday. Even if Salyer delays his announcement until February, the Bulldogs have in-state momentum on their side.

Anthony Cook | CB, 6-0, 173, Houston/Lamar, ESPN 300 No. 45

Watch his commitment on ESPNU at 3:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

Prediction: Texas
Main competition: LSU
Cook's recruitment began getting serious last spring, with Ohio State considered to be in the pole position with Texas and LSU playing catchup. As time passed, staying close to home took over and became yet another Texas vs. LSU battle for a blue-chip prospect out of the Houston area. The ability to compete for a starting spot as a freshman will play a part in the final decision, and former Lamar High standout Holton Hill leaving Texas a year early for the NFL could push the Longhorns over the top. LSU assistant Corey Raymond has player and position development working in the Tigers' favor.

Trey Dean | DB, 6-3, 184, Hampton, Ga./Dutchtown, ESPN 300 No. 296

Prediction: Florida

Main competition: Kentucky

Others in the mix: Alabama

Dean is another Tennessee decommit who left the class after Jones was fired as head coach. Dean is an early enrollee, so he had to make a decision very quickly to not only choose the right school, but gain admittance as well. Florida received the last visit. Dean was very high on Florida before he initially committed to Tennessee, so this would be a natural fit for him to enroll early and try to contribute early.