NCAA early signing day was highlighted by Canadian commitments to Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Alabama.

The college football world was abuzz on Wednesday as thousands of high school recruits took the first steps in their NCAA journey, announcing their commitments for 2024 and signing their national letters of intent at the first opportunity to do so.

The early edition of National Signing Day had plenty of Canadian flair this year, with 19 different players from north of the border landing with FBS programs. While that number is expected to grow as the recruiting cycle progresses, here is an early look at the next generation of Canadian NCAA stars.

DE Benedict Umeh — Stanford University

This four-star pass rusher from Toronto has an incredible story of perseverance, officially signing his letter of intent with the Cardinals after missing his entire senior season after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The product of Avon Old Farms Boarding School in Connecticut underwent his final round of chemotherapy in October and could contribute immediately as a six-foot-five, 260-pound freshman, choosing Stanford over 37 other offers as a consensus top-200 recruit nationally.

TE Maxence LeBlanc — Ohio State University

A six-foot-five, 225-pound mismatch weapon, LeBlanc caught 49 passes for 884 yards and 10 touchdowns during his senior season at the Baylor School in Tennessee. The four-star prospect from Montreal picked the Buckeyes over offers from 30 other programs.

DT Sean Sevillano — University of Notre Dame

It doesn’t get much bigger in college football than landing with the Fighting Irish, which is exactly why the pride of Winnipeg committed there early despite offers from 27 other major programs. The six-foot-two, 315-pound interior defender will head to South Bend with a three-star pedigree and eye-popping high school stats, having amassed 110 tackles for loss and 38 sacks during his time at Clearwater Academy International in Florida.

DE Steve Pierre Bolo Mboumoua — University of Alabama

A six-foot-four, 260-pound menace off the edge, Mboumoua had some of the biggest programs in college football coming up to Campus Notre-Dame de Foy in the hopes of landing Quebec’s top prospect. Nick Saban won the sweepstakes for the diamond-in-the-rough three-star prospect from Lac Megantic and should make good use of him in the quest for more national championships.

DB Isaiah Thomas — University of Miami

From The Six to The U, Toronto’s Isaiah Thomas is sticking in Florida after an exceptional stint at Clearwater Academy International. 27 schools came calling for the three-star recruit due to his six-foot-two, 200-pound frame, which packs a punch coming downhill from the strong safety position.

QB Evans Chuba — Washington State University

Yet another three-star prospect from Clearwater Academy International, Chuba amassed 20 offers before taking his talents to Pullman. That was despite a back injury costing the six-foot-four, 205-pound Montrealer all of his senior season, forcing him to rest on the 2,173 yards and 20 touchdowns he threw as a junior.

QB Jeremy St-Hilaire — Vanderbilt University

Fresh off of a DII-AAA state championship victory with the McCallie School in Tennessee, St-Hilaire will be taking his talents to the SEC. The six-foot-four, 220-pound passer from Montreal was a three-star recruit, choosing the Commodores over an offer from Wake Forest.

OL Mauricio Hinds — Florida Atlantic University

A native of Porters Lake, N.S., Hinds has clearly gotten used to a much warmer version of the Atlantic Ocean and is staying in Florida after wrapping up his high school career at Clearwater Academy International. The six-foot-five, 285-pound blocker was a three-star prospect and chose the Owls over 23 other offers.

DE Tycoolhill Givens Luman — Rutgers University

Slightly larger than his twin brother at six-foot-three and 250 pounds, Tyclean is the opposite bookend of this Montreal-born edge duo. He is also headed to the Scarlet Knights after recording 11 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in his senior year in Florida.

WR Dallas Sims — University of Minnesota