It was a mad dash at the end, but Alabama used a late push to secure the top recruiting class for the sixth consecutive year.

While some other services had Florida State No. 1, the 247Sports.com composite score of all team rankings by recruiting services gave the top spot to the Crimson Tide.

Unlike in years past, Nick Saban and his Tide staff relied on a furious finish on National Signing Day to wrap up one another solid class, which included 25 signees.

“There really were only a couple of schools that could have finished No. 1: Alabama and Florida State were two of those schools,” said Mike Farrell, national recruiting director for Rivals.com.

Alabama had a bit of a late start thanks to participation in the College Football Playoff national championship game, but the Tide still managed to secure the nation's top linebacker in Ben Davis and the nation's top running back in B.J. Emmons.

Florida State finished as the runner-up to Alabama in another stellar recruiting class for Jimbo Fisher. But this one featured more surprises than in the past.

“It's a great class and it's not a typical Jimbo Fisher finish,” Farrell added. “He usually has his stuff more done and in the books — this was a lot of drama for a Signing Day — it reminded me of Bobby Bowden more than Jimbo Fisher.”

Part of the day's melodrama centered on FSU's securing a pair of four-star defensive linemen in Brian Burns and Shavar Manuel, who flipped his decision from the rival Florida Gators to the Seminoles. The pair gave Fisher and his staff key players on defense — a concern heading into next season.

While signing day has been casual in years past for FSU, a little excitement wasn't bad, according to Fisher.

“For fans, I think it's fun,” Fisher said. “But recruiting has changed so much. I think each year you may close them all. Each year it goes back and forth. But I had a good feeling on most of the guys. I felt today went about like I thought it would go. When you know that and it works out that way, it's a great deal.”

Half of the top 10 teams listed by recruiting sites were from the Southeastern Conference, with LSU, Georgia, Auburn and Mississippi all earning recognition for their recruiting efforts. The Rebels secured another top 10 class under coach Hugh Freeze.

Ohio State and Michigan represented the Big Ten Conference among the leaders Wednesday.

The Buckeyes wrapped up their fifth consecutive top 10 recruiting class under Urban Meyer. They signed 25 commitments, headlined by five-star defensive end Nick Bosa, but unlike recruiting classes in the past, this one lacked signing-day theatrics.

“They had a very calm day,” Farrell said. “That was probably the quietest signing day that Urban Meyer has ever had.”

Michigan capped a stellar recruiting class with a lot of pomp and circumstance, including a star-studded event featuring the introduction of signees by celebrities such as New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and legendary pro wrestler Ric Flair.

The Wolverines finished with the No. 5 class in the nation, but it was one of the strongest in the school's recent memory. The team had 28 commitments, including the nation's top high school player in defensive tackle Rashon Gray.

Perhaps the biggest mover of the day was Texas.

The Longhorns' 2016 recruiting class began the day ranked in the mid-30s in most of the recruiting sites rankings but quickly moved up the pecking order, winding up near the top 10 by the end of the day.