| Daily Blog •February 7, 2013 |
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Yesterday was Signing Day and it certainly is one of the most important days in building a successful football program. Generally the teams that recruit the best on a year-to-year basis are the teams that finish the season among the nation’s elite. Naturally there is no better example of this than the two-time defending national champs in Alabama who have finished in my Top 5 recruiting classes in each of the last five years and look like a slam dunk yet again to finish in my Top 5 when I come out with my final ratings in this year’s College Preview magazine!
In today’s blog I thought I would give you a sneak peek at this year’s magazine with my initial Top 25 Recruiting Class rankings as well as my Top 150 players broken down by the Top 20 players at each position including the Top 10 Tight Ends.
I have stated it many times in recent blogs as covering college football as I do takes 52 weeks a year as it is and while I personally do not scout the high school games and rate each player I do compile my rankings based on the many different recruiting services across the country that follow and scout HS football year round. I not only like to use all of the biggest and best services, but I also use regional reports as well.
When we receive a recruiting magazine, we translate each player's ranking into a points system from 1-100 and then log each and every player into the computer and give them a point total from each source. Naturally, the more they are mentioned and the higher they are rated by each publication, the more total points they accrue. After months of entering all of this information, I sort the list by position and by total points and then rank the players from most points to least. The final top HS player lists have been released by ESPN, Rivals, Scout, 247 Sports, Tom Lemming and G&W and all of them were compiled into this list.
First here are the 2013 Top 25 Recruiting Classes…
Top 25 Recruiting Classes
Rank |
Team | Rank |
Team |
1 |
Alabama | 14 |
USC |
2 |
Ohio St | 15 |
Oklahoma |
3 |
Notre Dame | 16 |
Washington |
4 |
Florida | 17 |
Nebraska |
5 |
Michigan | 18 |
South Carolina |
6 |
LSU | 19 |
Texas |
7 |
Mississippi | 20 |
Oregon |
8 |
Texas A&M | 21 |
Vanderbilt |
9 |
UCLA | 22 |
Mississippi St |
10 |
Florida St | 23 |
Virginia Tech |
11 |
Auburn | 24 |
Tennessee |
12 |
Georgia | 25 |
Baylor |
13 |
Clemson |
It looks like as of right now Alabama will not only claim a national title on the field but also another recruiting title as they will finish in my Top 5 for a 6th straight year. The Tide’s class really has no weaknesses as they signed an elite player or two at every position including a PS#1TE in OJ Howard, a PS#2RB in Derrick Henry, a PS#2WR in Robert Foster and a PS#2LB in Reuben Foster.
Winning on the field this past year seemed to carry over in the recruiting process as both Ohio St and Notre Dame finished with 12 wins on the gridiron and then yesterday both signed a consensus Top 5 class. The Buckeyes come in at #2 as they signed a Top 20 player at all of the positions and are led by PS#3WR Jalin Marshall. The Irish will lose Manti Te’o who was a PS#1LB in 2009 but will replace him this upcoming year with another PS#1LB in Jaylon Smith.
Naturally the surprise class of 2013 will be Mississippi who comes in at #7 right now in my rankings and signed not one but two PS#1 players in DL Robert Nkemdiche and OL Laremy Tunsil!
A couple of other interesting notes to chew on for the next couple of months before my final ratings are released is that it looks like two long streaks will come to an end this year. First, USC has finished with my top ranked recruiting class in the Pac-12 for each of the last 11 years but as of right now they are #14 while their cross-town rivals UCLA are sitting at #9. Another streak that for sure looks like it has come to an end is Texas’ run at Top 10 finishes. For 14 straight years the Longhorns have finished with a Top 10 Class in my rankings, but this year the Horns as of now only sit at #19 in my rankings and no question after three straight sub-par seasons, Mack Brown is starting to feel the heat in Austin.
Now here are my players at each position and keep in mind since I want my college preview to continue to be the most in-depth and accurate magazine out there, if you find any information that is wrong or if you are questioning a player's ranking please contact brandon@philsteele.com.
Top 20 Quarterbacks
| Rank | First | Last | HT | WT | 40 | High School/Hometown | State | College |
| 1 | Max | Browne | 6-5 | 202 | 4.7 | Sammamish Skyline | WA | USC |
| 2 | Christian | Hackenberg | 6-4 | 215 | 4.6 | Fork Union Military Academy | VA | Penn St |
| 3 | Shane | Morris | 6-3 | 183 | 4.6 | Warren De La Salle | MI | Michigan |
| 4 | Kevin | Olsen | 6-3 | 196 | 4.75 | Wayne Hills | NJ | Miami, Fl |
| 5 | Tyrone | Swoopes | 6-5 | 220 | 4.6 | Whitewright | TX | Texas |
| 6 | Cooper | Bateman | 6-3 | 190 | 4.7 | Salt Lake City Cottonwood Senior | UT | Alabama |
| 7 | Asiantii | Woulard | 6-4 | 200 | 4.5 | Winter Park | FL | UCLA |
| 8 | Troy | Williams | 6-0 | 173 | 4.5 | Harbor City Narbonne | CA | Washington |
| 9 | Ryan | Burns | 6-5 | 218 | 4.7 | Ashburn Stone Bridge | VA | Stanford |
| 10 | JT | Barrett | 6-1 | 209 | 4.7 | Wichita Rider | TX | Ohio St |
| 11 | Malik | Zaire | 6-0 | 196 | 4.6 | Kettering Archbishop Alter | OH | Notre Dame |
| 12 | Cody | Thomas | 6-5 | 220 | 4.5 | Colleyville Heritage | TX | Oklahoma |
| 13 | Brice | Ramsey | 6-3 | 205 | 4.7 | Kingsland Camden County | GA | Georgia |
| 14 | Matt | Alviti | 6-0 | 176 | 4.6 | Park Ridge Maine South | IL | Northwestern |
| 15 | Jared | Goff | 6-4 | 190 | 4.7 | Kentfield Marin Catholic | CA | California |
| 16 | Aaron | Bailey | 6-2 | 215 | 4.8 | Bolingbrook | IL | Illinois |
| 17 | Bucky | Hodges | 6-5 | 225 | 4.6 | Virginia Beach Salem | VA | Virginia Tech |
| 18 | Hayden | Rettig | 6-4 | 210 | 4.8 | Los Angeles Cathedral | CA | LSU |
| 19 | Anthony | Jennings | 6-2 | 202 | 4.5 | Marietta | GA | LSU |
| 20 | Jeremy | Johnson | 6-6 | 215 | 4.7 | Montgomery Carver | AL | Auburn |
Top 20 Running Backs
| Rank | First | Last | HT | WT | 40 | High School/Hometown | State | College |
| 1 | Derrick | Green | 5-11 | 220 | 4.45 | Richmond Hermitage | VA | Michigan |
| 2 | Derrick | Henry | 6-3 | 241 | 4.58 | Yulee | FL | Alabama |
| 3 | Thomas | Tyner | 6-0 | 200 | 4.4 | Beaverton Aloha | OR | Oregon |
| 4 | Greg | Bryant | 5-11 | 197 | 4.5 | Delray Beach American Heritage | FL | Notre Dame |
| 5 | Ty | Isaac | 6-3 | 215 | 4.5 | Joliet Catholic | IL | USC |
| 6 | Kelvin | Taylor | 5-11 | 215 | 4.6 | Belle Glade Glades Day | FL | Florida |
| 7 | Ryan | Green | 5-10 | 190 | 4.4 | St Petersburgh Catholic | FL | Florida St |
| 8 | Keith | Ford | 5-11 | 195 | 4.5 | Cypress Ranch | TX | Oklahoma |
| 9 | Alex | Collins | 5-11 | 180 | 4.45 | South Plantation | FL | Unsigned |
| 10 | Altee | Tenpenny | 5-11 | 200 | 4.4 | North Little Rock | AR | Alabama |
| 11 | Taquan | Mizzell | 5-10 | 183 | 4.5 | Virginia Beach Bayside | VA | Virginia |
| 12 | Alvin | Kamara | 5-10 | 191 | 4.54 | Norcross | GA | Alabama |
| 13 | Justin | Davis | 6-1 | 195 | 4.5 | Stockton Lincoln | CA | USC |
| 14 | Tyren | Jones | 5-8 | 185 | 4.5 | Marietta Walton | GA | Alabama |
| 15 | Ezekiel | Elliott | 6-0 | 200 | 4.5 | St Louis John Burroughs | MO | Ohio St |
| 16 | Dontre | Wilson | 5-10 | 176 | 4.4 | Desoto | TX | Ohio St |
| 17 | Cornelius | Elder | 5-9 | 160 | 4.45 | Nashville Ensworth | TN | Unsigned |
| 18 | Kailo | Moore | 5-10 | 180 | 4.4 | Rosedale West Bolivar | MS | Mississippi |
| 19 | David | Williams | 6-1 | 185 | 4.42 | Philadelphia Imhotep Institute | PA | South Carolina |
| 20 | Tarean | Folston | 5-10 | 190 | 4.5 | Cocoa | FL | Notre Dame |
Top 20 Wide Receivers
| Rank | First | Last | HT | WT | 40 | High School/Hometown | State | College |
| 1 | Ricky | Seals-Jones | 6-5 | 215 | 4.6 | Sealy | TX | Texas A&M |
| 2 | Robert | Foster | 6-2 | 180 | 4.44 | Monaca Central Valley | PA | Alabama |
| 3 | Jalin | Marshall | 6-0 | 190 | 4.5 | Middletown | OH | Ohio St |
| 4 | Laquon | Treadwell | 6-3 | 190 | 4.5 | Crete-Monee | IL | Mississippi |
| 5 | Derrick | Griffin | 6-6 | 215 | 4.6 | Rosenberg Terry | TX | Unsigned |
| 6 | Robbie | Rhodes | 6-1 | 186 | 4.5 | Fort Worth Southwest | TX | Baylor |
| 7 | Marquez | North | 6-3 | 210 | 4.48 | Charlotte Mallard Creek | NC | Tennessee |
| 8 | Ardarius | Stewart | 6-3 | 190 | 4.5 | Fultondale | AL | Alabama |
| 9 | Steven | Mitchell | 5-11 | 170 | 4.5 | Mission Hills Bishop Alemany | CA | USC |
| 10 | James | Quick | 6-1 | 175 | 4.4 | Louisville Trinity | KY | Louisville |
| 11 | Damore'Ea | Stringfellow | 6-2 | 185 | 4.5 | Moreno Valley Rancho Verde | CA | Washington |
| 12 | Tramel | Terry | 6-0 | 190 | 4.4 | Goose Creek | SC | Georgia |
| 13 | Stacy | Coley | 6-1 | 175 | 4.5 | Oakland Park Northeast | FL | Miami, Fl |
| 14 | Tyler | Boyd | 6-1 | 175 | 4.5 | Clairton | PA | Pittsburgh |
| 15 | Stanvon | Taylor | 5-11 | 180 | 4.5 | Tulsa East Central | OK | Oklahoma |
| 16 | Demarcus | Robinson | 6-2 | 195 | 4.5 | Fort Valley Peach County | GA | Florida |
| 17 | Jake | Oliver | 6-4 | 194 | 4.6 | Dallas Jesuit | TX | Texas |
| 18 | Tyree | Robinson | 6-4 | 180 | 4.5 | San Diego Lincoln | CA | Oregon |
| 19 | Shelton | Gibson | 6-1 | 190 | 4.4 | University Cleveland Heights | OH | West Virginia |
| 20 | Darrell | Daniels | 6-3 | 210 | 4.5 | Oakley Freedom | CA | Washington |
Top 10 Tight Ends
| Rank | First | Last | HT | WT | 40 | High School/Hometown | State | College |
| 1 | OJ | Howard | 6-6 | 226 | 4.7 | Prattville Autauga Academy | AL | Alabama |
| 2 | Adam | Breneman | 6-5 | 228 | 4.6 | Camp Hill Cedar Cliff | PA | Penn St |
| 3 | Hunter | Henry | 6-6 | 240 | 4.8 | Little Rock Pulaski Academy | AR | Arkansas |
| 4 | Marcus | Baugh | 6-4 | 226 | 4.6 | Riverside Jw North | CA | Ohio St |
| 5 | Desean | Smith | 6-4 | 220 | 4.68 | Lake Charles Barbe Alfred M | LA | LSU |
| 6 | Josh | Mcneil | 6-5 | 240 | 4.7 | New Berlin Milford Academy | NC/NY | Unsigned |
| 7 | Jake | Butt | 6-6 | 235 | 4.7 | Pickerington North | OH | Michigan |
| 8 | Danny | Mattingly | 6-6 | 225 | 4.6 | Spokane Mead Senior | WA | Oregon |
| 9 | Mike | Heuerman | 6-4 | 220 | 4.8 | Naples Barron Collier | FL | Notre Dame |
| 10 | Standish | Dobard | 6-5 | 235 | 4.6 | New Orleans Edna Karr | LA | Miami, Fl |
Top 20 Offensive Lineman
| Rank | First | Last | HT | WT | 40 | High School/Hometown | State | College |
| 1 | Laremy | Tunsil | 6-6 | 295 | 5.2 | Lake City Columbia | FL | Mississippi |
| 2 | Kent | Perkins | 6-5 | 300 | 5.1 | Dallas Lake Highlands | TX | Texas |
| 3 | Darius | James | 6-5 | 319 | 5.3 | Killeen Harker Heights | TX | Texas |
| 4 | Dorian | Johnson | 6-6 | 275 | 5.2 | Belle Vernon | PA | Pittsburgh |
| 5 | Ethan | Pocic | 6-7 | 285 | 5.3 | Lemont | IL | LSU |
| 6 | Grant | Hill | 6-6 | 315 | 5.4 | Huntsville | AL | Alabama |
| 7 | Patrick | Kugler | 6-5 | 280 | 4.9 | Wexford North Allegheny | PA | Michigan |
| 8 | Kyle | Bosch | 6-5 | 285 | 5.2 | Wheaton St Francis | IL | Michigan |
| 9 | Jake | Raulerson | 6-5 | 250 | 5.1 | Celina | TX | Texas |
| 10 | Evan | Lisle | 6-6 | 265 | 5 | Centerville | OH | Ohio St |
| 11 | Steve | Elmer | 6-6 | 305 | 5 | Midland | MI | Notre Dame |
| 12 | John | Montelus | 6-5 | 295 | 5.2 | Everett | MA | Notre Dame |
| 13 | David | Dawson | 6-5 | 305 | 5.4 | Detroit Cass Tech | MI | Michigan |
| 14 | Chris | Fox | 6-6 | 297 | 5.3 | Parker Ponderosa | CO | Michigan |
| 15 | Austin | Golson | 6-4 | 277 | 5.2 | Prattville | AL | Mississippi |
| 16 | Khaliel | Rodgers | 6-3 | 300 | 5.2 | Elkton Eastern Christian Academy | MD | USC |
| 17 | Nico | Falah | 6-4 | 267 | 5 | St John Bosco Bellflower | CA | USC |
| 18 | Tyrone | Crowder | 6-3 | 305 | 5.3 | Rockingham Richmond Senior | NC | Clemson |
| 19 | Logan | Tuley-Tillman | 6-7 | 321 | 5.3 | Peoria Manual | IL | Michigan |
| 20 | Derwin | Gray | 6-5 | 265 | 5 | Washington Edison-Friendship | DC | Maryland |
Top 20 Defensive Lineman
| Rank | First | Last | HT | WT | 40 | High School/Hometown | State | College |
| 1 | Robert | Nkemdiche | 6-5 | 260 | 4.8 | Loganville Grayson | GA | Mississippi |
| 2 | Montravius | Adams | 6-3 | 285 | 4.8 | Vienna Dooly County | GA | Auburn |
| 3 | Kenny | Bigelow | 6-3 | 322 | 5 | Elkton Eastern Christian Academy | MD | USC |
| 4 | Carl | Lawson | 6-2 | 253 | 4.7 | Alpharetta Milton | GA | Auburn |
| 5 | Eddie | Vanderdoes | 6-3 | 302 | 4.9 | Auburn Placer | CA | Notre Dame |
| 6 | Chris | Jones | 6-5 | 250 | 4.8 | Houston | MS | Mississippi St |
| 7 | A'Shawn | Robinson | 6-4 | 302 | 5.1 | Fort Worth Arlington Heights | TX | Alabama |
| 8 | Jonathan | Allen | 6-3 | 225 | 4.5 | Ashburn Stone Bridge | VA | Alabama |
| 9 | Joey | Bosa | 6-5 | 260 | 4.75 | Fort Lauderdale St Thomas Aquinas | FL | Ohio St |
| 10 | Alquadin | Muhammad | 6-3 | 230 | 4.65 | Ramsey Don Bosco Prep | NJ | Miami, Fl |
| 11 | Demarcus | Walker | 6-4 | 279 | 4.65 | Jacksonville Sandalwood | FL | Florida St |
| 12 | Elijah | Daniel | 6-3 | 252 | 4.8 | Avon | IN | Auburn |
| 13 | Dee | Liner | 6-2 | 274 | 4.7 | Muscle Shoals | AL | Alabama |
| 14 | Kendell | Beckwith | 6-2 | 220 | 4.7 | East Feliciana Parish Encrichme | LA | LSU |
| 15 | Justin | Manning | 6-2 | 275 | 5 | Dallas Justin F Kimball | TX | Texas A&M |
| 16 | Henry | Poggi | 6-4 | 260 | 4.9 | Baltimore Gilman | MD | Michigan |
| 17 | Tim | Williams | 6-4 | 230 | 4.7 | Baton Rouge Lsu Laboratory School | LA | Alabama |
| 18 | Kylie | Fitts | 6-4 | 260 | 4.8 | Redlands East Valley | CA | UCLA |
| 19 | Torrodney | Prevot | 6-3 | 201 | 4.55 | Houston Taylor | TX | Oregon |
| 20 | Greg | Gilmore | 6-4 | 270 | 4.8 | Hope Mills South View | NC | LSU |
Top 20 Linebackers
| Rank | First | Last | HT | WT | 40 | High School/Hometown | State | College |
| 1 | Jaylon | Smith | 6-3 | 218 | 4.55 | Fort Wayne Bishop Luers | IN | Notre Dame |
| 2 | Reuben | Foster | 6-2 | 228 | 4.6 | Auburn | AL | Alabama |
| 3 | Matthew | Thomas | 6-4 | 210 | 4.71 | Miami Booker T Washington | FL | Florida St |
| 4 | Alex | Anzalone | 6-3 | 229 | 4.5 | Wyomissing | PA | Florida |
| 5 | Mike | Mitchell | 6-4 | 215 | 4.58 | Plano Prestonwood Christian | TX | Ohio St |
| 6 | EJ | Levenberry | 6-3 | 226 | 4.65 | Woodbridge Cd Hylton | VA | Florida St |
| 7 | Larenz | Bryant | 6-2 | 210 | 4.58 | Charlotte Zebulon B Vance | NC | South Carolina |
| 8 | Dorian | O'Daniel | 6-1 | 200 | 4.5 | Olney Our Lady Of Good Counsel | MD | Clemson |
| 9 | Michael | Hutchings | 6-2 | 210 | 4.6 | Concord De La Salle | CA | USC |
| 10 | Trey | Johnson | 6-1 | 220 | 4.6 | Lawrenceville Central Gwinnett | GA | Ohio St |
| 11 | Peter | Kalambayi | 6-2 | 235 | 4.6 | Matthews David W Butler | NC | Stanford |
| 12 | Daniel | Mcmillian | 6-3 | 220 | 4.6 | Jacksonville First Coast | FL | Florida |
| 13 | Deoundrei | Davis | 6-3 | 215 | 4.55 | Cypress Woods | TX | Texas |
| 14 | Chans | Cox | 6-3 | 230 | 4.5 | Lakeside Blue Ridge | AZ | Arizona St |
| 15 | Mike | Mccray | 6-4 | 230 | 4.6 | Trotwood Madison | OH | Michigan |
| 16 | Johnny | O'Neal | 6-2 | 225 | 4.6 | Dublin West Laurens | GA | Georgia |
| 17 | Isaac | Savaiinaea | 6-3 | 235 | 4.8 | Honolulu Punahou | HI | UCLA |
| 18 | Tyrell | Robinson | 6-4 | 185 | 4.5 | San Diego Lincoln | CA | Oregon |
| 19 | Josh | Banderas | 6-2 | 220 | 4.7 | Lincoln Southwest | NE | Nebraska |
| 20 | Tim | Kimbrough | 6-1 | 225 | 4.6 | Indianapolis Warren Central | IN | Georgia |
Top 20 Defensive Backs
| Rank | First | Last | HT | WT | 40 | High School/Hometown | State | College |
| 1 | Vernon | Hargreaves | 5-11 | 185 | 4.45 | Tampa Wharton | FL | Florida |
| 2 | Su'A | Cravens | 6-1 | 205 | 4.5 | Murrieta Vista Murriesta | CA | USC |
| 3 | Kendall | Fuller | 5-11 | 189 | 4.5 | Olney Our Lady Of Good Counsel | MD | Virginia Tech |
| 4 | Antonio | Conner | 6-1 | 205 | 4.53 | Batesville South Panola | MS | Mississippi |
| 5 | Jalen | Ramsey | 6-0 | 190 | 4.45 | Brentwood Academy | TN | Florida St |
| 6 | Mackensie | Alexander | 5-11 | 185 | 4.5 | Immokalee | FL | Clemson |
| 7 | Vonn | Bell | 6-1 | 190 | 4.47 | Rossville Ridgeland | GA | Ohio St |
| 8 | Max | Redfield | 6-2 | 195 | 4.5 | Mission Viejo | CA | Notre Dame |
| 9 | Priest | Willis | 6-2 | 190 | 4.45 | Tempe Marcos De Niza | AZ | Unsigned |
| 10 | Leon | McQuay | 6-1 | 185 | 4.6 | Seffner Armwood | FL | USC |
| 11 | Eli | Apple | 6-1 | 185 | 4.5 | Voorhees Eastern | NJ | Ohio St |
| 12 | Chris | Hawkins | 6-0 | 170 | 4.45 | Rancho Cucamonga | CA | USC |
| 13 | Cameron | Burrows | 6-0 | 203 | 4.5 | Trotwood Madison | OH | Ohio St |
| 14 | Dymonte | Thomas | 6-1 | 175 | 4.5 | Alliance Marlington | OH | Michigan |
| 15 | Tahaan | Goodman | 6-2 | 190 | 4.52 | Rancho Cucamonga | CA | UCLA |
| 16 | Tray | Matthews | 6-1 | 190 | 4.5 | Newnan | GA | Georgia |
| 17 | Marcell | Harris | 6-2 | 200 | 4.52 | Orlando Dr Phillips | FL | Florida |
| 18 | Holland | Fisher | 6-1 | 202 | 4.5 | Midlothian Manchester | VA | Virginia Tech |
| 19 | Tre'Davious | White | 5-11 | 160 | 4.4 | Shreveport Green Oaks | LA | LSU |
| 20 | Artie | Burns | 6-0 | 183 | 4.5 | Miami Northwestern | FL | Miami, Fl |