Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Alabama, LSU top Rivals' Top 25 team rankings - CNN

26 6 13 6 3.92 3,263
Instant impact: DE Da'Shawn Hand. It was a surprise when the nation's No. 1 player picked Alabama. His versatility and talent will help him see the field early.

Bottom line: The Crimson Tide have taken home their sixth recruiting title in the last seven years, a truly amazing feat. They may have missed out on the national championship game, but the recruiting machine is still going strong in Tuscaloosa. Stealing five-star in-state linebacker Rashaan Evans from rival Auburn on Signing Day was the icing on the cake for the Tide.
 
23 2 14 6 3.74 2,844
Instant impact: RB Leonard Fournette. The country's best running back prospect is college-ready right now.

Bottom line: The biggest positive mover on Signing Day was LSU, which landed wide receiver Malachi Dupre, defensive tackle Travonte Valentine and three-star prospects Trey Lealaimatafao and Sione Teuhema. The Tigers took two of the top eight prospects in Texas and landed the top-ranked player in Illinois, but this class is about in-state talent Fournette and Dupre heading to Baton Rouge.
 
23 1 15 7 3.74 2,734
Instant impact: LB Raekwon McMillan. Defense was the Buckeyes' weakness in 2013, but McMillan has the talent to step in and shore up the middle immediately.

Bottom line: Ohio State once again built its base in-state, landing Ohio's top three prospects for the second year in a row. From there, the Buckeyes were able to pick off top talent from other Midwest states and had several recruiting wins in the South. Urban Meyer finished off his class by landing New Jersey defensive end Darius Slade, who had been committed to Big Ten programs Nebraska and Michigan State in the last month.
 
29 3 13 11 3.59 2,636
Instant impact: RB Dalvin Cook. Jimbo Fisher likes to have a healthy rotation at running back, and Cook is a home-run threat every time he touches the ball.

Bottom line: Florida State was one of the most active teams on National Signing Day. The Seminoles added five-star wideout Ermon Lane and four-star prospects Javon Harrison, Derrick Nnadi and Roderick Johnson on Wednesday. Outsiders may point to the BCS title victory as a factor in the 'Noles' success this year, but half of this class was on board before the 2013 campaign even began.
 
31 2 16 13 3.65 2,600
Instant impact: RB Jalen Hurd. Although he missed his senior season with an injury, there is too much opportunity for Hurd not to see the field as a freshman.

Bottom line: Coach Butch Jones went to 12 different states and the District of Columbia to build his first full class in Knoxville, but the heart of this class came from in-state talent. The Volunteers secured six of the top seven prospects in a loaded local class, including the two five-star prospects (Hurd and wide receiver Josh Malone). This group includes the Signing Day addition of heralded defensive tackle Michael Sawyers.
 
21 3 10 7 3.71 2,558
Instant impact: DE Myles Garrett. Even though Garrett needs to add weight to his frame, he's too good to keep off the field.

Bottom line: How do you replace a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback? Sign the nation's top quarterback prospect. Kyle Allen has all the tools to be the face of the program and will compete for the starting job from day one. Add in the nation's No. 2-ranked player (Garrett) and a five-star receiver (Speedy Noil) , and the post-Johnny Football era in College Station looks increasingly bright.
 
24 1 12 11 3.58 2,389
Instant impact: CB Jalen Tabor. The early enrollee still needs seasoning before he is able to reach his full potential, but his ability to play safety or corner should help him see the field early.

Bottom line: The big Signing Day story in Gainesville was the Gators flipping four-star quarterback Treon Harris from Florida State. With Will Grier already on board, Florida now has two of the top three dual-threat quarterbacks in the country. Defense was also addressed, with seven four- and five-star players added to the roster on that side of the ball.
 
20 1 11 7 3.6 2,371
Instant impact: CB Malkom Parrish. The Bulldogs need immediate help on defense, and Parrish's versatility makes him a likely candidate for early playing time.

Bottom line: Georgia's class is headlined by the best one-two running back punch in the country. Nick Chubb gives the Bulldogs an inside running presence, while Sony Michel has the ability to hit the home run on every play. Depth is coming for the defensive line and the secondary, both positions that could use immediate help. The Signing Day additions of Isaiah McKenzie and Lorenzo Carter -- two Under Armour All-American Game standouts -- put an exclamation point on this class.
 
23 3 11 7 3.65 2,352
Instant impact: WR D'haquille Williams. The No. 1 juco recruit in the 2014 class, Williams is already on campus.

Bottom line: The Tigers grabbed a big Signing Day pledge in offensive tackle Braden Smith, the nation's No. 50 ranked prospect. But they lost five-star linebacker Rashaan Evans to Alabama. Although Auburn got better across the board, it's the trio of offensive skill position players -- quarterback Sean White, running back Roc Thomas and Williams -- that has people talking.
 
19 2 9 8 3.68 2,220
Instant impact: ATH Adoree' Jackson. Whether he lines up on offense, defense or both, Jackson has the talent to start early in his career.

Bottom line: USC joined LSU, Florida State and others making big noise on National Signing Day. The Trojans do not bring in big numbers for 2014, but they do bring in big talent, highlighted by the Signing Day additions of Jackson, JuJu Smith and Damien Mama. The strength of Steve Sarkisian's first class at USC is in the offensive line, where four of their five new additions are rated four-stars.
 
23 1 10 12 3.52 2,211
Instant impact: WR Justin Brent. The Irish had just two early enrollees, but one was Brent, who will get every opportunity to contribute at wide receiver.

Bottom line: Notre Dame flexed its national recruiting muscle again in 2014, grabbing prospects from 14 different states. The Fighting Irish had some hits and misses on National Signing Day, but did add three-star defensive tackle Daniel Cage after getting in on him late. Quenton Nelson is the only five-star recruit and could play tackle or guard for the Irish.
 
26 1 8 17 3.38 2,148
Instant impact: RB Joseph Yearby. Running backs usually are among the first to contribute, and in Yearby, the Hurricanes add an explosive home-run threat.

Bottom line: Coach Al Golden brings in a class filled with high-potential prospects who will need a little seasoning before they're ready to compete. Five-star Chad Thomas has all the tools to be a feared edge rusher and fits the mold of so many who have gone before him at The U. Brad Kaaya is good enough to come in and compete immediately for the open starting quarterback position.
 
22 1 7 12 3.45 2,116
Instant impact: WR Artavis Scott. It will be tough to keep Scott off the field early, especially with his abilities in the return game.

Bottom line: Clemson kicked off this class in style, grabbing a pledge from five-star quarterback Deshaun Watson two years ago. The Tigers then went out and recruited talent around the dual-threat signal caller, including three Rivals250 wide receivers. Three-star linebacker Richard Yeargin III publicly declared his intention to sign with the Tigers for the first time on Signing Day.
 
20 0 9 11 3.45 2,115
Instant impact: DE Solomon Thomas. As the highest-ranked prospect in the class, expectations will be high for Thomas to see the field early.

Bottom line: The Cardinal had a great start to Signing Day when Thomas pulled out a tree to announce he was headed to Stanford over Arkansas. The Cardinal added three-star cornerback Terrence Alexander later in the day, besting Notre Dame and Ole Miss for his services. The most buzzworthy additions come in the offensive backfield, where four-stars Keller Chryst and Christian McCaffrey bolster the quarterback and running back positions, respectively.
 
26 1 8 14 3.27 2,110
Instant impact: RB Joe Mixon. The five-star prospect is a third-down back in an every-down back's body. He is one of those rare talents in this 2014 class.

Bottom line: Big Game Bob Stoops showed he gets it done on National Signing Day, reeling in four-stars Kenyon Frison and Michiah Quick. Steven Parker -- the state of Oklahoma's top-ranked prospect -- got the week off to a good start for the Sooners, declaring his intention to sign on Tuesday.
 
21 0 10 11 3.48 2,033
Instant impact: DE Dante Sawyer. With Jadeveon Clowney headed to the NFL, Sawyer can help contribute on a defensive line that lost its biggest pass rush threat.

Bottom line: The Gamecocks had an enjoyable Signing Day, flipping Dexter Wideman from Florida State and three-star defensive end Blake McClain from Nebraska. They also won a Signing Day battle when Chris Lammons, a former Florida commitment, announced he would sign with South Carolina over Wisconsin.
 
28 0 10 16 3.29 2,016
Instant impact: S Mike Edwards. He wasn't one of the Wildcats' six early enrollees, but if Edwards can stay healthy, he is an immediate talent upgrade at safety.

Bottom line: Mark Stoops has transformed Kentucky recruiting since taking over as head coach following the 2012 season. One of his best moves was refocusing on the state of Ohio, from which the Wildcats pulled 11 prospects in this class, including seven of the state's top 25. The headliner of the haul, though, is in-state quarterback Drew Barker.
 
18 0 11 7 3.61 1,974
Instant impact: WR Austin Roberts. He's a unique talent and the son of a coach. Expect him to pick up the playbook early and make a mark as a freshman.

Bottom line: The Bruins pulled Rivals100 linebacker Kenny Young out of Louisiana on Signing Day. He joins a linebacking corps that includes Zach Whitley and three-stars Dwight Williams and Cameron Griffin. UCLA also stocked the cupboard at cornerback, bringing in two of the top eight prospects at the position nationally.
 
25 0 7 17 3.24 1,965
Instant impact: S C.J. Hampton. Tony Conner made a splash as a true freshman, and Hampton could be a perfect complement at the safety position next fall.

Bottom line: Ole Miss was the talk of the country in 2013 after signing three of the top-10 players in that country, and rightfully so; each went on to star as true freshmen last fall. Delivering an encore performance has proven to be difficult, and yet the Rebels still finish '14 with a top-20 national ranking. Hugh Freeze complemented Ole Miss' prep signees with juco prospects who will address immediate needs.
 
23 0 6 15 3.17 1,931
Instant impact: CB Jermaine Roberts. There are highe- rated recruits in this class, but Roberts should find a spot in the rotation early.

Bottom line: Texas is used to building its class early and did that again with this group. However, the Longhorns also had to close late, and four of their signees did not pledge until the final month before Signing Day. With four-stars Jerrod Heard, Lorenzo Joe, Donald Catalon and Armanti Foreman, the 'Horns are getting a boost in talent at the offensive skill positions with this 2014 class.
 
23 1 6 14 3.26 1,927
Instant impact: DE Malik McDowell. He is one of the most impressive physical specimens in the country in 2014, and he'l likely play early ... as long as the Spartans receive his National Letter of Intent.

Bottom line: Michigan State had a chance to finish with as many as five additional prospects in the final few days of the class, and the Spartans were able to land three of them. McDowell was the big prize, though he may wait a few days before sending in his NLI. He and Craig Evans, who committed on Monday, are part of a big defensive line haul for the Spartans.
 
26 0 7 18 3.23 1,918
Instant impact: WR Jalen Harvey. Receivers tend to see the field early if they're ready, and the 6-foot-1, 190-pounder is physically ready to play now.

Bottom line: The Sun Devils sign just their second top-25 class in the last decade, and they did it despite doing a pretty lackluster job in what was a really strong year in-state. Tyler Whiley is their highest-rated in-state commit, but they were able to find success in California and hit the juco ranks hard in 2014. The wide receiver position will get an infusion of talent, and Derik Calhoun looks like a future captain at linebacker.
 
22 1 4 16 3.23 1,818
Instant impact: RB Elijah Hood. As the only five-star, Hood is an easy choice, and the 5-11, 220-pound back is physically ready to play now.

Bottom line: It was a quiet Signing Day in Chapel Hill, but the Tar Heels had built their class before the first Wednesday in February. Caleb Henderson is a solid game-manager who will be able to take over a huddle and do what the coaching staff asks of him. Bentley Spain is raw, but he has the tools to be a potential first-round draft pick at left tackle.
 
25 0 6 18 3.2 1,797
Instant impact: WR Chris Godwin. He is an outstanding receiver who will come in at a position of need for the Nittany Lions.

Bottom line: Bill O'Brien built the foundation of the Nittany Lions' 2014 class, and James Franklin finished it off. There were a few losses in the coaching transition, but Franklin's staff quickly plugged those with four-stars such as Saeed Blacknall and Koa Farmer. Michael O'Connor will benefit from learning under returning starter Christian Hackenberg and is one of the most important holdovers from the group O'Brien recruited.
 
28 0 8 14 3.11 1,792
Instant impact: S Holland Fisher. He's a four-star holdover from the 2013 class who spent a year at prep school and should be that much more ready with an extra year under his belt.

Bottom line: The Hokies' 2014 class was built with in-state talent, as 15 of the signees hail from Virginia. One of those prospects -- four-star athlete Raymon Minor -- declared his intention on Signing Day, choosing to stay local rather than attend either Nebraska or Marshall. Surprisingly, though, the Hokies struck out with the top eight players in the state.
   

Seahawks Parade

Paul George

Malik McDowell

Malik McDowell

PECO

Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)