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http://insider.espn.go.com/college-sports/recruiting/football/story/_/id/8822705/as-national-signing-day-looms-2013-top-college-football-teams-look-secure-recruiting-classes#ohiostate
Too-Early Top 25 recruiting update As signing day looms, 2013's top teams secure recruiting classes Updated: January 8, 2013, 3:54 PM ET ESPN RecruitingNation 15 23 24 EMAIL PRINT The confetti has barely settled on Alabama's second consecutive BCS National Championship, but for coaching staffs around the country, it's crunch time. Signing day looms, and recruiting coordinators have less than a month to secure their 2013 recruiting classes. Here's a look at how the teams in Mark Schlabach's Way-Too-Early Top 25 are faring on the trail:
1. Alabama Crimson Tide Who they have: Alabama received good news right before Christmas when ESPN 150 WR Robert Foster chose the Crimson Tide over hometown Pittsburgh. Foster, the nation's No. 2 WR, gives Alabama yet another playmaker and continues to show how well the staff has been able to recruit on a national level. Thirteen states are represented in the Tide's 2013 class. Alabama has a pair of ESPN 150 running backs committed -- Tyren Jones and Altee Tenpenny -- and four-star athlete Derrick Henry, the highest-ranked player in the class, expects to start out in the backfield, as well. The Tide also found their quarterback of the future in Cooper Bateman, ranked the No. 6 pocket passer in the country. On defense, Alabama landed ESPN 150 defensive end Jonathan Allen. Who they want: There are still a few spots left to fill in Alabama's class, and the biggest target still on the board is five-star offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil. Not only would he fill a need but he's also the best player at his position. Outside of Tunsil, the Tide's main focus is on defense. The coaches are still looking for a versatile defensive lineman and more help in the secondary, specifically at safety. Auburn defensive tackle commitment Dee Liner is at the top of UA's wish list, and Bama is making a strong push to flip him. ESPN 150 safety Vonn Bell could be the solution at defensive back. Signing day surprise: Alabama will add at least two more ESPN 300 defensive linemen. Liner is the most likely candidate to flip, but keep an eye on Mississippi State commit Chris Jones, who has seen his stock take off in the past month. Henry Poggi, a Michigan commit, and Eddie Vanderdoes are also potential options. -- Greg Ostendorf
2. Oregon Ducks Who they have: The Ducks are loading their roster with more versatile athletes, including LB commit Danny Mattingly. Oregon's class includes commitments from two ESPN 150 and two other ESPN 300 prospects. Athlete Dontre Wilson, No. 52 in the ESPN 150, and RB Thomas Tyner, No. 90 overall, will give the Ducks an even faster backfield in 2013. Four-star wide receivers Tyree Robinson, No. 274 in the ESPN 300, and Darren Carrington give the Ducks elite playmakers. OT Evan Voeller, No. 181 in the ESPN 300, adds depth up front. Who they want: The Ducks' biggest needs are at LB and OL. The Ducks are among the top three for OL Thomas Oser. Their remaining targets are ATH Juwaan Williams and LB Peter Kalambayi. OL Cameron Hunt, LB Zach Cunningham, DE Austin Hooper and LB Myles Jack are all expected on campus in the coming weeks. Signing day surprise: The Ducks will continue their trend of closing strong by flipping at least two players committed to other schools. The most likely candidates are OL Cameron Hunt (Cal), LB Myles Jack (UCLA) and OL Nico Falah (USC). -- Brandon P. Oliver
3. Stanford Cardinal Who they have: The Cardinal have their quarterback of the future in Ryan Burns and have done very well with two positions that have also excelled for the Cardinal in recent years with tight end commitments Greg Taboada and Eric Cotton Jr. and outside linebacker pledge Peter Kalambayi, who's an ESPN 300 prospect. Who they want: Stanford is in the mix for another California offensive lineman in Thomas Oser and could find room for yet another tight end, in Texas decommitment Durham Smythe. Speedster Devon Allen is also high on the wish list for the Cardinal. Signing day surprise: The 2013 class won't measure up to 2012's haul. On the heels of a tough Fiesta Bowl loss last season, the Cardinal put together one of the top recruiting classes in the country, thanks in large part to what might have been the nation's best class of offensive linemen. This season, even after a Rose Bowl victory, there isn't the same buzz among high-profile recruits. And even though the Cardinal will sign a very good class of players who fit the Stanford system and mentality, it won't have the same national cachet that last year's did. -- Erik McKinney
4. Ohio State Buckeyes Who they have: The recruiting class of 2013 starts strong in the secondary with three of the nation's best in Eli Apple (formerly Woodard), Cam Burrows and Gareon Conley -- the Nos. 3, 6 and 9 cornerbacks respectively in the ESPN 150. The Buckeyes also have ESPN 150 standouts in defensive tackle Joey Bosa, athlete Jalin Marshall, ILB Trey Johnson, OLB Mike Mitchell, TE Marcus Baugh, RB Ezekiel Elliott and OT Evan Lisle. In total, the Buckeyes have 14 ESPN 300 prospects. Who they want: Ohio State's class isn't wrapped up by any stretch as the Buckeyes are going after some big ESPN 150 names. Included in that list are S Vonn Bell and WR James Quick, who committed to Louisville but is still being recruited heavily by the Buckeyes. Don't count out ESPN 300 prospects such as RB Cornelius Elder or WR Shelton Gibson. LB Christopher Worley could join the class as well. Signing day surprise: Ohio State's need for another offensive lineman is filled when Dan Skipper decommits from Tennessee and comes to the Buckeyes. Urban Meyer flipped seven recruits last year and has already done it twice in this class.-- Brad Bournival
5. Texas A&M Aggies Who they have: There are six ESPN 150 prospects and 11 ESPN 300 prospects in the class, with ILB Jordan Mastrogiovanni the latest addition. There are eight potential receivers in the group -- five categorized as wide receivers, including Tony Stevens and Ja'Quay Williams; three athletes, led by the nation's top ATH, Ricky Seals-Jones; and No. 1 TE Derrick Griffin. There are seven LBs, including Brett Wade, Reggie Chevis and Tommy Sanders. The Aggies also landed four DTs, led by Justin Manning and Isaiah Golden. Who they want: Spots are at a premium now and if the Aggies add any more players, there probably will be attrition from the class. Still on the target list are ESPN 150 ILB Isaac Savaiinaea, CBs Mackensie Alexander and Shaq Wiggins, DEs Torrodney Prevot (USC commit) and Daeshon Hall and former USC WR commit Sebastian LaRue. Signing day surprise: Even with space at a premium with the Aggies holding 35 commits, they'll land at least one more of their top remaining targets between now and signing day. That also means there will be some attrition in the class, as 34 is the maximum they can sign. -- Sam Khan Jr.
6. Georgia Bulldogs Who they have: The Bulldogs have filled needs at inside linebacker and safety, with four at each position. There are two ESPN 150 commits on each side of the ball -- QB Brice Ramsey and ATH Tramel Terry on offense, and S Tray Matthews and CB Shaq Wiggins on defense. Who they want: It all starts with Laremy Tunsil, a five-star OT who currently favors Georgia over Alabama. If Tunsil is target No. 1, five-star Montravius Adams could very well be 1A. Although Georgia has one RB already committed, ESPN 150 target Alvin Kamara remains a top priority. Juco defensive lineman Toby Johnson is also coveted. Signing day surprise: Reuben Foster, who has twice passed over the Bulldogs, will choose Georgia on signing day. -- Radi Nabulsi
7. South Carolina Gamecocks Who they have: South Carolina has a solid duo to build on in the offensive backfield with ESPN 150 running back David Williams and ESPN 300 quarterback Connor Mitch. The Gamecocks mirror that on defense with ESPN 150 defensive tackle Kelsey Griffin and ESPN 300 linebacker Larenz Bryant. Who they want: The Gamecocks could be the favorite for four-star offensive lineman Na'Ty Rodgers and look to get the final official visit Jan. 18. They are also in the mix for three-star linebacker Yannick Ngakoue. Signing day surprise: The Gamecocks get Georgia back for taking ESPN 300 ATH Brendan Langley by getting a late flip from ESPN 150 CB Shaq Wiggins. -- Kipp Adams
8. Louisville Cardinals Who they have: ESPN 150 receiver James Quick is the headliner after picking his local team last weekend at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. ESPN 300 receiver Richard Benjamin will join him in Louisville, where the two will pair with longtime quarterback commit Kyle Bolin. Who they want: Louisville would certainly like to secure some offensive linemen to match with its strong haul of skill-position players. As of now, the Cardinals have only one committed: three-star offensive tackle Skylar Lacy. Fellow-three-star Kyle Meadows would be a strong pickup. Signing day surprise: Four-star cornerback Darius Curry has been committed to Oklahoma State since July, but Louisville has made a recent run. Don't be surprised if he decides to be a Cardinal with all the positive momentum in Louisville. -- Dave Hooker
9. Clemson Tigers Who they have: Clemson has a solid group of commitments at the top on defense, with the ESPN 150 quartet of outside linebacker Dorian O'Daniel, defensive end Ebenezer Ogundeko, inside linebacker Ben Boulware and running back Tyshon Dye being the headliners of the class so far. Who they want: The Tigers would love to add a pair of big-time talents on each side of the ball. On offense, Clemson is hoping for commitments from ESPN 150 wide receiver Marquez North and ESPN 150 offensive lineman Tyrone Crowder. On defense, it is in the mix for ESPN 150 defensive lineman Montravius Adams and ESPN 150 cornerback Mackensie Alexander, both of whom are five-star prospects. Signing day surprise: With the loss of Demarcus Robinson and Ryan Jenkins, Clemson sells Marquez North on playing time and he picks the Tigers over North Carolina and Tennessee. -- Kipp Adams
10. Florida Gators Who they have: With 26 commitments, including 20 ranked four-star or higher, the Gators sit comfortably in the top five in the latest class rankings. The Gators are led by DB Vernon Hargreaves III, the No. 3-ranked player in the country, in addition to these other ESPN 150 prospects: OLBs Daniel McMillian and Matt Rolin and safeties Keanu Neal and Marcell Harris. Offensively, the Gators need playmakers, and that is exactly what they have in this class. Four-star RB Kelvin Taylor is the state of Florida's leading career rusher, and he's joined by another four-star RB, Adam Lane. The Gators have five WR commits, led by 6-foot-4 Ahmad Fulwood, Demarcus Robinson and four-star ATH Alvin Bailey. Who they want: Florida has just a few spots remaining in its 2013 class. DT Montravius Adams, WR James Clark, RB Alex Collins, fullback Kennard Swanson, CB Jalen Ramsey and DE Elijah Daniel appear to be the top prospects remaining on Florida's board. Florida has met a majority of its needs but might be able to reclaim its No. 1 ranking by landing a few more targets. Signing day surprise: Many think DT Montravius Adams will head to Clemson, Auburn or Georgia, but with a lack of depth, the Gators could be the surprise team with Adams. Florida lost Sharrif Floyd to the draft and Omar Hunter to graduation. Landing Adams on signing day would help round out an already strong class. -- Derek Tyson
11. Texas Longhorns Who they have: Texas has commitments from No. 1 C Darius James, No. 3 OT Jake Raulerson and No. 6 OT Kent Perkins. All three are members of the ESPN 150, as are WR Jacorey Warrick (No. 59), DT A'Shawn Robinson (No. 107), ATH Tyrone Swoopes (No. 128) and CB Antwuan Davis (No. 149). Texas also has four other members of the ESPN 300, including OLB Deoundrei Davis at No. 151. Who they want: Keeping Robinson on board is priority No. 1. He'll visit Alabama on Jan. 18 and Texas on Jan. 25 before announcing his final decision on signing day. The top uncommitted recruit has to be Waco, Texas, lineman Andrew Billings, who is down to Texas, Baylor and TCU. Another key target is juco OT Desmond Harrison, who took an official visit in December and will decide in mid-January. The Longhorns are also among the leaders for juco LB De'Vondre Campbell and have recently expressed interest in top OT Laremy Tunsil, who says he'll visit, and Baylor OL commit Rami Hammad. Signing day surprise: The Longhorns showed their power in the last months of the recruiting season a year ago by getting several players to switch commitments. That included Shiro Davis, who switched from LSU to Texas on signing day. Don't expect Texas to get as many switches as it did last year but do expect at least one on or before Feb. 6. -- William Wilkerson
12. Notre Dame Fighting Irish Who they have: Notre Dame has No. 2 outside linebacker and five-star prospect Jaylon Smith leading the class, and the Irish added RB Greg Bryant and ATH Max Redfield, top-five at their respective positions, after the season. Who they want: The Irish would love to add No. 4 defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes when he decides close to or on signing day. Signing day surprise: Notre Dame will land two of the three current or former USC commits it is after. Two from decommitted prospects Vanderdoes and Sebastian LaRue and USC pledge Torrodney Prevot will sign with the Irish. -- Jared Shanker
13. LSU Tigers Who they have: LSU picked up the two most highly rated players in its class when athlete Kendell Beckwith (No. 19 in the ESPN 150) and defensive tackle Maquedius Bain (No. 43) pledged to the Tigers inthe Under Armour Game week. The class also fills offensive needs with two ESPN 300 quarterbacks (Hayden Rettig and Anthony Jennings), four offensive linemen, two tight ends and three wide receivers. Who they want: LSU would love to finish strong and has its sights aimed high. No. 1 overall recruit Robert Nkemdiche has LSU in his final two. Securing the dominant defensive end would be the feather in the cap of an already outstanding defensive line class. LSU also hopes to land two more players in the top 50: safety Priest Willis and defensive end Tim Williams. Signing day surprise: Nkemdiche is, by most accounts, an Ole Miss lean, but the chance to play for one of the nation's premier producers of defensive line talent in a year when it has a profound need for immediate help has to be tempting. I'm calling for a signing day surprise based on the desire to develop under LSU defensive line coach Brick Haley and defensive coordinator John Chavis. -- Gary Laney
14. TCU Horned Frogs Who they have: TCU has two four-star players in running back Kyle Hicks and outside linebacker Paul Whitmill. Perhaps the most intriguing commit of the class is three-star athlete Ty Slanina, who can play multiple positions on both sides of the ball. Who they want: The Horned Frogs are still in the running for four-star lineman Andrew Billings. At 6-foot-2 and 308 pounds, Billings can play either offensive guard or defensive tackle. Signing day surprise: TCU currently has zero quarterbacks committed. This could mean room for one or two high school recruits -- or, perhaps, a high school recruit and a junior college recruit looking to prove themselves. Baker Mayfield, Jake Hubenak or junior college QB A.J. Derby could be options. -- Damon Sayles
15. Oregon State Beavers Who they have: The Beavers have done a terrific job at the junior college level, with three outstanding prospects in cornerback Steven Nelson and defensive tackles Kyle Peko and Edwin Delva. ESPN 300 cornerback Dashon Hunt was a big recruiting victory as well. Who they want: Cornerback L.J. Moore and linebacker Keishawn Bierria will receive a big push from the Beavers' coaching staff as signing day nears. The Beavers also will receive the final visit from Brayden Kearsley, a four-star offensive tackle. Signing day surprise: The Beavers won't lose any of their verbal commitments. The Oregon State coaches do such a great job of evaluating the recruits who not only fit the system on the field but also fit into the program off of it. And the players in this class haven't used their commitments to Oregon State as a placeholder as they look at other programs. This is a tight-knit group that is looking forward to playing for coach Mike Riley. -- Erik McKinney
16. Florida State Seminoles Who they have: The Seminoles have a commitment from one of the top running backs in the country, Ryan Green (St. Petersburg, Fla./St. Petersburg), at the top of their class for the time being, and got a BCS championship day surprise when former Alabama DE commit DeMarcus Walker decided to flip to the Noles. FSU also has four commitments from linebackers and three from offensive linemen for 2013. Who they want: Top outside linebacker Matthew Thomas (Miami/Booker T. Washington), ESPN 150 running back Alex Collins (Plantation, Fla./South Plantation), ESPN 150 wide receiver Stacy Coley (Oakland Park, Fla./Northeast) and four-star tackle Denver Kirkland (Miami/Booker T. Washington). If the Seminoles can land that quartet, it will go a long way to salvage what has been a lower-ranked class when compared with the previous year. Signing day surprise: Davin Bellamy flipping to either Auburn or Tennessee. With ace recruiter Dameyune Craig now at Auburn, and D.J. Eliot at Kentucky, there is a chance Bellamy might not be as enamored of FSU as he once was. Florida State's new assistants will have to prove themselves to Bellamy when he visits. -- Corey Dowlar
17. Oklahoma Sooners Who they have: OU has fared well at the skill positions with four of the Sooners' seven ESPN 300 commits in the showcase positions. Leading the way is running back Keith Ford, who is No. 29 in the ESPN 150. Quarterback Cody Thomas has vaulted back into the ESPN 300 at No. 248, and four-star athlete Stanvon Taylor is No. 200. Taylor's versatility has made him a hot commodity as he can play either wide receiver or cornerback. Anchoring things at safety is ESPN 300 prospect Hatari Byrd. After a positive official visit to OU in October, it looks as if Byrd and the Sooners are a perfect match. OU has made a solid push up front with four commits in the past month, highlighted by ESPN JC 100 OT Josiah St. John. Who they want: The Sooners need a little bit of help at various spots. Two prospects who really stand out are four-star OT Aaron Cochran and ESPN 300 athlete Adrian Baker. Both have made official visits to OU. Baker is down to OU and Clemson, and OU is among four schools in the running for Cochran. The flipped commitment of ESPN 300 LB Jordan Mastrogiovanni to Texas A&M really hurts as the Sooners thought the linebacker was secure. OU also needs a lot of help in the secondary. The Sooners are hoping Fresno (Calif.) Central East can help out one more time. Sooners have the commitment of Hatari Byrd and are aiming for four-star CB L.J. Moore. Signing day surprise: Been a tough week for Sooners on the field and on the trail. But OU will close strong, highlighted by getting ESPN 300 athlete Adrian Baker. Coincidentally, OU's Mike Stoops will help lure Baker to Norman instead of Clemson, where the defensive coordinator is former longtime OU coach Brent Venables. -- Bob Przybylo
18. Wisconsin Badgers Who they have: Luckily for new coach Gary Andersen, the Badgers still have every recruit that was previously committed under Bret Bielema, which includes ESPN 300 RB Corey Clement. Who they want: The Badgers missed on several QB targets in the 2013 class, so Andersen is hoping to reel in newly offered three-star QB Michael Julian. Signing day surprise: Andersen will hold onto four-star DE Alec James, the No. 1 player in Wisconsin and the second-highest-rated player in the Badgers' class. James is looking hard at Florida State, Michigan State and Oregon, but he will remain with Wisconsin come signing day. -- Jared Shanker
19. Boise State Broncos Who they have: Running back Aaron Baltazar is the top-ranked recruit for the Broncos, and Boise State has done a terrific job loading up with offensive skill players. Quarterback Ryan Finley will receive plenty of help from four-star offensive guard Andrew Tercek as well as receivers Jack Austin and Kendal Keys and tight end Alec Dhaenens. Who they want: The Broncos' class is filling quickly, but Boise State is scheduled to receive visits from safety James Crawford and running back Rennie Childs (Houston/Cypress Ridge) in late January. Signing day surprise: Boise State will land an ESPN 300 recruit. The Broncos are close with Baltazar, who has an 82 grade and is closing in on the ESPN 300, but the Broncos have been too strong in this recruiting cycle not to hit on a remaining target or flip a potential Pac-12 signee. Chris Petersen and his staff have made a strong impression on every recruit they've brought to Boise on official visits, and that is going to pay off as signing day nears. -- Erik McKinney
20. Nebraska Cornhuskers Who they have: Nebraska looks set at quarterback and running back with Johnny Stanton and Adam Taylor. Outside linebackers Marcus Newby, Josh Banderas and Courtney Love should help the Huskers reload in an area that has lacked depth. Who they want: Safety Priest Willis, the No. 50 prospect in the ESPN 150, remains the top target for Nebraska. The Huskers also would like to add muscle at the line of scrimmage with offensive tackle Aaron Cochran. Signing day surprise: Taylor, a back from Katy (Texas) High School, capped a big year with a great performance in the state title game. A school closer to home, maybe even Texas, is going to pose a late threat to the Huskers for his signature. -- Mitch Sherman
21. UCLA Bruins Who they have: The Bruins will add some terrific skill position players in ESPN 300 wide receiver Eldridge Massington and four-star running back Craig Lee. But it's along the offensive line where this class will shine with commitments from ESPN 300 center Scott Quessenberry and ESPN 300 guard John Lopez leading the way. Who they want: Running back Terrell Newby will decide between UCLA and Nebraska on Wednesday. The Bruins also could load up in the defensive backfield, as ESPN 150 safeties Priest Willis and Tahaan Goodman are still very much in play, along with ESPN 300 cornerback Johnny Johnson Jr. (Fresno, Calif./Central). Signing day surprise: The Bruins will land the Pac-12's second-ranked class. Although the USC Trojans probably will finish with the conference's top-ranked group of players, thanks to a terrific batch of early enrollees, the Bruins will cruise to the No. 2 spot and might even challenge the Trojans at the top. This group of coaches will close in a big way and will add at least three ESPN 300 recruits by signing day. -- Erik McKinney
22. Northwestern Wildcats Who they have: Pat Fitzgerald could be putting together his best class at Northwestern in 2013. ESPN 300 quarterback Matt Alviti is expected to be the future of the program, and four-star Godwin Igwebuike is a highly sought-after athlete. Who they want: Alviti would be happy to see the Wildcats bring in four-star receiver James Clark, who officially visited Northwestern. Signing day surprise: It will be a quiet Feb. 6 for Fitzgerald, which is great news as it means none of his commitments will be leaving for schools considered better programs. -- Jared Shanker
23. Michigan Wolverines Who they have: Michigan's class is led by QB commit Shane Morris, who is No. 54 in the ESPN 150. Michigan has five committed offensive linemen from the ESPN 150: David Dawson (87), Logan Tuley-Tillman (105), Chris Fox (113), Patrick Kugler (115) and Kyle Bosch (127). Who they want: Despite having five defensive backs, two linebackers and two running backs already committed, Michigan is still targeting a few linebackers, DB Reon Dawson and RB Derrick Green. The Wolverines also have reached out to former USC WR commit Sebastian LaRue, as it looks as though target Laquon Treadwell is headed elsewhere. Signing day surprise: The Wolverines are on the right track to cure the run game problems from 2012. There is a chance Michigan will finish the 2013 class with a top-five QB, six ESPN 300 OL commits and a top-five running back in Derrick Green (Richmond, Va./Hermitage). -- Tom VanHaaren
24. Oklahoma State Cowboys Who they have: The Cowboys have three of the top receivers in the country in Fred Ross Jr., Marcell Ateman and Under Armour All-American Ra'Shaad Samples. They also have defensive end Sam Wren, who is ranked No. 14 in the ESPN Junior College 100. Who they want: Four-star athlete Devin Lauderdale could fit in well for the Cowboys. At 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds, he can play either cornerback or receiver, but his worth could be in the secondary. Signing day surprise: Could we see one of those stud wide receivers make a left turn with his commitment? All three are high-profile players, and late pushes by outside programs tend to happen in the closing weeks. Kentucky really wants Samples. Is playing in the SEC enough for him to consider? -- Damon Sayles
25. USC Who they have: All of USC's commits are four-star recruits and all but one are ranked in the ESPN 300, including 10 ESPN 150 members. The Trojans have secured commitments from No. 1- and No. 3-rated safeties Su'a Cravens and Leon McQuay III, respectively, No. 2-rated defensive tackle Kenny Bigelow, as well linebacker Michael Hutchings, cornerback Chris Hawkins and defensive end Kylie Fitts -- all of whom are ranked atop their position group among California recruits. And with Matt Barkley graduating, USC locked up its future quarterback in Max Browne, the No. 2-rated pocket passer and No. 18 overall prospect. Who they want: USC will continue pursuing No. 4-rated DT Eddie Vanderdoes, who recently decommitted from the Trojans. USC is also in the running for juco OT Desmond Harrison and Texas DT commit A'Shawn Robinson. There appears to be a spot open for another linebacker in the class, and No. 1-rated OLB Matthew Thomas, No. 2-rated ILB Trey Johnson and No. 8-rated OLB Quinton Powell are scheduled to visit campus Jan. 18. Signing day surprise: Ace recruiter Ed Orgeron will secure another commitment from the South. -- Blair Angulo ______________________ Young Jeezy- It's Tha World Raekwon - Shaolin vs Wu-Tang Obie Trice - Cheers
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