Dorial Green-Beckham: Why the Nation's Top Recruit Is Best off at Missouri

Next week, some of the top recruits in the country will sign with one lucky school that's been recruiting them over the last several months. National signing day is going to be a day that could change the future of several programs for the next few years.

The player that maybe everybody in the country is paying attention to is wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham. He isn't just a great receiver, he's arguably the best overall prospect in this year's class. At 6'6", 220 pounds, he is already built for the NFL level. He runs a 40 in the 4.4 range, and his leaping ability is out of this world. Whichever school he decides to pick will instantly become better on offense. 

He had offers from nearly every top school in the country, but he is looking hard at schools such as Missouri, Arkansas, Alabama, Texas and Oklahoma. He's expected to make his decision on national signing day. 

Here are a few reasons why he should become a Missouri Tiger.

Close to home

Playing for a school that's close to home is obviously important to Green-Beckham—just look at the schools he's interested in. Columbia is less than 300 miles away from his home in Springfield. 

Being close to home and being able to play in front of your parents and friends is a big deal these days. It would be much easier to watch the top wide receiver play if he becomes a Tiger rather than if he was to go to Alabama, which is nearly 600 miles away.

The SEC

Majority of the top players in the country like to play in the SEC, and that's because that's where the top competition is. You play well in the SEC and your draft stock for the next level shoots through the roof. Before, teams in this conference would have the advantage over teams like Missouri, but that's no longer the case.

The Tigers will be in the SEC next season, and they are in the easier division in the East. Teams like Arkansas and Alabama can no longer use this as an advantage in recruiting, at least not against Missouri. He'll get to play in the best conference in college football and won't have to go far away to do it. What more can he ask for?

He could become an icon

Now, regardless of where Green-Beckham ends up, he will become a well-known receiver. But think about what Robert Griffin did last year for Baylor and it not only made him look good, it took the university to another level. Missouri has more history than Baylor does, but they're not exactly an elite program or a program that many even talk about. Sure, they've done a great job under head coach Gary Pinkel, but we're talking about a school that's won double-digit games only three times since 1960. 

Green-Beckham can either be just another great receiver at a program that's had many, or he could be known as the guy who took this Tigers program to elite levels. A BCS bowl in the future would not be too far-fetched with him on the roster.

Offense

Everybody is talking about why Green-Beckham should join Arkansas, because adding him would create an unstoppable offense. Missouri was one of the most balanced offenses in the country last year and finished ninth in the country in rushing yards. Running back Henry Josey who rushed for over 1,000 yards is returning.

So is quarterback James Franklin, who is quickly improving and could very well be one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the country. Not to mention, there is a solid young receiving corp already in place with Marcus Lucas and L'Damian Washington. Both big receivers at 6'4" and 6'5" and have great potential heading into next season.

Adding Green-Beckham would help create an offense that very few defenses in the country could stop, and it would make Franklin that much scarier at the quarterback position. 

Randy Chambers is a B/R Featured Columnist that covers college football and the NFL. You can contact him @Randy_Chambers or [e-mail]