Recruiting Stock Up, Down or Level for Every College Football Team in Top 25

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While it will be awhile still before we see any more football on the field, the game goes on in full swing.

After all, Nick Saban knows that championships begin the building process just after a season ends. After all, that is when recruiting keeps the coaches busy.

So, looking at the final AP Top 25, which teams are doing better, worse or at least maintaining their current recruiting levels from last year?

Read on.

Note: All recruiting rankings and star information are from Rivals.com.

No. 25: Nebraska Cornhuskers

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Nebraska has the same number of 4-star recruits listed this season as they did last season. The main difference between this year and last year is an increase of 3-star and 2-star recruits.

The higher number of recruits has elevated Nebraska's rating, but that's a little misleading. Really, the Huskers are doing just about as well as last season.

Verdict: Level

No. 24: Michigan Wolverines

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While Michigan doesn't yet have any 5-star recruits, the Michigan Wolverines make up for it with a whole bunch of 4-star ones. 

Last season, they had two 5-star recruits: Kyle Kalis and Ondre Pipkins. While the Wolverines don't have this level of blue chip athletes per se, they have six 4-star athletes already signed and 10 more verbal commitments.

I'd say that's a pretty even trade.

Verdict: Level

No. 23: Vanderbilt Commodores

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It's amazing to think that Vanderbilt could finish in the Top 25 in the final AP poll, and now they've broken into the Top 25 in recruiting as well.

Now, it's not like the Vanderbilt Commodores are getting Alabama-level recruits. In fact, Vanderbilt has no 5-star recruits and only three 4-star players. However, James Franklin has convinced his team and now his recruits to believe that they can succeed at Vanderbilt. I wouldn't underestimate Vandy if I were an SEC coach.

Verdict: Stock Up

No. 22: NIU Huskies

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You may think that the publicity of playing in the Orange Bowl would help improve a team like Northern Illinois University's recruiting stock, but it really hasn't. Part of the reason why may be how the NIU Huskies were totally outgunned against Florida State.

As a matter of fact, the Huskies have lost ten spots in the recruiting rankings from last year to this. 

Verdict: Stock Down

No. 21: San Jose State Spartans

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San Jose State was improving by leaps and bounds under Mike MacIntyre. The fact that they finished in the Top 25 was a remarkable achievement. 

That achievement may have translated to better recruiting if MacIntrye hadn't decided to take off for Colorado.

The San Jose State Spartans have only eight recruits and only one of them is a 3-star. Last season they had five.

Verdict: Down

No. 20: Oregon State Beavers

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There's a pretty big difference between their 2011 3-9 finish and their 9-4 finish this season. However, there's one thing that hasn't really changed:

Their recruiting.

The similarities are uncanny. They have similar rankings (No. 39 vs. No. 38), similar number of recruits (23 versus 22) and a similar amount of 4-star recruits (two versus one).

Verdict: Level

No. 19: Texas Longhorns

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Mack Brown may feel good about beating Oregon State, but his recruiting has taken something of a hit from last season.

In fact, Texas was No. 2 in 2012 while they sit at No. 20 right now. Their average star rating per recruit has actually come up (3.77 versus 3.64), but there's few total recruits. It may not be a huge dip, but it appears to be a dip nonetheless.

Verdict: Stock Down

No. 18: Boise State Broncos

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Chris Petersen's strength has never been convincing top recruits to come to Boise. In fact, Petersen excels at taking these lower star recruits and making them into players that can compete at the top levels of college football.

So, it doesn't really come as a surprise that the Boise State Broncos are in the mid-50's both last year and this. I'm sure Boise State doesn't mind as Petersen will continue to get his team to fulfill their full potential.

Verdict: Level

No. 17: Northwestern Wildcats

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Pat Fitzgerald took a step forward by winning his first bowl game as head coach at Northwestern, and it appears that he's seeing some improvement in recruiting as well.

The Northwestern Wildcats now rank No. 45, which is up 15 spots from last season. They may have only one 4-star recruit, but they have plenty of 3-star recruits that could build on what Fitzgerald has accomplished thus far.

Verdict: Stock Up

No. 16: Utah State Aggies

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Gary Andersen helped the Utah State Aggies improve by leaps and bounds this season as Utah State finished with their first ever double-digit win season before heading off to Wisconsin.

Too bad for Utah State that Andersen is headed off to Wisconsin. Several recruits have decided to look elsewhere with Andersen not coming back.

Still, they do show a slight improvement in recruiting over last season. Of course, it's relatively easy to move up when you were No. 115 in 2012. Still, I wouldn't buy this stock.

Verdict: Level

No. 15: Oklahoma Sooners

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Here's an interesting question: Should Bob Stoops be concerned about his team's recent dip?

The Oklahoma Sooners got blasted by Texas A&M, and they've dropped five spots from last year in the recruiting rankings. While five spots may not seem like much, for a team like Oklahoma that's used to being on top this a bit of an alarming trend.

While having a 5-star recruit doesn't necessarily make or break a recruiting class, it is interesting to note that Oklahoma, as of yet, doesn't have one.

Verdict: Stock Down

No. 14: LSU Tigers

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With so much talent leaving for the NFL, LSU needed a strong batch of recruits this season.

And they appear to have gotten it.

Not surprisingly, LSU has gone after top notch defensive linemen and defensive backs as Sam Montgomery, Barkevious Mingo and Eric Reid are some of those that have left for the NFL. 

This crop includes 5-star defensive back Tre'Davious White and 5-star defensive end Frank Harron. The LSU Tigers didn't have any 5-star recruits last season.

Verdict: Stock Up

No. 13: Louisville Cardinals

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You would think that winning the Sugar Bowl over a team like Florida would be a boon to recruiting.

Well, not so much.

In fact, Louisville has dropped from No. 42 last season to No. 65 this season.

Go figure.

Verdict: Stock Down

No. 12: Kansas State Wildcats

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Kansas State may have just won the Big 12, but they've still got a ways to go to compete with the likes of Texas and Oklahoma in recruiting.

In fact, while the Kansas State Wildcats have gone up eight spots in the recruiting rankings, there really isn't much difference between last year's crop of recruits and this year's. You have essentially the same number of recruits, 3-star and 4-star recruits and overall quality of the class.

Verdict: Level

No. 11: Clemson Tigers

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While Clemson has just had their biggest win under Dabo Swinney by beating LSU, the LSU Tigers have put together a solid, but not stellar, recruiting class. The number of recruits (20 versus 16) and average stars per recruit (3.45 versus 3.38) is down from last season. 

Still, when you can stay in the Top 25 of recruiting that's always an accomplishment.

Verdict: Stock Down

No. 10: Florida State Seminoles

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Jimbo Fisher may have his first BCS bowl win, but it doesn't seem to have helped recruiting in comparison to last year. 

Last season he landed three 5-star recruits. This season he doesn't have any.

Don't get me wrong, Florida State still has a great recruiting class, but it just doesn't have that top notch zing that he had last year.

Verdict: Stock Down

No. 9: Florida Gators

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Florida didn't seem to show up against Louisville for the Sugar Bowl, but at the very least, Will Muschamp continues to clean up on the recruiting boards.

In fact, the Florida Gators are No. 1 currently in recruiting for this year. However, as Florida was a close No. 3 last season, I can't call this a clear rise in stock. Hard to rise when you're already at the top.

Verdict: Level

No. 8: South Carolina Gamecocks

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The Old Ball Coach has shown that he still has what it takes to recruit at the highest levels. While he doesn't have a 5-star recruit at the level of Jadeveon Clowney, he does have a host of 4-star recruits that will certainly develop under the tutelage of Steve Spurrier.

It's not a marked improvement from last season, but when you're close to the top, all you need to do is maintain what you have.

Verdict: Level

No. 7: Stanford Cardinal

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While performance on the field doesn't seem to have suffered at all under David Shaw, recruiting seems to have taken a hit between last year and this. In fact, the Cardinal dropped from No. 5 in recruiting rankings to No. 52. 

It would have been hard for the Cardinal to maintain that high level of recruiting as they picked up three 5-star recruits last season. But this is quite a tumble from last year.

Verdict: Stock Down

T-No. 5: Texas A&M Aggies

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There's nothing like the prospect of playing with a young Heisman Trophy winner to boost recruiting.

Texas A&M has 32 total recruits, with 14 of those being 4-star athletes and 17 3-star players.

A&M is definitely making waves in their new division, both on the field and in recruiting.

Verdict: Stock Up

T-No. 5: Georgia Bulldogs

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Mark Richt will have a hard time for getting as much bang for his buck this season as he did the last one. After all, Keith Marshall and Todd Gurley made quite a freshman phenomenon team.

However, the Georgia Bulldogs have moved into the Top 10 in recruiting this season, and I'm sure taking Alabama to the wire in the SEC Championship Game had something to do with it.

However, this isn't a huge recruiting leap up, but a maintenance of already high standards.

Verdict: Level

No. 4: Notre Dame Fighting Irish

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The Notre Dame Fighting Irish may have lost big in the BCS National Championship Game, but they have established themselves again as a top recruiting power.

Brian Kelly's Irish have risen from No. 20 last season to No. 2 now. They have three 5-star recruits: Jaylon Smith, Max Redford and Greg Bryant. Last season, they had only one in Gunner Kiel.

My, what a difference a national championship game appearance makes.

Verdict: Stock Up

No. 3: Ohio State Buckeyes

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If anyone other than Nick Saban understands how to recruit to win championships, it's Urban Meyer.

Last season, Meyer picked up a pair of 5-star defensive ends, Adolphus Washington and Noah Spence. This season, he has a 5-star linebacker in Mike Mitchell.

Meyer got Ohio State into the top five of recruiting from the moment he came to Columbus and so far he's maintained it that way. 

Verdict: Level

No. 2: Oregon Ducks

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Losing a top notch coach like Chip Kelly to the NFL has already had a detrimental effect on Oregon's recruiting. Oregon has already dropped from No. 16 to No. 44 between this year and last. Some top notch recruits are having second thoughts since Kelly left, such as Dontre Wilson. 

However, they still have Thomas Tyner for this season, who is listed as a 5-star recruit. But there's a definite drop in Oregon's ability to recruit with Kelly gone.

Verdict: Stock Down

No. 1: Alabama Crimson Tide

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There's no better recruiting tool than three National Championships in the last four years.

Still, it's hard to get better than what Nick Saban has already done recruiting wise. Last season Alabama finished No. 1 in the rankings and they sit at No. 3 now. Last season they brought in instant stars like T.J. Yeldon and Amari Cooper.

This season, they have some great potential stars in Jonathan Allen and O.J. Howard.

Verdict: Stock Level