Building 2011's Perfect College Football Recruit

Recruiting is serious business, but lets take a step back and have a little fun with it.

For every prospect in the country—even the highest rated ones—there's at least one area where they have a shortcoming. Now, this may be the smallest of details or a big question mark, but one thing is for certain...

No prospect is perfect.

But what if you could build the perfect prospect? You could take a little here and a little there from all the best names to combine their strengths into the ultimate football player.

That's exactly what we're going to do now for the 2011 college football recruiting class.

We'll take a little bit of Jadeveon Clowny, some DeAnthony Thomas, add in a sprinkle of Tony Steward, a dash of Doran Grant and Leroy Scott, a handful of Braxton Miller, and a few other ingredients.

And presto! You have the perfect prospect for 2011.

Braxton Miller's Arm

Miller is an idea dual-threat quarterback who possesses great quickness and elusive ability along with a powerful arm that really puts a lot of pressure on defenses. He runs a 4.47-second 40-yard dash and can change direction on a dime.

There are very few prospects capable of dominating a defense the way he does. Miller doesn't force plays, but rather lets his opponent choose how they're going to play him and then takes advantage of whatever they offer.

Miller has all the tools to be a great college quarterback and there's almost nothing not to like about his game. When he works out some throwing technique issues and improves his midrange accuracy, he has the potential to really explode onto the national scene.

If you go by pure arm strength though, this kid has a cannon attached to his shoulder that rockets balls downfield about as well as any prospect has in a long time.

Kenny Hilliard's Vision

Hilliard is a a strong rusher with soft hands. He runs smooth routes and can do a lot of damage as both a rusher and a receiver.

He has a great power game and seemingly breaks tackles at will. If you're looking for a North-South runner, he's your guy.

Hilliard won't make a lot of fancy moves, but he's a smart player with great instincts who hits his holes hard and fast, usually at the ideal moment.

You just can't teach that.

He doesn't have the breakaway speed you like to see from top running back prospects, but he's a decisive runner that gets the most out of each carry. That's the type of vision you ask for when you're talking about a top prospect.

De'Anthony Thomas' Ellusivness

Thomas has the potential to play any number of positions, from running back to cornerback, safety, and even linebacker on the defensive side of the ball.

Most experts agree he'd be a five star prospect regardless the tag put on him.

He has all the tools to become a dominating rusher and would do just as well on the other side of the ball.

Thomas can change directions like you wouldn't believe, has an endless array of juke moves, is about as well balanced as any prospect in the country, and is nearly impossible to take down.

He's so fast and so hard to get a hand on that his size limitations aren't really that big of a deal.

Trey Metoyer's Hands

At 5'11" and 178 lbs, Landry's 4.65 40-yard dash time is a bit on the slow side for someone his size.

But he makes up for it with solid route-running, great movement in closed spaces, and bear claws for hands.

He'll do a lot of damage in the middle of the field or working out of the slot.

Landry is a sure-handed player that demands the ball on big plays and will quickly develop into a third down conversion machine. There isn't a prospect in the country you can count on more to bring the ball down on any given play.

He needs to bulk up and work on his run blocking, but other than that there isn't too much not to like about his game.

Doran Grant's Speed

Grant might be the best cornerback prospect in the 2011 class, depending on where some other guys line up when the pads come on next fall.

He's lightning fast, tests off the charts athletically, tackles with a lot of power, and has a great knack for being where the ball is.

But we're talking about speed here, and if anyone has it, Grant does. His 4.36 40-yard dash is amongst the top in the country, but there's more to his speed than straight-line sprinting.

Grant accelerates off the line of scrimmage with incredible power, moves laterally with ease, and can back pedal faster than most people can run. He looks like a cheetah hot in pursuit more than a 17-year old boy at times.

Tony Steward's Muscles

At 6'2", 225 lbs, Steward is one of the most physically imposing prospects in the country.

The kid is built like a body builder, with hardly an ounce of fat. He's incredibly strong and is one of the most athletic prospects in the country at any position, let alone linebacker.

He reminds me a lot of John Luc, a 2010 FSU recruit, and this St. Augustine, Florida native might just end up playing alongside him.

Steward is considered the top linebacker prospect in the country. And based on the way he's built and his natural ability to sniff out the football, he is likely to make a big impact as a freshman.

The saying "man amongst boys" couldn't ring any truer than when you're talking about this young man.

Steve Edmond's Tackling Ability

Edmond is a tackling machine who exploded for 184 tackles his junior year, with 34 of them coming for a loss.

He's a massive, hulking prospect who hits about as hard as anyone and has so much strength in his arms and upper body that once he gets a hand on you, you really don't have much of a chance to escape.

He dominates all over the field and at his size—6'3", 225 lbs—he can play inside or outside linebacker and potentially could bulk up a bit to play end.

He reminds me a lot of Sergio Kindle when he rushes the passer, but he's a better tackler in open space and brings more to the table in run support.

A guy who tackles as well as Edmond has middle linebacker written all over him.

Leroy Scott's Coverage Skills

Scott is one of those rare players that's looked like a grown man since he was a freshman in high school. At 5'10", 190 lbs, he's a very physical player who tackles well and is always on the lookout to land a big hit.

But his best quality is by far his unbelievable coverage skills.

He's without a doubt the best cover corner in the country and has a set of instincts and skills that just can't be taught. He glues himself to his receiver and has an uncanny ability to make something happen when it comes to jumping in front of his man and making a play for the ball.

His speed helps him make up for missed gambles, but that doesn't happen often; Scott doesn't make many mistakes.

He committed to Texas and will hope to be the next great Longhorns defender. This kid's got NFL-potential written all over him.

Jadeveon Clowney's Playmaking Ability

At 6'5", 225 lbs, Clowney is an athletic freak and a playmaker in every sense of the word.

He gets into the backfield in a hurry, has great natural pass-rushing instincts, and can chase down ball-carriers with his tremendous speed.

No matter where the ball goes, or where Clowney lines up, he can make something happen. There's game film of him chasing down wide receivers twenty yards down the field.

Rivals is calling him the most athletic defensive end since Julius Peppers. Spend just a few minutes watching him play, and you'll understand why.

He's one of those players that just always ends up in the thick of things, jarring balls loose, knocking quarterbacks on their back, scooping up a fumble, and generally causing about as much trouble as you can ask from a defender.

Tim Jernigan's Motor

At 6'2", 275 lbs, Jernigan is an athletic big man who moves extremely well for his size and can get into the backfield in a hurry. He's a disruptive force who recorded 131 tackles and 27 tackles for loss as a junior and commands a constant double-team.

He has all the tools to become an elite college defensive lineman. He's incredibly strong, stays low to the ground, drives with his legs, and has a relentless motor. On top of that, he has a solid array of power and finesse moves to shed blocks and penetrate the line of scrimmage.

Jernigan is a monster in pursuit and never gives up on a play, even if it means chasing a ball carrier 20-30 yards downfield. He can cover a lot of ground very quickly for someone his size and does an excellent job shutting down run plays before the ball can get outside.

This guy's motor runs off pure adrenaline and lasts longer than the Energizer bunny. He really just doesn't have any quit in him in any situation.