The Top 10 2011 College Football Recruiting Classes

We're a long way from National Signing Day and a ton of talented prospects remain uncommitted, but a few recruiting classes are already shaping up to be very good.

Can you say Texas?

So who joins the Longhorns on the list and who just missed the cut?

When deciding the rankings, there has to be a balance of quality and quantity, but when it's close, the edge goes to the school with the best individual player.

Read on to get a sneak peak of what could end up being the top 10 recruiting classes of 2011.

Just Missed The Cut

11. Nebraska

12. Georgia

13. Auburn

14. Florida State

15. Washington

16. Michigan State

17. Florida

18. Pittsburgh

19. Virginia Tech

20. Miami

10. Oklahoma State

Five-Star Prospects: 1
Four-Star Prospects: 2
Three-Star Prospects: 7

Best Prospect: Herschel Sims, RB

It was a close call between Oklahoma State and Nebraska for the 10th spot. Honestly, each team has a legitimate claim, but the Cornhuskers don't have a single prospect like Herschel Sims.

He's Scout's No. 4 running back and one of best clutch players in the country. Sims is a playmaker who steps up in big games with big-time plays, and has drawn comparisons to the likes of LaDainian Tomlinson because of his versatility.

Sims is joined by J.W. Walsh, the No. 7 quarterback, and Travis Cross, the No. 8 offensive guard, to headline the Cowboys' 2011 class.

Add guys like cornerback Mikeatavius Jones and defensive end Jimmy Bean, and Oklahoma State has the core of a well-rounded and talented cast of commits.

9. Clemson

Five-Star Prospects: 1
Four-Star Prospects: 3
Three-Star Prospects: 6

Best Prospect: Mike Bellamy, RB

Clemson and Oklahoma State—and Nebraska for that matter—get a photo finish to round out the Top 10. But Clemson gets the most bang for their buck with a double-down bet on running backs, getting their hands on two of the top 10 backs in the country.

Mike Bellamy is a highlight ready to happen; he's one of the fastest and most elusive runners in the country and has an uncanny ability to break free once he reaches the second level.

He has legit 4.3 speed.

Marlin Lane ranks as the No. 9 running back of the class and is a perfect yin to Bellamy's yang. He's a between-the-tackles bruiser with a great motor.

Throw in Charone Peake, the No. 7 receiver in the country, and a solid haul of offensive lineman, and the Tigers have a solid set of offensive weapons coming in.

8. Stanford

Five-Star Prospects: 0
Four-Star Prospects: 6
Three-Star Prospects: 9

Best Prospect: Evan Crower, QB

Stanford might not have any five-star prospects committed at this point, but they have a great group of well-rounded talent. And it all starts with quarterback Evan Crower.

Crower is Scout's No. 6 quarterback, but he's still a bit of an underrated prospect with a ton to like about his game. He throws an excellent ball, has great pocket presence, can nail pretty much every throw, and has NFL potential.

By the end of his senior year, scouts might be talking about him like he's the top QB prospect of the class.

Stanford also has some quality targets in tight end Charlie Hopkins, running backs Amir Carlisle and Kelsey Young, and wide receiver Ty Montgomery. All are rated in the top 25 at their positions.

7. Notre Dame

Five-Star Prospects: 1
Four-Star Prospects: 5
Three-Star Prospects: 2

Best Prospect: Ben Koyack, TE

The Irish have a solid haul of talent, highlighted by Scout's No. 2 tight end Ben Koyack, a mismatch just waiting to happen. He moves like a receiver but has a massive 6'5" 230-lb frame that he uses to bulldoze his way past corners and linebackers.

Notre Dame also has Conor Hanratty, the No. 2 offensive guard; Matt Hegarty and Jordan Prestwood, two of the best offensive tackles in the country; defensive stud linebacker Jarrett Grace; and defensive end Tony Springmann.

Its a great all-around class that's shaping up to be not only one of the best of 2011 but also the foundation for some solid success down the line.

6. Oklahoma

Five-Star Prospects: 0
Four-Star Prospects: 8
Three-Star Prospects: 8

Best Prospect: Trey Metoyer, WR

Oklahoma doesn't have any five-star recruits, but they arguably have the highest quantity of quality players short of Texas.

Trey Metoyer is the fourth-rated receiver in the country, and it won't be long before scouts give him the five-star label he deserves.

But if you want a nice one-two-three punch, you need to include running back Brandon Williams and quarterback Kendal Thompson, both of whom are top 10 at their positions.

The Sooners added stud defensive ends Nathan Hughes and Cooper Washington, defensive tackles Marquis Anderson and Jordan Wade, and safety Frank Shannon. All are in the top 25 at their positions.

Oklahoma might not have a unanimous star in the group, but they have a ton of high quality players that have the chance to develop into serious college football stars.

5. USC

Five-Star Prospects: 1
Four-Star Prospects: 5
Three-Star Prospects: 2

Best Prospect: DeAnthony Thomas, RB

If you've been following my recruiting coverage to this point, then you know how I feel about DeAnthony Thomas. If he weren't 5'9" and 170 lbs, he'd unquestionably be the top-rated prospect in the country.

He is a legit five-star talent at running back, receiver and cornerback, and has the skills to be great at any of these positions. To me, he's a running back all the way and the next Earl Campbell.

He makes the difference in a tight race with Oklahoma for the fifth spot.

The Trojans also have big time prospects like defensive tackle Antwaun Woods, No. 5 at his position; defensive end Jalen Grimble, No. 5 at his position; a top 10 receiver in Victor Blackwell; and two top 15 quarterbacks in Cody Kessler and Max Wittek.

4. LSU

Five-Star Prospects: 2
Four-Star Prospects: 4
Three-Star Prospects: 5

Best Prospect: La'el Collins, OT

LSU's recruitng class starts with two big-name prospects attached to big-sized bodies, La'el Collins, the top offensive tackle in the nation, and Anthony Johnson, Scout's No. 3 defensive tackle. Their combined weight is nearly 600 pounds, but they play even bigger than that.

These two will be immediate impact players, you can be sure of that. But the Tigers don't stop there.

Linebacker Trevon Randle is one of the top-rated outside linebackers in the nation. Jarvis Landry is a top 15 receiver. Kenny Hilliard and Jeremy Hill are two of the best running backs of the 2011 class.

Hilliard particularly seems like a perfect fit for LSU and the type of player everyone will know about in two to three years.

3. Alabama

Five-Star Prospects: 2
Four-Star Prospects: 4
Three-Star Prospects: 8

Best Prospect: Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix, S / Brent Calloway, LB

Alabama gets the nod over LSU because they bring in a comparable level of top shelf talent, but significantly more overall talent; and some of those three-star prospects always turn out to be gems.

Headlining the Tide's class is safety Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix and linebacker Brent Calloway; they're both so good I couldn't just choose one as the best.

Clinton-Dix is very physical and has great natural instincts, which lead to a lot of big hits and turnovers. Calloway is one of the top linebackers in the country and a serious playmaker with off the charts upside.

The Tide also have cornerback Jabriel Washington, No. 9 at his position; receiver Marvin Shinn, Scout's No. 10 wideout; LaMichael Fanning, a top 15 defensive end; and a slew of talented three star prospects.

2. Ohio State

Five-Star Prospects: 2
Four-Star Prospects: 6
Three-Star Prospects: 6

Best Prospect: Braxton Miller, QB

Ohio State had a disappointing class in 2010, ranking 25th in the country despite their strong finish to the season and high expectations moving forward.

Well, they're looking to be much higher up in the rankings this year with a very strong class of athletes committed to this point.

Players like defensive end Steve Miller, top five at his position; defensive tackles Michael Bennett and Chase Farris, both top ten at their position; the No. one center in the country in Brian Bobek; and defensive backs Jeremy Cash and DerJuan Gambrell are just a few of the names that might become very familiar to college football fans nationwide down the line.

But Braxton Miller, Scout's No. 1 quarterback prospect, is the real gem of this class. He's a dual-threat quarterback with a ton of upside and a great candidate to take over the reins when Terrelle Pryor moves on.

Ohio State's class is shaping up to be a real beauty; if not for Texas it would be the best in the country.

1. Texas

Five-Star Prospects:5
Four-Star Prospects: 9
Three-Star Prospects: 6

Best Prospect: Leroy Scott, S / Desmond Jackson, DT / Steve Edmond, MLB

It really isn't even close when you're talking about recruiting classes to this point. Even if Texas didn't land another prospect for the rest of the year, they'd still have a top-ten class.

Five blue-chip recruits and nine four-star recruits is a staggering number of commitments for this time of year.

Cornerbacks Leroy Scott and Quandre Diggs, defensive tackle Desmond Jackson, linebacker Steve Edmond, offensive tackles Christian Westerman and Garrett Greenlea, safety Sheroid Evans, defensive end Cedric Reed, and offensive guard Sedrick Flowers are all top 10 at their position.

That's really unbelievable, especially in June.