The Most Shocking Decommitments and National Signing Day Switches in History

Through the years in recruiting we have seen some top-flight recruits pull some shocking switches and flip-flops on schools. We have also been very close to seeing other players sign with schools other than the program they eventually landed at.

Recruiting has been a roller-coaster cycle through the years and it will only continue to be more so as we move forward. The rules of recruiting are changing more and more—the Internet is only going to become an even larger part of the cycle and high school players are becoming legends before they even enter college football. National signing day has become such a spectacle of an event year after year that it is now starting to draw criticism from fans, coaches and analysts.

Today, let's reflect on some of the most shocking decommitments, national signing day switches and also where some of your favorite players almost ended up. 

Carnell Williams: Tennessee to Auburn

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In 2001, Cadillac Williams was one the highest rated players—let alone running backs—in the country. At 5'11", 200 pounds, he had a smooth but shifty style with great quickness and solid power.

Williams was a legend on the Alabama high school football scene and was being recruited by all the top programs in the SEC and nationally. He committed to Tennessee and everyone thought that was it. Williams would be a Vol. Done deal.

Wrong.

When then-Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville learned Williams had pledged to Rocky Top, he only revved up his efforts on the runner. Tuberville secured a home visit with Williams and went full tilt to convince him to come to Auburn.

Shortly after, Williams signed with the Tigers and developed into a top-five NFL draft pick by the Bucs.

Hershel Dennis to Oregon?

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In 2002, Long Beach Poly (Calif.) had one of its most star-studded teams in school history, and that's saying something because Poly may be the top high school football program that produces NFL players—not just college players, but NFL guys.

This year featured the "Big Five" of Marcedes Lewis, Manuel Wright, Winston Justice, Darnell Bing and Hershel Dennis—five of the top 100 players in the country. Lewis pledged to UCLA early, but the latter four were considered USC leans.

One by one they officially pledged; yet, Hershel Dennis, the 5'11, 190-pound running back was struggling with his decision. He and his father wanted to go to Oregon, but his mother wanted him close to home at USC.

After coming very, very close to committing to the Ducks, Dennis pledged to USC down the home stretch, joining three of his five All-American teammates.

Brent Calloway: The Ol' Iron Bowl Switch-a-roo

Photo courtesy of Rivals.com

Calloway makes this list, still relatively young in the 2011 class, but his original decommitment was as shocking as his last commitment.

The Russellville, Arkansas, native pledged to Alabama early in the process and remained solid through his senior season in high school. Calloway felt he was a future college running back, but the Tide saw him as a linebacker.

As talks ensued, a rift began to open and increase, and on the morning of the Army game in January, Calloway announced his decommitment from Alabama. We all scratched our heads in shock, then moments later gasped for air when he announced he was headed to Auburn, Alabama's arch-nemesis.

As national signing day approached, word started leaking that the locals of Russellville were clamoring for the 6'1", 210-pound Calloway to reverse back to the Tide.

On the morning of national signing day, he did just that.

Marvin Simmons: UCLA to USC…Then Kansas State

Photo courtesy of CJOnline.com

Marvin Simmons was hailed as the top linebacker in the country in 2001 and was also from powerhouse Long Beach Poly. He was a legend around the metro L.A. area and ran a 4.39 40 at the USC Nike Camp.

Simmons committed to UCLA as a junior, early in his recruitment, and appeared solid. Then rumors leaked of his academics being subpar. On a shocking day in his senior year, Simmons switched from UCLA to USC, and Trojan nation was beaming; yet, rumors still swirled of his questionable academic status.

Simmons failed to qualify to get into USC and went to Compton College and dominated. Everyone again thought he was bound for USC, but then K-State defensive coordinator Bret Bielema, now head man at Wisconsin, got word of Simmons and convinced him to visit Manhattan, where he eventually signed.

John Brantley: Texas to Florida

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John Brantley, now the starting quarterback at Florida, has come under fire for his subpar play in his first year as a starter. Also, Brantley played better than most think; yet, when you replace Tim Tebow, who spoiled Gator fans, there is almost nothing you can do to win people over.

On Brantley's trek to Gainesville, a stop in Austin took place as he was originally committed to Texas.

Yes, John Brantley was going to Texas.

Rumors swirled of Brantley's girlfriend getting accepted into Florida and that was the cause for his switch, but Brantley maintains that Florida was better for him, committing to the Gators in December of his senior year.

His father and uncle were former Gators, but there are some who still claim it was love that led Brantley to The Swamp, not football.

Steve Smith...Volunteered to Go to Knoxville?

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Steve Smith, of USC and the New York Giants—not of the Carolina Panthers or the former NBA player—is regarded as one the best receivers to come out of USC in school history.

Smith was the real deal in high school, trust me—when I played against him in high school I saw him leap in mid-air and take an interception out of my cornerback/teammate's hands, turn and stick his feet inbounds for a touchdown...all in one motion.

Many people felt he was a lock for USC and waited and waited and waited for him to finally commit. What took so long? Tennessee. Smith was enamored with the Vols and there were even rumors that he had silently committed to Tennessee in the weeks leading to signing day.

Eventually, a short time before national signing day, Smith finally committed to USC, but Tennessee was extremely close to landing his signed letter of intent.

Blaine Gabbert: Nebraska to Missouri

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Blaine Gabbert was a 5-star quarterback recruit who I loved coming out of high school in 2008. Big, at 6'5", 225 pounds, and possessing a cannon arm, he had an array of top programs after his services.

Nebraska was on the rise, and Bill Callahan secured Gabbert's pledge to come play in his West Coast offense. Yet, the Cornhuskers had a disappointing season and Callahan was fired, leaving Gabbert to re-open his recruitment.

He had spurned in-state Missouri before; would he do it again? Was there a rift between the 5-star signal-caller and the Tiger coaches about his recruitment? No, Gabbert committed to the Tigers and now will be a top-10 NFL draft pick in April.

Reggie Bush…to the Farm?

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OK, let me start by saying this: If you haven't seen the Reggie Bush high school highlight tape, then YouTube it. Rent it at Blockbuster; do something, because it is a must see.

Bush was a 5-star player out of the San Diego area in 2003 and really was not considering USC much. He liked Washington, Notre Dame and especially Stanford. As with all Stanford players, gaining acceptance into the school, due to its rigorous academic standards, is a long process.

Bush applied to Stanford during his recruitment and was extremely interested in running for the Cardinal. Yet, Bush's paperwork and application took too long to be reviewed, and he began to get impatient. At the urging of his parents and Pete Carroll, Bush finally agreed to take a visit to USC in the middle of his recruitment.

He fell in love with the campus, Pete Carroll and idea of continuing the lineage of great Trojan running backs, and committed to play for USC. So Stanford fans, if your academic process was a bit faster, then Reggie Bush would have been a Cardinal, not winning a Heisman for the Cardinal and Gold.

Chris Simms: Tennessee to Texas

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Chris Simms was regarded as the top quarterback recruit in the 1999 class and committed to Tennessee in his senior year. At 6'4" and 225 pounds, the lefty had a golden arm, great accuracy and was the son of former NFL quarterback Phil Simms.

Tennessee thought it was getting its next Peyton Manning in Simms, and Rocky Top was in epic earthquake mode. Yet, a few weeks later, Simms changed his mind to attend Texas instead.

He went on to have an inconsistent career in Austin, but developed into a third-round pick in the 2003 NFL draft by the Bucs. Simms has bounced around the league as a backup the past few years.

Lorenzo Booker: Switched to Florida State in Mid-Sentence

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Lorenzo Booker was the top running back in the country in 2002 and many considered him the best overall player. At 5'10" and 190 pounds he was super quick, elusive, fast and had elite vision and instincts.

Booker had a final four that consisted of Florida State, Notre Dame, Washington and USC. From the Greater Los Angeles area, USC fans anxiously clamored for him to stay home at Troy. Yet, Booker always loved Florida State.

Notre Dame hired Ty Willingham and made a hard push for Booker, convincing him the Irish program was best for him. On national signing day, reports broke that Booker was headed to Notre Dame before Booker's press conference.

When he stepped to the podium on live television, in the most shocking national signing day moment in history, Booker broke down crying when speaking of his recruitment. He spoke on how he loved Notre Dame, but cried out "I gotta go to Florida State, I just got to!!" and faxed one of his two signed letters of intent to Florida State.