Arik Armstead to Declare on National Signing Day: Breaking Down His Top 4 Teams

As each day passes by, we are getting closer to national signing day, where majority of the top players in this year's recruiting class will make the decision on where they will play football. You can now officially add another name to that list in Arik Armstead.

Armstead is considered one of the top offensive linemen in this year's class, although he will prefer to play on the defensive side of the ball. He will also play basketball for whichever school he ends up with. He's a big boy at 6'8", 275 pounds and has great explosion off the football. He will be a great addition to any team he gives his commitment to.

While it appears no school is the favorite and he is still considering all of his options, there are four schools that seem to be ahead of the rest.

Here are the top four schools that Armstead will likely select from come signing day, as he announced via scout.com.

California

Cal has a few things going for them. One, they're a home school for Armstead, considering he is from Elk Grove, California. Another is that they have a very talented team returning from last year and a recruiting class that most schools would die for. This team is going to make some noise in the Pac-12 and will compete in that watered-down conference.  

The thing that hurts the Golden Bears' chances is the loss of former defensive line coach Tosh Lupoi. He recently left Cal to take the same position at Washington. That is a huge loss for this team and could very well be the difference in landing another top prospect and watching him leave for another school.

Oregon

Much like Cal, the Oregon Ducks have an advantage in that they are close to home. The Ducks also have a loaded defensive line in this year's class, which will surround him with a lot of talent on the defensive side of the ball. He'll also be playing for a winning program that has a chance to play in the BCS National Championship.

Armstead made his visit to Oregon back in November. Here is what he said about the Ducks:

"I know they run a 3-4 and a 4-3, so they say I'm versatile and can play multiple positions...I have no preference. Like I said, they run a 3-4, 4-3, so I'm sure they'll be moving me around."

Notre Dame

You know it's not a top prospect if Notre Dame isn't in the running for his services. In fact, the Irish were the first school that received a visit from Armstead back in October.

The Irish have a lot to offer, from the tradition of the program to the national spotlight. He'll also get to play on a talented defense that's already landed a top cornerback in Tee Shepard and a solid defensive tackle in Sheldon Day. Not to mention, he'll have the privilege to play his basketball games in the Big East Conference, which has to be another plus for Notre Dame's chances.

Although the Irish may be the sleeper in this whole thing, here are a few things he said about his visit with the program.

"

It went good, I got what I wanted out of it, to go out there and see the school and get to know the coaches better. I was able to see what it's like with the gameday atmosphere.

On the Irish Walk, all the recruits walk behind the team, and people were yelling our names, telling us to come.

"

Auburn

Armstead recently made his visit to Auburn and instantly made the Tigers a favorite in this race. Here are some of his comments from his visit to Auburn.

"

The visit was good, I had fun down there. It was my last visit. It was good. I enjoyed it down there. The people are good and they treated me well. It’s Cal, Oregon, Notre Dame and there (Auburn). I have a big decision in the next couple of days.

"

Auburn, of course, offers a solid program, talented football team and they play in the SEC. Who wouldn't want to play for a team in arguably the most talented conference in college football?

It's also a school that isn't exactly deep on the defensive side of the ball, so, he'll have an opportunity to make an immediate impact when he steps on campus.

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