National Signing Day 2012: Where Is the Top Player from the Big States Headed?

For this, I'm focusing on the main hotbed states that consistently produce good football talent. Obviously, states like North Dakota, Vermont, etc. won't be included in a piece like this.

I'm talking about California, Texas, Florida, Alabama, Ohio and more. Who's the top player form that state, and where are they headed?

Let's find out!

Washington: Josh Garnett, OL

Garnett, at 6'5", 275 pounds, has a high ceiling and plays with great athletic ability, knee bend and strength. He also may be able to kick out to tackle in college.

Top schools: Stanford and Michigan 

D.C.: Eddie Goldman, DT

6'5", 305 pounds, Goldman is a defensive tackle that has "special" written all over him. He has the quickness to jump blockers at the snap, strength to toss and shed and anchor ability to stop double teams in their tracks and make a mess in the middle.

Top schools: Florida State, Miami, Alabama and Auburn

Mississippi State: Quay Evans, DT

Once Evans, 6'2", 320 pounds, gets his hands on a blocker and inside the body, it's over, as he can use brute and sheer strength to toss them around or power over them to get into the backfield.

Committed to Mississippi State.

Virginia: Eli Harold, OLB/DE

6'3", 230 pounds, Harold is an extremely explosive pass rusher that can play DE or 3-4 OLB. He is a great athlete with good range, plays speed in pursuit and can quickly close on ball carriers.

Committed to Virginia

Oklahoma: Barry Sanders, Jr., RB

Sanders, a scat-back RB, displays great balance to take hits and shoves in the box, and he can still stay on his feet and get up field. He won't wow you with his stature, but he will with the ball in his hands.

Committed to Stanford

South Carolina: Shaq Roland, WR

6'1", 180 pounds and just dynamic with the ball in his hands, Roland shows very good play speed and explosiveness. He isn't very strong, but can beat press with change of direction and quickness in his release. 

Committed to South Carolina

North Carolina: Keith Marshall, RB and D.J. Humphries, OT

At 6'6", 270 pounds, Humphries shows excellent feet, quickness, balance, knee bend, agility and lateral quickness.

Committed to Florida.

A 5'11", 190-pound speedster with 4.3 speed and quickness, Marshall shows a great burst, good vision and can be used on all three downs.

Committed to Georgia.

New Jersey: Darius Hamilton, DL

I list Hamilton as DL now, as he clearly has the strength to play DT, even though he lines up as a DE frequently. He'll have a choice to make in college as to whether he wants to tack on some more girth and be a DT or continue being an end.

Top Schools: Rutgers, Florida, Cal and Miami

Georgia: Jordan Jenkins, DE/OLB

When I watch the 6'3", 245-pound Jenkins, I see a burst and ability to beat blockers at the snap. He can bend well off the edge and close on the quarterback in a flash. He plays the run well and just needs to get seasoned. 

Committed to Georgia.

Pennsylvania: Noah Spence, DE

At 6'4", 245 pounds, Spence has elite athleticism, speed and the frame to stay clean from mass and power. Spence has the makings of a superstar as a DE.

Committed to Ohio State.

Ohio: Adolphus Washington, DE

I do think Washington needs to add some strength, but at 6'5", 250 pounds, Washington has a long frame to stay clean, can convert speed into power quickly and forcefully and he also bends solidly.

Committed to Ohio State.

Louisiana: Landon Collins, SS

His mother wasn't happy with his college choice, but even she knows that. At 6'0", 210 pounds, Collins is one of the best players in the nation. As an SS, he shows to be extremely instinctive in the box, physical versus the run and rangy to chase and pursue.

Committed to Alabama.

Missouri: Dorial Green-Beckham, WR

Green-Beckam is a 6'6," 220-pound receiver that is talked about as the best high school player in the country.  He has drawn comparisons from Randy Moss to A.J. Green to Julio Jones, but I liken Green-Beckam to Calvin Johnson, Andre Johnson and Plaxico Burress.

Top schools: Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Alabama and Texas

California: Shaq Thompson, DB

6'2", 210 pounds, Thompson lit up the Army game, displaying excellent play speed, a burst to close on ball carriers in pursuit, toughness and good range on the back end. 

Top schools: Cal, UCLA, Oregon and Washington

Alabama: Kwon Alexander, LB

Even though he tore his ACL this past season, Alexander has tremendous play speed and range. He projects well at WILL, but I think he can also play SAM in a 4-3 scheme due to his ability to carry tight ends around the field in coverage as an LB.

Top schools: Auburn, Alabama, Florida State and LSU

Texas: Johnathan Gray, RB

Gray, a 5'11", 195-pound rock toters has elite vision, feel, instincts, elusiveness, speed and quickness. He's the most complete RB in the country and is ready for the prime-time now.

Committed to Texas.

Florida: Randy "Duke" Johnson, RB

You look at The Duke and see his smallish size and aren't impressed.

Then, you look at The Duke do his thing on the field, and you aren't impressed with yourself. 5'9", 190 pounds, Randy Johnson is a quick and speedy back that's a nightmare for defenses.

Committed to Miami.