National Signing Day 2012: RBs Who Will Excite Football Fans in 2012

National Signing Day is less than a day away and all of the top running backs have already committed to their respective schools and gotten their fans in a tizzy.

The best-known player on offense aside from a quarterback, running backs are essential in a college offense to keep the pressure off the signal-caller and keep the chains moving.

Here are the top five backs who will make an instant impact for their lucky new teams.

1. Johnathan Gray: Committed to Texas

The 5’10’’, 205-pound Gatorade Player of the Year is the No. 2-ranked prospect in the entire country.

He has great top-end speed and the ideal size for a collegiate back. His vision upfield is off the charts and his ability to cut back through traffic is going to make him a star with the Longhorns.

Here is a name to remember.

2. Keith Marshall: Committed to Georgia

The fifth overall recruit, Marshall runs a 4.43 40-yard dash and has the size (5’11", 190 pounds) to break tackles in the open field.

His acceleration and ability to change directions on a dime makes him a candidate to be the premier rusher in the nation.

3. Rushel Shell: Committed to Pittsburgh

There is a bit of a drop in talent after the top two, but the 26th overall prospect will still have a huge impact on the Panthers' program.

While he will be forced to watch Ray Graham finish out his senior year, once Shell has the chance to get touches regularly, he’ll be just as good as the top two backs because of his impeccable combination of size (5’11’’, 215 pounds), speed and power.

He has incredible patience and is one of the few high school backs that waits for his blockers to do their job. His ability to fit into the crease and burst through the small hole is going to instantly translate to the next level.

4. T.J. Yeldon: Committed to Alabama

The recently committed Yeldon has the size (6’1’’, 210 pounds) to be a terrific replacement for Trent Richardson.

He is a decisive runner that makes up his mind early on as a play develops. While this means he rarely loses yardage, it can lead to missed opportunities, which is why he is the 55th overall recruit.

Yet with his stop-start speed, tackle-breaking ability and terrific hands, he is a guy that can certainly shine under the tutelage of the ‘Bama coaching staff.

5. Trey Williams: Committed to Texas A&M

This guy is a rocket.

Running a 4.3 40-yard dash makes you either a track star or a running back.

He chose wisely.

While his size (5’8’’, 180 pounds) is his biggest deterrent, it allows him to almost hide behind his giant offensive linemen and burst through the hole. He has long strides for a smaller back and is incredibly difficult to track down in the open field.

His size is the only reason he is currently rated No. 56 overall.