College Football Recruiting Rankings: Grades and Analysis for Top Teams

National Signing Day has come and gone, delivering a spectacle as well as an immense amount of hype and hope. Only the biggest and best can lay claim to winning the day by picking off the best outgoing high school talent in the nation. 

Wednesday was all about the ultra-amateurs, those young men that are barely able to vote, much less command thousands in a stadium with dynamic play. 

They will soon move out of Mom's house and take to campus as a small fish in a big pond. As we saw during National Signing Day coverage, America loves their small fish. 

Fax machines were buzzing and coaches were beaming. There were some programs that were dealt some blows, but that is for another article at a far more pessimistic time. 

Today is all about looking onward and forward. Here are the top 10 teams in the nation as we see it.

National Signing Day was kind to some already very good programs. In some cases, the rich got richer, and in others, the recently meek got a lot more stout. The promise of a new day is not all about one young man coming into the fold. 

Missouri may have made headlines with Dorial Green-Beckham's commitment, but you won't find the Tigers among our list of heavy hitters. 

To make this list, you have to pour thousands of hours into recruiting and spend thankless nights in the homes of recruits paying salesman. 

Here are the programs that did best. 

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10. Oklahoma Sooners

Rivals Rank: 10

ESPN Rank: 11

Total Commits: 25

Rivals 5-Star Commits: One

Rivals 4-Star Commits: 11

The Sooners had a fine day that culminated in sweeping and closing a star recruit that may one day be the next star wide receiver from Oklahoma in Sterling Shepard. The Sooners also added a tandem of wideouts that will fit in nicely in Durron Neal and Derrick Woods. 

The bigger names may have bolted for other programs, but there was still a great deal to love after a Wednesday that was among the best in the nation. 

9. Miami Hurricanes

Rivals Rank: 9

ESPN Rank: 8

Total Commits: 33

Rivals 5-Star Commits: Two

Rivals 4-Star Commits: Eight

Miami filled the coffers with a great deal of talent that will serve to continue to resurgence of The U. The Hurricanes signed a behemoth class and made sure to skirt the rule of 25, as many of the recruits enrolled early and don't count to the total on National Signing Day. 

The topper on the day has to be Tracy Howard, who comes in as a solid corner and one of the best in the nation. 

Somehow, amidst looming sanctions that could rip the program asunder, the Hurricanes found a way to continue their recruiting magic. 

 

8. Michigan Wolverines

Rivals Rank: 6

ESPN Rank: 7

Total Commits: 25

Rivals 5-Star Commits: Two

Rivals 4-Star Commits: 10

Brady Hoke was beaming about the 2012 class of incoming high school studs, and there is good reason to believe his exuberance was genuine.

Denard Robinson and the Wolverines will get added protection with the signing of the big 4-star Kyle Kalis.

That wasn't all, as Michigan signed a dominant defense presence in Under Armour All-American Terry Richards, who may be undersized but is extremely talented, and OLB Royce Jenkins-Stone, who is a big bruiser that should make an immediate impact. 

7. USC Trojans

Rivals Rank: 7

ESPN Rank: 13

Total Commits: 15

Rivals 5-Star Commits: Three

Rivals 4-Star Commits: 10

The chains of sanctions will be lifted on USC, and they will hit the ground running. They might be bringing back some amazing talent already, but have guaranteed that the stable will be full of quick, talented young athletes. 

The big story of the day was the Trojans landing Florida receiver Nelson Agholor, who is as versatile as they come. The Trojans have a burner that can slide from receiver to fit in on defense and play punt returner as well. 

6. Stanford Cardinal

Rivals Rank: 5

ESPN Rank: 12

Total Commits: 22

Rivals 5-Star Commits: Three

Rivals 4-Star Commits: 10

No Andrew Luck, no worries. The Cardinal may be losing the best quarterback in the nation, but they answered by signing some epic talent all over the field. 

Issues under center will rest with the quarterback, and the quarterback alone, as the offensive line is beefed up and ready to dominate. 

Stanford signed offensive linemen Andrus Peat and Kyle Murphy. Both come ranked in the top five at their position and were highly coveted. 

5. Florida Gators

Rivals Rank: 3

ESPN Rank: 4

Total Commits: 23

Rivals 5-Star Commits: Three

Rivals 4-Star Commits: 11

Will Muschamp made it clear that he valued the line of scrimmage over all other parts of the field and brought in some fine talent to answer the call—six defensive linemen and two offensive linemen. 

The star has to be OT D.J. Humphries, who brings size and speed to the line, and will be the marquee name that all other prospects will be measured by. 

Via ESPN, Muschamp stated what was clear after a great Wednesday. 

"

We saw very easily in our season this year we struggled on both lines of scrimmage, consistently being able to run the ball and stop the run. I certainly feel like we've addressed our most pressing need, [which] was on both lines of scrimmage develop playmakers and add depth.

"

He did just that by also signing 4-star DE Jonathan Bullard and 3-star DE Bryan Cox, Jr. 

4. Texas Longhorns

Rivals Rank: 2

ESPN Rank: 3

Total Commits: 28

Rivals 5-Star Commits: Two

Rivals 4-Star Commits: 15

Bright days are back again for Mack Brown and the Texas Longhorns. Instead of getting pilfered on NSD, Brown was the one doing the pilfering. 

Torshiro Davis is listed by ESPNU as the No. 12 defensive end and No. 77 prospect overall and chose Texas over LSU on Wednesday. 

It was just one sign that Texas was back to kicking some recruitment tail, as they also added nation's top running back in Johnathan Gray, who will now join last year's 5-star RB, Malcolm Brown. 

3. Florida State Seminoles

Rivals Rank: 8

ESPN Rank: 2

Total Commits: 18

Rivals 5-Star Commits: Two

Rivals 4-Star Commits: 10

Jimbo Fisher pulled off one of the deepest classes in the nation and arguably the best defensive class coming into college. 

It begins and ends with DE Mario Edwards, who is ranked No. 1 by ESPNU and No. 3 by Rivals in terms of overall prospect. 

That's not all, as they also beefed up the defense with DT Eddie Goldman and DE Chris Casher, both top-40 talents nationally.      

2. Ohio State Buckeyes

Rivals Rank: 4

ESPN Rank: 6

Total Commits: 25

Rivals 5-Star Commits: Two

Rivals 4-Star Commits: 14

It's almost unfair that Urban Meyer is on the job for only a couple of months and tuned the program around immediately with a class that is no doubt best in the conference and top-10 nationally, no matter who you argue with. 

Forget all about that Jim Tressel scandal, because Meyer has all but erased that blemish. The Buckeyes welcomed DE Noah Spence, who you can argue wouldn't have been on OSU's radar without Meyer. 

Also, top defensive recruits DE Se'Von Pittman and DT Tommy Schutt switched their commitments when Meyer was hired. It's scary to think what he will do with a full year under his belt. 

1. Alabama Crimson Tide

Rivals Rank: 1

ESPN Rank: 1

Total Commits: 26

Rivals 5-Star Commits: Three

Rivals 4-Star Commits: 14

The rich most definitely got richer, as the defending national champs signed the No. 1 class in the nation. 

The Tide signed a great many young athlete that will guarantee that a top defense continues to be one of the stoutest around. 

Cyrus Jones and Geno Smith will make Alabama's secondary one of the fiercest around. Even the melodrama surrounding Landon Collins and his mother couldn't skirt a banner day. 

Collins made good on his pledge, despite his mother's wishes, and committed once again on a National Signing Day that was purely epic.