Florida Football Recruiting 2012: The Good and Bad of National Signing Day

The SEC had another banner year on the recruiting trail, as many of the top prospects of the 2012 recruiting class ended up choosing SEC schools on national signing day yesterday.

Even newcomers like Texas A&M and Missouri got in on the fun already, with the Tigers snagging WR Dorial Green-Beckham and the Aggies hauling in WR Thomas Johnson.

The two SEC schools that really caused the most noise yesterday, though, were Alabama and Florida.

While the Tide finished with the top-ranked class in the country, the Gators didn't finish very far behind. They had a huge day signing 14 players that were rated as either 4- or 5-star recruits.

It wasn't the perfect day for the Gators, though.

Here's a look at the good and bad moments that Florida experienced on national signing day.

The Good: Finishing with a Top 5 Class

After disappointing fans with a 7-6 season in his first year at the helm in Florida, Will Muschamp and his staff made up for it with a huge effort on the recruiting trail.

Every major recruiting service ranked the Gators' 2012 recruiting class as one of the best in the country, and that type of positive momentum is just what the team needs heading into a very important offseason.

Muschamp knows that seven wins won't cut it for very long in a place like Gainesville, but bringing in a top-rated recruiting class should at least help fans get excited about the future and help to calm some of the criticism the coach has been facing after his mediocre first outing.

The Bad: Losing Tracy Howard to Miami

Although Tracy Howard had never officially committed to Florida, most recruiting analysts believed he was a near-lock to land with the Gators.

But Miami coach Al Golden must have really wooed the 5-star cornerback when he visited Coral Gables this past weekend, because Howard opted for Miami instead of Florida.

Any time you lose out on the No. 1 cornerback prospect in the country—especially if you were considered the front-runner to land him—it has to sting a little bit.

The Good: Stealing Dante Fowler from Florida State

Dante Fowler Jr. was expected to sign with Florida State on national signing day, but he surprisingly switched to the Gators at the last minute.

Will Muschamp convinced Fowler that he would be a much better fit in Florida's defensive scheme and that he would have the chance to play early in his career, possibly sharing snaps with Ronald Powell at the "Buck" position as a freshman.

Stealing away the 5-star defensive end at the last minute was certainly a major coup for the Gators.

The Bad: Losing Out on Josh Harvey-Clemons

Many thought that highly touted linebacker Josh Harvey-Clemons' decision would come down to either Georgia, Florida or Florida State, and that the two Florida schools would be right in the mix given their close proximity to where Harvey-Clemons lives in Georgia.

But after announcing his decision to sign with Georgia on national signing day and then finally faxing in his letter of intent this morning, Harvey-Clemons is officially a Bulldog.

The Good: Signing D.J. Humphries and Jonathan Bullard

Will Muschamp reached into North Carolina to land the two most decorated recruits of Florida's 2012 class—OT D.J. Humphries and DE Jonathan Bullard.

Humphries and Bullard are two blue-chip, 5-star prospects that both have the chance to see the field early in their careers in Gainesville.

Although they were both expected to sign with Florida for a while, wrapping them up on national signing day is still cause for celebration because both have the chance to develop into All-SEC caliber players during their time at Florida.

The Bad: No Word from Stefon Diggs

Highly touted wide receiver Stefon Diggs was notably absent from the national signing day festivities, as Diggs has said he will wait until Feb. 10 to announce his decision.

Florida is considered to be one of the favorites to land the playmaking receiver, but it has to be a bit concerning that the Maryland native will take one last visit to College Park to see what the Terps have to offer.

New Maryland offensive coordinator Mike Locksley has a close bond with Diggs and his family, and he'll have the last shot at the 5-star recruit before he makes his decision.