Davonte Neal: Ranking 5-Star Athlete's Top Choices a Week Before His Decision

Davonte Neal will make his college choice next week, and it's easy to see that some of the programs in his final list are far better than others. 

According to the Tucson Citizen, Neal will decide between Arizona, Arkansas, North Carolina and Notre Dame. 

Listed at 5'10", 175 pounds, Neal is a 5-star athlete from Arizona that ESPNU ranks as the eighth overall player. 

Neal will need to bulk up once he gets to college, but what he lacks in size he makes up for with his blazing speed. That is why he is so highly coveted. 

The speedster is going to be a difference-maker wherever he lands because he is very dangerous in the open space. However, it's still a mystery where that might be. 

With that said, here's how I rank Neal's options before his Feb. 21 announcement. 

1. Arkansas Razorbacks 

If Neal wants to win right away, joining the Razorbacks is his best bet. Arkansas lost several big-time playmakers, meaning it has an immediate need for Neal's services.

With Tyler Wilson and Knile Davis, the Razorbacks are going to make some noise in the SEC West next year. They still could use an explosive player like Neal to really frustrate opposing defenses. 

Playing for Bobby Petrino gives Neal the best shot at winning now, and that is why the Razorbacks should be his top option. 

2. Arizona Wildcats 

New head coach Rich Rodriguez desperately needs to make a huge splash in his first recruiting class. Known for utilizing speedy athletes, "Rich Rod" would work wonders with Neal on his team. 

Since Neal is from Arizona, it would be a crushing blow if the Wildcats aren't able to keep him home. 

Dorial Green-Beckham and Stefon Diggs decided to play for their in-state schools, so it wouldn't be a big surprise for Neal to do the same. 

Neal would be a huge focal point for the Wildcats, which is why they rank as his No. 2 choice.

3. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

With Michael Floyd gone, the Irish have a huge need for a dynamic offensive force. Neal can be that guy. 

Plus, Neal can also play cornerback, which is an area of need for the Fighting Irish. 

Brian Kelly had a good recruiting class, but it wasn't overly impressive. Landing Neal would give the Fighting Irish a big lift. Kelly could use him in a variety of places. 

Playing for Notre Dame also would give Neal chances to win. However, the Fighting Irish fall to No. 3 on my list for his best options because other schools would be able to rely on him more and offer more playing time.

4. North Carolina Tar Heels 

You might be wondering why the Tar Heels are even on Neal's list. Since his grandmother is from that area, UNC made the cut. 

However, the Tar Heels are likely to be hit hard with sanctions after multiple players were busted for having contact with NFL agents. 

This means that Neal would have to suffer for the NCAA infractions of other players. That alone should be enough to push him away from North Carolina. 

I'm sure he'd love to be there and have his grandmother see him play, but Neal has better chances to succeed with the other programs.