College Football Recruiting: Comparing the Top 2013 Recruits to 2012 Recruits

You all became familiar with the top names of the 2012 class last year. As the recruiting cycle went on, you became more and more comfortable with knowing who a particular player really was, where they were from, what they could do and more.

For this read, I'm going to compare the top 10 recruits of 2013 to certain players from the 2012 class. This will give you a chance to really get a feel for who these recruits compare to, and give you a foundation as to what the player can do on the field.

Let's get to comparing, right now!

10. Adam Breneman, TE

Breneman is 6'5", 220-pounds and plays TE. He has the athleticism, speed and natural receiving ability to be a joker or move type of guy for an offense.

Committed to Penn State, I feel he's the top TE prospect in the country and an elite overall player. His size, hands, ball skills and production all merit his lofty status.

For a comparison to a 2012 recruit, I'd look at Kent Taylor, the TE that signed with Florida.

9. Cameron Burrows, DB

An early Ohio State commit, Burrows is one of the best DBs in the nation for 2013. He's got excellent size, standing in the 6'1" - 6'2" range and weighing nearly 200-pounds.

He has the skill set to stick at corner and could also factor as a free safety. Burrows has great play speed, uses his length well and mirror WRs at the line. He also shows good ball skills.

Based on his size and speed, I'd look at Travis Blanks from last year, bu Burrows has more natural cover corner skills than the Clemson signee.

8. Max Browne, QB

Browne is a tall QB prospect at 6'5" and weighs close to 200-pounds. Hailing from Washington, he's got an easy and quick release, excellent arm strength and is very accurate with his throws.

He moves around a little better than people realize, has outstanding mechanics and s the No.1 QB prospect for 2013.

A 2012 comparison for me would be Ford Childress, who signed with West Virginia. Also I see a good amount of Gunner Kiel in Browne, too.

7. Michael Hutchings, OLB

Hutchings is this year's Kwon Alexander. That's my comparison, as Hutchings has very, very similar size to Alexander at 6'1", 210-pounds.

Both players are OLB types, with good range, play speed, athleticism to factor on all three downs, quickness, instincts and can play well attacking the run plus defending the pass.

6. Su'a Cravens, DB

At 6'1", 205-pounds, Cravens currently plays RB and safety for his SoCal area high school team. Some feel he will grow into an OLB in college, but safety could be his natural position.

He's an athletically gifted defender that reminds em a bit of Shaq Thompson of 2012. Cravens has great range, combats the run well, has some range on the band end and will make a play for the ball.

Just like Thompson will do at Washington.

5. Kenny Bigelow, DL

Bigelow is an incredible athlete for a big man and if I had to compare him to a 2011 recruit, the first player that would come to mind would be Florida State's Tim Jernigan.

But since I have to roll with a 2012 recruit for this list, I'm going with Malcom Brown and Aziz Shittu. 6'3", 285-pounds, Bigelow's size fits right in with Brown's and Shittu's frames.

His snap quickness, play speed, range, solid strength and ability to rush the passer from the interior also fit in with Brown's and Shittu's skill sets.

4. Antonio Conner, DB

Conner is the top prospect in Mississippi for 2013 and really has big time potential. He's 6'2", around 200-pounds and plays the strong safety position with instincts, speed, range, ball location and play making ability.

He reminds me a lot of Landon Collins, but is a bit longer and leaner to the stouter and thicker framed Collins.

3. Laremy Tunsil, OT

The nation's No.1 overall OL prospect is clearly this year's version of D.J. Humphries. Both players are 6'6", while Humphries weighs about 275-pounds, Tunsil goes a bit over 280.

Both are light framed, pure LT prospects with easy movement skills, great agility, balance, footwork, hips and athleticism. They can each mirror rushers with ease, show good natural knee bend and will get up on linebackers at the second level.

2. Reuben Foster, LB

Foster is one of the best LB prospects to ever come out in college football recruiting. An Alabama commit and Georgia native, he's 6'2", 240-pounds and has excellent physical tools.

But Foster is not a "raw' prospect, as he shows great instincts, vision to ball carriers, solid technique to shed blocks and good wrap-tackling technique with some thump.

I didn't want to do it, because of the Crimson Tide connection, but Foster is this year's Reggie Ragland.

1. Robert Nkemdiche, DL

6'5", 270-pounds, Nkemdiche can play DE, 3-4 OLB or DT. He's a super athlete blessed with excellent play strength, a burst and great competitive desire.

He's this year's Mario Edwards, but is a bit lighter than Edwards and can be effective with his hand off the ground.

Where Edwards is a 4-3 DE/DT-type, Nkemdiche can play 4-3 DE, 4-3 DT, 3-4 OLB and I'll even go as far and say due to his play strength, Nkemdiche can play 3-4 DE.