College Football Recruiting: Power Ranking the 5 Best Recruiting Head Coaches

In recruiting, it's collaborative staff effort for pretty much every prospect. You get the assistant coach responsible for that prospect's area, then the position coach, then the coordinator and finally the head coach all in one just one prospect.

The most important coach in the process is not the head coach, but the position coach. That's the coach the prospect will clearly spend the most time with, and the coach he should be most comfortable with.

However, with the head coach being the face of the program, he is a key figure in the process. Some coaches take recruiting more personal than others, which is why talent flocks to more schools than others.

For this read, I'm going to give you the five best recruiting head coaches right now.

Honorable Mention: Will Muschamp, Florida

Muschamp hauled in a top four class in his first full cycle in Gainesville. He is off to a great start this 2013 cycle and looks like a future juggernaut as a head coach in the recruiting world.

During his days at Texas, Muschamp played a key role in recruiting, focusing on managing the defensive board since he was the defensive chief in Austin.

Now as a lead Gator, Muschamp has shown that if you give him time to piece together a class, he'll battle the big boys for any prospect within the SEC and on a national basis.

Honorable Mention: Brady Hoke, Michigan

"The Hokester" is on his way to becoming a great recruiting head coach. The only reason why I have him and Will Muschamp as honorable mention guys is because they've only done it for one full cycle.

However, Hoke hauled in a top-five caliber class last year, and his 2013 Michigan class could surpass that group.

Hoke has the facilities, the disciplined approach, the admiration of the Wolverine faculty, administration and alumni to go along with the respect for Michigan traditions to re-establish Big Blue as a not only a dominant school on the trail but also on the field too.

5. Lane Kiffin, USC

In Kiffin's first two years at USC, he landed them consecutive top-five classes in 2010 and 2011. Tack on a top-20 class in 2012 aside from all of the hardship sanctions USC is under, and you see why he's on this list.

He's got a tireless work ethic as a recruiter, really spends time evaluating prospects personally and will attack the trail with great energy and competitiveness.

Prospects seem to dig his approach, as he's a young head coach that can relate to the prospects of today.

4. Mack Brown, Texas

Longhorn fans, hear me out. Please?

The only reason I have Brown this low is because I feel he simply relies on the state of Texas a bit too much. I mean that in the sense of Brown doesn't go out of the state often enough, and it costs him on National Signing Day year in and year out.

However, from 2009-2012, according to Scout.com, Texas has had four straight top-10 classes, with three of them being top-five classes.

Also, Scout.com recognized Texas as for having the nation's No.1 class in 2012. A large part of that is because of Brown. He's cool, calm, personable and has an easygoing feel that impresses recruits and parents alike.

He's uber-popular around the state and probably could run for governor and win if he wanted to.

3. Jimbo Fisher, Florida State

Since Fisher took over for Florida State during the 2010 cycle, he's gotten the 'Noles a top class each year. 

In fact, Scout.com lists FSU's 2011 class as tops in the country. 

Fisher has some Nick Saban principles to his approach, really putting a grand emphasis on evaluation and fit. He and his staff are disciplined, really attack Florida and Georgia hard for prospects and have even spread into Alabama now.

Not to mention the national pull of FSU is starting to rise up again. Fisher has shown that he surely has the ability to re-stock his roster with young talent as a head coach on a consistent basis.

2. Urban Meyer, Ohio State

The Urban Legend has now arrived in Columbus, and if you followed the 2012 recruiting cycle, then you know the legend is true.

Meyer surged a borderline top-25 Buckeye class all the way into the top 10 almost immediately. With a full year to assemble a class, we all know and expect Ohio State to surely being in the top 10 recruiting rankings and likely higher.

Meyer is a problem for other coaches on the trail, as a his energy, connections, thorough approach and charm work wonders. He evaluates well, knows speed kills and can talk to anyone about football or just life in general.

1. Nick Saban, Alabama

Alabama has five consecutive top-10 recruiting classes dating back to 2008, and based on whom you speak to, a couple of those classes are No. 1 hauls.

Nick Saban is the best recruiting head coach in the game right now. Period. He prides himself on thorough and disciplined evaluations, character examination, connections, work ethic, respect for Alabama tradition and much, much more.

When you see the Tide are in the mix for a prospect, it's like a gold standard of approval for that player. The Crimson Tide are the premier recruiting school right now and most of that is because of Saban.