College Football Recruiting: 10 Players Who Will Surprise Us with Their Choice

Social media with Twitter and Facebook has forever changed the landscape of college football recruiting. Football's popularity is at an all-time high, and it seems everywhere you look, there are bizarre stories in the world of recruiting.

This past weekend, there was a very strange situation at Ohio State which led to the de-commitment of 4-star linebacker Alex Anzalone. 

With the spring evaluating period in full swing leading up to the summer, recruits will be narrowing down their lists of possible destinations. Let's take a look at 10 players who will be intriguing to watch throughout the recruiting cycle.

10. Vernon Hargreaves III, CB

Hargreaves is one of the top overall players in the country, and arguably the best defensive back in the country. What makes his recruitment interesting is the vast amount of offers he holds. 

He will be able to pick from all of the top programs in the nation, and this recruitment will likely last all the way until signing day. One aspect that is very surprising in his recruitment is the presence of South Florida on his list. His father is an assistant coach for the Bulls, and they will certainly be considered a player all the way until the end.

Teams to watch for in this race will be Florida, Florida State, Ohio State, Alabama, Auburn, Notre Dame, USC and South Florida. He is wide open at this point, and this will be a long battle for his services.

9. Alex Anzalone, Linebacker

Fellow B/R blogger Adam Jacobi has great insight on this bizarre recruitment. Long story short, a creepy pedophile understandably freaked out Anazalone and his family, and the talented player decided to part ways with the Buckeyes.

Now with things open in terms of his recruitment, keep an eye on Penn State and Notre Dame for the Wyomissing, Pennsylvania native. The Buckeyes aren't out just yet, but I would say they may be behind the Fighting Irish and the Nittany Lions at this point.

8. Max Redfield, Athlete

Redfield is one of the best players on the West Coast and hails from Mission Viejo, California. He has offers from all the top programs on the West Coast to go with Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Nebraska and LSU. 

He has very good size at 6'2", and his tape will simply wow you. 

You have to like the Trojans' chances with any California recruit, but he appears to be wide open. Redfield is extremely versatile and can play defensive back or receiver in college.

This is another race that will likely go the distance, but it will be very tough persuading him to leave the West Coast.

7. Alvin Bailey, Athlete

Alvin Bailey is yet another talented football player from the state of Florida. He is the No. 49 overall player in the ESPN 150 and is an electric talent on the field. 

He will likely end up at slot receiver at the college level, and although he doesn't have a great 40-yard dash time at 4.7, he shows outstanding quickness.

With the recruiting process in the initial stages, Bailey has a ways to go, but he has mentioned taking trips to South Carolina, Georgia and Arkansas, among many others.

He appears to be an SEC-type athlete, but don't be surprised to see him take his talents out of state as well.

6. Elijah Daniel, Defensive End

Elijah Daniel is one of the best players in the midwest and has the offers to prove it. Teams such as Alabama, Florida, Missouri and Tennessee are hot on his trail, but this race may come down to the Crimson Tide and the Gators. 

He has great size at 6'3" and 250 pounds and already looks the part of a dominant rush end at the college level. Whichever team lands Daniel will get a very dominant player in the trenches, and he will likely be able to contribute from day one.

It is rare that a player from the state of Indiana not consider Notre Dame, but this player seems to be set on playing in the SEC. That being said, it is a long way from being over, and look for Clemson to try and sneak in there as well.

5. Isaac Rochell, Defensive End

Rochell is a 4-star defensive end, according to ESPN, and is one of the best players in the nation. He stands at 6'4" and weighs 250 pounds, which already gives him elite size for the next level.

He hails from McDonough, Georgia and is one of the better players in the Peach State. His top schools are Clemson, Florida State, Notre Dame and Florida. 

Rochell has visited each of his favorite schools, and as it stands today, it appears the Notre Dame Fighting Irish are the team to beat for his services.

4. Kevin Olsen, Quarterback

Kevin Olsen is the younger brother of current NFL tight end Greg Olsen, and like his older brother, he is an outstanding football prospect out of New Jersey. He has solid size at 6'2", and is one of the best passers in the nation. 

ESPN has him listed as a 4-star recruit, and schools standing out for him are Wisconsin, Auburn, Miami and South Carolina. You have to like the Miami Hurricanes' chances in this race, particularly since his brother went there, but South Carolina is a player as well.

One team to keep an eye on in his recruitment is in-state Rutgers. Rutgers always does an excellent job of recruiting New Jersey players, and this team will be a sleeper in his recruitment. If the talented QB picks the Scarlet Knights' over some of the top programs in the country, that has the makings of one of the bigger surprise signings in the 2013 class.

Ryan Green, Running Back

Green is an outstanding RB out of St. Petersburg, Florida and has a tremendous amount of offers. Schools such as Alabama, Tennessee, Florida and Florida State are all hot on his trail. 

He is extremely fast and has a 40-yard dash of a 4.45. That is elite speed, and Green is a very fun player to watch on film.

He is one of the best tailbacks in the nation and sits at No. 48 in the ESPN 150. Right now, Notre Dame and Florida State are his favorites, but watch out for USC and Florida as well.

Green will likely wait until the end of his season to make a decision, and his recruitment is far from over.

Ty Isaac, Running Back

Ty Isaac is one of the best RBs in the country out of Joliet, Illinois. He was incredible a year ago and rushed for 515 yards and six touchdowns in the contest.

This player is a monster at running back and, at 6'2" and 215 pounds, is shockingly big as some linebackers. Isaac's stats from his junior season are simply amazing; he rushed for over 2,000 yards and 45 touchdowns.

Most people can't put up numbers like that in Madden, let alone a state championship game. He has over 20 offers, but this race will come down to Michigan, Auburn, USC and Notre Dame.

He has visited the Irish as well as the Wolverines several times, and these two are likely the favorites, but USC is always dangerous in recruiting.

Robert Nkemdiche, Defensive End

It is rare that all recruiting publications agree on a consensus No.1 recruit, but that is the case with Robert Nkemdiche. He is a beast on the field at 6'5" and 265 pounds and is a consensus 5-star recruit.

He is likely staying in the SEC with the race between Alabama, Georgia, LSU and Ole Miss. One team trying to sneak in the race is Clemson, but that appears to be a long shot at this point.

Ole Miss and Alabama are speculated to be his leaders at the moment, and his brother, Denzel Nkemdiche, plays at Mississippi. The Crimson Tide's recent success on the field has to help in this race, particularly with the amount of NFL players they have produced in recent years, and LSU has a shot as well. 

This will be the most watched recruitment of the 2013 class without a doubt, and any team that lands this DE is getting a starter from day one.