10 Recruiting Classes with Both a Future Pillar Offensive and Defensive Player

In recruiting, you're always recruiting to set up your future teams. Sure, true freshmen can make an impact right off the bat, yet a recruiting class really is set to make noise two, three or four years from now.

On those teams, you'll have your pillar players. By pillar, I mean players that not only produce on the field, but also are program leaders and pretty much the faces of your program.

For this read, I'm going to give you 10 recruiting classes that have a future pillar player on both offense and defense.

10. Stanford

Stanford only has five commitments, but two of them will become leaders on The Farm.

QB Ryan Burns has the tools to be the next great QB in Palo Alto, while LB Isaac Savaiinaea while become the leader on defense at ILB.

Burns is a 6'5", 220-pound signal caller form Virginia with good arm strength, timing, size and accuracy. Savaiinaea is a hard working, rugged linebacker with good toughness and athleticism.

9. South Carolina

The Gamecocks think highly of QB prospect Connor Mitch, a 6'3", 210-pounder from North Carolina. Mitch rarely gets passes tipped at the line because of his high release point.

He also shows good smarts on the field, plays with good awareness and knows he is the facilitator of the offense.

Rolin is a 6'4", 210-pound LB that is rough, rugged and versatile. Rolin can play ILB, OLB and even some DE. Expect both of these players to be among the leaders of future Gamecock teams that challenge for the SEC East title.

8. Oklahoma

The Sooners have had pillar players like Jason White, Adrian Peterson, Gerald McCoy, Sam Bradford, Ryan Broyles and Travis Lewis in recent times, among others.

Within this recruiting class, I see potential pillar players in RB's Greg Bryant and Keith Ford, as well as DE D.J. Ward.

Ward is a Sooner state native that always dreamed of playing in Norman. That, plus his talent, will surely put him in a position to produce and lead.

Bryant and Ford are just too good to not be productive for OU.

7. Florida State

The Seminoles are no stranger to pillar players and always seem to get their fair share of prospects that fit the mold.

Looking at their roster now, you can say that E.J. Manuel, Greg Reid, Brandon Jenkins and Xavier Rhodes are pillar players for Jimbo Fisher.

Well, two more are on their way in RB Ryan Green and DT Maquedius Bain. Green is a 5'11', 195-pound speedster rock toter and Bain is a big and long 6'5", 290-pound DT with great upper body strength.

6. Ohio State

Of course, right now, the pillar player at Ohio State is Braxton Miller. I also expect Curtis Grant and Noah Spence to become pillar Buckeyes during their stay in Columbus.

Inside their 2013 recruiting class, I think on offense you can look to QB J.T. Barrett, as he has a skill set that fits perfectly into Urban Meyer's offense. Also, Jalin Marshall is a playmaker and an Ohio native that loves the Buckeyes.

Defensively, CBs Eli Woodard and Cam Burrows will be the best CB duo in the Big Ten one day, and DT Joey Bosa will be solid in the trenches.  Each will become a player on the defense that is a star and a leader.

5. Georgia

The Bulldogs have had pillars like Aaron Murray, Knowshon Moreno, Matthew Stafford and Bacarri Rambo, just to name a few. 

This 2013 recruiting class features future pillar players in QB Brice Ramsey and DB Shaq Wiggins. Ramsey is a QB with solid leadership skills and a yearning to get better.

Wiggins is versatile, heady and smart to go along with athletic and productive. These two should grow into staunch program leaders.

4. Florida

The Gators have two players in this class that I think will become pillar-types. RB Kelvin Taylor has Gator blood in his veins, as his father is Fred Taylor.

Kelvin is a 5'10", 200-pound RB that runs hard and has proven to be productive.

LB Daniel McMillan will earn the right to lead should he remain committed to UF, as his skill set as a linebacker will put him in a position to be vocal on the field.

3. Michigan

Shane Morris has asserted himself and embraced his role as the future leader of Michigan football. In fact, it seems as if Morris relishes this role.

He understands that as a QB, it is his job to lead. Michigan should be able to do some great things with him as it's QB in the next season or two.

Dymonte Thomas is a great athlete that will play safety in all likelihood. Expect him to be moved all over the field  and to join Morris as a pillar player in Ann Arbor.

2. Alabama

The Crimson Tide seem to basically draft pillar players under Nick Saban. This class in 2013 will be no different.

Two players in particular fit the pillar mold: QB Cooper Bateman and LB Reuben Foster. Bateman probably is the best QB recruit Nick Saban has signed, as I like him more than A.J. McCarron coming out.

Foster could actually be, pound for pound, the best high school football player in the country. Should he stay committed, you can book him as a pillar player for the Tide. 

1. USC

USC has current pillar players like Matt Barkley, Robert Woods, TJ McDonald, Marqise Lee and Nickell Robey on the roster.

This class definitely has several players that will join them as Trojan pillar players. QB Max Browne, DT Kenny Bigelow, RB Ty Isaac and S Su'a Cravens.

All four of these players likely will be the core of some USC squads that challenge for the Pac-12 title and Rose Bowl a few times before they graduate.

Edwin Weathersby has worked in scouting/player personnel departments for three professional football teams, including the New York Giants, Cleveland Browns and the Las Vegas Gladiators of the Arena League. He spent a year evaluating prep prospects & writing specific recruiting and scouting content articles for Student Sports Football (now ESPN Rise-HS). A syndicated scout and writer, he's also contributed to WeAreSC.com, GatorBait.net and Diamonds in the Rough Inc., a College Football and NFL Draft magazine.