College Football Recruiting 2013: The Class Headliner for Each Top 25 Class

Just a straightforward day today, as we're going to run down the top 25 recruiting classes right now. However, we're not going to talk about the classes as a whole; today, we're going to focus on the class headliner of each class.

When you're the headliner of the class, that means you're either the best player in the class or at least the most popular or high profiled commitment. The class is on pace to be remembered as the class that brought you to the program.

Every class has its headliner, and today, we're going to give you each of the top 25 classes.

25. Oregon

Headliner: Thomas Tyner, RB

Tyner is an Oregon native that pledged to the Ducks as a junior. He is a big-time speed demon on the field, and if you allow him to square his shoulders to the goal line, he's gone.

The most impressive aspect to Tyner is for as fast as he is, he also has excellent size at 6'0" and close to 210 pounds. Although he has a bit of the injury bug, I think his speed, size and running ability can make him star in Eugene. 

24. Stanford

Headliner: Ryan Burns, QB

Hailing from Virginia, Burns is a tall 6'5", 220-pound signal caller. He has great field vision, shows an understanding of the pre-snap phase and good arm strength.

Burns anticipates his throws well and can throw a receiver open. He's a deceptive athlete and flashes good mobility to elude the rush. Look for him to be the next stud QB on The Farm.

23. Baylor

Headliner: Robbie Rhodes, WR

Rhodes shot up the board with an excellent spring at various camps and combines. He has great speed to work all three levels, good size at 6'1", 190 pounds and No. 1 WR tools.

Rhodes shows excellent separation quickness after his release, potential to be a dynamic route runner and reminds a bit of Torry Holt.

22. Ole Miss

Headliner: Ryan Buchanan, QB

Buchanan is a Dixie State native that shows good climb quickness and is very decisive with the ball. He makes up his mind quickly and goes with what his instincts tell him.

He's about 6'2", 200 pounds, will be a gunslinger at times, but has good athleticism to escape traffic and make throws outside the pocket. He won't wow you with a cannon for an arm, but he gets it to where it needs to be with confidence. 

21. Washington

Headliner: Damore'ea Stringfellow, WR

Stringfellow is a big WR at 6'3" and close to 205 pounds. He's from California and is dangerous in a straight line. He can fight press with size and strength, power his way upfield on the perimeter and use his size to snatch balls at high points.

He's raw, but a prospect that I feel with more one-on-one college coaching, will straighten some raw areas of his game in Seattle.

20. Vanderbilt

Headliner: Dominic Walker, WR

Sometimes we get caught up in the No. 1 WR label and feel like calling a WR a No. 2 guy is an insult. It's not, as Reggie Wayne was a stud No. 2 WR for years with the Colts and John Taylor with the 49ers.

Dominic Walker is among their skill sets. He's 6'2", 195 pounds, has a good surge off the line, eats up cushion and get flat-out get open. He shows good athleticism as a RAC player and seems to be a skilled slant route runner. 

19. Virginia Tech

Headliner: Holland Fisher, LB/DB

Fisher is among the most competitive players in this class. He's 6'2" and 205 pounds and is a bit of a tweener, but he can play the Rover/SS role or grow into a great OLB.

If he plays OLB, he's going to be a three-down player, as he's pretty similar to Jaylon Smith in some ways. Fisher is a great athlete, is productive in space, will challenge the line of scrimmage to stop the run and can drop into coverage with loose hips and cover TEs. 

18. Miami

Headliner: Kevin Olsen, QB

From New Jersey, Olsen is the brother of former Cane TE Greg Olsen. He doesn't grade out perfect at any QB trait, but grades out well in every QB trait.

He's 6'2", 190 pounds, can manage a huddle, command an offense and make good decisions. He shows solid arm strength, good field vision, touch, accuracy and anticipates throws to windows well.

17. Oklahoma

Headliner: Greg Bryant, RB

Bryant will team with another back who could be a headliner in this Sooner class, Keith Ford. From Florida, Bryant is 5'11" and close to 200 pounds.

He runs with good pop behind his pads, will challenge anyone inside a run alley and also flashes good elusiveness at times. Bryant will finish well and runs hard each and every carry, looking to attack constantly. 

16. Penn State

Headliner: Adam Breneman, TE

NOTE: Penn State will likely be moved down next rankings update due to coming de-commitments

Breneman, in my opinion, is expected to stay committed to Penn State. He is among the top pass catchers in the country, as the 6'5", 230-pounder is a WR trapped in a TE's body.

Breneman is rehabbing his torn ACL and will miss his senior season, but look for him to be a flagbearer for the Nittany Lion program during his tenure there. 

15. South Carolina

Headliner: Larenz Bryant, OLB

Bryant is from North Carolina, but will be a Gamecock. He's 6'2", 210 pounds and is a classic OLB type. He's very athletic to play in space, can drop into coverage with ease, plays tough to attack the run and has three-down skills.

14. North Carolina

Headliner: Greg Webb, DT

Webb backed away from Penn State and flipped to UNC a few days ago. He hails from New Jersey and is a thickly built 6'2", 290-pound DT.

He'll easily be in the 300-pounds range one day, as his big-time bulk, strength and ability to 2-gap is very impressive. Webb can play huge at the point of attack and just drop his weight to anchor and make a huge mess at the line of scrimmage. 

13. LSU

Headliner: Ethan Pocic, OT

Pocic is a 6'6", 280-pounder from Illinois that plays with a big-time mean streak. He'll try to finish with a quick stab at the snap and maul to put his target down.

I like him best on the right side at RT, as he can play with good strength and power as a run blocker. He can hold his own when engaged as a pass-blocker and will fight each snap. 

12. Notre Dame

Headliner: Jaylon Smith, OLB

Smith is going to be a defensive superstar in South Bend. He's already 6'3", 225 pounds and can play the run fine, but it's what he can do in coverage that makes him one of the elite prospects nationally.

This guy is an incredible coverage defender, can cover WR's, TE's and RB's vs. the pass in either zone or manned up. He's a three-down future player that is on track to be big-time.

11. Florida State

Headliner: Ryan Green, RB

Green is a big-time speedster from Florida. He's about 5'11", 185 pounds and has quick feet, stop/start ability and can fire through alleys to jump up to the second level.

He'll slash inside and skate to the edges, look to turn his shoulders on the flanks and jet upfield daring the defense to try to catch him. 

10. Clemson

Headliner: Robert Nkemdiche, DE

Nkemdiche is the nation's No. 1 prospect and pledged to Clemson in a big-time shocker. However, there's no denying the 6'4" 270-pounder's talent.

He's an overwhelmingly strong player, plays massive at the point of attack, has a good first step off the ball and athleticism to make plays. He can play DE, DT or even stand up OLB due to his athleticism and speed. 

9. Texas A&M

Headliner: Derrick Griffin, WR/TE

A 6'6" pass-catcher close to 220 pounds, Griffin a great athlete that could grow into a TE. He shows obvious big-time size, can combat press at the line with strength to move a CB and solid speed for a big man.

He'll cut with some sharpness, but his catch radius is so large that he helps a QB's accuracy and completion percentage. 

8. Georgia

Headliner: Shaq Wiggins, CB

A true cover defensive back, Wiggins make shim for his light 170-pound frame with toughness, quick feet, instincts, a feel for coverage and transition quickness. 

He stands 5'10", can play nickel, the field or boundary and won't back down in press coverage. Wiggins has excellent athleticism and hips to become a standout in the SEC as a corner. 

7. Texas

Headliner: Darius James, OC/OL

James is a big and talented OL prospect from Texas that goes 6'5", 320 pounds. He really has excellent movement skills for a large-bodied player and plays with great strength.

He looks like he can play the pivot with good knee bend, agility, foot quickness and strength to drive targets off their spots.

6. Auburn

Headliner: Reuben Foster, LB

A 6'2", 245-pound missile, Foster is a big-time talent. I've basically said all there is to say about him, as he's college-ready right now. 

He's a plug-and-play guy that I think will likely find his way into Gene Chizik's starting lineup as a true freshman. 

5. Ohio State

Headliner: Eli Woodard, CB

Woodard really plays smart football and understands the game. He is disciplined to follow his scheme, but also has the instincts, athleticism, speed and playmaking ability to do something to ensure his defense makes a big play.

At 6'0", 185 pounds, he has true freshman playing ability, as he has the length, frame, athleticism, quickness, instincts, smarts and speed to play right away and develop into a cornerstone player for Urban Meyer. 

4. Florida

Headliner: Kelvin Taylor, RB

Taylor has outstanding run instincts and feel. He's been uber-productive his entire career and stands 5'10", 215 pounds.

He's a bit quicker than fast, but can break off a long run, run with some good pop behind his pads, shimmy 'backers at the second level and set up blocks. He will be a starting bell-cow back in Gainesville. 

3. Alabama

Headliner: O.J. Howard, TE

Howard is among the most athletic players in this class, as he really can do an array of things on the field. He can play OLB and DE, but he projects best as a dangerous TE.

At 6'5", 225 pounds, Howard has the play speed, agility, quickness, hands and playmaking skills to be a dynamic joker type at TE. 

2. Michigan

Headliner: Shane Morris, QB

The Big Blue class starts and ends with Mr. Morris. He's the leader of the class, has been helping recruit players and is one of the elite prospects in the country regardless of position.

Morris is a 6'3", 190-pound lefty that has good agility to buy time, a quick set up, power in his arm and quick delivery prowess. He can get streaky on and off with his accuracy, yet he reminds me of a lefty Tony Romo. 

1. USC

Headliner: Max Browne, QB

Browne is a big-time and elite pocket-passer that has been on the national radar since his freshman year. He's gotten up to 6'5", 215 pounds and has a super quick release, solid arm strength, accuracy and is very consistent.

Browne is an excellent decision-maker, reads well in pre-snap and adjusts post-snap, anticipates throws to windows and fire strikes deep. He won't wow with running ability, but he's a classic pocket passing QB.

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 and 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.