CFB Recruiting 2013: The Key Underrated Player in Each Top 15 Recruiting Class

Rankings, stars and hype mean a lot to recruiting fans because, for the most part, that is all they can go off of to judge a recruiting class. The players with the most stars and highest rankings get most of, if not all of, the attention from fans and even media people such as myself.

Then there's always players that emerge as surprising studs when the class gets out on the field. Yet, to the coaches, it is no surprise, because those types of players were just underrated by the recruiting publications. 

In this read, I'm going to identify one potential surprise stud from some of the best recruiting classes in the country. These are the top underrated recruits for each top 15 class in the country.

15. South Carolina

Underrated Recruit: D.J. Park, OT

Park is a big 6'5" OT prospect who weighs nearly 315 pounds. He's from South Carolina and gives the Gamecocks a big, athletic OL that they can do a lot with.

If Steve Spurrier would like to see Park on the edges, the big man could play some RT or even LT, if needed. OG is also a great option for Park, who should be a starter before he leaves Columbia. 

14. North Carolina

Underrated Recruit: DaJuan Drennon, DE

From New Jersey, Drennon has huge upside should UNC really coach him up. He's a raw 6'3", 225-pounder with good length to his frame, athleticism and a solid surge off the ball. He can stand up on the edges if needed and also drop into coverage. 

13. LSU

Underrated Recruit: Rashard Robinson, ATH

LSU will have a decision to make in regards to Robinson: Is he a CB or a safety? He's 6'2", 165 pounds and flashes some press-cover ability.

However, overall, Robinson is a better run defender. He's very athletic, long and flashes ball skills. So either John Chavis will develop him into a corner or bulk him to play safety.

12. Notre Dame

Underrated Recruit: John Montelus, OT

Hunter Bivin, Colin McGovern and Steve Elmer all get their fair share of pub as top OL in the Irish recruiting class, but Montelus is right there too. Hailing from Massachusetts, he's a 6'5" trench man who weighs close to 300-pounds.

Look for Montelus to end up somewhere in the interior part of the Irish offensive front, showing off his solid athleticism, strength and quick feet. 

11. Florida State

Underrated Recruit: Marquez White, CB

An athletic 6'1", 170-pound CB from Alabama, White plays with good speed and great ball skills. He can factor in off-man coverage, turn and run and go up and take balls from wide receivers.

In fact, it's easy to project White to be a candidate to move to free safety, where his length, ball skills, speed and transition quickness could make him another great defensive back for the 'Noles. 

10. Clemson

Underrated Recruit: David Kamara, CB

Kamara has the makings of a solid CB, especially to play the nickel spot. He can attach on to a WR, play tough and has great short-area quickness. He shows excellent recovery speed and plays bigger than his 5'10", 170-pound listed size would lead you to believe. 

9. Texas A&M

Underrated Recruit: Darian Claiborne, ILB

Claiborne has played some QB for his Louisiana high school team, but he's going to be an LB in College Station. At 6'1", 220 pounds he shows a quick read-and-react trait to go make stops.

Claiborne will insert himself in run alleys, and when he gets to the point of attack, it's usually the opponent that goes backward. He plays with some solid lateral speed and can blitz effectively too.  

8. Georgia

Underrated Recruit: DeAndre Johnson, NT

Todd Grantham runs a ton of 3-4 principles as the defensive chief for Georgia. A key element to the 3-4's success is having a stout nose tackle, Johnson potentially will be that.

At 6'3" and close to 315-pounds, Johnson lacks snap quickness, but he makes up for it in anchor strength, space-eating ability and solid short-area quickness.

7. Texas

Underrated Recruit: Jake Oliver, WR

Oliver is not a burner. He's not sudden. He's not quick, nor is he explosive.

This guy is a reliable, 6'3", 185-pound WR from Texas who will be productive in Austin.

Is he going to be blazing Big 12 DBs deep? No, but Oliver will be as reliable a target as Texas has on it's roster. 

6. Auburn

Underrated Recruit: Arshad Jackson, TE

Jackson will need to develop more consistency into his game at Auburn. He has great size and length for a TE at 6'6" and 235 pounds, but he'll drop a pass or two and needs work as a blocker.

Jackson flashes a large strike zone, strong hands at times and the ability to lumber downfield. Once he gets more well-rounded, Auburn may have a solid TE here. 

5. Ohio State

Underrated Recruit: Ezekiel Elliot, RB

A Missouri native, Elliot is a 6'0", 200-pound runner who has bell-cow back potential. He flashes solid speed and quickness, good vision and can work effectively as a cut-back runner.

He'll run with some pop and will try to truck a tackler a times. Elliot doesn't have an elite trait, but he has several traits that are very solid. 

4. Alabama

Underrated Recruit: Walker Jones, LB

Jones will tote the rock for his Tennessee high school squad, but 'Bama will make him a full-time linebacker. He's 6'3", 235 pounds, with a knack for the football, strength, toughness and is the perfect fit to play the ILB spot that Alabama uses in it's 3-4 base defense. 

3. Florida

Underrated Recruit: Max Staver, QB

Staver is 6'6" and weighs nearly 240 pounds. He has outstanding arm talent and can push the football with velocity all over the football field.

Other parts of his game need work, such as consistent anticipation and accuracy, but this is a QB who can attack all levels of a defense at any time. 

2. Michigan

Underrated Recruit: Wyatt Shallman, FB

Sure, you can say that Shallman is not underrated, because he's the nation's No. 1 fullback. However, he gets overlooked because of the many other talented players in this Michigan class.

Shallman is a 6'3", 250-pounder who can escort backs to and through holes, use strength to dig out linebackers, move his feet at contact to clear a path and finish. 

1. USC

Underrated Recruit: Justin Davis, RB

I will be the first to admit that I spend more time covering Ty Isaac than Justin Davis. That is no slight to Davis, whom I also feel is a great RB prospect. Isaac's size and speed, along with his hands, are just very intriguing.

Yet the 6'0", 200-pound Central California native Davis has good quickness, vision, solid speed, elusiveness and run strength. Look for him to compliment Isaac well at USC.

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.