8 Programs Recruiting to Get Ready to Shake the Little Brother Tag

In college lies many rivalries that we all enjoy. Full off intensity, passion, enthusiasm and great moments, rivalries are a huge part of our beloved sport. Among the many rivalries and also quirks of various programs, some schools have grown to be perceived more potent and powerful than others.

Other programs are viewed to be inferior to other programs in college football; however, it's time that these "little brother" programs rise. In this piece on this great Sunday, I'm going to touch on eight programs that are recruiting in 2013 like they are getting ready to shake that infamous "little brother" label.

You big-brother programs need to take notice, because little brothers do grow up too.

8. Baylor

The Bears are in Texas and have had their great moments of success through the years. Although they play in the same state as powerful Texas, Baylor went through some rough seasons a few years ago.

Fresh off a great season and seeing RG3 winning the Heisman Trophy, Baylor is recruiting like it is sick and tired of being overlooked and ready to get its shine on.

ESPNU ranks Baylor's 2013 recruiting class within their top 25 classes. Led by highly-touted WR Robbie Rhodes and QB Chris Johnson, look for Baylor to build on last year's success.

7. Ole Miss

The Rebels lost a great one in Antonio Allen to Indiana, yet Hugh Freeze and his staff are putting in work on the trail to not only shut up Steve Spurrier, but to also change things around in Oxford.

Led by QB Devin Kincade, Ole Miss has a top-25 class right now per ESPNU. I think Freeze also has a great chance to land 5-star DB Antonio Conner before this cycle ends.

With Spurrier comments, plus recent tough times in the SEC, Ole Miss won't be a little brother for too much longer based on how it's recruiting right now.

6. Vanderbilt

Ole Miss isn't the only SEC squad looking to shake the little brother tag. Vanderbilt had a top 25 class for a brief time last year in my rankings, and today, it has the 20th-ranked class according to ESPNU.

It starts with head coach James Franklin, who is a rising star of a head coach. Franklin has a tremendous amount of passion, conviction and what we young kids call "swag" these days.

Tennessee is the dominant program in the state, and Vanderbilt has been a perennial doormat in the SEC. However, since Franklin has been recruiting for the Commodores, that is on the verge of changing.

5. North Carolina

I've been saying for a while now that I firmly believe North Carolina is a sleeping giant program. The Tar Heels sit in a vastly talented region of the country full of high school talent, resources, facilities and more.

Larry Fedora is the new coach, and his work ethic and enthusiasm should jump start things. In his first full recruiting cycle in Chapel Hill, Fedora has UNC's 2013 recruiting class ranked at No. 14, says ESPNU.

Fedora has also shown that he can flip a prospect, convincing DT Greg Webb to bolt from Penn State.

4. Washington

The Dawgs were once a very powerful program out west, but now are struggling to stay in the middle of pack of the Pac-12 (pun intended).

Steve Sarkisian comes from USC, and he is not used to being a little brother. So, Sarkisian has recruited extremely well with the intent on making U-Dub a big brother program to take it back to its glory days.

ESPNU ranks the Huskies' class No. 19 overall, and the talent level is very impressive up and down the list of prospects.

3. Clemson

Clemson seems to be sick and tired of not getting the respect it deserves as a program. Sure, on the big stage, it got waxed by West Virginia, but the Tigers have what it takes to win consistently.

Dabo Swinney is recruiting like he's also feeling the same way, as Clemson is lurking around the top 10 recruiting rankings. Led by the nation's No. 1 prospect in DE Robert Nkemdiche, the Tigers have another great class coming in.

Swinney has recruited well the past three cycles, and Clemson won't be a little brother program for too much longer.

2. UCLA

Obviously, USC has dominated the Los Angeles recruiting trail for most of its existence and continues to overshadow UCLA.

Jim Mora does not have the personality to sit back and not fight the Trojans for prospects. The new head man at UCLA has a very solid class for 2013 thus far, and the Bruins are on a pace to finish inside the top 25 rankings.

Look for Mora to continue to learn the pipelines and landscapes of SoCal and slowly begin to start getting his fair share of elite talent to come ball in Westwood.

1. Texas A&M

Some say it was a death move for the Aggies to move into the SEC. Texas A&M played second fiddle, perception-wise, to Texas in the Big 12 and now they have to go against the likes of Alabama, Florida, LSU, Georgia and Auburn.

Kevin Sumlin, according to last year's class and this year's 2013 class, clearly understands SEC play will be tough, That is why Sumlin has stocked so much talent this year that he has a top-15 class in the ESPNU rankings.

Texas A&M may have been a little brother to Texas, but the Aggies are looking to take a different path entering the SEC.

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.