College Football Recruiting 2013: Analyzing Most Elite Players at Each Position

The term "elite" is not one that should be used lightly when describing prospects. As a talent evaluator of football players, I always refrain from using the term unless I'm completely sold on a prospect and give them a high grade.

Among this 2013 class, not every prospect is an elite player. In fact, there are only several players I deem "elite" prospects at each position. For this read, let's run down each position, tell you who's the true elite prospects at the position and quickly analyze why they are elite.

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Cornerback

No. of Elite Prospects in 2013: 2

Names: Vernon Hargreaves III and Eli Woodard

Hargreaves, a Florida commit, possibly could be the most complete CB prospect in the last five to 10 years in college football recruiting.

The 5'11", 185-pound cover man can play all three coverage techniques, has all the athletic tools to succeed and is such a smart and aware prospect.

Woodard is a 6'0", 185-pound CB from New Jersey that I really dig. He's very instinctive, plays with great discipline and can excel in man and zone coverage. 

The Ohio State pledge has great play speed, quick feet, transition quickness and playmaking ability.

Safety

No. of Elite Prospects in 2013: 4

Names: Su'a Cravens, Antonio Conner, Max Redfield and Vonn Bell

Cravens is a 6'1", 205-pound do-it-all type of player. He's athletically gifted and can play LB, S and CB on defense alone. His football speed, amazing instincts, range, hitting ability and ball skills could get him on the field very early at USC.

Conner has excellent and natural athleticism. He shows a good burst when he reacts to plays n both the run and pass. At 6'1", 200 pounds, I like him as an SS. Yet he does show good ball skills and range.

Redfield is a classic FS due to his range, speed and ball skills. The 6'2", 195-pound ball hawk can patrol back ends, burst off hashes out of transition and jump passing lanes with ease.

Bell is an elite prospect on book. He's 6'0" and weighs 190 pounds. I love his transition quickness, ball skills, box-squeezing ability and speed. Don't sleep on this guy.

Linebacker

No. of Elite Prospects in 2013: 3

Names: Reuben Foster, Matthew Thomas and Jaylon Smith

Foster, when his weight is controlled, is special. He simply is. The 6'2", 245-pound 'backer is a prototypical Mike LB that has just about everything.

His only knock is his pass defending, and he already shows the athleticism to develop into an effective zone defender. We said the same thing about Manti Te'o early in his career.

Thomas is a dynamic 6'3", 210-pound second level flanks defender that can also play some sub-rusher DE too. He shows great range, solid instincts, speed and quickness. He's very effective coming off the edge.

Smith's elite status comes mostly from his wonderful ability to cover. This is a 6'3", 220-pound OLB that cover RB's, TE's and WR's in man coverage. That's an awesome trait to have, along with good instincts, range and improving strength.

Defensive End

No. of Elite Prospects in 2013: 2

Names: Robert Nkemdiche and Carl Lawson

Nkemdiche is the No. 1 overall player on everyone's board. He's a 6'5" DE that weighs close to 270 pounds already and has overwhelming power. Nkemdiche also displays excellent quickness, athleticism, ball location skills and point of attack strength.

Lawson is a 6'1", 255-pound edge player that can stand up if asked. He shows the ability to jump on top of blockers at the snap, convert speed to power, violently shed blocks and make plays. He should be a star in college.

Defensive Tackle

No. of Elite Prospects in 2013: 2

Names: Kenny Bigelow and Montravius Adams

At 6'3" and 297 pounds, Bigelow has so much athleticism and quickness that he could play some strong-side DE at USC. He shows great point of attack strength, shedding ability, finds the ball well and has good instincts.

I'm not convinced that redshirting him is the best way to go, because he may be ready for college snaps in Troy now.

Adams has just a sky-high ceiling, as the 6'3" DT has gotten himself up to near 310 pounds. He has an impressive surge off the ball, quick hands to stab and punch blockers, strength to use power and solid change of direction skills in pursuit.

Offensive Line

No. of Elite Prospects in 2013: 2

Names: Laremy Tunsil and Darius James

Tunsil is a Florida native that has bulked up to close to 300 pounds while standing 6'6". He's a future LT in college, and once you see him move, you'll say the same thing. 

Tunsil can shadow rushers in space, set up quickly deep and has the athleticism, feet, quickness and adjust ability to give rushers fits. He also can get up on the second level as a run blocker.

James is large man at 6'5" and 320 pounds. For such a big-bodied player, he still displays great balance, agility and has good strength. His heavy hands can jolt a target at the point of attack, and he can move them off marks.

James is viewed as a center prospect, but I'm still not convinced that he can't be a LT.

Tight End

No. of Elite Prospects in 2013: 0

Names: O.J. Howard, Adam Breneman, Josh McNeil and Hunter Henry

These four prospects are graded a bit lower than some other prospects at other positions. I don't see a TE prospect this year that is an elite-level player.

Yet these are the four are the best at the positions all are still very good. Howard and McNeil are joker/move guys that factor most in the passing game. Both stand 6'5", weigh close to 225 pounds and are committed to Alabama.

Breneman, a Penn State pledge, is a 6'5", 230-pound seam player with solid speed, soft hands and great length. Henry is a 6'5", 240-pounder that is committed Arkansas. He should develop into a complete TE.

Wide Receiver

No. of Elite Prospects in 2013: 3

Names: Ricky Seals-Jones, Robert Foster and Laquon Treadwell

Seals-Jones is freshly pledged to Texas A&M, as shown here at ESPNU. He's a 6'5", 230-pound big WR that could become a TE one day.

Seals-Jones possesses good strength, solid quickness, great build-up speed and superb ball skills. He should put up huge numbers for the Aggies.

Foster's game is based on speed, speed and more speed. He's from Pennsylvania and goes in the 6'2", 190-pound range. Explosive and sudden, this is a prospect that should become one of the most exciting players to watch out of this class.

Treadwell's stock is rising, and since he's shown to be a great blocker this season, he's moved into my "elite" category. At 6'3" and nearly 200 pounds, the Illinois native has great speed, length and hands.

Running Back

No. of Elite Prospects in 2013: 4

Names: Ty Isaac, Kelvin Taylor, Alvin Kamara and Derrick Henry

You have to love Isaac's size at 6'3" and 220 pounds, along with his ability to catch the football. The USC commit's speed is pretty impressive, and he shows good vision, instincts and elusiveness.

Taylor is a 5'11", 216-pound runner headed to Florida. He's a bit more quick than fast, possessing excellent foot quickness and agility. Taylor can skate through alleys, runs instinctively and has some wiggle to his style.

Kamara is a 5'10", 192-pounder from Georgia that reminds me of a young Brian Westbrook. I just can't find much to quarrel with about his game. He has proved he can run with power, has great speed, catches the ball well and can hold up as a blitz pickup guy.

Pledged to Alabama, Henry is one of the wonders of this class, as seeing the 6'3", 240-pounder glide around on tape is fascinating. He's an athletic runner with good speed and elusiveness that also added the "super productive" label to his scouting report this season.

Quarterback

No. of Elite Prospects in 2013: 3

Names: Max Browne, Christian Hackenberg and Shane Morris

Browne is an elite prospect on my board to the combination of a 6'5", 215-pound frame, excellent field vision, delivery quickness, solid arm strength, accuracy and pocket presence. The USC commit is a natural leader, reads coverages well and should be a stud in LA.

Hackenberg is head to Penn State and has a chance to start as a freshman. The 6'3", 215-pound QB prospect has a quick release, good arm strength and solid ball placement skills. He also shows good mobility and is a guy I have high hopes for.

Morris is already a legend in Michigan and is headed to Ann Arbor. A lefty, he has incredible setup quickness, can shoot the ball out at any step in his drop and has some moxie and charisma in his persona. Morris is a solid athlete and make some plays with his legs too.

Edwin Weathersby is the College Football Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. He 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 (formerly 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.