College Football Recruiting 2013: Predicting Final Top 25 Recruiting Rankings

The final recruiting rankings will be likely tallied on the afternoon-evening of National Signing Day, unless a highly touted prospect decided to wait on announcing his decision. The final rankings are, well, final. When that board comes out for the final time, obviously seeing who's No. 1 will be the main reason to see it.

While that reason is always the prime objective of viewing the final recruiting rankings, seeing where your favorite school ranks from No. 1 to No. 25 is also a treat. I'm going to use this platform and make a prediction on what the final top 25 recruiting rankings will look like in a few weeks.

Let's get this one started quickly, because signing day is fast approaching!

25. Oklahoma State

The Pokes are not going to land Laquon Treadwell in all likelihood, but they have a chance to squeeze into the top 25 rankings. Mike Gundy has 21 commitments right now and his class is led by WR Ra'Shaad Samples, DT Vince Taylor and WR Fred Ross.

I don't see much room for a major jump between not and signing day for OSU, but their class is good enough to hold on for a top top 25 spot. 

24. Mississippi State

Dan Mullen's class will finish inside the top 25, not because of who they'll get but because of who they already have. Right now, the Bulldogs are an "on the bubble" top 25 recruiting program, but since they have a pledge from DE Chris Jones, he will carry them into the dance.

Jones is a talented edge defender and he's starting to creep up the board. That only will help MSU's ranking and aided by pledges from QB Cord Sandberg and hopefully hanging on to RB Kailo Moore, they should nestle into the top 25. 

23. Penn State

The Nittany Lions have a great class, especially for their circumstances.

Having QB Christian Hackenberg alone should keep them in the top 25 on NSD, but I also really like TE Adam Breneman and OL Brendan Mahon.

Out of Bill O'Brien's 18 commitments, one to keep your eye on is JUCO QB Tyler Ferguson, who could be an insurance policy for Hackenberg. 

22. Miami

Miami's class could move up even higher if they find a way to land OLB Matthew Thomas. He'd give them an elite jewel to their class and Al Golden would be a happy man.

Right now The U sits with a small class of just 13 pledges, but it's a solid haul on paper. QB Kevin Olsen is the leader of the group that also features CB Artie Burns and DE Al-Quadin Muhammad. 

21. UCLA

The biggest prospect that UCLA has gotten to commit this recruiting cycle is their head coach in Jim Mora. Mora has the make up that suits well in the college game and is a reason why Bruin recruiting is on the rise.

The Bruins could land higher on this list if they can land prospects like DT Eddie Vanderdoes,  DB Priest Willis or S Tahaan Goodman. 

20. Oklahoma

If this class were at many other schools, it would be celebrated more enthusiastically, yet for Oklahoma, it isn't their best group.

Bob Stoops has 19 commitments and his star prize is RB Keith Ford, who should give the Sooners what they were hoping from Brandon Williams.

QB Cody Thomas and DE DJ Ward are also great gets and I also like S Hatari Byrd.  

19. Vanderbilt

Yes, James Franklin will do the unthinkable for the second consecutive year of landing a top 25 class at Vanderbilt. This class doesn't have an elite prospect, but it's full of pretty good and solid football players.

DT Jay Woods, WR DeAndre Woods and QB Johnathon McCrary are among the players I'd keep my eye on. Franklin has done a great job and it may start to become hard for the Commodores to keep him. 

18. South Carolina

Steve Spurrier's class may be just a tad down in the rankings, but still they are a solid SEC class. RB David Williams' commitment was a huge one, after missing out on Greg Bryant.

Losing Matt Rolin hurts, but QB Connor Mitch, OT DJ Park and DT Kelsey Griffin are still among the better prospects in the country at their positions. Keep your eye on Shaq Wiggins' recruitment too. 

17. Auburn

I'm not sure if Auburn will keep DE Carl Lawson, DE Tashawn Bower or RB Jordan Wilkins. All of those would be huge blows and they probably won't re-land LB Reuben Foster, either.

Yet, having QB Jeremy Johnson is a solid piece to build around. WR Earnest Robinson's stock is down and Auburn may not land RB Derrick Green. 

There are a ton of questions surrounding this 2013 Auburn recruiting class. 

16. Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech will find themselves in the top 25 rankings in a few weeks and they could be higher depending on what list you look at.

With commitments from CB Kendall Fuller, S/OLB Holland Fisher, QB Bucky Hodges and ATH Cequan Jefferson, this is a class of 20 commitments that fills holes and adds depth to Frank Beamer's program.

15. Washington

I've been predicting a top 15 finish for the Huskies for awhile now and I'm not stopping now. Tosh Lupoi is spearheading Steve Sarkisian's recruiting operation and don't be shocked if Washington lands LB Reuben Foster.

With pledges from players like DT Elijah Qualls, WR Darrell Daniels, QB Troy Williams, DE Joe Mathis and WR Damore'ea Stringfellow, this may be Washington's best class in years. 

14. North Carolina

The Tar Heels have 20 commitments right now, but they're waiting on one more major domino to fall in WR Marquez North. Landing him could entrench North Carolina in the top 15, but if they miss on him then they still may be able to lurk around.

CB Brian Walker, QB Mitch Trubisky, DT Greg Webb and WR Ryan Jenkins are just the tip of the ice berg for Larry Fedora's class. 

13. Texas

It's not that I don't like Texas' class, because I really do.

I just predict that they'll get penalized in the rankings for a small 13-man class while other teams will add some prominent pledges and rise up rankings, in turn pushing the Longhorns down the board.

Still, their recruiting class is very good with pledges from OL Darius James, OT Jake Raulerson, OT Kent Perkins, DT A'Shawn Robinson, CB Antwuan Davis, WR Jacorey Warrick and LB Deoundrei Davis, among others. 

12. Florida State

The 'Noles could get into the top 10, but my thinking leads me to place them right outside it - for now. Their class is made up of 18 pledges and they just took DL DeMarcus Walker from Alabama.

Add in commits like RB Ryan Green, OL Ira Denson and ATH Levonte Whitfield and you see why this class is where it's at.

In fact, FSU could add WR Stacy Coley, DE Tim Williams, CB Mackensie Alexander, RB Alex Collins and LB Matthew Thomas, thus surging into the top five. This is why recruiting isn't over until final LOI's are received!

11. Clemson

Could Clemson strike out on both DT Montravius Adams and DE Carl Lawson? Only time will tell, but they could land both guys too, we never know.

The Tigers have one of the top classes in the country and LB Ben Boulware and RB Tyshon Dye lead a class that has other commitments from the likes of DE Ebenezer Ogundeko, DT Scott Pagano, LB Dorian O'Daniel and WR Mike Williams. 

10. LSU

The Tigers have 25 commitments, and their class is made up of great depth across the board.

I like OT Ethan Pocic, CB Jeryl Brazil will fit in well and if they can coach up and find a home for Kendell Beckwith then he will pay big dividends. Yet it's DT's Greg Gilmore and Maquedius Bain who really give this class a great boost.

The Tigers could pull DB Priest Willis and DE Tim Williams to close out, and if so then we could be talking a big move up the rankings.

9. Texas A&M

The Aggies are probably higher in my "right now" rankings, but I think Georgia will leap frog them by picking up a big commitment or two.

Yet, this is still a historic class for Texas A&M and it has about 34 commitments. The Aggies boast players like WR/TE's Derrick Griffin and Ricky Seals Jones, DT Justin Manning, QB Kohl Stewart and OG Joas Aguilar. 

8. Michigan

Again, Michigan's class probably deserves a higher ranking and is worthy of a top-5 stamp, but I'm just predicting they'll finish here because a few other teams will likely leap frog them.

However, with 25 commitments and just a slew of stellar names this class is among the very best in the country. The Wolverines will try to lock up RB Derrick Green between now and signing day.

7. Georgia

UGA has 29 commitments and they are in the pot for several other major uncommitted prospects. OT Laremy Tunsil, DT Montravius Adams, LB Reuben Foster, LB Matthew Thomas and RB Alvin Kamara are just a few players to name who are seriously looking at playing in Athens.

Landing one or two of them would firmly entrench Mark Richt's class in the top ten and anything after that is just gravy and could have UGA in the top five final recruiting rankings. 

6. Ole Miss

The Rebels have a top 25 class right now but they are on the verge of making one of the banner recruiting runs in school history.

DE Robert Nkemdiche, WR Laquon Treadwell and S Antonio Conner all could very easily end up signing with Hugh Freeze, which would surge the Rebels all the way into the top 10 rankings.

I predict this will indeed happen and Ole Miss will crash the top 10 recruiting rankings party.

5. USC

The Trojans have a lot of work to do between now and signing day, as they must regain commitments from DT Eddie Vanderdoes and DE Kylie Fitts while also holding on to CB Jalen Ramsey.

They have 14 commitments and that class alone as is still a top five group. QB Max Browne, S Su'a Cravens, RB Ty Isaac, DT Kenny Bigelow and S Leon McQuay III all could be the headliners of other classes.

It'll be fascinating to see what USC does between now and the first Wednesday of February. 

4. Ohio State

The Buckeyes' have been on a tear lately, highlighted by commitments from LB's Mike Mitchell and Trey Johnson. It's clear that Urban Meyer is going to be recruiting the South for speed upgrades in Columbus.

This is an outstanding 22-man class led by elite cover corner Eli Apple.

Toss in names like CB Gareon Conley, ATH Jalin Marshall, DT Joey Bosa, CB Cam Burrows and RB Ezekiel Elliot to a program with the momentum the Ohio State has and it could be dynamite. 

3. Notre Dame

The Irish are also a program with 22 commitments and they may not be done. DB Priest Willis and DT Eddie Vanderdoes will give them a hard look.

Brian Kelly is sticking around and when he holds his press conference on signing day, he definitely will be talking about a recruiting class that is ranked in the top five.

This may be one of the best classes in Notre Dame history and we all know that is saying something. 

2. Florida

With 27 commitments, Florida has the No. 1 class right now but I have a feeling a rival program will surpass them in the end.

Yet still Will Muschamp has built a class that can go head to head with any one Urban Meyer signed in his hey day.

CB Vernon Hargreaves III is the headliner, yet this is a group that is impressive from top to bottom. RB Kelvin Taylor, S Keanu Neal, WR Ahmad Fulwood and LB Alex Anzalone, Matt Rolin and Dan McMillan all should be starters soon. 

1. Alabama

Sure, right now Alabama has just 20 commitments, but expect that to increase before it's all said and done. The Tide is on the mind of several upper echelon uncommitted recruits and they'll land a few of them.

I'm making a prediction right here that Nick Saban's program will finish up a season that saw them win a second consecutive BCS title by winning a second consecutive recruiting title 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.