Power Ranking the Most Intimidating 2014 College Football Recruits

Football is a very deep and multi-faceted game when you really break it down, but there's no doubting the fact that an emotion as primal as intimation is a huge part of the game.

Simply put, football is predicated around beating your opponent physically. 

Whether it be in the trenches at the line of scrimmage or in the slots and seams, intimidation can be a major advantage and factor within the game. 

Size and strength is an integral part of the game, but those aren't the only ways a football player can intimidate his opponent. Speed, agility, natural skill and even football IQ or savvy can all be intimidating as well.

With all of that in mind, here's a power ranking of the ten most intimidating recruits in the 2014 recruiting class.

10. Damien Mama, 4-Star OG, Saint John Bosco High School (CA)

Damien Mama is a huge offensive guard recruit from Bellflower, California.

His size will be extremely intimidating on the interior of any given offensive line, and he has the skill set to back that up. Mama is ranked as the No. 8 offensive guard in the 2014 class according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

He checks in at 6'5'', 340 pounds, which is incredible for a recruit not even in his senior season yet. Check out his picture, he's not just big—he's built solid.

Notre Dame and USC are the two teams on top of his interest list (247Sports).

9. Michael Grimm, 4-Star OT, Bethel Park Senior High School (PA)

Michael Grimm has an extremely intimidating combination of size and speed.

Grimm is 6'7'', 315 pounds, so his size will be the first thing opponents notice about him. 

That will be intimidating enough running out of the tunnel or lining up to play, but when defenders realize his speed, I can only imagine they'll try to avoid getting run over by him.

He runs a 5.10 40 according to 247Sports. 

That may not seem that impressive compared to some of the speedsters in college football today, but when you consider just how big Grimm really is—that's a great 40-time. 

Linebackers will have nightmares about being blocked down and walled off by him. 

Grimm has offers (247Sports) from Akron, Boston College, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Virginia, West Virginia and Youngstown State so far.

8. Mark Andrews, 4-Star WR, Desert Mountain High School (AZ)

Cornerbacks and safeties need to beware of 4-star wideout Mark Andrews once he gets to the college level.

Andrews has tremendous size at 6'6'', 225 pounds, and he combines that with an excellent skill set. 

He has the ability to be a pure deep threat as a wide receiver, but he can also go into the slot and be a huge mismatch against smaller nickel corners and slower linebackers. Andrews also projects well as a tight end, where he can be absolutely dominant in-between the seams, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him line up at H-back either.

He's intimidating because of his combination of size and skill. One play he may burn you deep because of his great footwork for a touchdown. The next, he'll run a quick slant, run the corner over and pick up a few tough yards.

I have extremely high expectations for Andrews, specifically as a tight end. He reminds me a bit of Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots.

Arizona, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Texas A&M make up his current top five according to 247Sports.

7. Donell Stanley, 4-Star OG, Latta High School (S.C.)

Donell Stanley is the No. 2 offensive guard recruit in the 2014 class according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings, and he has the size to intimidate even the toughest defenders.

Stanley is a true "second-level" player as a guard, which essentially means that he has the speed, quickness and agility to get out to the linebackers and make his blocks. Consider the fact that he combines that speed, quickness and agility with a 6'4'', 327 pound frame though, and you'll start to get why he's on this list.

He's big and strong enough to completely dominate the line of scrimmage, but he'll also be able to pull at a high level or dominate smaller linebackers. He's essentially a bulldozer with a high-speed engine.

South Carolina is on top of his 247Sports interest list, followed by Alabama, Clemson and North Carolina.

6. Lorenzo Carter, 5-Star WDE, Norcross High School (GA)

5-star weak-side defensive end Lorenzo Carter has the size and speed to be dominant on the edges as a defender, and his talent level and abilities as a pass rusher will make him extremely intimidating to opposing quarterbacks.

Carter is a pure pass rusher, whether it be as a 4-3 defensive end or a 3-4 outside linebacker. He has great size and height at 6'6'', 232 pounds and he's very fast. He runs a 4.60 40 according to 247Sports, which is elite for a defensive end recruit heading into his senior year.

He has great length, technique and a tremendous burst at the line of scrimmage. He can out-quick an offensive tackle on the edge and use his athleticism to get to the quarterback.

Quarterbacks will be intimidated of Carter coming off the edge at the college level.

Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Miami, Mississippi State, Notre Dame, South Carolina, USC and Vanderbilt are all "warm interests" (247Sports).

5. Jabrill Peppers, 5-Star ATH, Paramus Catholic High (N.J.)

Jabrill Peppers is the No. 1 ranked athlete in the 2014 class according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings, but he projects to be an absolutely intimidating cornerback at the college level. He has the ability to play cornerback or running back.

He'll really stand out at corner because of his size at 6'2'', 205 pounds. The kicker is, he complements that size with great speed. Peppers runs a 4.50 40 according to 247Sports.

Peppers has the potential to be a lockdown corner who will be strong enough to jam a receiver at the line and completely throw him off a route. At the same time, he has the quickness to cover the deep zone or break on a ball and take it to the house. He'll also be able to play physical against the run and set the edge as a defender.

College quarterbacks will be intimidated to throw the ball his way. As of now, Ohio State and Stanford are on top of his 247Sports interest list, but Alabama, Michigan, Penn State and Notre Dame are all listed as "warm interests" as well.

4. Bo Scarbrough, 5-Star ATH/RB, Northridge High School (AL) *Alabama

Bo Scarbrough has the potential to be unstoppable as a running back, so of course he's committed to Alabama.

Much like some of the great Alabama running back commitments before him, Scarbrough has a unique blend of elite size and speed.

He's 6'2'', 225 pounds and runs a 4.45 40 according to 247Sports. 

To put that in perspective, Scarbrough has the size of a top-notch outside linebacker and the speed of a marquee running back recruit. Not only can he outrun a defense to the edge and take one to the house, but he can lower his shoulder and run you over in the process.

If he remains as a running back, Scarbrough will be effective on the edges or between the tackles. Because of his size and speed, he could also be extremely good on defense.

Either way, he's intimidating.

3. Leonard Fournette, 5-Star RB, Saint Augustine High School (LA)

Leonard Fournette is proverbial "battering ram" as a running back, and there's a very good reason why he's ranked as the No. 1 running back in the 2014 class according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

He has great size at 6'0'', 215 pounds, but he's also extremely fast, athletic and strong. He has the speed to kick it outside and outrun defenders to the end zone, but he's also the type of back that can lower his shoulder, churn his legs and carry a handful of defenders as well.

Fournette reminds me of Adrian Peterson with the way that he can "run through" players rather than be tackled.

It's going to be hard for defenders to take him down by themselves, even at the college level, and if they don't wrap up—they're going to get trucked.

Alabama and LSU are his top two teams (247Sports).

2. Cameron Robinson, 5-Star OT, West Monroe High School (LA)

Right off the bat I'm going to let you know that this picture may not even do Cameron Robinson justice.

He's obviously very big, but now imagine him in full gear with big shoulder pads and a helmet—and you'll start to get the picture.

Robinson checks in at 6'6'', 330 pounds, and he's not even in his senior year in high school yet mind you. He already has the size to be an elite NFL offensive lineman, so he'll fit right in college football.

There are going to be big-time college football defensive ends that look up to Robinson, even when he comes in as a freshman. That's about all you need to know.

Alabama and LSU are on top of his 247Sports interest list. 

1. Da'Shawn Hand, 5-Star SDE, Woodbridge High School (VA)

Da'Shawn Hand is the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2014 class, and that fact alone will make him intimidating enough at the college level.

You have to have a whole lot of talent in order to be even considered for that honor, so opposing lineman will have to take that into account.

What makes Hand so intimidating is that he combines his good size with elite speed for a defensive end. He's 6'5'', 247 pounds and runs a 4.60 40 according to 247Sports.

He has the size of a defensive end and the speed of a running back. Combine that with his great technique and strength, and I, for one, certainly would not want to be across the line of scrimmage from him.

Hand's top five (247Sports) consists of Michigan and Virginia Tech as the top two, followed by Alabama, Florida and South Carolina.