Power Ranking Top 25 Pac-12 Targets on 2014 College Football Recruiting Trail

Teams are hustling on the trail out west to position themselves to win a Pac-12 title. Many programs are not just targeting recruits who live close to the Pacific Ocean.

The top target on this list is originally from Illinois, while there's a big LB in Georgia who is wanted by a conference member. A pair of quarterback prospects are on this list and will be pursued heavily since the Pac-12 is known as a passing-oriented league.

There is "speedy" WR/ATH from Louisiana who makes the list due to his interest in heading west and also a defensive lineman from Texas may be a great fit in one Pac-12 program's defense.

Player evaluations are based on review of tape at Scout.com, Rivals, 247Sports & ESPNU.

25. DJ Calhoun, LB

Calhoun is from Southern California and the linebacker is 6'0", 215 pounds. He has great instincts and can play inside or outside in a 4-3 defense.

Calhoun is an athletic 'backer with good strength who can attack blockers, shed and make thumping tackles. He has third-down ability as a cover linebacker who can latch on to running backs and tight ends.

Per 247Sports, USC, UCLA and both Arizona schools are Pac-12 programs to watch for Calhoun.

24. Dalton Schultz, TE

Schultz is a 6'5", 215-pound tight end who hails from Utah. He is considering Pac-12 schools such as Stanford, Utah, Washington and Cal, says 247Sports. 

Schultz has average play speed, but his large catch radius allows him to pluck passes even when he's covered. He has the ball skills and catch-in-crowd ability to be a terror in the red zone. 

23. Derrell Scott, RB

According to 247Sports, Oregon is a school in the hunt for Scott. The Ducks view the talented running back as a great fit their offense and they evaluation is correct.

Scott displays great quickness, elusiveness and speed which are all keys to success in Oregon's offense. At 5'11" and 180 pounds, the North Carolina native has ran for more than 4,200 yards and scored 57 total TDs in his high school career.

22. Marquis Ware, OLB/ATH

Based on his 247Sports profile, Ware is very likely to play in the Pac-12. USC, Arizona, Oregon and Arizona State are among his top schools. 

Whichever Pac-12 program lands him will be getting an athletic 6'2", 215-pound recruit with great versatility. Ware could operate on offense as a TE/H-back like former Orson Charles did at Georgia.

Defensively, Ware could develop into a good OLB with good speed and range. 

21. Parrker Westphal, CB

From Illinois, Westphal is a good-looking cover corner prospect at 6'0", 186 pounds. He has great awareness and plays with good instincts in both off-man and zone coverage.

Michigan and Vanderbilt are schools to watch in his recruitment, but do not count out Stanford. Scout.com recently reported there is mutual interest between both parties and the Cardinal staff wants Westphal to camp on The Farm. 

20. Demetrius Knox, OG

The 6'4", 290-pound Knox gave an original commitment to Texas, but has since backed off his pledge to Mack Brown.

He is looking at UCLA and Oregon, among several others according to 247Sports. Knox has quick feet and solid athleticism, which projects him to be a great guard in the Pac-12. 

19. Jalen Brown, WR

The 6'2", 170-pound Brown is from Phoenix and could choose to stay in state. Both Arizona and Arizona State are pursuing him and he would be a good fit at either school.

Brown has smooth athleticism and is a savvy route-runner on the perimeter. He flashes great separation quickness and has soft hands. 

He is the stepson of former Arizona running back Chuck Levy. 

18. Josh Malone, WR

Malone is likely to choose Tennessee or another non-Pac-12 school, but 247Sports reports he will attend a camp at UCLA. 

The Tennessee native would give the Bruins a physical wide receiver with great hands and deceptive speed. Malone has good athletic ability and has solid explosiveness out of his breaks.

His style of play would fit in the Pac-12 well. 

17. Nathan Starks, RB/ATH

Starks was dismissed from Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas earlier this month. There has not been any announcement on where he will play his senior season.

The 5'11", 200-pounder is a good running back prospect who can also play safety. Starks is a great athlete who has good strength and speed. 

After running for more than 1,800 yards and 27 TDs as a junior, Starks caught the eye of many Pac-12 programs including USC. 

16. Mark Andrews, WR/TE

Andrews plays wide receiver for his high school team in Arizona, but he will be moved to tight end in college. He stands 6'6", 225 pounds and lacks the speed to threaten secondaries deep from the receiver position.

However, Andrews has the ball skills and adequate separation quickness to win match ups vs. linebackers. Should he choose to play in the Pac-12, look for Andrews to sign with one of his in-state schools. 

15. Nifae Lealao, DL

The prediction is that Lealao will sign with Stanford or Cal. He is from Sacramento, has excelled academically in high school and wants to receive a great degree.

Lealao also happens to be a 6'6", 280-pounder with explosive strength in the trenches. He shows good snap quickness, plays up to his listed size at the point of attack and is a brick wall vs. the run. 

14. Damien Mama, OG

Mama is one of the best road-grading guards in the country. He is 6'5", 340 pounds and has impressive power.

Mama rolls quickly out of his stance at the snap, explodes into his target and uses his strength to overpower them. A classic "phone booth mauler", Mama earns that title since he works best in tight areas and has great finishing ability as a run-blocker. 

USC is a key school to watch, as is Washington, says 247Sports. 

13. Budda Baker, ATH

Baker is from Washington and 247Sports shows Oregon and Washington as his two schools. He is a 5'10", 175-pounder who could be a great safety, but his speed will get him looks on offense.

Baker is also a great return man who can change the course of a game in one play. He has fantastic elusiveness and displays a rare burst with the football. 

12 Dwight Williams, OLB

Williams is moving up the board because he fits the new profile of what teams want in outside linebackers. He is not very big at 6'0", 205 pounds, but Williams possesses great speed and athleticism.

With offenses in the Pac-12 (minus Stanford) putting an emphasis on the passing game and spreading defenses out, defenders must be better in space. Williams is impressive in that department and can cover tight ends and running backs well in the passing game. 

From Los Angeles, Williams could end up at USC, UCLA or Oregon. 

11. Casey Tucker, OL

Tucker committed to USC in July of 2012, but decommitted from the Trojans in April. He is still considering USC but Notre Dame is also in the mix, shows 247Sports.

Do not sleep on Stanford or Arizona State either, as Tucker has hit the reset button on his recruitment. The 6'6", 270-pounder is a nasty blocker who punishes defenders each snap with power and is a quick to bury rushers in pass protection. 

10. Keller Chryst, QB

Chryst comes from a great football family, as his father, Geep, coaches quarterbacks from the San Francisco 49ers while his uncle Paul is the head coach at Pitt.

At 6'4", 215 pounds, Chryst has good mechanics in the pocket and shows great command of his offense. He displays good arm strength and shows good velocity on his throws downfield.

If Chryst decides he wants to play in the Pac-12, it will be at Stanford or USC. 

9. Tyler Luatua, TE

Luatua's brother Issac plays at Alabama and Nick Saban would like to reunite them in Tuscaloosa. However, Notre Dame and Michigan are telling him to blaze his own trail and join them.

USC is echoing what the Irish and Wolverines are saying, but adding in the fact Lutua could stay close to home. The 6'4", 230-pound seam player is a weapon in the passing game and has great ball skills.

When he is focused, Luatua is a nightmare for linebackers and safeties. 

8. Joe Mixon, RB

Mixon is a running back prospect from Freedom High School, which is an hour outside of San Francisco. He has good size at 6'1" and weighs more than 205 pounds.

Mixon displays impressive hands and receiving skills for a running back, as he is a potent weapon in the passing game. He can square his shoulders to the goal post and use a terrific burst to race past defenders to make big plays as a runner.

Mixon is welcome on any campus in the Pac-12. 

7. Michiah Quick, WR/DB

Quick is a 6'0", 170-pounder from Fresno Central East High School in Central California. He is one of the best pure athletes in the country and is a big-play threat with the ball in his hands.

Quick can intercept passes and return them for touchdowns as a defensive back. Yet, he prefers to play wide receiver where his speed, separation quickness and run-after-catch skills can be on constant display.

Look for USC to be the pick should he sign up with a Pac-12 program. 

6. Kyle Allen, QB

Allen has a great relationship with the UCLA staff and it would not be surprising if he committed to the Bruins. At 6'3", 197 pounds, Allen has great field vision, goes through his progressions and has good ball placement skills.

He is not a burner as a runner, but has adequate mobility. Oklahoma State, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Texas A&M are the main schools 247Sports reports who could keep him from Westwood. 

5. Solomon Thomas, DE

The big 6'3", 256-pound Texan is a wide-open recruit, but he could choose to play at Stanford. Thomas is listed as a defensive end, but is expected to grow into a DT or a five-technique DE in a 3-4 scheme.

Thomas is not explosive at snap and has average snap quickness. However, his strength allows him to set the edge vs. the run, anchor down and shed blocks with power. 

Thomas would be an excellent fit in David Shaw's defense in Palo Alto.

4. JuJu Smith, WR/S

Smith is a 6'1", 190-pound skill player from powerhouse Long Beach Poly in Southern California. He has great explosiveness in his athleticism and is strong for a receiver/defensive back recruit.

Smith has a bright future as a great free safety due to his range, transition quickness and ball skills. However, he also is a dynamic wide receiver who can execute vertical routes and displays big-play ability.

USC, UCLA and Washington are schools to keep an eye on. 

3. Raekwon McMillan, LB

McMillan is a 6'2", 249-pound 'backer from Georgia who could choose to play at Ohio State. Alabama, Georgia and Clemson are also key suitors, but do not count out USC.

McMillan has interest in the Trojans, according to 247Sports. A possibility remains of McMillan visiting Los Angeles, where the Trojans are known to really impress out-of-state recruits. 

2. Speedy Noil, WR/ATH

Noil is from Louisiana and stirs up memories of former Florida State receiver/return man Peter Warrick. From New Orleans, Noil is a 5'11", 176-pound dual-threat quarterback who will be moved wide receiver in college.

Blair Angulo of WeAreSC.com reports USC is in Noil's top three. Expect Noil to officially visit Heritage Hall in the fall and for the red carpet to rolled out by Trojan coaching staff. 

1. Adoree' Jackson, CB

Jackson plays for Serra High School in Los Angeles, but is originally from Illinois. Serra has been a great pipeline to USC recently with Marqise Lee, Robert Woods and George Farmer all being Trojans who prepped at the high school.

UCLA could nudge itself into the Jackson sweepstakes, but the Trojans have the inside track. With his 5'11", 185-pound frame of wiry strength, instincts and explosive recovery speed, Jackson is one of the best cover men in the nation.

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 and Cleveland Browns.