Ranking 10 Fastest Recruits in 2014 Recruiting Class

Speed has always been a staple of football's great skill players. Since the game surely isn't slowing down, offseason workouts and drills are more focused than ever on improving player quickness and stamina.

The 2014 recruiting class is stockpiled with speedy playmakers who can change the complexion of a contest at any time. We examine 10 prospects well-prepared to hit the ground running in college while keeping opponents on their heels.

10. 5-Star RB Dalvin Cook (Miami, Fla.)

Dalvin Cook can beat defenses in a variety of ways. His quickness is a key component of what made him one of the most coveted running backs of the 2014 recruiting cycle.

The 5'11", 190-pound Miami Central star led his team to a state title, rushing for nearly 2,000 yards and 34 touchdowns. Cook cruises into another gear once he clears the first level, giving linebackers fits in containment.

He runs the 40-yard dash in 4.46 seconds, according to 247Sports.

Cook committed to Florida during his junior year. He ultimately flipped from the Gators to Florida State, where he is currently enrolled.

9. 5-Star CB Marlon Humphrey (Birmingham, Ala.)

If football doesn't work out for Marlon Humphrey, his prowess on the track could lead to a successful global career as a runner. He claimed two individual titles last summer at the World Youth Track and Field Trials (110- and 400-meter hurdles).

Humphrey, ranked third nationally among cornerbacks, is an excellent kick returner. Few players can compare to his stride-for-stride coverage skills.

He is clocked at 4.48 seconds in the 40-yard dash, per ESPN.com.

Humphrey is currently weighing offers from Alabama, Florida State, UCLA and Mississippi State.

8. 4-Star CB Arrion Springs (San Antonio, Texas)

Arrion Springs ranks among the top defenders in Texas. Although his approach is extremely balanced, speed is at the foundation of what fuels his success.

The 5'11", 192-pound Roosevelt High School star surges to the ball, accelerating at rapid pace. His range helps make Springs one of the most intriguing coverage corners in the class.

He committed to Oregon in July. Springs, who runs a 4.44-second 40-yard dash, per 247Sports, also fielded offers from Florida State, USC, Oklahoma and Miami.

7. 4-Star WR Terry McLaurin (Indianapolis, Ind.)

247Sports

Cathedral High School standout Terry McLaurin makes quick cornerbacks look pedestrian when he gains steam. He runs a 4.41-second 40-yard dash, according to 247Sports.

The 6'0", 190-pound wide receiver returned two kicks for touchdowns during his senior season. His quickest path to the playing field at the next level is likely as a special teams weapon.

McLaurin committed to Ohio State in June. He picked the Buckeyes over Boston College, Iowa and Missouri.

6. 5-Star CB Adoree' Jackson (Gardena, Calif.)

Los Angeles area star Adoree' Jackson is arguably the most impressive overall athlete in the 2014 class. The Junipero Serra wide receiver, running back and defensive back brings lateral shiftiness and straight-line speed to the field.

He averaged more than 21 yards per reception on 38 catches in 2013, per MaxPreps. Jackson also excels on the track, where he anchored the fastest 4x400-meter relay team in California last year.

His 40-yard dash time is 4.44 seconds, per 247Sports.

Jackson's recruiting process remains fluid, as considers offers from USC, UCLA, Tennessee, LSU, Florida and Oklahoma.

5. 4-Star WR Parris Campbell (Akron, Ohio)

247Sports

Parris Campbell picks up speed in a hurry while running downfield routes and displays incredible burst on intermediate crossing patterns. The 6'0", 184-pound St. Vincent-St. Mary High School star surges past defenders without sacrificing size, making him a versatile receiver.

Campbell was clocked at 4.41 seconds in the 40-yard dash, per 247Sports. He helped secure a state championship for his high school squad as a senior.

Ohio State landed the coveted in-state playmaker. Campbell also considered offers from Michigan State and Tennessee.

4. 5-Star WR Speedy Noil (New Orleans, La.)

Some nicknames make no sense, but Speedy Noil's moniker is extremely appropriate. The 5'10.5", 176-pound Edna Karr High School standout spent the majority of his junior and senior campaigns taking snaps at quarterback, but still managed to strut his stuff in the open field.

Noil identifies rushing lanes and attacks them before defenders have a chance to close the gap. He runs a 4.40-second 40-yard dash and is lethal once he reaches the sidelines.

After weighing offers from Florida, LSU and Alabama, Noil committed to Texas A&M. He already enrolled on campus and is in line for early playing time with the Aggies.

3. 4-Star ATH Curtis Samuel (Brooklyn, N.Y.)

Curtis Samuel is a serious speedster capable of contributing on both sides of the ball. He averaged more than 11 yards per carry en route to 1,047 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2013, per 247Sports.

The 6'0", 185-pound Erasmus Hall product registered a 4.36-second 40-yard dash at The Opening last July. He earned recognition as the 2013 New York Gatorade Player of the Year.

Samuel is currently enrolled at Ohio State.

2. 4-Star RB Stanley Williams (Monroe, Ga.)

247Sports

Running back Stanley Williams is a scintillating prospect from George Walton Academy. The 5'8", 189-pound playmaker was clocked at 4.28 seconds in the 40-yard dash during a 2011 event at Georgia.

Williams was initially committed to the Bulldogs, but decommitted after his junior year and ultimately pledged to Kentucky last June. The nation's sixth-ranked all-purpose back has legitimate breakaway speed and becomes even more dangerous in the short passing game.

He earned MVP honors at the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl in Orlando, Fla.

1. 5-Star CB Tony Brown (Beaumont, Texas)

Tony Brown hasn't wasted any time showing off his speed at the collegiate level. An early enrollee at Alabama, he made his Crimson Tide track debut in January.

Brown, who competes in the 60-meter sprint and 110-meter hurdles, is the nation's second-ranked cornerback. He is physical at the line of scrimmage and won't allow any receiver to take the top off a defense.

His 40-yard dash is timed at 4.35 seconds, per 247Sports. He picked Alabama over Ohio State, LSU, Texas and USC.