Ranking the Best 2015 Recruits Not from Florida, Texas or California

When college football coaches are hitting the road in search of finding the nation’s top talent, three states are among the primary territories every staff in the country identifies as a top destination: Florida, Texas and California.

However, several other states are underrated in terms of producing a bevy of FBS recruits. 

With respect to the 2015 class, there are a number of talented players from outside the top three talent-producing states.

Which recruits represent 2015’s top prospects who don’t hail from Florida, Texas or California?

10. Aliz'e Jones

As one of the key cogs in the nation’s top-ranked prep football program, Aliz’e Jones has earned the right to be recognized as one of the nation’s elite recruits.

In fact, the Bishop Gorman High School tight end is considered to be the nation’s top player at his position. 

Considering his package of size and athleticism, the 6’4”, 222-pound UCLA pledge is a matchup nightmare for defenses—which is part of the reason why schools such as USC and Notre Dame are still pursuing the Las Vegas native.

Jones is one of the reasons why a team outside of Florida, Texas or California can be recognized as one of the nation’s elite high school programs.

9. Lester Cotton

Credit: 247Sports

The state of Alabama has produced its share of standout recruits in recent years—former Tide star Julio Jones and current Alabama running back T.J. Yeldon are examples of players who were among the nation’s elite as recruits.

This year, the Yellowhammer State has three players in the nation’s top 50 recruits in the 2015 class. Included in that group is 4-star offensive lineman Lester Cotton—who projects as the top interior lineman prospect in the country. 

The Alabama pledge is simply dominant as a road-grading guard on the prep level. As AL.com’s Drew Champlin notes, Cotton recorded an absurd 22 pancake blocks in his team’s opening game of the season.

"All the explosive plays came on Lester's side," Central-Tuscaloosa offensive line coach Joseph Taylor told Champlin. "The offensive coordinator and I talked, and we would both give him an 'A' (for his game performance)."

Given his brute strength and physicality, it’s no surprise that Cotton was among Nick Saban’s top targets early in the 2015 cycle.

8. Jashon Cornell

Cretin-Derham Hall High School in St. Paul, Minnesota, has produced its share of elite athletes such as Joe Mauer, Chris Weinke and Michael Floyd, to name a few.

Defensive end Jashon Cornell, a 4-star recruit, is the latest stud to come out of the powerhouse program.

The 6’4”, 260-pounder, who racked up 29 sacks and five forced fumbles over his sophomore and junior seasons, committed to Ohio State in the summer. 

The Under Armour All-American is widely regarded as one of the best pass-rushers in the 2015 class, which makes him one of the nation’s top prospects.

7. Christian Kirk

If there were any doubts that 5-star Arizona native and wide receiver Christian Kirk was among the nation’s elite recruits, he erased that with a dominant showing at The Opening.

As Bleacher Report’s Michael Felder noted, Kirk was the most dominant pass-catcher at the event, which featured the nation’s top recruits going head-to-head with one another. 

The 5’10”, 191-pounder has carried his strong summer-camp performances onto the field for his senior season, accounting for 708 all-purpose yards and 12 touchdowns in his team’s first four games, per B/R’s Tyler Donohue.

With offers from heavyweight programs ranging from coast to coast, Kirk will be one of the most coveted uncommitted recruits worth monitoring as signing day approaches.

6. Damien Harris

After rushing for more than 300 yards in each of his last three games, 5-star Kentucky running back Damien Harris has put a validation stamp on his standing as 2015’s top-rated rusher. 

After committing to Michigan in July of 2013, Harris reopened his recruitment in January. 

Kentucky, Ohio State, Alabama, Florida and Texas A&M hope to land the 5’11”, 205-pounder from the Bluegrass State. 

Regardless of where he lands, Harris has the potential to become a game-breaking rusher at the next level.

5. Minkah Fitzpatrick

The three recruiting power states are home to the nation’s top four 2015 corner prospects.

At No. 5 lies New Jersey native Minkah Fitzpatrick, who recorded 33 pass breakups and six interceptions over his previous two seasons at St. Peter's Prep.

The 6’1”, 198-pounder committed to Alabama in April, and he’s spent time this season doubling as an all-purpose threat on offense. While he’s proved to be an all-around stud athlete, there’s a reason that Nick Saban made him a priority recruit in a class that is currently ranked as the nation’s best.

When it comes to ball skills, cover skills, size and athletic ability, Fitzpatrick is one of the few defensive backs in the 2015 class who have the potential to be lockdown corners at the next level.

4. Tyron Johnson

In Speedy Noil and Malachi Dupre, Louisiana produced the nation’s top two pass-catchers in the 2014 class. This year, Tyron Johnson—who is rated as the nation’s third-best wide receiver in the 2015 class—is the top playmaker who hails from the Pelican State.

The 6’1”, 191-pounder was practically unstoppable as a junior at Warren Easton High School in New Orleans, racking up 87 receptions for 1,433 yards and 17 touchdowns. 

LSU, Clemson, Texas Tech and Florida State are just a few of the schools in hot pursuit.

Considering the wealth of talent residing in Louisiana on an annual basis, Johnson’s standing as the state’s top prospect in 2015 is all the validation he needs to be considered among the nation’s elite prospects.

3. Preston Williams

The metro Atlanta area is another one of the nation’s premier hotbeds in terms of producing top-notch talent. In fact, Georgia has five 2015 recruits who carry a 5-star ranking—which trails only Florida (eight), California (seven) and Texas (six). 

Among those Atlanta-area standouts is 5-star receiver Preston Williams—who is committed to Tennessee.

The 6’4”, 191-pound Williams—who also plays safety and punts for the Lovejoy Wildcats—hauled in 59 receptions for 1,388 yards and 14 touchdowns as a junior.

In loaded receiver class, Williams is among the pass-catchers who possess the most upside heading into the next level.

2. Trent Thompson

The 2015 crop of defensive linemen is among the deepest positions in the current cycle. 

Five interior defensive linemen are rated as 5-star recruits, headlined by the nation’s top player at the position—Georgia native Trent Thompson.

The 6’4”, 292-pounder committed to Mark Richt and the home-standing Bulldogs in August—which set off a run of commitments that helped UGA ascend all the way to No. 2 in the 2015 team rankings. 

While the ‘Dawgs have loaded up with a number of talented prospects, Thompson is the unquestioned signature recruit of this class and the anchor of the nation’s top collection of defensive line talent.

1. Josh Sweat

Following in the footsteps of ballyhooed defensive end prospects such as Jadeveon Clowney, Mario Edwards Jr. and Robert Nkemdiche, 5-star Virginia product Josh Sweat is the newest pass-rushing freak to generate the hype machine into overload.

Sweat recorded 22 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles as a junior. At 6’5”, 240 pounds, he also wowed onlookers at The Opening with a sub-4.5 time in the 40-yard dash, according to Student Sports.

However, a dislocated patella suffered last month will cost him the remainder of his prep career, as noted by Evan Watkins of 247Sports. 

"My family and I really want to thank everyone for the support they have shown through this," Sweat told Watkins. "It has been crazy. I will bounce back from this stronger than ever. I came from nowhere and achieved my high school goals and became the top player in the country. Now I will just have to do it again once I am better."

He’s already visited Ohio State and has plans to take his remaining four official visits to Virginia Tech, Georgia, Florida State and Oregon.

Despite his injury, Sweat still possesses all the tools to become a dominant pass-rusher at the next level.

Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.

Follow @SanjayKirpalani