Where OSU, UGA, Virginia Tech and Oregon Turn After Missing on 5-Star Josh Sweat

Judgement day arrived Wednesday for coveted 2015 recruit Josh Sweat. After considering five finalists, the 5-star defensive end decided his ideal destination is defending national champion Florida State:

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Five-star DE Josh Sweat talks #FloridaState commit. Huge get for the #Seminoles. pic.twitter.com/d2SSc3EXYr

— Ryan Bartow (@RyanBartow) December 10, 2014"

Sweat, a 6'5", 240-pound senior at Oscar Smith High School in Virginia, rose to the No. 1 overall spot in 247Sports' composite rankings this summer. A season-ending knee injury derailed his senior campaign in September and dropped him to No. 6 overall on that list, though he remains the top-rated prospect at his position.

The Seminoles land a freakish talent who rivals any athlete in this recruiting cycle. Sweat secured 22 sacks in 2013, sprinted the 40-yard dash in 4.46 seconds in July at The Opening and also served as a dangerous downfield weapon in the Oscar Smith offense.

He chose Florida State over fellow finalists Oregon, Georgia, Ohio State and Virginia Tech.

"As far as all of them go, I love all of the coaching staffs and I feel comfortable with them, some more than others," Sweat told Evan Watkins of 247Sports before his announcement. "The biggest thing for me is being comfortable. I am going to be living there for the next three or four years so that is the biggest factor."

Apparently, Tallahassee offered more comfort than the other potential landing spots.

Now that we know where the dominant defender is headed, let's examine how his decision affects the programs that came up short in the pursuit of Sweat.

Georgia

The Bulldogs are in better shape than any other team on this list in terms of incoming talent along the defensive front. Mark Richt has already secured commitments from 4-star defensive ends Chauncey Rivers, Michael Barnett, Natrez Patrick and Jonathan Ledbetter, who flipped from Alabama this summer.

Trent Thompson, the country's top-rated defensive tackle, anchors a Georgia class jockeying for position with Florida State behind Alabama in the national rankings. He understood the kind of difference Sweat could have made.

"If we both become great players in college, teams would always be trying to figure out how to handle us in the trenches," he told Bleacher Report earlier this week. "But when we're lined up together, they can't double-team both of us. They can't block both of us."

However, he also understood the depth already in place in Athens.

"Between the veterans we have returning next year and the young guys like me coming in, we're going to have a lot of great players to work with," Thompson said. "Our defensive line should be special with people filling different roles. We can be an important part of a championship team."

Bulldogs fans can take solace in that sentiment. Plus, 4-star South Carolina defensive lineman Albert Huggins is expected to decide between Clemson and Georgia this Friday.

Ohio State

It would have been thrilling to see Sweat pair up with Joey Bosa, the 2014 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, but Urban Meyer isn't exactly lacking talent at defensive end in this class. He landed 4-star Minnesota product Jashon Cornell in July.

Running back appears to be the position of most importance for the Buckeyes at this point, but targets remain on the defensive line.

The team has kept tabs on 5-star Illinois standout Terry Beckner, and versatile Utah phenom Porter Gustin told Bleacher Report earlier this week that he plans to visit Columbus before signing day.

"Ohio State is a place I'd really like to check out," said Gustin, one of six finalists for the U.S. Army All-American Player of the Year Award. "It's a program and school that has a lot to offer."

Oregon

"Moral victories" are typically reserved for on-field action in football, but it may be appropriate to apply that term to how things progressed for Oregon in the Sweat sweepstakes.

The Ducks secured a last-second official visit, which put the program in position to deliver an on-campus sales pitch. That opportunity seemed improbable earlier this season, especially after knee surgery limited Sweat's ability to travel comfortably.

Oregon continues to assert itself on the national stage after the successful Chip Kelly era and can further prove its prowess in the inaugural College Football Playoff.

The Ducks showed that their on-field success is seeping into their recruiting efforts by staying in this chase until the end. Oregon already holds a commitment from 4-star Hawaii defensive end Canton Kaumatule, a 6'7", 290-pound stud, and is in the mix for 5-star defensive linemen Terry Beckner and Rasheem Green.

Virginia Tech

Sweat's decision to become a Seminole stings in Blacksburg more than anywhere else. The Hokies, just 21-17 since 2012, viewed the Virginia native as a crown jewel for in-state recruiting purposes.

Last February, Virginia Tech failed to sign 5-star in-state defenders Quin Blanding and Andrew Brown, who played alongside Sweat at Oscar Smith. Both players landed at ACC rival Virginia.

Now, the Hokies must face the reality that Sweat's next trip to Lane Stadium will take place on the visitor sidelines. Instead of rejuvenating Virginia Tech, he'll make the team's road back to conference glory more difficult.

The team still hasn't signed a top-10 in-state recruit during this cycle. Virginia Tech can change momentum by signing Ricky DeBerry (linebacker) or Tim Settle (defensive tackle), but the dream of landing Sweat is over.

Quotes obtained firsthand by Bleacher Report National Recruiting Analyst Tyler Donohue unless otherwise noted.

Recruit ratings courtesy of 247Sports.