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Credit: 247Sports

College Football Teams Who Recruited the Best at Each Position

Brian LeighFeb 6, 2015

Thanks to the 247Sports class rankings, we already know which teams recruited the best overall talent. But who recruited the best at each position?

To answer that, we've combed through the 2015 signing classes and accounted for several factors. Quality of talent—how many 5-star players, how many top-100 players, etc.—was obviously important, but depth of talent mattered just as much. 

There is no good formula (that I know of) to balance those two factors, but keep in mind that that's what we were looking for. How many players did you sign? And how high are those players rated?

Also, for simplicity, offensive linemen, defensive linemen, linebackers and defensive backs were lumped into one category apiece. So many players move between defensive end and tackle, outside and inside linebacker and cornerback and safety that separating them would have been misguided.

Sound off below and let us know what you think.

Quarterback

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Tennessee quarterback Sheriron Jones
Credit: 247Sports
Tennessee quarterback Sheriron Jones

Gold Medal: Tennessee

  • Jauan Jennings (OVR: 167 - DUAL: 6)
  • Sheriron Jones (OVR: 255 - DUAL: 7)
  • Quinten Dormady (OVR: 263 - PRO:12)

Stealing Sheriron Jones from Florida was gluttonous, but all's fair in love and recruiting. In the end, Tennessee landed three quarterbacks from the overall top 275, which no team has done since (at least) the advent of 247Sports. Joshua Dobbs was the only QB on the roster, so the Vols filled a position of need—and they did it with talent.

Silver Medal: USC

Am I dubious Ricky Town and Sam Darnold can coexist? Of course. But for USC, that's a good problem to have. With Cody Kessler in 2015, Max Browne eligible until 2017 and Town and Darnold both arriving next season, the Trojans are set for a long time under center.

Bronze Medal: Ohio State

Sometimes the rich get richer. In this case, Warren Buffett won the lottery. Torrance Gibson and Joe Burrow each check in at 6'4", and each can make plays with their legs. They are perfect fits for Urban Meyer's offense, and they have time to develop before playing.

Running Back

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Oregon running back Kirk Merritt
Credit: 247Sports
Oregon running back Kirk Merritt

Gold Medal: Oregon

Kirk Merritt won the SPARQ National Championship as the best all-around athlete in the class. When he's the "worst" of your three all-purpose backs, you know you did something right. Any of these guys can play the "taser" position next season, learning behind Royce Freeman and Thomas Tyner before stepping in at running back.

Silver Medal: LSU

Derrius Guice is the best receiving back in the class, which makes him the perfect complement for Leonard Fournette. Nick Brossette is one of the best power backs in the class, which makes him the perfect understudy for Fournette. And David Duce is the best fullback in the class, which makes him the perfect lead blocker for Fournette.

Bronze Medal: NC State

NC State landed a thunder (Johnny Frasier) and lightning (Nyheim Hines) duo to build around. Rising senior Shadrach Thornton will keep them from becoming "Gurshall," but both should have featured roles by 2016. Watch out for this young Wolfpackfield.

Receivers/Tight Ends

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Notre Dame tight end Aliz'e Jones
Credit: 247Sports
Notre Dame tight end Aliz'e Jones

Gold Medal: Notre Dame

Notre Dame restocked its pass-catchers with four top-300 players. Aliz'e Jones is the No. 1 tight end in the country, and Equanimeous St. Brown (6'5"), Miles Boykin (6'4") and C.J. Sanders (5'9") have a nice positional symmetry. If all goes according to plan, they'll be starting and catching passes from Brandon Wimbush in 2017.

Silver Medal: Alabama

Other teams signed more depth, but Alabama owned the top of the class with two top-10 receivers and the No. 3 tight end. Calvin Ridley has formed a nice rapport with Blake Barnett, but he'll contribute as a freshman no matter who plays quarterback. Stealing Daylon Charlot from LSU's backyard was the cherry atop the sundae.

Bronze Medal: Florida State

Question: Who is Florida State's quarterback of the future? Answer: Does it matter? With George Campbell and Da'Vante Phillips joining Ermon Lane and Travis Rudolph, the Noles have inked three top-50 and four top-100 receivers the past two cycles. It doesn't take Jameis Winston to hit wide-open targets down the field.

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Offensive Line

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LSU guard Maea Teuhema
Credit: 247Sports
LSU guard Maea Teuhema

Gold Medal: LSU

LSU signed three of the top 13 blockers in the class, a feat no SEC team has accomplished since the advent of 247Sports (although Michigan, Stanford and USC all have). Maea Teuhema (6'4.5", 340 lbs) looks ready to contribute as a true freshman, and Chidi Valentine-Okeke and Toby Weathersby look like the next generation of great bookends.

Silver Medal: UCLA

UCLA built an offensive line for the future: two tackles, two guards and a center. It returns all five starters in 2015, but last year's line finished No. 115 in the country in adjusted sack rate, per Football Outsiders, so improvements are needed. Rival USC fared well starting three true freshmen from a similar OL class last season.

Bronze Medal: Alabama

Alabama loaded up on interior pieces, signing two top-five guards (Lester Cotton and Richie Pettibon) and the brother of former All-American Chance Warmack (Dallas Warmack). Nick Saban can't have liked the second half of the Sugar Bowl, when his offense deviated from its traditional, power-offense roots and surrendered a lead to Ohio State. This class sends a loud-and-clear message.

Defensive Line

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Georgia defensive tackle Trent Thompson
Credit: 247Sports
Georgia defensive tackle Trent Thompson

Gold Medal: Georgia

No class fared better at any position than Georgia at defensive line. The Bulldogs signed five top-150 players up front, including the No. 1 overall recruit (Trent Thompson) and the No. 5 strong-side (Jonathan Ledbetter) and weak-side (Natrez Patrick) ends. Some of these guys will play linebacker—technically, Georgia starts just two linemen—but that doesn't diminish the volume of talent in Athens.

Silver Medal: Tennessee

Tennessee wasn't miles behind Georgia in the trenches, which is intended as a heavy compliment. Michael Felder of Bleacher Report and Bud Elliott of SB Nation have each called Kahlil McKenzie the No. 1 player in the class, and Kyle Phillips was the star of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Adding six top-300 players to a line that already includes Derek Barnett, Danny O'Brien and Corey Vereen should be illegal.

Bronze Medal: South Carolina

It's a clean sweep for the SEC East (which also, it should be added lured 5-star Terry Beckner Jr. to Missouri). South Carolina's defensive line got manhandled last season, but with three 4-star linemen signed from JUCO or prep school (Marquavius Lewis, Dexter Wideman and Dante Sawyer), things should improve in a hurry.

Linebacker

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USC linebacker Porter Gustin
Credit: 247Sports
USC linebacker Porter Gustin

Gold Medal: USC

USC signed three of the top six linebackers in the class, a feat no team had accomplished since Miami in 2008. Osa Masina is a freak coming off the edge, John Houston does his best work in space and Porter Gustin (6'5", 245 lbs) has the frame to wreck shop up the middle.

"USC likes me inside," Gustin told Gerard Martinez of Scout.com after admitting his favorite player of all-time is Brian Urlacher.

Truth be told, that's a fair comparison.

Silver Medal: Texas

Texas loses a pair of 100-tackle linebackers (Jordan Hicks and Steve Edmond), but replaces them with two top-75 recruits. Malik Jefferson ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at The Opening last summer—a faster score than any NFL linebacker since 2006—and should start from Day 1 at weak-side linebacker, and Anthony Wheeler has the size (6'2", 225 lbs) and versatility to play either inside or strong-side LB.

Bronze Medal: Auburn

Will Muschamp's defense shifts between 3-4 and 4-3 alignments and thus requires depth and versatility at linebacker. Auburn checked both boxes with its 2015 linebacker class, signing three top-200 and four top-300 overall players. Jeffery Holland has the pursuit skills of a future "Buck" linebacker, Montavius Atkinson is a rock up the middle and Darrell Williams and Richard McBryde are quality players in space.

Defensive Back

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Alabama safety Deionte Thompson
Credit: 247Sports
Alabama safety Deionte Thompson

Gold Medal: Alabama

One year after signing two top-50 corners (Tony Brown and Marlon Humphrey) and one top-50 safety (Laurence Jones), Alabama signed…well…two top-50 corners (Kendall Sheffield and Minkah Fitzpatrick) and one top-50 safety (Deionte Thompson). This probably goes without saying, but enjoy throwing on 'Bama while you can.

Silver Medal: USC

USC pushed hard for the top spot after closing with Iman Marshall on signing day. It's the third straight year the Trojans have signed the No. 1 recruit at a secondary position, Marshall joining cornerback Adoree' Jackson and safety Su'a Cravens in that honor. Fortifying Marshall with three other top-100 players is almost unfair.

Bronze Medal: Florida State

Florida State doesn't have the depth to rank higher, but it's close. For what it's worth, the 'Noles landed two top-15 defensive backs (Derwin James and Tarvarus McFadden) to USC's one and Alabama's zero. Rivals.com national recruiting director Mike Farrell said James has "as high a ceiling as a safety that I've ever seen in my 15 years covering high school football," per Corey Clark of the Tallahassee Democrat.

Note: All recruiting info refers to the 247Sports composite rankings.

Follow Brian Leigh on Twitter: @BLeigh35

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