Deontay Anderson Reveals Top 10: Which Teams Hold Edge in Race for 5-Star DB?

Texas 5-star defensive back Deontay Anderson is one of the most coveted athletes in the Class of 2016. He's a top-five safety nationally, and his efforts over the spring could make him a top-25 player overall (he's currently No. 31 in the 247Sports composite ratings).

More than 30 schools reportedly have offered, but Anderson announced his top 10 on Wednesday. According to his tweet, Anderson is leaving his options to four of the Power Five conferences, choosing not to play in the Big Ten:

"

Alphabetical Order ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Alabama Florida St. Georgia LSU Mississippi state Ole miss TCU Texas Texas A&M USC

— Deontay Anderson (@DTRAIN__) February 19, 2015"

The list may or may not change as the spring approaches, but of the 10 schools, four will be watched closely. If Anderson chooses to stay in the Lone Star State, expect another recruiting battle between bitter rivals Texas and Texas A&M.

If he chooses to leave the state, however, keep your eyes on LSU and Alabama. Both schools have had success in recruiting top defensive backs from Texas. For many defensive backs, playing in the SEC means lining up against some of the best receivers.

Texas A&M has seen Anderson on two unofficial visits since October, most recently at its junior day on Jan. 25. Anderson has built a good relationship with the Aggies coaching staff. Texas also is an option, as his relationship with the Longhorns coaching staff is solid. Additionally, Anderson's high school teammate and 4-star receiver Reggie Hemphill-Mapps is already a commit and will be doing some player recruiting within the Manvel High School locker room.

And then there are LSU and Alabama. Both teams each year are grouped in the usual suspects competing for a national championship. In addition, early playing time has been good to Texas defensive backs at both schools. Anderson watched players like Tony Brown and Maurice Smith (Alabama) and Jalen Mills and Jamal Adams (LSU) get decent minutes in 2014.

If there's a wild card of the bunch, you have to look at TCU. With the explosive year the Horned Frogs had in 2014—particularly the dominant performance against Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl— more of the best in-state players are giving the program a second look.

Anderson is aware of what the TCU coaching staff does with its defensive players, and the prospect of working with head coach Gary Patterson, safeties coach Chad Glasgow and the rest of the staff could be a positive.

Additionally, Anderson has another teammate committed to TCU. D'Eriq King, a 4-star quarterback/athlete, gave his pledge to the Horned Frogs on Jan. 17.

There's still plenty of time for Anderson to make a decision—and he definitely has options. All 10 schools are considered contenders right now, but look for the spring season to separate the contenders from the pretenders.

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles