National Signing Day 2016: Predictions for Top Recruits After CFP Championship

With the college football season officially over as of Monday night, many fans are shifting their focus to national signing day.

While many top recruits have already verbally committed to schools, 18 of the top 50 247Sports prospects have yet to announce their decisions.

The usual SEC suspects lead the way in the team recruiting rankings—with the LSU Tigers at the top—claiming six of the top 10 spots, but the Michigan Wolverines and Ohio State Buckeyes come in at second and third, respectively.

Top 5 Remaining Uncommitted Recruits

Rashan Gary, Paramus Catholic (Paramus, N.J.), DT

Rashan Gary is the No. 1 overall prospect and has not committed, although 247Sports' Crystal Ball predicts, with a 64 percent certainty, he'll land in Ann Arbor with Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines. 

Here are some highlights per Prep1Force.com:

At this point in the game, it would be a surprise if Gary, an East Coast kid, defied the odds and picked an SEC school. But it's possible. However, considering the turnaround Harbaugh spurred at Michigan this season—leading his team from five wins in 2014 to 10 in 2015—expect Gary to prove most experts right.

Prediction: Michigan

Derrick Brown, Lanier (Buford, Ga.), DT

Derrick Brown, at 6'3 ¾" and 317 pounds, is the No. 8 recruit in the country and is expected to attend Georgia, per 247Sports, despite narrowing his list to Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Mississippi State and Tennessee, per USA Today.

The Army Bowl shared a picture of the talented lineman who was named the American Family Insurance Defensive Player of the Year:

Brown's a hometown guy, and even though the Bulldogs fired longtime coach Mark Richt, it doesn't appear to have deterred Brown at all.

Prediction: Georgia

Ben Davis, Gordo (Gordo, Ala.), ILB

The 247 Crystal Ball experts are in agreement here as well, predicting Davis will attend Alabama in the fall. A 6'3", 240-pound linebacker, Davis will announce his decision live on ESPN during national signing day on Feb. 3, per Ben Thomas of AL.com.

Davis' list includes Alabama, Georgia, Auburn, Notre Dame and LSU, "with the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs 'kind of sharing No. 1 at the moment,'" according to Thomas.

After a 100-tackle senior season playing deep in the heart of SEC country, Davis is highly sought after. While top recruits often leave their home states for college, it seems Alabama has the advantage after winning its fourth national title in seven years on Monday night.

Prediction: Alabama

Lyndell Wilson, Carver (Montgomery, Ala.), OLB

Lyndell Wilson, a talented linebacker with a rare combination of size and speed shown in this video from MaxPreps.com, is ranked No. 13 overall by 247Sports, with a 71 percent chance of landing at Alabama.

He has narrowed his options down to three SEC schools, per Amos Morale III of NOLA.com: Alabama, Florida and Georgia.

Morale said Wilson has listed Florida as his top choice multiple times, but the Crimson Tide have been recruiting him since his freshman season, and their dynasty looms large, especially for an in-state player.

Georgia seems to have fallen to third on the list, considering Wilson said he didn't know much about new head coach Kirby Smart. But he also said he has talked with Davis, his Under Armour game roommate, about playing together, per Morale.

It would be interesting to see an Alabama kid choose Florida during a time when it seems no one can beat Alabama, but it's hard to believe head coach Nick Saban would let him get away, considering the Crimson Tide proved they are still a cut above the Gators with an old-fashioned SEC championship beatdown this year.

Prediction: Alabama

Brandon Jones, Nacogdoches (Nacogdoches, Texas), S

Brandon Jones, the fifth defensive player in the top five and the only defensive back, has narrowed his choices down to four schools, per Gerry Hamilton of ESPN:

The 247Sports Crystal Ball says there is a 76 percent chance Texas A&M will land Jones, compared to 24 percent chance for Texas. Per Wescott Eberts of Burnt Orange Nation, Jones remains a top target for the Longhorns:

"

The most important safety target left on the board for the Longhorns is Nacogdoches star Brandon Jones, who is getting a full-court press from emerging ace recruiter Jeff Traylor, the Texas tight ends coach who recently elected to remain in Austin for at least one more year.

"

In the past month, Texas A&M has lost its offensive coordinator (though it just hired Noel Mazzone from UCLA), athletic director and two former 5-star quarterbacks. 

It's not like the Aggies are in disarray, but there has to be an "upset" or two with some of the top recruits, and it feels like this could be the case here, as head coach Charlie Strong and the Longhorns showed some life at the end of last season with a big road win over the No. 12 Baylor Bears.

Prediction: Texas