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Auburn DT Derrick Brown
Auburn DT Derrick BrownCredit: 247Sports

College Football Teams That Recruited the Best at Each Position

Brian LeighFeb 5, 2016

By looking at 247Sports' team rankings, we know which teams added the most talent by volume this recruiting cycle.

We don't know, necessarily, where they added it.

To fix that, we've graded which team signed the most talent at each position. There are spots where even Alabama, which just won its sixth straight recruiting national title, failed to sign whomever it wanted.

The grades made heavy use of 247Sports' composite ratings, which aggregate four separate recruiting services. From there we compared the quality and quantity of players at each position in each class.

Sound off below and let us know what you think!

Quarterback

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Ole Miss QB Shea Patterson
Credit: 247Sports
Ole Miss QB Shea Patterson

Gold Medal: Ole Miss Rebels

  • Shea Patterson (OVR: 4 | PRO: 1)

The first of two big prizes in this quarterback class, Shea Patterson comes to Ole Miss with both talent and time to develop. His stock soared at the end of the cycle and peaked in the Army All-America Bowl, but he'll get to learn next season behind Chad Kelly. Assuming Kelly keeps the job and stays healthy, look for Patterson to enter the next season (2017) with as much hype as Jameis Winston in 2013.

Silver Medal: Georgia Bulldogs

Jacob Eason spent most of the cycle ahead of Patterson but dropped after playing worse in the Army Bowl. Regardless, he's a quintessential quarterback prospect with an arm that is reminiscent of Matt Stafford's. He's enrolled for spring practice and will start—barring something unforeseen—when Georgia plays North Carolina in Week 1. It's rare for a true freshman to be such a heavy favorite, but Eason, like Josh Rosen at UCLA, enters college in the perfect situation.  

Bronze Medal: North Carolina Tar Heels

Even though it signed no Top 300 quarterbacks, North Carolina was the only team to sign two Top 500 quarterbacks. In a year with two major signal-callers and then a gap, that's enough to vault it into bronze. Mitch Trubisky has waited his turn behind Marquise Williams and will guide the ship for one or two seasons, but Chazz Surratt and Logan Byrd will battle behind him to start once he's gone. Surratt with his running and Byrd with his arm will make that an interesting matchup.

Running Back

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Ohio State RB Demario McCall
Credit: 247Sports
Ohio State RB Demario McCall

Gold Medal: Ohio State Buckeyes

Ohio State has pieces such as Mike Weber, Bri'onte Dunn and Curtis Samuel around to replace Ezekiel Elliott, but any of those guys is passable. Blue-chip running backs have historically fared well, compared to other positions, as impact true freshmen, and Demario McCall and Antonio Williams are both blue-chippers. McCall is a talented scat back and Williams enrolled early, so each will state their cases to play in Year 1.

Silver Medal: Michigan Wolverines

Penn State signed Miles Sanders, the nation's No. 1 running back, but still only had the third-best running back class in the division. Like Ohio State, Michigan buoyed a top-five running back with a top-10 running back, signing Kareem Walker and Chris Evans, respectively. Jim Harbaugh is always looking for his next Frank Gore, and these are two good darts at the board. Walker dropped late in the cycle, but enrolling early should help him compete for snaps. 

Bronze Medal: Alabama Crimson Tide

Oh, look. Alabama signed another blue-chip running back! This time it's B.J. Emmons, a North Carolina native and top-40 player. It's the fifth time in six years the Tide have signed a top-40 recruit at running back. Throw in change-of-pace back Joshua Jacobs, and Alabama is once again set at the position moving forward. Neither will have to play this year with Damien Harris and Bo Scarbrough in the picture.

Receiver/Tight End

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USC WR Tyler Vaughns
Credit: 247Sports
USC WR Tyler Vaughns

Gold Medal: USC Trojans

Last year, USC owned linebackers. This year, the Trojans owned pass-catchers. In a class with remarkable receiver depth, head coach Clay Helton and offensive coordinator Tee Martin—247Sports' Recruiter of the Year—landed four top-30 receivers and a top-10 tight end. Juju Smith-Schuster will man one side, but any from the group of Tyler Vaughns, Michael Pittman, Trevon Sidney and Josh Imatorbhebhe could emerge as his immediate No. 2. 

Silver Medal: Ohio State Buckeyes

Ohio State is actually strapped thin at receiver. Five of last year's top-six pass-catchers depart, with only running back Curtis Samuel returning. Hence, Urban Meyer made a point of loading up this position group. With two top-100 receivers and two top-200 tight ends, along with extra parts behind them, it's safe to say the point has been made.

Bronze Medal: Auburn Tigers

Auburn loses seniors Ricardo Louis and Melvin Ray, the top receivers from a position group that struggled. Like Ohio State, it planned to fill that hole in recruiting, and like Ohio State, it succeeded. Nate Craig-Myers had an offer from pretty much every school in the country, and Kyle Davis enrolled early for spring ball. One or both of those guys (or maybe Eli Stove) will make the SEC All-Freshman team.

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Offensive Line

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Alabama OT Jonah Williams
Credit: 247Sports
Alabama OT Jonah Williams

Gold Medal: Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama's only weakness last season came up front. Its typically dominant offensive line was compromised and nearly cost it the national championship. So this class, which features five top-200 blockers, including 5-star tackle Jonah Williams and No. 2 overall JUCO player Charles Baldwin, arrives at the perfect time. Williams and Baldwin are both in camp early and will compete to see the field immediately.

Silver Medal: Florida State Seminoles

I misspoke after signing day when I called this the best offensive line class. I should have known, as always, to look at Bama. But in truth, the margin between these two classes is negligible. Landon Dickerson is the highest-rated lineman Jimbo Fisher has signed at FSU, and Baveon Johnson is the highest-rated center in the country since 2008. Throw in two more top-200 tackles, the top overall prep school player and Tony Boselli's son, and there's a lot to get excited about.

Bronze Medal: Ole Miss Rebels

Gregory Little, the former No. 1 player in the class, is one of those rare left tackle prospects whose development seems almost assured. He's the perfect replacement for outgoing Laremy Tunsil and is reminiscent of Alabama tackle Cameron Robinson. The rest of the class is less touted, but Bryce Matthews—no relation to Bruce—should be a starter once he fills out his frame. Solid haul for Hugh Freeze & Co.

Defensive Line

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Auburn DT Derrick Brown
Credit: 247Sports
Auburn DT Derrick Brown

Gold Medal: Auburn Tigers

Auburn lost Will Muschamp on the sideline but fortified its ranks in the trenches. Derrick Brown would be the No. 1 defensive tackle in most classes, and Marlon Davidson and Antwuan Jackson are both top-50 recruits. But the real key might be 6’8” defensive end Prince Sammons, a Nigerian export with limited experience but limitless potential.

“You're talking about a seven-foot wingspan and heavy hands and athletic,” high school coach Eric Taylor said of Sammons, per AL.com’s Wesley Sinor. "He still has a long way to go, but if he does what coaches ask him to do and work hard the sky's the limit for him.”

Silver Medal: LSU Tigers

Last year's LSU defense lacked its usual power up front. The linebackers and secondary were great, but the line, while still good, failed to replicate previous versions. This class led by three top-160 defensive tackles should fix that, especially with three promising ends behind them. Rising sophomore Arden Key looks like a superstar, and beefy tackles like Rashard Lawrence will keep him from seeing double teams.

Bronze Medal: Florida State Seminoles

Florida State's class is well-rounded, but it's heaviest across both lines. It earned a silver along the offensive trenches and a bronze along the defensive. The class is led by defensive ends Brian Burns and Janarius Robinson and defensive tackle Shavar Manuel, who flipped to the Noles on signing day from rival Florida. Landing three top-100 and four top-200 linemen is a huge coup for Jimbo Fisher's defense. 

Linebacker

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UCLA LB Mique Juarez
Credit: 247Sports
UCLA LB Mique Juarez

Gold Medal: UCLA Bruins

You can't blame Mique Juarez, the nation's top outside linebacker, for picking UCLA. The Bruins turned Anthony Barr, Eric Kendricks and Myles Jack into superstars, and Juarez is a safe bet to follow their footsteps. Behind him, Lokeni Toailoa and Krys Barnes are two additional top-150 players. UCLA is the only team in the country to sign three of that type at linebacker.

Silver Medal: Alabama Crimson Tide

It only takes two to win a silver medal at linebacker—or at least that's all it takes when both are 5-star recruits. Ben Davis is the nation's top linebacker and the son of Tide legend Wayne Davis, the all-time leading tackler in Alabama history. Lyndell Wilson is more of a pass-rusher but fits the mold of Alabama's new defense, which last year pressured the quarterback better than any of Nick Saban's previous units. They both have a chance to be stars in a couple of seasons. 

Bronze Medal: Texas Longhorns

What a job by Charlie Strong on signing day. The sometimes beleaguered head coach, whom many thought would struggle recruiting at Texas, had a huge day recruiting defenders and especially linebackers. Jeffrey McCulloch and Erick Fowler are top-75 recruits and will join rising sophomores Malik Jefferson and Anthony Wheeler for at least two more seasons. By next year (i.e., 2017), this might be the best group of linebackers in the country.

Defensive Back

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LSU CB Kristian Fulton
Credit: 247Sports
LSU CB Kristian Fulton

Gold Medal: LSU Tigers

The rich in LSU's secondary get richer. Even after losing John Chavis, the Tigers remain "DB U." Two top-five corners and one top-five safety, all top-60 overall players, are heading to Baton Rouge to join Kevin Toliver II and an already well-stocked secondary. It doesn't hurt to buoy those stars with two more top-300 recruits.

Silver Medal: Tennessee Volunteers

Tennessee's class lagged behind that of 2015, but Butch Jones & Co. still fared well. With pieces for the future along the defensive line and linebackers, the Vols turned their attention to the secondary and signed a talented haul. Nigel Warrior is a top-five safety, Tyler Byrd is a top-10 corner and Marquez Callaway (if he sticks on defense) is a terrific athlete. That's a lot for new defensive coordinator Bob Shoop, one of the best in the business, to play around with. 

Bronze Medal: Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama's run of signing basically all 5-star defensive backs came to an end, but that doesn't mean it ignored the secondary. Even with a loaded roster, the Tide landed a pair of top-10 cornerbacks, Nigel Knott and Shyheim Carter, who will probably sit and learn for three years and then surface as All-SEC players. The Alabama system roll(tide)s on.

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