5-Star CFB Recruits Most Likely To Wait Until After the Season To Commit

When it comes to college football recruiting, some prospects dive right in and make their decision while others are more cautious.

They dip their toes in to test the waters, but you won't find a quick commitment from this group of prospects. 

There's nothing wrong with either approach. Many recruits have a favorite program or two and when that school makes an offer they jump all over it.

But for some of the top prospects on the market, the recruitment pitches come from every direction and it's hard to decide what's worth listening to and what should be ignored. 

These are the players that take all of their official visits, narrow lists down from 50 to 25 to 10 to five and so on. These are the players that lay out specific criteria based on education, coaching staffs, personnel, playing time, offensive or defensive scheme, and anything else that could be important to them.

Here are the top 10 5-star recruits that are the most likely to wait until after their senior seasons to commit. 

10. Savon Huggins, RB

There's no one from the 2011 class who can juke quite like Savon Huggins. He has such a broad array of moves that you really never know what he's going to do on any given play.

When you watch him play, you immediately think Barry Sanders. He's got the vision, the balance, the change-of-direction ability, and simply the unwillingness to go down.

He's got such a good low center of gravity and body control that most defenders struggle to get a clean hit on him. Once he learns to block better and participate in the passing game, he'll be a compete back.

After listing a top 10 of Rutgers, Pitt, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Florida, Penn State, Stanford, Georgia, Wisconsin, and Miami, Huggins seemed ready to step back from recruiting for the time being.

“I just put it on the back-burner,” Huggins said of his recruitment in an interview with Scout. “I’m just focusing on the season and focusing on camp. I may cut [the list] before the season.”

9. Sammy Watkins, WR

Sammy Watkins is one of the best prospects from the state of Florida and a game-breaker at the receiver position.

He's the complete package in terms of size and speed, and a dangerous weapon in the return game as well; he's a threat to take it the distance on any play and has that sixth gear you look for in elite prospects.

The only knock on Watkins is that for someone of his size and catching ability, he hasn't been much of a redzone threat to this point in his career and that's a bit troubling.

Clemson and Miami are considered the favorites at the moment, though Watkins plans to wait until the U.S. Army All-American Bowl to commit and won't show his hand just yet. 

“Right now, I don’t have any favorites. Everybody is the same because I haven’t visited every school that I want to,” Watkins said. 

8. Jermauria Rasco, DE

Rasco has improved tremendously every year and that's something to take note of when looking at a prospect. He's an elite defensive end with a very high ceiling and he's only getting better as he ages.

He's got great instincts and discipline, but his technique and movements are still on the raw side. If he can learn to add some weapons to his arsenal and get off the ball quicker, he could end up being the best defensive end in the class.

For someone with so much to work on, seeing how fast he's able to disengage from his blockers and engage ball-carriers is eyebrow raising.

Texas, LSU, Georgia, Alabama, FSU and UCLA are the teams recruiting him the hardest, but this one is a long way from wrapping up. 

“I don’t have a date set on when I’m going to make a decision and just want to get through my senior year of football,” Rasco said. “At this point, I need to get around and meet more players and coaches, but I do know that wherever I go I want to have a good chance to start and get in some early playing time.”

7. Stephone Anthony, LB

Stephone Anthony is a natural pass-rusher with a knack for causing turnovers.

There aren't many players who can make the ball come loose more often than this kid.

When he gets his hands on someone, there's a chance he'll make something happen any given play.

He plays with great instincts and is very athletic, attacking the ball with purpose and precision, and shedding blockers with impressive strength.

Anthony has the smarts and the skill to get on the field right away and will likely do that wherever he ends up.

If he isn't starting as a freshman, expect him to be a special teams demon.

He plans on making his commitment at the Under-Armour All-American Game and favors, in order, Florida, Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Clemson, NC State and Georgia. 

6. Doran Grant, CB

Grant is the best cornerback prospect in the country, rated No. 1 by Rivals and No. 2 by Scout. Considering his smallish frame, the rankings say a whole lot about the talent this kid brings to the table.

Grant is probably better than advertised and definitely fits the bill at a generous 5'10" and 175 lbs.

He's lighting-fast, tests are off the charts athletically, tackles with a lot of power, and has a great nose for the ball.

The Ohio native has been heavily recruited by schools from all over the country and plans to narrow his list down to about five schools before his season starts. 

Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan State, Georgia Tech, North Carolina and USC are all in the mix, but Grant plans on waiting until after the season or the Under Armour All-American Game in January. 

5. Curtis Grant, LB

Grant plays like a professional, which is very impressive for someone his age.

He can play both inside and outside, reads plays and reacts very fast, and can cover a whole bunch of ground as quickly as any linebacker prospect out there.

There are very few players who can defend the field from sideline to sideline as well as Grant can.

At 6'2", 234 lbs, he has the size to play a number of positions. But because of his ability to get in the backfield, as well as cover, he's best suited to be an outside linebacker.

Grant has nearly 30 offers on the table, most notably from Alabama, Florida, LSU, Miami, Nebraska, Ohio State, Tennessee and Virginia.

He won't list any favorites yet, but of the group, Florida, Alabama, USC and Virginia stand out the most. Grant plans on stepping away from recruitment for the time being so he can put all his attention on winning a state championship with his high school team. 

4. Tim Jernigan, DT

At 6'2", 275 lbs, Jernigan is an athletic big man who moves extremely well for his size and can get into the backfield in a hurry. He's a disruptive force who recorded 131 tackles, including 27 for loss as a junior and commands a constant double-team.

He has all the tools to become an elite college defensive lineman. He's strong, stays low to the ground, drives with his legs, and has a relentless motor. On top of that, he has a solid array of power and finesse moves to shed blocks and penetrate the line of scrimmage.

Jernigan is a monster in pursuit and never gives up on a play, even if it means chasing a ball carrier 20-30 yards down field.

His favorites are Florida, Florida State, LSU, Alabama and Michigan, but he's "in no rush" to make a decision and is only worried about playing well his senior season for the time being. 

3. Isaiah Crowell, RB

There's nothing to dislike about Crowell's game.

He has great breakaway speed, is very elusive, has top of the line instincts, makes lightning-fast cuts, doesn't hesitate, and can break tackles with the best of them.

Seems too good to be true, right?

Crowell has played with a talented stable of rushers his entire high school career behind a very good offensive line. He's never carried the load himself and there are questions about his ability to ever be able to.

There's no denying the talent though and that's why Alabama and Georgia are pursuing him so heavily.

It's pretty much down to those two schools, though Crowell has said he will not be committing until the Under Armour All-American Game in January or on National Signing day in February. 

2. Cyrus Kouandjio, OT

At 6'6", 322 lbs, Kouandjio is one of the most athletic big men in the country.

He has a huge wingspan and at times appears to move as swiftly as someone half his size.

When it comes to natural ability as a blocker, Kouandjio has top-end balance and moves his feet as swiftly as any high school player I've ever seen. He goes a great job staying low to the ground and using his tree trunk-like arms to manhandle defenders.

Kouandijo is polished and as ready to compete at the college level as anyone in the 2011 class.

He's not rushing into his decision to pick a school, but recently cut his list down to 11 top choices: Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Maryland, Miami, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Pitt, Tennessee, Virginia and USC.

"Alabama will be in my top five, but I don't know about the other schools just yet," Kouandjio said. "I would like to try to take my official visits in the fall because that is the best time. I know a lot of our games are going to get in the way of that."

1. Jadeveon Clowney, DE

At 6'5", 225 lbs, Clowney is an athletic freak and a playmaker in every sense of the word.

He gets into the backfield in a hurry, has great natural pass-rushing instincts, and can chase down ball-carriers with his tremendous speed.

No matter where the ball goes, or where Clowney lines up, he can make something happen. There's game film of him chasing down wide receivers twenty yards down the field.

Rivals is calling him the most athletic defensive end since Julius Peppers. Spend just a few minutes watching him play, and you'll understand why.

He's one of those players who just always ends up in the thick of things, jarring balls loose, knocking quarterbacks on their back, scooping up a fumble, and generally causing about as much trouble as you can ask from a defender.

His top two choices are Alabama and South Carolina, but Clowney doesn't expect to make his choice until he's had all of his official visits. That means we probably won't be hearing an announcement until close to National Signing Day, if not after.