College Football Recruiting 2012: The Recruiting All-Star Team

One of our favorite parts of covering college football recruiting is examining the dream scenario where all the top talent comes together on one class and meshes perfectly. 

Of course in the real world it doesn't quite happen like that, although we do come close on occasion—look no further than Texas' 2011 recruiting class.

Even if these prospects will never really have the chance to play together, it shouldn't spoil the fun of a recruiting All-Star Team.

Here's the first addition of the 2012 college football recruiting All-Star Team.   

QB: Jameis Winston (Hueytown, AL)

Winston is one of the most athletic prospects from the 2012 class and will likely emerge as the the top dual-threat passer. 

The 6'3", 180-pound recruit has already received offers from Alabama, Auburn, Ohio State, Ole Miss and Miami after throwing for over 700 yards and 12 touchdowns last season.

RB: Rushel Shell (Aliquippa, PA)

The Pennsylvania running back has more hype surrounding him than any prospect from the state since quarterback Terrelle Pryor. 

There's a ton of pressure on him to be the best, and so far, he hasn't disappointed. He's drawn comparisons to Tony Dorsett, and based on what he's shown so far, they seem wholly deserved.

RB: Keith Marshall (Raleigh, NC)

Marshall has been described as the type of back who could play in any offensive system and succeed. Scout calls him the total package at running back. 

He's got off-the-chart field vision and that sixth gear that makes him a very dangerous home run hitter. There are some players who make it look so easy out there, and he's one of them.

WR: Dorial Green-Beckham (Springfield, MO)

An athlete of Green-Beckham's stature is a very rare thing indeed. He might be the best high school athlete to ever come out of Missouri, and there's a good argument to back that up. 

Last season, the 6'5", 200-pound phenom was the hands-down best football player in the state and one of the most dominant basketball players.

He also won two state track titles—one for the 100-meter dash and a second for the triple jump.

WR: Avery Johnson (Pompano Beach, FL)

Perhaps the next great wide receiver at LSU, Avery Johnson is only a junior in high school, but some are already pointing toward him as the future of the Tigers' offense. 

At 6'2" and 185 lbs, he's a big target that knows how to get behind the defense, but he will also go down the middle and make the tough catches.

TE: Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick (Rocklin, CA)

Cope-Fitzgerald has emerged as the early favorite to be the top tight end of the 2012 class, but for as good as he's been at catching passes, he may be better as a pure lineman. 

He's athletic and strong, with long arms and great body control. At 6'5" and 250 lbs, he may just end up at defensive end or bulking up and playing offensive tackle. 

OT: Andrus Peat (Tempe, AZ)

The 6'6" and 280-pound lineman has been described as the top offensive tackle in the West. The Arizona prospect has NFL bloodlines and scarily enough, doesn't even look close to reaching his full size. 

Peat is projected as a left tackle, but he's got the versatility to play on either side of the line. Based on the way he blocks, a switch to guard isn't out of the question either.

OG: Isaac Seumalo (Corvallis, OR)

Isaac Seumalo is one of the best pure offensive guards in the 2012 class. The Oregon native first caught the attention of scouts at the University of Washington summer camp in June.

Seumalo manhandled any and every defensive lineman they put in his way and emerged as arguably the top lineman from the camp.

C: Joshua Garnett (Puyallup, WA)

Joshua Garnett has the versatility to play anywhere along the interior offensive line, though his future seems to be as a pulling guard based on his ability to get downfield and block at the second and third levels. 

At 6'3" and 265 lbs, he needs to bulk up and right now is a much better run-blocker than pass-blocker, but the potential is there.

OG: Dan Voltz (Barrington, IL)

Another of the 2012 class's interior offensive lineman, Dan Voltz is a powerful run blocker and the type of talent that really jumps out to you on film.

He hits hard, drives through his opponent, and has a great motor. He needs to improve as a pass-blocker and, like nearly everyone, could use some time in the gym to work on getting bigger and stronger.

OT: Zach Banner (Lakewood, WA)

Banner is a gigantic offensive tackle prospect at 6'9" and 295 lbs. He's lean for his size and has a solid pair of feet under his massive frame. 

One of the most heavily sought-after recruits of the class, Banner is up to 21 offers and counting. He should be one of the most coveted prospects at the position.

DE: Noah Spence (Harrisburg, PA)

Defensive end Noah Spence has had a great high school career to this point, registering 40 tackles and 9.5 sacks as a freshman and following it up with a 55-tackle, eight-sack season as a sophomore. 

His high school coach, Jeff Weachter, projects Spence to be in the 6'5" and 270-pound range by the time he hits the college game. And he will challenge LeSean McCoy as the best player in school history.

DT: Eddie Goldman (Washington, DC)

At 6'3" and 290 lbs, Goldman is a big guy who is only getting bigger. By the time he fills out, Goldman could be somewhere in the 310 to 330-pound range, and that makes him a prime candidate for the nose. 

Not many prospects his age are able to handle the double-team so routinely, but Goldman doesn't appear to struggle with these duties at all. A workout warrior, Goldman is a specimen and the type of defensive tackle that coaches drool over.

DT: Quay Evans (Morton, MS)

Evans is a tremendous athlete for 6'3" and 300 lbs. He's got arguably the best first step in the 2012 class and really knows how to explode into an opponent. 

Right now, he plays off of his natural ability, and that's been fine at the high school level. But his technique is raw and he needs to polish his pass-rushing skills to make an impact at the next level.

DE: Mario Edwards (Atlanta, GA)

At 6'3" and 240 lbs, Edwards is one of the most athletic big men in the 2012 class. He's really come into his own this season and seems to be getting better every single game.

A physical player with great skills at the point of attack, Edwards doesn't have much trouble with offensive linemen at the high school level and is absolutely dominant against the run.

OLB: Kwon Alexander (Oxford, AL)

Since Alexander comes first alphabetically among the 5-star recruits, we'll start with him (Scout did not rank players beyond star ratings).

At 6'2" and 200 lbs, Alexander has the speed and athleticism to switch from outside linebacker to safety at the next level. 

He plays a physical style with high energy and a great motor. There might not be a prospect from the 2012 class who's better in pursuit.

MLB: James Ross (Orchard Lake, MI)

James Ross, one of the top prospects from the state of Michigan, really stood out at Ohio State's summer camp and has garnered a lot of interest as a result. 

Ross is a tackling machine and playmaker who recorded 103 tackles, five sacks, five forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries and an interception in 2009—his first season playing high school football.

OLB: Reggie Ragland (Madison, AL)

Ragland is a star football player and star basketball player out of Madison, Alabama, and while he's displayed great potential in both sports and on both sides of the football field, he's a linebacker all the way. 

The 6'4", 245-pound prospect has the size to step on the field immediately at the next level and has shown a great knack for making plays on defense and special teams.

CB: Armani Reeves (West Roxbury, MA)

Armani Reeves is the cousin of Charles Barkley, so the athletic bloodlines run deep. The Maryland product plays both wide receiver and cornerback and has displayed skill-sets strong enough to play either at the next level. 

He's extremely athletic and agile, running a 4.4-second 40, but it's his back-pedaling and change-of-direction ability that really intrigues.

CB: Tee Shepard (Fresno, CA)

Tee Shepard is being recruited primarily as a cornerback, the position he's spent most of his time at in high school, but he might be better suited to switch over to safety. 

At 6'0" and 171 lbs, he's a bit on the slow side, with a 4.7-second 40-yard dash. But he's also a physical presence and could benefit from the switch.

S: LaDarrell McNeil (Dallas, TX)

The 6'3" and 190-pound safety is turning heads in Texas, and it won't be long before the whole country becomes very familiar with this hard-hitting prospect. 

McNeil is a classic head hunter who's not just looking to lay out an opponent—he's looking to bury someone and force a turnover any chance he gets. His discipline is also amazing.

S: Shaquille Thompson (Sacramento, CA)

Shaquille Thompson has the skill set to be an elite talent at both safety and running back, and he could even play at wide receiver or cornerback if given time to develop. 

While he's spent a good amount of time at running back, with 400 yards rushing through two games this season, there's no denying his talent in the secondary.