College Football Recruiting: Jadeveon Clowney Tops the List for the 2011 Top 20

When it comes to recruiting high school football players, there's no such thing as a guarantee.

Whether you're a 5-star recruit coming out of the hottest high school in Texas or a no name playing up in Vermont, the uncertainty factor is still the same. 

When it comes right down to it, no matter if we'd like to admit or not, we really don't have any sensible idea how a young high school athlete will handle the transition to the highest level of college football.

We've seen just as many 5-star prospects fade as shine and the list of guys who ended up with unrealized potential is almost endless. 

Every year, recruiting services and the media choose to anoint a few chosen young men as the new "it" players for college football by putting them on a platform and shining a spotlight on them comparable to the treatment a professional athlete receives. 

Every February, the announcement press conferences start rolling in and some eighteen year old high school football player ends up hijacking our attention for five minutes to let us know the college he hopes will one day help him get into the NFL.

Why is that high school football player always able to succeed in reeling us in?

Because we, as American sports fans, want to know who's next.

It's pretty simple—fans are always wondering who the next superstar is going to be. Just take one look at the huge recent spike in popularity for the NFL Draft and you'll realize such. 

Often times the high school football field can give us a glimpse into who has the skills necessary to become a future stud. There are times though when we can get fooled by a player who just happened to mature too quickly. 

So remember, when it comes to college football recruiting, there are no guarantees. 

With that said, here's a look at 20 prospects who've impressed me the most and the ones who I feel the most confident in to find great success at the collegiate level.

1. Jadeveon Clowney

Jadeveon Clowney Highlights

Position: Defensive End

Height: 6‘6’’

Weight: 240

High School: South Pointe (South Carolina)

College Commitment: Undecided

Alabama, South Carolina

Ratings
Rivals: Five Stars, No. 1 DE
Scout: Five Stars, No. 1 DE
ESPN: Five Stars, 91, No. 1 DE

2. Hasean Clinton-Dix

Hasean Clinton-Dix Highlights

Position: Safety

Height: 6‘2’’

Weight: 190

High School: Dr. Phillips (Florida)

College Commitment: Alabama

Ratings
Rivals: Five Stars, No. 1 S
Scout: Five Stars, No. 1 S
ESPN: Four Stars, No. 2 S

3. DeAnthony Thomas

DeAnthony Thomas

Position: Cornerback

Height: 5‘9’’

Weight:160

High School: Crenshaw (California)

College Commitment: USC

Ratings
Rivals: Five Stars, No. 2 ATH
Scout: Five Stars, No. 1 CB
ESPN: Four Stars, No. 1 ATH

4. Cyrus Kouandjio

Cyrus Koundijo Highlights

Position: Offensive Tackle

Height: 6'7''

Weight: 320

High School: DeMatha Catholic (Maryland)

College Commitment: Undecided

Alabama, Auburn, Iowa, Miami, USC

Ratings
Rivals: Five Stars, No. 2 OT
Scout: Five Stars, No. 1 OT
ESPN: Five Stars, No. 2 OT

5. Jeff Driskel

Jeff Driskel Highlights

Position: Quarterback

Height: 6'4''

Weight: 225

High School: Hagerty (Florida)

College Commitment: Florida

Ratings
Rivals: Four Stars, No. 1 QB
Scout: Five Stars, No. 1 QB
ESPN: Five Stars, No. 1 QB

6. Nick O’Leary

Nick O'Leary Highlights

Position: Tight End

Height: 6'4''

Weight: 230

High School: Dwyer (Florida)

College Commitment: Undecided

Alabama, Florida State, LSU, Miami

Ratings
Rivals: Four Stars, No. 1 TE
Scout: Five Stars, No. 2 TE
ESPN: Four Stars, No. 1 TE

7. George Farmer

George Farmer Highlights

Position: Wide Receiver

Height: 6'2''

Weight: 200

High School: Junipero Serra (California)

College Commitment: USC

Ratings
Rivals: Five Stars, No. 1 WR
Scout: Five Stars, No. 5 WR
ESPN: Five Stars, No. 2 WR

8. Anthony Johnson

Anthony Johnson Combine

Position: Defensive Tackle

Height: 6'3''

Weight: 300

High School: O. Perry Walker (Louisiana)

College Commitment: LSU

Ratings
Rivals: Four Stars, No. 1 DT
Scout: Five Stars, No. 4 DT
ESPN: Five Stars, No. 1 DT

9. La'el Collins

La'el Collins Highlights

Position: Offensive Tackles

Height: 6'5''
 
Weight: 280

High School: Redemptorist (Louisiana)

College Commitment: LSU

Ratings
Rivals: Five Stars, No. 1 OT
Scout: Five Stars, No. 2 OT
ESPN: Five Stars, No. 3 OT

10. James Wilder

James Wilder Highlights

Position: Linebacker

Height: 6'2''

Weight: 215

High School: Plant (Florida)

College Commitment: Florida State

Ratings
Rivals: Five Stars, No. 1 RB
Scout: Five Stars, No. 1 OLB
ESPN: Four Stars, No. 3 ATH

11. Herschel Sims

Herschel Sims Highlights

Position: Running Back

Height: 5'9''

Weight: 190

High School: Abilene (Texas)

College Commitment: Oklahoma State

Ratings
Rivals: Four Stars, No. 2 APB
Scout: Five Stars, No. 7 RB
ESPN: Four Stars, No. 10 RB

12. WR Trey Metoyer

Trey Metoyer Highlights

Position: Wide Receiver

Height: 6'2''

Weight: 195

High School: Whitehouse (Texas)

College Commitment: Oklahoma

Ratings
Rivals: Five Stars, No. 2 WR
Scout: Five Stars, No. 1 WR
ESPN: Four Stars, No. 7 WR

13. Tony Steward

Tony Steward Highlights

Position: Linebacker

Height: 6'1''

Weight: 225

High School: Pedro Menendez (Florida)

College Commitment: Undecided

Clemson, Florida State, UCLA

Ratings
Rivals: Five Stars, No. 1 OLB
Scout: Five Stars, No. 1 MLB
ESPN: Five Stars, No. 11 ILB

14. Nick Waisome

Nick Waisome Highlights

Position: Cornerback

Height: 5'10''

Weight: 170

High School: South Lake (Florida)

College Commitment: Florida State

Ratings
Rivals: Four Stars, No. 9 CB
Scout: Four Stars, No. 10 CB
ESPN: Four Stars, No. 2 CB

15. Curtis Grant

Curtis Grant Highlights

Position: Linebacker

Height: 6'3''

Weight: 220

High School: Hermitage (Virginia)

College Commitment: Undecided

Florida, North Carolina, Ohio State, Virginia

Ratings
Rivals: Five Stars, No. 1 ILB
Scout: Five Stars, No. 3 OLB
ESPN: Four Stars, No. 3 ILB

16. Tim Jernigan

Tim Jernigan Highlights

Position: Defensive Tackle

Height: 6'2''

Weight: 275

High School: Columbia (Florida)

College Commitment: Undecided

Alabama, Florida State, LSU, Michigan

Ratings
Rivals: Four Stars, No. 3 DT
Scout: Five Stars, No. 1 DT
ESPN: Four Stars, No. 4 DT

17. Karlos Williams

Karlos Williams Highlights

Position: Safety

Height: 6'2''

Weight: 210

High School: Ridge (Florida)

College Commitment: Florida State

Ratings
Rivals: Five Stars, No. 2 S
Scout: Four Stars, No. 3 S
ESPN: Four Stars, No. 1 S

18. Savon Huggins

Savon Huggins Highlights

Position: Running Back

Height: 5'11

Weight: 195

High School: St. Peters (New Jersey)

College Commitment: Undecided

Auburn, Notre Dame, UNC, Rutgers, MSU

Ratings
Rivals: Four Stars, No. 7 RB
Scout: Five Stars, No. 5 RB
ESPN: Four Stars, No. 5 RB

19. Zach Mettenberger

Zach Mettenberger Highlights

Position: Quarterback

Height: 6'5''

Weight: 240

Junior College: Butler (Kansas)

College Commitment: LSU

Ratings
Rivals: Four Stars
Scout: Four Stars
ESPN: N/A

20. Greg Townsend Jr.

Greg Townsend Highlights

Position: Defensive End

Height: 6'4''

Weight: 245

High School: Beverly Hills (California)

College Commitment: USC

Ratings
Rivals: Four Stars, No. 4 DE
Scout: Five Stars, No. 5 DE
ESPN: Four Stars, No. 11 DE