2011 College Football Predictions: Top 25 Post National Signing Day Edition

The 2011 National Signing Day has a big winner. 

The Florida St. Seminoles have beaten the competition and achieved the No. 1 ranking for their 2011 recruiting class by most experts.

With Miami and Florida in a state of flux, the Seminoles pounced on the opportunity and locked in 12 of ESPNU's Top 150 prospects.

This may make FSU the favorite three years down the road...but it also means the team will be going through a lot of growing pains in 2011.

Here is a look at the 2011 top 25 after the conclusion of National Signing Day.

25. North Carolina State

The Wolfpack gave a punter, kicker and long snapper scholarships for next season.

All three of them are expected to produce right away and will factor into the 2011 success of the Wolfpack.

So maybe this class won't blow you away—but the immediate future is bright.

The 2010 version of the Wolfpack finished with the second most wins in school history. QB Russell Wilson will return and will lead his team to consecutive years of finishing in the top 25.

24. Texas

The massive changes on the coaching staff hurt their recruiting class a bit, but it's still considered a top five class.

The Longhorns have four players that rank in the top five in their respective position.

Steve Edmond, Desmond Jackson, Malcolm Brown and Christian Westerman will all be contributing factors out of the gate.

The Longhorns had a rare down year in the Mack Brown era—don't expect a repeat performance.

23. Arizona State

The recruiting class is mediocre, but they did land QB Michael Bercovici. He is an accurate passer who could develop into a top talent down the line.

Arizona St. had a strong end to the 2010 season and will be returning almost the entire roster. The freshman class may not be a huge help, but the Sun Devils won't need much.

They enter the 2011 as a contender in the suddenly dominate Pac-12 Conference.

22. Missouri

Sheldon Richardson, Cortland Browning and Shane Ray all provide Missouri help on defense right away. It will shore up the major weakness of the Tigers.

The problem with the Tigers lies at QB. Blaine Gabbert is gone and finding a replacement won't be very easy. James Franklin will try to be the guy that fills those shoes.

The Tigers are still a top 25 team without the future top 10 pick.

21. Penn St.

OT Angelo Mangiro, DE Shawn Oakman and DE Anthony Zettel are all top 100 recruits that have chosen the blue and white.

All three will help Penn St. right away.

The Nittany Lions will place their trust in QB Matt McGloin to lead the offense in 2011. With Evan Royster gone, Silas Redd will be in charge of the ground game.

The defense could be the strength of this team next season, especially if the young guns step up.

20. Florida

New head coach Will Muschamp has done an incredible job of keeping this top-five class together.

It features No. 1-ranked QB Jeff Driskel, who is the highest-ranked player in the class. He has the speed and athleticism for the SEC as well as the arm strength and superior throwing mechanics.

Plus 4-star RB Mike Blakely and 4-star DE Clay Burton are immediate impact players who can contribute in Gainesville ASAP.

The Gators have reloaded with this draft class.

19. Notre Dame

This class is loaded.

Brian Kelly had an amazing recruiting season and finds himself with some top rated DE recruits in Aaron Lynch, Ishaq Williams and Anthony Rabasa—three of the most feared recruits at that position.

Four-star offensive lineman Matthew Hegarty has been dubbed the nation's fifth best offensive tackle.

Considering the vast majority of the 2010 Fighting Irish squad will return...Notre Dame football is back.

18. West Virginia

Dana Holgorsen is bringing his high-powered offense to the Mountaineers program.

WVU will miss Noel Devine but it is hoping Vernard Roberts will come in and fill the void. The true freshman will be heading to West Virgina with his brother Vance.

Vance will be in charge of improving an underwhelming Mountaineers secondary along with top CB recruit Terrell Chestnut.

17. Mississippi St.

The recruiting class isn't too hot, with WR Joe Morrow and safety Darion Arrington leading the way. Both are solid but not top of the line in their respective positions.

The Bulldogs enjoyed one of their best seasons ever in 2010 and should be able to expand on that success.

QB Chris Relf will be back, and he will have RB Vick Ballard to help him in the backfield. The Bulldogs are no easy "W" for other teams in the SEC anymore.

16. Georgia

One of the prized recruits in the nation decided to become a Bulldog on Wednesday.

Georgia struck the jackpot when Isaiah Crowell decided to choose Athens as his destination for college.

Crowell is a 5'11", 210-pound running back that bulldozes over defenders. He is extremely strong and is physically ready to have a huge impact on the 2011 Georgia season.

The Bulldogs were a disappointment in 2010 but will rebound nicely this season.

15. Nebraska

How did the Cornhuskers do in the first Big Ten recruiting class?

RB Aaron Green is a home run threat any time he touches the ball and he can be a featured back for Nebraska right away.

The secondary lost a top NFL prospect in CB Prince Amukamara but rebounded nicely with the additions of safety Daimion Stafford and CB Charles Jackson.

QB Taylor Martinez will have a full year of experience under his belt and should be one of the premier players in the entire Big Ten.

The 'Huskers are going into their new conference in style.

14. Arkansas

Great class for Arkansas.

Arkansas brings in a pair of top five offensive guards in Brey Cook and Mitch Smothers. The tandem will really help bring consistency to the offensive line for the next four years.

Arkansas also got two big-time WR recruits in Keante Minor and Quinta Funderburk.

Bobby Petrino has a lot of work to do if he wants to continue the Razorbacks success on the field.

QB Ryan Mallett is NFL bound and Tyler Wilson is next in line.

This may be a good thing.

Mallett never fully embraced his teammates and relied on his strong arm to force balls too often. Getting a fresh face under center is going to work out in Arkansas' favor.

13. Virginia Tech

Kyshoen Jarrett is coming to Blacksburg as one of the top ranked CBs. They also bring DT Kris Harley into the fold. He is a beast of a man that has the ability to dominate the ACC.

Safety Ronny Vandyke and CB James Farrow add even more depth to their D.

The Hokies always seem to reload, and this year is looking like it will be more of the same. Good enough to win the ACC—but that's about it.

12. South Carolina

The Gamecocks check in with the No. 24 overall ranking and this class will provide immediate impact.

It features two top players on the defensive side of the ball in safety Kadetrix Marcus and LB Edward Muldrow.

Both players will fit right into South Carolina's defensive scheme. 

One of the top TE recruits, Drew Owens, is a terrific blocker who will contribute right away in running downs. His pass-catching ability will need to be developed in college, but Owens has a bright future.

11. Michigan St.

Lawrence Thomas will be replacing All-American Greg Jones right away for the Spartans at linebacker.

The class loaded up on defense and will be the definition of a tough and gritty Big Ten team.

QB Kirk Cousins and RB Edwin Baker lead a large group of returning starters that will keep the Spartans in the hunt for the Big Ten title.

10. Oklahoma St.

The 2011 recruiting class won't be making immediate impacts for the Cowboys. Nineteen of the team's 28 recruits reside from the state of Texas.

RB Herschel Sims is extremely fast and also a deadly pass catcher. Quarterback J.W. Walsh will be able to learn for a season under a seasoned veteran.

QB Brandon Weedon is back for his senior season. One of the best WRs in the nation in Justin Blackmon is back too.

Even with the loss of offensive coordinator Dana Holgersen and RB Kendall Hunter, the Cowboys will continue to light up the scoreboard and contend for a Big 12 title.

9. Auburn

The national champions have another reason to celebrate after landing one of the top five recruiting classes.

OT Christian Westerman will be able to play right away with his insane strength.

Auburn hopes they have found the replacement for Cam Newton in Kiehl Frazier.

Frazier has some big shoes to fill and Auburn fans will have to live with his growing pains, but Frazier is familiar with Auburn's offensive system and can be effective as both a runner and passer.

His favorite target could quickly become speedy fellow recruit WR Quan Bray.

Losing Newton and Nick Fairley is tough, but this recruiting class will soften the blow.

8. Florida St.

The No. 1 recruiting class is full of talent. They landed 12 of the best 150 players and will be a force in the coming years.

DT Tim Jernigan can play right away. Saftey Karlos Williams is a top 10 player overall. To add even more depth to the secondary, FSU signed CB's Nick Waisome, Tyler Hunter and Keelin Smith.

The defense is going to be ridiculous in a year or two.

The 2011 season outlook?

QB Christian Ponder and OL Rodney Hudson and Ryan McMahon are gone.

Outside of that, everyone will be back. The offense will be led by QB E.J. Manuel, who has experience as a starter during Ponder injuries in 2009 and 2010.

Florida St. is back.

7. Texas A&M

The class isn't as good as some of their Big 12 rivals—but they did sign some impact players.

DE Brandon Alexander and CB Floyd Raven will provide instant help to the Texas A&M defense and could be the missing pieces to a conference championship.

Ryan Tannehill went from WR to QB halfway through the season, and the Aggies played inspired football the rest of the season. RB Cyrus Gray is a Heisman candidate with his smooth moves and ability to break off a big play.

The 2011 Aggie outlook is very intriguing.

6. Ohio St.

LB Curtis Grant is a huge get for the Buckeyes top-10 recruiting class. He fills a need and could easily be starting Week 1.

One of the top QB prospects is coming to Columbus.

QB Braxton Miller will be a stud someday. DE Steve Miller, CB Doran Grant and OT Michael Bennett round out a dangerously talented bunch.

The "Buckeye Five" will be M.I.A for the first five games of the season and get to play their first game of the season at Nebraska.

Once the team is at full strength, they have more talent than any other team in the nation.

The question is...can they weather the storm of the first five games?

5. Stanford

The Cardinal had a solid recruiting class but no premier talents.

Safety Wayne Lyons should be able to see the field right off the bat. LB James Vaughters has the talent to play on Sundays.

But it's all about QB Andrew Luck.

He enters his senior season as the best player in college football and has the task of improving on the best season in Stanford history,

With Luck under center, Stanford is a legit championship contender.

4. Oregon

The Ducks caught a huge break on National Signing Day as the best athlete in the nation spurned the USC Trojans in favor of the Ducks. DeAnthony Thomas could play at either RB or CB.

Devon Blackmon is a down-the-field threat who will fit in perfectly with the up-tempo Oregon offense.

The No. 2 team in 2010 will be just as dangerous in the new year.

They lose three offensive llinemen and two linebackers, but the Ducks have recruited well to fill the holes.

RB LaMichael James and QB Darron Thomas are back and out for blood. When Oregon plays Stanford, a championship appearance may be on the line.

3. Alabama

The Tide lost a ton of talent—their QB, RB and top WR to be exact. But that's par for the course in Nick Saban's world. He is one of the best recruiters out there and his teams don't rebuild...they reload.

DE Jeoffrey Pagan, WR Bradley Sylve, DE Xzavier Dickson, WR Marvin Shinn and LB Trey DePriest are all studs at their respective positions and they have the ability to compete for starting spots right away.

There is a lot of work to do for Saban, but you can't argue his track record. He will find a way to put his freshmen in positions to succeed and they will be learning on the fly as they utilize their superior talents.

'Bama will once again be in the hunt for a title.

2. LSU

One of the best prospects in the nation is going to be a Tiger. DT Anthony Johnson is homegrown and will contribute to the front seven right away.

Fellow top-rated prospect, OT La'El Collins, is going to be a four-year starter. He will be playing on Sunday's someday.

And 2011 will be a big year for the Tigers.

LSU will bring back nine starters on offense and seven on defense to a team that won convincingly in the Cotton Bowl. Les Miles will have to coach Jordan Jefferson into being the top-tier QB he was supposed to be when he arrived at LSU.

The play of Jefferson will decide the fate of LSU.

1. Oklahoma

The Sooners may not have the deepest 2011 class, but the top players will provide an instant impact.

WR Trey Metoyer will have to contribute to the Sooners offense. Danzel Williams is athletic enough to play either RB or CB. He will likely begin his career on defense.

Then there are defensive linemen Nathan Hughes and Jordan Wade who will provide the Sooners with outstanding depth up front.

The Sooners will enter the 2011 season as the favorites to win the big game.

QB Landry Jones will play behind a line that returns four starters and rising sophomore Roy Finch will lead a deep group of running backs.

Bob Stoops has been stuck as a fringe contender for the last five years and 2011 will be his best opportunity to win championship No. 2.