National Signing Day 2011: Top Recruits Who Made the Wrong Decision

With National Signing Day over and 24 hours removed, it's time we reflect on this year's recruiting classes, prospects and decisions.

While we can't fault a recruit for choosing any school, as each program has an array of draws that make each of them uniquely special, some recruits made choices and signed with schools that had us question them just a tad.

The term "bad decision" is a strong one, but here are some players who we feel may be on that side of the coin.

6. Michael Eubank, QB

Signed: Arizona State

Eubank is a 6'5", 232-pound dual threat QB who may be the next Vince Young. He's big enough to stand in the pocket, take hits and make plays like a Ben Roethlisberger, but can still get out of traffic and make throws in the run and get upfield with the ball.

He had a chance to head up to Utah and play in its spread-like offense, where he would have been a perfect fit, but he stuck with Arizona State. While the Sun Devils do run a similar spread system, they also have Michel Bercovici coming in too. I've seen Bercovici play and have spoken to him personally after a game. Let me just say that he's gonna sneak up on people in the Pac-12 at ASU.

5. Aaron Lynch, DE

Signed: Notre Dame

Don't get me wrong, I really like Lynch as a player. He's a 6'5", 260-pound defensive end who has great play speed and athleticism. I just don't see him fitting well as a DE in a 3-4 scheme like Notre Dame's Lynch lacks the upper body strength to consistently two gap and hold up offensive linemen.

The Irish will have to play him in a gap-penetrating type role along their front to take advantage of his athletic ability, quickness and upfield burst.

4. Marcus Roberson, DB

Signed: Florida

This isn't a questionable decision based on pure football fit like Lynch's; this is more about instant appreciation. Roberson was committed to Texas Tech, and then Auburn. But he signed with Florida.

At 6'1" and 180 pounds with the speed, cover ability, range and ball skills that Roberson has, he would have been an instant star at Texas Tech. Tommy Tuberville has a nice class headed to Lubbock, but surely Roberson would have been the headliner. He would have been coached by his uncle Otis Mounds, and probably a shoe-in for Freshman All-American honors.

Yet he will join a talented, but crowed, defensive secondary depth chart at Florida.

3. Lamar Dawson, LB

Signed: USC

Settle down, Trojan fans, let me explain. Dawson will be dynamic as a SAM 'backer in Hollywood. He's 6'2", 230 pounds, but doesn't move sluggishly. He has the ability to plug the run on the strong side, jam tight ends and track them and running backs in coverage.

Yet being from Kentucky, having Joker Phillips say he wants you to be the face of an up and coming program at UK and the allure of becoming a legend in your home state has to resonate somewhat. If Dawson would have just played to half of his capabilities at UK, he would have been more popular than John Wall.

2. DeAnthony Thomas, ATH

Signed: Oregon

Thomas, whom Snoop Dogg originally named "The Black Mamba" before Kobe Bryant, took a last-minute official visit to Oregon last week. The 5-star ATH fell in love with Eugene, the scenery and the facilities at Oregon.

He came back to LA still high off a visit and signed with the Ducks yesterday. One thinks it was an emotional, euphoria-like decision, and also that Oregon may have promised him a shot at running back. USC had recruited him as a corner and Thomas had quietly wondered if that was his true position.

He'll do wonders in the basketball-on-grass offense Chip Kelly runs, but Thomas may actually be better suited to be a great cover corner than a speciality/utility running back.

1. Cyrus Kouandjio, OT

Andre Ware, the former Heisman-winning Houston Cougars QB, had a great point recently. He pointed out that maybe a rule should be implemented by the NCAA or individual schools that forces a recruit to sign and fax a letter of intent first before holding a national press conference to announce a decision.

This rule would have surely saved Cyrus Kouandjio some national ridicule. The nation's top lineman, and a top-five overall player, has been ripped and scrutinized by the media for announcing that he would attend Auburn before backing out.

If Cyrus was not 100 percent sure of his decision, he should have never gotten in front of the microphones.