College Football 2011: Which Star Recruits Will Be Lost on the Depth Chart?

Sometimes in recruiting we forget that there was a talented class in the previous year who are in college and are on the roster. We get so caught up in the hype of the current recruiting class that we forget how good last year's signees were and how good the talent is already on the team.

Other times a recruit signs with a school and another more unheralded recruit comes out of nowhere and gets a starting spot over the star recruit.

As always, the same will happen again with this class. Some recruits we may never hear from again and some recruits won't get as much playing time as we thought.

Let's take a look.

Cody Kessler, QB: USC

Kessler is surely a great talent. 6'1", 210 pounds, solid arm, athleticism and a gamer attitude. He completed nearly 70% of his passes in his senior year.

He signed with USC and will compete with Jesse Scroggins and Max Wittek to be the next Trojan QB when Matt Barkley leaves, be it after this year or as a senior.

Many say Wittek is a better prospect, as he is taller and has a stronger arm than Kessler. Wittek really held his own against the nation's best in post season all star games.

Scroggins has a year up on Kessler in the system, is a fantastic athlete and also has a hose for an arm, which has many buzzing him as the next in line at USC.

Ben Councell, DE

Councell is a 6'5", 225-pound defensive prospect who likely will have to make the switch to rush end/outside linebacker in South Bend.

He's already coming behind Ishaq Williams, Stephen Tuitt and Aaron Lynch as front level defenders coming into Notre Dame's defense.

He's a top 100 player on many national lists, but with the aforementioned three also slated to be Irish, and with some of the other talented hybrid defenders, there's a chance the depth chart could swallow Councell.

Marcus Martin, OG: USC

Martin is a really raw prospect out of Crenshaw (CA) at the guard position. He stands 6'3" and is in the 340 pound range.

I remember a similar prospect coming to USC named Thomas Herring of Fremont (CA) high school. Herring was a 6'6", 300 pounder who had the athleticism to be an all everything left tackle. He got swallowed up by the depth chart monster, amidst other factors.

Martin already has Aundrey Walker, the top guard in the country as competition and Cyrus Hobbi, another incoming guard will not help.

Throw in a couple JUCO prospects the Trojans signed with already having a top heavy offensive depth chart, and you start to get the feeling that Martin will be just a depth player.

Austin Sefarian-Jenkins, TE/OT: Washington

Seferian-Jenkins makes this list from the standpoint of it may be awhile before we see him on the field.

Originally, Washington was recruiting him as a TE, but then turned their focus to making him an offensive tackle.

I don't question the move at all, but I just think at only 6'6", 250 pounds, Seferian-Jenkins will need 2-3 years of physical maturity and strength training to make the switch to staying on the line. He's got the athleticism to do so but it will take time.

Could time run out on Seferian-Jenkins?

Tobias Singleton, WR: Ole Miss

I remember years ago when USC signed a receiver trio in Kareem Kelly, Marcell Almond and Steve Stevenson. Kelly went on to start at receiver, Almond eventually moved to corner, and Stevenson flamed out.

This year, Ole Miss has signed Donte Moncrief, Nick Brassell and Singleton.

Chances are one of the three will likely flame out or move to another position. I think if Singleton can't surpass either Brassell or Moncrief for time, then he could move to corner.

Victor Blackwell, WR: USC

Blackwell is a player I've been watching since his sophomore year at Mater Dei. He has good speed on a 6'0", 190-pound frame and has a solid hands.

I really like his skill set and talent level, but heading to USC may prove to be tough in getting on the field.

Not only is George Farmer also headed in his same class, but the Trojans already have Robert Woods, Kyle Prater, Markeith Ambles, Brice Butler, Devon Flournoy and Brandon Carswell all on one roster.

Blackwell will have to beat out at least five of those receivers to get on the field in one of the two starting receiver positions.

Jacoby Brissett, QB; Florida

Many were stunned when Brissett announced for Florida a few days after NSD, as Wisconsin and Miami were the favorites.

But when the 6'5", 225 pound QB chose Florida, many wondered why. And still do.

Jeff Driskel is the top QB in the country and is already in Gainesville, learning Charlie Weis' offense. Driskel is a more refined passer than Brisset, but they figure to battle for the starting spot in 2012.

Then the Gators still have Jordan Reed and Trey Burton, so that is three QBs Brisset has to overcome. 

Michael Eubank, QB: Arizona State

Eubank was close to bolting from his ASU pledge to sign with Utah. He's a 6'5", 235-pound dual threat QB, who can both run and throw at a high level.

Yet ASU also has Micheal Bercovici coming to Tempe and the 6'2", 220-pound signal-caller is a sleeper pick of mine.

I think Bercovici will beat out Eubank in head-to-head competition in the future and Eubank will ultimately have to watch Bercovici direct the Sun Devil offense.

9. Quan Bray, RB: Auburn

Bray is a top tier running back prospect and has a great blend of speed, shiftiness and quickness. Yet Auburn is home to one Michael Dwyer, who will be the main rock toter for the Tigers for the next couple of years.

Bray only weighs 178 pounds, and at 220, Dwyer had problems in pass protection and ball security in his own true freshman season.

So Bray will likely have bigger problems.

While Bray will go on to be a solid and productive player for Auburn, if you are thinking he will be "The Man" for the Tiger backfield, think again. 

Jermauria Rasco, DE: LSU

Rasco is a tweener type of prospect who plays defensive end. He's 6'3", 225 pounds and is at his best when going forward.

He wants to play defensive end at LSU, which he can, but he may be asked to move up to outside linebacker.

Lost in a tweener situation, Rasco may see time pass him by in Bayou while he and the Tigers staff go back and forth on his true position.

If he goes to outside linebacker, he would need to learn coverage adjustments and run fits on the second level. If he stays at defensive end, he needs to gain weight and strength to play the run and hold up at the point.