Jadeveon Clowney to South Carolina: Re-Ranking the Top 10 Recruiting Classes
Now that the big domino has fallen and all the chips are on the table, we can go back and see how/if Jadeveon Clowney choosing South Carolina affects the top 10 recruiting classes for 2011. Clowney is a 5-star recruit at a key stalwart position, so his commitment is an epic prize of great proportion for the Gamecock program.
Does this vault the Gamecocks into the top 10? If so, then who moves out?
Let's take a look...
Clowney Moves South Carolina Up, but Not into the Top 10
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South Carolina had a top 20-25 type of class going into today and arguably move into the top 15, yet they still lack the talent and star power to sit in the top 10.
The Gamecocks boast a 32 player class, with four 4-star pledges. Clowney is the lone 5-star player in the class. After Clowney, headliners include: Brandon Shell, a 6'7", 300 pound offensive tackle, Sheldon Royster, a 6'0", 185 pound defensive back and two stout defensive tackles in Phil Dukes and Kelcy Quarles.
South Carolina is not a consistent recruiting juggernaut on the trail, but they do well in the south and do a good job of finding hot beds to uncover talent.
10. Notre Dame
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I have the Irish here over Ohio State, as I really like to the quartet of defensive ends the Irish have incoming.
Ishaq Williams, Ben Councell, Aaron Lynch and Stephen Tuitt will surely give the Irish defenders who can get after the passer and play the run. This is a 23 player class for Notre Dame, with three 5-star players and seven 4-stars.
Davaris Daniles is a 6'3", 190 pound receiver who could become the next Michael Floyd in South Bend, and coaches will be fighting over where to put George Atkinson III, a 6'2", 200 pound ATH who could factor at receiver, corner, safety or even running back.
9. Oregon
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Oregon stole DeAnthony Thomas right from USC's grasp on National Signing Day to make a 23 player class for the National Runner-ups.
Aside from Thomas' 5-star status, Colt Lyerla is also a 5-star jumbo ATH. 6'5", 225 pounds, Lyrela can play linebacker, tight end, defensive end or even H-Back/fullback. Jarrard Randall is a quarterback that fits Chip Kelly's offense and Devon Blackmon is the kid of speedster that makes the offense fly.
Yes, Oregon got better on NSD.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
8. Clemson
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Dabo Swinney and his staff did an amazing job this year on the trail. Coming off a 6-7 season, many Tiger football observers figure Swinney is close to being on the hot seat, yet this class has a chance to cool it a bit.
Twenty-nine players make this class, with four 5-star recruits. Toney Steward, the top linebacker in the country, Mike Bellamy, a speedy running back, Sammy Watkins, an elite receiver and Steph Anthony, the top outside linebacker in the country. Then comes Martavis Bryant, Charone Peake and Cortez Davis.
This is the kind of class that wins ACC championships.
7. LSU
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The Tigers were in the Clowney race at one point, but were dropped. But LSU still boasts a top tier recruiting class, yet again.
Twenty-two players signed up to be Baton Rouge Boys and three are 5-stars. La'El Collins is a 6'5", 200 pound left tackle. Anthony "Freak" Johnson is the top defensive tackle in the county and stands 6'4", 300 pounds, while Jarvis Landry is a 5-star receiver at 5'11, 180 pounds.
The Tigers are loaded going into this year and look poised to make an SEC and BCS Title run.
6. Georgia
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Georgia put together the Dream Team plan and executed the Dream Team plan. There is no doubt anymore that Mark Richt can't keep prime time Peach Staters home.
Athens will receive 26 new players, two being 5-star recruits and 12 4-star players who have an argument to be given a fifth star. Isaiah Crowell is already penciled in as the starting running back, Ray Drew is a 6'5", 245 pound defensive end who should develop into an excellent 3-4 outside 'backer and Jay Rome was the top tight end on my board this year.
This class is littered with talent and should have the Dawgs atop the SEC in short time.
5. Auburn
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The champs suffered a let down when they had 5-star offensive tackle commit to them on ESPN on NSD, only to see him sign with arch rival Alabama a few days later. Yet Auburn's hard work paid off overall.
Twenty-four new players will yell War Eagle in 2011 and Auburn has the best incoming offensive line class in the country. Christian Westerman, Reese Dismukes and Greg Robinson are all top 100 overall player. Erique Florence is an elite safety, Kris Frost potentially is an elite outside linebacker and Kiehl Frazier has a chance to fill Cam Newton's shoes early in his career.
While the Tigers will be young in 2011 and may take a step back, their future looks extremely bright in the coming years.
4. USC
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USC and its staff has recruited like they have never even heard of sanctions. The Trojans have not seen any type of regress in their recruiting efforts, led by Lane Kiffin, Joe Barry and Ed Orgeron.
A 30 player class, due in part to nearly 11 early enroll players, the Trojans have 5-star receiver George Farmer, two 4-star quarterbacks in Max Wittek and Cody Kessler, linebacker Tre Madden, guard Andrey Walker and linebacker Lamar Dawson, among others.
USC has been as talented a team as any in the decade and will continue to be so in these coming years.
3. Texas
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Texas held the top spot for much of the 2011 cycle, but due to uncommitted recruits choosing schools and boasting rankings, along with the Longhorns wrapping up their class early, they fell to No. 3 in the final rankings.
The class is still phenomenal with 22 players, led by Malcolm Brown, the top running back in the country. Steve Edmond is one of the top linebackers in all of America and Quandre Diggs and Sheroid Evans should be All-Big 12 defensive backs before the leave Austin.
Mack Brown made some switches among his coaching staff, but the Longhorn's recruiting only suffered one defector in Christian Westerman to Auburn.
2. Florida State
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Jimbo Fisher has the Seminoles back as a juggernaut on the recruiting trail and with the talent he's stockpiled the past two years, they should be back to dominating on the field soon enough.
Twenty-nine players are headed to Tallahassee in 2011, including some dominant JUCO recruits who should help immediately in Cornelius Carradine, a defensive end, and Jacob Fahrenkrug, an outstanding offensive lineman. From the high school ranks, Karlos Williams is the best safety in America and James Wilder Jr. is a big back who should dominate the ACC. Tim Jernigan, a stud defensive tackle, has had a FSU offer since he was 13.
I'm thinking of busting out an old fanny pack and watching Saved By Bell, as when the Seminoles come back to the national forefront, it's going to start feeling like the 90's all over again.
1. Alabama
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The Crimson Tide still hold onto the top spot, even though they lost out on the Clowney sweepstakes. This 22 player class is a real standout and Clowney would have made the rich even richer.
Cyrus Kouandjio is the top offensive lineman prospect in the country and will be a great left tackle. Dee Hart will benefit from the holes Kouandjio makes from his running back spot, and HaHa Clinton-Dix is an elite safety.
Xzavier Dickson, Brent Calloway and Tre DePriest are all other players to watch. Then Jesse Williams is a 6'4", 330 pound defensive tackle and best over player from the JUCO ranks.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
