College Football Recruiting 2012: Ranking the Top 10 Offensive Playmakers

Every school's offensive recruiting board is full of skill position players that are deadly with the football in their hands. Schools want players who want the ball in critical situations and who consistently make plays. While every offensive skill position player considers themselves a "playmaker," that title is not easily earned.

In the 2012 class, there are some pure, flat-out playmakers that already have schools hot on their trail. While more than 10 exist in this class, we took on the challenge of whittling the list down to the top 10.

Make a play and read on!

10. Matt Jones, RB

Jones is a big back with little man back skills. At 6'3", 215 pounds, I've seen Jones even make catches across the middle like a wide receiver. He has a great feel and anticipation for blocks, patience and a solid burst to get upfield.

He uses his long frame to always fall forward to gain the maximum yardage on each rush, has great run strength and cuts quickly for such a tall runner. I compare him to Eddie George and Steven Jackson, as he is in their mold.

Jones is already committed to Florida. 

9. Jameis Winston, QB

Winston likely will be this year's top dual-threat QB in the 2012 recruiting class. At 6'4", 200 pounds, Winston is a headache for defensive coordinators.

Just because he is a dual-threat QB, do not misread that and assume that all he does is scramble around. Winston climbs out of his drop very quickly, sets up well and has a strong arm to get the ball in tight windows from the pocket.

He's more than game to escape the rush, as he is very mobile and athletic enough to get to the edges and make throws on the run. If nothing is there in the passing game, that's when Winston will take off and out-run your defense.

Just about all of the SEC, Notre Dame, Miami, Florida State and Clemson have all offered.

8. Avery Johnson, WR

Johnson is the younger brother of top NFL Draft cornerback prospect Patrick Peterson. Johnson stands 6'2", 185 pounds, has sub 4.5 speed and is already verbally committed to LSU.

He's strong and quick enough to get off the line vs. press-man, athletic enough to avoid under defenders at the stems of his routes and has separation quickness out of his breaks. Johnson has the ability to leap over defenders and make catches in crowds with ease.

There are times when he is disinterested, more often when he knows he's not the first read on a passing play, and doesn't play at full tilt. But the key with him is to get him going early and then you'll see him make play after play.

7. Barry Sanders Jr., RB

Sanders has extreme agility, shiftiness, balance, vision and quickness in his running style. His tape shows him routinely making defenders miss on runs and proves he is a threat to score on any touch he gets.

At 5'10", 190 pounds, he has a home run ability and good speed to split the safeties deep on big runs. He can skate through run alleys and linebackers have a tough time jumping on top of him. Sanders can get to the edges and turn the corner as well.

Alabama, Notre Dame, Tennessee, UCLA, Oklahoma State and Stanford are among some of the top-notch offers for him.

6. Caleb Jones, WR

At 6'3", 200 pounds, Jones is the best receiver in Texas in the 2012 class. He'll likely be a 5-star recruit before of the end of the spring evaluation period.

He has a tall and long frame with long arms to snatch balls out of the air all around him. He releases well off the line and has great athleticism to run any route.

Jones has solid leaping ability and good speed on vertical routes. He uses his big frame well with the ball in his hands, as he is tough to bring down.

Auburn, Texas, Florida State, Alabama, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Miami are just a few offers to name among a host of others.

5. Stefon Diggs, WR/RB/ATH

Diggs does little man things on the field and you just assume that he's some 5'9", 170-pound receiver. Then you look again and check his measurables and are shocked to see he's 6'1", 190 pounds.

He has 4.4. speed and is a phenom with the football. He plays various roles for his high school team, to ensure they get him the ball in a variety of ways. Running, receiving, returning—you name it and Diggs does it.

He's extremely quick, agile and elusive and has the kind of speed that wows you. Diggs explodes and bursts out of cuts and is equally dangerous in space as he is in tight traffic.

Miami, Notre Dame, Alabama, Michigan, Georgia, Florida, Cal, Rutgers, Pitt and Georgia Tech have all offered, among others.

4. Rushel Shel, RB

Shel is a 5'11", 215-pound back that has breakaway speed. I project him to be in the 230-pound range in college, while still having the ability to run away from people.

Think Jamaal Lewis in his days at Tennessee and with the Baltimore Ravens. Shel has the run strength to break tackles and gains yards after contact, yet can scoot to the edges, turn his shoulders upfield and burst to pay dirt.

He has great vision and elusiveness but also runs very tough. This looks like a race between Ohio State, Penn State and Pittsburgh.

3. John Gray, RB

At 5'11", 195 pounds, Gray is the real deal. Really. He has great quickness, vision and speed which reminds me a bit of LaDainian Tomlinson.

Gray fires out of his stance when attacking downhill, yet still has the patience to hold back a bit on zone and stretch runs. He's always reading the defensive front seven, anticipates holes and alleys well and has solid strength as a runner.

Yet he excels by jumping on top of linebackers, making defenders miss and exploding past the second level. He's extremely productive and is almost a legend in Texas high school football. Texas high school football—yeah, it's kind of a big deal.

Big 12 country, Big Ten country and SEC country, along with USC, Miami, Notre Dame, Florida State and Clemson are hot after him.

2. Dorial Green-Beckham, WR

Green-Beckham is my early leader for No.1 overall recruit in the country in 2012. At 6'6", 215 pounds with 4.43 speed, he has been compared to Andre Johnson, Plaxico Burress, Calvin Johnson and Randy Moss.

Green-Beckham snatches balls out of the air, leaps over defenders and runs solid routes. He's not sticky coming out of breaks like you'd expect such a tall player to be and he is a very fluid athlete.

He can be used as a RAC type on smokes and bubbles, but also can attack a defense deep and across the middle. He has a chance to develop into a dominant player.

Yeah, your favorite school has offered and so has your favorite school's rival and so on.

1. Keith Marshall, RB

I have Marshall here just over DGB only because it is easier to get him the ball consistently than DGB because Marshall is a running back. At 5'11", 190 pounds with 4.32 speed, Marshall is a defense's worst nightmare and makes any offensive coordinator's job easier.

Basically, you just get him the ball anyway you can and let him do the rest. He's got cat-like quickness and change of direction ability, and his explosiveness jumps off the film when you watch him play. He's seen running past an entire defense on one play, making multiple guys miss on the next and even finishing a run with a pop on another.

Marshall can be used both inside the tackles as well as on sweeps and pitches, while also deploying into the slot and annoying linebackers. He scores in multiple ways and does it with ease.

North Carolina, Clemson, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Michigan, Miami, Notre Dame and a plethora of others have offered.