College Football Recruiting 2012: Ranking The Top 10 Defensive Playmakers

The term playmaker gets tossed around very frequently among observers but only the most skilled and instinctive players deserve to be called playmakers. Many people think that making a play in football stems from the offensive side, where they score touchdowns, make big catches and break off long runs. While that is true, defensive players are also playmakers in their own right.

Defensive stalwarts and talents that play with their hair on fire, are instinctive, smart and productive usually are the sheer playmakers opposing an offense. The 2012 class has some defensive players that can do things that others at their respective positions can't and things that coaches can't teach on the field or on a grease board. These players surely will be stand outs as the recruiting season wears on and in college.

Here are top 10 defensive play-makers in the 2012 college football recruiting class. 

10. Donte Fowler, DE

Fowler is a 6'3", 240 pound hybrid defensive end/outside linebacker prospect out of Florida. He finished his junior campaign with close to 110 tackles, 33 for loss, and 20 sacks.

Again, 20 sacks, 33 tackles for loss. Wow. Fowler plays in the offensive backfield and fails to play the piano down the line. He has the speed to chase and pursue ball carriers all around the field, strength to shed blocks at the point and can anchor well on the edges.

Fowler can put his hand down and get after the passer with he best of them, as he fires out at the snap, can bend around the edge, push the pocket form the perimeter and has a burst to finish when he smells blood in the water.

He's committed to Florida State.

9. Derek David, LB

The Rockdale, TX native is a 6'3", 225 pound linebacker that has the tools to be an all conference defensive standout at the next level. He's approached 100 stops each of the past two seasons, and flashes solid blitz skills and know-how.

David has solid instincts and sniffs out the run with great vision, attacks the line of scrimmage, meets running backs in alleys and wraps up well upon contact. He's a reliable and product linebacker that can become a star MIKE, SAM, or WILL for a defense.

He has solid athletic ability to factor vs. the pass and is physical to bump and shove receiving threats that enter his zone. David can carry tight ends deep and flashes the ability to make plays on balls for interceptions.

He's headed to Texas Tech.

8. Shaq Thompson, DB

Thompson could be on the top 10 offensive playmakers list as well as this defensive list. He rushed for nearly 2000 yards and 20 scores last year and was seen dominating football games on both sides of the ball.

6'1", 185 pounds, the talk seems to be Thompson will be a defensive back like his brother, Syd'Quad at Cal. Shaq has the tools to be a versatile safety, and most likely free safety is his destined position, yet he has the physicality to track the run and hitting ability to become a great strong safety.

Thompson has great range and could also excel as a corner in an off-man/zone heavy scheme like the system the Steelers play. He's smooth in transition, has swivel hips and closes well out of his plant and drive on receivers.

Thompson has offers from USC, UCLA and Cal.

7. Brian Nance, LB

174 tackles. 174...tackles, not in a career, but in one season. That's what Nance put up as junior and I wouldn't be shocked if he approached 200 stops this season.

6'3", 210 pounds, his teammates and coaches know that if he is kept clean and free to roam, Nance will get to the football. He just has a knack for locating the ball and flying to it. He projects well to WILL linebacker where he can use his athleticism, speed and traffic avoid ability to pursue the ball.

Nance led his team to a 15-1 record and has offers from USC, Notre Dame and Oklahoma.

That's a defensive playmaker for you.

6. Eddie Williams, DB/ATH

Williams is similar to Thompson as he could very well have made the offensive list as to this defensive list. 6'4", 200 pounds, Williams is an athletically gifted player that kind of reminds me of Will Hill coming out of high school. A high cut, smooth and instinctive player with great ball skills and instincts.

Williams could become a great free safety prospect, being left to charge deep thirds and as the top of the defense due to his speed, range and high point ability. He can leap up and pluck balls out if the air and doesn't allow himself to get looked off quickly by quarterbacks.

Williams also could grow into a great outside linebacker as he does flash the willingness to challenge in the run game.

He's pledged to Alabama.

5. Arik Armstead, DE/DT

Armstead has the best combination of length and athleticism in the 2012 recruiting class. He's 6'8", and nearly 280 pounds and plays defensive end. He has the wingspan and arm length to stay clean during his rusher, can walk blockers back and finish around the pocket.

Not just a big guy, the noted and top college basketball prospect also has very quick feet and agility, which is why he could end up as a left tackle. Armstead could grow into a defensive tackle as well, or even play the five technique/30 front end role in a 3-4 scheme. He shows a quick burst at the snap, competitiveness and the strength to anchor vs. the run.

He will head to USC, where as it sits right now he will be tried as a strong side end in the Trojans' 4-3 scheme.

4. Mario Edwards, DE

Edwards is a 6'4", 275 pound defensive end with a great pedigree, as his father played at Florida State. Mario Jr. shows the potential to develop into a complete player as he has the length, frame and athletic ability to menace an offense in the run and pass.

Edwards shows the quickness at the snap to run around offensive tackles, ability and flexibility to bend in his rush, yet he can also convert speed to power and walk a blocker back into the passer. Edwards has the strength shed and escape mass to make plays vs. the run too.

Once he understands and gets seasoned up on how to use his hands better and add to his pass rush plan, his playmaking ways escalate to new higher levels than it currently is, and right now its pretty high.

Florida State is leading, with Texas right behind at the moment.

3. Travis Blanks, DB

Blanks makes plays first of all by taking way your receivers release off the line. Most of the time, receivers have to be used in motion just to get off the line vs. his press-man coverage at the line.

6'1", 185 pounds, he's physical in his press and stays in a receivers back pocket when he carries them around the field. Blanks comes out of his backpedal clean and not sticky and rarely circles to close when coming downhill in his plant and drive. He fights for balls in the air like a receiver and plucked away four picks as a junior.

He can also play the free and strong safety spots and finished with almost 105 tackles last season. He understand show to tackle in the open and cuts ball carriers down well when flying up in run alleys. Blanks is also a solid blitzer.

He has offers the entire SEC, ACC, Ohio State, Notre Dame and USC.

2. Kwon Alexander, LB

Alexander has more range than any other defender in the country. He's 6'2", 210 pounds is destined to become a top flight outside linebacker either at the WILL or SAM.

He has great play speed, instincts, quickness and vision to locate ball carriers. He's the ultimate chase linebacker that hauls in stop after stop. Alexander has had over 100 stops each of the past two seasons, including 133 as a sophomore.

He's physical, capable of playing the SAM spot because he's tough against the run and can hold his own against tight tends and running backs out if the backfield. I compare him often to Giants' linebacker Michael Boley.

Alabama, Florida, Auburn, LSU, UCLA, Florida State, Oklahoma, Mississippi State, Oregon, Arkansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, Texas Tech, Arkansas, and Illinois.

1. Eddie Goldman, DT

Goldman is a special player and has lit up the early combines he's attended so far. At 6'5" and nearly 310 pounds, he is very, very quick and explosive off the ball at the snap and just jumps offensive linemen. He's a playmaker form his defensive tackle spot.

He plays in the offensive backfield and chases down ball carriers routinely for tackles for loss. Goldman has great strength to bull rush and walk blockers back and rarely stalls in his interior pass rush. He fights to pressure and has the strength to shed and escape vs. power/mass.

He's not the type of lineman that you use to keep blockers off your linebackers. Goldman can play the nose, one of three technique and can two gap well as a two-technique over guards. He's the high school version of Nick Fairley.