College Football Recruiting 2012: Where Are the Top 11 RBs Headed?

As we move along in updating you on some of the top prospects in the 2012 recruiting class and where they are headed or considering, we arrive at the running backs.

This position has some serious talent and depth in the class, as many can claim they are a "top" prospect.

Yet, as it sits right now, there is one running back that is clearly the top back in the class. As I said before, there is depth and also variety.

There are speedy, scat backs in this class, every-down rock-toters, and also a few potential big bruisers. They have a ton of schools competing for their services and will have their pick of the litter to choose from.

Let's see what's happening with the top running backs in the country.

11. Warren Ball

He came to Ohio State's summer camp last year and lit up the Buckeyes' drills, and received an offer a short time later. A short time after that, Warren Ball committed to being an Ohio State Buckeye.

What is so impressive about Ball is his advanced receiving skills for a running back. He attacks the football with his hands and shows natural ball skills. He has a large strike zone for a rock-toter and looks at home coming out of the backfield as an underneath read.

Ball has a great burst, good home-run speed and the ability to break tackles in the open field with the ball.

Ohio State got a great one here.

10. TJ Yeldon

Yeldon is one of the top players in Alabama this year, and there is chatter he was the best running back in the state as a junior over Brent Calloway. At 6'2", 205 pounds with 4.4 speed, he has good size, speed and run strength to be an every-down back in college.

He's a winner as well, a player that really wears down a defense, as he understands that tackling him is a pain. Yeldon has a revved-up motor late in games and he challenges tacklers at the point of attack. He then uses his speed to get out in the open field, as he can reach full tilt and spread his wings very quickly to split the safeties.

Auburn, Alabama, Clemson, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, Florida State, Oregon and Penn State have offered Yeldon a roster spot.

9. Randy Johnson

Johnson is one of the top runners in the Sunshine State and has been lighting up defenses for some time now.

The 5'9", 170-pound speedster is as elusive as they come. Johnson has 4.47 speed and a great amount of wiggle to make defenders miss.

He flashes a burst of speed to jump to the second level and has home-run ability. He can work as a slot receiver and tear up a defense in the passing game.

Smokes, bubbles, middle screens and underneath routes will become a staple of his game in college. He compares favorably to 2011 running back Amir Carlisle.

Johnson is headed to Miami.

8. Brionte Dunn

A big, bullying, bruising runner at 6'2", 215 pounds, Dunn is a load with the ball and a nightmare late in games.

As the defense gets tired, Dunn starts to crank it up a notch, and his bullying run style would be a great pair with a speedy, shifty back.

Dunn has brute run strength and explodes on tacklers. He attacks downhill out of his stance, generating top force quickly, and linebackers who try to meet him in the hole are helpless if they don't beat him to the spot.

He has solid speed, but most of his damage occurs from tackle to tackle and it takes multiple defenders to bring him down.

He is a solid addition for Ohio State.

7. Barry Sanders Jr.

At 5'10", 190 pounds, Sanders has great run balance to absorb nicks and stay on his feet and run line. He is very quick and shifty (yes, like his father) and has an explosive burst.

Saying he was productive as a junior is a bit of a slap in the face, as in only six contests, Sanders still rushed for over 1,100 yards on just 81 tries. You figure out the ypc.

He is very elusive and clearly has remarkable run instincts and feel. His tape shows a willingness to be patient to let things develop, survey the field, identify the nearest threat, set up his blocks and go full tilt in a flash.

Getting Sanders the ball in space should be a top priority for any of his future offensive coordinators.

He has offers from Oklahoma State, Notre Dame, Stanford, UCLA, Auburn, Alabama and Tennessee, among many more.

6. Matt Jones

Jones is a back that I really like and compare to Eddie George and Steven Jackson. He's a big back at 6'2", 210 pounds, with good speed to make long runs.

Jones also flashes some receiving ability as I watched him on film line up at receiver and make a couple natural-looking catches downfield.

He is very strong with the ball, and doesn't need to gather to cut. He likes to use his blocks to set things up, but he is physical enough and willing to use his size and strength to gain yards on his own, especially after contact.

He has solid vision and a bit of elusiveness to his overall skill set and running style.

Jones pledged to Florida earlier this year.

5. Trey Williams

Going from a big back, we get to likely the smallest of the top runners in the country in Trey Williams. At 5'8" and 170 pounds, Williams really uses his small stature to his advantage.

He picks and slides and hides behind his offensive linemen, forcing linebackers and defenses to play a a guessing game of revolving doors to find him.

Once he gets on the second level of the defense, he rarely is seen allowing defenders to get a clear shot on him. He runs very tough, and has some deceptive strength.

Williams' speed and quickness to go along with his burst are his biggest assets. He can explode upfield in a flash, can juke and elude defenders, and run away from anyone.

Offers include LSU, Miami, Alabama, Baylor, Auburn, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Arizona and TCU.

4. Mario Pender

When you have rushed for over 2,200 yards and 32 scores as junior in talent-rich Florida, you will find yourself getting a good amount of shine. Standing 6'0", 185 pounds, Pender is an elite talent with an upwards-pointing skill arrow.

He can turn the corner on a defense, square his shoulders and get upfield by using his top-notch play speed, and he makes defenders miss with elusiveness and he turns on the jets to the end zone.

Pender is a natural runner with a good feel for the game and quick feet. He is also a solid receiving option out of the backfield and a tough task for linebackers underneath.

Pender is headed to Florida State.

3. Rushel Shell

Shell is an every-down back now, and will be an every-down back in college. He's 5'11", 215 pounds and has very solid speed.

I expect him to be in the 230-pound range before he leaves college, but Shell doesn't just do big-back things on the field.

He is one of the best players in Pennsylvania, and totaled over 2,500 yards and 32 touchdowns as a junior last fall. Shell will run over you or around you, your choice. But you will not stop him once he reaches full speed and is in attack mode, which seems to be every time he touches the ball.

He has a host of offers from the likes of Penn State, Alabama, Pitt, Florida, Auburn, Colorado, Oregon, Georgia and Ohio State to name a few.

2. Keith Marshall

One of the most dangerous offensive playmakers in the class and country, Marshall is from the state of North Carolina.

At 5'10", 190 pounds, he has been timed at 4.3 in the 40 and it shows on tape, by seeing Marshall run around and away from defenders on the norm. He's a fantastic prospect that is a terror with the ball in his hands.

He can be used on sweeps, tosses, pitches and quick screens to get him to the perimeter, but Marshall also has the toughness to run inside tackle-to-tackle. He's great out of the backfield in the passing game, with good hands and RAC ability.

He is considering a slew of schools right now—among them are North Carolina, Clemson, Alabama, Notre Dame, Georgia and Florida.

1. Johnathan Gray

Gray as the top back in the country is a no-brainer. He's been a 5-star recruit since he was a freshman in high school. He's as productive a player as any in the country and he's probably worth the value of two or three recruits—he's that good.

At 5'11", 195 pounds, he has tremendous vision, instincts, awareness, anticipation, reaction and feel for the game. It all comes so easy to him, and Gray has the run strength to break tackles and speed to run away from defenders.

He has soft hands and can be used as receiver out of the backfield. Once he picks up his college's blitz pick-up adjustments and pass protections, he will be an immediate starter and every-down back.

He is down to a final three of Texas, TCU and Texas A&M.