College Football Recruiting 2012: Burning Questions About the Top 25 Recruits

The top 25 recruits in the country. The Elite of the elite. Best of the best. They have question marks like everyone else does folks.

Today, I'm going to ask one burning question per top 25 recruit. Is a position change coming? Is he solid in his commitment? Where will he go? Is he has good as advertised? What does he need to work on?

You want to know what the top burning question is for your favorite recruit inside the top 25? Come check this out!

25. Avery Young, OT

Young is a 6'6", 275-pound OT prospect who could play the LT position in college. He's very athletic, long and flashes some strength.

Young can fit in any blocking scheme due to his athleticism and toughness. That's why schools like Georgia, Florida and Alabama (among many others) are after him.

Will family ties pull him to Athens?

24. Josh Garnett, OL

I have Garnett listed as an OL prospect because he is being recruited by some schools as an OG, but many others think he'll be an OT.

He's 6'5" and 275 pounds, and I think his best spot is actually LG. He's a good pass protector, but he may not be suited for the prime time in space.

Yet Garnett has schools like Notre Dame, Oregon, Washington and USC all hot after him.

How good of a DT is he actually and is that his actual best position?

23. Shaq Roland, WR

At 6'1" and 180 pounds, Roland is one of the best WRs in the nation and the top prospect in the Palmetto State this year. South Carolina has locked him up, and he should work wonders in Columbia.

Roland is silky smooth athletically, but has excellent deep speed and quickness in and out of his cuts. He needs some refinement on some finer points of the WR spot, but has a super high ceiling.

How quickly can he polish as a complete WR?

22. Jessamen Dunker, OT

Dunker is a former hoops player, but realized at 6'6" and more than 300 pounds that his future was in football.

Yet, you easily see the basketball athleticism and huge potential Dunker has. With some seasoning, he could be a first-round pick at LT.

Once Dunker gets coached up on his technique in Gainesville, he should be solid.

How good does he, himself, want to become?

21. Ronald Darby, CB

Darby is a 5'11", 175-pound ATH who can play RB, WR or CB. Some list him in the ATH category, while others have him down as a CB, as do I.

"Nitro," as he's known to most, is a quick-twitch athlete with excellent burst, transition quickness, speed and quick cut ability. He has the canvas to become a great corner at Notre Dame.

Could Brian Kelly opt to use him on offense at Notre Dame?

20. Rushel Shell, RB

At 5'11" and 215 pounds, Shell's a productive back with every-down ability. He has solid explosion, toughness to bang inside and can also scoot to the edges to head up the perimeter.

You can see the run strength on tape, but Shell is not just a power back, as you can also see the burst to run through holes, as well as some breakaway speed.

Is Pitt really the favorite?

19. Shaq Thompson, DB

At 6'2" and 200 pounds, Thompson is a great DS prospect with a great canvas of versatility. He projects best as a free safety, but he can play the run like a SS.

Toss in some sneaky cover skills, and you start to think maybe he can play some boundary zone corner. Thompson has offers from Cal, USC, Notre Dame, UCLA and Washington, among many more.

Can any school beat out Cal for him?

18. Gunner Kiel, QB

At 6'4" and 200 pounds, Kiel is an excellent QB prospect with a well-rounded skill set. He plays in the shotgun almost exclusively, but sees the field very well and makes fantastic decisions.

Kiel has a good arm, excellent accuracy and pocket presence. He also flashes good athletic ability as well. Kiel's bound for Indiana.

How quickly will he start at IU?

17. Quay Evans, DT

Explosive and strong at 6'2" and 320 pounds, Evans can stop, stack, drop, sit and anchor in the middle to make a mess with the best of them. Pushing the pocket from the middle versus the pass is also one of his specialties.

Mississippi State, Alabama, LSU, USC, Oregon and Ole Miss are all in the hunt.

Can any school beat out MSU for his services?

16. Reggie Ragland, LB

Ragland is a huge 6'4", 245-pound LB who has also played WR for his high prep squad. He's a future ILB at Alabama and fits right into their scheme.

Ragland is very instinctive, physical at the point of attack, sheds well and plugs the run, while also showing solid blitz ability.

Will he be just a 2-down LB or can he play zone coverage?

15. Landon Collins, DB/OLB

6'0" and 210 pounds, Collins is an excellent box safety who can double down as a ROVER/OLB. He plays the run well, but he's also a great athlete with some range to cover.

Whether he grows into an OLB or stays at SS remains to be seen, but Collins is easily one of the best defensive players in the country. It's likely going to be either Alabama or LSU.

Will he stay at SS or become an OLB?

14. Eddie Williams, DB

Williams, a 6'4", 200-pound future safety at Alabama, can also play WR and OLB, but his coverage instincts, range and route recognition project him best to free safety.

He shows natural coverage instincts, free and easy movement on the back end, roaming range, route recognition and elite ball skills, all which make Williams a natural interceptor type.

How quickly can he learn the Tide's defense and become the leader of the secondary as a FS? Or will he play a different position?

13. John Theus, OT

6'6", 295 pounds and a just a flat-out mauler in the run game, Theus will get physical and nasty in the run game with anybody on any field. He does so by just rolling on targets with snap quickness and leg drive.

Theus also shows good movement to seal, pin, reach, trap and pull to get to the second level. He's headed to Georgia.

Can Theus start as a true freshman? Is he a RT or LT?

12. Keith Marshall, RB

Marshall is a speedy and shifty RB prospect with quick feet, good vision and excellent explosiveness. At 5'11" and 185 pounds, he's a huge offensive threat and a touchdown waiting to happen.

Marshall has excellent burst to and through holes, can get to the second level of a defense in minimal steps and can also be used as a receiver out of the backfield. He's in the process of setting up trips.

Can Notre Dame beat out SEC competition for him?

11. Stefon Diggs, WR

Personally and very seriously, I feel Diggs may be the most versatile and special all-around offensive weapon in the country.

At 6'0" and 190 pounds, he is a quicker than fast athlete who can play WR, RB, DS and CB, while also returning punts and kicks. Diggs has a ton of schools after him and will be a hot name on the trail, but an even hotter player in college.

Is DB actually his best position?

10. Jameis Winston, QB

Winston is a 6'4", 190-pound QB prospect with dual-threat abilities.

He has just about every tool you need to succeed in any situation as a QB: arm strength, accuracy, vision, instincts, quick feet and leadership.

He chose Florida State over Alabama and LSU.

Will baseball beat out Florida State football?

9. D.J. Humphries, OT

Humphries is a freshly-committed player to Florida, just as yours truly predicted months ago.

6'6", 270 pounds and easily the most naturally-gifted athlete among offensive linemen in the country, Humphries is a future All-American LT. He is a shadow to pass-rushers and gives them fits.

Will natural weight gain hinder his great agility and quickness for an OT?

8. Noash Spence, DE

A 6'4", 240-pound speed rusher—and just a natural at getting after the passer—Spence is viewed as the best pass-rushing DE in America. He has a sharp first step and burst to close on the passer and finish.

That burst I just described is a main trait that separates the good from the great pass-rushers. Spence stays clean, is strong enough to convert speed to power and can do this standing up. 

Will he feel family pressure to join the Wolfpack?

7. Arik Armstead, DE/OT

Don't tell Armstead about why he should play OT because he feels he's a DE. USC has told him he will likely play the strong-side DE spot in Troy.

Armstead is a huge DE at 6'8" and 280 pounds. He's also a great athlete, strong at the point of attack, has good feet, can close and can set the edge against run.

OT or DE? Will he naturally get too big for DE and have to move inside to DT?

6. Eddie Goldman, DT

Goldman is a DT who can pretty much play almost all of the DL positions in football. From 4-3 DT to 3-4 DE, I can put Goldman everywhere except 4-3 weak-side DE.

He stands with a 6'4", 305-pound frame and has play strength, snap quickness and anchor ability to stop the run. Goldman can also push the pocket from the middle and has a fight to pressure as a pass-rusher.

Could NT be the quickest way to the NFL for him?

5. Kwon Alexander, OLB

Alexander is the No. 1 OLB in the nation and one the best players overall.

At 6'2" and 210 pounds, he defines the term "sideline to sideline," as he can beat RBs to holes and OLs with angles.

Alexander can also factor as a blitzer, and stay on the field in passing situations with ease due to his easy change of direction to cover RBs and TEs.

Will it come down to Alabama and Auburn?

4. Andrus Peat, OT

Peat is a heady player whom I think will be one of the types of OTs that sets his targets up 2-3 snaps down the line. I am also geeked about him because he came into this offseason at just 280 pounds, but word has it he is up to 300 now on his 6'7" frame.

Wow. Combine added girth with great technique, set quickness, patience, balance, nimble feet, athleticism and mirror ability, and you got something.

Could it come down to Nebraska vs. Notre Dame?

3. Mario Edwards, DE

You're not supposed to be 6'4", 270 pounds and play DE with athleticism, speed and quickness like a shooting guard.

Edwards can play the run with solid strength and get after the passer; pick which you want him to do, and he'll destroy an offense. He's committed to Florida State.

Could Edwards actually grow into a DT at Florida State?

2. Johnathan Gray, RB

Gray is a ferocious RB prospect. He's 5'11", 195 pounds and has it all: speed, quickness, power, run strength, vision, quick feet, instincts, explosiveness, quick cut ability, tackle-breaking ability, great hands and more.

This season could be his best yet, and that's saying something, because he has more than 6,000 yards and 100 TDs in the past two years. He's solid for Texas.

Is his shoulder injury healed? How much time will he see as a true freshman?

1. Dorial Green-Beckham, WR

He's a 6'6", 220-pound WR who runs a sub-4.4 40-yard dash. 

Whatever you want in a WR prospect, Green-Beckham has it and then some.

He rarely talks to the media about his recruitment, and with the season getting ready to start, he will be putting that on hold to focus on winning games.

Can Missouri beat out Oklahoma and Alabama among others and keep him home?