College Football Recruiting 2012: Predictions for Top 41 Uncommitted Recruits

This predictions piece was set to be longer, but the more and more I looked at various lists, my board and other research avenues, I realized that many of the upper echelon players have made their decisions.

Sure, we still have many big name, high profile, highly ranked recruits still mulling their options, but in general, a lot of the better recruits are already committed.

With that said, I have predictions on whom I feel are the top 41 prospects still undecided. You may think I'm crazy, you may think I'm smart or you may even agree with me, but come check it out.

41. Carlos Watkins, OL/DL

Watkins is a 6'4", 280-pound trench player that has played all over the field for his high school team. From DL, to WR to fullback to OL, he's shown versatility.

Looks like his college position will either be DT or OG, as he shows good foot quickness, solid strength and agility for either position.

His top four are Florida, Clemson, Alabama and South Carolina. I think he heads to Clemson.

40. Jonathan Bullard, DE

Bullard is a 6'4", 250-pound DE prospect that shows excellent play strength on tape. He'll easily be able to set the edge in college and reminds me a bit of Jets' OLB Bryan Thomas.

Bullard is a solid athlete, that has a solid get off, good movement skills and can get after the passer. Florida, Alabama, Nebraska, Clemson, Tennessee, Miami, Auburn and South Carolina are in the hunt.

He seems more inclined to leave the Carolina region, so I'm going with Alabama.

39. Elijah Shumate, DS/OLB

Shumate is a player that I liken to former Arizona State star Adam Archuleta. At 6'1", 200 pounds, he has great instincts versus the run and fills alleys quickly.

He can play outside 'backer and strong safety and he is nasty in the box. He can stand to improve his coverage ability, but he's too good in the box to be asked to play in space often.

I think he lands at Rutgers.

38. William Mahone, RB

Mahone is like Savon Huggins, a 6'0", 195-pound back with solid pop and quickness. He's a quicker-than-fast athlete who also has good run strength.

Mahone doesn't shy away from tugging it up the middle and will bang with the big boys. He plays faster than many think.

Penn State wins out.

37. Javonte Magee, DT

Magee is another player who reminds me of a player form 2011: Delvon Simmons. At 6'5", 265 pounds, Magee has the quickness to cause problems in the middle, but he wants to play DE in college.

Offensive lines have trouble with him because he just keeps coming and never stays blocked. He can slip gaps and penetrate holes very well.

In the end, I predict Magee to head to Texas A&M.

36. Vadal Alexander, OL

Alexander is a  6'6", 310-pound offensive line prospect who can play tackle and guard. He can use his size to maul in the interior, but he is also athletic enough to mirror on the edge.

He likely will start out as a right tackle, as he can anchor a team's running game by jumping targets on the line at the snap and by tossing them around with ease.

Auburn gets him.

35. Byron Marshall

At 5'10", 195 pounds, Marshall makes most of his money on the edges. He's quick to escape to turn the corner, and if he gets his shoulders square upfield, he's gone.

He easily will be able to be used on sweeps, pitches and screens in college. Marshall is dangerous in space and can split the safeties deep.

Marshall heads to Cal.

34. Josh Harvery-Clemons, LB/WR

Josh Harvey-Clemons is a good football player. Only thing is, will he be a LB or WR?

6'4", and nearly 210 pounds, he shows very good knowledge of the game on defense, plays with instincts, can set the edge is a sound athlete. If he sticks at OLB, his transition quickness will allow him to become one of the better cover LBs in the country.

JHC winds up a Seminole.

33. Kent Taylor, TE

Taylor could easily be listed as a big receiver instead of at tight end. At 6'5", 215 pounds he can be used in a variety of ways for an offense.

A tight end, H-Back, fullback or receiver, Taylor is an offensive weapon. He can snatch balls around his frame, catch in crowds and also factor as blocker.

Penn State gets another one.

32. Ronnie Stanley, OL

Stanley plays for Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas, which is one of the elite and premier programs, not just in Sin City or Nevada, but on the West Coast. 

At 6'6", 285 pounds, Stanley has the ability to play left and right tackle. He's light on his feet, quick and agile. Yet Stanley has solid strength and he can maul in the run game.

USC over Miami, Arkansas, Notre Dame and Auburn.

31. Greg Garmon, RB

Big backs with vision are among my favorite types and Garmon is exactly that. At 6'2", 200 pounds, you can almost see his eyes processing information quickly on tape and he sees blocks very well.

Once he makes his selection of where to attack, he sticks his foot in the ground and charges upfield, showing excellent speed. He should be an exciting player in college.

Michigan over UNC and Iowa.

30. Jordan Payton, WR

Payton is one of the best players in the country, but his recruitment is also one of the most interesting sagas as well. At 6'2", 190 pounds, Payton is perhaps the best receiver in Southern California.

He was once committed to USC, but Florida, Penn State, Cal, Michigan and Notre Dame were too much not to see.

I think he winds up at Cal.

29. Aziz Shittu, DT

Shittu burst on the scene a few weeks ago, as he was basically unblockable at the Nike Camp in Los Angeles. He dominated one on ones and made evaluators go back and watch more tape of his junior season.

At 6'3", and 275 pounds, Shittu had 6.5 sacks and over 75 stops from his defensive tackle spots as a junior. He does it with a combination of snap quickness, strength and athleticism...on every snap.

He re-opened his recruitment from Stanford, but I think in the end he sticks it out with Stanford.

28. Zach Banner, OT

Banner is the longest offensive tackle in the country, and I mean that about his overall reach and wingspan. He stands 6'9", yes 6'9", and weighs 300 pounds. 

Banner is not just a stick figure, as he shows above average athleticism on the right edge to set up quickly, bend his knees, slide, mirror and anchor versus all rushers. He can use his long arms to wash, but also can get up in targets's chests as drive blocker.

This is a tough call, but I think Banner ends up at Washington.

27. Barry Sanders, RB

At 5'9", 190 pounds, Sanders actually does remind you a bit of his dad when you watch him on tape. He has excellent elusiveness and quickness in the open field and just enough long speed to get to the house.

He displays great balance to take hits and shoves in the box and he can still stay on his feet and get up field. He won't wow you with his stature, but he will with the ball in his hands.

Oklahoma State after all.

26. Ifeadi Odenigbo, DE/OLB

At 6'4", 220 pounds, Odenigbo is as a raw a prospect as there may be in the country. He's only played football for just a few years, but watch his tape and you see a ceiling that is as high as Mount Everest.

He's super athletic, quick and explodes off the ball. He plays very, very fast and has amazing range. If he can find a program that has a great pass-rushing coach and get stronger, he may have a long playing future ahead of him.

Stanford's academics win him over.

25. Jordan Diamond, OT

Diamond's skill set upon watching him on film projects well to a zone-blocking scheme offense. He shows a great ability to get up on linebackers on the second level and he can hit moving targets efficiently.

At 6'6", 290 pounds, he has solid athletic ability and knee bend, which helps him in pass protection. He does a good job of sliding when engaged and recovers well.

Michigan wins here.

24. Wes Brown, RB

Brown is a very solid running back prospect from the Mid-Atlantic region and has the tools be a complete runner on the collegiate level. He's solid in all areas of his game and stands 6'0" and 190 pounds.

He shows good patience and understanding when to attack downhill out of his stance, and when to let things develop. He can pick and slide to holes and he has the juice to skate through. 

He stays home with Maryland.

23. Tracy Howard, CB

At 6'0", 175 pounds, Howard has the length that many teams are looking for in corners these days. Receivers are getting bigger, so corners need to be as well.

Yet Howard also has solid coverage skills and can come out of his backpedal easily and fluidly. He can carry receivers deep and will sniff around in the run game as well.

Florida over Miami.

22. Jordan Simmons, OL

Simmons has the talent and ability to play tackle and guard , but I like him as a guard more. At 6'5", 335 pounds, he shows very good athletic ability, strength and balance as a blocker.

He can even play some center in a pinch, too. He does have some baby fat around his body, but a college strength program will shed that, and he is one of the very elite line prospects in the country.

I'm admittedly throwing darts in the wind here, but in a wild one, I think UCLA gets him.

21. Nelson Agholor, ATH

There is talk that Agholor may be the most athletic player in Florida this year, and his tape does nothing to dispel that notion. At 6'2", 180 pounds, he makes play after play all night long.

He can factor as a safety, receiver, running back or corner. Talk is his best spot may be safety, but you can't count him out as a receiver. He's dynamic with the ball in his hands, but then again, he could be an All-American safety. 

I think he lands at Florida. 

20. Jordan Jenkins, DE

6'3", 250-pounds, Jenkins may be able to come in as a true freshman and make an impact as a sub rusher from Day 1; he's that athletically gifted. You watch him on tape and you see a burst and ability to beat blockers at the snap.

He can bend well off the edge and close on the QB in a flash. He plays the run well and just needs to get seasoned. 

Florida wins again.

19. Yuri Wright, CB

Wright is a big CB prospect at 6'2". He's a sleek athlete with a long frame at 180-pounds and is a solid athlete.

The New York native is one of the four elite prospects from Don Bosco Prep of New Jersey. Wright has good transition quickness, solid ball skills and quick feet.

Rutgers lands him after all.

18. Channing Ward, DE

Ward is a 6'4", 240-pound pass-rush specialist who could play OLB in a 3-4 scheme. He has good athleticism, shows a pass-rushing plan and plays well with his hands.

He shows a burst at the snap and bend ability. Yet what really makes Ward special is knowing that his hands can be a weapon. Most rushers just try to out-run blockers and get stuck when engaged. Ward can get free.

I think LSU wins out.

17. Kyle Murphy, OT

Murphy is another great OT and stands 6'7", 270 pounds and he has solid athleticism for an offensive trench man.

He excels in pass protection and gets by through being simply more athletic than his opponents. Once he gets coached up in college, look out, because he will combine athleticism with technique, and that could equal no sacks for opposing rushers.

Oregon over Florida, Stanford and USC

16. Ellis McCarthy, DT

McCarthy is a defensive tackle who I think will see himself rise up the board higher before the final board comes out around NSD 2012. He's a dynamic force in the middle at 6'4" and nearly 310 pounds, but he has very, very little body fat.

That speaks to his frame, as he has college size and strength right now. McCarthy is quick to read and react versus the run, but he also can rush the passer from the interior like an end.

USC gets him.

15. Adolphus Washington, DE

Washington is another pass rusher and among the elite in the country this year. At 6'5", 250 pounds, Washington has the size to play the strong side in college, but also the athleticism, play speed and quickness to man the weak side as well.

He has a long frame to stay clean, he can convert speed into power quickly and forcefully, and he bends solidly. Washington is also a noted hoops prospect, which is why you hear the Julius Peppers comparisons.

Ohio State scoops him up.

14. Josh Garnett, OL

Garnett may be the best offensive guard prospect from the Washington area since Steve Schilling. At 6'5", 275 pounds, he has a high ceiling and plays with great athletic ability, knee bend and strength. He also may be able to kick out to tackle in college.

Garnett has good snap quickness, gets into his opponent's chest, walks them back and he can finish. He holds his own in pass protection, as he can work well in the short area confines at guard.

Tough call here again, but I predict Washington beats out Notre Dame.

13. Avery Young, OT

When you watch Young move around on tape, you wonder if he could even play tight end, as he is that athletic. He has not even scratched the surface as to how good he can be, as the 6'5", 275 pounder looks like a potential left tackle.

He can set up quickly, slide, mirror, bend, recover and anchor versus rushers down after down. Once he learns good hand placement and how to mix up his sets, he could develop into an All-American left tackle. 

Georgia wins.

12. Darius Hamilton, DE

Hamilton is a 6'4", 245-pound defensive prospect that can do it all.

Most ends at the high school level only focus on their pass-rushing prowess, yet Hamilton shows the strength to anchor and shed against the end.

Toss that in with his elite pass-rushing ability, and you see a 5-star prospect on the defensive edge.

Rutgers lands him.

11. Quay Evans, DT

At 6'2", 320-pounds, Evans is an immovable object in the trenches. He has great strength and I like him as a 1-technique or a nose tackle.

Once Evans gets his hands on a blocker and inside the body, it's over, as he can use brute and sheer strength to toss them around or power over them to get into the backfield.

Evans will be a Mississippi State Bulldog.

10. Shaq Thompson, DB

Thompson is a 6'1", 185-pound safety prospect who can also play running back and a little bit of cornerback as well.

His brother Syd plays for the Denver Broncos, and Shaq was the top player for NorCal powerhouse Grant HS (Calif.) as a junior.

He'll eventually sign with Cal.

9. Landon Collins, DS

Collins is a 5-star recruit and one of the top players in the country, as he can play safety and outside linebacker. At 6'0", 210 pounds, Collins shows to be uber-instinctive in the box, physical versus the run and rangy to chase and pursue.

He's productive in space in coverage, showing an ability to factor in the zone due to his awareness. He always finds a way to the ball and hates getting caught in traffic. Look for him to be one of the best strong safeties to come out of this class.

Alabama over LSU.

8. Rushel Shell, RB

At 5'11", 215 pounds, Shell is among the best running backs in the country.

He has elite vision, awareness and run instincts to go along with great speed and run strength.

Pittsburgh will win him over next month.

7. Eddie Goldman, DT

Goldman is a 6'5", 305-plus pound defensive tackle that has "special" written all over him. He has the quickness to jump blockers at the snap, strength to toss and shed, and anchor ability to stop double teams in their tracks and make a mess in the middle.

He wants to play 4-3 tackle, but some teams like him at 3-4 nose. He can play both well in my opinion, and could even play 3-4 end. He isn't a wow-you type of athlete that will chase in pursuit, but Goldman does have a bit of range.

This is way too close to call, but I'll say Cal in a stunner.

6. Stefon Diggs, WR

Diggs is a player that can factor as a receiver or safety. I could move him onto the ATH board or DS board, but in the end, he is simply too good with the ball in his hands not to play on offense in my opinion.

At 6'1", 190 pounds, he is a quicker than fast athlete, but he does have tremendous speed. His RAC ability is amazing, and he is likely tops in this category in the country for 2012. Diggs can shake, bake and clean the dishes routinely.

Florida over Auburn, Maryland and Miami.

5. Keith Marshall, RB

Perhaps the fastest running back in the country, Marshall is a touchdown machine.

I liken him to a Marshall Faulk, as he can impact the game as a runner, receiver and even as a returner.

At 5'11", 185 pounds, Marshall has been timed in the 4.3 range in the 40.

Marshall will sign with Georgia.

4. Kwon Alexander, OLB

At 6'2", 210 pounds, Alexander is a fantastic linebacker prospect. He has tremendous play speed and range and will be a three-down defender in college.

He projects well at WILL, but I think he can also play SAM in a 4-3 scheme due to his ability to carry tight ends around the field in coverage.

Florida State in another upset over Alabama.

3. Noah Spence, DE

Spence is the top pure pass rusher in the country and easily has the quickest first two steps in America. He flies off the ball and gets after the QB with tenacity, passion and sheer speed.

At 6'4", 245-pounds, Spence can also stand up as a 3-4 OLB and rush the passer, while also making plays from the backside against the run.

I think Penn State beats out North Carolina State.

2. Andrus Peat, OT

At 6'7", 280 pounds, Peat is the top line prospect in the country and will be a franchise left tackle.

He reminds me a lot of USC left tackle Matt Kalil coming out of high school. Sound in his technique, smart, patient and savvy in pass protection, Peat is an elite offensive lineman.

Spence will head to Nebraska to join his brother.

1. Dorial Green-Beckham, WR

I have Green-Beckham as the top player in the country on my board, as do many other talent evaluators.

At 6'6", and 220-pounds, Green-Beckham has the hands, separation quickness, catch-in-crowd ability and playmaking talent to become a dominant receiver in college. 

I predict he will sign with Missouri over Oklahoma, Alabama and Arkansas.