College Football Recruiting 2012: Ranking the Classes of the Top 25 Teams

We have a new No. 1 team in the country this week, so there's a huge amount of banter about the polls around the country.

However, we're going to look at it from a recruiting perspective.

We're going to rank the Top 25 teams by current 2012 recruiting classes. I can already tell by looking at the poll that there are going to be a few switches made.

This should be an interesting read, so check it out!

25. South Florida

USF is ranked 16th in the poll, but their class is not too impressive. They have just one 4-star recruit lined up in TE Sean Price.

I think this class will need some time to develop, and as they do, other classes may be more productive on the field faster.

Getting a WR like D'Vario Montgomery would give this class a huge boost. 

24. Illinois

Remember a few years back it seemed like Ron Zook had Illinois on the right track?

I mean, they had a couple pretty good recruiting classes, were battling higher profile programs for big-name recruits and won some of them.

That's not the case now.

Zook and the Illini have the worst class in the Big Ten right now. He's got just nine pledges, and none are 4-star recruits. Scout.com has Illinois' class ranked 72nd right now.

23. Boise State

The Broncos, ranked fourth in the AP Poll, probably never will be a recruiting juggernaut; it's just the lay of the land.

However, they do a good job on coaching up their players.

Their top-rated commit is DB Marcus Rios.

22. Nebraska

Big Red is ranked eighth, but comes in at this slot for this piece. Their class just isn't a barn burner so far, with just seven pledges.

I do like new commit Tommy Armstrong, a dual-threat QB. OL prospect Paul Thurston is a solid blocker, and Jordan Westerkamp should fit what Nebraska wants out of the WR position.

21. Georgia Tech

Ranked 21st in the country, Georgia Tech has 11 commits so far for 2012. The Yellow Jackets are not a sexy program for many recruits, but they get the players who fit them.

Their two highest-rated pledges are 6'4", 275-pound DT Pat Gamble and 6'3", 295-pound OG Chase Roberts.

20. West Virginia

The Mountaineers check in on the polls at 22nd after a disappointing loss to LSU this past weekend.

Their recruiting class is pretty typical of where the Morgantown crew usually is. Tyler Orlovsky is the top prospect in the class, and I think he could leave WVU as an All-American-caliber OG before he's gone.

Also look out for thick-cut and playmaking WR Deontay McManus.

19. Oklahoma State

The Pokes have 13 commitments so far, and their recruiting class is a bit of a disappointment if you look at many rankings lists.

However, I expect as the season moves on that they will begin to pick up steam.

Ranked fifth in the AP Poll, OSU's top prospect is 4-star DB/WR Kendall Sanders. I also like 6'5" QB Wes Lunt's potential in Stillwater.

18. Oregon

Oregon probably should be a lot lower on this list, seriously. I'm only putting them here because I really think they have a jewel in QB commit Jake Rodrigues.

Evan Baylis is a 6'6', 220-pound TE with a good skill set to also factor in the Pac-12.

However, as I mentioned before, Oregon's class is sub-par.

17. Wisconsin

Wisconsin will welcome Nebraska to Big Ten conference play this weekend and is the No. 7 team in the country. The Badgers only have 10 pledges, but their class is pretty solid quality-wise.

Led by 4-star QB prospect Bart Houston, Brett Bielema's class of future Camp Randall residents also includes tough OG Dan Voltz (6'4", 290-pound), RB Vonte Jackson and S D.J. Singleton.

16. Baylor

Baylor has 17 commitments and is enjoying a pretty good year out on the recruiting trail.

Plus, they have a Heisman candidate in QB Robert Griffin and are 3-0 to kick off the 2012 season.

Kiante Griffin has already told Scout.com that the future DB/WR thinks the new uniforms of Baylor "go H.A.M." Kiante is one of two 4-star recruits in this class, along with Corey Coleman who may be the next Kendall Wright for Art Briles.

15. Stanford

Stanford has 13 commits right now, and according to ESPNU, two of those recruits are inside their top 150.

Alex Carter is a talented safety, but the jewel is OLB/DE Noor Davis.

Davis is a 6'4", 225-pound defender with great athletic ability and will be a three-down defender on The Farm.

14. Arkansas

Eighteen commits are on board for the Hogs, as Bobby Petrino is looking to add talent to his program yet again. Arkansas has seen itself become one of the prime contenders to rise up in the SEC over the past few years.

Of course, with Petrino being their head coach, the Razorbacks' top-rated prospect is a WR; Jalen Cobb is a solid and quick route-runner, and D'Arthur Cowan is not far behind.

13. Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech has a surprisingly good class. It's not like they have been awful—it's just that they usually go after players who fit their program better over the sexy prospect names each year.

This year, they have 23 committed players, and we're just seeing September roll around. I really like CB Donaldven Manning out of Florida; he's a quick athlete with great short-area quickness and closing speed.

12. Arizona State

ASU is riding high over the past weekend, but their class is lacking a special something. Sure, Dwayne Stanford would help a whole lot, but he's not committed.

That win over USC this weekend should do just the trick, though.

For now, their best player is a 6'5", 205-pound QB from Texas named TJ Milleweard. Milleweard shows good touch and has a bit of a clutch gene.

11. TCU

Scout.com doesn't like TCU's class nearly as much as ESPNU does; Scout has them at No. 40, and ESPNU puts them at No. 20.

With 16 commits already, the Horned Frogs even have two prospects ranked inside the ESPNU 150. Their top prospect is DE Davonte Fields, and I think TCU could actually move up in the rankings since they are on some other good prospects.

10. LSU

The new No. 1 team in the country, LSU may be a class with a bit more quantity than quality, but not by a wide margin. That's not a knock on their class, but they have 19 commits, and the bulk of them are 3-star players.

I love WR Avery Johnson and DE Toshiro Davis. Also watch out for LB Trey Granier; he's a productive MIKE LB prospect who makes stop after stop.

9. South Carolina

The Gamecocks hold 20 pledges right now and have a chance to stick around in the Top 15, as they are in contention for some other top prospects.

Committed WR Shaq Roland is one of the best WR prospects in the nation and could be the next big WR in Columbia when Alshon Jeffery leaves. OL Brock Stadnik is another player who should be a great one for the Gamecocks. 

8. Oklahoma

Oklahoma has 14 commitments in their 2012 class, and eight are 4-star prospects. The Sooners have recruited well over the years and continue to do so in 2012 recruiting.

I love RB Alex Ross and WR Durron Neal, as these two will be in line to be the next great Sooner offensive players.

But for me, the highlight of this class are the pledges from John McGee and Ty Darlington, two of the top OL prospects in the country.

7. Texas A&M

Mike Sherman and his staff have really done a great job this cycle.

The Aggies have 21 committed players, and they have specifically recruited the type of talent that will allow them to compete in the SEC moving forward.

They have pledges from QB Matt Davis, RB Trey Williams, OL Jordan Richmond, ATH Bralon Addison and WR Corey Thompson.

6. Clemson

Clemson is the No. 13 team in the country and is 4-0. They're back again after having an awesome 2011 recruiting class and are off to a great start this season.

Dabo Swinney has gotten another 18 players lined up, and eight of them are 4-star recruits.

The biggest find is DB Travis Blanks, a 6'1", 195-pounder who can play CB or DS. DE Martin Aiken is another player to watch out for.

5. Michigan

Scout.com lists Big Blue as the No. 1-ranked recruiting class in 2012.

Hoke has almost immediately shown that he and his staff can recruit with the best of 'em. Hoke has 23 commitments, three in the ESPNU top 150 and his LB class alone is great.

Look for Michigan to have a great class and finish in the Top 5 this year.

4. Florida

Same ol' Gators—recruiting well off the field, winning well on it.

Florida is in on top talents like Keith Marshall, Tracy Howard, Jordan Jenkins and Nelson Agholor, among others.

With commits like D.J. Humphries, Brian Poole and Jessamen Dunker already, this class is lining up to be special for the lead Gator.

3. Alabama

The Tide are at it yet again, with this 2012 class being another great Nick Saban compilation. Saban has 19 pledges, and eight—count 'em, eight—are inside the ESPNU 150.

The two headliners are LB Reggie Ragland and DS Eddie Williams. I expect both of these defensive players to be All-SEC defenders one day and contend for All-American honors.

2. Florida State

Florida State has lost two straight games, but they have 16 commitments, and according to ESPNU, 10 of them are among the best 150 overall players in the country. Yikes.

QB Jameis Winston is the No. 1 signal-caller in the country and could also be a first-round pick in the MLB draft next spring.

Mario Edwards is an elite overall player, along with talent like P.J. Williams, Dalvon Stuckey, Justin Shanks, Chris Casher, Dante Fowler, Mario Pender and Marvin Bracy.

1. Texas

Texas has the No. 1-ranked class so far this year, but could this be the typical lead-all-year-then-fall-down-the-rankings-come-signing-day-type of Texas effort? We'll see.

RB Johnathan Gray is the headliner, then you've got QB Conor Brewer, WR Cayleb Jones, OLs Kennedy Estelle, Curtis Riser and Camhron Hughes, DL Malcom Brown, CB Bryson Echols, LBs Tim Cole and Peter Jinkens, and WR Thomas Johnson.

This class could rival or surpass the famed 2002 Longhorn class.