College Football Recruiting 2012: Who's the Real No. 1 Overall Recruit?

Last year, it was just about as much of a consensus as it could be: Jadeveon Clowney was the best player in the country and the No.1 overall recruit. Everyone knew it and there was no debate.

This year, different publications, websites, outlets and lists rank several different players at No.1 overall. The top-ranked players include WR Dorial Green-Beckham, DE Arik Armstead and DE Mario Edwards.

For this read, I'm going to give you three big recruiting sites' No.1 players and then come up with a final verdict as to who the real No.1 player is.

Scout.com's No.1 Overall Recruit: Arik Armstead, OT/DE

Scout.com lists Armstead as their top player in their "Scout 300" and they have a good reason to do so. 

Armstead is a huge DE who stands 6'8" and weighs 280 pounds. He's also a great athlete who is strong at the point of attack, has good feet, can close and can set the edge against the run. With his size and strength, I can see Armstead kick inside as a DT in college.

But Scout.com lists Armstead as an OT prospect, and if you watch him on tape you see will why. However, Armstead has told all who'll listen that he really has no desire to play OT in college and aspires to stay at DE.

USC, Alabama, Notre Dame, Cal and Michigan are in the running.

ESPNU's No.1 Overall Player: Mario Edwards, DE

The folks in Bristol give Edwards their highest grade among prep players in the country this year in their "ESPNU 150." The Lone Star State native is considered to be the most complete edge defender in this year's class.

Edwards has a wealth of potential and could even grow into a DT in college. You're not supposed to be 6'4", 270 pounds and play DE with the athleticism, speed and quickness of a shooting guard.

Edwards can play the run with solid strength and get after the passer. Pick which one you want him to do, and he'll destroy an offense. He's supposedly still committed to Florida State, but Oklahoma and LSU likely will see him visit.

Rivals' No.1 Overall Prospect: Dorial Green-Beckham, WR

Rivals lists DGB on top of their "Rivals 100" list. 

At 6'6", 220 pounds with a 4.43 speed, Green-Beckham is a big, stick-figure possession receiver who can eat up a cushion quickly off the line due to his long strides. His movement skills are very smooth and fluid as well.

Green-Beckham has a big-time catch radius and strike zone thanks to his extremely long arms. He snatches and plucks balls from all angles around his frame and has very natural ball skills. 

Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, Auburn and Arkansas are just a few schools in the running for his services.

Other Candidates

Other candidates for top-prospect honors are RB Johnathan Gray, a Texas commit with historic stats as a high school player. I think he is the top RB in the country.

OLB Kwon Alexander is a rangy 6'2", 210-pounder with great speed and instincts. I also like DB Landon Collins, DE Noah Spence, OT Andrus Peat, OT D.J. Humphries, WR Stefon Diggs and QB Jameis Winston.

And the Verdict Is...

I've been listing Green-Beckham as my No.1 player and I don't see that changing anytime soon. 6'6", 220-pound WRs with 4.3 speed, production, big-play ability and freakish athleticism don't grow on trees.

I have Edwards as a top-four player nationally and Armstead as a top-10 player in his own right. But I feel Dorial Green-Beckham should be the national No.1 prospect.