College Football Recruiting 2012: Predicting the Top 10 Classes After NSD

Predictions. They're always tough, but I'm going to take a stab at predicting who—after National Signing Day 2012 comes and goes—the top 10 recruiting classes will be.

We've got some excellent classes being built right now. But what's also great is we still have many high-profile, 5-star and 4-star recruits uncommitted. So class rankings will undoubtedly fluctuate and move around when it's all said and done.

Let's get to predicting.

10. Notre Dame

The Irish have a borderline top 10 class as it stands right now. They've got some commitments from top names like Ronald Darby, Sheldon Day, William Mahone, Jarron Jones and Deontay Greenberry.

Notre Dame is also in the race for Arik Armstead, Keith Marshall and Shaq Thompson, even Gunner Kiel is back to considering playing in South Bend.

I think the Irish sneak into the top 10 after all.

9. Clemson

The Tigers' class has a lot of depth, and is led by Travis Blanks and Brock Stadnik. After signing a handful of 5-star recruits last year, Clemson is showing they might just have the hang of this recruiting thing.

Their biggest target left is 5-star DT Eddie Goldman. They're going to have to work hard for him, but it's not out of the question to land him.

8. LSU

Fresh off their "Game of the Century" win, the Tigers will look to make a surge in the recruiting rankings as well. They're lurking aorund the top 10-15 right now, but LSU always finds a way to gobble elite talent.

The Tigers are hunting players like Kwon Alexander, Landon Collins, Mario Edwards and Channing Ward; all of those players are among the top 40 overall in the country.

Look for the No. 1 team in the country to make a run in the recruiting home stretch.

7. Texas A&M

Yes. The Aggies have cleaned up very well this recruiting cycle and are looking firmly entrenched as a top 10-esque class. Mike Sherman has gotten commitments from names such as Trey Williams, Matt Davis, Kenneth Marshall and Corey Thompson.

Only thing is, it looks like Sherman is done with recruiting, as his class is just about full (give or take a few scholarships). So A&M may have peaked as high as they can go, rankings-wise.

6. Auburn

Auburn's class has good quality if you ask me: Zeke Pike, Ricky Parks, T.J. Yeldon, Ricardo Louis and more. I think the Tigers have a chance to stick around in the top 10.

They're still running for Kwon Alexander, Stefon Diggs and Avery Young, among others. Look for Gene Chizik to work his NSD magic yet again.

5. Michigan

The Wolverines are another team that has a class almost filled to the top. However, they have four great LBs coming in Royce Jenkins-Stone, Kaleb Ringer, James Ross and Joe Bolden, plus other talent like Terry Richardson, Ondre Pipkins and Devin Funchess.

Gunner Kiel is looking at Big Blue, as is Jordan Payton, Shaq Thompson and Arik Armstead.

Things look good in Ann Arbor.

4. Alabama

The Tide's class is a solid one, as usual. They hold commitments from Reggie Ragland, Eddie Williams, Chris Black, Dillon Lee and Kenyan Drake, among others.

Landon Collins, Quay Evans, Avery Young, Kwon Alexander and even Adolphus Washington have 'Bama listed as schools of serious interest.

Toss in the fact that they're working on Jameis Winston, and you see Alabama is steadying the ship.

3. Florida State

The Noles' class is starting to look a bit iffy. Mario Edwards, Dante Fowler and Jameis Winston don't appear to be as solid to their pledges as they once were, and are taking some trips. Even Mario Pender is rumored to be looking at some trips.

Yet, they could still hold onto those three and add, say, a Kwon Alexander, Eddie Goldman, Josh-Harvey Clemons or even Stefon Diggs to their class to potentially end with the No. 1 class.

2. Florida

Florida has a top five class right now, but there are many players who are still available that really like the Gators. Keith Marshall, Noah Spence, Jordan Jenkins, Stefon Diggs, Avery Young, Nelson Agholor and Tracy Howard all have serious UF interest.

A couple commitments from names in that pool, combined with D.J. Humphries, Brian Poole and Jessamen Dunker, would give Will Muschamp a whole lot of star power.

1. Texas

Could this be the year?

Every year we see Texas have a No. 1 class for the duration of the cycle, only to get passed by teams on NSD. Due to the quality of their class, I think it could be the year Mack Brown notches the No. 1 class start to finish.

The Longhorns are said to have made up a ton of ground on No. 1 overall recruit WR Dorial Green-Beckham—same with Landon Collins and Andrus Peat.

Look out for Texas.