College Football Recruiting 2012: 10 Best Offensive Playmakers (With Video)

Signing a top offensive playmaker is imperative each and every year in your team's cycle. Schools want players who want the ball in critical situations and who consistently make plays.

While every offensive skill position player considers themselves a "playmaker," that title is not easily earned.

There are some pure, flat-out playmakers that already have schools hot on their trail. While more than 10 exist in this class, we took on the challenge of whittling the list down to the top 10.

Make a play and read on!

10. D.J. Foster, RB

Foster is similar to Kenyan Drake in playing style, as he also is a dynamic athlete at the RB position. He's 6'0", 185 pounds and, while he needs to tack some more mass onto his frame, he does show great speed and playmaking ability.

Foster can make a defender miss with some serious shake-'n'-bake moves as a RB, and can catch the ball like a WR.

USC, Auburn, Arizona State and Oregon seem to be the main four in the hunt for his talents. 

9. Kent Taylor, TE

Taylor is a 6'5", 215-pounder who plays TE but has the ball skills of a WR. He runs pretty well, too.

He can be used as a joker type, a move guy, an H-back, fullback, slot, in-line TE or even red-zone WR. With his length, ball skills, hands, speed and versatility, he's like a cross between Jimmy Graham and Michael Egnew.

Taylor has committed to Florida.

8. Duke Johnson, RB

Johnson shows athleticism that looks to me as being more quick than fast. At 5'9" and 180 pounds, he's an elusive ball-carrier who can shake and bake with the best of them.

Dangerous in the open field, he always looks for even the smallest crease to skate through and can hide well behind his blockers to pick and slide through holes.

He's headed to Miami, and I expect him to stay committed there.

7. Rushel Shell, RB

At 5'11" and 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 strength.

Shell will be an every-down carrier as a collegiate player, as he shows the toughness, size and run strength to stay between the tackles while also having solid hands and speed as a receiver out of the backfield.

Pitt has him locked-up.

6. Gunner Kiel, QB

At 6'4" and over 200 pounds, Kiel is a big-bodied QB with a complete skill set. He plays in a spread offense, and via film study, it's clearly evident that Kiel has total command of his offense.

He has a great arm, mobility, accuracy and solid vision. Kiel also flashes some athletic ability inside the pocket and is probably the best decision maker in the country at the QB position.

5. Keith Marshall, RB

When you have 4.32 speed, then chances are you are going to be on a lot of lists. Marshall is a terror to defenses because he's a prime-time home-run threat with the ball.

The 5'11", 190-pounder has great breakaway speed, explosiveness, quickness and elusiveness. I liken him to LeSean McCoy, and he should be able to step in right away as a true freshman and make some dazzling plays.

Marshall just committed to Georgia on Tuesday.

4. Jameis Winston, QB

Winston, a Florida State pledge, is a 6'4", 190-pound dual-threat type with an elite skill set.

But don't let the dual-threat label walk you into the thought that Winston is a running QB. It just means he can take off if he doesn't feel like picking you apart from the pocket.

Winston has good arm strength, solid accuracy, scans the field well and plays with good pocket presence. He's instinctive with the football, and makes creative plays. He can also get upfield, shake and bake and make dazzling runs with his legs. 

3. Dorial Green-Beckham, WR

6'6" and 220 pounds with 4.43 speed, Green-Beckham is a big, stick-figure non-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. 

Texas, Missouri, Alabama, Oklahoma and Arkansas are the main suitors.

2. Johnathan Gray, RB

At 5'11" and 195 pounds, Gray has the size to grow into an every-down back in college. He understands each play's design and intentions, whether he's supposed to burst out of his stance and attack downhill or be patient to let zone runs and stretches develop.

He makes his money where a running back should, on the second level of the defense. Gray opens his basket and uses his vision to anticipate holes, creases and alleys. He can unleash sheer bursts of speed to jump on top of run defenders.

He's quick and elusive in the open field, but he also has the strength to break tackles. 

Gray has committed to Texas.

1. Stefon Diggs, WR/RB/RS/DB

Diggs is the top offensive playmaker in the country right now, if only because of his pure versatility.

At 6'0" and 190 pounds, he plays some WR, some RB, some defensive back and is a great return man, but many project him as a WR in college.

Diggs is dangerous with the football in his hands, and while he may not time well speed-wise, on game day he's among the most explosive players on the field. He has a little Sammy Watkins to his game with good quickness, and he's excellent in his runs after the catch.