College Football Recruiting 2012: Predictions for the 2012 All-Freshman Team

National Signing Day is coming up on us fast and I figured today would be a good day to speculate on some things. For this read, I'm just going to take a stab at who I think will be the freshman All-Americans.

This won't be my end-all, be-all list, as I'll likely have a revised team after NSD comes and goes and things settle. Some recruits have been left off this list due to the depth charts at their programs, while others make the list because they crack the lineup.

Come check it out. 

DB: Tee Shepard

At 6'0" and more than 170 pounds, Shepard can play free safety and corner. He shows the coverage skills of a corner, which is where I think he projects best.

Shepard is Notre Dame pledge.

DB: Travis Blanks

He's a big DB that, at 6'1" and 195 pounds, can play both safety and corner. He has the length, size, speed, quickness and athleticism, along with the instincts, to be an impact defender.

Committed to Clemson.

DB: Brian Poole

At 5'11" and 180 pounds, Poole is a sticky cover man who can carry receivers all around the field. He has great jamming ability when pressing and doesn't back down from anyone. 

Poole can play both the field and boundary positions at corner at Florida.

DB: Shaq Thompson

Thompson is a 6'2", 205-pound safety prospect who can also play running back and a little bit of cornerback. Thompson can play both FS and SS, and even some CB in a pinch. 

Thompson fires at the run, but also has great range and cover instincts on the back end.

This looks like a race between Cal and Washington at the moment. 

LB: James Ross

At 6'1" and 215 pounds, what's so impressive about Ross is this will be only his third year of playing football. He's already shown natural instincts and his potential is off the charts.

Ross is headed to Michigan.

LB: Eli Harold

At 6'3" and 230 pounds, Harold is an extremely explosive pass-rusher who can play DE or 3-4 OLB. He is a great athlete with good range, plays speed in pursuit and is a quick closer on ball-carriers.

Harold is headed to Virginia.

LB: Kwon Alexander

At 6'2" and 210 pounds, Alexander 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, Auburn, LSU and Alabama are in the race.

DE: Noah Spence

At 6'4" and 245 pounds, Spence can also stand up as a 3-4 OLB and rush the passer, while also making plays from the back side against the run. He's an elite pass-rusher and fabulous DE prospect.

Spence announced for Ohio State on Sunday.

DE: Darius Hamilton

Hamilton is a 6'4", 245-pound defensive prospect who 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.

DT: Malcolm Brown

At 6'2" and 280 pounds, Brown looks like a great future 3-technique, as his quickness at the snap is formidable. He flies off the ball, blows by guards, disrupts offensive fronts and plays in the backfield.

Committed to Texas.

DT: Quay Evans

At 6'2" and 320 pounds, Evans is an immovable object in the trenches. Once Evans gets his hands on a blocker and is inside the body, it's over. He can use brute and sheer strength to toss them around or overpower them to get into the backfield.

Evans is headed to Mississippi State.

OL: John Theus

6'6", 295 pounds and solid in pass protection, I think Theus, a Georgia Pledge, has his best spot at right tackle. He moves targets off their marks with ease, has quick feet and plays physically at the point of attack. 

Theus also has some explosion at the point of attack and works every snap.

OL: Kyle Kalis

Committed to Michigan and at 6'5" and 305 pounds, Kalis is a lunch-pail type who works on the fronts each snap, whether at right or left tackle.

He's best in the run game, showing an ability to play with good leverage at the point of attack and displaying solid finishing ability.

OL: Evan Boehm

Boehm is a 6'3", 290-pound OL who projects best as a center. He shows the snap quickness, nimble feet, solid strength and intelligence to play the pivot, and is viewed as the nation's premier player at the position.

Boehm is looking at Missouri, Auburn, Iowa, Michigan and Oklahoma.

OL: Andrus Peat

At 6'7" and 300 pounds, Peat is the top line prospect in the country and will be a franchise left tackle. Sound in his technique, smart, patient and savvy in pass protection, Peat is an elite offensive lineman.

Nebraska, USC, Florida State, Texas and Stanford are schools to watch out for.

OL: Tyler Orlovsky

Orlosky will be an All-Big East OG at West Virginia. He's a 6'4", 290-pound guard with amazing play strength, power, force and leg drive. He can move a DT off his mark with ease and also has great technique.

He may be even a bit underrated, as Orlosky is a physical player that also can hold his own as a pass protector in a short area.

TE: Kent Taylor

Taylor is a 6'5", 215-pound tight end whom I think has the skill set of a "joker" type. He can be used as a tight end, wide receiver, slot receiver, fullback and h-back all over the football field.

Taylor is headed to Florida.

RB: Duke Johnson

At 5'9" and 180 pounds, Randy "Duke" Johnson is a jitterbug-type of back with great speed, quickness, jump-cutting and home run-hitting ability. He can return kicks and punts, plays well in space and can score from anywhere on the field.

Committed to Miami.

RB: Rushel Shell

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 run strength.

Pitt has him under wraps.

WR: Stefon Diggs

At 6'1" and 190 pounds, Diggs is a quicker-than-fast athlete with 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, Auburn, Oklahoma, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Virginia, USC, Michigan and Cal are his top finalists.

WR: Dorial Green-Beckham

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.

QB: Gunner Kiel

Kiel is a 6'4", 200-pound QB with great tools. He's a got a solid arm, flashes striking accuracy, good field vision and some athleticism. 

Kiel runs a spread offense, showing a total grasp and command of what he's doing. Notre Dame, Arkansas, LSU, Vanderbilt and USC are all after Kiel.