Ranking the 2008 Top Ten College Football Recruiting Classes

Let me just start off by stating that I believe there is much unjustified and mainly premature hype surrounding National Signing Day (Feb. 6). What are seen as prominent recruiting websites like Scouts.com and Rivals.com, even ESPN, send “experts” out into the national high school landscape to aggressively evaluate a player’s skills and incessantly nitpick at his shortcomings. Then, after the review is completed and all the tape is dissected, a player no older than 18 gets slapped with anywhere from two to five stars. Those lucky enough to receive five stars- the “blue chippers”- are presumably those players most readily able to excel at the collegiate level. But what immediate good do these prehistoric style grading systems serve if we likely won’t see a player reach his predetermined potential for a number of years down the road, if at all?

The team recruiting rankings you are about to see differ from any other you will see out there in terms of order. Most of the usual suspects make an appearance on the list as they have acquired potential top notch talent based on a multitude of factors including brand name alone as well as current players and staff. But, rather than listing schools in order based solely on their amount of obtained ESPN Top 150 prospects or highly-coveted recruits, I have opted to look at how successfully each team recruited players that fill holes as well as the overall recruiting class’ potential to contribute to the pursuit of a national championship.

1. Florida Gators
Urban Meyer is learning he can lock up only so much talent in a state full of it when many other schools in Florida are vying for the same players. Despite the competition, it appears Meyer and the Gators have scored some major talent in Lakeland, Fla. wide receiver T.J. Lawrence, among others. Meyer also managed to strengthen his teams’ biggest weakness for years to come with out-of-state safeties Will Hill (West Orange, N.J.) and Dee Finley from Auburn, Alabama.

2. Southern California Trojans
In his seven years in Los Angeles, Pete Carroll has never had the problem of having too little talent at his disposal. If anything, he’s been in the envious position of possessing too much. And no matter how you look at it, this year’s recruiting class is no exception. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that prep prospects all across America relish the idea of going to USC knowing they will eventually serve as a part of a national championship caliber team. And while a majority of this class will have to wait their turn due to the Trojans’ superior depth, some may get their shot as early as next season. Carroll may utilize top-rated tight end prospect Blake Ayles ( Orange, Calif.) in the absence of departed Fred Davis as well forgo red-shirting receiver recruit Brice Butler ( Norcross, Ga.) to add speed to a rather sluggish 2007 pass-catching corps.

3. Georgia Bulldogs
As a popular preseason top-three pick for 2008, the Bulldogs presumably have little talent replenishing to do. You wouldn’t know it judging by this class. Mark Richt shrewdly landed the second highest rated wideout in the nation in A.J. Green ( Ridgeville, SC) so that his sophomore QB Matthew Stafford would have somebody to throw to. Adding depth to the already talented Georgia running game will be standout RB recruit Carlton Thomas (Frostproof, Fla.). Thomas will be relied on to spell then, ultimately, replace future Heisman Trophy candidate Knowshon Moreno.

4. Miami Hurricanes
The ‘Canes less than stellar 5-7 record last year raised many a ‘brow in South Florida and suggested Randy Shannon is unable to lead this team the way his successor, Larry Coker, did. However, nobody will soon dog his ability to recruit. Miami scored the most ESPN Top 150 prospects including five of the top seven outside linebackers. Three of those five are the top three in the country with Arthur Brown ( Wichita, Kan.), Ramon Buchanan (Melbourne, Fla.) and Sean Spence from nearby Northwestern High School. Throw in Spence’s prep teammate and no. 1 rated defensive tackle Marcus Forston- and key offensive talent signings-and it seems Shannon has put himself in prime position to put last year’s setbacks in the rear view mirror almost immediately and make a run back at national prominence.

5. Oklahoma Sooners
The Pete Carroll of the Midwest may very well be Bob Stoops. Like Carroll, Stoops annually reaps the benefits of a surplus of talent and turns it into serious national championship aspirations. As if freshman phenom RB D’Marco Murray didn’t make opposing defenses quiver enough, they’ll love playing against no. 1 running back Jermie Calhoun (Van, Texas). Calhoun might be talented enough to challenge Murray and junior Chris Brown for playing time next season. First-year QB Sam Bradford will benefit from an infusion of talent at wide receiver while no. 2 defensive end R.J. Washington should provide quick companionship for DE Auston English on the other side of the ball. The only thing that keeps this class from leapfrogging Miami is coach Stoops’ recent inability to win the big game.

6. LSU Tigers
This past season’s champs will face the challenge of repeating without a number of star players the likes of Glenn Dorsey and Jacob Hester. Not unrelated is the task that Les Miles faces in fielding a team he can call his own, a team absent of players recruited by his predecessor, Nick Saban. Miles restocked his future defensive front seven with no. 3 DE Chancey Aghayere (Garland, Texas) and amped up the secondary with the nation’s highest rated corner in Patrick Johnson (Pembroke Pines, Fla.). The downside to having so much senior leadership, as LSU did in 2007, is that you must have replacements to effectively step in. But with a whopping 59 freshman on their ’07 roster, it seems Miles will have no problem in the future finding multiple sources of that leadership to lead this solid group.

7. Texas Longhorns
Texas was able to grab this spot based on pure consistency alone. Year in, year out the Longhorns manage to dip into the rich pool of Texas talent and emerge with top-class prospects from top to bottom. But, then again, they should. It’s Texas. With first rate talent running rabid throughout the state, Texas was able to grab two WR’s that will give QB Colt McCoy and his predecessor legitimate playmakers for some time in D.J. Grant (Austin, Texas) and Dan Buckner (Allen, Texas). But while Mack Brown was able to stockpile skill to replace that of departed WR Limas Sweed, it appears he will enter 2008 with plenty of unproven talent to fill the void left by RB Jamaal Charles. Brown was able to pluck no. 42 RB Jeremy Hills ( Alief, Texas) who was given an impressive overall grade of 79 that puts him in the bottom half of this class’ perceived quality due to its extensive depth.

8. Ohio State Buckeyes
Jim Tressel has quickly quelled concerns surrounding a defense that was hit hard by graduation and the draft the last couple years by developing emerging talent, especially at linebacker. And it appears he’ll get that opportunity again with the signing of the top two ILB prospects in Etienne Sabino ( Miami, Fla.) and Andrew Sweat ( Washington, Pa.). And for a team that emphasizes a “run first” mentality, Tressel was able to secure talent up front with three of the nation’s top eight offensive tackles. With talent waiting in the wings that has the ability to step in relatively soon, it appears the Buckeyes have situated themselves in the position to, at worst, make a run for more national title game embarrassments which is more than most teams can claim. Combined quality of this class will take a shot in the arm if currently undecided no. 1 overall prospect Terrelle Pryor ( Jeannette, Pa.) decides to come to Columbus.

9. Alabama Crimson Tide
Not even notorious bad guy Nick Saban’s sour puss attitude can diminish his innate ability to lure high school talent to Tuscaloosa. The Tide ruled the state of Alabama in nabbing no. 2 overall recruit and coveted WR Julio Jones who appears ready to make an immediate impact under Saban’s guidance. Throw in the nation’s top “athlete” Burton Scott ( Prichard, Ala.) and offensive tackle Tyler Love ( Birmingham, Ala.) and you got a recipe of size and skill tailored for SEC success for years to come. Like that of Texas, Alabama’s 2008 class is extremely deep with overall grades bottoming out at an impressive 74.

10. Clemson Tigers
Tommy Bowden will be giving himself a small pat on the back in the near future with the assembly of talent he was able to usher into Death Valley. Some consider DE prospect DaQuan Bowers (Bamberg, SC) to be the most talented recruit in America. But it was the offensive side of the ball where impacts will be made. Highly-touted OT Antoine McClain (Anniston, Ala.), TE Dwayne Allen (Fayetteville, SC) and prized RB Jamie Harper (Jacksonville, Fla.) all have potential to excel with no. 4 QB Kyle Parker (Jacksonville, Fla.).

by Ryan Faller
CollegeSports-fans.com Staff Writer