UM at #6 and MSU at #7. Good thing its a "down" year in the state of Michigan or else MSU would be in the top 5.

August 6, 2008

Jeremy Crabtree
Recruiting Editor
MORE: Class of 2009 Rivals250 | Position Rankings | State Rankings | 2008 Team Rankings

Just as high schools and colleges across the country are beginning to hit the practice field for the 2008 season, several college programs are already beginning to fill up their 2009 recruiting classes with commitments from some of the nation's top prospects.

Following up on our July look at the top 25 recruiting classes, Rivals.com national recruiting editor Jeremy Crabtree takes a look at the current standings and gives us his take on those teams' efforts.

This sampling of the team rankings is based strictly on rated high school players - neither junior college nor prep school prospects have been ranked at this time.

Team rankings top 25
1. Ohio State
2009 total commits: 24
Headliner: Dorian Bell
July rank: 1 Ohio State continues to hold the top spot in our team recruiting rankings. After sprinting out of the gate with an impressive slew of highly ranked commitments, the Buckeyes haven't slowed down. OSU recently added offensive lineman Sam Longo, the nation's No. 20 offensive tackle and also the No. 20 player in Ohio.
2. USC
2009 total commits: 14
Headliner: Matt Barkley
July rank: 2 It has been rather quiet on the commitment front for the Trojans for more than a month now, but the early returns have been impressive. Several USC pledges, including Byron Moore, have shined at recent camps and could move up in the August Rivals.com player rankings.
3. Texas
2009 total commits: 19
Headliner: Garrett Gilbert
July rank: 3 The Longhorns are sitting pretty with several top uncommitted players, and those additions could bolster an already-impressive class. While players such as Garrett Gilbert and Alex Okafor headline the class, watch out for fast-risers such as defensive back Kenny Vaccaro and tight end Barrett Matthews.
4. Florida State
2009 total commits: 18
Headliner: Jacobbi McDaniel
July rank: 6 The Seminoles moved up from No. 6 thanks to recent commitments from Lonnie Pryor, Xavier Rhodes, Rodney Smith and Henry Orelus. Each was recruited by FSU recruiting coordinator James Coley, and Coley's impact already is being felt in his first season after arriving from FIU.
5. LSU
2009 total commits: 16
Headliner: Russell Shepard
July rank: 5 LSU had a good July and early August, with commitments from Kenny Bell, Derek Helton, Josh Williford and Stavion Lowe. Lowe is one of the nation's top line prospects and he's also one of the best players in Texas. Look for Chris Faulk to help boost LSU's class rank even higher when the August rankings are revealed.
6. Michigan
2009 total commits: 14
Headliner: William Campbell
July rank: 4 The Wolverines have added two commitments – Mike Jones and DeQuinta Jones – since the first team rankings were released. DeQuinta Jones had a strong summer and looks like a major steal from Louisiana. In addition, Bryce McNeal showed he's one of the nation's best receivers at the FBU Top Gun Camp.
7. Michigan State
2009 total commits: 15
Headliner: Edwin Baker
July rank: 10 We don't know if it's fair to call the Spartans the nation's biggest surprise because coach Mark Dantonio always has been a good recruiter, but nobody predicted this type of success so early in the process. Eight four-star prospects headline a talented group that's deep at a lot of positions. Stealing four-star lineman David Barrent from Iowa helped push the class to No. 7 overall.
8. Georgia
2009 total commits: 12
Headliner: Aaron Murray
July rank: 7 The group is about as solid as it gets. With eight four-star commitments and four three-star pledges, the Bulldogs have one of the best overall star averages in the nation. It has been quiet recently, with the only new addition being Jordan Love. But quarterback Aaron Murray showed he's one of the nation's best players at the EA Sports Elite 11 Camp.
9. Clemson
2009 total commits: 11
Headliner: Craig Loston
July rank: 8 Recent commitments from Brandon Thomas and Ben Axon help keep Clemson in the top 10. This group is one of the deepest, with many positions of need already being filled with high-quality players. Keeping Texas safety Craig Loston committed until National Signing Day might be tough, but it'll be a real feather in the Tigers' cap if they can make it happen.
10. Notre Dame
2009 total commits: 13
Headliner: Cierre Wood
July rank: 20 The Irish jumped up 10 spots since our last team rankings. It definitely was a busy July, with commitments coming in from Marlon Pollard, Tyler Eifert, Chris Watt and Zach Martin. Martin and Watt are among the nation's best offensive line prospects, and getting Pollard away from UCLA was a nice victory.
11. Texas A&M
2009 total commits: 24
Headliner: Ivory Wade
July rank: 12 The Aggies had a nice late-July run. Rico Forbes, Andrew Weaver, Patrick Lewis, Michael Lamothe and Jonathan Stewart committed in the final 10 days of July. You have to give credit to defensive line coach Buddy Wyatt. He has reeled in 10 commitments.
12. Oklahoma
2009 total commits: 16
Headliner: Ronnell Lewis
July rank: 9 The Sooners haven't grabbed as many headlines as Big 12 South rivals Texas and Texas A&M, but this group definitely ranks among the nation's best. The commitment in late July of Darius Jones gives OU one of the best defensive back groups in the nation. Throw in fast-rising cornerback Marcus Trice, and the OU group packs a nice punch with 16 commitments on board and plenty of room for more.
13. Mississippi State
2009 total commits: 15
Headliner: Fletcher Cox
July rank: 15 Maybe it's time to start giving Mississippi State the credit it deserves. Sylvester Croom is tearing it up in the recruiting wars in Mississippi. The Bulldogs move up two slots after pulling in commitments from highly regarded prospects Montrell Conner, Gabriel Jackson, Patrick Patterson, William Shumpert, Deontae Skinner and Josh Boyd in the past five weeks.
14. Tennessee
2009 total commits: 16
Headliner: Josh Nunes
July rank: 14 Tennessee always recruits well under Phillip Fulmer, and this year is no exception with recent pledges from Nigel Mitchell-Thornton, D.T. Shackelford, Edwin Herbert and Zach Rogers. While UT has a good foundation in place, it's going to be interesting to see how they finish. Few head coaches can close in January like Fulmer.
15. Alabama
2009 total commits: 13
Headliner: Trent Richardson
July rank: 25 The Tide climb 10 spots after landing five commitments in the final few days of July. And watch out for Mississippi safety Rod Woodson in the August rankings. He recently impressed at the Hoover 7-on-7 Tournament and has the potential to be one of the biggest steals in the Southeast. Quarterback of the future AJ McCarron impressed at the Elite 11 event.
16. Auburn
2009 total commits: 18
Headliner: Rodney Scott
July rank: 23 Auburn still continues to fly a bit under the radar nationally, but there is plenty of star power in this almost-full class. With 22 commitments and several junior college players yet to be ranked, the class could climb even higher. Wide receiver Cameron Kenney was one of the best players in the Kansas junior colleges last season, and his addition should give the Tigers a real boost on offense. The recent commitments helped Auburn move up seven spots in the rankings.
17. Miami
2009 total commits: 10
Headliner: Bryce Brown
July rank: 16 Small but impressive – that's the best way to describe Miami's class to this point. With 10 commitments, the 'Canes don't have as many as others in the top 20, but the talent is nothing short of amazing. Running back Bryce Brown showed why he's a five-star prospect at the Top Gun Camp, and the defensive line class already assembled could see the field early in 2009.
18. Florida
2009 total commits: 9
Headliner: Nick Alajajian
July rank: 13 You have to think Florida is just waiting for the talent to come flowing in as it has in the past. The Gators have nine commitments, but what an impressive group they are. Five of the nine are at least four-star prospects. With UF involved with many of the nation's best, look for the Gators to climb in the rankings as recruiting moves along.
19. Rutgers
2009 total commits: 19
Headliner: Tom Savage
July rank: 11 The Scarlet Knights have put themselves in a good position to finish with a top-25 class with a strong early haul. Quarterback Tom Savage impressed at the Elite 11 event and ranks among the nation's best. There are several lower-ranked players who could receive bumps in August, and that could push Rutgers even higher next time.
20. Stanford
2009 total commits: 11
Headliner: Shayne Skov
July rank: 24 Jim Harbaugh quietly is putting together one of the nation's best classes. Things definitely look as if they're on the way up in Palo Alto as the Cardinal recently added a commitment from four-star running back Stepfan Taylor, pushing Stanford into the top 20.
21. Penn State
2009 total commits: 16
Headliner: Eric Shrive
July rank: 19 This group of 16 commitments is loaded with some big-time talent on defense. The defensive back class should rank among the nation's best, and plenty of offensive line help is on the way. There were four commitments in July.
22. Virginia
2009 total commits: 19
Headliner: Dominique Wallace
July rank: 18 Virginia has 19 commitments and has a solid foundation for a potential top-25 class. The newest commitment is Laroy Reynolds, who is a solid three-star player from Virginia. He ranks among the nation's top 50 safeties.
23. West Virginia
2009 total commits: 14
Headliner: Tajh Boyd
July rank: 21 WVU's class hasn't been talked about, but there is plenty of offensive firepower – which should help keep the Mountaineers near the top of the rankings. Quarterback Tajh Boyd showed he has the tools to be a star on the next level at the Elite 11 and Top Gun camps.
24. North Carolina
2009 total commits: 13
Headliner: Donte Moss
July rank: 17 UNC has 13 commitments, and what it has done on defense has been impressive. Two solid defensive backs, a standout linebacker and stars on the defensive line make this a great start for the Heels. Curtis Campbell looks like a real steal from the Chesapeake, Va., area.
25. USF
2009 total commits: 10
Headliner: Bradley Battles
July rank: NR The Bulls have been one of the nation's most underappreciated recruiting programs. USF had an extremely busy June, with nine of its 11 commitments coming on board in that month. There are several other big-timers looking at USF, so the Bulls could climb higher.
JUST MISSED:
Duke, Maryland, Missouri, Kansas, Georgia Tech and Texas Tech. Duke a potential top-25 recruiting class? Things definitely are different in Durham, and the success the Blue Devils have had lately is a testament to the new staff. Maryland also has made a nice move up the charts and could be in line for a top-25 class. Missouri and Kansas have put together the best classes in the Big 12 North, which isn't a big surprise based on last season's results. Georgia Tech has done a nice job locally and added plenty of offensive playmakers. Texas Tech has done a nice job of keeping in-state talent at home.

That must make Sparties feel good to only be 1 spot below big brother.

That must make Sparties feel good to only be 1 spot below big brother.
Shouldn`t you be watching something on FOX proclaiming the innocence and greatness of Karl Rove`s manipulation of the ignorant, inbred minions of the Religious Right?

Oh relax

MSU will surely drop as we go closer to signing day...

7 is their peak...no more in-state talent to be had

MSU will surely drop as we go closer to signing day...

7 is their peak...no more in-state talent to be had
I wouldn`t count on it. That #7 ranking is not considering the pledge from Dan France.

It says 15 commits. France is included.

It says 15 commits. France is included.
So he is. If MSU can land Sims (who is starting to get on my nerves a little) or Gordon, as well as some of the other prospects they are pursuing, I imagine they will stay right around #7 or go a little higher.

Regardless, the success Dantonio is having is very, very encouraging and not accidental.

I accidentally recruited a guy just the other day........embarrassing as hell

The only potential problem with that is the small amount of commits people below UM and MSU have. We may both slip out of the top 10 depending on what happens there.
#8 Georgia only has 12, and they should be very good on the field this year to attract more top talent.
#10 Notre Dame is somehow still very good at recruiting and is sure to add to their 13 commits.
Further down the list, Alabama only has 13 and they usually go into the mid-20's (because they don't anticipate full eligibility) and Miami and Florida only have 10 and 9, respectively.

Not sure how many scholarships State has left, or how many 4 stars could potentially be added, but they'll have to snag some strong names just to stay put.
UM has some big names among the possibilities, but not many that I realistically expect to commit. David Oku just dropped UM from consideration, and I expect that trend to continue. UM will probably finish in the top 15, but maybe not higher than 10-12.

The only potential problem with that is the small amount of commits people below UM and MSU have. We may both slip out of the top 10 depending on what happens there.
#8 Georgia only has 12, and they should be very good on the field this year to attract more top talent.
#10 Notre Dame is somehow still very good at recruiting and is sure to add to their 13 commits.
Further down the list, Alabama only has 13 and they usually go into the mid-20's (because they don't anticipate full eligibility) and Miami and Florida only have 10 and 9, respectively.

Not sure how many scholarships State has left, or how many 4 stars could potentially be added, but they'll have to snag some strong names just to stay put.
UM has some big names among the possibilities, but not many that I realistically expect to commit. David Oku just dropped UM from consideration, and I expect that trend to continue. UM will probably finish in the top 15, but maybe not higher than 10-12.
True. I guess at this point its better to just focus on how the recruits that have verballed fill the needs of your team. Frankly, I think MSU and UM have both done a good job of filling their respective needs with very good to outstanding players.

If you include Keith Nichol, MSU's incoming class is much stronger...

If you include Keith Nichol, MSU's incoming class is much stronger...
Yes, even though all the drama has been enough to kill a cow, Nichol is a good pick up. And overall, MSU`s class is very strong, but RR is bringing in his complement of spread players as well. And even though Campbell may have a ways to go in the character department, he is a monster.

They still need at least one more DE to go with Campbell. But Campbell and Martin side by side for 2-3 years should be nuts.

USC is going to drop a bit. They have a verbal from a 4 star OLB (the #10 at his position nationally) who will not be making it to campus.

A USC football recruit has been convicted of robbing a man at gunpoint in Compton earlier this year.

A Compton Superior Court jury deliberated for several hours Wednesday before convicting 18-year-old linebacker Maurice Simmons of robbery and assault with a firearm. Lamont Hall, the football player's friend, has also been convicted of the March 5 robbery.

Simmons' attorney intends to appeal the verdict because his client did not realize that his friend intended to commit a crime.

Simmons faces 7 years in prison when he is sentenced Aug. 28.

Simmons had accepted an athletic scholarship a month before the robbery.

A USC athletic department spokesman had no immediate comment on Simmons' status.

In the end, they will probably replace him with Jelani Jenkins or something. It's pretty typical USC to use the scholarship for the #10 and replace it with the #1. Bastards.

I'm scared that Will Campbell will take a vist to USC, and RoJo & Nick Perry will convince him to be a Trojan...

Hope I'm wrong.

I'm scared that Will Campbell will take a vist to USC, and RoJo & Nick Perry will convince him to be a Trojan...

Hope I'm wrong.
Campbell is a great player, but he is sorely lacking in the character department. Under RR he might turn out to be another Pac-Man Jones.

And you can back that up with...

And you can back that up with...

seconded

And you can back that up with...
At the OSU camp he was dominating much weaker competition to the point he was ridiculing them. The OSU staff felt it necessary to pull him aside and tell him to cool it and treat the other campers with respect. As I said, great player but the kid is a dickhead.

seconded
Tahoe, if you actually buy into McCain`s gross oversimplification of Obama`s energy plan as "Just air your tires and everything will be OK", you are fucking idiot.

Well you bought into BO's oversimplification that JM wanted to keep troops in Iraq for 100 years, so you are.

bukdow knows you are, but what is he?

At the OSU camp he was dominating much weaker competition to the point he was ridiculing them. The OSU staff felt it necessary to pull him aside and tell him to cool it and treat the other campers with respect. As I said, great player but the kid is a dickhead.

Clearly dominating other players to the point of ridicule (instead of playing down to competition like a puss) means he'll be involved in nightclub shootings very soon. Fantastic logic.