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Recruiting Wrap ... with Doug Huff

Trojans tromp all competitors to land top recruiting class

Four SEC teams highlight the top 10

Southern California may have lost the BCS Championship Game, but the Trojans are already in the process of reloading, as they were No. 1 in this year’s recruiting chase.

USC signed 24 student-athletes to NCAA football grants-in-aid, with half of those recruits ranked among the nation’s Top 100 prospects.

The Trojans, who had a third straight national title bid halted by Texas in the Rose Bowl, landed the top five West Coast prospects, including four in-state players.

Headlining USC’s signees is running back Stafon Johnson (6-0, 205) of Dorsey High in Los Angeles; wide receiver David Ausberry (6-4, 215) of Lemoore, Calif.; two-way back C.J. Gable (5-11, 180) of Sylmar, Calif.; linebacker Allen Bradford (5-11, 220) of Colton, Calif.; and safety Taylor Mays (6-3, 220) of O’Dea High in Seattle, Wash.

The 2006 USC class moved up the recruiting rankings’ charts when it landed Johnson (who is rated a top three running back nationally) on Signing Day Feb. 1 and also after gaining a commitment from Emmanuel Moody (5-11, 185) from Coppell, Texas. Moody earlier gave a verbal commitment to in-state Texas, but changed his mind in January.

Other key recruits by the Trojans include wide receiver Vidal Hazelton (6-3, 195) of Hargrave Military in Chatham, Va.; offensive lineman Butch Lewis (6-5, 285) of Regis Jesuit High in Aurora, Colo.; defensive back Antwine Perez (6-1, 200) of Woodrow Wilson High in Camden, N.J.; and linebacker Josh Tatum (6-0, 220) of McClymonds High in Oakland, Calif.

The Trojans, who were ranked No. 3 in the 2005 recruiting chase, top this year’s Top 10 ratings.

Here’s the rest of the Top 10, which includes four teams out of the SEC:

2. Florida

The Gators landed 27 prospects on Signing Day, including two of the nation’s most touted skill position players—left-handed quarterback Tim Tebow (6-3, 225) of Nease High in St. Augustine, Fla., and wide receiver/kick returner Percy Harvin (6-1, 185) of Landstown High in Virginia Beach, Va.

Other Top 100 recruits include offensive lineman Carl Johnson (6-6, 345) of Southern High in Durham, N.C.; linebacker Brandon Spikes (6-4, 235) of Crest High in Shelby, N.C.; and four in-state players—wide receiver Riley Cooper of Central Catholic in Clearwater, athlete Jarred Fayson of Hillsborough High in Tampa, defensive tackle Corey Hobbs (6-5, 310) of Oviedo and defensive back Jamar Hornsby (6-2, 185) of Sandalwood High in Jacksonville.

3. Texas

Like USC, the Longhorns dominated in-state recruiting by signing 25 prospects, with 23 of them from the Lone Star State.

One of the out-of-state recruits is a Top 100 prospect, linebacker/defensive end Lamarr Houston (6-3, 255) of Doherty High in Colorado Springs, Colo.
The top in-state recruit is linebacker Sergio Kindle (6-4, 225) from Woodrow Wilson High in Dallas. Other Lone Star prep products who are headed to the Austin campus include defensive back/wide receiver Deon Beasley (5-10, 165) of West Orange Stark High in Orange; linebacker Dustin Earnest (6-3, 220) of Texarkana; defensive ends Brian Ellis (6-5, 250) of South Grand Prairie and Eddie Jones (6-4, 240) of Kilgore; wide receiver Philip Payne (6-3, 185) of South Garland; and offensive lineman J’Marcus Webb (6-8, 285) of North Mesquite.

4. Georgia

The Bulldogs have posted two straight Top 10 recruiting classes after ranking No. 8 in 2005.

Headlining the 27-recruit class is quarterback Matthew Stafford (6-3, 225) from Highland Park High in Dallas. The EA Sports National Player of the Year enrolled at Georgia in early January and will participate in spring drills. Stafford led Highland Park (which is the alma mater of NFL Hall of Fame players Doak Walker and Bobby Layne) to a 15-0 record, a No. 13 national ranking and the school’s first state title since 1957. With the early enrollment, don’t be surprised if Stafford earns his way into the starting lineup this season.

Other key recruits include center/offensive lineman Justin Anderson (6-5, 340) of Irwin County High of Ocilla, Ga.; defensive lineman Ricardo Crawford (6-2, 300) of West Columbus High in Cerro Gordo, N.C.; linebacker Akeem Hebron (6-1, 205) of Good Counsel High in Wheaton, Md.; defensive back Prince Miller (5-10, 180) of James F. Byrnes High in Duncan, S.C.; and outside linebacker/defensive end Brandon Wood (6-1, 240) of Haralson County High in Tallapoosa, Ga.

5. Penn State

The Nittany Lions recorded a “daily double” by capping its Top 5 finish in the national rankings last season with a top five rating in the recruiting hunt.

Maryland and Virginia continue to be fertile recruiting states for the Lions. The incoming prospect class includes headliners from both of those areas, namely cornerback A.J. Wallace (6-1, 195) from McDonough High in Pomfret, Md.; offensive linemen Antonio Logan-El (6-5, 300) of Forestville, Md.; and J.B. Walton (6-3, 285) from Lackey High in Indian Head, Md.; wide receiver Chris Bell (6-3, 205) of Granby High in Norfolk, Va.; and running back Evan Royster (6-0, 200) of Westfield High in Chantilly, Va.

Other key recruits include quarterback Pat Devlin of Downingtown East High in Exton, Pa.; defensive end Maurice Evans (6-3, 260) of Christ the King High in Middle Village, N.Y.; and defensive lineman Jared Odrick (6-5, 265) of Lebanon, Pa.

6. Florida State

The Seminoles were ranked No. 1 in the 2005 recruiting race and were able to stay in the Top 10 this year after landing 31 commitments, including several key junior college prospects.

Heading the list of high school signees is All-American defensive back Myron Rolle (6-2, 215) from The Hun School in Princeton, N.J. Other touted prep players in the fold are tight end/defensive end Brandon Warren (6-2, 230) of Alcoa, Tenn.; tight end Caz Piurowski (6-7, 230) of Land O’Lakes, Fla.; and defensive lineman Doug Thacker (6-3, 250) of Seminole High in Sanford, Fla.

Key players with junior college experience include two from Hargrave Military in Chatham, Va., offensive lineman Matt Hardrick (6-5, 340) and defensive end Justin Mincey (6-5, 275). Hardrick was formerly a star at Edgewater High in Orlando, Fla.

7. Oklahoma

The Sooners saved their top recruit commitments until Signing Day, as Oklahoma’s top two prospects opted to remain at home for their college tenure.

Signing Sooner grants-in-aid were defensive tackle Gerald McCoy (6-4, 305) of Southeast High in Oklahoma City and tight end-wide receiver Jermaine Gresham (6-7, 230) of Ardmore. Both earned All-America honors last year in high school.

Oklahoma, which was ranked No. 2 in the 2005 recruiting race, also landed two Texas prep players, wide receiver Adron Tennell (6-5, 200) of Irving and promising cornerback Malcolm Williams (5-10, 175) of South Grand Prairie.

8. Notre Dame

The Irish capped their finest recruiting class in years by landing 27 commitments, including a late verbal from offensive lineman Sam Young (6-8, 305) of St. Thomas Aquinas High in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Young is regarded as one of the nation’s top two offensive line prospects.

Besides Young, the top Irish recruits appear to be tight end Konrad Reuland (6-6, 240) of Mission Viejo, Calif.; running back James Aldridge (6-1, 215) of Merrillville, Ind.; offensive lineman Matt Carufel (6-5, 290) of Cretin-Derham Hall in St. Paul, Minn.; and wide receiver Richard Jackson (6-2, 190) of East Ridge High in Clermont, Fla.

9. LSU

The Tigers collected 26 commitments on Signing Day, including touted defensive lineman Al Woods (6-4, 330) from Elton, La.

Other key recruits included defensive end/tight end Richard Dickson (6-3, 235) from Ocean Springs, Miss.; running back Charles Scott (6-0, 220) from Jonesboro-Hodge High in Jonesboro, La.; and running back Keiland Williams (6-0, 215) of Hargrave Military in Chatham, Va., who was previously a prep star in Lafayette, La.

10. Auburn

The Tigers jump into the Top 10 after landing 25 recruits, including touted junior college defensive lineman Greg Smith (6-3, 300), who starred at Northeast Mississippi Community College and could be a major contributor this fall.

Other top recruits include running back Ben Tate (5-10, 205) of Snow Hill, Md.; quarterback Neil Caudle (6-2, 190) of Spain Park High in Hoover, Ala.; defensive lineman Bart Eddins (6-5, 265) of Trinity Presbyterian in Montgomery, Ala.; and defensive lineman Mike Blanc (6-4, 265) of Deerfield Beach, Fla.