[Lefty Noob]

Over in the Notre Dame board, we've been talking about their 2006 recruiting class. It got me to wondering what schools everyone thought did the best job recruiting players this year.

No. 1 on my list has got to be Florida. Tim Tebow is going to be a phenomenal talent at QB, they got a couple of great WRs in Percy Harvin and Jarred Fayson, and OL Carl Johnson and LB Brandon Spikes are both blue-chippers. After that I think you've got Texas, USC, Ohio State and then Penn State. What do you guys think?

[wvuauthor]

Lefty,

I agree with your top picks. It appears that those teams sured up almost every position for the next couple of years.

I think one team that should get props is the Pitt Panthers. They came through with a top 10 recruiting class. They definitely got everything they needed in order to keep pace with WVU and Louisville in the Big East.

Time will tell...any thoughts on which true freshman will make the biggest impact this year in college football?

[Lefty Noob]

Boy, its always so hard to tell, you know? A lot of it depends upon spring drills and injuries.

I think Florida State DB Myron Rolle has a chance to be an impact player right off the bat. He's got good size at 6-3, runs a 4-5 40 and had a 4.0 GPA in high school. Rolle looks to have the right combo of physical ability and mental prowess to make an immediate impact.

Also keep an eye on Florida's Harvin and Ohio State RB Chris Wells. They have natural ability and their respective schools' offensive schemes might equal early success.

[wvuauthor]

I have heard a lot of good things about Rolle as well. What is so impressive about him is his size. At around 6-3 he will be able to give some receivers fits, and his speed will allow him to play tight coverage. If he can catch onto the system quick enough, he surely has a chance to get some early playing time.

[mcclainbabygirl]

Ohio State has to have some good guys going into the draft and will be drafted early. We all know Tressel will bring some great kids into the program.

[wedge]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Boy, its always so hard to tell, you know? A lot of it depends upon spring drills and injuries.

I think Florida State DB Myron Rolle has a chance to be an impact player right off the bat. He's got good size at 6-3, runs a 4-5 40 and had a 4.0 GPA in high school. Rolle looks to have the right combo of physical ability and mental prowess to make an immediate impact.

Rolle will definitely get a look as the Noles lose both starting safeties Hall and Watkins. Over the years few true freshman have started on Mickey Andrew's defense. Off the top of my head I can name Marvin Jones and last year CB Tony Carter, but Carter was more out of necessity because of injuries to Cromartie and Ross.

Rolle is truly a rarity these days. Some considered him the best prospect in the nation AND he also scored a 1340 on his SAT. Being a die-hard noles fan, FSU has been needing a leader on the defensive side. Someone who is level headed and leads by example. Hopefully in time, Rolle will fill that void.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Recruiting 2006

2005 CFN Top 25 Recruiting Classes

1. FloridaThe complete class
The Gators are number one, but it's closer than you might think with USC coming very, very close to winning the top spot. Everyone likes Urban Meyer's first real class for good reason; he got the parts to fit the system. Tim Tebow is in a perfect situation getting a year to learn behind Chris Leak before being ready to grow into college football's new star quarterback. WR Percy Harvin should be a big-time playmaker from day one, but while most will focus on the flash, the lines also got some big-time help highlighted by 335-pound offensive lineman Carl Johnson.
Star of the class Tim Tebow QB 6-3 225 St. Augustine, Fla. (Nease)

2. USCThe complete class
So Pete Carroll lost WR Percy Harvin to Florida, but he took RB Emmanuel Moody away from Texas and got some flash with RB Stafon Johnson. No one plugs holes with freshmen faster than USC, and the hope will be for safeties C.J. Gable, Antwine Perez and Taylor Mays to combine to take over Darnell Bing's old spot, while WR Vidal Hazelton will be a scary-good addition to the nation's best 1-2 receiving punch of Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith.
Star of the class Vidal Hazelton WR 6'2" 195 Chatham, VA

3. GeorgiaThe complete class
This is Mark Richt's best recruiting class yet. If he could win ten games year after year with those NFL loaded rosters, the expectations will be even higher after this year with QB Matthew Stafford sure to push for D.J. Shockley's old starting job and Brandon Wood looking like the program's next outstanding defensive end. The class is loaded with offensive linemen and talented defensive ends, but this year's haul will end up being judged by Stafford.
Star of the class Matthew Stafford QB 6-3 210 Dallas, Tex. Highland Park

4. TexasThe complete class
Texas wasn't able to get Matthew Stafford to try to replace Vince Young, but Jevan Snead and Sherrod Harris are talented quarterbacks who'll battle to be in charge of leading the nation's (most likely) top ranked team. It's asking too much to replace All-America talents right away, but Longhorn fans will be hoping for Sergio Kindle to replace head-ripping LB Aaron Harris and Ken Beasley to step in for Thorpe Award winner Michael Huff. DE Eddie Jones is a bit undersized, but he'll be a star pass rusher.
Star of the class Sergio Kindle LB 6-4 225 Dallas, Texas (Wilson)

5. OklahomaThe complete class
When Adrian Peterson leaves for the NFL next year, DeMarco Murray will be ready to keep the Sooner ground game going. DT Gerald McCoy isn't Tommie Harris, but he's a disruptive tackle who should be in the rotation right away. The receiving corps and the secondary got the biggest overall boosts with defensive backs Jonathan Nelson and Dominique Franks some of the best young corner prospects in the Big 12, while 6-1 Brandon Caleb and 6-4 Adron Tennell are big targets for Rhett Bomar.
Star of the class DeMarco Murray RB 6'1" 190 Las Vegas, NV

6. Notre DameThe complete class
The signing of NFL bodied offensive lineman Sam Young gives Charlie Weis his anchor for the line over the next several years. The rest of the offensive line, thanks to the signing of Matt Carufel, Dan Wenger, Eric Olsen and Chris Stewart, will fill in well around Young. It'll be an interesting quarterback battle over the next few years to replace Brady Quinn when he's off to the NFL in 2007 with Demetrius Jones, if he doesn't get moved to receiver, taking on Zach Frazer. It would've been nice if there were more top receiver prospects.
Star of the class Sam Young, OL 6-7 292 Coral Springs, FL (St. Thomas Aquinas)

7. LSUThe complete class
It's not like LSU was starving for speed, and now it got a lot more with a track team for a secondary. CB Jai Eugene can flat out fly, while safeties Troy Giddens and Danny McCray aren't just fast, they're big. The great recent tradition of LSU defensive tackles will continue with Al Woods and Charles Deas adding mega 300+ pounders. Keiland Williams and Charles Scott are big, fast, talented running backs who should be in the rotation right away.
Star of the class Jai Eugene CB 6-0 175 Destrehan, La. (Destrehan HS)

8. AuburnThe complete class
Don't expect many of Auburn's top prospects to shine right away, but there are great prospects for 2007 and beyond with DT Bart Eddins sure to be an All-SEC rock in a few years and Chris Slaughter, Tim Hawthorne and Terrell Zachery giving hope for a strong receiving corps. Neil Caudle is a fantastic quarterback talent who'll have time to learn behind Brandon Cox. One player who should be in the mix right away is 315-pound JUCO transfer Greg Smith at defensive tackle.
Star of the class Bart Eddins DL, 6-4, 260 Montgomery, AL (Trinity Presbyterian)
9. Penn StateThe complete class
2005's class wasn't a fluke with Chris Bell adding another great young receiver to the corps, while Pat Devlin should be in the fight right away to replace QB Michael Robinson. Maurice Evans will be asked to replace All-America DE Tamba Hali sooner than later, while Antonio Logan-El is a big run blocker who should be the anchor of the line in a few years. Phillip Taylor and Jared Odrick will join Evans to create a strong defensive line.
Star of the class Chris Bell WR 6-3 205 Granby (Va.)

10. Florida StateThe complete class
S Myron Rolle was already in the bad months ago, and then Bobby Bowden came up with his typical Signing Day haul getting Marcus Sims, the brother of former Seminole star LB Ernie Sims, who'll be a big, bruising running back. The last great FSU tight end was ... exactly. Brandon Warren is a big wide receiver who'll be a killer tight end once he hits a college weight room, while 6-7 Caz Piurowski has room to fill out his frame. After this year's disaster on the offensive line, it'll be interesting to see if new recruits Daron Ross and Matt Hardrick see time right away.
Star of the class Myron Rolle 6-2, 214, Safety Galloway, NJ (The Hun School)
11. Ohio StateThe complete class
RB Chris Wells will be the focus of the offense soon, and he should be Maurice Clarett-like on the field this season. He's 220 pounds with speed and moves. This was a diverse class getting a decent player or two at several positions, but no place got a bigger immediate boost than linebacker with JUCO star Larry Grant trying to fill in right away for one of the lost starters and undersized Thaddeus Gibson and Mark Johnson ready to bring their speed to the outside.
Star of the class Chris Wells Running Back 6-1, 225 Akron, Ohio Garfield High School

12. ClemsonThe complete class
It's not a stretch to say the younger Bowden might have outdone the older one. RB C.J. Spiller appeared all set to go to Florida State before reversing field and heading to Clemson to give James Davis some help. The biggest boost came at defensive end where Ricky Sapp, Kevin Alexander and Jamie Cumbie provide tremendous athleticism. The secondary also got some help, especially at corner, with big, fast Byron Maxwell and Crezdon Butler coming in.
Star of the class C.J. Spiller RB 5'10" 180 Lake Butler, FL

13. MichiganThe complete class
The Wolverines need their offensive line prospects to come through or this class will be a disappointment. Steve Schilling and Justin Boren appear to fit the Michigan mold of offensive linemen, and they'll have some talented backs to block for with Carlos Brown and Brandon Minor ready to add some depth behind an already good stable of backs.
Star of the class Brandon Graham LB 6-2 240 Detroit, Mich. (Crockett Technical)

14. Oklahoma StateThe complete class
Mike Gundy did a great job of stocking the shelves in his first year recruiting. Many Cowboy fans will get upset about losing RB Michael Goodson to Texas A&M, but there are some very, very good prospects to get excited about with QB Alex Cate filling the requirements of what Gundy is looking for. The defense got the most top players with Derek Burton, Jonathon Lewis and Ugo Chinasa toughening up the line, Perrish Cox, Deron Fontenot and Al'Darius Thompson in the secondary and Justin Gent, Donnell Williams, Adrian Hamilton and Patrick Lavine for the linebacking corps.
Star of the class Alex Cate, QB 6-2, 198, 4.8, Salt Lake City, UT (Cottonwood)
15. Ole MissThe complete class
The jury has been out from the beginning on whether or not Ed Orgeron could be a good head coach, but no one questioned his recruiting abilities. He came up with two sensational defensive linemen in 340-pound Jerrell Powe and 6-5 end Kentrell Lockett, but Ole Miss desperately needs offensive playmakers, and now. Former Tennessee QB Brent Schaeffer will likely run the show from day one, while 240-pound Cordera Eason will make an instant impact on the running game. Orgeron needs JUCO offensive lineman Aubrey McPhadden to find a starting spot right away.
Star of the class Jerrell Powe DL 6-2 330 Waynesboro, Miss. (Wayne County; Hargrave)

16. AlabamaThe complete class
The signing of CFN's number one prospect, OT Andre Smith, was enough to make this a class to get excited about, while David Ross and 6-6, 300-pound Alex Stadler should also grow into a mainstay on the offensive line. While head coach Mike Shula was battling hard for non-Florida Gator QB Tim Tebow, he got a nice consolation prize in Greg McElroy. The secondary should be loaded for years to come with several fast, talented prospects highlighted by corners Javier Arenas and Marcus Udell.
Star of the class Andre Smith OL 6-5 315 Birmingham/Huffman

17. UCLAThe complete class
It's not a class comparable to USC's, but it's a good one, especially on the offensive line. However, Sean Sheller and Jake Dean are each around 260 pounds and are at least a year away from contributing. 305-pound Micah Kia should be given a hard look right away. The top players of Karl Dorrell's class are for the offense, highlighted by speedy WR Terrence Austin, but the bulk of the class is on defense loading up on the line.
Star of the class Terrence Austin WR 5-11, 175 Poly, Long Beach, CA

18. PittThe complete class
Head coach Dave Wannstedt didn't do much on Signing Day but keep the good players he already got commitments from. He needed more team speed, and he got it from RB Kevin Collier, WR Dorin Dickerson and JUCO transfer Lowell Robinson, who should find a starting spot right away in the secondary. Tackles John Malecki and Jason Pinkston need to eventually be the foundation of the defense.
Star of the class Nate Byham, TE, 6-3, 215, Polk, Pa., Franklin
19. MiamiThe complete class
This isn't a bad class considering all the turmoil with the coaching staff since the Peach Bowl disaster. This group is heavy on running backs and defensive linemen with LeSean McCoy and Javarris James adding serious speed to the backfield to match Kylan Robinson's power, and Steven Wesley, Chris Lewis and Richard Gordon adding pass rushers to the D. Even with the several good players added, this recruiting haul is nowhere near the level of past Miami classes.
Star of the class Ryan Hill DB 5-11 186 Tallahassee, Fla. Rickards HS

20. North CarolinaThe complete class
The Tar Heels might not be top-heavy with obvious superstars, but few programs did a better job of upgrading their overall talent level. Getting LB Jarrell Miller out of Virginia was a major coup, but not as huge as getting lightning-fast safeties Deunta Williams and Shaun Draughn to see time right away in the secondary. 300-pound tackle Aleric Mullins adds some much-needed beef to the defensive line.
Star of the class Jarrell Miller LB 6-3 235 Highland Springs, Va. (Highland Springs)


It looks like the battle for the top two has been really close. I am taknig Florida noly because I like the kid QB...and its my home state. Notre Dame is rated ahead of Ohio State and Michigan. The VP of my company is a die hard Notre Dame fan, and he is giddy over his teams recruiting.

[Lefty Noob]

Good stuff, Goth. Rivals.com has them ranked slightly different:

1. Southern California
2. Florida
3. Florida State
4. Georgia
5. Texas
6. Penn State
7. LSU
8. Notre Dame
9. Oklahoma
10. Auburn

Either way you look at is, USC and Florida have had the best recruiting season. Rivals gives the Trojans class an average of 3.96 stars per player and the Gators class an average rating of 3.89 stars. I favor Florida, as I said earlier, mainly because of Tebow and Harvin. They'll be the real deal!