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The 2013 recruiting season is grinding to a halt with a week remaining until signing day. Each team in the Big Ten has landed at least one player in this class that will be looked to as the cornerstone of the recruiting class. 

It is tough to project early success for recruits once they land in college, but these 12 players are as sure of a bet as you can get in this process of player development. 

Looking ahead to signing day, here are the top recruits from each Big Ten team. 

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The addition of 5-star running back Derrick Green isn't the only reason why the Michigan Wolverines offense will be one to fear in the Big Ten this fall. 

Michigan's scoring attack should be much more robust than it was a year ago, with or without the Hermitage High standout.

The focus will undoubtedly be on Green during the first few weeks, but there will be plenty of eyes affixed on junior quarterback Devin Gardner, who posted a 3-1 regular-season record in relief of starter Denard Robinson, who is bound for the NFL. 

Gardner commanded Michigan's offense with poise and maturity after shifting back to his duties as a signal-caller following a sting as a receiver. His athleticism is almost scary; he'll be a crucial component for coach Brady Hoke and offensive coordinator Al Borges' scheme in 2013. 

There are some who feel that Gardner could make a run at the Heisman Trophy within the next two years. Given the amount of competition around the country, that expectation may be a little on the lofty side. For now, peg Gardner as a candidate for Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. 

That's an attainable goal, especially for a player who's had just five starts (including the Outback Bowl loss to South Carolina) during his college tenure. 

Jeremy Gallon will be another offensive asset for the Maize and Blue. Perhaps overlooked at times, Gallon's ability to make timely catches during do-or-die scenarios saved Michigan during more than a few instances this past season. 

And don't lose faith in will-be junior running back Thomas Rawls, a Flint native with 215 pounds of pure force propelling his 5'10" frame down the field. Although he wasn't spectacular during his sophomore session, Rawls could end up as one of the Big Ten's top No. 2 backs, assuming Green gets the starting nod from Borges and Hoke. 

 

 

Areas That Could See an Increase in Production and/or Efficiency

Rushing and Scoring

In 2012, the Wolverines ranked fifth in the Big Ten in scoring (29.8 points per game). While miles away from the run-and-shoot, wildly entertaining Rich Rodriguez-built offense (in terms of production), the Wolverines maintained respectability within the league due to their weaponized offense spearheaded by Denard Robinson. 

Scoring 40 or more points under Rodriguez meant little when Michigan gave up just as many points to the opposition. 

The Wolverines may not tilt the Big Ten sideways with flurries of touchdowns, but forecasting at least 33 points per outing in 2013 wouldn't be illogical. 

Think about it: With Devin Gardner leading the way, the Wolverines can now fully access their stable of capable of wide receivers. Whether by ground or by air, Gardner has a skill set that could lead to droves of points. 

Now that Derrick Green is in the mix, Michigan's running prowess should kick up a few notches this fall. The Wolverines averaged 183 rushing yards per game, but that measurement was heavily aided by Robinson, a world-class speedster who was good for about 150 when in "Shoelace" mode. 

Predicting at least 180 yards on the ground in 2013 wouldn't be out of the question. Michigan may or may not see an increase in total yards, but the efficiency in which those yards are produced could skyrocket thanks to a beefier offensive line and more experienced ball-carriers. 

Michigan rang up a respectable clip of 4.8 yards per tote in 2012. Thomas Rawls or Green could easily average closer to around 5.5 per carry given the rapid development of the offensive line. 

The Wolverines ran the ball 502 times in 2012, with the majority of those carries split among Rawls and Fitz Toussaint. If Green and Rawls can do more with less, expect to see a much more efficient ground presence this fall. 

Throw in a healthy Toussaint, and Michigan will possess another potential big playmaker. 

Justice Hayes, a soon-to-be-junior, has the speed to make defenses pay. The former Grand Blanc Bobcats All-Stater could give Michigan's yards-per-carry average a boost by making most of six to eight opportunities each Saturday. 

Again, just food for thought, but the Wolverines offense appears to be primed to reach elite status in the Big Ten this fall. The possibilities seem endless when analyzing the Wolverines' core group of running backs. 

 

 

Output from Wideouts

This particular area of Michigan's offense could see a dramatic increase, not just a potentially subtle boost. 

Denard Robinson was never known as a passer; he was a running machine. Robinson's legs led to shows of athleticism each week, but Michigan's wide receivers were largely looked past because of lack of action. 

Given the circumstances, Jeremy Gallon had a dynamic year—a breakout year, if you will—in 2012. Pound-for-pound, apples-to-apples, Gallon was one of the best wideouts in the Big Ten. 

With Denard Robinson at quarterback, Gallon was lucky to finish a game with more than two catches. With Devin Gardner at the helm, Gallon's talents came to the forefront. He had 49 catches during his junior year, and 28 to 30 of those came while Gardner called the shots behind center. 

Expecting at least 60 grabs in 2013 would be accurate. Although Michigan has a handful of eager and talented youngsters waiting for their shot, it's safe to assume that Gallon will be the Wolverines' No. 1 option at wide receiver. 

At 5'8" and 187 pounds, Gallon doesn't have the pure size that some of Michigan's 6'0", 190-pound-or-better incoming talents possess. But Gallon showed that he's ready for the limelight. Big things come in small packages—or so they say—and Gallon definitely has the potential to live up to that cliche. 

Gallon's increase in output hinges on Gardner stepping up his game—and that's likely. Gardner has the arm to register 300-yard games on a weekly basis. But let's step back and be a tad more conservative: Even 250-260 each Saturday would be a welcome contribution. 

Speculating on who will or won't shine in 2013 is what the offseason is all about. However, overestimating a team's potential can often times leave fans disappointed. 

An objective, realistic view of Michigan's offense, however, suggests that the Wolverines will have one of the most well-rounded attacks in the Big Ten. 

Michigan has the pieces to construct a must-see offense in 2013—no doubt about that. 

 

Follow Bleacher Report's Michigan Wolverines football writer Adam Biggers on Twitter @AdamBiggers81

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As signing day quickly approaches, Urban Meyer and his staff have been fervently hitting the recruiting trail. Today, a bit of their hard work paid off when JUCO wide receiver Corey Smith verbally committed to OSU. According to Marc Givler, Smith will join Ohio State's 2013 class as the 23rd member.

The product originally out of Akron, Ohio is rated as a four-star and the ninth-best JUCO player in the nation by 247Sports. Smith was just recently attending East Mississippi Community College, but played his high school ball in Ohio. 

In fact, Brandon Castel of theOzone highlights Smith's prospect status as a senior in high school before he chose the JUCO route.

Corey Smith was considered to be the top WR prospect in Ohio last year. He went JUCO route and OSU took two out of state WRs.

— Brandon Castel (@BCastOZone) January 29, 2013

This is a huge pick-up for Meyer, who desperately needed to add another receiver to this class. As I said before, Smith is the Buckeyes' 23rd verbal commitment. This mathematically leaves OSU with one scholarship remaining, but I expect there to be two before long. 

Now, Meyer and his staff turn their attention to Cameron Hunt, Dontre Wilson and Darren Carrington. They desperately need Hunt due to lack of numbers on the offensive line. A playmaker like Wilson or Carrington to close out the class would also be a nice bow on an excellent recruiting year.

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Don't be surprised if Nebraska's backfield gets a little lighter over the next few days. According to reports from the Omaha World-Herald and MyValleySports.com, RB Braylon Heard has decided to transfer from the Huskers and play football closer to home. Heard is a native of Youngstown, Ohio, and he attended Cardinal Mooney HS—the alma mater of Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini.

Here's more from the World-Herald, which says it has confirmed the decision by Heard:

Junior running back Braylon Heard has decided to leave Nebraska’s football program, a source close to the situation confirmed to The World-Herald Tuesday afternoon.

Heard is in the process of getting permission from NU to contact other schools, the source said.

Now for what it's worth, Pelini has not confirmed the transfer nor has Heard made a public statement about whether he's staying or going. That said, if this is all news to Heard, he'd have probably said something by now—or certainly someone would have said otherwise to a newspaper.

This potential (and likely) move by Heard isn't much of a mystery; the World-Herald is reporting that like with so many transfers, this one's coming down to playing time:

Heard, expected to be Nebraska’s No. 2 running back behind Ameer Abdullah, ran for 357 yards on 52 carries in 12 contest last season, but was apparently frustrated with his role during the year. The Husker coaches did approach Heard this offseason with the idea for him to take reps at receiver, according to the source.

“It was a hard decision (for Heard). He loves Nebraska,” the source said. “But he wants to go someplace where he has a shot to play running back.”

In essence, Heard is leaving because he's more or less expendable. And if he's expendable, then Nebraska can eat this loss without much difficulty. So fret not, Nebraska fans—your team is still just fine at running back.

Ameer Abdullah is coming off a 1,137-yard rushing year, which was his first opportunity to be a feature back in Nebraska's offense. Yes, his fumbling issues are a concern, but that's the only thing stopping Abdullah from being a high-level tailback.

Depth is also fine. Sophomore-to-be Imani Cross was one of our picks as a breakout star of 2013, and with Heard out of the picture he'll definitely have the opportunity to get some decent playing time—especially in short yardage situations. 

Also, Nebraska's backfield is bulked up for the future, as the Huskers are just days away from signing one of the best classes of running backs in the 2013 recruiting class. Per 247Sports.com, Terrelle Newby (CA) and Adam Taylor (TX) are top 20 running backs in the class and the highest-rated offensive commits in Nebraska's class (according to their composite ratings). At least one of these guys can redshirt in 2013.

So of course Heard looked around this backfield and saw that it was too crowded for him. It's hard to see a road to major carries for Heard here without at least one back being taken out of the equation for whatever reason.

This is what happens in a large, thriving backfield. Just last year, RB Aaron Green transferred from Nebraska to TCU after a decent true freshman campaign. And he'll probably be just fine at TCU. That's sort of how it goes. But Nebraska will survive Heard's departure with a still-loaded backfield just as it survived Green's departure with a still-loaded backfield. Fret not.

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It seems like recruits are committing earlier and earlier in the process these days, but there's still plenty of intrigue surrounding several of the nation's top prospects, many of whom are considering signing on the dotted line with SEC schools on Feb. 6.

The battles for defensive tackle Montravius Adams, linebacker Reuben Foster and offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil are three of the most heated fights left for coaching staffs between now and national signing day.

What are the top five battles left involving SEC teams? SEC lead writer Barrett Sallee breaks them down in this edition of Bleacher Report's Full Ride.

 

Full Ride is Bleacher Report's weekly college football recruiting show that pulls back the curtain to give you the hottest news, analysis, interviews and highlights.

Subscribe to Full Ride on YouTube and follow Full Ride on Twitter.

Highlight video courtesy of 247Sports.com.

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Urban Meyer's frantic and desperate search for one more playmaker to join his 2013 recruiting class has ended with the impending arrival of 4-star WR Corey Smith.

As first reported by Bill Greene of Scout.com, Smith, a JUCO prospect originally from Akron, Ohio, has de-committed from Mississippi State in favor of the Buckeyes:

Corey Smith has decommitted from Mississppi State and has committed to Ohio State.

— Bill Greene (@BillBankGreene) January 29, 2013

After sorting through some transcript issues, Smith became the 23rd member of one of the strongest recruiting classes in the country Tuesday afternoon.

Smith played his high school football at Buchtel in Akron, where he had committed to play for Tennessee his senior season. Smith took a detour and played one year at Grand Rapids and another year at East Mississippi, all the while looking to make the jump back into the FBS level.

The speedy receiver shined last year, hauling in over 40 passes and 10 touchdowns, according to Bill Kurelic of 247sports.com. Smith will have just three years of eligibility remaining, but his experience at the JUCO level should allow him to step in and compete for playing time right away.

Meyer has been on the recruiting trail searching for playmakers like James Clark, Dontre Wilson and Ryan Timmons, but with the commitment of Smith and limited roster space, we'll have to wait and see if Meyer continues to pursue any more receivers.

Watch highlights from Smith's season at East Mississippi here:

 

 

Follow David on Twitter @davidreg412

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Now that Urban Meyer is the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes, the recruiting success has hit new heights for this program. According to 247Sports, only the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Florida Gators have a better 2013 recruiting class than the Buckeyes at the moment.

With national signing day only a week away, Ohio State will be given every opportunity to take the No. 1 spot and finish with the top recruiting class in the country. But in order to do this, Meyer and his coaching staff will have to give the best possible sales pitch to convince some of the undecided recruits why this is the right school for them.

So what makes Ohio State better than any other program in the country?

Let's see what this program has to offer and why elite players are deciding to become Buckeyes at such a rapid rate.

 

The Urban Meyer Effect

What easier way for Meyer to sell the program to elite recruits than to sell himself?

He can walk into any recruit's home and lay both of his national championship rings on the table, show him a couple of his numerous Coach of the Year awards and discuss a few of the 116 victories he was able to rack up in 11 short seasons. He can then look straight into the kid’s eye and ask how many active coaches are more accomplished than he is. When you are that great, you are able to get away with showboating.

Meyer has never had a losing season in his head-coaching career and is 7-1 in the bowl games he has reached. He already has two undefeated seasons under his belt, and one of those came last year in his first season on the job with Ohio State. He recruits extremely well everywhere he goes, knows how to put his players in position to succeed and he has the track record to show he can turn just about anything into gold.

So to answer the question, Nick Saban at Alabama would probably be the only logical guy you could put ahead of Meyer at the moment. But if you want to go to a team that is nearly three-deep at every position, be Meyer's guest. Good luck finding the field your first season on campus, though, unless you are incredibly gifted.

Meyer knows what it takes to win and he has earned at least eight victories every year he has been on the sidelines as a head coach. There aren't many active coaches who have been able to put together a résumé quite like he has, and that is a good enough reason to become a Buckeye.

 

Tradition Is Elite Status

If playing for a top-notch head coach isn't enough for some of these recruits out there, Ohio State has a tradition like none other. Yes, the same reason a lot of guys decide to commit to Notre Dame gives Ohio State an edge as well.

Late last year, co-defensive coordinator Everett Withers told Tim May of Buckeyextra that this does factor in when trying to seal the deal with top prospects.

Obviously this is one of the top two, three, four schools in America, I believe. Withers said. With the tradition here, there’s a lot of people that know Ohio State football. Whether they know the entire background and tradition or not, they know Ohio State football, with the players they’ve put out and the championships they’ve won.

So I don’t think at any time I’ve had any issue with somebody calling me back or taking my call, because people know what Ohio State football means.

Where to start when it comes to tradition?

The O-H-I-O chant before every game is worth mentioning. The victory bell being rang after every win is pretty neat, and with Meyer coaching the team, you will hear it quite often in the future. Ohio State also has arguably the best marching band performance before each game when the "Script Ohio" is performed and the "I" is dotted. 

And while we are on the subject of tradition, it is only right to mention the program's accomplishments on the field as well. Whether you want to address the seven national championships or seven Heisman winners, this school has had more than its fair share of success. There have been six perfect seasons, 36 conference titles and there are 30 Ohio State players or coaches in the College Football Hall of Fame.

Oh, and if you are looking at a future at the next level, only Notre Dame and USC have produced more professional players than the Buckeyes.

Are you convinced yet?

 

The Rest of the Conference Isn't so Hot

It has been said before that you should never use negative tactics to recruit. In other words, you shouldn't put down other schools to try and persuade a player into picking your program. But the recruiting process is brutal, and if you aren't doing anything and everything in order to land that elite football player, you aren't doing enough.

Besides, if throwing a couple of jabs at a rival is enough to get him to join your team, why would you hold punches?

This brings us to the Big Ten as a whole. You can quickly realize that there is Ohio State and then everybody else. Penn State is banned from the bowl season for another three years, Michigan State just barely qualified for a bowl game with one of the most talented teams it's had in years and watching Nebraska defensively was painful.

Wisconsin is going through a transition with a new head coach, and nobody can guarantee success in that type of situation. Northwestern appears to be on the rise, but the school is still known for its journalism program more than the football side of things. I think it is safe to say that Indiana, Purdue and Iowa are out of the running at this point, as well.

So I guess that leaves us with Ohio State and Michigan as the top two schools to choose from in the Big Ten. Well, not only are the Buckeyes recruiting better than the Wolverines at the moment, but they have also won eight of the last nine meetings against their hated rival. The choice is a rather easy one.

Most recruits have a hard time picking between top schools in the SEC, but if you are a recruit that wants to play in the Big Ten, Ohio State is the obvious pick.

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It is difficult for college football stars to make an impact in their first year out of high school. However, there are some rare talents in this draft class that could do just that.

Players are starting to contribute to college teams faster than ever. This past season, Johnny Manziel became the first freshman ever to win the Heisman Trophy.

While the Texas A&M quarterback had a redshirt season, his ability to be that good this early was quite impressive.

This recruiting class has a few players who can do even better by helping their team in 2013.

Note: All photos courtesy of 247Sports.

 

Robert Nkemdiche, DE

The top overall recruit in almost every publication got to that point for good reason. He is an incredible athlete that has the size and speed to match up with any collegiate offensive lineman in the country.

However, it is not just the athleticism that sets Robert Nkemdiche apart from his peers. He has incredible technique that is very advanced for his age and he uses it to get past opponents in a hurry.

Next season, he will not only put up great individual numbers, but he has the ability to transform an entire defense. He will completely disrupt opposing gameplans while allowing teammates to make plays on the other side of the field.

Similar to South Carolina's Jadeveon Clowney, he will cause NFL scouts to salivate as they must wait for him to be eligible for the draft. 

 

Derrick Green, RB

There are plenty of talented running backs in the 2013 class, but Derrick Green has the perfect mix of talent and opportunity to come up big next season.

The Michigan commit likely saw the lack of production from the Wolverines' backfield last season as a reason to join the team. Fitzgerald Toussaint only rushed for 514 yards as the second-leading rusher behind senior quarterback Denard Robinson.

Green should get plenty of chances to see the field, and he has the ability to really take advantage of it. He has the perfect combination of size and speed that will allow him to succeed right away.

All he needs is some good blocking next year and he could end up being a starter as a freshman.

 

Laquon Treadwell, WR

Ole Miss has a good young receiver in Donte Moncrief, but the Rebels could certainly use some additional help at that position.

This is where Laquon Treadwell will be able to help out. 

The Illinois native has very good speed that will allow him to stretch defenses as they try to prevent him from catching deep passes. In addition, he has the size to allow him to survive a full season at this level.

Many receivers struggle out of the gate due to the lack of strength coming out of high school. This is not a problem for Treadwell, as he can already catch passes in traffic and make things happen down the field.

He has a chance to be a special talent with Ole Miss.

 

Montravius Adams, DT

His ability to start right away will depend on what school he decides to attend, but there is little doubt that Montravius Adams has the ability to contribute as early as next season.

Unlike most players his age, he has the ideal size to compete on the college football field. This is before he even enters a legitimate weight-training program that will start at the next level.

However, his agility is what is truly amazing to watch. The 300-pound defensive tackle has great explosiveness off the ball and can get into opposing backfields in a hurry.

He also knows how to take on blockers and clog the middle of the field to stop the run.

Regardless of where he lands, Adams knows what he is doing on the defensive line and should see the field early in his career.

 

Follow @TheRobGoldberg

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Good teams send players to the NFL. The Badgers' recent success—the team has three-peated as Big Ten champions—has made them keenly aware of this phenomenon.

For the 2013 season, the Badgers will need to figure out how to replace offensive stalwart Montee Ball and offensive line anchor Travis Fredrick. The defense will also be left with some glaring holes, as much of the secondary is graduating along with ferocious linebacker Mike Taylor.

Good teams also find suitable replacements when key pieces depart. If Wisconsin wants to keep up its winning ways, it is imperative previously unsung players step up. With that in mind, here are four players that will impress in 2013.

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