NCAA Football News

The 2013 NFL draft is less than three months away, and the top running backs in the class are beginning to separate themselves from the pack.

There's no Heisman winner at the position, but there are a few players ready to come in and perform at the next level. 

For the third straight year, the University of Alabama is expected to have a running back selected in the first round. Eddie Lacy is turning pro after helping his team win back-to-back championships.

Montee Ball leaves the University of Wisconsin as one of the best backs to ever play college football. He set numerous records in his four-year career with the Badgers.

The top of the class features several good running backs. Who will be the first back off the board?

Eddie Lacy 

He didn't have the type of career that former Alabama running backs Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson had, but he has the talent to be a first-round pick.

Like Richardson, he keeps his legs moving to pick up extra yards. He can get out of tackles with his strength or by his athletic moves. 

Lacy finished his junior season with 1,322 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns. 

In the BCS National Championship Game against Notre Dame, he was named the Offensive Most Valuable Player. He finished the game with 140 yards on 20 carries and added a touchdown. The junior also caught a touchdown in the blowout.

The Crimson Tide were the best team in football, and Lacy was one of the main pieces to the offense. 

Montee Ball

If there's an award for a running back in college football, Montee Ball probably has it. Not counting the Heisman, he won pretty much every accolade.

The two-time All-American won the Big Ten Running Back of the Year twice and the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, made two All-Big Ten teams and won the Doak Walker Award. 

His 77 rushing touchdowns are the most in the history of college football, and his 39 touchdowns as a junior tied him with Barry Sanders for the most in a single season.

Records in college doesn't guarantee success, but Ball looks like he's ready for the next level. 

The 22-year-old can change directions easily and get to the outside. He doesn't have great speed, but he can fight for the extra yards.

With over 300 carries in each of the past two seasons, he has absorbed a lot of hits already. Despite all of those carries, he only lost two fumbles in his career. Ball security is the key at the next level, especially early in a player's career.

Giovani Bernard

Overlooked during his career at the University of North Carolina, Giovani Bernard could be a steal in the draft.

As a redshirt freshman, he was named a Freshman All-American and made the All-ACC first team (also made it as a redshirt sophomore). In his second year playing, he won the ACC Offensive Player of the Year and was a third team All-American. 

Bernard ran for over 1,200 yards in both seasons, and he averaged nearly seven yards per carry in his final season. 

He has also shown the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. The running back caught at least 45 passes in both seasons in Chapel Hill. 

Unlike the other two prospects mentioned above, Bernard can also return punts. He is a multi-purpose player. He was fourth in the nation with 198 all-purpose yards per game, according to CBSSports.com.

Had the Tar Heels been eligible, they would have challenged Florida State for a shot at a BCS bowl. Playing in that game would have helped boost his draft stock.

Prediction

Lacy and Ball have each played in at least two BCS bowls and had the chance to show the nation what they can do. Both backs have had great careers at their respective schools, and they should both turn into good NFL running backs.

Bernard, on the other hand, has been overlooked for much of his career. He is a riskier choice, but he has tremendous upside. Lacy and Ball are both bigger than Bernard, so they are better prepared to take a pounding at the next level.

While the two well-known players are traditional backs, Bernard has the ability to catch passes and return punts. He gives a team versatility and would be a nice change of pace for a team that already has a power back.

Lacy will be the first one off the board, then Bernard with Ball shortly after.

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The Ohio State Buckeyes aren't giving up their spot near the top of the college football polls in 2013.

Last year was among the best in school history, despite the postseason ban. It was the Buckeyes' 10th undefeated season in their history, and the first since the national title season of 2002. It was a surprise to even the most die-hard Ohio State fans.

Ohio State is a growing football team. Last season, the Buckeyes were a bit lucky to finish unbeaten, but they no doubt had plenty of quality.

With that said, there were quite a few stupid mistakes being made. Players were committing needless personal foul penalties and trying to make the highlight reel with huge hits, only to have the ball-carrier bounce right off.

While improvement can only come with experience, a great recruiting class can help to put Ohio State over the top, too. At the very least, it can enable them to maintain their place among the elite of college football.

Luckily for Buckeyes fans, Urban Meyer has wasted no time whatsoever on the recruiting trail.

In 2012, despite having a limited window, he was able to bring in the seventh-best class in the country, according to 247Sports.com. Now firmly in place as the head coach, Meyer has the Buckeyes at No. 2 in the country for 2013.

It's a great sign for Ohio State. Many of the school's detractors will point to the fact that, since the Buckeyes play in the Big Ten, they could never match up to the elite of the SEC. To a certain extent, those critics have a point.

However, there's no doubt that with a recruiting class like the one Meyer has helped build, Ohio State can compete with the likes of the Alabama Crimson Tide, Florida Gators and LSU Tigers.

The Buckeyes have always done a great job by signing most of the top recruits in the state. The way the school dominated Ohio recruiting was often underrated when looking at the success of Jim Tressel.

That's not enough anymore. Meyer knows he must canvass the country in order to get the best possible athletes, which is exactly what he's doing.

Eli Apple, Corey Smith, Joey Bosa, Marcus Baugh and Mike Mitchell are all impact players who came from out of state. These are the kind of athletes necessary to catch up with Alabama.

The biggest key for the Buckeyes will be the continued development of Braxton Miller. He needs to become a better passer so he doesn't have to expose himself as much running the football.

With Smith and Jalin Marshall, Ohio State is getting two guys who can be immediate impact receivers and add major weapons for Miller and the passing attack.

Meyer is not the kind of coach who will allow his team to rest on its laurels. That has been exhibited by Ohio State's recruiting class.

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In Michigan, the goals for any season go something like this: Beat Ohio State, win the Big Ten and win a national championship.

On the recruiting trail, the goals aren't much different. And Michigan has done well to keep pace with recruiting tour de force Urban Meyer while separating itself from the rest of the conference during this recruiting cycle.

Make no mistake about it, Brady Hoke's recruiting class this year will be one to remember.

According to 247 Sports, the Wolverines have accumulated the third-best class in the country (Ohio State is No. 2). The team has signed a whopping 17 4-star recruits. And it's in large part because of the presence of Hoke and the program he is building.

From Stewart Mandel of Sports Illustrated:

But from the nearly day he arrived on campus in January 2011, Hoke, the former Wolverines defensive line coach and walking encyclopedia of Michigan football, has inspired confidence in Ann Arbor faithful with his prowess on the recruiting trail. One highly touted prospect after another speaks in gushing tones about the 54 year old, who has been helped by former Florida and Notre Dame recruiting ace Greg Mattison and 38-year-old recruiting coordinator Jeff Hecklinski.

"They [recruits] believe he's the guy," Scout.com national analyst Jamie Newberg said of Hoke. "[A turnaround] wasn't going to happen overnight. He basically had to flip the roster offensively, and get better defensively. It goes back to kids in that region, they want to play for the Maize and Blue."

He landed Derrick Green, the top running back recruit in the nation. There's Kyle Bosch, a top-five guard. Other highlights include guard David Dawson, center Patrick Kugler and Shane Morris.

This is a class rife with talent. No, it doesn't have the four 5-star recruits of Alabama or the five accumulated by USC. But when you have a combined 18 4-star and 5-star recruits, that's the foundation for a national championship team down the line.

Sure, we tend to overreact during recruiting season. We deem players who have never played a snap at the collegiate level "the next big thing." Truthfully, it's still somewhat of a crapshoot.

But Hoke has proved he can bring in a talented recruiting class. Michigan is returning to national prominence, and Hoke is doing that both with players that were recruited before his tenure and now those athletes whom he convinces to don the Maize and Blue.

This class has all the makings of a very talented bunch. Hoke brought in talented linemen. He brought in some excellent athletes. Both sides of the ball have been addressed. In three years, you could be looking at a team competing for a national championship.

I think Michigan fans will someday look back on this class quite fondly. Hoke has brought hope.

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The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are fresh off an epic undefeated season, but the national championship game embarrassment will not easily be forgotten.

It’s coach Brian Kelly and the rest of the coaching staff’s job to get inside the heads of potential recruits and regal them with tales of opportunity and tradition, while pushing out memories of the school’s recent failure against Alabama.

Fortunately, Kelly and his crew are some of the best in the business and they have already received commitments from 23 prospects, including some of the best young talent in the nation (h/t 247Sports).

With national signing day rapidly approaching (Feb. 6), let’s take a look at a few more finishing touches that could very well be on their way to South Bend.

Eddie Vanderdoes, DT

When this 5-star defensive tackle decommitted from USC, it was obvious that the Irish would be trying to hit one of their biggest rivals right where it hurts.

If Notre Dame can get a letter of intent from Vanerdoes, it would strike a major blow to the Trojans and his presence would have an immediate impact on the defensive line.

He’s a 6’3”, 310-pound machine that already has prototypical size for the position—despite having plenty of room to add muscle and strength to his frame. He has a low center of gravity and can shed blockers with ease, getting into the backfield to sack the QB and record tackles behind the line of scrimmage.

When Vanderdoes is taking on more than one offensive lineman, he can hold his ground and free up his teammates to make plays.

This kid is one of the top DT prospects in the entire country for those reasons and happens to be still considering the Irish, so keep an eye on what could be another feather in Kelly’s cap.

Kylie Fitts, DE

Speaking of poaching former Southern California commits, Fitts is another defensive lineman that the South Bend recruiters have their eyes on.

The 4-star pass-rusher has an insane motor and a lot of heart, two qualities that the Irish love their defensive ends to possess. He still has plenty of learning to do for the position and has to become a better tackler—a large reason why he’s not a 5-star recruit.

At 6’4”, 260 pounds, the sky is the limit for the Redlands, Calif., native. He would be an ideal fit on the Notre Dame campus, as Kapron Lewis-Moore is entering the draft and there’s a chance star pass-rusher Stephon Tuitt elects to turn pro next year as well.

Coach Kelly needs to ensure his defensive line remains dominant if the Irish are going to continue their run atop the college football world, and adding Fitts will go a long way towards accomplishing this goal.

Deon Hollins, LB

There’s an outside shot that Hollins could wind up with the Fighting Irish, even though he had a solid verbal with UCLA.

According to Jason Sapp of 247Sports, the OLB/DE prospect was “blown away” by his visit to the university and is now struggling to decide where to take his talents.

He’s a nice fit with what Notre Dame is trying to accomplish and it would be a huge coup for the program to snag him away from the Bruins.

Hollins is athletic as they come and has the build (6’2”, 220 pounds) to play OLB after high school. He’s extremely raw and may benefit from a redshirt, but eventually he’s going to make an impact.

With senior Manti Te’o going to the draft and leaving a gaping hole in the team’s linebacking corps, there is a need to bring in fresh blood. While Hollins doesn’t play inside LB and needs some time to develop, he will provide more depth and youth to a unit that needs exactly that.

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Looking to make National Signing Day even more exhilarating? You’ve wandered into the right wormhole.

The term "prop bet" has become wildly popular in the past few years thanks in large part to the insanity of the Super Bowl. You may now wager on individual yardage, field goals and other Super Bowl-related items, sure, but you can also invest in things like the length of the National Anthem—take the under—the color of Gatorade that will eventually be dumped on the winning coach and if a player on either team will get arrested in the days leading up to the main event. 

Only days after the NFL circus, college football’s main extravaganza will take center stage. National signing day may not get the same play as the big game, but its popularity is booming, and many of you will develop a sudden cough or “flu” in order to stay home on Wednesday. That’s great hustle, no matter what your boss says.

Although no sports books currently offer national signing day prop bets, I’ve gone ahead and crafted a few to get the ball rolling. Before you ask, please note that these are for entertainment purposes only… until your buddy wagers you a six-pack on one, then things start to get real.

Where Will Robert Nkemdiche, the nation’s No. 1 recruit, end up signing?

Ole Miss (1/2) 

LSU (8/1)

Florida (10/1)

Analysis: Anything but Ole Miss would be a shocker, although stranger things have (and probably will) happen. Mississippi head coach Hugh Freeze should probably have a bottle of classy bubbly on hand, however, because he’ll likely have reasons to celebrate.

This begins with Mr. Nkemdiche, but it probably won’t end there. Go against the chalk at your own risk.

How many coaches will say they are “very happy” with their 2013 recruiting class?

None of Them (10,000/1)

Some of Them (15/1)

All of Them (1/10)

Analysis: You might want to stay away from this bet altogether, although perhaps there’s some value in the middle selection. Until I hear a coach say, “Yeah, we put together a pretty terrible class. Horrible work by myself and my assistants, and these guys really are just roster fillers” it'll be hard to break the trend.

Until then, jump on the favorite. Everyone's "happy" with their class in front of the camera, no matter how many 2-star recruits they're gushing over.

Will a recruit use a live animal to announce his decision?

Yes (10/1)

No (1/5)

Analysis: I will continue to preach from the tallest mountains that live animals should be a requirement for all commitments on national signing day. With that being said, this still seems extraordinarily unlikely, despite my fond bulldog puppy memories.

If an Alabama commit decides to stroll out on an elephant sporting a houndstooth bow tie, however, I hope I’m not near any glass tables because I will faint right through it.

How many times will the phrase “high upside” be mentioned on television during national signing day?

10 or less (100/1)

11-20 (25/1)

21-30 (11/1)

31-40 (8/1)

41-50 (7/1)

51-60 (7/1)

60 or more (2/1)

Analysis: Don’t be a contrarian. Place your money on the overwhelming favorite here and double your money without an ounce of stress. Is that 100/1 enticing? Oh, it sure is, but unfortunately this will be crushed shortly after the sun comes up. 

Robert Nkemdiche is first to announce, and he should handle a good chunk of this by his lonesome.

Which team will end up with the No. 1 class in the country?

Alabama (3/1)

Notre Dame (4/1)

Florida (9/2)

Ohio State (7/1)

LSU (10/1)

Other (12/1)

Analysis: Much of this depends on which site you choose to follow, although a likely No. 1 should a bit more obvious Wednesday evening. The top three are all getting plenty of love, and a surprise commitment or two could be the difference.

Go with your gut here, and if you’re banking on New Mexico State to bring it home under “Other,” maybe you want to stay away.

Will Alabama coach Nick Saban Smile at any point during national signing day?

Yes (5/1)

No (2/1)

Analysis: If he cracks a smile it'll likely be a mistake on his part, but Saban will get plenty of air time. Even Nick Saban makes mistakes...actually, tread carefully on this one. Very carefully.

What will be the most elaborate way a recruit announces his future school?

Pick From Three Hats (1/1)

Reveal Another Concealed Clothing Item (2/1)

Pick One Hat as a Fake Out, and Then Go with Another (4/1)

Shave Team’s Logo in Head (8/1)

Uses Live Animal as Prop (15/1)

Announce Via Hologram (100/1)

Analysis: Hats are clearly the safer play, although you’ll get tremendous value on logo shaved into your head, a trend that might just be getting underway. The hologram selection is bold—perhaps slightly ahead of our time—but it will be utilized eventually, followed by a hologram fake-out. Tough call, but if in doubt, bet on the animal because just remember how awesome that elephant in houndstooth would be.

Will all fans handle national signing day with maturity and act like adults?

[BET PULLED OFF BOARD DUE TO EXTREME ONE-SIDED ACTION] 

Analysis: After putting this bet out there for three minutes, intense “No” betting prompted us to pull this bet off the board. If you’re confused by this, simply locate the Twitter pages of some of the top recruits in the 2013 class on national signing day and see the horrendous things people say when they don't pick their school.

Please, don't be that imbecile.

Will a recruit cite "food" as one of the reasons he made his decision?

Yes (8/1)

No (1/2)

Analysis: If this prop bet seems odd to you, you’re probably not alone in your confusion. Still, we saw linebacker Cassanova McKinzy discuss a lack of Chick-fil-As as one of the reasons he picked Auburn over Clemson last year. For the record, Clemson does have a Chick-fil-A presence.

As an advocate of tasty foods, I hope we see this. Solid value at 8/1, and I believe this is a very live long shot on the board.

Will you commit to Ole Miss by the end of the day?

Yes (2/1)

No (Betting Line Not Available, Because You Already Committed)

Analysis: Seriously, everybody’s doing it.

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With the two-year honeymoon behind him, it's now time for Brady Hoke to produce the championship caliber team he promised.

Gone are the ghosts of Rich Rodriguez as another crop of "Hoke's" players will arrive this spring and over the summer.

Michigan's offense will finally take on the personalities of Hoke and offensive coordinator Al Borges.

On defense, coordinator Greg Mattison will continue to fine tune the unit that has actually been better than expected.

That's not to say Michigan doesn't have several concerns. Addressing them successfully will make the difference between a repeat of the disappointing 2012 campaign, and a legitimate run at the Big Ten title.

Let's take a look at some of them.

Begin Slideshow

There's no doubt that the biggest target left on Urban Meyer's recruiting board is safety Vonn Bell.

OSU has 23 verbal commits already for the class of 2013, but they've made it clear that they want to have some icing on the cake by landing Scout.com's No. 2 safety.

Right now, it's down to OSU, Alabama and Tennessee for Bell's services, and after meeting with coaches from all three schools on Thursday, Bell has shut things down until national signing day.

Bell visited Tennessee last weekend, and new coach Butch Jones needs a big name recruit to win the fans over and start building some hype for the future. Bell is that type of recruit.

Apparently, the visit to Tennessee has suddenly pushed the Vols ahead of Ohio State and Alabama, as the analysts from Rivals.com predicted on Thursday. Even though Mike Farrell's colleagues have Bell going to UT by a 4-3 margin over OSU (with one picking the Tide), Farrell wrote on Wednesday—though admittedly with little confidence—that he feels Meyer will land the coveted safety.

Ohio State has a good mix of recent success and a promise of early playing time to sell Bell on Columbus being an attractive destination. Co-defensive coordinator Everett Withers was the guy that Meyer sent on Thursday as the "closer" to try and make the Buckeyes' last pitch.

OSU already has a pair of good safeties committed in Darron Lee and Jayme Thompson. But Bell is a special athlete with outstanding cover skills from the position.

Meyer also has a history of bringing in big-name defensive back recruits, recruiting great players like Joe Haden, Janoris Jenkins and Matt Elam, among others, during his time at Gainesville. This year, he already recruited some great corners in Cameron Burrows and Eli Apple.

The Buckeyes recruiting class of 2013 is already great. Signing Bell would make it elite. And OSU lacks that difference-making safety that Alabama has in Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, after having studs in Mark Barron and Robert Lester line up in the back end.

OSU is still chasing several prospects, but there's no doubt Meyer would love to get Bell as much if not more than anyone else on his list.

Meyer is one of the best closers in the recruiting game and if the battle for Bell really is down to OSU and Tennessee, he may make a difference.

Will it be enough?

We will find out on Wednesday at 10 a.m.

Follow me on Twitter @bielik_tim for the latest college football news and updates.

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The college football recruiting cycle of 2013 is quickly nearing its close, and programs are making their final pushes in an effort to bring in the best recruiting class possible.

Overall, this is an excellent group of recruits that features more than its fair share of star players, and there are also a few potential superstars in the mix, as well.

Finishing with a top-ranked class does not always guarantee the success of a program, but it certainly is an indicator that good things may be on the way. In the end, recruiting comes down to coaching up the potential that a player possesses, but it does help when said player comes in to a program with a ton of talent to begin with.

As national signing day draws near (Feb. 6), here is a look at my top 25 recruiting classes.

Note: All star rankings courtesy of the 247Sports Composite.

Begin Slideshow

National signing day is just one week away, and college football coaches around the country are hard at work trying to put the finishing touches on their 2013 recruiting classes.

There's no exception for Urban Meyer and the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Despite boasting 23 verbal commitments already while pushing dangerously close to the 82-scholarship limit levied against the university in 2011, Meyer is scouring the country looking for the final additions to Ohio State's '13 recruiting class.

With a number of targets still on their radar, the Buckeyes could finish out this year's recruiting cycle with a bang. That also creates the potential for a big letdown on national signing day, especially when you factor in one of Ohio State's most prized commitments might be wavering on the Buckeyes.

Keeping in mind that Ohio State has room for just two additional commitments (at the most), below is the best-case/worst-case scenario for Ohio State's 2013 recruiting finish.

Best-Case Scenario

On February 5—the eve of national signing day—Ohio State target and 4-star propsect Ryan Timmons passes on the Buckeyes and commits to Florida. Losing out on Timmons isn't a huge blow after Meyer received a surprise commitment from 4-star JUCO receiver Corey Smith the week before.

The following day at Ridgeland High School in Calhoun, Georgia, Ohio State's top remaining target—4-star safety Vonn Bell—chooses the Buckeyes over Tennessee and Alabama. 

A few hours later, current Cal commit and 4-star offensive guard Cameron Hunt loses his uncertainty and flips to the Buckeyes. His commitment eases the pain of losing out on Dan Skipper and fills the hole left by Joey O'Connor's departure.

With those commitments, Ohio State's 2013 recruiting class is finished. Prospects like Dontre Wilson and James Clark are left out, but Bell and Hunt sufficiently plug the areas of need for Ohio State.

The fax machine in Urban Meyer's office stays busy all day as it spits out the National Letters of Intent from Ohio State's current 23 commitments alongside its two newest additions in Bell and Hunt.

Worst-Case Scenario

After gaining crazy amounts of momentum following Ohio State's undefeated season, Meyer and the Buckeyes stumble across the finish line on national signing day.

Timmons chooses Florida over Ohio State on February 5. Bell chooses Tennessee over Ohio State, Hunt sticks with Cal and Meyer's other top prospects—Wilson and Clark—spurn the Buckeyes.

To make things worse, long-time commit and 4-star running back Ezekiel Elliot flips his commitment from Ohio State to Missouri. 

The Buckeyes finish with just 22 commitments, and despite the fact that Ohio State finishes with a top-10 class, the national signing day letdown haunts Meyer until he gets a chance at redemption in 2014.

*Star ratings courtesy of ESPN

Follow David on Twitter @davidreg412

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