**** OFFICIAL National Signing Day Thread ****

[DaKCMan AP]

Known announcement dates are listed, all times eastern. National Signing Day is Feb. 1.

ANNOUNCEMENT WATCH

FIVE-STAR PROSPECTS

Nelson Agholor, WR, Tampa (Fla.) Berkeley Prep
When: National Signing Day announcement with teammate Schyler Miles at 12:20 p.m. ET
Top Schools: Florida, Florida State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, USC

Stefon Diggs, WR, Olney (Md.) Good Counsel
When: Friday, Feb. 10
Top Schools: Auburn, Cal, Florida, Maryland, Ohio State

Eddie Goldman, DT, Washington (D.C.) Friendship Collegiate Academy
When: NSD at 10:05 a.m. ET
Top Schools: Alabama, Auburn, Cal, Clemson, Florida State, Miami

Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Springfield (Mo.) Hillcrest
When: National Signing Day at 10:15 a.m. ET at his high school
Top Schools: Alabama, Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas

Josh Harvey-Clemons, ATH, Valdosta (Ga.) Lowndes
When: NSD at 9:15 a.m. ET
Top Schools: Georgia and Florida ahead of FSU and Louisville

Tracy Howard, CB, Miramar (Fla.) High
When: NSD at 9:50 a.m. ET
Top Schools: Florida, Alabama, Florida State, Miami, USC, West Virginia

Kyle Murphy, OT, San Clemente (Calif.) High
When: NSD at 4 p.m. ET
Top Schools: Florida, Oregon, Stanford, USC

Andrus Peat, OT, Tempe (Ariz.) Corona Del Sol
When: NSD at 1:35 p.m. ET
Top Schools: Florida State, Nebraska, Stanford, USC

Aziz Shittu, DE, Atwater (Calif.) Buhach
When: NSD at 5 p.m. ET at his high school
Top Schools: Stanford, Cal, USC, UCLA

FOUR-STAR PROSPECTS

Kwon Alexander, LB, Oxford (Ala.) High
When: NSD 11:05 a.m. ET
Top Schools: Alabama, Auburn, LSU

Brandon Beaver, CB, Compton (Calif.) Dominguez
When: NSD at 6-8 p.m. ET
Top Schools: Nebraska, Oklahoma, UCLA, Utah, Washington

Colin Blake, CB, San Antonio (Texas) Brandels
When: NSD at 10 a.m. ET
Top Schools: Florida State, Oklahoma, TCU

Richie Brown, LB, Long Beach (Miss.) High
When: NSD at Noon ET at his high school
Top Schools: Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Southern Miss, Tennessee

Joel Caleb, ATH, Midlothian (Va.) Clover Hill
When: NSD at 8:30 a.m. ET
Top Schools: Ohio State, Virginia Tech, West Virginia

Jalen Cobb, WR, Warren (Ark.) High
When: TBD
Top Schools: Arkansas, Arkansas State

Demetrious Cox, S, Jeannette (Pa.) High
When: TBD
Top Schools: Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin

Ronald Darby, CB, Oxon Hill (Md.) Potomac
When: NSD at 2:30 p.m. ET
Top Schools: Arizona, Auburn, Clemson, Florida State, Maryland, Notre Dame

Quinshad Davis, WR, Gaffney (S.C.) High
When: NSD at Noon at his high school
Top Schools: North Carolina, Tennessee, Wake Forest

Jordan Diamond, OT, Chicago (Ill.) Simeon
When: Announcing Feb. 3 at his school at 8 p.m. ET
Top Schools: Arkansas, Auburn, Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin

Kyle Dodson, OT, Cleveland (Ohio) Cleveland Heights
When: NSD at 12:15 p.m. ET
Top Schools: Soft verbal to Wisconsin, also looking at Ohio State, USC and Michigan State

Ken Ekanem, LB, Clifton (Va.) Centreville
When: NSD at 9 a.m. ET
Top Schools: Notre Dame and Virginia Tech

Marion Grice, RB, Brenham (Texas) Blinn C.C.
When: TBD
Top Schools: Arizona State, Ole Miss and Houston

Seth Jacobs, LB, Arroyo Grande (Calif.) High
When: NSD at 9:30 p.m. ET at his high school
Top Schools: Arkansas, Colorado, Oklahoma State

Thomas Johnson, WR, Dallas (Texas) Skyline
When: NSD at 11:20 a.m. ET
Top Schools: Cal, Oregon, TCU, Texas A&M

Korren Kirven, DT, Lynchburg (Va.) Brookville
When: NSD at 9 a.m. ET
Top Schools: Alabama, Maryland, Tennessee, Virginia Tech

Alex Kozan, OG, Castle Rock (Colo.) Valor Christian
When: TBD
Top Schools: Auburn, Iowa, Michigan

Kenny Lawler, WR, Upland (Calif.) High
When: NSD
Top Schools: Cal and Michigan State

Alonzo Moore, ATH, Winnfield (La.) Winnfield Senior
When: NSD at 10 a.m. ET at his high school
Top Schools: Mississippi State, Nebraska, Louisiana Tech and Northwestern State

Davonte Neal, WR, Scottsdale (Ariz.) Chaparral
When: Will decide after signing day
Top Schools: Arizona, Arkansas, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Ohio State

Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Hutchinson (Kan.) Hutchinson C.C.
When: NSD at 11:30 a.m. ET
Top Schools: Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss, Tennessee

Deaysean Rippy, LB, McKees Rocks (Pa.) Sto Rox
When: TBD
Top Schools: Arizona, Colorado, Pitt, UCLA, West Virginia

Dalvin Tomlinson, McDonough (Ga.) Henry County
When: TBD
Top Schools: Alabama and Georgia Tech lead

Bryce Treggs, WR, Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco
When: NSD at 6-8 p.m. ET
Top Schools: Committed to Cal, but expected to sign with either Cal, UCLA or USC

Javon Williams, WR, Chandler (Ariz.) High
When: NSD at Noon ET with teammate Jaxon Hood
Top Schools: Arkansas and UCLA

Leonard Williams, DE, Daytona Beach (Fla.) Mainland
When: NSD at 11 a.m. ET
Top Schools: Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Miami

Avery Young, OT, Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.) High
When: NSD at 2 p.m. ET
Top Schools: Auburn, Georgia, Florida, Miami

[Saulbadguy]

This day is always unintentionally hilarious.

[|Zach|]

Pshaw.

[DaKCMan AP]

Josh Harvey-Clemons to georgia

[Saulbadguy]

Josh Harvey-Clemons to georgia

Never heard of him. Sounds made up.

[Bewbies]

Josh Harvey-Clemons to georgia

Great! Now NCAA Norv can under develop and coach him down...

[htismaqe]

It looks like Iowa has gotten 3 guys in the Rivals 250.

#249 Faith Ekakitie, DE
#173 Jaleel Johnson, DT
#182 Ryan Ward, OG

They also have gotten a 4* RB Greg Garmon out of Erie, PA (shocker!).

Another typical year, about the 40th-ranked class it looks like.

[Rudy tossed tigger's salad]

A&M officially lost Bralon Addison to Oregon. He's the toughest to lose of Monroe (Tulane), Blake, Wilson (okie state), and Thompson (LSU)

Apparently Tulane might be ok with putting a 5'10" guy at QB.

A&M did flip a Mizzou recruit- Edmund Ray (DT)...

[DaKCMan AP]

A&M officially lost Bralon Addison to Oregon. He's the toughest to lose of Monroe (Tulane), Blake, Wilson (okie state), and Thompson (LSU)

Apparently Tulane might be ok with putting a 5'10" guy at QB.

A&M did flip a Mizzou recruit- Edmund Ray (DT)...

A&M had a top-10 class going into today. We'll see how they end up.

[Rudy tossed tigger's salad]

A&M had a top-10 class going into today. We'll see how they end up.

Pope (TCU) and Polo (OU-though pulled) should help. Thomas Johnson would be huge.

[DaKCMan AP]

Florida robbed fla state stealing 5-star Dante Fowler Jr.

[ArrowheadMagic]

Tough day for Arkansas WR's, lose DGB to Mizzou and Courtney Gardener to OU.

[Frosty]

Heh. Oregon State got James Hasty's kid.

http://www.osubeavers.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/hasty_tyler00.html

[Titty Meat]

Wow Nebraska misses out on a 5* star player who's brother and cousin both are going to Nebraska yet someone how is still ranked in the Rivals top 25 in recruiting. Awesome!

[Setsuna]

Florida robbed fla state stealing 5-star Dante Fowler Jr.

Good. No starting position is safe at UF, and that's a good thing for recruiting.

[DaKCMan AP]

Good. No starting position is safe at UF, and that's a good thing for recruiting.

We whiffed on a lot of top guys that were undecided today, finished 2nd (1st loser) in a lot of them. However, we still have the #3 ranked class right now with 23 recruits (teams 1 and 2 have 27 & 28) plus I still expect us to get 5* WR Stefon Diggs on Feb 10th which would give us the most 5* players at 4. Can't ever be upset with a top-3 class.

[bandwagonjumper]

As a notre dame fan I'm pretty gutted. Deontray Greenberry ditched Notre Dame on NSD for bloody Houston. All the worst for him and Houston.

[Setsuna]

We whiffed on a lot of top guys that were undecided today, finished 2nd (1st loser) in a lot of them. However, we still have the #3 ranked class right now with 23 recruits (teams 1 and 2 have 27 & 28) plus I still expect us to get 5* WR Stefon Diggs on Feb 10th which would give us the most 5* players at 4. Can't ever be upset with a top-3 class.

We need WRs bad. I feel like the ACC gets all the WRs. Kind of annoying but considering how bad the ACC defenses are.

[NewChief]

Definitely disappointing for Arkansas on one level. On another level (and I probably wouldn't be saying this if we'd landed DGB), I'm pretty confident in Petrino's ability to coach the talent he has to be competitive. It would be nice to have people raving about the UofA's signing class and getting lots of national attention, but that's more about pride than actual performance, imo.

We had like the 50th ranked recruiting class with our graduating seniors, and they ended up 5th in the nation. Maybe I'm just telling myself that to ease the sting of not signing DGB, though.

[Setsuna]

Definitely disappointing for Arkansas on one level. On another level (and I probably wouldn't be saying this if we'd landed DGB), I'm pretty confident in Petrino's ability to coach the talent he has to be competitive. It would be nice to have people raving about the UofA's signing class and getting lots of national attention, but that's more about pride than actual performance, imo.

We had like the 50th ranked recruiting class with our graduating seniors, and they ended up 5th in the nation. Maybe I'm just telling myself that to ease the sting of not signing DGB, though.
LOL. It's ok man. It's ok. Petrino really is an excellent coach. Keep feeeding him money so he'll stay.

[DaKCMan AP]

We need WRs bad. I feel like the ACC gets all the WRs. Kind of annoying but considering how bad the ACC defenses are.

I think we get Diggs. Crazy that as many guys we missed out on today that we still have the #3 class that will likely be #2 with Diggs.

[Rudy tossed tigger's salad]

Over the course of the year, the ags ended up with like 15 one-time verbals that went elsewhere or didn't qualify. Crazy year... but verbals are out of control. Still a top 15 class. I'm happy. Very optimistic about 2013.

[Setsuna]

I think we get Diggs. Crazy that as many guys we missed out on today that we still have the #3 class that will likely be #2 with Diggs.

Meyer trying to steal him, promising him he'll be "the next Percy Harvin." Hate that sell out. I'm tired of having avg height receivers with avg skills. Alli is tall enough, but damn Aubrey Hill can't coach our WRs either. We need to get Keenan McCardell.

[DaKCMan AP]

Meyer trying to steal him, promising him he'll be "the next Percy Harvin." Hate that sell out. I'm tired of having avg height receivers with avg skills. Alli is tall enough, but damn Aubrey Hill can't coach our WRs either. We need to get Keenan McCardell.

Meyer's too late in the game for Diggs, IMO. Also, if Diggs wants to be a real WR he'll watch tape of Meyer's offense and see that they don't catch many passes. It's all dive play up the middle, read option, and shovel pass. Meyer had great WRs at Florida who are all having pro success (Harvin, Cooper, Nelson) despite not progressing while at Florida. Based upon skill alone they all (save for Percy) should have been drafted higher than they were.

I still think Debose will be a stud and everyone gets a clean slate with Pease. Dunbar's shown some flashes and hopefully Story earns some PT (he has good size at 6'3", btw). We have stud receiving TEs in Jordan Reed, AC Leonard, and Omarius Hines plus we have the top 2 TE recruits coming in as true freshmen. If Pease designs the offense around our strengths than I think we'll be fine.

[NewChief]

A post for signing day losers. ;)

In all seriousness, I agree with a lot of this, and I think it could apply to quite a few programs:

http://www.fayettevilleflyer.com/2012/02/02/signing-day-comes-and-goes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=signing-day-comes-and-goes

Signing day comes and goes
By Seth Gunderson, Contributor
February 2, 2012 · Leave a comment

Arkansas head football coach Bobby Petrino speaks Wednesday during a press conference to announce the 2012 signees.
RazorVision, UA Athletics
It’s signing day! Wait, I’m sorry about that. As an Arkansas Razorbacks fan I should say, “sigh, it’s signing day.” Yesterday was the first day that high school seniors could sign letters of intent to play college football. For an event that usually is surrounded by a bunch of hype across the nation, for Arkansas fans, it’s usually a day marked by the signing of “lesser” talent by coach Bobby Petrino and the subsequent poor class rankings by ESPN, Scout and Rivals.

A lot of analysts and fans thought that after the Hogs’ 11-win season and Cotton Bowl win over Kansas State, Arkansas would be sitting pretty as a program and would attract a lot of attention from 4- and 5-star recruits.

That was not the case, as Feb. 1, 2012 was hardly different than the past four years of recruiting for Arkansas.

First, highly touted junior college wide receiver Courtney Gardner de-committed from Arkansas and signed with Oklahoma. Then, the race for the No. 3 player in the county, Dorial Green-Beckham, turned South (figuratively, not literally) when he signed with Missouri. And to top it all off, the Hogs finished the day having signed 24 kids – which landed them in only one top 25 list — Scout No. 21, Rivals No. 32, and ranked completely outside the Top 25 by ESPN.

To recap, Arkansas had back-to-back 10-win seasons, a BCS appearance in 2010-11, a near BCS appearance in 2011-12 (were it not for a silly rule that only allows two teams per conference to play in a BCS game), a Cotton Bowl victory, and the SEC’s leader in total offense (not to mention finishing in the top 4 of SEC total offense each year since coach Petrino arrived). All those accomplishments led to what? Another poor showing on signing day?

This is not a fluke ranking either. Take a look at previous years’ class ranks:

2008 — ESPN No. 18, Rivals No. 36, Scout No. 24
2009 – ESPN No. 20, Rivals No. 16, Scout No. 20
2010 – ESPN NR, Rivals No. 49, Scout: NR
2011 – ESPN No. 19, Rivals No. 24, Scout No. 17
So what’s going on with Arkansas’ recruiting?

It’s simple. Coach Petrino and his staff have their own way of evaluating talent. They go after the kids that fit their system and then mold them into the players they want them to be. It’s very rare for Petrino to go after the heralded 5-star athletes that regularly sign with Alabama, USC, Texas, LSU and Ohio State (to name a few). Actually, for Arkansas to be in the race for Green-Beckham up until a few days ago is great for the program’s visibility.

But it’s not all doom and gloom that Arkansas doesn’t get the cream of the crop every year.

Of that first recruiting class for Petrino, look at the players that wound up being big difference makers over the past few years — players like Joe Adams, Jarius Wright, Greg Childs, Chris Gragg, Elton Ford, Dennis Johnson, Jerico Nelson, Tramain Thomas, Tyler Wilson and Tenarius Wright. Of those players listed, guess how many of them were 5-stars? None. How many were 4-stars? Three if you ask Scout, four if you ask Rivals.

If you ask me, I say it ended up not mattering how the class was ranked on signing day. After four years and never having a class ranked higher than 16, coach Petrino and his staff have led Arkansas to better win-loss records every year and now the Hogs are close to winning the SEC. More interesting is the recently released re-ranking of the 2008 class by ESPN where the Hogs jumped from No. 18 all the way to No. 6 (ESPN Insider subscription required).

I’m in. I believe in the system Petrino has set up here. If 4- and 5-star players don’t want to play at Arkansas, that’s fine. I want to cheer for kids that do want to play here. I want to cheer for the kids want to come in and work their tails off and develop into better players.

And for all of those recruits that get labeled a 3-star or lower, there’s not many better places to go than a Bobby Petrino-coached team. If you take a look at this article compiled by the guys over at Hog Database, you’ll see that Petrino has a rich history of producing more NFL talent from lesser recruits than teams like Alabama and Florida.

I’m like everyone else, I want to hear the media say positive things about the Hogs. I want to see the Razorbacks listed in the top 10 of every list out there. I want to see what Petrino could do with a class loaded with 4- and 5-star recruits.

But that may be a more difficult pill to swallow — Arkansas may never be a school where the elite athletes flock to. If Petrino can keep guiding Arkansas to great seasons, then those athletes will come. In the meantime, the Petrino system is in place and it’s getting great results.

The 2012 signing day came and went and once again, the national media didn’t have many things to say about Arkansas. So what? Don’t let it get you down. Take a look at the class Arkansas signed and then get excited about Spring practice.

And remember, six months from now, no one will remember what happened on signing da