Hitting The Recruiting Trail: PAC-12

In the world of college football, there are no free agents you can go out and pick up to improve your team every off-season. Instead, you have to rely on your coaching staff to become fantastic recruiters/salesmen and attempt to sell your team to 18 year old kids all over the United States (including even Canada). It can be a tough and grueling process that takes a lot of time. Unfortunately, it can also be a difficult process for the average fan to follow. With thousands of kids looking to play college football every year, how is the average football fan expected to follow who their team has recruited? Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you.....the RECRUITING TRAIL!

The Recruiting Trail here at TheUltimateSportsBlog.com will be a nice little feature from time to time that will check back on how each team in every conference is doing on the recruiting side of things. It's no secret that the best teams in college football (Alabama, Ohio State, Florida State, etc.) are teams that are ALWAYS near the top of the recruiting rankings. It's almost amazing how the "recruit good players, get good results" works in this sport. You have the blue print to success already printed out for you. Now it's all just a matter of how the pieces fall.

So, who's winning the recruiting race so far in the PAC-12? Let's take a look........

*Star rankings are taken from ESPN.com

**Only verbal commits are listed

Michael Eletise - 6'3, 313 (OG, Hawaii) ****

Devon Modster - 6'2, 220 (QB, California) ****

Khalil Tate - 6'0, 209 (QB, California) ****

Russell Halimon - 5'10, 184 (RB, Georgia) ****

Tyliek Raynor - 5'9, 170 (RB, Pennsylvania) ****

Gavin Robertson - 6'1, 195 (S, Washington) ***

Devaughn Cooper - 5'11, 171 (WR, California) ***

Justin Holt - 6'1, 304 (DT, Arizona) ***

Isaiah Hayes - 5'11, 170 (CB, California) ***

Jake Burton - 6'6, 250 (DE, California) ***

Jabari Watson - 6'2, 266 (DT, California) ***

Sean Riley - 5'9, 165 (RB, California) ***

Jacob Colacion - 6'1, 215 (LB, California) ***

J.J. Taylor - 5'5, 160 (RB, California) ***

Bryson Cain - 6'4, 263 (OT, California) No stars

Total: 15 verbal commits

Four Stars: 5

Three Stars: 9

Two Stars: 0

No Stars: 1

Dillon Sterling-Cole - 6'3, 191 (QB, Texas) ****

Cohl Cabral - 6'5, 250 (OL, California) ****

Darel Middleton - 6'6, 240 (ATH, Tennessee) ****

Tre Turner - 5'10, 190 (RB, Louisiana) ****

Robbie Robinson - 5'9, 170 (CB, Maryland) ****

Jared Bubak - 6'4, 234 (TE, Nebraska) ***

Marshal Nathe - 6'3, 290 (OG, Arizona) ***

Jeremy Smith - 6'2, 179 (ATH, Texas) ***

Freddie Holly - 5'11, 203 (RB, California) ***

Kyle Williams - 5'10, 185 (ATH, California) ***

Total: 10 verbal commits

Four Stars: 5

Three Stars: 5

Two Stars: 0

No Stars: 0

Armani Rogers - 6'5, 203 (QB, California) ****

Zion Echols - 5'8, 175 (ATH, California) ****

Jordan Duncan - 6'1, 192 (WR, Mississippi) ****

Camyrn Bynum - 5'11, 164 (CB, California) ***

Max Gilliam - 6'2, 193 (QB, California) ***

Drew Kobayashi - 6'3, 190 (WR, Hawaii) ***

Evan Weaver - 6'2, 240 (DE, Washington) ***

Jake Curhan - 6'7, 310 (OT, California) ***

Matt Laris - 6'3, 210 (WR, Washington) ***

Francisco Perez - 6'4, 312 (OT, California) ***

Logan Gamble - 6'6, 184 (ATH, California) ***

Derrick Clark - 5'10, 190 (RB, California) ***

Chris Yaghi - 6'4, 269 (DT, California) ***

Joshua Drayden - 5'11, 175 (CB, Texas) ***

Traveon Beck - 5'10, 170 (CB, California) ***

Daniel Juarez - 6'5, 287 (OT, California) ***

Gentle Williams - 6'3, 276 (OG, Mississippi) ***

Tevin Paul - 6'3, 265 (DT, Texas) ***

Markus Wright - 6'2, 206 (LB, Georgia) **

Cameron Goode - 6'3, 195 (LB, Texas) No stars

Total: 20 verbal commits

Four Stars: 3

Three Stars: 15

Two Stars: 1

No Stars: 1

Sam Noyer - 6'4, 199 (QB, Oregon) ***

Johnny Huntley - 6'3, 186 (WR, Florida) ***

Patrick Taylor - 6'2, 209 (RB, Texas) ***

Derrion Rakestraw - 6'1, 174 (ATH, Georgia) ***

Ronnie Blackmon - 5'10, 174 (CB, Georgia) ***

Trey Udoffia - 6'1, 170 (S, California) No stars

Akil Jones - 6'1, 205 (LB, California) No stars

Terriek Roberts - 6'5, 250 (OT, Colorado) No stars

Total: 8 verbal commits

Four Stars: 0

Three Stars: 5

Two Stars: 0

No Stars: 3

Seth Green - 6'4, 218 (QB, Texas) ****

Terry Wilson - 6'3, 187 (DT, Oklahoma) ****

Jared Mayden - 6'1, 198 (CB, Texas) ****

Vavae Malepeai - 6'0, 204 (RB, Hawaii) ****

Darrian Franklin - 6'1, 209 (LB, California) ****

Hunter Kampmoyer - 6'5, 241 (DE, California) ***

Cam McCormick - 6'5, 224 (TE, Oregon) ***

Jacob Capra - 6'5, 265 (OG, California) ***

Troy Dye - 6'3, 211 (S, California) ***

Dillon Mitchell - 6'1, 191 (WR, Tennessee) ***

Brady Breeze - 5'11, 188 (S, Oregon) ***

LaMar Winston - 6'2, 211 (LB, Oregon) ***

Logan Bathke - 6'5, 255 (OT, California) ***

Total: 13 verbal commits

Four Stars: 5

Three Stars: 8

Two Stars: 0

No Stars: 0

Javonte Ferguson - 5'7, 160 (WR, Florida) ***

Trevon Bradford - 5'11, 180 (WR, Oregon) ***

Mason Moran - 6'3, 183 (ATH, Arizona) ***

Tyson Penn - 6'4, 184 (WR, Washington) ***

Emony Robinson - 6'2, 185 (ATH, Oregon) ***

Joah Robinett - 6'7, 215 (DE, California)  No stars

John Bates - 6'5, 210 (TE, Oregon) No stars

Artavis Pierce - 5'10, 189 (RB, Florida) No stars

Michael Johnson - 6'2, 185 (S, Florida) No stars

Total: 9 verbal commits

Four Stars: 0

Three Stars: 5

Two Stars: 0

No Stars: 4

K.J. Costello - 6'4, 216 (QB, California) ****

Kaden Smith - 6'6, 242 (TE, Texas) ****

David Long - 5'10, 176 (ATH, California) ****

Clark Yarbrough - 6'6, 265 (OT, Virginia) ****

Treyjohn Butler - 5'11, 185 (CB, California) ****

Mike Williams - 6'2, 305 (DT, Texas) ****

Simi Fehoko - 6'4, 186 (WR, Utah) ****

Nygel Edmonds - 6'0, 182 (CB, Tennessee) ****

Bo Peek - 6'3, 290 (DT, Florida) ***

Curtis Robinson - 6'3, 208 (LB, California) ***

Beau Bisharat - 6'2, 210 (RB, California) ***

Brandon Stephens - 6'1, 201 (RB, Texas) ***

Nathaniel Herbig - 6'4, 338 (OG, Hawaii) ***

Malik Antoine - 5'11, 182 (CB, Louisiana) ***

Henry Hattis - 6'6, 260 (OT, New Mexico) ***

Bailey McElwain - 6'0, 231 (LB, Alabama) ***

Total: 16 verbal commits

Four Stars: 8

Three Stars: 8

Two Stars: 0

No Stars: 0

Oluwole Betiku - 6'4, 246 (DE, California) ****

Lokeni Toailoa - 6'1, 212 (LB, California) ****

Krystopher Barnes - 6'2, 220 (LB, California) ****

Breland Brandt - 6'4, 220 (DE, California) ****

Demetric Felton - 5'9, 178 (ATH, California) ****

Darian Owens - 5'11, 191 (WR, California) ****

Matt Lynch - 6'5, 191 (QB, Colorado) ****

Sean Auwae - 6'4, 296 (OL, Hawaii) ***

Marcus Moore - 6'3, 232 (DE, California) ***

Osa Odighizuwa - 6'2, 257 (DT, Oregon) ***

Dymond Lee - 6'1, 175 (WR, California) ***

Jordan Wilson - 6'5, 215 (TE, Tennessee) ***

J.J. Molson - 6'1, 190 (K, Canada) ***

Bailey Raborn - 5'11, 195 (K, California) ***

Jalen Starks - 6'0, 240 (RB, California) ***

Johnny Den Bleyker - 6'0, 200 (LS, California) **

Total: 16 verbal commits

Four Stars: 7

Three Stars: 8

Two Stars: 1

No Stars: 0

Mique Juarez - 6'2, 226 (LB, California) ****

Matt Fink - 6'3, 179 (QB, California) ****

Tyler Vaughns - 6'2, 180 (WR, California) ****

Josh Imatorbhebhe - 6'2, 205 (WR, Georgia) ****

Keyshon Camp - 6'4, 269 (DT, Florida) ****

Trevon Sidney - 5'11, 164 (ATH, California) ****

Frank Martin - 6'5, 302 (OT, California) ****

Daelin Hayes - 6'4, 249 (ATH, Michigan) ****

Cary Angeline - 6'7, 230 (TE, Pennsylvania) ****

C.J. Pollard - 6'1, 183 (S, California) ****

Michael Pittman - 6'4, 205 (WR, California) ****

Velus Jones - 5'11, 180 (WR, Alabama) ****

Nathan Smith - 6'6, 259 (OT, California) ***

Liam Jimmons - 6'4, 235 (DE, California) ***

Keanu Saleapaga - 6'6, 260 (DT, California) ***

Jordan Iosefa - 6'3, 216 (LB, Hawaii) ***

Total: 16 verbal commits

Four Stars: 12

Three Stars: 4

Two Stars: 0

No Stars: 0

Kahi Neves - 6'4, 233 (LB, Utah) ****

Devontae Henry-Cole - 5'8, 177 (RB, Florida) ***

Davir Hamilton - 6'3, 202 (ATH, California) ***

Tucker Scott - 6'4, 269 (OT, California) ***

Tyler Huntley - 6'1, 178 (ATH, Florida) ***

Demari Simpkins - 5'10, 171 (ATH, Florida) ***

Julian Blackmon - 6'0, 167 (ATH, Utah) ***

Cole Fotheringham - 6'4, 219 (TE, California) ***

Micah Croom - 6'2, 198 (S, California) ***

Jay Griffin - 5'10, 165 (WR, Texas) ***

Lorenzo Neal - 6'2, 328 (DT, Texas) No stars

Scott Peck - 6'6, 296 (OT, Washington) No stars

Ohaji Hawkins - 6'0, 165 (CB, Florida) No stars

Total: 13 verbal commits

Four Stars: 1

Three Stars: 9

Two Stars: 0

No Stars: 3

Brandon Wellington - 6'0, 217 (RB, Washington) ****

Taylor Rapp - 6'0, 199 (S, Washington) ****

Luke Wattenberg - 6'5, 265 (OT, California) ****

Kentrell Love - 6'1, 170 (CB, California) ***

Camilo Eifer - 6'2, 215 (LB, California) ***

Sean McGrew - 5'7, 174 (RB, California) ***

Amandre Williams - 6'3, 230 (DE, Washington) ***

Aaron Fuller - 5'11, 175 (WR, Texas) ***

Van Soderberg - 6'0, 200 (K, Washington) ***

Nick Harris - 6'1, 272 (OL, California) ***

Jacob Kizer - 6'5, 235 (TE, Oregon) ***

Total: 11 verbal commits

Four Stars: 3

Three Stars: 8

Two Stars: 0

No Stars: 0

Grant Porter - 6'0, 175 (WR, California) ***

Josiah Westbrook - 6'0, 180 (WR, Washington) ***

Renard Bell - 5'11, 160 (WR, California) ***

Stephen Houston - 6'2, 195 (WR, California) ***

Cody Brewer - 6'6, 225 (QB, Texas) ***

D'Jimon Jones - 6'0, 170 (QB, Washington) ***

Jihad Woods - 5'10, 215 (LB, California) ***

Derek Moore - 6'2, 211 (LB, California) No stars

Isaiah Love - 6'1, 165 (CB, California) No stars

Skyler Thomas - 5'11, 170 (CB, California) No stars

Mason Vinyard - 6'5, 209 (TE, California) No stars

Jalen Thompson - 5'10, 166 (CB, California) No stars

Josh Watson - 6'4, 270 (OG, Washington) No stars

Total: 13 verbal commits

Four Stars: 0

Three Stars: 7

Two Stars: 0

No Stars: 6