Recruiting: National Signing Day Surprises
National Signing Day is an event that’s slightly uncomfortable to admit following outside of recruiting circles. You, a grown man, admit to tracking and writing about the college decisions of 18 year-old kids you’ll never meet.
Try explaining that to the significant other and not come out on the other end with a “creepy” tag.
Smirks aside, National Signing Day is the closest college football fans get to watching actual competition in February.
And it always produces plenty of twists, turns, shocks and head-scratchers to combat the truth that the regular season is still seven months away.
Here are the best surprises from February 1, 2012:
Deontay Greenberry, a 5-star wideout from California and long-time Notre Dame commit, signed with Houston. The Cougars, not the Texans. A late visit sold him on the Bayou City and apparently, Greenberry desperately wanted to follow Cougars inside receivers coach Jamie Christian.
It’s a shock for a number of reasons. Greenberry seemed happy with his Irish decision. His cousin, Tee Shepard, had already enrolled in South Bend and most figured the two were a package deal. But according to Blue and Gold Illustrated, Greenberry thought about striking out on his own, away from his cousin and found a surprising home in Houston.
He’s a coup for new Cougars head coach Tony Levine and a career worth following to see how this stunner of a collegiate decision ends.
Another Sunshine State wide receiver made headlines this morning as Jordan Payton signed with UCLA. He had previously committed to USC, Cal and Washington. Four commitments might make even Elizabeth Taylor blush. So in reality, another school wasn’t so much of a surprise as a habit. Still, Payton is a talented get for Jim Mora and the Bruins.
Torshiro Davis, LSU commit from Shreveport, Louisiana had seemingly eliminated Texas weeks ago. That was a ruse as the Longhorns pulled off a rare Signing Day switch and landed the freakish defensive end/outside linebacker.
Bo Davis, Texas defensive line coach, was the point man on Davis’ recruitment and never gave up selling Torshiro on his potential as a Big 12 pass rusher. Davis cited low morale in Baton Rouge as a precursor to his decision, something Les Miles obviously needs to fix quickly if true.
Tracy Howard is the top cornerback in the country and even though NCAA sanction clouds loom over Coral Gables, he’s a Hurricane. Howard decided to commit to Miami the same way head coach Al Golden has, ignoring a specter of future penalties and bowl bans.
He’s a huge feather in Golden’s cap as the former Temple head coach swayed Howard from signing with Jimbo Fisher or Will Muschamp, locking down the “state” of Miami.
And in the sub-category of surprises but not necessarily shockers:
Andrus Peat to Stanford. His brother is a Nebraska Cornhusker and many figured the offensive tackle would follow him to Lincoln.
Dexter Fowler to Florida. He flirted with the Gators throughout his year-long commitment but Florida State thought it could hold onto the talented defensive lineman.
Nelson Algholor to USC. Florida hoped to nab the speedy wide receiver but Lane Kiffin offered him first, two years ago, and closed the deal for the Trojans today.
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