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[AUChizad]

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The Leaderboard

There are some talented running backs in the 2010 class. Here are some current projections for five of the country's top running back prospects. Keep in mind that these are educated guesses at this point, particularly this early in the process.

• Mack Brown (Lithonia, Ga./Martin Luther King): Florida
He is extremely high on the Gators and fits in well with their offense.

• Michael Dyer (Little Rock, Ark./Little Rock Christian): Auburn
Sources don't think he's a lock, but the Tigers are strongest.

• Malcolm Jones (Westlake Village, Calif./Oaks Christian): Stanford
Word around the Los Angeles Nike Camp was that the Cardinal may land another big one.

• Marcus Lattimore (Duncan, S.C./James F. Byrnes): Florida State
Jimbo Fisher has done a great job building a relationship, and as many as four former teammates could be at FSU with him.This is the kid that said Auburn was "very high on his list" and that his visit was "incredible"

• Lache Seastrunk (Temple, Texas): Auburn
The Tigers have done a great job building this relationship.

Breaking Through

One thing that jumped out from the RB projections is the current momentum that Stanford and Auburn have at the moment. The Tigers and Cardinal have been two of the more unlikely noisemakers early in the 2010 recruiting cycle. Will it hold up? Time will tell. But at the moment things are looking good in Auburn and Palo Alto for a breakthrough recruiting year.

While I'm on the subject of breakthrough recruiting efforts, there are five programs that you may not have thought about in recent years when you thought recruiting but that have good momentum right now. Of course, Auburn and Stanford are on this list.

Auburn: Gene Chizik's staff has been very impressive in recruiting thus far.

California: The Golden Bears have some nice players committed and have expanded their reach.

North Carolina: It's not really a surprise that Butch Davis and staff can sell this program.

NC State: It is a surprise how well the Pack have been able to match that ability and land solid talent of their own.

Stanford: Other schools make excuses about tough academics; Stanford sells it well.

Honorable mention: Cincinnati, Oklahoma State, Boston College and Texas Tech.

Creating a Buzz
This changes as recruiting ebbs and flows throughout the cycle, but here are five schools that are hot with the prospects right now.


AP Photo/Jamie MartinGene Chizik is winning over recruits and has everyone talking about Auburn.

Auburn: When you lead for what could be the top three running backs in the country, that's impressive.

Florida: Two national titles in three seasons have the Gators hotter than ever.

Michigan: The Wolverines are selling their offense, tradition and playing time all at once.

USC: When the country's top prospects are giddy simply because you offer, you know you are doing something right.

Stanford: We keep talking about the Cardinal, but prospects are digging Palo Alto and the campus along with the other things they are selling.

Honorable mention: LSU, Oregon, Florida State and Alabama.

Recruiter To Watch

Willie Taggart, running backs coach, Stanford
The Palmetto, Fla., native recruits Georgia, Florida and Kentucky for the Cardinal and is responsible for landing Under Armour All-America receiver Tai-ler Jones (Gainesville, Ga.) in this class after getting Under Armour All-America receiver Jamal Patterson (McDonough, Ga./Henry County) in the 2009 class. He relates well to recruits, and Jones recently commented that Taggart did a "great job" recruiting him and building a relationship with him. This was very important for a prospect who is going to play more than 2,500 miles from home. Honorable mention: Jimbo Fisher, Florida State; Tosh Lupoi, California; Trooper Taylor, Auburn; Sal Sunseri, Alabama