Best of the Best: The Brain's National Top 10

So, for today's BrainStorm installment, The Brain has identified and reviewed the top ten high school football players in the country. He wants to acknowledge, however, how difficult picking the ten best players in America can be, and for so many different reasons. While he's seen everyone on his list play, The Brain has hardly gotten the chance to see all the great players across the country, which means some kids just haven't had the same opportunity, at least not as far as his rankings are concerned. Additionally, The Brain believes it's really hard to differentiate between No. 5, 10 and 20 when he's only seen each kid live one or two times.

With that said, first-hand observation is only part of the scouting process, as there are a bunch of other things to consider during player evaluations, and The Brain feels pretty confident about his own. On a similar note, you will notice he didn't actually rank these players within the top 10, deciding instead to categorize them based on position; really, The Brain decided he'd rather not pretend that No. 1 is that different from No. 3, or that No. 7 is a decidedly better prospect than No. 10.

With this possibly unnecessary commentary and explanation out of the way, then, it's time for readers to thoroughly enjoy The Brain's National Top 10:

RUNNING BACKS:

Malcolm Brown: 6-0, 220-pound running back out of Cibolo, Texas. Committed to Texas. Brown has great power, speed and balance, especially for a player of his size. He sees the field very well, catches the ball like a receiver, and has decent moves in the open field. He ha the true look of a running back getting through the hole, and has great initial speed/burst. Texas has had solid success with running backs over the last ten years or so, but Brown is clearly the best talent the Longhorns have had since Ricky Williams.

Mike Blakely: 5-9, 195-pound running back out of Bradenton, Florida. Committed to Florida. Personally, I believe he is the most explosive back in America. Blakely possesses great speed, quickness and burst to go along with power and strength in a stout, stocky build. His vision, quick cuts, and overall balance, however, are his most unique strengths. Blakely quickly identifies running lanes, and then explodes, reaching top speed almost immediately, and can cut back in a blink. Simply put, he is a natural football player who can pass the football like a quarterback and catch it like a receiver as well. He’s a quality blocker and a rather physical runner for his size, both between the tackles and out on the edges. Blakely also has a very good build, solid and muscular frame for his height.

QUARTERBACKS:

Jeff Driskel: 6-3, 225-pound quarterback out of Oviedo, Florida. Committed to Florida. Driskel has prototypical size, to go along with perhaps the strongest arm in all of America. He also throws the football with great touch and accuracy, though he does tend to take a lot of risks in the passing game. Driskel possesses and incredibly quick release, and is a gunslinger in the truest sense of the football expression. He, however, also happens to be a very good athlete with good speed, and a great ability to avoid the rush and run the football on designed plays. He possesses a unique combination of prototypical passing skills to go along with the rushing ability of a dual-threat quarterback. And, based on Florida's struggles with John Brantley behind center in 2010, Driskel's dual-threat style of play will be welcomed in Gainesville in the years to come.

Braxton Miller: 6-2, 185-pound quarterback out of Huber Heights, Ohio. Committed to Ohio State. Miller is a tremendous athlete, truly dynamic with the football in his hands, but also has a rocket for an arm and is an especially adept intermediate passer. Like most high school quarterbacks, he is still developing mentally in the passing game, but has a naturally quick release, and is extremely adept at throwing on the run. Personally, I believe he is a better all-around quarterback prospect than Terrell Pryor was at the same stage.

DEFENSIVE LINE:

Jadeveon Clowney: 6-6, 247-pound defensive end out of Rock Hill, South Carolina. Clowney is still firmly on the market and has a top four that includes South Carolina, Alabama, Clemson and Ohio State. I think it’s really a two-team battle, though, and I believe the Gamecocks will eventually edge out the Tide in the end. On the field, Clowney is an absolute monster, a true freak athlete. He navigates the field with tremendous speed and grace, but also possesses truly dominant size and strength. He has solid pass rush moves at this point, but it’s his innate physical tools that really separate him. In recent years, two other defensive ends have had Top Recruit-like talent – Ronald Powell and DaQuan Bowers – and I’m not sure either is in the same class as Clowney as far as pure pass rushing dominance is concerned, and that’s saying a whole lot for sure.

Tim Jernigan: 6-2, 275-pound defensive tackle out of Lake City, Florida. He is a relentless pass rusher from his defensive tackle position. Needs to add some weight to his frame, but plays with great leverage, uses his hands well, and is a very sophisticated pass rusher for the high school level. Jernigan truly plays with a non-stop motor and makes plays all over the field. He’s a great athlete and a natural at his position. He currently has a top four that includes FSU, Michigan, LSU and Alabama, but the Gators cannot be counted out here in any way.

RECEIVERS:

Sammy Watkins: 6-1, 180-pound receiver out of Fort Myers, Florida. Watkins currently has a top three of Clemson, Michigan and Miami, but will visit Gainesville for Florida’s game with South Carolina. On the field, Watkins displays great speed and open-field moves, but his hands, tremendous ball skills and overall comfort playing the receiver position are what truly separate him.

OFFENSIVE LINE:

Cyrus Kouandjio – 6-7, 322-pound offensive tackle out of Hyattsville, Maryland. He has former teammates that play for Iowa and Pittsburgh, and names both schools regularly as a result, but his brother plays at Alabama, and I think that makes the Tide the slight favorite here. Cyrus seems to be behind in the process, however. As for his play, he is simply a physical freak for his size, and plays with tremendous energy and enthusiasm. Offensive line is one of the toughest positions to scout and project, but Kouandjio has all the natural gifts. He is light on his feet, moves incredibly well for a man of his stature, and plays with nice balance as well. The sky is the limit for Cyrus.

LINEBACKERS:

Tony Steward: 6-2, 225-pound outside linebacker out of St. Augustine, Florida. Steward’s top four includes Alabama, Clemson, FSU and UCLA. In addition to his obvious size and speed, he plays with great leverage, balance and body control. Simply put, Steward looks like he was born to play the position. He takes great angles, covers a ton of ground in a hurry, and takes no missteps. Steward also happens to be a vicious hitter and a dominant pass rusher.

DEFENSIVE BACKS:

Hasean Clinton-Dix: 6-2, 190-pound safety out of Orlando, Florida. Committed to Alabama. Hasean is dynamic against the run, rangy against the pass, and great with the ball in the air. He looks far too big and physical to be a safety, but has the speed and agility to back it up. HaHa is also tremendous on the blitz and an eraser against the pass. He’s yet another one of those complete freaks on the football field.

So, that's all I've got for now, and I feel pretty good about this stopping place. I just hope my one-of-a-kind insight is appreciated by all. And, until next time, remember to be good and keep reading.