View from the top: A history of the nation's No. 1 recruits
The college football world waits with baited breath for Wednesday, when the nation's top recruit Rashan Gary will make his choice between Michigan and Clemson.
Should he pick Michigan, it would represent the first time since ESPN started ranking recruits in 2006 that a Big Ten school captured the top player.
If he decides to attend Clemson, it would mark the second time the Tigers claimed the nation's top prize, as Da'Quan Bowers committed to the school in 2009.
With 2016 marking the 11th season of ESPN's recruiting rankings, here's how the top prospect in each of the first ten years fared over their careers:
2006 - Myron Rolle, Florida State
Myron Rolle arrived on campus at Florida State amid much fan fare and did not disappoint, winning freshman All-American honors in his first season. Rolle had bigger aspirations than the NFL, though, and attended Oxford University as a Rhodes scholar following his time with the Seminoles. Drafted in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans, he left the league in 2013, and is now enrolled in medical school.
2007 - Joe McKnight, USC
Joe McKnight's USC career will always fall in the "what could have been" category. McKnight had all the talent to be an all-timer for the Trojans but injuries and fumbling issues derailed his tenure. His best season was his 2009 junior campaign where he rushed for 1,014 yards and eight touchdowns. He's currently an NFL free agent after being drafted in the fourth round by the New York Jets in 2010.
2008 - Da'Quan Bowers, Clemson
Da'Quan Bowers was an absolute stud during his time at Clemson, capping off an incredible three-year career by winning the 2010 ACC Defensive Player of the Year and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy. The South Carolina native exploded for 15.5 sacks in his final season, and was named a first-team All-American. Bowers currently plies his trade for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and has recorded seven sacks over five professional seasons.
2009 - Matt Barkley, USC
Matt Barkley committed to USC out of California powerhouse Mater Dei and immediately embarked on a massively successful four-year run as Trojans' starting quarterback. He finished his career 10th in FBS history with 116 passing touchdowns, and graduated as USC's all-time leading passer with 12,327 yards. He's also the only quarterback to be ranked as the nation's top recruit by ESPN. Barkley is now a member of the Arizona Cardinals.
2010 - Ronald Powell, Florida
Ronald Powell headlined Florida's legendary 2010 recruiting class that saw the Gators sign four of the nation's top 10 recruits. The California native suffered multiple ACL tears while in college, and finished his career with 79 tackles and 11 sacks. He was taken by the New Orleans Saints in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
2011 - Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina
If for some reason you forget about Jadeveon Clowney's impact in the college game, here's a quick refresher:
The South Carolina native was one of ESPN's highest-ranked recruits ever, and lived up to that enormous hype throughout his college career. His sophomore season featured a ridiculous 23.5 tackles for loss to go along with 13 sacks, and saw Clowney capture first-team All-American honors. A debate then ensued about whether he should sit out his junior season to avoid injury. While a very disappointing campaign followed, it wasn't enough to knock him off his perch atop NFL draft boards, as the Houston Texans made him the first overall pick in 2014.
2012 - Mario Edwards Jr., Florida State
Pulling the nation's top recruit out of Texas represented a massive coup for Florida State, and Mario Edwards Jr. turned out to be a key contributor on the Seminoles' 2013 National Championship team. He registered a key sack in their win over Auburn, and followed that up with a versatile junior season that saw him register 11 tackles for loss while playing three different defensive positions. The Oakland Raiders drafted Edwards in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
2013 - Robert Nkemdiche, Ole Miss
Ole Miss nabbing Robert Nkemdiche as the nation's top recruit in 2013 was the turning point in coach Hugh Freeze's rebuild of the Rebels' program. He was a pillar on the nation's top scoring defense in 2014, amassing 27 tackles and two sacks. Nkemdiche regularly faced double and triple teams throughout his career, so while his numbers aren't staggering, his impact certainly was. Off-field issues have seen his stock plummet for the 2016 NFL Draft, for which he was originally thought to be the consensus No. 1 pick.
2014 - Leonard Fournette, LSU
Before Leonard Fournette was tossing around college defenses like small children, he was the nation's top recruit in 2014. LSU signed the in-state product and immediately built its offense around his abilities. Fournette finished his sophomore season third in the nation with 1,953 yards rushing, and also tallied 22 touchdowns. He enters the 2016 campaign as one of the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy.
2015 - Byron Cowart, Auburn
Last year's top-ranked recruit Byron Cowart had a underwhelming true freshman season for Auburn. He saw action in eight games for the Tigers, posting six total tackles. With defensive coordinator Will Muschamp departing for the head coaching position at South Carolina, it will be interesting to see how new defensive whiz Kevin Steele can use the ultra-athletic Cowart in his sophomore campaign.