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CBS Sports' Tom Lemming Releases The Top 25 College Football Recruiting Classes For 2012

CBS Sports' college football recruiting analyst Tom Lemming released his 2012 ranking of the Top 25 recruiting classes in the country, leading up to National Signing Day on Wednesday, Feb. 1. Lemming's full list along with the Top 100 college football recruits for 2012 is now available on MaxPreps.com, the online high school sports leader and a CBSSports.com site.

Fresh off a BCS Championship, Alabama is the new #1 on the recruiting trail as well. The Crimson Tide supplanted Texas after coach Nick Saban added safety Landon Collins (Geismar, LA/Dutchtown) and WR Cyrus Jones Jr. (Baltimore, MD/Gilman) who committed during last week's Under Armour All-America game. Alabama currently has 25 commitments, five of whom are ranked among Lemming's Top 100 senior recruits.

Texas is second on Lemming's list with a class led by RB Johnathan Gray (Aledo, TX/Aledo). Gray, who was recently named MaxPreps.com's U.S. Air Force National Player of the Year, rushed for 10,908 yards and a national-record 205 touchdowns during his high school career. Michigan, Florida and Ohio State round out Lemming's Top Five.

Recognized as the country's leading expert on college football recruiting and high school talent, Lemming is host of the LEMMING REPORT, a high school football recruiting show that airs Fridays at 7:00 PM, ET on CBS Sports Network. He is also a regular contributor to CBSSports.com and MaxPreps.com. Lemming logs approximately 55,000 miles each year visiting the top recruits in the country.

In addition to the LEMMING REPORT, CBS Sports Network, CBSSports.com and MaxPreps.com will feature comprehensive coverage leading up to National Signing Day (Feb.1) with the latest verbal commitments, recruiting news and analysis.

Located at cbssports.com/collegefootball/recruiting, CBSSports.com's 2012 Signing Day coverage will offer breaking news, live video, and in-depth analysis by Lemming, MaxPreps.com National Football Editor Stephen Spiewak, CBSSports.com recruiting expert Bryan Fischer, CBSSports.com Senior College Football Columnist Bruce Feldman and a host of other experts. CBSSports.com will track the commitments and signings of all players heading to NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs.

Notes on Tom Lemming's Top 25 College Football Recruiting Classes for 2012

--Cal made the biggest leap, from #23 to #9, after landing two top 10 recruits: RB/DB Shaq Thompson (Sacramento, CA/Grant) and DT Ellis McCarthy (Monrovia, CA/) in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, plus a couple other top players in WR Jordan Payton (Westlake Village, CA/Oaks Christian) and C Matt Cochran (Atwater, CA/Buhach Colony).

--Stanford cracked the top 25 after landing RB Barry J. Sanders (Oklahoma City, OK/Heritage Hall) who picked the Cardinal over Oklahoma State following the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Sanders' father was the 1988 Heisman Trophy winner at Oklahoma State.

1) Alabama
2) Texas
3) Michigan
4) Florida
5) Ohio State
6) LSU
7) Miami (FL)
8) Oklahoma
9) California
10) Florida State

For the full Top 25, please visit MaxPreps.com.

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