Top 10 most dramatic recruitments

National Signing Day lends itself to dramatic moments: the media coverage, the recruiting rivalries and the promise of an instant impact by the nation's top recruit.

The hype and drama over recruiting has intensified recently. MaxPreps looks at the most dramatic recruitments of the past five years:

10. Arik Armstead
School: Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove, Calif.)
Year: 2012
Ranked: No. 16
Signed with: TBD
An early verbal commit to USC, Armstead began to look around due to issues his brother Armond experienced during his senior season with the Trojans. He then ruled ruled out the Trojans and was considered a lock to sign with Cal. Tosh Lupoi's departure to Washington just days before Armstead was expected to announce turned his plans to enroll early upside down. After narrowing his choice down to Notre Dame and Auburn, with the hope of playing with Armond, Armstead pushed off his decision to enroll early and will now make a decision on National Signing Day while Armond returns to USC for the semester. Fans of all four schools remain on edge over Armstead's decision.{PAGEBREAK}

9. Stephon Tuitt
School: Monroe Area (Monroe, Ga.)
Year: 2011
Ranked: No. 27
Signed with: Notre Dame
Notre Dame's impressive haul of defensive linemen in 2011 was almost one short. Tuitt sent Fighting Irish fans into a tizzy when he backed off the pledge he made to Notre Dame in September and committed instead to Georgia Tech two weeks before National Signing Day. However, after meeting with Notre Dame assistants, Tuitt once again went back to the Irish and signed his National Letter of Intent on National Signing Day.{PAGEBREAK}

8. Manti Te'o
School: Punahou (Honolulu)
Year: 2009
Ranked: No. 7
Signed with: Notre Dame
Te'o was considered a near-lock to select USC on National Signing Day after he eliminated BYU from contention just a few weeks earlier. In Hawaii, college-bound recruits sign their National Letter of Intent at the same ceremony. He stunned fans across the country when he lifted a Notre Dame cap and signed with Notre Dame to play for then-head coach Charlie Weis.{PAGEBREAK}

7. Matt Elam
School: Dwyer (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.)
Year: 2010
Ranked: No. 27
Signed with: Florida
A Florida commit since the fall of his junior season, Elam began to have second thoughts after the news of Urban Meyer stepping down. Meyer's retirement lasted about as long as Elam's commitment to Florida State. After switching to the Seminoles shortly before New Year's Day, Elam recommitted to Florida two weeks later, stunning Seminole fans and helping the Gators land one of the top recruiting classes in recent years.




6. Jamarkus McFarland
School: Lufkin (Texas)
Year: 2009
Ranked: No. 15
Signed with: Oklahoma
McFarland's recruitment ranks among the most well-covered of all-time, as New York Times writer Thayer Evans chronicled his experience. Evans documented a now-controversial school essay that McFarland wrote, which discussed a party he attended thrown by Longhorns fans that included drugs, alcohol and promiscuous women. McFarland committed to Oklahoma on Christmas morning, a gift to Sooners fans that left an awful taste in the mouths of Texas fans.{PAGEBREAK}

5. Gunner Kiel
School: Columbus East (Ind.)
Year: 2012
Ranked: No. 2
Signed with: Notre Dame
The No. 1 quarterback in the Class of 2012, Kiel made waves by verbally committing to in-state Indiana over the summer. He later backed off that pledge and narrowed his choices to LSU, Notre Dame and Vanderbilt. While many anticipated an announcement on Christmas Eve, his decision to attend LSU did not come until Dec. 27. Kiel was set to enroll early at LSU but had second thoughts the day before classes started. He enrolled at Notre Dame the very next day, stunning Tigers fans.{PAGEBREAK}

4. Cyrus Kouandjio
School: DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.)
Year: 2011
Ranked: No. 3
Signed with: Alabama
With brother Arie already enrolled at Alabama, most assumed Cyrus Kouandjio was a lock to pick Alabama over Auburn and Iowa. However, on national television, he committed to Auburn on National Signing Day. One small thing held him up: he didn't sign his National Letter of Intent. As Kouandjio rethought his decision, a media circus ensued. Three days later, he faxed in a signed National Letter of Intent to Alabama.{PAGEBREAK}

3. Seantrel Henderson
School: Cretin-Derham Hall (St. Paul, Minn.)
Year: 2010
Ranked: No. 1
Signed with: Miami
The nation's No. 1 recruit, Henderson's recruitment was closely guarded. He made his decision on the set of CBS Sports Network by selecting a USC jersey, breaking from the standard hat selection. However, for Henderson, the fun was just beginning. He didn't sign with USC until March 23, six weeks after National Signing Day. Following NCAA sanctions against USC, Henderson received a release from his National Letter of Intent and enrolled at Miami in the summer, five months after he first donned the Trojans jersey.{PAGEBREAK}

2. Bryce Brown
School: East (Wichita, Kan.)
Year: 2009
Ranked: No. 2
Signed with: Tennessee
Wichita is not an area accustomed to blue-chip recruits. So when brothers Arthur (Class of 2008) and Bryce Brown ('09) emerged on the scene, they became a story that transcended the Kansas state borders. Like Arthur's recruitment, Bryce's recruitment was handled by Brian Butler, who sold updates about the brothers' recruitment on his website. Despite graduating after the fall semester, Brown disappeared around National Signing Day, only to sign with Tennessee in mid-March, spurning offers from Miami, Kansas State and others.


1. Terrelle Pryor
School: Jeannette (Pa.)
Year: 2008
Ranked: No. 1
Signed with: Ohio State
Likely most drawn out recruitment ever, Pryor held a press conference on National Signing Day to announce that he was not ready to announce his decision between Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State and Oregon. Hype around Pryor peaked with a Pennsylvania man creating a Pryor replica action figure. Finally, on March 19, after his state title-winning basketball season ended, Pryor committed to Ohio State, citing his level of comfort with the coaching staff and players.