What does being the No. 1 recruit really mean?

Graphic by Ryan Escobar

2002
Tom Lemming - Ben Olson, Thousand Oaks (Calif.)
Scout Hot 100 - Lorenzo Booker, St. Bonaventure (Ventura, Calif.)
Rivals 100 - Vincent Young, Madison (Houston)
ESPNU 150 - data not available until 2006           

2003
Tom Lemming - Chris Leak, Independence (Charlotte, N.C.)
Scout Hot 100 - Ernie Sims, North Florida Christian (Tallahassee, Fla.)
Rivals 100 - Ernie Sims        

2004
Tom Lemming - Adrian Peterson, Palestine (Texas)
Scout Hot 100 - Jeff Byers, Loveland (Colo.)
Rivals 100 - Adrian Peterson

2005
Tom Lemming - Ryan Perrilloux, Riverside (La.)
Scout Top 300 - Mark Sanchez, Mission Viejo (Calif.)
Rivals 100 - Derrick Williams, Eleanor Roosevelt (Greenbelt, Md.) 

2006
Tom Lemming -  Chris Wells, Garfield (Akron, Ohio)
Scout 300 - Chris Wells   
Rivals 100 - Percy Harvin, Landstown (Virginia Beach, Va.)
ESPNU 150 - Myron Rolle, Hun (Princeton, N.J.)  First year for ESPNU

2007
Tom Lemming - Jimmy Clausen, Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Calif.)
Scout 300 - Everson Griffen, Agua Fria (Avondale, Ariz.)
Rivals 100 - Jimmy Clausen   
ESPNU 150 - Joe McKnight, Curtis (River Ridge, La.)

2008
Tom Lemming - Terrelle Pryor, Jeannette (Pa.)
Scout 300 - Terrelle Pryor
Rivals 100 - Terrelle Pryor
ESPNU 150 - Da'Quan Bowers, Bamberg-Ehrhardt (Bamberg, S.C.)

2009
Tom Lemming - Matt Barkley, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
Scout 300 - Bryce Brown, East (Wichita, Kan.)
Rivals 100 - Bryce Brown
ESPNU 150 - Matt Barkley

2010
Tom Lemming - Seantrel Henderson, Cretin-Derham Hall (St. Paul, Minn.)
Scout 300 - Seantrel Henderson
Rivals 100 - Ronald Powell, Rancho Verde (Moreno Valley, Calif.)
ESPNU 150 - Ronald Powell

2011
Tom Lemming - Jadeveon Clowney, South Pointe (Rock Hill, S.C.)
Scout 300 - Jadeveon Clowney   
Rivals 100 - Jadeveon Clowney
ESPNU 150 - Jadeveon Clowney   

More info from MaxPreps 2012 National Signing Day page