National Signing Day: NFL draft history for five-star recruits

National Signing Day is Wednesday, and the hoopla surrounding it makes it seem like Christmas in February for college football fans.

Signing lists will be perused, and there will be crowing about the great players each coaching staff reeled in. There will be especially loud crowing about five-star recruits who signed.

But being a five-star recruit is no sure thing when it comes to college stardom, much less NFL stardom. We went back and looked at each Rivals.com five-star recruit from 2002 (when their rankings started) through the 2011 class.

Here’s what we found:

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National Signing Day: NFL draft history for five-star recruits

Seahawks, Cardinals among roughest teams to confront at home

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Fourteen weeks in the 2014 NFL effort, four teams remain perfect at home:

» New England Patriots (6-0) » Denver Broncos (7-0) » Arizona Cardinals (7-0) » Green Bay Packers (7-0)

Hey, whaddya know: Those just so happen to be the top two seeds for every conference in the upgraded playoff image. One team that’s not on this list: the tremendously unsatisfactory New Orleans Saints, who have inexplicably dropped four in a row in the Superdome, which had been a house of horrors for competitors prior to the season.

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Seahawks, Cardinals among roughest teams to confront at home

Mississippi State"s Dan Mullen was not bullish on playoff opportunities

Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen was not convinced his Bulldogs would’ve made the College Football Playoff even if they’d defeated Mississippi on Saturday.

Well, he sort of believed that, anyhow.

Mississippi State was ranked fourth in this week’s College Football Playoff positions, but after Saturday’s loss Mullen told CBSSports.com, "I did not believe we were getting in the playoff anyway."

Mullen subsequently talked more about it — and did not look almost as certain.

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Mississippi State"s Dan Mullen was not bullish on playoff opportunities

Adrian Peterson"s appeals hearing set for Monday

Adrian Peterson‘s appeals hearing to be removed from the Commissioner’s Exempt list has been set for Monday, a league spokesperson confirmed to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport on Wednesday.

The NFL Players Association on Monday filed an expedited, non-injury grievance on behalf of Peterson that seeks immediate reinstatement for the Minnesota Vikings running back.

On Nov. 4, Peterson pleaded no contest to one count of misdemeanor reckless assault. He was placed on probation and was issued a $4,000 fine and 80 hours of community service in addition to enrollment in parenting classes.

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Adrian Peterson"s appeals hearing set for Monday

TCU"s fireworks supply runs out in 82-point effort vs. Texas Tech

Texas Christian continues to be scoring points in a blistering rate this year, but even the school apparently did not expect an offense like this. In the Horned Frogs’ 82-27 house triumph over Texas Tech, the school’s supply of post-touchdown fireworks was exhausted.

» Heisman Watch: Nebraska’s Abdullah boosts expects

TCU assistant sports director Drew Martin disclosed the news via Twitter:

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TCU"s fireworks supply runs out in 82-point effort vs. Texas Tech

Trindon Holliday signals with Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Return specialist Trindon Holliday has signed together with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, based on NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport, per a source told of the offer. Holliday was formerly using the New York Giants this year, who released him on Oct. 6 without him appearing in a match.

Holliday is the sole player in NFL history to score on a punt return plus a kickoff return in the exact same postseason match. The fifth-year master did so in January 2013 as an associate of the Denver Broncos against the Baltimore Ravens. His 90-yard score can also be the longest postseason punt return in league history.

Though the 5-foot-5 Holliday is among the very realized at what he does, he also has a tendency to fumble and lacks versatility as he’s just a return guy.

The Buccaneers are likely to officially announce the signing as early as Tuesday, according to Rick Stroud of The Tampa Bay Times. The team must create a corresponding roster move to make room in the roll.

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Trindon Holliday signals with Tampa Bay Buccaneers

CFB Social: Week 7 in college football through social media

Week 7 of college football is underway and social media is buzzing with the action. Here are the best tweets, vines, videos and more from across the country.

No matter the teams’ records, the Cotton Bowl for the Red River Shootout/Showdown/Rivalry is a bucket-list item for any college football fan. While there’s always the Texas State Fair food prior to the game, that’s only the beginning of the fun.

You think people take the Red River Shootout seriously?#Texas #Oklahoma pic.twitter.com/L24AxjS97j

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CFB Social: Week 7 in college football through social media

Vernon Adams could be next in line of small-school NFL QBs

It’s well established that a quarterback doesn’t need to be from a major college program to find success in the NFL.

The list of QBs that rose from outside college football’s power conferences — or even Division I in some cases — within the past decade or so includes Joe Flacco (Delaware), Colin Kaepernick (Nevada), Ben Roethlisberger (Miami Ohio) and Tony Romo (Eastern Illinois). The latest signal-caller trying to follow their lead is New England Patriots rookie Jimmy Garoppolo (Eastern Illinois), a second-round pick earlier this year who threw his first career touchdown pass Monday night in relief of Tom Brady.

Who could be next in the pipeline from the less-heralded ranks?

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Vernon Adams could be next in line of small-school NFL QBs

Inside Slant: Dysfunction at Michigan extends beyond sideline

» Michigan’s Hoke atop hot-seat coaches list

One of the first questions Michigan president Mark Schlissel should be asking today is this: "How will we ever get this right from play to play in a Saturday instant when we can’t even get it right between Saturday and Monday?"

He should ask it while sifting through more failures in Michigan’s concussion protocol than can be easily counted. If the school’s admitted mishandlings of quarterback Shane Morris’ concussion were fumbles on a field, they could be strung together for an award-winning blooper clip.

Except that there’s not much humor in institutional dysfunction.

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Inside Slant: Dysfunction at Michigan extends beyond sideline

Michigan State QB Connor Cook not thinking about NFL yet

Three former Michigan State quarterbacks began in the NFL on Sunday. The present Michigan State starting quarterback appears in no rush to join them.

Kirk Cousins (Washington Redskins), Brian Hoyer (Cleveland Browns) and Drew Stanton (Arizona Cardinals) are the former Spartans who began Sunday, and present Spartans starter Connor Cook (6-foot-4, 218 pounds), a junior, already gets the attention of NFL scouts. NFL Media analyzer Bucky Brooks had Cook No. 6 on his preseason list of quarterbacks to observe, writing that Cook has "the pocket-passing abilities and arm strength to prosper in an offense that puts the weight on the quarterback to create plays in the passing game."

Cook was asked about possibly turning professional after Saturday’s 73-14 rout of Eastern Michigan.

"It Is kind of insane to believe I am in the scenario I am in now," Cook told mlive.com. "But, actually, when the time comes, if I had been good enough, we will discuss it after."

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Michigan State QB Connor Cook not thinking about NFL yet

Florida"s Will Muschamp atop hot seat trainers list

We Are still in September and there already is one training vacancy (SMU). While it is incredibly improbable another occupation will come open this month, there are likely to be a dozen or so that come start this season — and odds are, the jobs that come open will be on this list.

We Are not saying every one of these men will go, but trainers are hired to be fired as well as the job security of those 10 are the most tenuous among the 128 trainers in the FBS positions. By no means, however, is this a whole record of the hot seat trainers. All these are only the men to the hottest seats this week.

This list will probably be updated on a weekly basis as trainers’ fortunes rise and fall.

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Florida"s Will Muschamp atop hot seat trainers list

Nebraska"s Ameer Abdullah runs for 229 yards, 2 TDs in triumph

It was rather a night for Nebraska senior running back Ameer Abdullah: He rushed for 229 yards and two touchdowns, caught a TD pass, moved into third position in the institution ‘s career rushing list and became the Huskers’ career leader in all-purpose yards as the Huskers downed Miami, 41-31.

Abdullah (5-foot-9, 200 pounds) now has 5,760 all-purpose yards, passing Heisman winner Johnny Rodgers (5,586) on Saturday night. It was the 20th 100-yard game of Abdullah’s career, the most of any present FBS player and tied for second-most (with Ahman Green) in school history. Abdullah has 3,602 career rushing yards; Green is second in school history with 3,880 and Mike Rozier first with 4,780.

Abdullah’s 3-yard TD reception tied it at 14 midway through the 2nd quarter. His first rushing touchdown came early in the 3rd quarter and gave Nebraska a 24-14 edge, and his second completed the Huskers’ marking and gave them a 41-24 lead with 4:13 left in the match.

Abdullah had a career-high 35 carries as Nebraska did a whole lot of damage to the earth; the Huskers rushed for 345 yards on 54 carries and tried only 13 passes. Nebraska ended with 458 absolute yards; the Huskers punted just once but they did commit two turnovers.

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Nebraska"s Ameer Abdullah runs for 229 yards, 2 TDs in triumph

Panthers" Greg Hardy to be put on Exempt List

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The Carolina Panthers declared on Wednesday that defensive end Greg Hardy will soon be put in the Exempt/Commissioner’s Permission List, after the lead of the Minnesota Vikings’ handling of Adrian Peterson.

The Exempt List is the same one that Peterson landed on before in the day as he addresses the legal problems associated to an indictment on a charge of dangerous or negligent harm to your kid. The designation requires that Hardy stay away from all team tasks while on the exempt list.

"Greg had the choice to get this done and he took it," Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman said Wednesday. & quot;This is what he picked. This really is the choice he selected."

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Panthers" Greg Hardy to be put on Exempt List

Vikings deactivate Adrian Peterson forever

Upon further thought, the Minnesota Vikings have determined running back Adrian Peterson is not going to stay an active person in the group during his present legal problem.

Less than two days after activating Peterson for Sunday’s match in New Orleans, the Vikings reversed course by releasing a statement early Wednesday describing that Peterson is likely to be put in the Exempt/Commissioner’s Permission list. Which will need Peterson to stay away from all team tasks while he takes care of his legal proceedings.

Peterson was deactivated for last week’s loss to the New England Patriots after being indicted on a charge of dangerous or negligent harm to your kid. Your decision to activate Peterson for this week came under significant criticism, including a call in the governor of Minnesota to suspend Peterson.

The statement suggests that Peterson will remain deactivated until his legal proceedings are solved. Peterson comes with an initial hearing for his charges on October 8. The Montgomery County District Attorney suggested formerly a trial was not likely until 2015.

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Vikings deactivate Adrian Peterson forever

Ohio State star DE Noah Spence set to return after suspension

Ohio State defensive end Noah Spence returns to the team this week after a three-game suspension, adding to an already-talented defensive line.

Spence (6-foot-3, 252 pounds), a junior, missed last season’s Orange Bowl and the first two games this season because he tested positive for ecstasy; originally, he was suspended for a full season, but the suspension was reduced to three games. His family has said Spence unintentionally took the drug when he was given a drink by people he didn’t know at a party.

Spence was listed as one of the nation’s top-10 pass rushers by NFL Media draft analyst Bucky Brooks in May. "Spence shows terrific snap-count anticipation and first-step quickness, but is still unpolished as a rusher off the edge," Brooks wrote. "He is still learning how to sequence his moves, but his impressive athleticism has allowed him to post solid production with a limited arsenal of pitches. If he can add a wrinkle or two to his game in the fall, Spence could be one of the most intriguing prospects to watch down the road."

Spence, who was a consensus top-five player nationally in the 2012 recruiting class, had eight sacks last season, which led the team; he added 14.5 tackles for loss, which was second on the team to linebacker Ryan Shazier, who was the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ first-round pick.

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Ohio State star DE Noah Spence set to return after suspension

LSU RB Leonard Fournette breaks out Heisman pose

Until Saturday, there hadn’t yet been a single sign that the overinflated hype and unrealistic expectations placed upon LSU freshman running back Leonard Fournette as the nation’s No.1-rated recruit had gone to his head.

Now, we’ve seen one.

Fournette thought enough of the first touchdown of his career to punctuate it with a Heisman pose:

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LSU RB Leonard Fournette breaks out Heisman pose