It's a day when a bunch of grown men are huddled around a fax machine, like it's the only source of heat left in the world!  It's a day when college coaches around the country sweat it out, waiting for that National Letter of Intent, from a prized recruit, to come through that device (Why can't we upgrade to a new way to receive official LOI's?!?)  It's a day when all those hours spent calling, texting and visiting high school recruits, can rise a program to national prominence...or leave a school wondering when its time will come.for a school.

National Signing Day....a day that can make or break your favorite college football team!

And it's a long, but fun, day for us media folk, as we watch those kids we covered in high school, make that next step in their athletic careers.  I will be covering my fifth 'National Signing Day' as a member of the television media, next Wendesday, and I thought I'd give you an early look at Signing Day in Central Texas.

• Let's start with those Baylor Bears....and it will be interesting to see how they turn the momentum of a Heisman win by RG3 and a 10-win season into nabbing recruits.  Since the beginning of Art Briles tenure, BU has recruited toward the offensive side of the football (ex. RG3 and Kendall Wright).  But in order to reach that next step, the Bears have to recruit on the defensive side of the ball.  BU seemingly doing that with this class, led by two 4-star verbal commitments -- San Antonio Sam Houston DE Javonte Magee and Euless Trinity LB Brian Nance.  The offense will be there for Baylor, but if the defense catches up in the next two recruiting classes, look out Big 12!
• According to Rivals.com, as of Thursday night, here are where the Big 12 schools (current and future) rank in nationally (Top 50 only): 2. Texas, 9. Oklahoma, 10. Texas A&M, 23. TCU, 24. Texas Tech, 35. Baylor, 38. Oklahoma State, 39. West Virginia.
• Florida State is currently ranked 6th...you knew I was getting my Noles in this blog somewhere!
• From the Big 12, the Longhorns snatched up two recruits from Central Texas: OL Camrhon Hughes (Harker Heights), ATH Orlando Thomas (Copperas Cove).  OL Michael Starts (Texas Tech) heads to Lubbock, making a switch to defensive line.  And TE Jordan Smith (Reicher) joins Charlie Weis at Kansas.
• Other CenTex D-I signees include Midway's Shakiel Randolph (SMU), Reicher's Lincoln Plsek (Minnesota), Waco High's Will Hines (Arkansas), Ellison's Sean McBryde (Army) and Copperas Cove's Brandon Hamilton (Rice).

 Be sure to check out 254sports.com throughout National Signing Day, on Wednesday, February 1, for the latest updates.