Your thoughts on our recruiting class thus far....

[HogNuttz]

I'm really happy with our 2 and 3 star athletes.  No sarcasm.

As their rankings are updated, I feel a lot of these guys will gain some more prestige.


One of our 2 star is a big OL which we have had a good history of developing.  Another was recruited by an impressive list of schools.  The last one is from Warren, where we need to open up a pipeline and he may also help us recruit some of his higher ranked team mates.

Jim Youngblood is ranked as the #5 dual threat but is only a 3 star as of now, however, the #5 dual threat QB has always been ranked a 4 star or better as far back as the rivals archive goes.  Eric Ainge, Kodi Burns, Brady Quinn, Jamarcus Russell, and Brian Brohm are a few recent QB's that were ranked 5th or worse than 5th in the dual threat catagory.  Youngblood also has an uncommitted team mate we could use.

Oh yeah, we also have Curtis and a gynormus 4 star OL.

[pcrouch3809]

This will be Nutt's best class yet.

[Littlehog AR]

So far?




YAY!!

[PigWig]

This will be Nutt's best class yet.

Agreed.

I see this class ranking 15-20 if we can land Adams and after updates have been finished this season.

[Oklahawg]

Curious to see how the perceived needs in the class change as the season progresses. Do we see the staff flinch and oversign (per normal)?

That caveat bounced out there, yes, this has the makings of a very, very good class.

Good to see the out-of-state interest from so many solid athletes. I'd like to see us lock up a couple of studs at CB, S, DT and that last RB before the season hits.

[grayhawg]

Hoping we have them all on signing date along with some 5 stars.WPS :razorback: :razorback:

[jackflash]

agree with PIGWIG on 15 to 20 with Adams, could be much higher depending on out state kids. Auburn football book in on the news stand, some of the kids Arkansas is on are mention as top prospects. My feeling we are going to do well in FL/LA this year

[gohawgsgo]

This years in state class is so loaded and it looks like we may get most of them.  If we can get some good out of staters this might be a top 15 class.  It seems we always are between 22 and 29 and usually end of stacking up pretty well on Saturdays.

[Hog are ya]

The last one is from Warren, where we need to open up a pipeline and he may also help us recruit some of his higher ranked team mates.

And didn't Bo say he felt this kid would be the best of the bunch in college?

[Bugscuffle]

I see we placed 12 on the Pre-season All SEC team as voted on by the coaches. It would be interesting to see how many of those kids were 2 and 3 stars when recruited. Other issues aside, this seems to indicate our staff is pretty good at evaluating talent. I think there is certainly validity to the "stars" rating system, but there will always be 2's in High School who will be 4/5's by the time their College careers are over.

[PigPusher]

Sure a darn sight better than the last few years.  Looking good.

[Porkahontas]

Hoping we have them all on signing date along with some 5 stars.WPS :razorback: :razorback:

Let's just hope none of those 5-stars calls Houston Nutt a dork anywhere near a microphone.

So far, I will admit to being surprised at this class. Maybe the staff is being forced to actually recruit now instead of text message newscasters on a non-stop basis. Amazing what a little nudge toward the fire can do for some people.

[#1 STUNNA]

The last one is from Warren, where we need to open up a pipeline and he may also help us recruit some of his higher ranked team mates.

And didn't Bo say he felt this kid would be the best of the bunch in college?

said he had the potential, he can play anywhere on defense thats whats so special about him, never has played a single down at the corner position but is being recruited at corner, see what im saying

[jr]

Oklahawg is dead on, if we could sign the 4-5 star players at wr, s, dt, lb this would be our best class since joining the SEC.

[tbhogfan]

I think that this class has had a very solid start, probably the best in quite a while.  The staff needs to keep the momentum and get a few more big fish.

[hogsmaster]

The last one is from Warren, where we need to open up a pipeline and he may also help us recruit some of his higher ranked team mates.

And didn't Bo say he felt this kid would be the best of the bunch in college?

said he had the potential, he can play anywhere on defense thats whats so special about him, never has played a single down at the corner position but is being recruited at corner, see what im saying

BJ is very good football player.  While LB is down the list, I think with his size and speed, he would be a very good college LB.

Also, while Hembree may be right, it is hard to believe that anyone having potential of being a better college football player than JW. 

[WizardofhOgZ]

My thoughts?  My thoughts are these . . .

I believe that the mistake many make in evaluating a recruiting class is that they focus too much on the "top end" recruits and not enough on the depth of the class.  Said another way, I'd rather sign 20-25 true "***" recruits (regardless of whether that is what Rivals, Scout of another rating service have them as) than one or two Five-stars, one or two Four-stars, four to six Three-stars and 18 One and Two stars.

Yes, I DO know that you need to have at least a couple of "difference makers" (DMac, Cobbs, S. Andrews, etc.) but I'd make the argument that if you have a class full of 3-star quality players, a handful will mature into that class of player (see Matt Jones, Jamaal Anderson, Chris Houston, Caleb Miller, Jonathon Luigs, Felix Jones, Marcus Monk, etc.).

However, over the course of a looooooong SEC season (= "war of attrition") the quality of your backup right guard, flanker, third string outside linebacker and reserve free safety may well make the difference in the type of season we had last year, vs. the season that Florida had.

That said, I'd say we are headed in the direction of having an excellant class signed next February.  So far, I don't see one player that I fear to be below the 3* quality level I speak of.  If we finish out by signing all of these and adding another dozen or so of similar quality, this will be the type of class that will allow us to consistently compete with the big boys in the SEC (assuming we continue to sign classes of equal quality and depth).

[hawgwash]

My thoughts?  My thoughts are these . . .

I believe that the mistake many make in evaluating a recruiting class is that they focus too much on the "top end" recruits and not enough on the depth of the class.  Said another way, I'd rather sign 20-25 true "***" recruits (regardless of whether that is what Rivals, Scout of another rating service have them as) than one or two Five-stars, one or two Four-stars, four to six Three-stars and 18 One and Two stars.

Yes, I DO know that you need to have at least a couple of "difference makers" (DMac, Cobbs, S. Andrews, etc.) but I'd make the argument that if you have a class full of 3-star quality players, a handful will mature into that class of player (see Matt Jones, Jamaal Anderson, Chris Houston, Caleb Miller, Jonathon Luigs, Felix Jones, Marcus Monk, etc.).

However, over the course of a looooooong SEC season (= "war of attrition") the quality of your backup right guard, flanker, third string outside linebacker and reserve free safety may well make the difference in the type of season we had last year, vs. the season that Florida had.

That said, I'd say we are headed in the direction of having an excellant class signed next February.  So far, I don't see one player that I fear to be below the 3* quality level I speak of.  If we finish out by signing all of these and adding another dozen or so of similar quality, this will be the type of class that will allow us to consistently compete with the big boys in the SEC (assuming we continue to sign classes of equal quality and depth).

Very nice post.  +1

[HogNuttz]

This will be Nutt's best class yet.

Agreed.

I see this class ranking 15-20 if we can land Adams and after updates have been finished this season.

I think it will be hard to land Adams, unless he thinks he is going to be our #1 option for 3 years.  We are as bad with WR's as we are good with RB's.