I recently was perusing rivals.com and their recruiting rankings. The Buckeyes look to be bringing in an absolutely fantastic 2013 class. But something struck me when I clicked back a few years to the 2010 class.
Jonathan Hankins.
Bradley Roby.
Both were 3 star recruits. Both were also considering leaving early for the NFL draft due to high projected picks.
Looking over the rest of the class, some of the big 4 star names I didn't even recognize.
So my point is...am I the only one around here who doesn't get super excited about recruiting? These are 17-18 year old kids, and who knows how they're going to develop. I'd rather wait a few years until we see who stands out.
Maybe it's just something to do in the offseason. I don't mean to rain on the NSD parade, just thought you all might have some insight on the topic.
Have a nice day
i'm going to guess you are in the minority.
a good team gets good quality players. not a bunch of 2-3 star guys. its easier to see a 5 star flop (because there arnt as many of them) than it is to see a few 3 star guys turn into studs (again, numbers...way more 3 star players = higher probability of seeing it happen)
RE: Alabama's last 5 recruiting classes.
/thread
Don't give up... Don't ever give up.
Exactly, cant find the link, but the correlation between top recruiting classes and championships is undeniable. Unless you are Mack Brown.
Bet you wont say that to Nick Sabans face!
Yeah I'm hooked. Love seeing a class come together and this year has been awesome! Can't wait to watch these guys grind!
You go after the best players you can who you think will fit into your system and represent your school. Sometimes those guys are gonna be highly touted and highly ranked, sometimes they won't. Some top guys won't pan out and some under the radar guys surprise everyone. It's the nature of the beast.
I pay attention, just because it is the off season, but I really don't get all gooey over these guys until they get some game time in the Shoe. I figure if they are starting/playing they must be good. I don't have the time, or brain power to worry about them now. I'm enjoying today, but not like when the season is here.
You're not the only one, though clearly for a lot of recruiting news and speculation fills the vast void between the National Championship game (in a normal year) and Spring Ball.
On his radio show this morning, Collin Cowherd had a logical rant about how few of the highly-rated guys, especially at positions like O-line, don't actually pan out. He noted that highly-rated skill players tend to pan out at a higher rate, but that by and large you just get as many of the best guys as you can fit in the class because you know only a certain percentage of them will turn out to be superstars.
No, no he didn't.
I'm sure he had a rant, but I highly doubt it was logical.
A lot of broken needles here...
He isn't getting into the great "5 vs lesser" star debate. I'm with the OP, I don't care a ton for recruiting because there is no way of knowing. OSU will bring in 25 new players and some of them-even the highly rated ones-may never see meaningfull time. I really don't like looking at class rankings in the year in which they sign. Recruiting classes should all be ranked after the guys come and go, not before they play a down.
With that said, I get just as jazzed about the NFL draft as some people do about recruiting so its basically the same thing. I get the idea of being excited for the team's future. I just can't get into recruiting.
4-6 seconds from point A to point B and when you get to point B, be pissed off
I'm with you Tennessee. A lot more miss than make.
Here is a complete look back on the 2009 recruiting class.
Probably the most lopsided class in recent Buckeye history. You can litterally turn the talent pool upside down. 3*=5* and vice verca.
Stars don't equal talent is for sure. But the reality is there is a better chance that they will.
I hear what you are saying but I don't think you can just not get excited, or ignor the fact that we killed this class. Nice job Urban.
"There is a force that makes us all brothers, no one goes his way alone, all that we send into the life of others comes back into our own." -WWH
Jadeveon Clowney was #1! It matters man! There is a difference between him and the rest. Same can be said about Nkemdiche!
Look, some players are not highly ranked and end up being studs because they grow more later, very true, but doesn't mean higher recruits fail just as much. Braxton was a high 4-5 star player. He is awesome, right?
My thought process is root for each of them all the way down to Townsend the punter. Because they all are buckeyes and when they surprise you, you will be that much more happier that you wanted them on NSD.
Hey all thanks for comments.
A little more clarification: I'm as much of a recruiting-follower as the next guy, I love reading the posts here and elsewhere on the webz. And I get excited seeing OSU bringing in guys who've had great success in high school, etc. I don't know how else you would judge who would be a "top recruit" or not. And it would certainly seem that you'd have a better chance of a player "panning out" if they've done well in high school and have good physical stats.
I don't know...It just seems to me like the ranking/recruiting system must not be working exactly right if we are consistently having 5 stars fail at the college level.
So you are saying that we should rather be trying to find 25 diamonds off 2,3 star list every year? Good luck with you.
You have to hit on the guys, Miami and Usc also both a few years ago had ridiculous classes and it didn't exactly pan out. Many, many three star players end up being great players, generally they have some limitations though.
Great talent at perennial winning high school programs are guaranteed to get noticed. Not the case at smaller schools. I think I read Mike Mitchell was a 3star a year ago...he goes to one Nike camp and it all changes.
I love this class because I feel like I have a better sense of their character and competitiveness. I think they are united in their desire to hoist the crystal and will push each other to do it.
Good recruiting is a requirement, but not a guaranty, of success. Classes don't always pan out, but you're always going to be more likely to win on the field with the better recruits you have.
"A guy from Ohio can make it in life if he works hard enough." - Wayne Woodrow Hayes
Your first sentence is the complete answer.
The 3 star fallacy reminds me of pointing to a self made millionaire with no formal education as the rationale that your kids shouldn't go to college. It's not a sophisticated world view
What if most of Ohio States All big ten players the last 10 years were 3 stars ? That has to hold some kind of merit. We've had 2 5 star guys actually live up to their billing the last 10 years...3 if you count Clarrett. (Ginn and Beanie). Boone was pretty good as well as Freeman. Maybe it was more of a Tressel thing..who knows.
Run_Fido's favorite word is strawman.
Am I the only one tired of posts that start, 'Am I the only one?'
It's cool to check out once in a whole in off season but to be over obsessed with it year round if you aren't getting paid for it is a bit weird and childish.
Heres a hint: Don't fall in love with the stars. Let it all play out once they are in the program for a few years.
Run_Fido's favorite word is strawman.
You're not alone. I don't really follow it for essentially the same reason. The only time I get really stoked is if we're looking at landing the nation's #1 rated recruit, like with Terrelle Pryor a few years back. I also don't have the time or expertise to watch high school videos of dozens upon dozens of grainy athletes that Ohio State might be looking at but many of which they won't get. Then with those that do, maybe 10% will see the field with regularity by the time they're seniors, some get injured and leave, some fail out and leave, some just transfer to play elsewhere.
I can understand why people follow it. It's just not my hobby at all.
Yes some 5 stars bust. Yes some 3 stars shine. The recruiting rankings aren't all telling and fool proof but they aren't worthless either. Hundreds of 3 star players go to schools all over the country and are never heard about and never heard from. The percentage of all 3 star players pan out to be All Americans is much smaller than the percentage of 5 star players who turn out to be All Americans. There's only 20-30 5 star players ever year and hundreds of 3 star players. Even if only five out of twenty 5 star players pan out as All Americans and 10 out of hundreds of 3 star players turn out to be All Americans, you would logically have a better shot odds-wise at landing an All American if you go after 5 star players.
Not all 5 star players pan out...probably most of them won't. Meaning roughly 10-20 5 star players don't pan out. Hundreds of 3 star players don't pan out (meaning become star players). Don't let the exceptions define the rule when it comes to recruiting. Like I said it's not fool proof but it's not pointless like a lot of people are saying. If you'd rather go out and recruit 3 star guys all day because 2% of them turn out to be All Americans knock yourself out...I'll take going after the top ranked guys where roughly (not really mathematically, but just trying to prove a point) 30-40% turn out to be All Americans. Also, when it comes down to it there's such little difference between the last of the 5 star guys and most of the 4 star guys anyway. It can be arbitrary what makes a certain guy a 5 vs a 4.
I follow to some extent, but some people on this site are WAY to into it (no offense). I cannot imagine actually having physical anxiety over a kid signing up to play football.