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Are recruiting rankings relevant?

  • Macks said...

    Correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't a portion of the rankings also dependent on a recruit's NFL potential? In that case, there are plenty of kids who have it in them to be college studs, but don't necessarily project well to the pros.

    Correct, and correct.

    National Director of Scouting & Recruiting Analyst @GerryHam247

    Gerry Hamilton ●

  • What is the standard methodology for assessing the star ranking for a high school football player? Stats? Strength of conference they play in? Is there a computer ranking system? Eye ball test? Do offers from big programs factor into a recruits star ranking?

    Thanks.

    signature image

    steveschneider

  • They only seem to matter if you have a good coaching staff that knows how to develop talent. Otherwise, Notre Dame, FSU, Clemson and Georgia wouldn't be going 8-4 every year.

    They are relevant, but you can't look at recruiting rankings in a vacuum and automatically assume your program will be better than another program, like some fans are prone to do. Recruiting top 10 classes is one way to win. Evaluating and developing talent is another way. Obviously the ability to do both is ideal, but rare. Alabama and LSU are about the only program in the country that consistently excel at both. USC during the Pete Carroll days as well. Jury is still out on Kiffin.

    The biggest problem I see with star rankings are all the things that they don't and can't measure, like a player's mental toughness, football intelligence, drive and work ethic, performance under pressure, intangibles, etc. which are just as important as 40 times and other athletic measurables.

    "RCMB: You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainry." - some dude from MgoBlog

    JEK ●

  • JEK said...

    They only seem to matter if you have a good coaching staff that knows how to develop talent. Otherwise, Notre Dame, FSU, Clemson and Georgia wouldn't be going 8-4 every year.

    They are relevant, but you can't look at recruiting rankings in a vacuum and automatically assume your program will be better than another program, like some fans are prone to do. Recruiting top 10 classes is one way to win. Evaluating and developing talent is another way. Obviously the ability to do both is ideal, but rare. Alabama and LSU are about the only program in the country that consistently excel at both. USC during the Pete Carroll days as well. Jury is still out on Kiffin.

    The biggest problem I see with star rankings are all the things that they don't and can't measure, like a player's mental toughness, football intelligence, drive and work ethic, performance under pressure, intangibles, etc. which are just as important as 40 times and other athletic measurables.

    The bottom line is, imo, that if a team is replacing 4 and 5 stars with decent amounts of more 4 and 5 stars, that team's chances at winning big is likely higher.

    It doesnt happen like that 100% of the time, but in terms of winning gms, I would pick the team with the stacked roster 100% of the time.

    CRgator1 ●

  • Interesting article posted on the 247 Kentucky board awhile ago.

    http://www.mrsec.com/2012/01/recruiting-rankings-do-matter-if-you-know-how-to-look-at-them/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A%20mrseccom%20%28MrSEC.com%29

    xxmgobluexx ●

  • over the long haul, yes, recruiting matters...

    look at the top teams (consistently) the last 10 yrs or so, bama, usc, texas, lsu, fla, osu, (all had really good recruiting classes)...

    notre dame is a real mystery, great recruiting but havent put it together on the field....but, on average, you have a better chance of success when you get better kids yr in and yr out....

    i think it has to be looked at over many seasons, not just a few...

    a2brutus

  • the star ratings are relevant only to sites such as this one which in turn use them to get people like us to pay to see them.
    have you ever seen a star rating make a tackle or catch a pass ?

    Crimson_Ghost ●

  • CRgator1 said...

    The bottom line is, imo, that if a team is replacing 4 and 5 stars with decent amounts of more 4 and 5 stars, that team's chances at winning big is likely higher.

    It doesnt happen like that 100% of the time, but in terms of winning gms, I would pick the team with the stacked roster 100% of the time.

    great point cr,

    better chances with better kids, but, some coaches and staffs can do more with less...

    wisconsin and and msu have done pretty well and they never have top classes....

    but you're 100% correct, if you have a good coach and alot of great kids you have a better shot...

    i look at the competition a kid faced when evaluating him...if there is a 6'8 300lb dude dominating a bunch of 6' 240lbers in a small league then he may/may not pan out in college, where everyone is big, fast and talented...

    a2brutus

  • JEK said...

    They only seem to matter if you have a good coaching staff that knows how to develop talent. Otherwise, Notre Dame, FSU, Clemson and Georgia wouldn't be going 8-4 every year.

    They are relevant, but you can't look at recruiting rankings in a vacuum and automatically assume your program will be better than another program, like some fans are prone to do. Recruiting top 10 classes is one way to win. Evaluating and developing talent is another way. Obviously the ability to do both is ideal, but rare. Alabama and LSU are about the only program in the country that consistently excel at both. USC during the Pete Carroll days as well. Jury is still out on Kiffin.

    The biggest problem I see with star rankings are all the things that they don't and can't measure, like a player's mental toughness, football intelligence, drive and work ethic, performance under pressure, intangibles, etc. which are just as important as 40 times and other athletic measurables.

    great points jek!

    when a team gets both (great talent and a great staff) thats a special mix that is rare..

    sometimes the 2-3 star kids play a heck of a lot harder because they have something to prove...case in point, south carolina had a rb that was passed over by osu because he was undersized, the kid was real good in high school in ohio...

    long story short, he lit up osu in a bowl game and did very well, helping sc win that game...

    a2brutus

  • Macks said...

    Correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't a portion of the rankings also dependent on a recruit's NFL potential? In that case, there are plenty of kids who have it in them to be college studs, but don't necessarily project well to the pros.

    Yes it is based on "long term" potential/upside.

    E-mail: jc@247Sports.com/Twitter: @jcshurburtt/Instagram jcshurburtt

    JC Shurburtt ●

  • Crimson_Ghost said...

    the star ratings are relevant only to sites such as this one which in turn use them to get people like us to pay to see them.
    have you ever seen a star rating make a tackle or catch a pass ?

    Ridiculous

    E-mail: jc@247Sports.com/Twitter: @jcshurburtt/Instagram jcshurburtt

    JC Shurburtt ●

  • a2brutus said...

    great points jek!

    when a team gets both (great talent and a great staff) thats a special mix that is rare..

    sometimes the 2-3 star kids play a heck of a lot harder because they have something to prove...case in point, south carolina had a rb that was passed over by osu because he was undersized, the kid was real good in high school in ohio...

    long story short, he lit up osu in a bowl game and did very well, helping sc win that game...

    Ryan Brewer was correctly rated as a low three-star prospect. Solid college player who had a handful of good games but limited long-term upside.

    E-mail: jc@247Sports.com/Twitter: @jcshurburtt/Instagram jcshurburtt

    JC Shurburtt ●

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