So, how do you feel about the players we signed as a whole?

[thf24]

True, but if you look at it my way, most of the guys I just mentioned are 4 or 5 star recruits; they just went unnoticed by the Yancys and Rosebowls, as well as the big schools who can just fill their classes with the obviously elite recruits and be done with it. Also, that edit I just sneaked in as you replied has a lot to do with it too. Many of the guys we recruit are 4 or 5 star athletes, they just aren't 4 or 5 star SEC football players at the time they graduate high school, which in many cases can be fixed with a redshirt year.

 

[Chappy.sixpack]

Uh...the reason they say that is because its true. There have been many articles written about how we are one of the top producers of NFL talent per capita. Sporting News wrote about which states has most NFL players just this past fall. In the article noted that we are 3rd in the country behind Louisiana and South Carolina for the number of players per capita. And that's NFL talent. Not every player has to be NFL caliber to be a good solid SEC player. More the better obviously, but their is a lot of talent in this state. But it is raw and not as advanced as other states.

I agree with this. We have talent in this state and people know it. However, in a multimillion dollar industry, you really think that the big schools (Auburn, Alabama and LSU within close proximity) don't know about the undiscovered talent from these little schools, but you, I and others on this message board know this. Just because we put a player or two each year into the draft doesn't mean anything when you compare it to our SEC competition. Anyway, people that don't want to be persuaded are not going to be. But I know that we will not continue to survive if we can't recruit any better than we did this year. We have to raise the bar IMHO.

 

[Strike.sixpack]

I agree with this. We have talent in this state and people know it. However, in a multimillion dollar industry, you really think that the big schools (Auburn, Alabama and LSU within close proximity) don't know about the undiscovered talent from these little schools, but you, I and others on this message board know this. Just because we put a player or two each year into the draft doesn't mean anything when you compare it to our SEC competition. Anyway, people that don't want to be persuaded are not going to be. But I know that we will not continue to survive if we can't recruit any better than we did this year. We have to raise the bar IMHO.

Oh they know it alright. They just happen to be ranked 1st and 4th nationally in the same rankings. They are not going to try and get an underdeveloped talent from us when they can do the same instate. Totally different program philosophy as well. LSU has no competition. They, for the most part, get who they want instate. There is still talent left for other SEC schools to pick up as well. What would our roster look like without OM around? Alabama is on a national level right now that nobody is touching. Unprecedented. Auburn is interesting in that they do get more instate guys in Alabama but because of their location they get a ton of Georgia guys. And have 3-4 developmental guys even in this year class. They are not coming here for a similar talent they can get in Georgia or Alabama. Doesn't mean that our player is any less. Look at it this way. If you have two athletes that are identical, do you get the instate kid or out of state?