is because yall sit there and stare at that number 45 next to Mississippi State on rivals.com all day and think about the days when we had top 20 recruting classes. Y'all must realize that this recruiting class is far from over and also these rankings don't mean anything. We all know that when a 3 star guy signs with Alabama he's pushed up to a 4 star instantly. And how many crappy recruits (3stars or below) have come to Ole Miss or State and been complete studs! Dex McCluster (3stars), Patrick Willis (arguably the best linebacker in the NFL, 1 star), Titus Brown (2stars), Peria Jerry (3stars) ...........Darren Williams was a 5 star and he panned out real well for us...........................CHILL OUT!!
The only reason you guys are freaking out about recruiting
- Thread starter Dan Druff
- Start date
That may be, I just figured that there have been other highly touted recruits that could be used just as well in that example, without picking on the guy who got shot up and killed.</p>
the offers list, however, is a pretty good indicator. that has me worried. i don't think people should be excited about this class. i thought mullen did a great job through the egg bowl, but i'm not impressed by this off season at all right now. if croom was still around stansbury would be getting half as much hate. either that or the posts would double
Yeah, b/c other top programs are after him too.
Here lately? Not enough to get us to a winning season.
Just look at Bama, they are usually in the top 5 in recruiting, where are they now? It is what it is.
It's nice to have a highly ranked class, but if they can not get in school and on the field then who really cares....
Anyone can point out specific examples of a low - star player like Patrick Willis or Titus Brown, but the bottom line is that if you recruit in the top 25 year in and year out, you will be a top 25 program (as long as you don't have a Croomesque perfomance from your coach). When Bama or Florida has a 4 or 5 star recruit that doesn't pan out it doesn't affect them as much because that have a 4 star backing them up. However, at State or Ole Miss there isn't that kind of depth. So yes, you can look at specific examples, but in the end the rankings are usually a good barometer for long-term success.
ranked 45th is nothing to worry about.. give me a list of what teams will finish this year in the top 20 and do an average of what their recruiting rankings were over the last 4 to 5 years...
those days when we had top 20 classes? were those the days we were competing for a trip to the atl?
we are NOT in CUSA... we will NOT progress with loading our roster with players with no legit SEC offers..
those days when we had top 20 classes? were those the days we were competing for a trip to the atl?
we are NOT in CUSA... we will NOT progress with loading our roster with players with no legit SEC offers..
Guys, it's ranked 45 right now. It won't be when it's over, we'll be right around the bottom of the top 25. It was a slightly down year in the state for recruiting, and this staff is just getting their legs under them here. It's actually easier to sway some people right when you get hired (Bumphis) that when you've been head coach at Mississippi State for a year. This staff wasn't on these guys as juniors, so we got started late, but we're still doing fine. Several of our top targets (Robinson, Thompson, Sanders, Wells, Griffin, Brunetti, etc.) are still open, and we have a good shot to get most of them. We will end up with somewhere around 5 4-stars on scout and about 6 or 7on rivals. Neal will move up to a 4, Griffin will bump up to a 3, we'll definitely get Wells, probably get Robinson, and we should get at least one between Thompson and Sanders. We already have 4 4-stars on rivals; this is nothing like a Croom class, especially not from his second year.
Part of this just depends on where you get your information. Robert Johnson, who is a 3-star on scout, is a 4 on rivals. Jamerson Love and Jameon Lewis are both 2-stars on scout but 3-stars on rivals. Brandon Hill, who has 2 stars on scout and no ranking on rivals, is a 4-star on ESPN. Keep in mind, too, that a guy like Jamerson Love can't really be truly rated as a defensive back; he never played it in high school, but that's what we're recruiting him as, so it's extremely hard to accurately rate him, but he has all the tools you need at CB and elite speed, and Lewis has great hips, which should work well there, too. A guy like Corvell Harrison is a little underrated because he had serious grade issues but seems to have cleared them up. So far, the only guys in this class that I'm not a big fan of are Favre and Brandon Hill, though I've also heard good things about Hill. I love Bohanna at LB, Neal at RB, Malcolm Johnson as a sleeper WR, Michael Carr at WR, and Eulls at either DE or DT. Yes, if it ended today, this class would be a disappointment, but that's definitely not going to happen. We have room for 8-10 more guys, and look for it to go something like this:
Matthew Wells - 4
Damein Robinson - 4
Carlos Thompson - 4
Maudrecus Humphrey - 3
Nick Griffin - 3
Dillon Day - 2 (but probably will move up to a 3, you should see his video)
Kenarious Gates/Quinterrius Eatmon - 3
Chris Hughes - 3
Look for another WR, too. It would be huge if we could get either Sanders or Brunetti, and I don't count Humphrey or Thompson as a definite get, but I feel good about them and I'd take either Sanders or Humphrey, I feel like they're pretty similar prospects. Regardless, that would be a very nice ending to the class and would make it a very solid class overall. For the first full year for a staff, it would be very good, indeed.
Part of this just depends on where you get your information. Robert Johnson, who is a 3-star on scout, is a 4 on rivals. Jamerson Love and Jameon Lewis are both 2-stars on scout but 3-stars on rivals. Brandon Hill, who has 2 stars on scout and no ranking on rivals, is a 4-star on ESPN. Keep in mind, too, that a guy like Jamerson Love can't really be truly rated as a defensive back; he never played it in high school, but that's what we're recruiting him as, so it's extremely hard to accurately rate him, but he has all the tools you need at CB and elite speed, and Lewis has great hips, which should work well there, too. A guy like Corvell Harrison is a little underrated because he had serious grade issues but seems to have cleared them up. So far, the only guys in this class that I'm not a big fan of are Favre and Brandon Hill, though I've also heard good things about Hill. I love Bohanna at LB, Neal at RB, Malcolm Johnson as a sleeper WR, Michael Carr at WR, and Eulls at either DE or DT. Yes, if it ended today, this class would be a disappointment, but that's definitely not going to happen. We have room for 8-10 more guys, and look for it to go something like this:
Matthew Wells - 4
Damein Robinson - 4
Carlos Thompson - 4
Maudrecus Humphrey - 3
Nick Griffin - 3
Dillon Day - 2 (but probably will move up to a 3, you should see his video)
Kenarious Gates/Quinterrius Eatmon - 3
Chris Hughes - 3
Look for another WR, too. It would be huge if we could get either Sanders or Brunetti, and I don't count Humphrey or Thompson as a definite get, but I feel good about them and I'd take either Sanders or Humphrey, I feel like they're pretty similar prospects. Regardless, that would be a very nice ending to the class and would make it a very solid class overall. For the first full year for a staff, it would be very good, indeed.
<div id="page1tab" style="DISPLAY: inline"> <div style="DISPLAY: inline"> <table class="basiclist" id="page1tab" style="WIDTH: 100%; 10px: " cellspacing="0"> <thead> <tr class="header"> <td align="left" width="200">SIGNED LETTER OF INTENT</td> <td align="middle" width="30"><a><font color="#0A4EA3">Pos</font></a></td> <td align="middle" width="60"><a><font color="#0A4EA3">Stars</font></a></td> <td align="middle" width="30"><a><font color="#0A4EA3">Ht</font></a></td> <td align="middle" width="30"><a><font color="#0A4EA3">Wt</font></a></td> <td align="middle" width="30"><a><font color="#0A4EA3">40</font></a></td> <td align="middle" width="35"><a><font color="#0A4EA3">RR</font></a></td> <td align="middle" width="35"><a><font color="#0A4EA3">Video</font></a></td> <td align="left"><a><font color="#0A4EA3">Hometown</font></a></td> </tr> </thead> <tbody id="tableSignedPage1"> <tr bgcolor="#DDDDDD"> <td align="left"><font color="#0A4EA3">Aubrey Bell</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">WR</font></td> <td align="middle">
</td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">6-2</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">204</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">4.52</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5.4</font></td> <td align="middle"><a class="hidelink">
</a></td> <td align="left"><font size="1">Prichard, AL</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left"><font color="#0A4EA3">Jessie Bowman</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">DT</font></td> <td align="middle">
</td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">6-1</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">305</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5.0</font></td> <td align="middle"><a class="hidelink">
</a></td> <td align="left"><font size="1">Brookhaven, MS</font></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#DDDDDD"> <td align="left"><font color="#0A4EA3">Tay Bowser</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">WR</font></td> <td align="middle">
</td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">6-4</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">175</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">4.41</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5.1</font></td> <td align="middle"><a class="hidelink">
</a></td> <td align="left"><font size="1">Gilmer, TX</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left"><font color="#0A4EA3">Charles Burns</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">LB</font></td> <td align="middle">
</td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">6-2</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">250</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5.06</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5.5</font></td> <td align="middle"><a class="hidelink">
</a></td> <td align="left"><font size="1">Hattiesburg, MS</font></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#DDDDDD"> <td align="left"><font color="#0A4EA3">Johnny Carpenter</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">OL</font></td> <td align="middle">
</td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">6-3</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">280</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5.3</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5.4</font></td> <td align="middle"><a class="hidelink">
</a></td> <td align="left"><font size="1">Citronelle, AL</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left"><font color="#0A4EA3">Adron Chambers</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">WR</font></td> <td align="middle">
</td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5-8</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">171</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">4.56</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5.1</font></td> <td align="middle"><a class="hidelink">
</a></td> <td align="left"><font size="1">Pensacola, FL</font></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#DDDDDD"> <td align="left"><font color="#0A4EA3">Jamar Chaney</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">LB</font></td> <td align="middle">
</td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">6-0</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">216</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">4.63</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5.7</font></td> <td align="middle"><a class="hidelink">
</a></td> <td align="left"><font size="1">Ft. Pierce, FL</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left"><font color="#0A4EA3">Anthony Dunning</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">OL</font></td> <td align="middle">
</td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">6-3</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">320</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">-</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5.0</font></td> <td align="middle"><a class="hidelink">
</a></td> <td align="left"><font size="1">Coffeeville, AL</font></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#DDDDDD"> <td align="left"><font color="#0A4EA3">Louis Ellis</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">DT</font></td> <td align="middle">
</td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">6-3</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">293</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">4.8</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5.9</font></td> <td align="middle"><a class="hidelink">
</a></td> <td align="left"><font size="1">Jackson, MS</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left"><font color="#0A4EA3">Ty Evans</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">QB</font></td> <td align="middle">
</td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">6-2</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">202</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5.19</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5.4</font></td> <td align="middle"><a class="hidelink">
</a></td> <td align="left"><font size="1">Lexington, TN</font></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#DDDDDD"> <td align="left"><font color="#0A4EA3">Keith Fitzhugh</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">DB</font></td> <td align="middle">
</td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5-11</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">200</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">4.4</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5.7</font></td> <td align="middle"><a class="hidelink">
</a></td> <td align="left"><font size="1">Lovejoy, GA</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left"><font color="#0A4EA3">Cory Gardhigh</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">WR</font></td> <td align="middle">
</td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">6-3</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">218</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">4.55</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5.4</font></td> <td align="middle"><a class="hidelink">
</a></td> <td align="left"><font size="1">Cedartown, GA</font></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#DDDDDD"> <td align="left"><font color="#0A4EA3">Michael Gates</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">OL</font></td> <td align="middle">
</td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">6-4</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">260</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5.1</font></td> <td align="middle"> </td> <td align="left"><font size="1">Tyrone, GA</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left"><font color="#0A4EA3">Brandon Hart</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">RB</font></td> <td align="middle">
</td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">6-0</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">245</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">4.75</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5.0</font></td> <td align="middle"> </td> <td align="left"><font size="1">LaGrange, GA</font></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#DDDDDD"> <td align="left"><font color="#0A4EA3">Tim Holloway</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">ATH</font></td> <td align="middle">
</td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">6-4</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">215</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">4.6</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5.6</font></td> <td align="middle"><a class="hidelink">
</a></td> <td align="left"><font size="1">Seminary, MS</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left"><font color="#0A4EA3">Craig Jenkins</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">OL</font></td> <td align="middle">
</td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">6-4</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">352</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">-</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5.4</font></td> <td align="middle"><a class="hidelink">
</a></td> <td align="left"><font size="1">Pearl, MS</font></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#DDDDDD"> <td align="left"><font color="#0A4EA3">Anthony Johnson</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">ATH</font></td> <td align="middle">
</td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5-10</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">188</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">4.6</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5.5</font></td> <td align="middle"><a class="hidelink">
</a></td> <td align="left"><font size="1">Jackson, MS</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left"><font color="#0A4EA3">Antonio Johnson</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">DT</font></td> <td align="middle">
</td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">6-3</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">300</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">-</font></td> <td align="middle"> </td> <td align="left"><font size="1">Moorhead, MS</font></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#DDDDDD"> <td align="left"><font color="#0A4EA3">Jarvis Kyles</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">DB</font></td> <td align="middle">
</td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">6-0</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">173</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">4.6</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5.2</font></td> <td align="middle"><a class="hidelink">
</a></td> <td align="left"><font size="1">Milledgeville, GA</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left"><font color="#0A4EA3">Blake McAdams</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">K</font></td> <td align="middle">
</td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">6-0</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">180</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">4.6</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5.0</font></td> <td align="middle"><a class="hidelink">
</a></td> <td align="left"><font size="1">Ripley, TN</font></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#DDDDDD"> <td align="left"><font color="#0A4EA3">Jimmy Miller</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">LB</font></td> <td align="middle">
</td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">6-1</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">222</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">4.75</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5.5</font></td> <td align="middle"><a class="hidelink">
</a></td> <td align="left"><font size="1">Venice, CA</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left"><font color="#0A4EA3">Derek Pegues</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">DB</font></td> <td align="middle">
</td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5-10</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">183</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">4.4</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">6.0</font></td> <td align="middle"><a class="hidelink">
</a></td> <td align="left"><font size="1">Batesville, MS</font></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#DDDDDD"> <td align="left"><font color="#0A4EA3">James Redmond</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">OL</font></td> <td align="middle">
</td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">6-6</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">320</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">-</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">-</font></td> <td align="middle"><a class="hidelink">
</a></td> <td align="left"><font size="1">Summit, MS</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left"><font color="#0A4EA3">Tray Rutland</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">QB</font></td> <td align="middle">
</td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">6-2</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">191</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">4.6</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5.4</font></td> <td align="middle"> </td> <td align="left"><font size="1">East Point, GA</font></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#DDDDDD"> <td align="left"><font color="#0A4EA3">Archie Sims</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">LB</font></td> <td align="middle">
</td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">6-0</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">200</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">4.67</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5.5</font></td> <td align="middle"><a class="hidelink">
</a></td> <td align="left"><font size="1">Laurel, MS</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left"><font color="#0A4EA3">Chris Spencer</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">OL</font></td> <td align="middle">
</td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">6-4</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">300</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">4.9</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5.4</font></td> <td align="middle"><a class="hidelink">
</a></td> <td align="left"><font size="1">Meridian, MS</font></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#DDDDDD"> <td align="left"><font color="#0A4EA3">Quinton Wesley</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">DE</font></td> <td align="middle">
</td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">6-5</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">226</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5.5</font></td> <td align="middle"><a class="hidelink">
</a></td> <td align="left"><font size="1">Atlanta, GA</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left"><font color="#0A4EA3">Brandon Whittie</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">LB</font></td> <td align="middle">
</td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">6-3</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">225</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">4.6</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">-</font></td> <td align="middle"> </td> <td align="left"><font size="1">Jacksonville, FL</font></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#DDDDDD"> <td align="left"><font color="#0A4EA3">Calvin Wilson</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">OL</font></td> <td align="middle">
</td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">6-5</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">336</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5.61</font></td> <td align="middle"><font size="1">5.9</font></td> <td align="middle"><a class="hidelink">
</a></td> <td align="left"><font size="1">Hattiesburg, MS</font></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div>I don't know for sure but am fairly confident everyone was stuck up croom's backside about instilling dicipline and what a great coach he would be....he was also coming into to this first class of a 3 win season including losses to juggurnauts such as Vandy...UAB....and let's not forget Maine.
Sorry for the typos but here is a funny number..16 = the number of 2 star players croom signed in his first full year of recruitng. I know we all agree croom was an abysmal recruiter and yada yada, but again I think its fair to use the terms...calm down and chill on January 6 2010.
I would say that's the worst recruiting class ever, except that the one in 2004 was even worse. In Croom's first two classes, we got these players who ended up being anywhere near respectable players:
Gabe O'Neal
Demon Glanton
Titus Brown
Charles Burns
Jamar Chaney
Derek Pegues
Antonio Johnson
Keith Fizthugh
That's it. 8 players in 2 years, and a few of these guys were little more than borderline. Even the 2006 class only gave us Dixon, Brignone, Love, Stallworth, Tony Burks, Marcus Washington, and Brandon Cooper.
Out of last year's class alone, we've already gotten valuable contributions from Bumphis, Cox, Boyd, Banks, McPhee, Berry, Langston, Brauchle, Hutchins, Chris White, and Chris Smith, Brandon Heavens, and Cam Lawrence looked to have potential to help us in the future. We haven't even seen guys like Conner, Russell, Thames, and Perkins yet. Everybody needs to calm down and wait it out. If you still have problems after signing day, go ahead and go nuts, but last year's class is already looking to be far and away better than anything in the recent past (and Croom does deserve a lot of credit for it), and this year's class will end up as another promising step in the right direction.
Croom's first couple of classes fly in the face of people who believe recruiting rankings mean nothing and that we'll be fine just finding all "sleepers." They throw out Titus Brown every time it's brought up, but Brown was one of 19 two-stars-or-worse prospects from the 2004 class...the others?
Jonathan Lowe
Anthony Mitchell
DeMarcus Johnson
Linzy Patterson
Gabe O'Neal
Michael Henig
Corey Spells
Kenneth McClellan
Fred Akines
Demon Glanton
Mario Bobo
Keon Humphries
Adam Carlson
Brandon Thornton
Anthony Littlejohn
Robert Walker
Dio Herrera
Jeffrey Farr
I rest my case.
Gabe O'Neal
Demon Glanton
Titus Brown
Charles Burns
Jamar Chaney
Derek Pegues
Antonio Johnson
Keith Fizthugh
That's it. 8 players in 2 years, and a few of these guys were little more than borderline. Even the 2006 class only gave us Dixon, Brignone, Love, Stallworth, Tony Burks, Marcus Washington, and Brandon Cooper.
Out of last year's class alone, we've already gotten valuable contributions from Bumphis, Cox, Boyd, Banks, McPhee, Berry, Langston, Brauchle, Hutchins, Chris White, and Chris Smith, Brandon Heavens, and Cam Lawrence looked to have potential to help us in the future. We haven't even seen guys like Conner, Russell, Thames, and Perkins yet. Everybody needs to calm down and wait it out. If you still have problems after signing day, go ahead and go nuts, but last year's class is already looking to be far and away better than anything in the recent past (and Croom does deserve a lot of credit for it), and this year's class will end up as another promising step in the right direction.
Croom's first couple of classes fly in the face of people who believe recruiting rankings mean nothing and that we'll be fine just finding all "sleepers." They throw out Titus Brown every time it's brought up, but Brown was one of 19 two-stars-or-worse prospects from the 2004 class...the others?
Jonathan Lowe
Anthony Mitchell
DeMarcus Johnson
Linzy Patterson
Gabe O'Neal
Michael Henig
Corey Spells
Kenneth McClellan
Fred Akines
Demon Glanton
Mario Bobo
Keon Humphries
Adam Carlson
Brandon Thornton
Anthony Littlejohn
Robert Walker
Dio Herrera
Jeffrey Farr
I rest my case.