This past Wednesday was the National Signing day for football - a day where it's typical to see the top uncommitted recruits decide where they're going to play their college ball for the next 3-4 years. With that, comes what many fans keep their eyes on - where their team lands in the recruiting rankings. Whether they've signed a top 10 class, if they're ahead of their rival, etc. To this, I have to say:
Recruiting rankings are one of the dumbest ideas to come into college sports that I've ever seen. Many people brag about the 4 and 5 star recruits they get when often there will be 2 and 3 star guys that outplay them. Sure, a lot of these scouts know what they're doing, but that doesn't mean that these rankings are just. People clamoring about where they stand in recruiting rankings are dumb. Just because you have 3 5 star recruits doesn't mean they're gonna turn your program around, just as having 10 3 star recruits doesn't mean you'll be stuck in mediocrity.
Just to prove my point, I'd like to give an example of a class that showed recruiting rankings don't mean jack shit. These are players from the past 2 Michigan State football teams (2 of the more successful teams in memory) with their rankings by rivals when they were recruited:
2007:
Kirk Cousins - ***
BJ Cunningham - ***
Joel Foreman - **
Greg Jones - ***
2008:
Johnny Adams - ***
Keyshawn Martin - ***
Trenton Robinson - **
Jerel Worthy - ***
Those are 8 guys that were all starters on both of the 11 win teams (aside from Jones who went to the NFL last season). Not one of those guys were in the Rivals top 250, yet all made huge impacts on MSU's program. Cousins became the leading passer in MSU history, Cunningham the leading receiver. Foreman started 40+ games on the line. Jones was a 2x All American. Worthy is a 1st or 2nd round NFL prospect. Adams and Robinson were important starters in their secondary. And Keyshawn Martin's been one of the most versatile players in recent years, scoring TDs 5 different ways and being a solid #2 option.
While I didn't wanna build up those guys too much (just kidding, that felt great to write) it says something that not one of those players was thought as a **** (where I would place great players). People shouldn't be worried aobut how many star players they get. They should worry about coaches getting guys that fit their system and developing them into good players. I don't mind websites like scout/rivals etc. that give you sort of a look of how players will be, but I feel star ratings are quite useless because, looking back, there's a lot of guys every year that these systems overhype and miss. I know they won't stop because they get a lot of visits from the more popular colleges, but it would be nice so then we don't have to hear about teams 'won' by getting 6 **** and 3 ***** guys since nobody knows how any of these guys will produce.
/rant.
Recruiting rankings are one of the dumbest ideas to come into college sports that I've ever seen. Many people brag about the 4 and 5 star recruits they get when often there will be 2 and 3 star guys that outplay them. Sure, a lot of these scouts know what they're doing, but that doesn't mean that these rankings are just. People clamoring about where they stand in recruiting rankings are dumb. Just because you have 3 5 star recruits doesn't mean they're gonna turn your program around, just as having 10 3 star recruits doesn't mean you'll be stuck in mediocrity.
Just to prove my point, I'd like to give an example of a class that showed recruiting rankings don't mean jack shit. These are players from the past 2 Michigan State football teams (2 of the more successful teams in memory) with their rankings by rivals when they were recruited:
2007:
Kirk Cousins - ***
BJ Cunningham - ***
Joel Foreman - **
Greg Jones - ***
2008:
Johnny Adams - ***
Keyshawn Martin - ***
Trenton Robinson - **
Jerel Worthy - ***
Those are 8 guys that were all starters on both of the 11 win teams (aside from Jones who went to the NFL last season). Not one of those guys were in the Rivals top 250, yet all made huge impacts on MSU's program. Cousins became the leading passer in MSU history, Cunningham the leading receiver. Foreman started 40+ games on the line. Jones was a 2x All American. Worthy is a 1st or 2nd round NFL prospect. Adams and Robinson were important starters in their secondary. And Keyshawn Martin's been one of the most versatile players in recent years, scoring TDs 5 different ways and being a solid #2 option.
While I didn't wanna build up those guys too much (just kidding, that felt great to write) it says something that not one of those players was thought as a **** (where I would place great players). People shouldn't be worried aobut how many star players they get. They should worry about coaches getting guys that fit their system and developing them into good players. I don't mind websites like scout/rivals etc. that give you sort of a look of how players will be, but I feel star ratings are quite useless because, looking back, there's a lot of guys every year that these systems overhype and miss. I know they won't stop because they get a lot of visits from the more popular colleges, but it would be nice so then we don't have to hear about teams 'won' by getting 6 **** and 3 ***** guys since nobody knows how any of these guys will produce.
/rant.
