Re-Evaluation of 2004 Classes

[BB73]

cfn

Re-Ranking the 2004 Recruiting Classes

Recruiting classes are not unlike most pursuits in life: It?s not where you start, but where you finish. While banner classes might look good on paper and sound great in message boards, the real litmus test doesn?t reveal winners and losers until four years later. Signing mega-recruits is a grueling process, but keeping them on campus and molding them into players worthy of their high school ratings can be far bigger challenges. Just ask Miami and Florida State, which had two of the five most heralded classes of 2004, yet produced far more busts than booms, a big reason why both schools have been so uncharacteristically mediocre the last few years. And then there?s Kansas, which turned enough of its 2-star types into All-Americans to win 12 games and the Orange Bowl over Virginia Tech last month.

Finish strong. It?s what coaches preach, and what differentiates the truly good recruiting classes from those that couldn?t deliver when it matters.

*Player and program rankings from 2004 come courtesy of Scout.com


6. Ohio State ? The Buckeyes went for quality over quantity in 2004, getting a lot of mileage out of their handful of regular contributors. Ginn was every bit as good as expected, catching 125 passes and 15 touchdowns, while terrorizing opposing special teams units. Gholston established a new Ohio State record a year ago with 14 sacks, an impressive prelude to a career in the NFL. Pittman is already playing in the pros, leaving Columbus a year early after rushing for 2,945 yards and 22 touchdowns in three seasons. Freeman was a two-year starter on a deep defense, turning 109 tackles and 9.5 tackles for loss into a spot on the 2007 All-Big Ten team. Rehring is a mountain of a man with two years of starting experience and another year of eligibility remaining. On the flip side, Dukes, Hoobler, Welch, and Mitchum were 4-star flame-outs. Dukes and Mitchum haven?t played meaningful minutes in their Buckeye careers, and Hoobler and Welch transferred before making any kind of an impression in Columbus.

Hits: WR Ted Ginn, DE Vernon Gholston, RB Antonio Pittman, LB Marcus Freeman, G Steve Rehring, P A.J. Trapasso, TE Rory Nicol, and G Ben Person

Misses: WR Albert Dukes, TE Chad Hoobler, S Sirjo Welch, and OL Kyle Mitchum

Final 2004 Ranking: No. 11

Cont'd ...

[BB73]

Note to CFN - Rogers H.S. is in Toledo, which is not in Indiana.

cfn

What Happened To the 5-Star Prospects?



By Richard Cirminiello
Posted Feb 4, 2008



How many of the superstar recruits actually pan out? Richard Cirminiello goes back four years to see how many of the 5-star prospects actually lived up to their billing, like former Oklahoma star Adrian Peterson, and which fizzled.



- Re-Ranking the 2004 Recruiting Classes
The 5-star recruit. The Holy Grail for any coaching staff, university, and fan base. There are good high school players, and then there are the 5-star athletes, the top 1% of available candidates, and the caliber of players that programs and recruiting classes are built around. However, the glow of landing one of these rare gems can sometimes fade before the following February?s signing day. The reality is that even the highest-rated recruits can be hit-or-miss, an inexact science that can be exhilarating or unbelievably frustrating. To illustrate this point, we?ve taken a revisionist look at the 30 5-star recruits from four years ago to see who lived up to expectations and who was living a lie. We?ve also revised the ratings of each player to reflect how well they?ve matched lofty advanced billings since leaving high school.

*Historical rankings from 2004 are courtesy of Scout.com

1. OL Jeff Byers, USC ? In terms of perseverance, you might need to break out a sixth star for Byers, who battled his way back from serious injuries to start at guard last season and play in 13 games. After looking like a blue-chipper as a true freshman in 2004, he missed all of 2005 and 2006 with torn cartilage in his hip and back problems, respectively. Byers played well in his first season back with USC, showing hints of why he was so highly touted coming out of high school, and laying the foundation for what should be an ever better final season.
Revised Rating:

2. LB Willie Williams, Miami ? Exhibit A of the million-dollar athlete with a 10-cent head, Williams squandered countless opportunities to make restitution for a checkered past. After leaving Miami and attending West Los Angeles Community College, he resurfaced at Louisville, only to wear out his welcome last September following an arrest for possession of marijuana, felony tampering, and driving without a license. Undoubtedly out of second chances, Williams? vast potential as a linebacker is likely to go untapped.
Revised Rating: No stars

3. RB Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma ? Although injuries limited Peterson in 2005 and 2006, there?s no debating he?s one of the most complete backs to come out of college in a long time. A big back that can bounce off tacklers or jet past them, he burst onto the scene as a true freshman, rushing for 1,325 yards and finishing second to USC?s Matt Leinart in the Heisman voting. Peterson suffered a high ankle sprain as a sophomore and broke his collar bone as a junior, the only things that prevented him from smashing Billy Sims? Sooner rushing record. Just like his first year in Norman, he was a rookie sensation for the Minnesota Vikings in 2007, rushing for 1,341 yards, including a single-game record 296 yards on Nov. 4, and getting named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Revised Rating:

4. CB Ted Ginn, Ohio State ? For the three years Ginn was in Columbus, only USC?s Reggie Bush was a more electrifying gamebreaker with the ball in his hands. Able to rip through a secondary or special teams coverage with effortless motion, he made a seamless full-time switch to offense and never looked back. Although not the prototype at receiver, Ginn caught 125 passes for 1,943 yards and 15 touchdowns, while carving out a niche as one the best return men of all-time. He was selected No. 9 overall in last year?s draft, catching 34 passes and scoring three times for the Miami Dolphins.
Revised Rating:
11. WR Fred Davis, USC ? Relatively anonymous through the first three years, Davis erupted his senior season, parlaying 62 catches for 881 yards and eight touchdowns into the 2007 Mackey Award. A rangy wide receiver coming out of Rogers (Ind.) High School, he added a few pounds and adjusted well as a seam-splitting tight end with a knack for making acrobatic grabs. The most prolific tight end in USC history, Davis should be plucked in one of the first two rounds of April?s NFL Draft.
Revised Rating: ?

Cont'd ...

[BuckeyeInTheBoro]

Originally Posted by BB73

Note to CFN - Rogers H.S. is in Toledo, which is not in Indiana.

Rogers (Ind.) High School

Sigh... my school still gets no love. As an aside, anyone know what ever happened to my boy Corey Pargo, Rogers class of 88 or 89?

[BB73]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeInTheBoro

Rogers (Ind.) High School

Sigh... my school still gets no love. As an aside, anyone know what ever happened to my boy Corey Pargo, Rogers class of 88 or 89?

SylvaniaBuck had a post on the Ozone last month that said he met him on business in NW Ohio. I don't know any other details.

[spurrier]

nm