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RE: College Recruit Star Rating System - A Look Back

jagabc6893 — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 12:44:30 GMT

Chris Johnson with only "2 Stars". Oops.

RE: College Recruit Star Rating System - A Look Back

SouthSideJax — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 12:32:51 GMT

Take Vernon Gholston off that list..

He'll never, EVER have a chance to be even mediocre in the NFL. He just plain sucks.

RE: College Recruit Star Rating System - A Look Back

Larry — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 09:12:56 GMT

[quote][b]Shack Del Rio (10/1/2008)[/b][hr]Looking at the list, Stewart and Rivers were to two that I remember being the highest rated out of high school.[/quote]

All of those 5-star players were legit studs.

Heck, most of the 4-star kids were some of the most highly sought after players in the country.

RE: College Recruit Star Rating System - A Look Back

Larry — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 09:10:38 GMT

[quote][b]Big John (9/30/2008)[/b][hr]Looking at percentages...a greater percentage of 5 stars and 4 stars obviously make it over 2 stars etc.

Here's the problem with these rankings. A lot of times a guy gets rated very low because they are academically in trouble and probably won't get on campus. For example, Letroy Guion was a 2 star late addition to FSU's recruiting class but had a lot of talent. His two star rating was because of academics. Same thing with another FSU guy, Ty Jones who is a freshman this year. He is ahead of ESPN 5 star Jermaine Thomas on the depth chart (when Jones was healthy) but because of his grades, his rating was low.

Rankings just kind of give you an idea of where people stand, but its much much less of an exact science than the NFL draft.[/quote]

I wouldn't go that far, now. Lamar Miller has some god awful grades, yet a 5-star kid. Randy Estes was the same way.

Guys like Guion and Jones are more products of not having their tapes sent around the recruiting sites then anything else. It happens all of the time. Some guys just don't have their material out there. However, FSU acquired tapes and other stuff of these kids and were on them. Because of grades, no other schools got on the kid, so he was more of a"best kept secret" then a casualty of grades, etc.

To get a high grade, you need a few things. Be a known commodity as an underclassman. Have good, solid offers from top schools. Play the recruiting game...have your tapes out there for the sites to grade you on (that is all they really grade players on...highlight tapes and some game tapes).

There are secondary things...but if you were known as an underclassman, have good, solid offers from top schools, and have your game tapes and highlights floating around the "sites"...odds are great you are a four or five star player. You will never be worse then a three star, bank on it.

RE: College Recruit Star Rating System - A Look Back

Shack Del Rio — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 09:07:04 GMT

Looking at the list, Stewart and Rivers were to two that I remember being the highest rated out of high school.

RE: College Recruit Star Rating System - A Look Back

Larry — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 09:03:30 GMT

Recruiting stars is a good indicator of physical ability along with the football skills. They also came from big time high school programs known for producing collegiate football talent.

The two and three stars, while they may have physical abilities, have more "football" skills that make them a better player. They also probably came from lesser high school programs.

Odds are good, if a college player has a high NFL grade along with a high recruiting ranking, you have yourself a good player.

Yes, I'd rather take a 5-star or 4-star prospect that has a high NFL grade then a 2-star kid with a high NFL grade. It is just one piece of the pie.

RE: College Recruit Star Rating System - A Look Back

zachthejag — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 22:54:50 GMT

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie

Rodgers-Cromartie attended Lakewood Ranch High School where he was an All-Area, All-Class 5A and All-District 11 defensive back and wide receiver. He was named the most underrated prospect in the state of Florida by the High School Recruiting Report and Lakewood Ranch became the fourth high school he attended and the first where he received playing time. While at Lakewood Ranch, he also competed as a jumper and sprinter on the school’s track team.

RE: College Recruit Star Rating System - A Look Back

Big John — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 21:32:30 GMT

Looking at percentages...a greater percentage of 5 stars and 4 stars obviously make it over 2 stars etc.

Here's the problem with these rankings. A lot of times a guy gets rated very low because they are academically in trouble and probably won't get on campus. For example, Letroy Guion was a 2 star late addition to FSU's recruiting class but had a lot of talent. His two star rating was because of academics. Same thing with another FSU guy, Ty Jones who is a freshman this year. He is ahead of ESPN 5 star Jermaine Thomas on the depth chart (when Jones was healthy) but because of his grades, his rating was low.

Rankings just kind of give you an idea of where people stand, but its much much less of an exact science than the NFL draft.

RE: College Recruit Star Rating System - A Look Back

HardcoreMoJagFan — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 19:46:32 GMT

[quote][b]BigJohn98 (9/30/2008)[/b][hr][quote][b]HardcoreMoJagFan (9/30/2008)[/b][hr][quote][b]BigJohn98 (9/30/2008)[/b][hr]Cromartie was a 4* player.[/quote]

What was his name? I cannot find him in the Rival's system anywhere...[/quote]

I thought you were talking about Antonio Cromartie for some reason. My mistake.[/quote]

I wondered if that was the case, but wasn't going to question you. I can't find a scholarship for him at Tennessee state, but surely he had one?

RE: College Recruit Star Rating System - A Look Back

BigJohn98 — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 19:31:58 GMT

[quote][b]HardcoreMoJagFan (9/30/2008)[/b][hr][quote][b]BigJohn98 (9/30/2008)[/b][hr]Cromartie was a 4* player.[/quote]

What was his name? I cannot find him in the Rival's system anywhere...[/quote]

I thought you were talking about Antonio Cromartie for some reason. My mistake.

RE: College Recruit Star Rating System - A Look Back

HardcoreMoJagFan — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 19:30:58 GMT

[quote][b]BigJohn98 (9/30/2008)[/b][hr]Cromartie was a 4* player.[/quote]

What was his name? I cannot find him in the Rival's system anywhere...

College Recruit Star Rating System - A Look Back

HardcoreMoJagFan — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 19:28:58 GMT

So with a little time on my hands I decided to delve into the star ratings of players from their recruiting year until the point they were drafted. I am only using Rivals right now. I think eventually I will cross-reference scout as well just to compare. I also think it will be neat eventually to look at further back classes to see what the players who are having early success in the NFL were rated coming out of high school. Anyway, to the 2008 draft results.

First Round
1. Miami - Jake Long, OT Michigan - 4 Stars
2. St. Louis - Chris Long, DE Virginia - 4 Stars
3. Atlanta - Matt Ryan, QB Boston College - 3 Stars
4. Oakland - Darren McFadden, RB Arkansas - 5 Stars
5. Kansas City - Glen Dorsey, DT LSU - 4 Stars
6. NY Jets - Vernon Gholston, DE Ohio State - 4 Stars
7. New Orleans (From 49ers through Patriots)- Sedrick Ellis, DT USC - 4 Stars
8. Jacksonville (From Ravens)- Derrick Harvey, DE Florida - 5 Stars
9. Cincinnati - Keith Rivers, LB USC - 5 Stars
10. New England (From Saints)- Jerod Mayo, LB Tennessee - 4 Stars
11. Buffalo - Leotis McKelvin, CB Troy - 2 Stars
12. Denver - Ryan Clady, OT Boise State - 2 Stars
13. Carolina - Jonathan Stewart, RB Oregon - 5 Stars
14. Chicago - Chris Williams, OT Vanderbilt - 2 Stars
15. Kansas City (From Lions)- Branden Albert, G Virginia - 2 Stars
16. Arizona - Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB Tennessee State
17. Detroit (From Vikings through Chiefs)- Gosder Cherilus, OT Boston College - 3 Stars
18. Baltimore (From Texans)- Joe Flacco, QB Delaware - 3 Stars
19. Carolina (From Eagles)- Jeff Otah, OT Pittsburgh - 4 Stars
20. Tampa Bay - Aqib Talib, CB Kansas - 2 Stars
21. Atlanta (From Redskins)- Sam Baker, OT USC - 4 Stars
22. Dallas (From Browns)- Felix Jones, RB Arkansas - 4 Stars
23. Pittsburgh - Rashard Mendenhall, RB Illinois - 4 Stars
24. Tennessee - Chris Johnson, RB East Carolina - 2 Stars
25. Dallas (From Seahawks)- Mike Jenkins, CB South Florida - 3 Stars
26. Houston (From Jaguars through Ravens)- Duane Brown, OT Virginia Tech - 3 Stars
27. San Diego - Antoine Cason, CB Arizona - 3 Stars
28. Seattle (From Cowboys)- Lawrence Jackson, DE USC - 4 Stars
29. San Francisco (From Colts)- Kentwan Balmer, DT North Carolina - 3 Stars
30. NY Jets (From Packers)- Dustin Keller, TE Purdue - 2 Stars
31. NY Giants - Kenny Phillips, S Miami (FL) - 5 Stars

So now to the totals
5 Stars = 4
4 Stars = 11
3 Stars = 7
2 Stars = 7
I couldn't find Cromartie

So basically half the 2008 first round draft picks were guys Rivals' said "would make the NFL". The other half are players Rivals' projected as wouldn't cut it. Interesting or worthless information?