2019 Recruiting

[Bulldogg31]

Spent the weekend with a friend who's a Georgia fan and we were talking about the game. After we destroyed LSU he said he really thought we had a chance to win. I told him we have a hard time competing against 65 guys who are 4-stars or better, which led to the discussion about how much deeper the talent pool is in Georgia than Mississippi...

If you don't keep up, 2019 is an absolute banner year for Mississippi. We've got 1 (maybe 2) 5-star guys. Charles Moore has already committed to State, and Nathan Pickering (high 4-star) could commit to State as well. We've also got 8 other 4-stars, giving us 10 kids 4-star or better.

In 2019 Georgia has five (possibly six) 5-star kids, and the 41st-ranked kid in the state is a 4-star. That's damn near two complete recruiting classes of 4-stars or better. I knew it was an advantage for them but I didnt realize it was that much of a difference.

FYI, in 2018 Mississippi has one player rated 4-stars (Malik Heath), while Georgia has 38, including four 5-star kids.

These are 24/7 composite rankings, for what that's worth.

 

[57stratdawg]

I heard a recruiting analyst say once that roughly 1/2 of America’s D1 signees come from 5 states:

California
Texas
Florida
Georgia
Ohio

 

[Bulldogg31]

I heard a recruiting analyst say once that roughly 1/2 of America’s D1 signees come from 5 states:

California
Texas
Florida
Georgia
Ohio

I don't doubt it. I'd like to see how many 4-and 5-star prospects there actually are within a 250-mile drive of Starkville most years. I'm guessing a
few dozen or so? Which means we
have to dominate recruiting within that circle in order to have Top 10-type classes. Considering our circles overlap with Bama, LSU, Auburn, Georgia, OM, Arky, TAMU, Tennessee, Louisville, Clemson, Florida, and others that's a tough neighborhood

 

[Todd4State]

Out of curiosity how many are actually committed to Georgia? I imagine many of those are spread around to Clemson, Alabama, Georgia Tech, Auburn, and Tennessee. Among others.

 

[Bulldogg31]

Out of curiosity how many are actually committed to Georgia? I imagine many of those are spread around to Clemson, Alabama, Georgia Tech, Auburn, and Tennessee. Among others.

You're right. They're spread around pretty well, although Georgia gets their share for sure. One thing in Georgia's favor though is that the majority of those kids grow up wanting to play for the Bulldogs. They've got about 50 more kids that look like mid-to-high 3-stars, so Georgia, Clemson, Tennessee, etc get to fish in some pretty deep water that's an hour or two from campus, which helps them
be perennial Top-15 recruiters.

 

[Leeshouldveflanked]

When you have a little time go to the AJC (Atlanta Journal Constitution) Georgia High School Football Signee data base, just google it.. it's pretty eye opening on how much P5 talent comes out of Georgia...we have in fhe past pulled some good players out of Georgia..also the HS coaching in Georgia is light years ahead of that in Mississippi and a number of their head coaches make 6 figures. ..we need to hire someone from the Georgia High School coaching ranks as a recruiting specialist.

 

[aTotal360]

There was some clown on this board saying we shouldn't waste time in ATL. There are more 3 and 4 star kids that fall through the cracks in ATL area than MS will have in a good year.

 

[BiscuitEater]

(Copied from the Rant) Take away .. MSU has done 'more with less' than any other team in the SEC

Talent Ranked in the SEC by TeamPosted on 8/30/17 at 2:14 pm

So using 247's composite ratings for each player on each team's roster, here's how the talent in the SEC ranks. I simply used each team's roster on 247's page which has the composite rating and star for that player.

I did not get down to the nitty gritty in terms of ineligible players (like transfers), injuries, starters vs. depth, etc...just took the whole roster and broke each down.

Here's how the SEC stacks up against another in terms of talent. 5, 4 and 3 stars are the only ones I counted. Rankings of teams are based on total number of 5 and 4 star players combined, if teams are tied with same numbers of 5 and 4 stars combined, then the higher amount of 5 stars breaks the tie.

1. Alabama
18 5-stars
51 4-stars
13 3-stars

2. Georgia
11 5-stars
43 4-stars
30 3-stars

3. Louisiana State
4 5-stars
48 4-stars
30 3-stars

4. Auburn
5 5-stars
42 4-stars
30 3-stars

5. Texas A&M
3 5-stars
29 4-stars
46 3-stars

6. Tennessee
2 5-stars
30 4-stars
49 3-stars

7. Florida
2 5-stars
26 4-stars
50 3-stars

8. Ole Miss
3 5-stars
24 4-stars
50 3-stars

9. Arkansas
1 5-star
21 4-stars
64 3-stars

10. South Carolina
0 5-stars
19 4-stars
53 3-stars

11. Mississippi State
1 5-star
15 4-stars
56 3-stars

12. Kentucky
0 5-stars
15 4-stars
61 3-stars

13. Missouri
1 5-star
6 4-stars
70 3-stars

14. Vanderbilt
0 5-stars
9 4-stars
65 3-stars

 

[Leeshouldveflanked]

It will be interesting to see where we finish up this season.

 

[bulldogbaja]

I remember in the Croom era when we literally got excited about getting a 3* to visit.

 

[philduckworth]

I remember in the Croom era when we literally got excited about getting a 3* to visit.

There used to be 2 stars. 247 did away with 2 star recruits for some reason. If you commit to an SEC school, you are automatically a 3 star at minimum.

 

[kired]

Things started trending that way a few years ago... about the time I quit following recruiting. I remember one year there were only a couple of 2-star recruits (rated by rivals) that signed in the entire SEC. I decided then that it was all a big sham --- ratings are a combination of actual player talent + which teams are recruiting them + which team they commit to. I'm confident a guy could commit to Alabama and be a 4-star, but if the same guy committed to his local CUSA or Sunbelt school without visiting anyone else, he'd never get over a 2-star rating.

 

[bobblob42]

I heard a recruiting analyst say once that roughly 1/2 of America’s D1 signees come from 5 states:

California
Texas
Florida
Georgia
Ohio

That's believable, 1/3 of the country lives in those 5 states. And 3 of those are in southeast where football is big.

 

[Palos verdes]

I don't always put much in the composite ranking when it comes to us. Sometimes there are 1 or 2 services that are pretty far off with their player assessment. One guy could be at the top of our board by 247, while grading as a 74 on ESPN.

 

[BlueRidgeMtns]

So according to this.. .Mullen is coaching up our guys or the teams ahead of us are coaching way the hell down (other than Bama/Georgia).

 

[patdog]

Football is huge in all 5 of those states.

 

[thf24]

There used to be 2 stars. 247 did away with 2 star recruits for some reason. If you commit to an SEC school, you are automatically a 3 star at minimum.

They probably made it universal since hacks like Yancy were basically already doing it for their own teams' commits.

 

[Bulldogg31]

I don't always put much in the composite ranking when it comes to us. Sometimes there are 1 or 2 services that are pretty far off with their player assessment. One guy could be at the top of our board by 247, while grading as a 74 on ESPN.

I agree the rankings are flawed and I've always been a "stars are overrated" guy. However, it's hard to deny that the NFL is mostly populated by guys who rated highly out of high school, and there are comparatively few of those who live close to our campus.

This is part of the reason the MSU job is not looked upon favorably by folks who don't live in our region. Mullen mostly has to fish in shallow water and grow bigger fish once they get in the boat.

 

[TheStateUofMS]

We've been casting a wider net. We've actually been getting out of state 4 stars. We have two out of state 4 stars coming in now at QB. Wait until Dan develops Key. And even if Key is a bust, we have 2 more 4 stars behind him.

Having all these great QBs and upgrading our talent like we have been every year, albeit slowly could get us to possibly Ok State status. I think we have more overall talent than them, but Gundy always has a polished QB running his system.

 

[TheStateUofMS]

This may shock you, but the further down from elite level prospects you go, the more misses the recruiting services will have.

Here's my recruiting scale:

If you recruit in the top 5-8 spots, you have elite level talent.

9-15 are really great classes.

16-30 are good classes

30-50 are a crap shoot with average players overall and the best coaches who develop will be able to field some good teams (Iowa, Kansas State, NC State type teams)

+50 are below average players but obviously there will be diamonds in the rough.

I belie Dave Bartoo of CFB Matrix said there's only been one team since 2000 to play for a national championship who's 4yr recruiting average was outside the top 12 and that was Oregon one year. If you want any type of elite staying power, you must recruit inside the top 8. If you want to field a nice team like we've been doing, recruit like we do in the low 20s to mid teens and every so often things will come together.

To be elite and stay elite, you must sign elite players and the elite players have high 4 star rankings or 5 stars by their name. One thing is for sure, Bama's 4 stars are better than our 4 stars.

 

[Bulldogg31]

We've been casting a wider net. We've actually been getting out of state 4 stars. We have two out of state 4 stars coming in now at QB. Wait until Dan develops Key. And even if Key is a bust, we have 2 more 4 stars behind him.

Having all these great QBs and upgrading our talent like we have been every year, albeit slowly could get us to possibly Ok State status. I think we have more overall talent than them, but Gundy always has a polished QB running his system.

Agreed, which is why anyone who says we need to make a change from Mullen doesn't really realize what they're asking for. We are where we are right now because of 9 years of foundation-building from Mullen. It hasn't been smooth or perfect, but he has raised our talent level across the board. WR this year isn't good but looks like help is on the way.

Starting over at head coach might not put us all the way back to Square One, but it's a possibility. New coaches with new ideas are a 50/50 proposition at best. Look at Tennessee, Florida, Texas, etc. For every great hire (which Mullen was) there are a few awful hires (Butch Jones will be available soon).

 

[LilSebastian]

Agreed, which is why anyone who says we need to make a change from Mullen doesn't really realize what they're asking for. We are where we are right now because of 9 years of foundation-building from Mullen. It hasn't been smooth or perfect, but he has raised our talent level across the board. WR this year isn't good but looks like help is on the way.

Starting over at head coach might not put us all the way back to Square One, but it's a possibility. New coaches with new ideas are a 50/50 proposition at best. Look at Tennessee, Florida, Texas, etc. For every great hire (which Mullen was) there are a few awful hires (Butch Jones will be available soon).

You're definitely better off working with HC to make sure he has what he needs, or is doing what he needs to do to make the next step. Where do we need to improve? Let's make sure he's aware of the problems and give him what he needs to fix them.

 

[BiscuitEater]

One thing is for sure, Bama's 4 stars are better than our 4 stars.

Disagree with this statement. Our 4* are as good as Bama's. BUT, Bama has 51 4* & 18 5*. They can 'miss' on some and not miss a beat. MSU can't .. We only have 15 4* and 1 5*.

 

[TheStateUofMS]

They sign 4 stars that are in the top 300. Most of them are. We only sign a few. There is a difference.

 

[goodknight]

Ga deeper in talent by virtue of population alone

 

[Junction John]

Pull Jim Tompkins out of retirement and call it done**