We've got a chance to have a solid OL class..

[57stratdawg]

Commits:

• Tommy Champion (Co-Lin CC)- OT - 6'5 290
• Dee Nails (Fayette, AL) - OG - 6'2 300
• Dareaun Parker (Southaven, MS) - OT - 6'5 320

Prospects:

• Scott Lashley (West Point, MS) - OT - 6'6 300
• Greg Eiland (Philadelphia, MS) - OT - 6'7 330
• Gentle Williams (Florence, MS) - OC - 6'3 280

We could very well go into the USM game with all 6 OL guys committed. Lashley has offers from everyone, and could very well end up being the top player in the State. Eiland and Williams are newer face/interest since BDC. At one point Eiland was considered to be an OM lock, but I get the feeling they have been keeping him on the back burner some lately. I don't think we have officially offered Williams yet, but it seems more likely than not at this point.

Everything I hear about Champion has him on pace to graduate in December. We should have a pretty good idea in the next month if that's happening or not.

I was pretty critical of Mullen and Hevesy over the years because of our OL recruiting - particularly OT. They have done a solid job of bringing in better talent over the last couple of signing classes. Rankins and Story was a solid haul and Lashley will be nice this year. I had a chance to see Story up close in practice some this spring and that kid is massive.

 

[121Josey]

I have heard that things are not looking positive for Champion. But your point stands with a Lashley and Eiland pull.

 

[Digging dog]

I like the talent there. The line being able to gel together quickly is gonna be the key. IMO.

 

[DogStuckAtUM.sixpack]

That's a good haul.

As 121Josey said, things are looking doubtful for Champion. Man, I'd love to have him in December.

It'll be interesting to see if Auburn offers Dee Nalls. If they do, hopefully the outcome will be similar to B. Brown.

 

[57stratdawg]

I have heard it both ways with regards to Champion. We should have a good idea in a couple weeks as he enters August. Honestly, I'm not so sure it matters. He's a kid that needs to redshirt either way, IMO. I would think Rankins, Senior, and Carter will be the leading candidates for our starting OT spots in 2016.

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

You can add 4* DT and Bama commit Raekwon Davis to that list. He's a OT in college and we're not out of the game yet.

 

[J-Dawg]

Yeah, but what are their 40 times!?**

 

[57stratdawg]

Yeah, and he helped himself at The Open recently. Everyone seems to think he's going to end up at RT.

I don't know how we lost control of Meridian. Maybe 2009 class was an anomaly, and we never really had it. Things seem to be positive for the other S we lost in the 2016 class from there. Hopefully we can pull all three of those guys.

 

[dannyripms]

I know the story kid personally. Comes from a very athletic family. His uncle is the principal at the middle school here and was a running back for the tsun back in the day. Actually surprised they didn't go after him. He's a hard worker and makes good grades. Got the kind of character we like at state

 

[Requiem For A Dawg]

Lashley and AJ Brown are the two must haves in this class for me.

 

[57stratdawg]

I think they were probably in it more than their media let on. I was told (have no idea if it's true or not) that the "Hevesy to USC" stuff came out from OM to try to discourage him from early enrolling. They were in the process of losing Drew Richmond at the time, and maybe wanted him to be a plan B. The guy that put that out there is from Oxford, and it was obviously false.

I think Freeze is a heck of a recruiter, but guys like Story, Champion, and Wommack tell me they aren't the best at evaluating talent. They must have watched countless hours of Calloway with Speaks, Rod Taylor, and Walker - right? But, they didn't pick up on Champion until after we offered. Same with Wommack. He had camped at OM and left with no offer, then he comes to Starkville, we offer, and they call and offer on their ride home.

 

[maroonmania]

I think they were probably in it more than their media let on. I was told (have no idea if it's true or not) that the "Hevesy to USC" stuff came out from OM to try to discourage him from early enrolling. They were in the process of losing Drew Richmond at the time, and maybe wanted him to be a plan B. The guy that put that out there is from Oxford, and it was obviously false.

I think Freeze is a heck of a recruiter, but guys like Story, Champion, and Wommack tell me they aren't the best at evaluating talent. They must have watched countless hours of Calloway with Speaks, Rod Taylor, and Walker - right? But, they didn't pick up on Champion until after we offered. Same with Wommack. He had camped at OM and left with no offer, then he comes to Starkville, we offer, and they call and offer on their ride home.

Stars by the name man, gotta have stars by the name or they ain't worth ol' Hugh's effort!

 

[TSUNBearHunter]

I think they were probably in it more than their media let on. I was told (have no idea if it's true or not) that the "Hevesy to USC" stuff came out from OM to try to discourage him from early enrolling. They were in the process of losing Drew Richmond at the time, and maybe wanted him to be a plan B. The guy that put that out there is from Oxford, and it was obviously false.

I think Freeze is a heck of a recruiter, but guys like Story, Champion, and Wommack tell me they aren't the best at evaluating talent. They must have watched countless hours of Calloway with Speaks, Rod Taylor, and Walker - right? But, they didn't pick up on Champion until after we offered. Same with Wommack. He had camped at OM and left with no offer, then he comes to Starkville, we offer, and they call and offer on their ride home.

The "talent evaluation" thing gets played up a little too much in my opinion. Freeze has found his share of underrated recruits, just like Mullen. Some of your fans are less familar with those players and only notice the stars. Mike Hilton, Evan Engram, Cody Core, Fadol Brown, Will Gleeson, Marquis Haynes, etc are very good SEC front line guys that weren't heavily recruited. Picking up highly rated players doesn't mean you can't evaluate talent, just like signing an underrated kid that performs better than his rating doesn't mean you are a genius evaluator. I think both staffs are very good at evaluations. If they weren't, we wouldn't have both been in the CFB playoff picture last season.

When you point out Story, Champion, and Wommack, how can you say either of us got it right on the evalaution. None of the three have done anything at the collegiate level. They may all be stars or they may all be bust. Regarding Champion and us not giving him a commitable offer, its likely that his grades had more to do with it than his talent. He camped with us in July before his senior year. There was no indication that we got serious with him after that, as he only had a verbal offer. In the end, he didn't qualify, so in my opinion, that was hardly a miss and possibly a good evaluation. On Wommack, we both offered him on June 7th, thus becoming his first power 5 offers. He had camped with us both in the year previous to that. At this point, I think the only thing we can say we misread was the ability to slow play him. Obviously your offer, LSU's offer, and the subsequent blow up of his recruitment made that tough for us. But again, he hasn't made one block in college, so its hard to say if anyone missed on him.

 

[57stratdawg]

When you point out Story, Champion, and Wommack, how can you say either of us got it right on the evalaution. None of the three have done anything at the collegiate level. They may all be stars or they may all be bust. Regarding Champion and us not giving him a commitable offer, its likely that his grades had more to do with it than his talent. He camped with us in July before his senior year. There was no indication that we got serious with him after that, as he only had a verbal offer. In the end, he didn't qualify, so in my opinion, that was hardly a miss and possibly a good evaluation. On Wommack, we both offered him on June 7th, thus becoming his first power 5 offers. He had camped with us both in the year previous to that. At this point, I think the only thing we can say we misread was the ability to slow play him. Obviously your offer, LSU's offer, and the subsequent blow up of his recruitment made that tough for us. But again, he hasn't made one block in college, so its hard to say if anyone missed on him.

That's true we both offered Wommack on the 7th, but keep in mind, our camp was on the 7th and yours was several days earlier. We offered him on MSU's campus, you guys offered him driving back from MSU's campus.

What did we see in him that you guys did not?

 

[TSUNBearHunter]

That's true we both offered Wommack on the 7th, but keep in mind, our camp was on the 7th and yours was several days earlier. We offered him on MSU's campus, you guys offered him driving back from MSU's campus.

What did we see in him that you guys did not?

I don't think either of us saw anymore than the other. Wommack was intially thought of as a project by a lot of people. He was very out of shape at first and workd hard to get in shape before the camps. For that reason, he was a little under the radar before the camp circuit. We'd have preferred to slow pay him a little, but I think your offer forced our hand. I think Rawlings was a similar situation.

But again...none of these guys have played a down, so my larger point remains. You can't call any of the guys we are discussing an evaluation win or loss. It's a TBD situation.

 

[aTotal360]

I have a family member that said Chris Jones called Hugh and told him to offer because we just did. I don't care if you believe me or not.

 

[TSUNBearHunter]

I have a family member that said Chris Jones called Hugh and told him to offer because we just did. I don't care if you believe me or not.

Not sure what that has to do with the adult conversation we were having. I guess that was your attempt at being funny.

Bruiser can get wordy/annoying at times and you don't have to believe anything he says, but...the family member/source he mentioned in that thread is about as strong as it gets. Top of the food chain type guy that the chancellor and AD call on for help. I don't know Bruiser personally, but I know what family he comes from.

 

[aTotal360]

No doubt you guys are in the know. Yalls unnamed sources are as good as they come.