Illinois Football Recruiting Thread

[Illinijose]

Apples and Oranges

Yes, the class ranking doesn't seem bad in context, but the number of commits is propping up really low player quality vs. previous classes. This year's class has an average rating of 2.35 vs. prior class averages:

2010: 2.62
2011: 2.85
2012: 2.74
2013: 2.72
2014: 2.71
2015: 2.75
2016: 2.35

Source is rivals. This might be the worst class ever in terms of per player rating.

The 2.85 class how many were from Illinois and how many panned out? This years class seems very heavy Florida and out of state. A 4 Illinois player might be a 3 Texas or Florida player. The competition is much better in those states so they might not shine as great against top tier competition as they would in Illinois football.

 

[Bomb Squad 217]

I dont know if the difference in talent between Illinois and the south is that much. It may have changed in the last few years, but a few years ago there was a state ranking on scout or espn or something like that, it ranked the top 5 states for football recruits. It went as follows: Ohio, Cal., Texas, Florida and Illinois. Like I said that may have changed with more and more people moving to the south from the midwest. The point is that we shouldnt downplay our in state talent like its second tier. This isnt Wyoming or something.

 

[mhuml32]

The 2.85 class how many were from Illinois and how many panned out? This years class seems very heavy Florida and out of state. A 4 Illinois player might be a 3 Texas or Florida player. The competition is much better in those states so they might not shine as great against top tier competition as they would in Illinois football.

Illinois players from that class were the following:
Pat Flavin
Matt LaCosse
Scott McDowell
Clint Tucker
Josh Ferguson
Tony Durkin
Reilly O'Toole
Chris O'Connor

 

[calibear]

Just caught up from page 83, interesting.

 

[themudflap]

Yes, the class ranking doesn't seem bad in context, but the number of commits is propping up really low player quality vs. previous classes. This year's class has an average rating of 2.35 vs. prior class averages:

2010: 2.62
2011: 2.85
2012: 2.74
2013: 2.72
2014: 2.71
2015: 2.75
2016: 2.35

Source is rivals. This might be the worst class ever in terms of per player rating.

This class also has 17 three star guys according to Scout and the other 11 non-three stars bring down the overal rating. Scout has it at 58 with a 2.57 rating. Syracuse is rated 52 with 21 commits, 20 being threes for a 2.95 average. Things could have been a lot worse and there are some players in this class that will help a lot and make us better. This is a class that should provide rewards in three years as these guys mature. We are not going to go south and get a bunch of four and five star guys. Recruiting the home state is proving to be tough for both major sports. So, Cubit has done much better than many thought he would and he went to the areas people constantly cite as where we need to go.

 

[Title]

The 2.85 class how many were from Illinois and how many panned out? This years class seems very heavy Florida and out of state. A 4 Illinois player might be a 3 Texas or Florida player. The competition is much better in those states so they might not shine as great against top tier competition as they would in Illinois football.

I completely disagree with the comment about 4 stars versus 3 stars. Just to be clear, it take an act of God for an Illinois recruit to get 4 stars. Usually a 4 star in Illinois is a 5 star player and a 3 star in Texas and Florida is really a 2 star player. I am not taking anything away from any kid but if you know how the scouts work, you would understand my statement.

 

[Illinijose]

I completely disagree with the comment about 4 stars versus 3 stars. Just to be clear, it take an act of God for an Illinois recruit to get 4 stars. Usually a 4 star in Illinois is a 5 star player and a 3 star in Texas and Florida is really a 2 star player. I am not taking anything away from any kid but if you know how the scouts work, you would understand my statement.

You can disagree all you want with my statement but if you see where the ESPN top 300 and majority of top tier football players come out it is Texas, Florida, Louisiana, and California. The competition in those states is much higher than Illinois. That is why you rarely see an Illinois 4-5 star player go to an out of state top tier program and do well. It is the other way around. I have seen numerous Illinois top tier talent flame out at top 25 out of state programs. There are some exceptions but generally they fail royally.

 

[IlliniNation1010]

Yes, athlete admissions are already lower than regular students. And it seems like ours need to be even lower. If athletes had the same admission standards and regular students most of the football and basketball players in the NCAA wouldn't be in school.

Exactly!!! The 98 scholarships for the 2 revenue sports have ZERO impact on our academic standing overall. Our standards for athletes should be exactly the same as the NCAA standard. To continue to penalize ourselves every year & subtract the handful of players who aren't admitted is ridiculous!

 

[AaronB28]

Day could play corner and I wouldn't be shocked if Crawford moved to safety instead of OLB

I wouldnt mind barton and crawford at safety and day at corner so who does that leave at lb tho? watson/jones and????

 

[IlliniNation1010]

I really like the final push by the staff to close out this class, especially Harding, Fish & McGriff

 

[Title]

You can disagree all you want with my statement but if you see where the ESPN top 300 and majority of top tier football players come out it is Texas, Florida, Louisiana, and California. The competition in those states is much higher than Illinois. That is why you rarely see an Illinois 4-5 star player go to an out of state top tier program and do well. It is the other way around. I have seen numerous Illinois top tier talent flame out at top 25 out of state programs. There are some exceptions but generally they fail royally.

Let's focus on signing day for now but I will revisit this discussion later. I have plenty of examples.

 

[Jacob]

I wouldnt mind barton and crawford at safety and day at corner so who does that leave at lb tho? watson/jones and????

Watson, Jones, Harding, Svetina, Williams, Roberts, and doxy

 

[Illinir1]

Yes, the class ranking doesn't seem bad in context, but the number of commits is propping up really low player quality vs. previous classes. This year's class has an average rating of 2.35 vs. prior class averages:

2010: 2.62
2011: 2.85
2012: 2.74
2013: 2.72
2014: 2.71
2015: 2.75
2016: 2.35

Source is rivals. This might be the worst class ever in terms of per player rating.

This past Sunday's Chicago Tribune listed their Top 25 Illinois high school football recruits and where they have committed. None are committed to Illinois. 12 of the 25 are committed to B1G schools. Not good.

 

[IlliniFever1218]

This past Sunday's Chicago Tribune listed their Top 25 Illinois high school football recruits and where they have committed. None are committed to Illinois. 12 of the 25 are committed to B1G schools. Not good.

I really don't care where the kids come from. If we get a decent class considering everything that is going on, that is all that I care about. If they don't want to go to their home state school, good riddance.

 

[BigStan97]

DE- Phillips, Pulley, Jones
NG- Bain, Milan, Jackson
DT- Chunky, Powell, Odenhigbo
DE- Smoot, McGrew, Adesanya
OLB- Jones, Svetina
MLB- Watson, Harding
OLB- Crawford, Williams
CB- Dunlap, Watkins
FS- Barton, Nelson
SS- Day, Kelly, Hylton
CB- Hayes, C.James, Sumpter
Nickel- Mosley, Cazley

My best guess

 

[Illinir1]

I really don't care where the kids come from. If we get a decent class considering everything that is going on, that is all that I care about. If they don't want to go to their home state school, good riddance.

Sorry, but it's not possible to "get a decent class" if none of the Top 25 recruits from your own state don't stay home. Fact.

 

[IllinoisFanAtFSU]

Sorry, but it's not possible to "get a decent class" if none of the Top 25 recruits from your own state don't stay home. Fact.

That's a false dichotomy if I've ever seen one. Certainly not likely if you don't get any of the top 25 from your state, but absolutely not impossible. In a stable program, this is not a decent class. Given the situation, it actually gives me hope.

 

[ChicagoChief]

Sorry, but it's not possible to "get a decent class" if none of the Top 25 recruits from your own state don't stay home. Fact.

That's the biggest non-fact I've ever read. Kudos.

 

[Cubby Blue]

That's the biggest non-fact I've ever read. Kudos.

I always love when they end their sentence with "Fact"....:whoo:

 

[AaronB28]

DE- Phillips, Pulley, Jones
NG- Bain, Milan, Jackson
DT- Chunky, Powell, Odenhigbo
DE- Smoot, McGrew, Adesanya
OLB- Jones, Svetina
MLB- Watson, Harding
OLB- Crawford, Williams
CB- Dunlap, Watkins
FS- Barton, Nelson
SS- Day, Kelly, Hylton
CB- Hayes, C.James, Sumpter
Nickel- Mosley, Cazley

My best guess

I Agree with this alot actually think hayes could get the start over mosely if they are goin for the size...but i see watkins and mosely spellin alot for these guys

 

[Dan]

Signing Day 2016 Thread-

http://www.illinoisloyalty.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=22998