By
Richard Cirminiello
-
Re-Ranking the 2003 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
Fell from the top 20: Miami (No. 3), Florida State (No. 4),
Michigan State (No. 13), Texas A&M (No. 14), Oregon (No. 15), Texas Tech
(No. 17), and North Carolina (No. 18)
20. NC State – Former Wolfpack head coach Chuck Amato left a lot
to be desired as an Xs and Os guy, but he sure could attract talent to
Raleigh. The 2004 class provided talent to both sides of the ball, led
by defensive standouts Pressley, Morgan, and Young. Pressley is an
NFL-caliber interior lineman, even if he fell a little short of
performing like the nation’s top-ranked prep tackle. Morgan was named
Second Team All-ACC a year ago, and Young was a terror off the edge,
leading the team in tackles for loss and sacks. Although Blackman
arrived at State as a running back, he wound up being an all-purpose
dynamo that caught 92 passes and scored four special teams touchdowns in
his career. Injuries were the only things that kept Hill and Brown from
reaching their sizable potential in 2008. Miller was the biggest
disappointment, a 4-star tackle that transferred after failing to crack
the rotation in three years.
Hits: DT DeMario Pressley, S DaJuan Morgan, WR Darrell Blackman,
DE Willie Young, TE Anthony Hill, WR John Dunlap, S Miguel Scott, and RB
Andre Brown
Misses: DT Gerard Miller and TE Octavious Darby
Final 2004 Ranking: No. 20
19. Oklahoma – If not for the heroics of Peterson, arguably the
best back in school history, the Sooners would have no business
appearing in the top 20. The nation’s seventh-ranked class four years
ago, Oklahoma was pretty ordinary after Peterson, largely because of the
dismissal of Bomar before the start of the 2006 season. It was a
devastating blow for a school that felt it had its franchise quarterback
for another three seasons. Wolfe and Walker were solid performers out
of the secondary, while Hartley had a fantastic four-year career,
scoring 310 points and nailing 47-of-58 field goal attempts. Although
Patterson was considered one of the nation’s premier linebackers, he
never qualified at Oklahoma, bouncing around the JUCO ranks before
landing at Kansas State last year.
Hits:
RB Adrian Peterson, S D.J. Wolfe, K Garrett Hartley, CB Marcus Walker,
and T Branndon Braxton
Misses: QB Rhett Bomar and LB Chris Patterson
Final 2004 Ranking: No. 7
18. Maryland – What Ralph Friedgen’s class lacked in star power,
it made up for with depth on both sides of the ball. Henderson was the
lone headliner, a Butkus Award candidate and All-ACC performer the last
two seasons. He’s off to the NFL a year early, the second time in as
many years the Terps have lost the services of one of their signature
players. Before the start of last season, they lost Gaither, a massive
tackle with an equally big upside, to academic suspension. The 6-9,
350-pounder applied for the supplemental draft, and is now considered
the heir apparent to Baltimore Raven Jonathan Ogden. Lattimore rushed
for 1,744 yards and scored 19 touchdowns, most coming in last year’s
senior season. Thomas, Burley, and Williams formed a solid left side of
the Maryland line that paved the way for 28 rushing touchdowns in 2007.
Steffy was coveted by a bunch of ACC and Big Ten teams, but has thrown
just two career touchdown passes, leaving one more season to live up to
the hype.
Hits:
LB Erin Henderson, T Jared Gaither, RB Keon Lattimore, CB Kevin Barnes,
G Jaimie Thomas, T Scott Burley, DT Carlos Feliciano, S Christian
Varner, C Edwin Williams, TE Jason Goode, and K Obi Egekeze
Misses: QB Jordan Steffy and S J.J. Justice
Final 2004 Ranking: No. 16
17. Georgia – Yeah, Johnson had one fantastic, springboard season
in 2006, Brown was quietly a major producer, and Ellerbe returns in 2008
as one of the SEC’s best linebackers, but this class will be remembered
for its flops. Although Mark Richt was hailed for signing a half-dozen
blue-chippers, four of them never panned out. Miller lacked the field
instincts to be more than a part-time player, not exactly what the Dawgs
expected from the nation’s top-ranked defensive end. Johnson looked the
part, but had disciplinary issues that resulted in a very short stay in
Athens. A backup in the first half of his career, Watts got into some
trouble before the 2006 Peach Bowl, choosing to leave the team the
following spring. One of the nation’s better dual-threat quarterbacks,
Bryant never got comfortable at wide receiver, catching just 22 balls in
four seasons.
Hits:
DE Charles Johnson, RB Thomas Brown, LB Dannell Ellerbe, T Chester
Adams, S Kelin Johnson, and FB Brannan Southerland
Misses: LB Brandon Miller, LB Josh Johnson, G Seth Watts, and WR
A.J. Bryant
Final 2004 Ranking: No. 6
16. Alabama – The irony within Mike Shula’s 2004 class was that
the Tide did very well in the passing game, despite the fact that 4-star
Stover has yet to fulfill expectations. After being forced to attend
Itawamba Junior College, he’s caught just 22 passes in two seasons as a
No. 2 receiver. Hall and Brown, however, were able to pick up the
slack, catching 11 touchdown passes between them in 2007 alone. And
Walker has developed into a quality tight end with good hands and the
girth to run block like a guard. While Wilson lacks consistency and
throws too many picks, he has one more season and has tossed 35
touchdown passes over the last two years, so there’s hope for a strong
finish. Castille earned four letters in the ‘Bama secondary, starting
the last two seasons and earning First Team All-SEC honors in 2007.
With a year of eligibility remaining, Caldwell has made the trek from
2-star recruit to one of the nation’s top centers.
Hits: C
Antoine Caldwell, WR D.J. Hall, CB Simeon Castille, DE Ezekial Knight, G
Justin Britt, QB John Parker Wilson, WR Keith Brown, and TE Nick Walker
Misses: WR Nikita Stover
Final 2004 Ranking: No. 19
15. Georgia Tech – When are people are going to start giving more
credit to Tech’s recruits? For the second straight year, the Yellow
Jackets have blown past expectations, a credit to former head coach Chan
Gailey and his entire staff. Johnson carried the banner for three
seasons, picking up All-American honors in 2005 and 2006, but he got
plenty of help from less-heralded teammates. Gardner was considered too
small coming out of high school, but grew into a terrific tackle that’s
been named All-ACC after each of the last two seasons. He was joined on
the team in 2007 by Robertson, who had 6.5 sacks and a team-high 16
tackles for loss as a senior. While Richard is a quality run-stuffer
with another year left, Cox is a physical blocking back, one of the
underrated pieces of RB Tashard Choice’s success in Atlanta.
Hits: WR Calvin Johnson, T Andrew Gardner, DE Darrell Robertson,
DT Darryl Richard, WR James Johnson, FB Mike Cox, LB Gary Guyton, S
Jamal Lewis, S Djay Jones, and G Nate McManus
Misses: None
Final 2004 Ranking: No. 35
14. Louisville – For a class that was dominated by 2-star
recruits, Bobby Petrino’s 2004 haul wound up being well above average.
Brohm held serve as the nation’s No. 6 quarterback, throwing for 71
touchdown passes and more than 10,000 yards, setting the stage for a
career in the NFL. Barnidge and Urrutia were two of his favorite
targets over the last three seasons, catching 33 touchdown passes
throughout their careers. Wood is an All-Big East-type center and the
quarterback of a Cardinal line that often got overshadowed by the
program’s skill position players. Myles was the lone bright spot on
last year’s defense, racking up 128 tackles and a spot on the All-Big
East Second Team, en route to leaving early for the draft. Since
leaving high school, Giacomini has gone from defensive lineman to tight
end to a pretty good tackle with pro aspirations.
Hits: QB Brian Brohm, TE Gary Barnidge, C Eric Wood, LB Lamar
Myles, WR Mario Urrutia, T Breno Giacomini, DE Maurice Mitchell, and RB
George Stripling
Misses: None
Final 2004 Ranking: No. 54
13. Purdue – Although Williams is currently serving a 37-year
prison sentence and Baker hasn’t quite lived up to his 4-star billing,
the Boilermakers’ thrived on the strength of their 2 and 3-star
recruits. Modestly pursued coming out of high school, Bryant went on to
lead the Big Ten in receiving three straight years, while setting a
bunch of school records. The versatile Painter has accounted for 60
touchdowns over the last two years, gradually developing into one of the
league’s better quarterbacks. Avril was outstanding off the edge a year
ago, parlaying 15 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks into a spot on the
All-Big Ten Second Team. Grimes, Sester, and Heygood were honorable
mention all-league in 2007, while Sheets had over 1,000 yards from
scrimmage and 13 touchdowns. In all, it was a very solid class, which
could be even better if Painter puts it all together in his senior
year.
Hits: WR Dorien Bryant, QB Curtis Painter, DE Cliff Avril, G
Jordan Grimes, LB Anthony Heygood, DE Rob Ninkovich, RB Kory Sheets, T
Sean Sester, and LB Dan Bick,
Misses: LB Kyle Williams and DT Ryan Baker
Final 2004 Ranking: No. 32
12. Texas – By Longhorn standards, Mack Brown’s Class of 2004 was
good, but not great, providing no first-team all-leaguers a year ago,
and minimal skill position talent. The strength of the group was on the
defensive line, where Okam played like he’ll be cashing NFL checks for a
long time and Lokey earned a spot on the All-Big 12 Second Team in
2007. Bobino, Orakpo, and Palmer are productive members of the defense
that still have another season of eligibility to make their own run at
all-conference honors next fall. Jones closed his college career with a
flurry, catching a team-high 70 passes for 795 yards and five scores.
Kelson was an ace special teamer, but not exactly what you expect from a
5-star prospect. Walker’s sizable upside was trumped by lingering knee
problems that prematurely ended his playing career. Tatum had a short
stint in Austin before deciding to transfer to Abilene Christian.
Hits:
DT Frank Okam, NT Derek Lokey, LB Rashad Bobino, T Adam Ulatoski, CB
Ryan Palmer, DE Brian Orakpo, WR Nate Jones, and G Cedric Dockery
Misses: S Drew Kelson, CB Bobby Tatum, and WR George Walker
Final 2004 Ranking: No. 10
11. Kansas – The seeds of last year’s improbable 12-1, Orange
Bowl-winning season were sown in a recruiting class that housed a bunch
of hidden gems. The headliners were Talib and Collins, a pair of 2-star
recruits with few options coming out of high school that matured into
All-Americans and future NFL Draft choices. While Collins had played
just one year of organized football before getting to Lawrence, Talib
was overlooked, testaments to what happens when really good coaches
blend with raw talent. Mortensen and McClinton were All-Big 12 first
teamers, key components of an underrated defense that yielded just 16
points a game in 2007. Fields has hauled in over 100 passes over the
last two seasons, while Herford, recruited as a quarterback, has emerged
as one of the nation’s most dangerous kick returners. Had Talib and
Collins resisted the temptation of the NFL and returned to school, this
might have been a top 5 class by this time next year.
Hits: CB Aqib Talib, T Anthony Collins, LB Joe Mortensen, LB Mike
Rivera, DT James McClinton, WR Dexton Fields, and WR Marcus Herford
Misses: None
Final 2004 Ranking: No. 56
10. Penn State – Connor was one of three 5-star Lions, but the
only one that lived up to his rating, twice earning All-America honors
and winning the Bednarik Award in 2007. Harrison and Morelli, however,
missed the mark by varying degrees. Harrison couldn’t hack it at this
level, never factoring into the line rotation or appearing on the roster
after 2006. Although Morelli was a two-year starter under center, he
never broke out and was a liability in Big Ten games, hardly
characteristics of the nation’s third-ranked pocket passer. Shipley,
Ohrnberger, and Cadogan were the building blocks of last year’s
offensive line, all of whom will be back again in 2008. While Maurice
Evans stole the spotlight on the opposite end, Gaines carved out a solid
junior year, earning All-Big Ten honorable mention recognition. An
undersized, 1-star player when he arrived in Happy Valley, Norwood has
blossomed into a steady receiver, catching 117 passes over the last
three seasons.
Hits:
LB Dan Connor, C A.Q. Shipley, G Rich Ohrnberger, T Gerald Cadogan, DE
Josh Gaines, CB Tony Davis, WR Jordan Norwood, FB Matt Hahn, and LB
Tyrell Sales
Misses: OL Greg Harrison and Anthony Morelli
Final 2004 Ranking: No. 12
9. Florida – Yes, Ron Zook can be a persuasive recruiter, but
this collection of talent was not his best work. The class received a
ton of hype, but almost half of the Gators’ blue-chip talent didn’t
perform like blue-chip talent once they got to Gainesville. Mangold,
McPhearson, and McIntosh were 4-star guys that transferred after failing
to make a dent in the depth chart. Jackson and Manson stuck around for
the long haul at Florida, but never got a ton of minutes or performed
like can’t-miss prospects. The class did provide quality depth to the
offensive line, namely Tartt and Miller, who had All-SEC credentials.
Harvey was a force off the edge, and a big part of the Gators’ run to a
national championship in 2006. Now a San Diego Charger, Siler had a
terrific three-year career at Florida, starting six games as a freshman,
and landing on the All-SEC defense as a junior two years ago.
Hits:
LB Brandon Siler, DE Derrick Harvey, TE Cornelius Ingram, C Drew Miller,
G Jim Tartt, S Tony Joiner, T Phil Trautwein, DE Jeremy Mincey, and T
Jason Watkins
Misses: DE Mike Mangold, WR Derrick McPhearson, S Kyle Jackson,
WR Mike McIntosh, and RB Markus Manson
Final 2004 Ranking: No. 8
8. California – So good was the Cal class on the back end that it
compensated for the shortcomings of its two highest-rated recruits,
Mbakogu and Faaeteete. Mbakogu was poised to become a top-flight pass
rusher when misfortune struck, a knee injury that’s shelved him for the
last two seasons. Faaeteete never qualified academically, clearing the
path for Lynch and Forsett to become two of the best backs to ever play
in Strawberry Canyon. The Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year and a
First Team All-American in 2006, Lynch was a 1,000-yard rusher in his
rookie season with the Buffalo Bills. Forsett rushed for more than
3,000 yards in his career, ably succeeding Lynch in 2007. Mack went
from a 2-star high school player to all-league and the best blocker in
the Pac-10. Jordan got significant reps in all four of his seasons,
compiling 155 catches for 2,039 yards and 13 touchdowns. With one
season left, Longshore is at a crossroads, needing a big final year to
offset 26 interceptions over the last two years.
Hits:
RB Marshawn Lynch, C Alex Mack, RB Justin Forsett, LB Worrell Williams,
WR Robert Jordan, T Mike Tepper, G Norris Malele, P David Lonie, and S
Bernard Hicks
Misses: DE Phillip Mbakogu, RB Sekeli Faaeteete, and Nate
Longshore
Final 2004 Ranking: No. 29
7. Clemson – Not a whole lot was expected of this class, but,
boy, did it deliver a slew of contributors all over the depth chart.
Out of this group, Kelly, Harper, Richardson, Merling, and Scott
received All-ACC recognition last fall. And Kelly and Harper have
decided to return in 2008, giving Clemson one of the most feared
pitch-and-catch combos on the eastern seaboard. Merling had a breakout
junior season in 2007, collecting 16 tackles for loss and seven sacks,
paving the way for early entry into April’s NFL Draft. Vincent,
Jackson, Clemons, and Hamlin have evolved into highly productive players
on a defense that ranked No. 9 nationally a year ago. The lone glaring
whiff so far has been Lambert, who hasn’t been able to ascend beyond No.
2 on the depth, but could change that in 2008 with Richardson and
Christian Capote out of eligibility.
Hits: WR Aaron Kelly, T Barry Richardson, QB Cullen Harper, DE
Phillip Merling, LB Cortney Vincent, DT Rashaad Jackson, S Chris
Clemons, S Mike Hamlin, and NG Dorrel Scott
Misses: T Cory Lambert
Final 2004 Ranking: No. 40
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
5. Arkansas – You can accuse Houston Nutt of being a little
conservative on offense and sub par as a developer of quarterbacks, but
his ability to coach up young athletes is indisputable. Witness the
Hogs’ 2004 class, which is substantially better after four years than
most observers predicted. The headliners were Luigs and Anderson, who
went from 2-star afterthoughts to a Rimington Award winner and a high
first round draft choice, respectively. When he was healthy, Hillis
performed like a blue-chipper, rushing for 959 yards and 12 touchdowns,
and catching 118 passes for 1,195 yards and 11 scores, despite sharing a
backfield with Darren McFadden and Felix Jones. Like Hillis, Grant was
a 4-star recruit that met expectations, earning All-SEC honors in 2007.
He, Vinnett, Kelly, and Richardson were the cornerstones of an Arkansas
pass defense that was rather stingy over the past couple of seasons.
Monk, like Hillis, was an offensive weapon when healthy, using his 6-6
frame to catch 138 passes for 2,151 yards and 27 scores.
Hits: C Jonathan Luigs, DE Jamaal Anderson, FB Peyton Hillis, S
Michael Grant, WR Marcus Monk, LB Freddie Fairchild, DT Ernest Mitchell,
CB Darius Vinnett, S Randy Kelly, DT Marcus Harrison, CB Matterral
Richardson, and LB Weston Dacus
Misses: DT Fred Barnett
Final 2004 Ranking: No. 27
4. Michigan – Yes, there were a number of high-profile misses
along the way, but Lloyd Carr’s class of 2004 held up well because of
the play of stars, such as Hart, Henne, Branch, and Arrington. Henne
leaves Ann Arbor as the school’s all-time leading passer and a four-year
starter behind center. Not to be outdone, Hart rushed for more than
5,000 career yards, more than any other Wolverine, while consistently
performing like the program’s MVP. Now a member of the Arizona
Cardinals, Branch was a beast on the interior for the Michigan D,
Earning All-America honors in 2006. Adams, Graham, Jamison, Johnson and
Trent were all members of the All-Big Ten team in 2007, combining for 17
letters throughout their Wolverine careers. Dutch had as many career
catches as stars, four, joining Ciulla and Gallimore as disappointments
that played minor roles for the program. Injuries kept Allison from
ever reaching his potential, while Martin transferred to Alabama, only
to be kicked off the team in 2006.
Hits:
RB Mike Hart, QB Chad Henne, DT Alan Branch, WR Adrian Arrington, S
Jamar Adams, LB Chris Graham, DE Tim Jamison, Will Johnson, and CB
Morgan Trent
Misses: WR Doug Dutch, OL Brett Gallimore, RB Max Martin, OL
Jeremy Ciulla, and LB Roger Allison
Final 2004 Ranking: No. 5
3. USC – The Trojans were unable to maintain their top spot
in the 2004 team rankings, housing as many misses as hits in Pete
Carroll’s recruiting class. Schweiger and Byers haven’t come close to
performing like 5-star players, the latter enduring serious injuries
until finally cracking the lineup in 2007, and the former struggling to
get playing time before transferring San Jose State. Byers made an
inspirational comeback a year ago, and still has another season of
eligibility. Miles was injury-prone throughout his brief and
forgettable USC career. Jones never met NCAA entry requirements in time
for the 2004 season, ending up at Oregon a year later. On a positive
note, Rivers was an All-American as a Trojan, one of the nation’s
premier linebackers during his tenure. Now a member of the Carolina
Panthers, Jarrett was a two-time All-American, who holds the school
record with 216 receptions and Pac-10 record with 41 touchdown catches.
Davis won last year’s Mackey Award given to the nation’s best tight end,
catching 62 passes for 881 yards and eight touchdowns. While Rachal was
an all-league guard that’s off to pros, Lutui and Ware were important
finds out of the JUCO ranks.
Hits: LB Keith Rivers, WR Dwayne Jarrett, G Deuce Lutui, G Chilo
Rachal, TE Fred Davis, and S Scott Ware
Misses: DE Jeff Schweiger, G Jeff Byers, DE Lawrence Miles, WR
Derrick Jones, OL Thomas Herring, and TE Dale Thompson
Final 2004 Ranking: No. 1
2. Tennessee – For the second year in-a-row, the Volunteers
produced a top 5 class of athletes, providing depth, star power, and
very few clunkers. Although it was an up-and-down career for Ainge, he
won a lot of football games in Knoxville, throwing 72 touchdown passes,
including a career-high 31 a year ago. Mayo and Hefney were All-SEC
first teamers in 2007, their final seasons before heading off to the
NFL. Ditto Parker, who’s in position to be one of the nation’s premier
guards in 2008. Toeaina and especially Mahelona were junior college
gems that paid immediate dividends in Knoxville. A member of the
Atlanta Falcons in 2007, Mahelona had 26.5 tackles for loss and seven
sacks in two seasons at Tennessee. Foster rushed for a career-high
1,193 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2007, leaving one more year of
eligibility to climb the list of all-time UT rushers. Schaeffer teased
Vol fans by becoming the first true freshman to start an SEC opener in
60 years, only to be booted from school the following year. Williams
was the nation’s No. 7 back in 2004, but switched to the defensive
backfield and has done little more than make occasional plays on special
teams.
Hits:
QB Erik Ainge, LB Jerod Mayo, S Jonathan Hefney, G Anthony Parker, DT
Jesse Mahelona, RB Arian Foster, T Albert Toeaina, DE Robert Ayers, T
Ramon Foster, DE Xavier Mitchell, TE Chris Brown, and LB Ryan Karl
Misses: QB Brent Schaeffer, RB Ja’Kouri Williams, and DE Antonio
Reynolds
Final 2004 Ranking: No. 9
1. LSU – This collection of talent, which were the backbone of
last year’s national championship, will be the lasting legacy of former
Tiger head coach Nick Saban. It had everything from speed and power to
offensive stars and defensive stalwarts. Leading the way is Dorsey, a
5-star tackle that amassed more hardware in 2007 than Home Depot,
including the Lombardi, Nagurski, Lott, and Outland awards. In his
first season as a regular, Steltz joined Dorsey on the All-America
squad, picking off six passes and leading the Tigers in tackles.
Johnson, Jackson, and Highsmith helped give the program five players on
last year’s All-SEC First Team. Hester became a Baton Rouge icon last
fall, channeling former Bengal and Green Bay Packer Jim Taylor, rushing
for 1,103 yards in an MVP-type season. Doucet has as many tools as any
receiver in the nation, but was hindered by injuries for most of last
season. Look out for Favorite and the 6-5, 290-pound Jackson in 2008
now that the defensive spotlight will be on someone other than Dorsey.
The misfires were infrequent and incapable of putting even a dent in
this group. The most interesting was Carter, a 5-star burner that
decided to give up football to run track & field professionally and
pursue a spot on the U.S. Olympic team.
Hits:
DT Glenn Dorsey, S Craig Steltz, G Herman Johnson, RB Jacob Hester, WR
Early Doucet, CB Chevis Jackson, LB Ali Highsmith, DE Tyson Jackson, DT
Marlon Favorite, DT Claude Wroten, C Brett Helms, and S Curtis Taylor
Misses: WR Xavier Carter, DE Tim Washington, OL Ryan Miller, and
LB Luke Sanders
Final 2004 Ranking: No. 2