Recruiting 2011
2005 2 Stars To Superstars
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- How To Build A Team
Through Recruiting
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The 5 Star Prospects of 2006
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The 2-Star Prospects Who Became 5-Star Players
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The 2006 All-Recruiting Class Defense
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The Unheralded Stars ...
The 2005 Class
- Recruiting Busts ... the
2005 Class
- Recruiting Booms ... the
2005 Class
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Re-Ranking the 2004 Recruiting Classes
- Late Bloomers ... the
2004 Class
-
Re-Ranking the 2003 Recruiting Classes
- Booms & Busts
... the 2003 Class
- Booms & Busts
... the 2002 Class -
- The Blue Chippers
... the 2001 Class
- The Busts
... the 2001 Class
- The Late Bloomers
... the 2001 Class
For all the
attention that mega-recruits, such as Darren McFadden and Mark Sanchez,
received four years ago, it’s often the far more anonymous two-star kids
that make or break the long-term evaluation of a recruiting class. They
represent the foundation for so many universities that are fortunate to
land even one blue-chipper in a cycle, let alone multiple can’t miss
prospects.
Every year, there are gobs of athletes that soar past expectations,
making their high school ratings appear uninformed and their new
coaching staffs look like geniuses. They bloom late, overachieve, and
forever leave behind a day when NFL scouts, agents, and members of the
media couldn’t pick them out of a lineup.
While there were many rags-to-riches stories from the Class of 2005,
none were more profound than the handful below, all of whom made the
journey from being no more than a 2-star recruit at the outset of their
respective careers to a 4- or 5-star performer today.
*Historical rankings are courtesy of Scout.com
Offense
QB Dan LeFevour, Central Michigan
Coming out of high school, LeFevour had to practically beg MAC schools for attention and a free
ride. Today, he’s evolved into a Big Ten-caliber dual-threat, who’s
getting the last laugh. A quarterback wrapped in a fullback’s body, he’s
accounted for 106 touchdowns and almost 12,000 yards, while blazing a
path that has another stop in the NFL.
QB Darryl Clark, Penn State
As Clark struggled toward the end
of his high school career, the offers from bigger schools dried up. Penn
State hung in, and is just now reaping the rewards. In his debut as a
starter, he was named first team All-Big Ten, leading the Nits to a
conference championship. With another year of eligibility left, he’s got
a chance to go down as one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in
school history.
RB Donald Brown, Connecticut
It’s not like Brown wasn’t
getting name-brand offers, but he was still unable to get past that
two-star threshold. An All-Big East pick as a redshirt freshman, he
really went berserk last year, rushing for a nation’s-best 2,083 yards
and 18 touchdowns. Shortly after burning Buffalo for 261 yards in the
International Bowl, he announced he was leaving school early for the
NFL.
RB Mardy Gilyard, Cincinnati
Watching Gilyard zip past opposing
defenses and kick coverage teams, it’s hard to believe he got out of
Florida without of bunch of offers. He just moves like he belongs
in a Gator or Hurricane uniform. A running back coming out of high
school, he shifted to wide receiver, catching 81 passes in 2008 and
being named the Big East Special Teams Player of the Year.
RB P.J. Hill, Wisconsin
After Ron Dayne and now Hill, the
Badgers pretty much have the blueprint on how to land battering ram
runners from the Eastern seaboard. Hill was an instant hit as a redshirt
freshman, rushing for 1,569 yards and 18 scores in the first of his
three 1,000-yard seasons. Feeling he’d accomplished all he could in
Madison, he’ll be taking his game to the pros in 2009.
RB Kevin Smith, UCF
It was evident right away that the big boys
had missed the boat on Smith. As a true freshman, he rushed for 1,000
yards in a prelude for one of the great seasons by a back in NCAA
history. In 2007, without much warning, he led the country with 2,567
yards rushing, second most ever to Barry Sanders in 1988. Smith spent
last season with the Detroit Lions, falling 24 yards shy of a 1,000-yard
debut.
RB Sean Smith, Utah
Smith arrived in Salt Lake City as an
athlete, a catch-all for those without a firm position, and is leaving
as an NFL-ready cornerback. At 6-3 and 215 pounds, he’s built like a
well-sized safety, yet moves with the ease and agility of a wide
receiver. He’s using a huge junior year as a springboard to the NFL,
picking off five passes and earning a spot of the All-Mountain West
first team.
WR Eric Decker, Minnesota
Largely overlooked four years ago,
Decker has blossomed into one of the nation’s premier wideouts.
Fundamentally sound in all facets of the position, he’s the school’s
most prolific receiver with 177 catches for 2,391 yards and 19
touchdowns. After surprising people as a sophomore, he was named first
team All-Big Ten in 2008.
WR Juaquin Iglesias, Oklahoma
An afterthought in a star-studded
class of Sooners, Iglesias just kept getting better and better
throughout his career. A disciplined route runner, who does all of the
little things well, he’s hauled in 202 career receptions for 2,861 yards
and 19 touchdowns, while earning All-Big 12 recognition in back-to-back
years.
WR Eron Riley, Duke
If the rest of the ACC had any idea Riley
would be this good, Duke probably would never have had a chance. He was
just far enough below the radar, however, which has benefited the Blue
Devils for the last four years. An All-ACC lock and a starter since
early in his career, he’s gone on to catch 144 balls for 2,413 yards and
22 touchdowns without a ton of support around him.
WR Brandon Tate, North Carolina
Before suffering a
season-ending injury in October, Tate was headed for an All-American
final season in Chapel Hill. A natural playmaker whenever he touches the
ball, he scored on a run, reception, and punt return in just the first
two games. He has a pro career ahead of him if the knee injury doesn’t
cause any setbacks.
TE Connor Barwin, Cincinnati – Yet another shining example of
Cincy’s knack for coaching kids up, Barwin excelled at multiple
positions, despite getting modest attention from larger schools. A tight
end when he arrived, he didn’t skip a beat when the Bearcats needed help
at defensive end. In his only year on defense, he led the Big East in
sacks, and is being look at as an NFL prospect on both sides of the
line.
OL Zane Beadles, Utah
Outside of the Mountain West, there was
little interest in Beadles. Today, he’s a Pac-10-caliber lineman making
a path to the NFL. The starting left tackle on a very good Ute line,
he’s been named all-league following each of the last two seasons.
OL Cord Howard, Georgia Tech
With
one more season of eligibility left, Howard is on the verge of becoming
one of the ACC’s top offensive lineman. A good fit in the Yellow
Jackets’ new option offense, the 6-5, 310-pounder was a member of the
all-conference second team in 2008.
OL Ryan McKee, Southern Miss
The most consistent blocker
for the Golden Eagles over the last couple of years, McKee is hoping to
continue his playing career at the next level. Even while recovering
from a labrum injury in his shoulder, he’s been invited to the NFL
Combine, where he can show off light feet as a pass protector and brute
strength as a run blocker.
OL Greg Isdaner, West Virginia
Absolutely no one other than
West Virginia was willing to give a shot to Isdaner, who’d spent more
time playing lacrosse than football in high school. Line coach Rick
Trickett got his hands on him and quickly turned him into one of the Big
East’s more dominant run blockers. With a degree already in hand, he’s
off to the NFL, hoping to quiet doubters once again.
OL George Selvie, South Florida
When Selvie got to South
Florida, he was an undersized and under recruited center. Most schools
didn’t think he was big enough to play at this level. Today, he’s one of
the ferocious pass rushers in the country. An All-American two years
ago, he took the country by storm with 31.5 tackles for loss and 14.5
sacks. He’s got one more year to play his way into the first day of the
2010 draft.
Defense
DL Sen’Derrick Marks, Auburn
Coming out of high school, Marks
was an overlooked defensive end. In four years, he’s grown into a
top-tier interior lineman, who’s good enough to leave early for the NFL
Draft. Although he’s now almost 300 pounds, he hasn’t lost much of the
quickness that makes him so difficult to block.
DL Vance Walker, Georgia Tech
How did so many schools miss the
mark with this guy? All Tech had to beat out to land Walker was East
Carolina, Georgia Southern, and Coastal Carolina. He’s been paying the
Jackets back ever since, living in opposing backfields and getting named
first team All-ACC in consecutive years.
DL Terrill Byrd, Cincinnati
If not Cincinnati, Byrd would have
spent the last four years in the MAC. Reportedly too short to be a
factor in the Big East, he used that leverage to his advantage,
routinely ripping through offensive line and making stops for losses.
He’s been all-league in each of the last two seasons.
DL Jammie Kirlew, Indiana
Whoever went to Orlando and snuck
this guy out of Florida deserves a promotion on the Indiana staff. Kirlew has been a revelation for the Hoosiers, starting since his
freshman season and emerging as a Ted Hendricks Award finalist as a
junior. In a breakout year, he finished second in the Big Ten with 19.5
tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks.
DL Dexter Davis, Arizona State
Davis started as a redshirt
freshman in 2006, and has been making big plays ever since. One of the
Pac-10’s best pass rushers, he’s amassed 39 tackles for loss, 27.5
sacks, and eight forced fumbles, with a year of eligibility still left
in Tempe.
DL Victor Butler, Oregon State
Butler is an example of the
Beavers’ ability to take mid-level high school talent and coach it into
NFL-ready players. Other than Oregon State, he was only getting looks
from the likes of Colorado State, UCF, and San Diego State. The team’s
fastest defensive lineman, he’s had 22.5 sacks in the last two years,
finishing second in the Pac-10 in 2008.
LB Michael Tauiliili, Duke
What a find for the Blue Devils, who
went all the way to Houston to sign one of their all-time best defensive
players. Tauiliili de-committed from Louisiana Tech when he signed with
Duke, and went on to make 415 tackles, 47 tackles for loss, and seven
picks in a career filled with individual honors.
LB Joe Pawelek, Baylor
For Pawelek, the decision came down to
Baylor, Washington State, or Houston. He chose to stay closer to home,
and the Bears have been thanking him ever since. Also a gifted baseball
player, he’s been making an impact since his redshirt freshman season,
racking up at least 86 tackles and a bunch of All-Big 12 accolades each
season.
LB Albert McClellan, Marshall
At Lakeland (Fla.) High, everyone
knew McClellan was a fantastic athlete, but many wondered if he had the
size to hold up. He answered his critics, adding more weight and moving
a level closer to the quarterback. As an edge-rushing end, he was named
the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year in 2006, but was
detoured a year later when he tore his ACL.
DB Ryan Hamilton, Vanderbilt
Shame on you, Penn State, for not
landing this safety. He was in your backyard and was a fan of the
program. The Lions’ loss was the Dores’ gain. A three-year starter, he’s
got good ball skills and loves contact. He peaked a year ago, making 104
tackles and picking off four passes.
DB Jordan Lake, Baylor
If not for Baylor coming through with a
late offer, Lake might have spent the last four seasons at Tulsa or
Tulane. The Bears are thrilled he didn’t. As one of the most
intimidating hitters in the Big 12, he’s had no less than 97 tackles in
each of the last two seasons, making the All-Big 12 team both years.
DB Louis Delmas, Western Michigan
Delmas was making all kinds
of headlines at last week’s Senior Bowl, hardly what anyone expected
when he was signed by the Broncos in 2005. Yet another Floridian, who
found more love outside the state lines, he’s off to the NFL after
starting all four years and earning All-MAC honors in 2007 and 2008.
DB Joe Burnett, UCF
Burnett would have liked more attention
from the state’s powerhouses, Florida, Miami, and Florida State, but it
never came. So, he took the next best option, choosing to play in
Orlando. A four-year starter and one of the country’s best return men,
he quickly emerged as a ball hawk in the Knight secondary.
DB Jairus Byrd, Oregon
Byrd grew up in Missouri, but no one in
the Big 12, or the Midwest, showed any interest. He’d have to go all the
way to Eugene, where his athleticism and playmaking ability would really
be appreciated. Before bolting for the NFL, he was a three-year starter
for the Ducks, capping a terrific career by being named the Defensive
MVP of the Holiday Bowl.
DB Mike Mickens, Cincinnati
Mickens appeared to be headed for
Bowling Green before Mark Dantonio stepped in and changed his mind. That
move would benefit the Bearcats for four seasons. A starter and member
of the All-Big East squad each year, he finished his Cincy career with
45 passes defended and 14 interceptions.
DB Kyle Wilson, Boise State
Considered to be too small by most
schools, Wilson opted to go clear across the country to play in Idaho. A
dynamite athlete on defense and special teams, he got a fourth-round
grade from the NFL advisory committee, but decided to spend one more
year in Boise. He took three punts back for touchdowns in 2008, and
earned All-WAC first team honors as a cornerback.