Recent Comments
The class rankings being the same doesn't necessarily mean they are incorrect. The class of 2014 as a whole is seen as being significantly better than 2012 and 2013 from all accounts I have read, so while we may be 22nd again, this 22nd might be better than our 22nd or 23rd from the previous years. As for whether it plays out, look at the Top 10 teams consistently, then look at what those programs have done. Sure, you can point to USC for a lackluster performance but for every USC there are 3 or 4 Alabama, Auburn, LSU, FSU, etc. The five stars do also tend to deliver more times than not, as I can recall seeing an article comparing the 2012 NFL Draft class and what their Star ratings were coming out of high school and most of the first three rounds were where you found previous five stars.
Class Rankings don't mean anything.... to a point
I would hazard to guess that it would be incredibly difficult to find a recent National Champion, or even runner-up, who wasn't built in part from an elite (Top10) recruiting class in one of the years leading up to it. If we want to get up to that level, we cannot be content with annual classes in the 20s. We need to aim higher.
Beat me to it +1. that first block ohh my lordd absolutely pancakes the poor kid..
i hate to sound cliche, but if the coaches offer a kid a full ride, that's all the evaluation i need. the rankings are fun to look at, and they give you something to compare kids and teams, but i don't put any real weight in it.
how i rate a class: who did our coaches really go after? how many of them did they get? it's generally just an ok, good better best thing for me. can't think of a time we ever had a "bad" class.
Remember, we're off to a great start with 4-star DE Michael Barnett and 4-star DB Ashton White.
My priority list:
1. Austin Clark - we need to get 4-star offensive tackles from in the state...
2. Tim Settle / Darvin Taylor / Josh Sweat / Harry Levis / Clein Ferrel - these 5 dudes are all really good and would provide depth at positions of need in 2015 and 2016.
3. Tremaine Edmunds / Rick DeBerry - we don't have too many LBs on the board at this point, so let's go get the ones we got.
4. #AllOfTheFiveStarQuarterbacks
Just have the two highest ranked teams/ or best conference records play.
Or have the last season game unscheduled for every team and use it as a playoff.
Is this the most out of state guys Tech has signed?
I care about finding players with talent that fill needs on our football team. I think this class achieved that, even if we didn't get the absolute best talent.
The rest (stars/rankings/etc.) I don't care about.
ohh my lord.. watch the first block he throws. Reminds me of a certain fella we have on our team now. People's Hudl
Here is his Hudl
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/1805816/steven-peoples#
His profile on 247
http://247sports.com/Player/Steven-Peoples-36756
Nandi Pandy! When we meet FSU in the ACC Championship Game were gonna roll him!
Baller.
another walk-on FB! i love it!
Wait a sec-YOU'RE NOT Frye!
1) Tim Settle
2) Defensive Tackle
3) Corner (already addressed in part with Ashton White.)
4) Deep threat wide receiver.
5) Offensive tackle
You can play it off, but this still sucks. He was one of the few I thought we had in the bag. Best of luck to him.
Also, on a sidenote, "next man up" irritates me. Can't really explain why, but it does.
#Hokies @timesland Record-setting Galax RB Steven Peoples will walk on at Virginia Tech. Was the Timesland offensive player of the year.— Andy Bitter (@AndyBitterVT) February 5, 2014
so on point. Look at the commits, we needed LB badly, we got 3 maybe even 4. We needed all sorts of help at RB and WR and QB we know have an open competition for all those positions. It would be a better class if we got nandi, but I am extremely happy with all the offensive talent we brought in.
Starts this Saturday with our first Junior Day. Gotta love 'crootin.
In all honesty it will be a smaller class with a heavy defensive focus.
So, how many of these guys will have to go to Prep Schools? I now some are coming out of them as well.
Plus it's CBS. I didn't watch NFL on NFL Network, I won't watch it on CBS. CBS Sports coverage is ridiculous.
Anything less than the #1 class in the Nation, and its a disappointment from which we need to learn and grow.
Ford announcing.
Look at all that offense. :) Maybe we didn't get everyone we wanted, especially on defense, but this class is pretty dang respectable, and I'm already itching to buy season tickets for 2014.
Agreed.
Expect to be Elite: Fisher, Reavis, McKenzie, Williams
Expect to be good with a ton of upward potential: Ford, Durkin, Mitchell, Pettit, Pffaf, Phillips, Ford, Minor
There is a bunch of potential that is harder to evaluate based on guys playing different positions than they will play in college.
I feel safe to say that there are 8-10 players who are more talented than the players that are ahead of them on the depth chart right now in Blacksburg. Not everyone will be Myles Jack/Sammy Watkins, especially on day 1. They will need to grow, mature physically, and learn the Hokie systems. But, if you can't see that the class is really good (WORLDS better than a couple of years ago when Trey Edmunds was the only recruit that really wowed me at that time.)
I get the perception issue. And I HATE losing a guy like Da'Shawn Hand, who said he loved Coach Foster and could have been the Bruce Smith/Michael Vick type player that garners huge attention for the program and elevates good to great. Or a guy like Derrick Nnadi, who was a perfect fit with the added element of massive strength to tie up double teams and allow the linebackers to be even more dynamic. It frustrates me to death. But man, it isn't worth this level of anxiety and vitriol.