For those who think Recruit Rankings Matter at all positions

[Paranos]

Alabama just flipped the nations 70th ranked Offensive Tackle who was committed to LSU for months. Let this sink in for a moment a player that was ranked 70th in the nation was recruited by Nick Saban personally. Who told the young man that he (saban) would be shocked if he (Matt Womack) wasn't in the Bama 2 deep oline rotation next year for Alabama. He did this with NT Brandon Ivory (0*) and NT Darren Lake (3*) an now will work his midas touch on the oline.

I have said it many times this is what Saban does he goes out an just finds big nasty Jimmy and Joe's on the OLine & Dline that he brings into Bama an turns into monsters whom he places them right next to the 5* players he also brings in an often times they out work the 5* players.

So when it comes to prospective evaluation there is a lot that goes into finding the RIGHT PLAYERS for what a team's systems and philosophies are. Not just is this guy a 5* or 4* based on recruiting services.

=============================================

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/12/matt_womack_committed_alabama.html

Big offensive tackle Matt Womack's father shares why son committed to Alabama
By Drew Champlin
on December 14, 2014

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - Matt Womack was committed to LSU for several months, but made the switch and committed to Alabama this weekend on his official visit to the school.

Womack is listed as a 3-star recruit on the 247Sports composite rankings, but offensive tackles in the 6-foot-7, 320-pound range don't grow on trees. Alabama has a talented group of interior linemen committed, but Crimson Tide coaches were pursuing more tackles. The Senatobia, Miss., native made several trips to Alabama after being offered earlier this season.

Check out Womack's high school highlight page on HUDL.
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/2828826/highlights/108137375

"Well, we didn't know until today (that Matt would commit), but he said after the fact he had been thinking about it a lot," Womack's father David told AL.com Sunday night. "He said it was just a better fit - football, family and environment."

Womack was several official visitors to Tuscaloosa over the weekend, but his commitment made a big impact. Womack announced his commitment on his Twitter page.

"Coach (Nick) Saban said he was very excited," David Womack said. "(He had a) big smile. Coach (Billy) Napier and Coach (Mario) Cristobal were high-fiving. They were pumped. You could hear (strength and conditioning) coach (Scott) Cochran over the whole place."

Alabama returns Cam Robinson next season as an entrenched starter at left tackle, but there will be competition to start at right tackle after the graduation of starter Austin Shepherd. David Womack said Matt would likely play right tackle.

"Coach Saban said he would be shocked if Matt wasn't in the 2-deep," David Womack said.

Matt Womack also considered Ole Miss, but his recruitment is now over.

"Done," David Womack said. "He told the coaches it was over and would not respond to any contact, deleted number and Twitter (message)."

Womack will enroll at Alabama next summer.

 

[2Focusd804]

Bama has the highest percent of blue chips (5* and 4*) on there roster (73%)


http://www.sbnation.com/college-foo...llege-football-recruiting-teams-championships




























/nice try tho

 

[tomi]

I watched a Alabama game and I'm pretty sure they said that they have less than 10 players that weren't 4 or 5* recruits. I think the actual number was 3 but I'm not positive

 

[deleted1562]

He'll be a 4* come signing day.

 

[gogeta4]

Bama has had two of our last ol /te coaches out their offering and evaluating ol. Stout land/cristobal
On the ol it's one position that star ranking matters little but eval and development is key. Nick Linder looked like a 4-5 star kid at times at guard this year and he was a guy I saw as a definite redshirt kid.

 

[ASUCane]

Bama has the highest percent of blue chips (5* and 4*) on there roster (73%)


http://www.sbnation.com/college-foo...llege-football-recruiting-teams-championships




























/nice try tho

I think there are two morals to this story:
1) Recruiting sites aren't 100% accurate on a micro level (by recruit) or perfect predictors of success on a macro level (by team); and
2) As everyone's been saying all along: recruiting, coaching (including the play-calling, schemes, and philosophy), and player development are all parts of the equation. Michigan State, Baylor, Oregon, etc. are outperforming their positions, while SC, Michigan, Florida, Notre Dame (arguably), etc. are underperforming.

In our case we've had good recruiting (great in even years, mediocre in odd years), abysmal coaching (particularly on defense), and overall mediocre-to-bad player development.

 

[Cribby]

Ol is the one spot I don't care about rankings , it's so hard to project them at next level

 

[2Focusd804]

Bama has the highest percent of blue chips (5* and 4*) on there roster (73%)


http://www.sbnation.com/college-foo...llege-football-recruiting-teams-championships




























/nice try tho

I think there are two morals to this story:
1) Recruiting sites aren't 100% accurate on a micro level (by recruit) or perfect predictors of success on a macro level (by team); and
2) As everyone's been saying all along: recruiting, coaching (including the play-calling, schemes, and philosophy), and player development are all parts of the equation. Michigan State, Baylor, Oregon, etc. are outperforming their positions, while SC, Michigan, Florida, Notre Dame (arguably), etc. are underperforming.

In our case we've had good recruiting (great in even years, mediocre in odd years), abysmal coaching (particularly on defense), and overall mediocre-to-bad player development.

def agree that no one is perfect and kids still fall through the cracks but to act like stars don't matter is a little naive.

Also some recruiting websites were tweeting that Saban might be recruiting him to play NG and not OL which would be interesting

 

[RyanCane26]

Bama has the highest percent of blue chips (5* and 4*) on there roster (73%)


http://www.sbnation.com/college-foo...llege-football-recruiting-teams-championships/nice try tho

How many were 4-5 stars before committing to Alabama?

 

[Mbecks22]

Online and qb are the two positions where, on average, stars don't matter as much as the other spots


I used to evaluate this every year on grassy. You need to be a top 40 kid at your position unless it's at online. Online come out of the woodwork

 

[ASUCane]

Bama has the highest percent of blue chips (5* and 4*) on there roster (73%)


http://www.sbnation.com/college-foo...llege-football-recruiting-teams-championships

/nice try tho

I think there are two morals to this story:
1) Recruiting sites aren't 100% accurate on a micro level (by recruit) or perfect predictors of success on a macro level (by team); and
2) As everyone's been saying all along: recruiting, coaching (including the play-calling, schemes, and philosophy), and player development are all parts of the equation. Michigan State, Baylor, Oregon, etc. are outperforming their positions, while SC, Michigan, Florida, Notre Dame (arguably), etc. are underperforming.

In our case we've had good recruiting (great in even years, mediocre in odd years), abysmal coaching (particularly on defense), and overall mediocre-to-bad player development.

def agree that no one is perfect and kids still fall through the cracks but to act like stars don't matter is a little naive.

Also some recruiting websites were tweeting that Saban might be recruiting him to play NG and not OL which would be interesting

I'm saying stars do matter, but coaching is more important. A surfeit of talent can sometimes mask bad coaching, but great coaching generally compensates for a lack of four- and five-star recruits. System guys like Mark Helfrich, Rich Rodriguez, Art Briles, etc. aren't necessarily loading up on top-300 talent, but they do very well finding guys who fit their schemes.

 

[BALLHAWKU]

Bama has the highest percent of blue chips (5* and 4*) on there roster (73%)


http://www.sbnation.com/college-foo...llege-football-recruiting-teams-championships

/nice try tho

I think there are two morals to this story:
1) Recruiting sites aren't 100% accurate on a micro level (by recruit) or perfect predictors of success on a macro level (by team); and
2) As everyone's been saying all along: recruiting, coaching (including the play-calling, schemes, and philosophy), and player development are all parts of the equation. Michigan State, Baylor, Oregon, etc. are outperforming their positions, while SC, Michigan, Florida, Notre Dame (arguably), etc. are underperforming.

In our case we've had good recruiting (great in even years, mediocre in odd years), abysmal coaching (particularly on defense), and overall mediocre-to-bad player development.

def agree that no one is perfect and kids still fall through the cracks but to act like stars don't matter is a little naive.

Also some recruiting websites were tweeting that Saban might be recruiting him to play NG and not OL which would be interesting

I'm saying stars do matter, but coaching is more important. A surfeit of talent can sometimes mask bad coaching, but great coaching generally compensates for a lack of four- and five-star recruits. System guys like Mark Helfrich, Rich Rodriguez, Art Briles, etc. aren't necessarily loading up on top-300 talent, but they do very well finding guys who fit their schemes.

with our coaches we could have a NFL pro bowl team and we would lose

 

[wherrera8]

Guys like Saban don't just rely on the rankings from "recruiting analysts". They evaluate some kids on their own. They see things they like and that will work in their system and they take them. Good coaches do that. Coaches who know what they are looking for, and what to do with the tools the player has to put them in the best position to succeed. Nick Saban doesn't just recruit the top 5 at each position. He relies on his developing/ coaching ability.

 

[deerob305]

Guys like Saban don't just rely on the rankings from "recruiting analysts". They evaluate some kids on their own. They see things they like and that will work in their system and they take them. Good coaches do that. Coaches who know what they are looking for, and what to do with the tools the player has to put them in the best position to succeed. Nick Saban doesn't just recruit the top 5 at each position. He relies on his developing/ coaching ability.

Sounds like Butch Davis also to me..

 

[ASUCane]

Bama has the highest percent of blue chips (5* and 4*) on there roster (73%)


http://www.sbnation.com/college-foo...llege-football-recruiting-teams-championships

/nice try tho

I think there are two morals to this story:
1) Recruiting sites aren't 100% accurate on a micro level (by recruit) or perfect predictors of success on a macro level (by team); and
2) As everyone's been saying all along: recruiting, coaching (including the play-calling, schemes, and philosophy), and player development are all parts of the equation. Michigan State, Baylor, Oregon, etc. are outperforming their positions, while SC, Michigan, Florida, Notre Dame (arguably), etc. are underperforming.

In our case we've had good recruiting (great in even years, mediocre in odd years), abysmal coaching (particularly on defense), and overall mediocre-to-bad player development.

def agree that no one is perfect and kids still fall through the cracks but to act like stars don't matter is a little naive.

Also some recruiting websites were tweeting that Saban might be recruiting him to play NG and not OL which would be interesting

I'm saying stars do matter, but coaching is more important. A surfeit of talent can sometimes mask bad coaching, but great coaching generally compensates for a lack of four- and five-star recruits. System guys like Mark Helfrich, Rich Rodriguez, Art Briles, etc. aren't necessarily loading up on top-300 talent, but they do very well finding guys who fit their schemes.

with our coaches we could have a NFL pro bowl team and we would lose

I won't get into hyperbole...but you're probably right.

 

[2Focusd804]

Guys like Saban don't just rely on the rankings from "recruiting analysts". They evaluate some kids on their own. They see things they like and that will work in their system and they take them. Good coaches do that. Coaches who know what they are looking for, and what to do with the tools the player has to put them in the best position to succeed. Nick Saban doesn't just recruit the top 5 at each position. He relies on his developing/ coaching ability.

well seeing how Bama has the highest % of 4* and 5* what Saban sees and what recruiting analyst sees are the same thing?

 

[2Focusd804]

Bama has the highest percent of blue chips (5* and 4*) on there roster (73%)


http://www.sbnation.com/college-foo...llege-football-recruiting-teams-championships

/nice try tho

I think there are two morals to this story:
1) Recruiting sites aren't 100% accurate on a micro level (by recruit) or perfect predictors of success on a macro level (by team); and
2) As everyone's been saying all along: recruiting, coaching (including the play-calling, schemes, and philosophy), and player development are all parts of the equation. Michigan State, Baylor, Oregon, etc. are outperforming their positions, while SC, Michigan, Florida, Notre Dame (arguably), etc. are underperforming.

In our case we've had good recruiting (great in even years, mediocre in odd years), abysmal coaching (particularly on defense), and overall mediocre-to-bad player development.

def agree that no one is perfect and kids still fall through the cracks but to act like stars don't matter is a little naive.

Also some recruiting websites were tweeting that Saban might be recruiting him to play NG and not OL which would be interesting

I'm saying stars do matter, but coaching is more important. A surfeit of talent can sometimes mask bad coaching, but great coaching generally compensates for a lack of four- and five-star recruits. System guys like Mark Helfrich, Rich Rodriguez, Art Briles, etc. aren't necessarily loading up on top-300 talent, but they do very well finding guys who fit their schemes.

true, but seeing as how we don't have a system on offense and defense that does that I'm not sure how this relates to Miami.

 

[wherrera8]

Guys like Saban don't just rely on the rankings from "recruiting analysts". They evaluate some kids on their own. They see things they like and that will work in their system and they take them. Good coaches do that. Coaches who know what they are looking for, and what to do with the tools the player has to put them in the best position to succeed. Nick Saban doesn't just recruit the top 5 at each position. He relies on his developing/ coaching ability.

well seeing how Bama has the highest % of 4* and 5* what Saban sees and what recruiting analyst sees are the same thing?

Maybe they agree on most guys. It's not hard to rank obvious studs. It's the examples in the OP that set Saban a part. He can get the 70th ranked OT and develop him into a better or as good player as Golden could do with the 7th ranked OT.

He doesn't just rely on the analysts.

 

[SFbayCane]

Recruiting rankings get more accurate every year. The argument that they do not matter is dying a slow, painful death. The meat market industry is only 12 years old and it gets better every year.

 

[kendallcanes]

I agree but small schools and their players will continue to get overlooked. If you don't play against top level competition or go to the camps, you will not be rated highly no matter how good you are.