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Reviewing the Classes: The Class of 2012

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The infamous Jameis Winston class.

2012 was a bad year overall for top ranked recruits, the majority of the 2012 class were total busts.

Amari Cooper, Stepfon Diggs & Ronnie Stanley were the best players in this class.

There were others like Shaq Thompson, Ronald Darby & Kenyan Drake who had solid careers, but for the most part, this was just an overall bad class in general.

The CB class was absolute garbage truck juice.

The talent was way down that year.
 
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Solid class. May not have lead to a natty, but getting Duke was huge. Then his accomplishments at UM are legendary. Becoming UM all time leading rusher in three seasons.

I had the opportunity to meet him in the parking lot after his final home game vs Pitt, the game in which he broke the record. He had not declared for the draft yet, but everyone knew it would be his last game. Duke was with some of his family and a small crowd had gathered to get his autograph and take pictures with him. One of his family members told him it was time to go, but Duke said no and that he was going to stay until he got to meet everyone around there. You could tell he was soaking it all.
 
I remember losing my mind over the Larry Hope and Nate Dortch signings...particularly because I had a 6'0" 185lb 4.35 forty future NFL DB sitting in Davie with no offer. 🤷🏻‍♂️

The crazy thing is...
Class after class, we had local guys ON THIS BOARD who were calling out the misses and bad evaluations.
I think we were batting better than the staff(s).
 
Some thoughts:

1) Because of attrition from the 2010 class and the very subpar 2011 class we needed a Top 3 class just to maintain normal blue chip levels. Ironically it was a Seminoles site pointing this out. Simple mathematics. If you’re losing double digit blue chips in each off season and you go a year (2011) where you only add 3, you’re in decline.

We didn’t get that Top 3 class. The Shapiro scandal really impacted Golden’s honeymoon class.

2) The administration’s unwillingness to spend manifested itself in recruiting activities.
 
The main issue was that Al Golden put emphasis on his camp.

Problem #1. This was the real jump of 7 on 7 culture ( sfe, florida fire, etc)
Problem #2. Dude schedules his camp around the times of other camps that kids would go to or when the s.fla kids who were on the elite 7 on 7 camps were doing there college runs for tournaments.


So at his camp a Larry Hope would look good....but he is looking good because the big dogs arent at the camp and if they were he would be below jag status. Vernon Davis would look good same reason. Golden aint never seen this type of talent or most of his staff so they would actually think these guys who performed well at their day camo were really the sh*t.
 
BoxingRobes said:
The players in this class of note were Miami / local kids that wanted to go to Miami regardless of who was coach, like Duke Johnson...but all of them were seemingly recruiting struggles. Example, Tracy Howard was a bit overrated by the sites (small and slow!), but I recall it being an absolute recruiting battle for this guy with Florida...which brings me to my takeaway from the honeymoon class of Golden...and Memnon also highlighted an issue pertaining to this in the previous class review because this is really when **** changed...
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Tracy wasnt small an slow i would say.

He was likely just base avg at both. He ran track in high school and it hink even did some at UM.

He was rated what he was rated because he performed at high level at camps against some of the better wrs and his hs tape he went up against em and did well.

The scheme did him no favors though here. Almost tried to neuter him....Maybe slightly overrated from a size potential. Sh*t is crazy if he doesnt come here and goes uf he would become a vernon hargreaves type or whatever.
 
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gogeta4 said:
Tracy wasnt small an slow i would say.

He was likely just base avg at both. He ran track in high school and it hink even did some at UM.

He was rated what he was rated because he performed at high level at camps against some of the better wrs and his hs tape he went up against em and did well.

The scheme did him no favors though here. Almost tried to neuter him....Maybe slightly overrated from a size potential. Sh*t is crazy if he doesnt come here and goes uf he would become a vernon hargreaves type or whatever.
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5'10 and an eighth...and 183lbs with 31 inch arms running a 4.6 is small n slow, brother.

He was aight here. But ya...the dichotomy of a recruit. Go to UF n become Hargraeves3 or go to this U n become Tracy Howard.

Hope hes well.
 
BoxingRobes said:
5'10 and an eighth...and 183lbs with 31 inch arms running a 4.6 is small n slow, brother.

He was aight here. But ya...the dichotomy of a recruit. Go to UF n become Hargraeves3 or go to this U n become Tracy Howard.

Hope hes well.
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he played here around 190 at times. 5'10 190 id say is just about avg. I didnt remember what he ran in the 40 though at pro day. so i would say you are right he cut weight n still ran a slower time.

Yea he started 3 games his rookie year for cleveland then practice squad the next two years with jville and dolphins i think the injury he caught witht he dolphins ended it for him.

He always had a lil auto detailing business since he was at UM....he continued with that and has a food truck near my home. He also parlayed into a local rapper that collabs with Chad Thomas.



His music has gotten better year to year honestly.

this new sh*t is fire. @DMoney you gotta show Tracy howard some love man you n pete. Get him on the pod. His music jammin

 
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gogeta4 said:
he played here around 190 at times. 5'10 190 id say is just about avg. I didnt remember what he ran in the 40 though at pro day. so i would say you are right he cut weight n still ran a slower time.

Yea he started 3 games his rookie year for cleveland then practice squad the next two years with jville and dolphins i think the injury he caught witht he dolphins ended it for him.

He always had a lil auto detailing business since he was at UM....he continued with that and has a food truck near my home. He also parlayed into a local rapper that collabs with Chad Thomas.



His music has gotten better year to year honestly.

this new sh*t is fire. @DMoney you gotta show Tracy howard some love man you n pete. Get him on the pod. His music jammin

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Today I learned Prop Joe is Tracy Howard. Sorry for callin you small n slow my g. Just callin balls n strikes. Hope D has you on the pod. Glad you're well.

Dog Thanks GIF
 
Went to school with Vernon Davis. I was bewildered that he even got a UM offer much less actually was able to commit and sign
 
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