All things rankings

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,662]

Reuben Foster v. 2 would've been the piece for Top 5.

[mcgufcm 4,096]

Division, I have no idea what you're talking about at Center. I really don't. Dismukes is here this year. Kozan has already repped the position, and a number of people think that's his most likely NFL destination. On top of that we signed the top JUCO Center who has 3 to play 2, which means, barring injury to Dismukes, he could start in both 2015 and 2016. It's beyond me why in the world you think landing a high school Center was a need in this class. It wasn't.

As for a "quick-twitch" DE, apparently our coaches disagreed on that front. We recruited two pass rush specialists (Thornton and Kennion), and that's the list. Evans was never recruited as a Dee Ford replacement. We didn't pursue a single player that fits that template so clearly our staff didn't think that was a priority. Lawson is as close as you're going to get there, but Thornton and Kennion look like Groves/Gunn DEs. They are long pass rushers, first and foremost.

[AU64 10,122]

If we met our needs then it doesn't matter what the recruiting services think. We had the #1 Class as far as we are concerned. WDE!!

Agree....I gripe about our obsession about * ratings and which school has the highest RIvals ranking,etc. For example, we signed a very good prospect in Boston who is a 3* and therefore might have pulled us down a notch in the rankings but if that young man fills a valuable need, I don't worry about how some outside service rates him....I trust the evaluation our coaches make more than Rivals or ESPN or whoever.

Looking at the list...seems Gus did a good job of filling needs with some good talent. A top 10 class is good by me.

[JamesG 0]

UGA has jumped us on Rivals and maybe other sites too after they got Lorenzo Carter

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,662]

The rest of the SEC needs to stop recruiting so well.

[AUIH1 1,515]

If we finish in a composite top 10 then we are fine in terms of talent, the onus is then on coaching.

wde

[McLoofus 35,182]

The rest of the SEC needs to stop recruiting so well.

Hah, no kidding. 4 of the top 6 are in the SEC West. 7 of the top 10 in the SEC (one, of course, being our full time rival).

It's just nuts.

[Rednilla 5,385]

It was a great class. It DID NOT meet all our needs. We needed a very good high school center- FAIL. We needed a fast-twitch scorching pass rusher- FAIL.

We exceeded expectations in the secondary and at quarterback. We did okay at RB though I'm not sold on Roc at the college level. Smith was a fantastic pickup. We did okay at DT, though some will have to grow into it. We did okay on run-stopping defensive ends. We landed some high character guys. Tre Williams may be a better person than player, and he is a great player.

We did NOT need a very good high school center. Yes, it would have been ideal, sure. But we got a JUCO center to bridge until a 2015 high school center is ready to take over. We've also been giving Alex Kozan reps there, as well, so he isn't foreign to the position.

With Carl Lawson, we have plenty of fast twitch pass rusher, and with four 4 star DLs signing to go with the three 5 stars from last year, I'd say we're doing okay there. One of those 4 stars listed as a DE will likely play more of an Elijah Daniel type of role, moving inside occasionally (especially on passing downs), too.

I will agree that I'm not entirely sold on Roc in college, myself, or at least not as an immediately elite talent, as some have suggested. He does, however strike me as a very tough kid who will work his tail off either way, and that makes a big difference when it comes to raising the level of one's game.

The DTs do in fact have time to grow into their roles, as Jeff Whitaker, Gabe Wright, and Angelo Blackson will all be seniors, Ben Bradley will be a junior, plus Monty Adams is a sophomore, Tyler Nero is a sophomore...plenty of depth.

Also keep in mind that the best receiver in the country did not sign today, because the kid who went to LSU is not on the same level as D'haquille Williams. Thinking about him and Sammie on either end of the field, with any combination of the talented receivers who will necessarily benefit from the focus put on those two, is nostalgic...especially knowing that Nick Marshall is going to that QB camp this offseason to develop the passing aspect of his game.

[mikeymac 8]

why are you guys not sold on Roc?

[around4ever 4,139]

It was a great class. It DID NOT meet all our needs. We needed a very good high school center- FAIL. We needed a fast-twitch scorching pass rusher- FAIL.

We exceeded expectations in the secondary and at quarterback. We did okay at RB though I'm not sold on Roc at the college level. Smith was a fantastic pickup. We did okay at DT, though some will have to grow into it. We did okay on run-stopping defensive ends. We landed some high character guys. Tre Williams may be a better person than player, and he is a great player.

We didn't get a high school Center but we have Dampeer, a JUCO Center, for two years and Dismukes still has a year left. Center will be a definite position of need next year unless Coach Grimes decides to convert one of our current OLs to Center.

[around4ever 4,139]

why are you guys not sold on Roc?

Roc will be just fine after Coach Russell gets a hold of him.

[Rednilla 5,385]

why are you guys not sold on Roc?

I was more utilizing his wording than expressing my actual feelings; I'm sold on Roc being a fantastic player, with the potential to be a lightening rod if things fall right for him, but I fear that with his high rankings there may be a significant burden on his shoulders. I mean, we can't forget that this is Running Back U, and in spite of losing the guy who broke Bo's single season rushing record, we still return a pair 600+ yard ball carriers, and there's also a kid coming up after a redshirt season who is going to surprise a LOT of people. Peyton Barber is the real deal. I don't think it's unfair to make comparisons to Rudi Johnson insomuch as both his body type and his running style.

So yeah, I think he could easily get a little bit lost in the shuffle early on in his career...and the definition of a five star is an immediate impact player.

[japantiger 4,051]

A great class. War Eagle. Welcome to the Plains gentlemen...good luck and God bless you.

[AU64 10,122]

why are you guys not sold on Roc?

I was more utilizing his wording than expressing my actual feelings; I'm sold on Roc being a fantastic player, with the potential to be a lightening rod if things fall right for him, but I fear that with his high rankings there may be a significant burden on his shoulders. I mean, we can't forget that this is Running Back U, and in spite of losing the guy who broke Bo's single season rushing record, we still return a pair 600+ yard ball carriers, and there's also a kid coming up after a redshirt season who is going to surprise a LOT of people. Peyton Barber is the real deal. I don't think it's unfair to make comparisons to Rudi Johnson insomuch as both his body type and his running style.

So yeah, I think he could easily get a little bit lost in the shuffle early on in his career...and the definition of a five star is an immediate impact player.

That's what I understand but in reality it depends on where the player signs. Our major rival has a roster full of 5* guys that did not make an immediate impact...and a few did not play at all their first year....or second year. A 3* can make an immediate impact at the right school.

JMO but ROC has the chance to develop, get stronger, etc and will not be pressed into a starting role before he is ready....or at least not put in the position of having to carry the offense. That's probably an advantage for him in the long run.

[McLoofus 35,182]

I would love for Auburn to be a program that can afford to redshirt 5* studs like Roc. Really, I think we're already there at RB and OL. Looking forward to the rest of the position groups catching up.

[doc4aday 1,887]

I have said this all along for the past few years, and will stick to my guns on this. As long as we finish in the top 12 recruiting rankings, we will be fine year in and out. There is really not that much difference quality and quantity wise. I really think it is 70% good coaching, and 30% quality overall. This coaching staff went after, and filled needs that they saw as major priorities, and did an excellent job. Many of the recruiting services often cause more problems than they are worth year in and out. I guess this is something that is not going away any time soon.

[AUIH1 1,515]

I have said this all along for the past few years, and will stick to my guns on this. As long as we finish in the top 12 recruiting rankings, we will be fine year in and out. There is really not that much difference quality and quantity wise. I really think it is 70% good coaching, and 30% quality overall. This coaching staff went after, and filled needs that they saw as major priorities, and did an excellent job. Many of the recruiting services often cause more problems than they are worth year in and out. I guess this is something that is not going away any time soon.

For me it is Top 10 (and maybe I am splitting hairs, but...) and I agree with everything else you posted I put in bold. We finish with a Top 10 recruiting class every year, then with good coaching we can compete in the SEC W.

wde

[aujeff11 6,243]

I have said this all along for the past few years, and will stick to my guns on this. As long as we finish in the top 12 recruiting rankings, we will be fine year in and out. There is really not that much difference quality and quantity wise. I really think it is 70% good coaching, and 30% quality overall. This coaching staff went after, and filled needs that they saw as major priorities, and did an excellent job. Many of the recruiting services often cause more problems than they are worth year in and out. I guess this is something that is not going away any time soon.

For me it is Top 10 (and maybe I am splitting hairs, but...) and I agree with everything else you posted I put in bold. We finish with a Top 10 recruiting class every year, then with good coaching we can compete in the SEC W.

wde

Its not helping much that five or six other sec programs has a top ten class though. Tennessee or another sec school could lose 4-5 sec games and be significantly better than the rest of the nation and it wouldnt mean much

[Rednilla 5,385]

I have said this all along for the past few years, and will stick to my guns on this. As long as we finish in the top 12 recruiting rankings, we will be fine year in and out. There is really not that much difference quality and quantity wise. I really think it is 70% good coaching, and 30% quality overall. This coaching staff went after, and filled needs that they saw as major priorities, and did an excellent job. Many of the recruiting services often cause more problems than they are worth year in and out. I guess this is something that is not going away any time soon.

For me it is Top 10 (and maybe I am splitting hairs, but...) and I agree with everything else you posted I put in bold. We finish with a Top 10 recruiting class every year, then with good coaching we can compete in the SEC W.

wde

Its not helping much that five or six other sec programs has a top ten class though. Tennessee or another sec school could lose 4-5 sec games and be significantly better than the rest of the nation and it wouldnt mean much

...Then again, it's that recruiting acumen that is at least part of the reason why a total of 5 SEC teams combined to win 9 of the 16 BCS Championships.

[Dixie1860 27]

I prefer a class in the Top 5/6 myself, that FILLS NEEDS. That is all you can ask for. But it, along with coaching/development is what is required to STAY in the chase each year. If you subtract the anomolies like UTk this year, who signed three dozen or so, we really fared far better than some seem to think.

[ClaytonAU 4,606]

Moved up 8 spots up to number 10 on 247

[CadillacCone 0]

Uat locked up the #1 class again after landing 5 top 100 players today. Guess they weren't watching the same game I was. Bama looked pitiful compared to us.

[aujeff11 6,243]

Uat locked up the #1 class again after landing 5 top 100 players today. Guess they weren't watching the same game I was. Bama looked pitiful compared to us.

They pulled in the number one receiver, Calvin Ridley which is a huge get. Their machine is going to continue to roll until Gus wrecks it. Two straight losses to malzahn( which will happen) and their program will be on life-support.

[CameronCrazy 1,059]

Wow, it's truly incredible what a recruiting machine that they are! 5 top 100 recruits in one day including 2- 5*'s. Impressive and disgusting! Auburn will have a big year recruiting! But it's going to take a ridiculous haul to be able to top Alabama in recruiting any given year.

[Mikey 16,576]

Wow, it's truly incredible what a recruiting machine that they are! 5 top 100 recruits in one day including 2- 5*'s. Impressive and disgusting! Auburn will have a big year recruiting! But it's going to take a ridiculous haul to be able to top Alabama in recruiting any given year.

We don't have to top them in recruiting, all we have to do is stay close to the top 10. We've never consistently out-recruited Tennessee, Florida or Georgia, yet we lead the all time series against those schools. We've never consistently out-recruited UAT, yet if you take out the Bryant years, we lead the series against them. Just recruit well enough to stay in the hunt and the Tigers will handle the rest.