Would have been nice to get 1 super star

[AURaptor 1,122]

can't complain. Good coach, solid depth....pip pip and all that stuff.

[chinook 0]

what do you consider tray blackmon?

[WarTim 3,456]

There may very well be a bunch of "superstars" in this class.

Time will tell.

[AUesquire 1]

I've spent way too much time reading the bio's on our guys today and not enough time working. Not to try and build it up to be more than it really is but I like this class and it appears to be very similar to most of CTT's past signing classes. Speed, speed, speed and a little more speed. I think the main thing to consider is that it is this same type of class that CTT has built this program with. This program just competed for a national championship.

[TitanTiger 20,472]

what do you consider tray blackmon?

143796[/snapback]

Word. 5-star LB, ranked #1 in the country at his position and #17 player in the country overall. Is that not a super-star?

[AUHansel 0]

tray is a superstar but 7 4-stars and 1 5-star? i think we could have gotten a couple more. i just hate how FSU, Miami, and UF can always get amazing players every season. We definently won in our state though. i just hope they got everyone that they really needed.

[TitanTiger 20,472]

It's the third best class in the league behind Tennessee and Georgia and we can only sign 19 or 20. Sure it would have been nice to snag Smith or someone else, but this is a very good class. The only reason it isn't ranked higher is because of the smaller number or signings overall.

[Tigerdog 0]

Dont forget CTT also recruits athletes.

That is, LB and TE's that have great size and speed for converting to other positions. LBs that can put on weight and be a DE or Safeties that can be hard hitters that can be linebackers, TE that can be on the OLine and also move to fullback or DE.

Dont underestimate what we have.

GEEZ.

You guys should see it over on ITAT.

They are in meltdown almost over this 23rd ranked class.

give it time boys. Say, 2-3 years?!!

[SouthLink02 8]

Does anyone know that UGA had to fight off MTSU to get Odell Thurman?

We also had to fight off Grambling to get Thomas Davis...

The point? Because their aren't 4-5 Star recruits on your committ list doesnt make mean they won't be 3-time All-Americans like 2-Star David Pollack.

Rivals and Insiders rankings are a joke in terms of actually predicting who will be good.

You all should read the AJC's review of the 25 best players from the class of 2001......I think 5 of the top 25 actually panned out

[AcctTiger 0]

The point? Because their aren't 4-5 Star recruits on your committ list doesnt make mean they won't be 3-time All-Americans like 2-Star David Pollack.

Rivals and Insiders rankings are a joke in terms of actually predicting who will be good.

You all should read the AJC's review of the 25 best players from the class of 2001......I think 5 of the top 25 actually panned out

143839[/snapback]

No kiddin.......Agree 100 %

CTT and staff know who they "want" and who the "don't want".........Stars dont mean anything as far as how they are actually going to fit into this system and be coached by the AU staff. We have a great class and how many of these guys are not going to make the grades/ACT/SAT scores to be here in the Fall....not many!

We got a great class of recruits and sure we all wish we could have gotten A. Smith or some other big names, but who is to say that this class hasnt gotten a few sleepers in it? I am sure it does!! WAR DAMN EAGLE and Good Job AU Staff for bringing some Class Auburn Football Players into this program.

[mcgufcm 4,096]

i think it's crazy to say that miami and fsu and FLORIDA annually get better players than us. you think the fans in tallahassee would have traded this year? or miami? remember us manhandling vatech for 50 minutes? vatech did that to miami. we had better players. this class is a match for any class in the nation as far as quality of players. there just aren't a large quantity so it looks a little worse.

want my honest opinion about the guys we just got?

i think tommy trott or gabe mckenzie will be the number two tight end next year, and i think both will eventually be all-sec... gabe actually impresses me more physically, but i can't argue with production like trott's.

i think tray blackmon is going to crack into the two deep for the best linebacking corp in the sec right away. he's going to be an all-star, and he's going to be a better backup for a.t. than derrick graves was.

i think the two wideouts are burning fast, and billings is going to be like devin. tall, fast target that stretches the field.

i think walter mcfadden is going to be a lock down corner one day ala carlos rogers. i also think between wilhite, savage, and powers at least one will be a two year starter here in the next five years.

i think horton is going to force terry price to use a 5-6 man rotation again b/c he and possibly antonio coleman are going to be tough to keep on the sidelines all season.

i think mike harness may win the center spot NEXT YEAR. ross is coming off surgery and won't be back for spring, and the guys behind him have zero experience. that means either going with a guy with no experience, moving a guy like leon hart, or giving it to a freshman. he'll either be first or second string.

i think there are players in this class. they aren't going to change the face of the team next year, but i don't think any signing class in the nation could have done that. there are guys that will contribute next year, and i think a lot of these guys are going to develop into studs.

[auburnhitman 0]

Some of you guys make me . All you do is read other peoples opinions about players we recruit. You do not look at our team needs, you just want to be the top of someones list. Have you not learned Polls do not mean $#!^ . If you want players that do drugs become fan. If you want a player to run your drugs become fan. If you want a player that beats his wife become a fan. If you want a player to be a Fighting Soilder let him come to .

Just remember opinions are like everyone has one.

[TigerinBham 1]

This class is great!! CTT got pretty much everybody he wanted except Smith and he stayed in state. I CAN"T believe some of you on here. Just because Jami Newburg or Rivals says that somebody is a 5 star is just an opinion. Damn we have the #12 class in the freakin USA and you still have something to complain about. #3 in the SEC behind UT and UGA. What else does TT need to do to satisfy some of you? We just hired a young aggressive DC with alot of energy who wants to leave most of Chizik's schemes. Life is good at Auburn. Be Happy. It could be worse, you could be a Vandy fan. WAR DAMN EAGLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[chinook 0]

Some of you guys make me  . All you do is read other peoples opinions about players we recruit. You do not look at our team needs, you just want to be the top of someones list. Have you not learned Polls do not mean $#!^ . If you want players that do drugs become  fan. If you want a player to run your drugs become  fan. If you want a player that beats his wife become a  fan. If you want a player to be a Fighting Soilder let him come to  .

settle down beavis!

you are right, i believe tommy and the coaching staff got what this team needs. stars, stripes, dots and whatever else you want to describe recruits is to some extent (mostly) useless.

[AUslug 1]

It could be worse, you could be a Vandy fan. WAR DAMN EAGLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

143856[/snapback]

Dynamite, yo

I agree with those that think the griping is a little bit unnecessary. Tubby knows what the team needs and the type of kids to bring into the program and university. Auburn is one the faster teams I have seen in the over the past 3 or 4 seasons...could be Tubby is trying to make like the canes of the 80's, just less thuggery.

[AURaptor 1,122]

what do you consider tray blackmon?

143796[/snapback]

Don't know yet. I'm suppose to ignore what jamie newberg says about 1 recruit, while treating what he says about another recruit as pure gold. What do I consider about a 6ft , 200 lb LB ? If he expects to play for any team in the SEC, he'd better bulk up? Heck, I'm not any guru, nor do I claim to be. Just seems to me that when a team wins the SEC, goes 13-0, they shouldn't finish 5th or 6th in that conference in recruiting.

[TexasTiger 12,835]

It's the third best class in the league behind Tennessee and Georgia and we can only sign 19 or 20.  Sure it would have been nice to snag Smith or someone else, but this is a very good class.  The only reason it isn't ranked higher is because of the smaller number or signings overall.

143836[/snapback]

Exactly. This is a very solid class. My sense is that most of these guys will make it and contribute, which is better than signing highly rated guys who don't qualify or don't have the character to match their natural gifts. I would have loved to have signed Smith-- that would have made this a great class. But Tubby could have signed more, but chose not to. He knows what he needs and he knows whats on deck for next year.

There are usually more surprises-- good and bad. We picked up McFadden, but otherwise got who we expected. No last second defections, no last second steals. If some of the four stars we signed had broke our way today, or if Blackmon had not committed until today, people would be feeling better about this class. It is anti-climatic, but solid.

[tiger88 934]

what do you consider tray blackmon?

143796[/snapback]

Don't know yet. I'm suppose to ignore what jamie newberg says about 1 recruit, while treating what he says about another recruit as pure gold. What do I consider about a 6ft , 200 lb LB ? If he expects to play for any team in the SEC, he'd better bulk up? Heck, I'm not any guru, nor do I claim to be. Just seems to me that when a team wins the SEC, goes 13-0, they shouldn't finish 5th or 6th in that conference in recruiting.

143894[/snapback]

He is travis williams size already. You know him right? He the guy that earned all SEC honors at mlb for us this year. Blackmon is the CONSENSUS #1 lb recruit in AMERICA. Like all recruits the proof will have to be in the pudding, but he is the bluest of blue chippers.

Raptor, you are exposing a lack of knowledge on this subject. This is a prototype tuberville class. The kind we just went 13-0 with.

[AURaptor 1,122]

He is travis williams size already. You know him right? He the guy that earned all SEC honors at mlb for us this year. Blackmon is the CONSENSUS #1 lb recruit in AMERICA. Like all recruits the proof will have to be in the pudding, but he is the bluest of blue chippers.

Raptor, you are exposing a lack of knowledge on this subject. This is a prototype tuberville class. The kind we just went 13-0 with.

143902[/snapback]

Heck, I'm not any guru, nor do I claim to be. My beef isn't w/ anyone who signed, but more at the hype about those who did NOT sign. If CTT is happy w/ 'em..and I'm sure he is... then

To nearly quote Pat Dye - all potential means is that they've ain't done nothin - yet

[tiger88 934]

I am extremely pleased with all things tuberville when it comes to recruiting w/ one exception. It is beginning to annoy me that we chase after these top dogs in fla each year only to have them diss us at the last minute and stay home.

Antone smith for example, he was hot for us and it seems his family pressured him to stay in fla. Could we have not seen this coming?

Also ernie sims last year and cromartie too. Seems like some of these guys just toy with us almost like the fsu or miami coaches are telling em to.

I say if they are 5 star out of fla., don't bother with em unless they are willing to commit reasonably early. Of course it's the coaches time and effort, and they are the real experts, so I guess I shouls shut up and cheer them on.

I would take a 4 star out of fla just as quick as a 5 star anyway.

[Ryan Sanders 123]

It isn't like we have had top 5 recruiting classes in the past or so, and we still went 13-0... It isn't all about the stars.

[AURaptor 1,122]

Also ernie sims last year and cromartie too. Seems like some of these guys just toy with us almost like the fsu or miami coaches are telling em to.

That's what I'm talkin bout. I know you never want to NOT court a big time recruit but cripes! Things like this have been happening since Emmit Smith was introduced at the Citrus Bowl half time. Despite a huge fan appreciation and 's dominance in the 80's , he ends up at Florida. Think of it..Bo, Brent and Emmit. WOW! Granted, he went 0 for Auburn while at U.F. ,but one can only imagine what he'd have done had come to The Plains. I'm just being a realist here, no offense to anyone.

[Longtrainn 2]

The bottom line is no matter what the "star ratings" are, we're getting enough talent every year that we can compete for SEC championships (and therefore National Championships) year in and year out, which has been proven. What a lot of people don't think about is that it's not like a player's development just stops once they leave HS. Players do in fact get better as they are coached. And I for one think we have some of the best coaches in the nation. Think about this, not only did we sign the #1 LB in the country, along with a couple other very good ones, but once he gets to Auburn he's going to be coached by one of, if not the best in the biz, Joe Whitt. I can't wait to see what that's like. Our coaching staff knows what kind of players they want and need to fit into their philosophies and to win in this conference, and they have gotten them.

[AUloggerhead 2,229]

We all know the star ratings are just opinions. My understanding of the number of stars a recruit gets is related to how soon someone thinks they could play directly out of HS. A 5-star means the recruit could step right in as a FR and not only start but excell at his position. There aren't too many that can do that. J. Russell was a 5-star QB but is there anyone out there that believes he excelled as a FR? So, what I'm saying is that a 2 or 3-star rating may just indicate the recruit will need a season or 2 to develop. Nothing wrong with that. That's what the redshirt year is for. For example, Ronnie Brown did alright by going the RS route. CTT did fine this year by recruiting to fill specific needs. He's thinking long term ... and that's a good thing. WDE

[BigSammyK 171]

Just seems to me that when a team wins the SEC, goes 13-0, they shouldn't finish 5th or 6th in that conference in recruiting.

143894[/snapback]

We finished 3rd in the SEC behind UT and UGA. Have some faith!

http://rivals100.rivals.com/teamrank.asp