Our recruiting class ranked by Rivals and ESPN

[Rembrandt90]

While star ratings are accepted as gospel by some people, most of us have seen enough recruiting surprises to understand that prospect rankings are just guesswork. A corollary is that Rivals player rankings are not always in agreement with rankings from other sources.

Almost all UK fans have seen 4 star prospects fail, and 2 star prospects become high NFL draft choices. Josh Allen, a former 2 star prospect, is about to become a high 1st round NFL draft choice. Randall Cobb, Bud Dupree, and Benny Snell were also lightly recruited.

A disclaimer. I am not a fan of player rankings or class rankings. I do not advocate one source’s rankings over another. I am not criticizing Rivals rankings. I am not trying to violate any board rules, so I won’t include links. The following information is publicly accessible.

This is how Rivals ranks players currently committed to UK’s 2019 class.

Moses Douglass
KD McDaniel
Demontae Crumes
Nic Scalzo
Taurus Payne
Travis Tisdale
Jay Ward
Marquez Bembry
Canon Butler
Isaiah Gibson
Nicholas Ognenovic
Jalen Geiger
Brandin Echols
Amani Gilmore
Tra Wilkins
Jake Pope
DeMarcus Harris
Eli Cox

This is how ESPN ranks players currently committed to UK’s class.

Travis Tisdale
Taurus Payne
KD McDaniel
Isaiah Gibson
Brandin Echols
Nicholas Ognenovic
Marquez Bembry
Demontae Crumes
Tra Wilkins
Jalen Geiger
DeMarcus Harris
Moses Douglass
Jay Ward
Canon Butler
Jake Pope
Amani Gilmore
Eli Cox
Nic Scalzo

I am not suggesting either ranking is right or wrong. They illustrate that this is just guesswork.

 

[UKUGA]

It is guesswork; but to be fair, Josh Allen is more the exception than the rule.

At the end of the day, you want to get the best talent you can get.

But yes, there will always be diamonds out there that other teams are ignoring.

And for now, yes, Kentucky needs to be finding those guys and coaching them up.

Allen is a great story. I'd love to have multiple Josh Allen's in every recruiting class, but it's highly unlikely that you find an offensive player, turned defensive player, without multiple D-1 offers, and turn him into a 6-5, 250+ pound beast in 4 years.

But hey, if we can do it, let's do it!

 

[Sparkaces1]

College football rankings are super overrated, UT has 4 straight top 10-20 recruiting classes and look at their team. The best way to gauge a recruit is by his offers.

 

[Rembrandt90]

It is guesswork; but to be fair, Josh Allen is more the exception than the rule.

But there have been a lot of exceptions to the rule, like Josh, Benny, and Bunchy are. Cobb, Tamme, Trevathan, Dupree, and Stevie too.

And the “rule”, the way a source evaluates prospects, varies from one website to another. That’s the point.

 

[Kybluedude]

Seems like there needs to be an a lot of “ want to be good” in the development of lower rated guys. We seem to get more than our share of them. Good sign of the UK culture and coaching

 

[stamperdes0202]

The only “list” I pay attention to is how aggressively our coaches go after a guy. These guys know what they’re doing. I honestly could not care less about the other stuff.

 

[bluecoon1]

I think some of these kids with good measurables can excel with good coaching. Of course there’s certain things that can’t be coached but let’s say an 18yo kid is 6’4, 225 with relatively good foot speed didn’t make the camp circuit and therefore was given the lazy 5.5 rating. Those are the kids these bigger programs don’t even need to look at but the ones that can really be good with coaching and a good s&c program.

 

[UKUGA]

But there have been a lot of exceptions to the rule, like Josh, Benny, and Bunchy are. Cobb, Tamme, Trevathan, Dupree, and Stevie too.

And the “rule”, the way a source evaluates prospects, varies from one website to another. That’s the point.

We have to have the exceptions because we aren’t getting very many of the top guys.

Statistically, we are more likely to have “exceptions”, because we are an SEC school that brings in fewer 4 and 5 star players than the top teams.

Alabama is less likely than UK to turn a 2-star guy into a first round pick, because they aren’t bringing in as many 2-star recruits.

 

[UKUGA]

I think some of these kids with good measurables can excel with good coaching. Of course there’s certain things that can’t be coached but let’s say an 18yo kid is 6’4, 225 with relatively good foot speed didn’t make the camp circuit and therefore was given the lazy 5.5 rating. Those are the kids these bigger programs don’t even need to look at but the ones that can really be good with coaching and a good s&c program.

Yes.

 

[Rembrandt90]

We have to have the exceptions because we aren’t getting very many of the top guys.

Statistically, we are more likely to have “exceptions”, because we are an SEC school that brings in fewer 4 and 5 star players than the top teams.

First of all, we ARE one of the “top teams”. Get that straight.

Stoops has been recruiting strong classes. What you call “exceptions” have been talented players like Benny and Josh, who were evaluated well by our coaches.

You are obviously a disciple of star ratings. But if UK’s recruiting classes are so bad, then how come we have the #14 football team in the country? This is the issue that the star ratings disciples have wrong. UK has a better roster than most other teams. We know this because UK, playing as the underdog, beats ranked teams. It isn’t reflected in star ratings, but that proves my point. Star ratings are just guesswork.

 

[Rembrandt90]

I think some of these kids with good measurables can excel with good coaching.

But sometimes, prospects with perfect measurables and high star ratings don’t excel. Player evaluation involves more than measurables. That is where our coaches are getting it done.

 

[cat888]

First of all, we ARE one of the “top teams”. Get that straight.

Stoops has been recruiting strong classes. What you call “exceptions” have been talented players like Benny and Josh, who were evaluated well by our coaches.

You are obviously a disciple of star ratings. But if UK’s recruiting classes are so bad, then how come we have the #14 football team in the country? This is the issue that the star ratings disciples have wrong. UK has a better roster than most other teams. We know this because UK, playing as the underdog, beats ranked teams. It isn’t reflected in star ratings, but that proves my point. Star ratings are just guesswork.

COACHING and recruiting needs also makes a difference

 

[bluecoon1]

But sometimes, prospects with perfect measurables and high star ratings don’t excel. Player evaluation involves more than measurables. That is where our coaches are getting it done.

The one thing you can’t measure is a kids will to succeed. You can have all the athleticism in the world but it’s not going to get you far if you don’t buy in. I agree, this staff is doing a fantastic job of identifying coachable talent that’s flying under the radar.

 

[UKUGA]

First of all, we ARE one of the “top teams”. Get that straight.

Stoops has been recruiting strong classes. What you call “exceptions” have been talented players like Benny and Josh, who were evaluated well by our coaches.

You are obviously a disciple of star ratings. But if UK’s recruiting classes are so bad, then how come we have the #14 football team in the country? This is the issue that the star ratings disciples have wrong. UK has a better roster than most other teams. We know this because UK, playing as the underdog, beats ranked teams. It isn’t reflected in star ratings, but that proves my point. Star ratings are just guesswork.

You obviously know almost nothing about me. I couldn’t tell you what # of stars any of our players had, other than Allen, only because it gets discussed so much.


We are one of the top teams this year, but have not been historically, explicitly during the time of recruiting our current (and some past) players, which is what I was discussing (and it is clear to anyone who is not illiterate.)

This is common sense, but people get bent out of shape at any perceived slight. It’s asinine.

If I throw 10 darts and your throw 2, my odds of hitting the bulls-eye are 5x greater than yours, with some minor variability due to our individual dart throwing ability. After-all, it’s not a coin flip.


If I don’t have a 2-star player, then I’m not turning one into a first round pick, simple as that.

 

[Oldtrainer]

As for me, I play close attention to player offers.
Over all I think Mark Stoops has done well in recruiting.

 

[NavyCat88]

I watch the star ratings but only across an entire roster for multiple recruiting years. Individually, the star rankings can be imprecise. But generally speaking, P5 teams vying for National Championships typically have a high concentration of 4-5 star rated players on their rosters.

Improved recruiting—Combined with continued quality coaching have us headed in the right direction across both fronts IMHO.

GBB!

 

[SoonerJones]

It’s not a coincidence that the teams that win the most have their roster made up of at least 50% 4 or 5 stars. While I’m happy we’re having a year that is exceptional, it’s not sustainable long term unless recruiting picks up

 

[SaguaroCat]

I trust Joker more than I trust Rivals. I also hit on 19 and stick on 7 in blackjack.
signed, an idiot.

Here's the thing. The coaches believe in that guesswork. If Mark Stoops could take the players ranked 10th at each position by rivals every year sight unseen, he would.

People that think we can build a program on Josh Allen and Benny Snell recruits alone? And not Drake Jackson, Mike Edwards, CJ Conrad, Lynn Bowden, Kash Daniel, EJPrice, Landon young, Darius West, George Asafo Adjei, Terry Wilson, Jordan Jones? All players ranked at their position coming out of high school.

We are winning now because we have better recruits that Rivals liked more than our old Joker recruits. Don't know how anyone could take our success now and think it's a time to prove that rankings are meaningless.

 

[Littlefeller]

Scalp is fourth in the first ranking and dead last in the second. This makes no sense whatsoever because there shouldn’t/couldn’t be the much descrepency between the two rankings

 

[willievic]

First of all, we ARE one of the “top teams”. Get that straight.

Stoops has been recruiting strong classes. What you call “exceptions” have been talented players like Benny and Josh, who were evaluated well by our coaches.

You are obviously a disciple of star ratings. But if UK’s recruiting classes are so bad, then how come we have the #14 football team in the country? This is the issue that the star ratings disciples have wrong. UK has a better roster than most other teams. We know this because UK, playing as the underdog, beats ranked teams. It isn’t reflected in star ratings, but that proves my point. Star ratings are just guesswork.

Rembrandt, to some extent, your correct, but I think most coaches would prefer a 4 or 5 STAR player over a 2 or 3 STAR player. Take a look at the STAR ratings of players at Alabama. All of us realize that some 2 STAR players excel, but that is not the norm. It is always easy to pick exceptions, but that is what they are, exceptions. I will take a 5 STAR player over a 2 STAR player every time.

OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!