All-Time Recruiting Rankings?
I am attempting to put together a database of Michigan's historical recruit rankings. Obviously, things get difficult before 2002 (when Rivals and Scout came about). Can anyone point me to any resources from 2001 or earlier?
FWIW, Michigan's top five ranked recruits from what I've gathered so far go like this:
1. Jabrill Peppers
2. Ryan Mallett
3. Prescott Burgess
4. Kelly Baraka, Chad Henne (tie)
5. LaMarr Woodley
http://touchthebanner.blogspot.com/p/all-time-recruit-rankings.html
November 12th, 2014 at 10:57 AM ^
November 12th, 2014 at 11:06 AM ^
Oh, cool. Thanks!
November 12th, 2014 at 11:09 AM ^
WD has binders full of women... and recruiting rankings. No worries if you are need of either.
November 12th, 2014 at 11:03 AM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
November 12th, 2014 at 11:21 AM ^
Then he can make his binders searchable.
November 12th, 2014 at 11:28 AM ^
November 12th, 2014 at 11:22 AM ^
I am back in school and have a stats project due in about a month. I would like to examine how recruiting rankings relate to NFL success. I would like to examine the first couple of Rivals class rankings (2002 and 2003) because these classes have had time to be successful NFL players or not. I plan to divide recruit into 4/5 stars vs. those with fewer than 4 stars and use number of years in the NFL, number of years selected to the pro bowl, and number of post season NFL awards as dependent measures.
I am somewhat resigned to doing a lot of data entry, but thought I would throw out a lifeline to see if there are any downloadable databases (SPSS or Excel) that might contain this information. Let me know if you can help get me there. I will share what I find.
November 12th, 2014 at 11:27 AM ^
Here's the google drive doc Seth posted in 2012.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AlZp0ugnJIGddGNtM3dmaDFQcmJzS1JhR3JDTkY0WEE#gid=0
November 13th, 2014 at 2:34 AM ^
Lol I actually remember the thread in which he posted this... Damn does time fly.
November 12th, 2014 at 11:35 AM ^
prior to that, Drew Henson (1998), Charles Woodson (1995) and Tyrone Wheatley (1991) were all highly prized recruits. Call me crazy, but I'd rather have Wheatley, Jr. than Chris Clark.
November 12th, 2014 at 11:41 AM ^
I like Wheatley, Jr. more as a defensive end, and I like Clark more as a tight end.
November 12th, 2014 at 11:40 AM ^
including kids before the recruiting sites? Off the top of my head I'd image Ricky Powers would make the list fairly easily.
November 12th, 2014 at 11:46 AM ^
I'm sure Tom Harmon would have been highly ranked. He was probably one of the most sought after football recruits of his era. He was a standout football player but also was Indiana state champion in the 100 yard dash.
November 12th, 2014 at 11:53 AM ^
Justin Fargas was the #1 running back in the 1998 class, and David Terrell the #1 WR.
November 12th, 2014 at 12:01 PM ^
Says who?
November 12th, 2014 at 12:09 PM ^
November 12th, 2014 at 2:12 PM ^
but Marquise was a 28 year old dude in his prime when he graduated HS.
November 12th, 2014 at 4:28 PM ^
November 12th, 2014 at 12:49 PM ^
What a class 1998 was. I had a subscription to the Wolverine back then, I can still remember the cover pic that showed Henson, Fargas, Terrell, Walker, and Epstein on the cover, with their rankings. From SuperPrep hahah.
November 12th, 2014 at 11:35 PM ^
I still have that issue. They were all in the top one or two in their position.
November 12th, 2014 at 2:36 PM ^
This is true. I remember there being much talk about it at the time.
November 12th, 2014 at 12:00 PM ^
Prior to the recruiting services newspapers would give out high school all-american awards. You could also look for all-conference awards, Mr. Football, etc. Woodson was a USA Today All-American and a Parade All American for instance.
November 12th, 2014 at 2:01 PM ^
there was very little to speak of. Parade Magazine was one of the early All-American lists, as well as Street and Smith Magazine. In the 1980's at some point, USA Today started publishing a list as you mentioned. In the earlier Bo days, we recruited mostly regionally. So, the All-State teams in the Free Press and Detroit News were really significant. So, even without the national ranking numbers, you could latch onto things like whether they made one of these All American lists or 100 yard dash speed or flashy statistics. For example, when Anthony Carter signed what really popped out to you was the number of TD's he scored in H.S. Something like 79 as I recall. So based on that we figured he was good. But we just didn't realize how good until he arrived on campus.
November 12th, 2014 at 12:05 PM ^
I am of the conclusion that Voltron is Handsome downvotes every single post made for some reason. I cannot fathom what in Magnus's request would necessitate a neg and Magnus busts my balls each and every chance he gets!
November 12th, 2014 at 12:16 PM ^
November 12th, 2014 at 12:17 PM ^
Your mother wears combat boots.
November 12th, 2014 at 12:34 PM ^
See what I mean?
That one hurt Magnus.
November 12th, 2014 at 1:37 PM ^
November 12th, 2014 at 1:52 PM ^
November 12th, 2014 at 1:29 PM ^
here is a another google spread sheet that was posted in a thread back in jan... this is tom lemming's stuff from 1990 to 2004...
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AoPWr1nGk0GQdGlWZUxFa0ZMQj…
November 12th, 2014 at 2:22 PM ^
Thanks!
November 12th, 2014 at 8:19 PM ^
November 12th, 2014 at 1:52 PM ^
Surprised how many current names are on that list yet we are still terrible.
November 12th, 2014 at 2:18 PM ^
Which is why we need you to jump ship and come home.
November 12th, 2014 at 2:25 PM ^
Unfortunately, it seems like a run of bad luck might be part of that. The top two recruits still on the team are both injured (Jabrill Peppers, Derrick Green), then there's Kyle Kalis, followed by Ondre Pipkins (coming off a torn ACL) and Drake Harris (hamstring issues). So four of Michigan's top 28 recruits over the last dozen years or so are currently on the shelf due to injury.
November 12th, 2014 at 2:25 PM ^
tom lemming
November 12th, 2014 at 3:41 PM ^
...Tom Lemming. He has been doing this since his first "Prep Football Report" in 1979, and I recall reading Athlon's Big Ten preview and seeing his Top 100 at the back. If memory serves, Allen Jefferson was the #1 recruit, either for Michigan or nationally. Then he joined Alpha Delta Phi and it was all downhill. (/s)
And if you can get your hands on a copy of "The Blind Side," by Michael Lewis, I think he references Lemming's publication from back in the day quite in-depth.
November 12th, 2014 at 8:56 PM ^
We did, however, win the game!
Greg Jennings and Jerome Harisson (NFL RB) were on my team and they had like 8 D1 prospects, Kelly and both Sorantos, so there was literally a scout from every B1G team and ND and USC and all over on the sidines. 7k at the game, it was awesome...
I was such a UofM fan I told Sorantos "Go Blue" as we shook hands at the end.
Also, Sherrod Harrell was our QB, he was a 2 time Captain for UofM Bball...
November 12th, 2014 at 10:43 PM ^
hearing that david terrell and marquis walker were the #1 and #2 WR in the same class. both lived up to their billings. nowadays, not so much.
November 12th, 2014 at 10:44 PM ^
November 12th, 2014 at 11:06 PM ^
A quick glance of USA Today I see McMurtry, Toomer, Woodson, Backus, Irons, Henson, Terrell, Baraka, Shazor, Woodley, Graham...
November 13th, 2014 at 1:07 AM ^