Final Rivals 250

Submitted by jaggs on

http://rivals100.rivals.com/viewrank.asp?SID=880&Year=2010&ra_key=2303

Man, can't remember a year with only 2 players ranked in the top 250, and none in the top 98. I don't like to delve too much into rankings, there are outliers etc...but overall I want more higher ranked players!

Notable

Cullen Christian 99
Devin Gardner 132
How he goes from #1 overall QB to #8 is beyond me. I have only heard good things about him in the all star games. Yeah, maybe he wasn't lights out, but to drop him this much seems like alot.

Torrian Wilson dropped out
Dior Mathis 177
As mentioned earlier Gholston got fifth star and is 21 overall.

yostlovesme

January 14th, 2010 at 8:58 PM ^

Does anyone feel as if the recruiting sites just pick random names and place them in the top 100 or 250. Like that South Park episode where manatees pick the jokes for Family Guy since they are so random; none of these numbers actually mean anything.

jaggs

January 14th, 2010 at 9:01 PM ^

How does Gardner go from #1 overall QB to #8 overall? Ho hum performance at all-star game, nothing terrible, but to drop that much seems like a lot.

KevinUofM

January 14th, 2010 at 9:05 PM ^

It's difficult for me to get too upset with DG dropping 80 spots or so because after the truly elite difference makers(top 20-30 kids) I do not see a big difference between the 31st ranked player and the 250th ranked player in the country.
With that being said I am truly amazed that we only have two players ranked in the top 250, we really need to win in 2010 because losing IS taking a tole on recruiting.

NickUmich

January 14th, 2010 at 9:11 PM ^

Tyler Bray (#131), Devin Gardner (#132), Ahmad Dixon (#133) and Paul Jones' (#134) stats from their senior years are remarkably similar.

*Sorry, didn't see Rbigdog222 comment above mine when I posted.

clarkiefromcanada

January 14th, 2010 at 9:09 PM ^

I like the idea of a pissed off and disrespected Devin Gardner arriving at Michigan.

We have a great incoming quarterback who will assuredly be hungry to prove the doubters wrong.

What better place than here. What better time than now.

Giff4484

January 14th, 2010 at 9:11 PM ^

right now. I know we are all used to getting 4 & 5 star guys but when you win 8 games in 2 years and your D is cut up like a hot knife to butter you have to expect a drop.

Our coach knows how to develop talent and get the most out his players and has the track record to back it up. We have some really talented young guys on this team and I welcome the guys who will be part of the class. If we end up getting Parker and Wilson I will be happy. I will also be happy if Michigan beats OSU and wins 8 games this season....

Rbigdog222

January 14th, 2010 at 9:21 PM ^

It's just my opinion but i think the southern kids get the benefit of the doubt on rankings over the less seen northern or smaller market kids. I'm under the impression that everyone thinks all the good kids are in the south so maybe the scouts spend all their time there. It also seems like all the SEC kids get a jump in rankings when they pick their school, maybe its just me though.

Blueisgood

January 14th, 2010 at 9:25 PM ^

I don't really care if M's class is ranked 100. If RR thinks these kids are going to be the ones who come in and turn this thing around, I trust him. RR didn't have highly ranked recruiting classes in WV, and it didn't turn out to bad.

wolverine1987

January 15th, 2010 at 8:59 AM ^

He chooses not to recruit them! Oh, except for the fact that he does, he recruits them hard, we just haven't been able to pull them in because 3-9 and 5-7. And he had no choice at WVA but to recruit at that level, it was WVA.

Sorry for the snark, but this argument I see often and it is seriously delusional. We wanted Prather, Henderson. Seastrunk, Baxter (fingers still crossed) Clay and many other top 250 guys--we didn't get them. When we win, we will.

a.owda14

January 14th, 2010 at 9:38 PM ^

I think rivals has something against most under armour game players. These rankings really dont matter. They need to start making rankings for graduating players and compare them to the rankings 4 years earlier. They'll be dead wrong. Any body with a body of a freak is a 5 star

turbo cool

January 14th, 2010 at 10:56 PM ^

That's funny that you say that. Usually when I scour through recruits on Rivals, I get the impression that any of these kids who look like their 35 and have already been to the pro bowl at least 7 times will likely be studs. Those are usually the guys who make big gains at the end of the year. See: Dominique Easley, Christine Michael, Johnathan Baldwin, etc.

maizedandconfused

January 14th, 2010 at 9:40 PM ^

I have faith in RichRods ability to find football players. We dont need a bunch of primadonna stars, we need hardnosed players with a mean streak willing to committ to a program. I wont say that I wouldnt take a bunch of Floridas ridiculous class, but I do believe we have some guys that not only know how to win but hate to lose. Stephen Hopkins might be a pleasant surpise, real quick north south decisions and nice burst..follows interior blocking extremely well. Also looks like he likes to punish people. Dont forget.. these same sites had Michael Crabtree as a 40 overall..

acnumber1

January 14th, 2010 at 9:52 PM ^

We like their skill-set, we like how they'll fit in with our offense.

Actually, we trust RR and his scheme, we trust him to target players he thinks he can teach to play his offense, he's getting the players he wants.

Trust, faith, cheer, all-in.

If there isn't an improvement next season, then I begin to have my doubts and voice them.

Until then, Go Blue, rivals-stars be damned.

Magnus

January 14th, 2010 at 10:52 PM ^

"I want more higher ranked players." Well, duh.

Torrian Wilson dropped out because he hasn't played since the first week of the season.

There's no reason to freak out about this. Michigan has gone 3-9 and 5-7 in the past two seasons, and Rodriguez has been under a lot of scrutiny/pressure. That eventually takes its toll. Winning will cure everything, but these freshmen aren't going to have a huge impact on the 2010 season. The guys who are going to win games for us are already on campus.

jaggs

January 15th, 2010 at 1:00 AM ^

Plenty of people on here rave about the skill set that players have coming here, or the fact they are tweeners or if RR likes them they must be good.

While I agree that RR has the best judgement, I am sure there are players that have a better skill set, may still be tweeners and that RR would gladly take with 4 or 5 stars, over some of the 3* we have now. Its because we can't land lots of 4* that is difficult. Like you said, hopefully winning cures all, but once we do start winning, I want more 4 and 5* players.

Magnus

January 14th, 2010 at 11:07 PM ^

A lot of our recruits this year have big questions to answer. There aren't many sure-fire studs in this group, and we've known that from the beginning.

Examples:

Ricardo Miller and Jeremy Jackson - are they tight ends or wide receivers?

Marvin Robinson - is he a safety or a linebacker?

Josh Furman - safety or linebacker or running back?

Ray Vinopal, Drew Dileo, Tony Drake, Antonio Kinard, DJ Williamson - why don't they have offers from big schools or, in a couple cases, other schools, period?

Conelius Jones - quarterback or safety...or wide receiver?

We have a bunch of tweeners in this class whose credentials and positions were in question. To expect all of these players whose position destinations are unclear to be 4- and 5-star guys is a little silly. This is not a great recruiting class, and that's not negativity - it's just reality.

Ziff72

January 14th, 2010 at 11:29 PM ^

The numbers are the numbers and you are right this is not a good class, but on a positive note with so many tweeners it has a lot more upside than a regular class because these types of players have more variance. It could be a great class at Michigan, but as far as recruting rankings go it is a dud.

Chadillac Grillz

January 14th, 2010 at 11:36 PM ^

so much about not having a stellar class accord. to rivals, but DG dropping like that pisses me off. I do believe the experts are now bias against Michigan so to speak b/c we have struggled. Every single WR that was a 4* on rivals we had dropped. W/e...I know we are supposed to objective and say it doesn't matter, but I don't like they we are being relegated to a lesser class if for no other reason than on principle. I guess I'll get over it.

MaizeBlue306

January 15th, 2010 at 9:56 AM ^

we need some instant impact freshman who we can plug in to play right away. I don't see that in this class. I'd like to think we have some recruits who have a very high upside down the line. At this point however we have holes to fill and positions where we need an upgrade but no one ready in the pipeline.

jabberwock

January 15th, 2010 at 10:20 AM ^

A class that actually f*cking stuck around for 3+ years!

Not 100% for 4-5, thats asking a bit much realistically, with some players getting buried on the depth chart, leaving early for the pros, etc.

But 75-80%; with just as many 5th years as there are 3 years/transfers.

I could care care less if they were ALL 2 and 3 star players, just stick with the program, learn and contribute. If we could achieve that without any coaching turnovers for a couple years I think we'd do just fine.

We have been crippled with player attrition for the past few years (from a variety of reasons), and it affects coaching/player position, team cohesion, experience, PR, everything.