Scout and Rivals Recruiting Rankings Question

The sites typically do some ranking adjustments before season starts (camp evals) and then some final adjustments after season is done (getting more in game looks at kids)

Players can make huge jumps throughout the camping seasson, after their senior year, etc. You'll especially see it after the all-star games. I can't guarantee you that any of those players specifically will take huge jumps, but it happens. The first example that comes to my mind is Delvon Simmons, who ended up signing with Texas Tech. He was a middling 3* to most of the services until his all star week...after which he was a 5* to Scout and in the top 5 of DTs to both Scout and Rivals

I'm probably the wrong person to answer, but yes, players move up. That said, it's a lot harder to move into the elite level because those players are all elite too and camp reports all appear to be similarly breathless for every top player.

It's more likely that a high three star gets his fourth star or that a low fourth star moves up to a solid four star or down to a high three star.

That said, a guy like Kalis will probably pick up a fifth star as Rivals adds five stars to a few more players.

Camps are the best time to move up, they want to see how you do agaist other elite prospects cause most kids do not face elite talent week in and week out during the high school season.

It's almost certain Kalis will get a 5th star from rivals. He's 18th overall and the highest ranked four star in the nation.

Kalis is missing that fifth star by one spot on Rivals.  Almost guaranteed to move up.  Mags likely will move up.  People do move down as well though. I think those are the only guys that most likely will move to 5*, though our LB corps has a chance. 

There are some rumors out there that Dwayne Stanford can drop in some rankings.  Sometimes you will see some kids that commit early drop.  It seems like Michigan commits tend to drop once they commit, but that is just my tin foil hat side speaking.  

I could see Braden and Stacey possibly moving up too.  They are among the lower ranked position wise but what has been written about them since has been very possitive.  Not sure they have done as much at camps, but they might get a bump during the after senior season rankings.

As a bit of a noob following college fb (Michigan) recruiting, I too find the wide variations between recruiting sites very annoying.  Between Scout, Rivals, 24/7 and Espn - who is the best?  Is there anyway to judge them objectively based on past rankings?  Which is considered more of an authority by Michigan fans?  Or is it better to just average their rankings instead of looking for consensus?  Just wondering who you guys listen too and why....