2016 4* TE Naseir ("Pop") Upshur Names Michigan Leader!

Submitted by MLaw06 on

Our top tight end target for the 2016 class, 4* Naseir Upshur from North Philly, named Michigan his current leader in an interview with Mike Farrell.  According to Rivals.com, Naseir (or "Pop" as he likes to be called) is the #4 ranked TE in the class.

He's officially down to his top 11, but will cut that list to his top 5, of which FSU, South Carolina and Michigan are 3 schools that are currently expected to be in. 

He cites his strong relationship with both Jim and Jay Harbaugh as one of the main pulls from Michigan and seems like the type of guy that Coach Harbaugh can coach up to get to the next level. 

Tight end is a huge need for us this year, especially after losing out on our tight end targets last year.

Link to (Free) Video:

https://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1772318&PT=4&PR=2

Wolverine Devotee

June 5th, 2015 at 11:43 PM ^

Standard recruiting class rankings are pretty idiotic.

Michigan's 2015 class ranking was #50 on Rivals by their standard point system ranking.

If you click on average stars, they were #18.

The average is the only class rankings people should be looking at. The recruiting sites need to cave their point systems because they're favoring quantity over quality.

Right now in the 2016 standard ranking, Michigan is #20 but is #12 in the per capita. 

The funniest case right now is sparty with a #7 rank in the point system, but is #24 per capita.

trustBlue

June 6th, 2015 at 12:07 AM ^

Actually, no.  Average rank does not tell the whole picture, because its much harder to maintain a high average over a larger class size. Larger classes are ranked higher, because larger classes are actually better. 

Which would you rather have: (a) A class size of ten with an average rank of 4* stars or (b) a class size of 25 with the same ten 4 stars + 15 more 3 stars? The first one will have a higher average rank, but the second is clearly a better recruiting haul overall.

The ranking sites already cap the number of recruits that count towards the team rankings in order to reduce the impact of absurd class sizes (I believe that Rivals only counts the 20 highest rated recruits, which also reduces the impact of kickers, etc. on team rankings).

Having a class size of 15 is simply not as good as a class of 25.  

If youre looking for a "fix" might I respectually suggest not obsessing over daily fluctuations in team rankings when we are still over 8 months away from signing day.

WolvinLA2

June 6th, 2015 at 1:02 AM ^

Your argument would make sense if there were ever classes that ended at 10 or 15 guys, but they don't. And the 25 cap doesn't help that much, because then the 32 member classes can drop their 7 lowest, whereas a better class of 25 drops no one.

I agree with you that having more guys is better, but not to the extent that the sites rank. USC has a few classes of like 18 guys who were mostly blue chips, but they weren't the top class. Throwing 4 3-star guys wouldn't have changed their class much, but they would have shot up the rankings. That makes no sense.

trustBlue

June 6th, 2015 at 2:17 AM ^

"Your argument would make sense if there were ever classes that ended at 10 or 15 guys, but they don't. "

Huh?  USC signed a class size of 12 in 2013. Texas signed a class size of 15  the same year.  Pretty much every year a half dozen or more schools sign 17-18 or less, while several other schools signed classes of 30+ The difference between a class size of 17-18 versus a mega class size of 32-33 is still 15 players.

Are you really telling me you would take USCs 2013 class of 12 recruits with a 4.4 average over Alabama's class of 25 recruits with 3.84 average? I wouldn't. I doubt many coaches would either.

The point is that size matters (That's what she said.)

Mr Miggle

June 6th, 2015 at 7:10 AM ^

Hell yes I would, if I only had 12 scholarships available. If I had 25 to give, then I want Alabama's. The current ranking system practically guarantees that schools with more scholarships to give will end up with higher rated classes, when comparing schools that recruit on a somewhat similar level.

If these smaller classes aren't full, ding them for that. As it is, oversigning is rewarded, even though players may need to be cut or won't qualify.

JonnyHintz

June 6th, 2015 at 9:23 AM ^

Clearly a better haul? I don't really agree. 2-3 middling 3* guys are going to trump a 4* in points on those sites, but that 4* is likely more valuable. Now if you're talking a fringe 3*/4*, then yeah. But any old 3*? No.

Western Michigan for example, has 13 low ranked 3* players for 2016 committed. They're ranked 30th in the nation in recruiting right now. Do you honestly believe they have the 30th best class right now? Or is it more of the fact that they have so many commits?

JonnyHintz

June 6th, 2015 at 8:24 AM ^

I agree to an extent. The current system seems to go for quantity over quality a majority of the time. I think the truth lies in some sort of combination. Teams are punished for having small classes. In Michigan's case, they simply haven't had attrition over the past few years and haven't had the available slots. The quantity isn't there. But they have brought in one of the better classes in average rank of the player. So they are (in theory) bringing in the quality. But it is also harder to maintain a high average with a larger class than it is when you sign 15 guys.

Personally, I like the way 247 does their composite rankings. It is a number instead of a star. So Michigan's average recruit ranking being 89.64 is more telling about the talent that is brought in with that class than a average star ranking of 3.88. There can be HUGE disparities in talent between 3* players, but they'd have the same effect on your average star ranking. But a 77 composite 3* will affect your 247 ranking differently than an 83 3*. The same goes for the 4* and 5* guys. You're rewarded more for getting higher ranked players rather than simply going for the highest star guys and teams aren't rewarded for signing 35 players.

Double-D

June 5th, 2015 at 11:24 PM ^

into a controversy. It just gave Michigan more publicity and good publicity. These kids I am sure love the energy and cutting edge sophistication Harbaugh has in running a big time football program. I think top kids are going to start grabbing spots at Michigan like musical chairs.