Devin Gardner Now 5 Star on Scout
I was looking on the scout site and saw that Devin Gardner has picked up his 5 star and is now the 4th ranked qb overall. I know that star rankings aren't the end of the world but it is nice to see the different analysts acknowledge just how far Devin has progressed as a passer over the past year.
August 17th, 2009 at 3:01 AM ^
Cool.
August 17th, 2009 at 3:03 AM ^
All is now right with the world.
August 17th, 2009 at 3:11 AM ^
about time, it wont surprise me if he gets a 5th on rivals sometime down the road. It probably wouldnt happen this coming re ranking but the next one imo.
August 17th, 2009 at 3:22 AM ^
I'd be surprised, but only because Rivals only has what, 17 five-stars this year (if that)?
August 17th, 2009 at 9:38 AM ^
they may be holding back so that they can expand with discretion later rather than dropping 5*s that they have to retract?
If that's the case, then there's a shot (though I agree it is likely relatively low).
August 17th, 2009 at 11:01 AM ^
I would bet he gets his fifth star on the next rerank from Rivals because it was Rivals that was excited about Gardner after the Elitee 11 camp (a camp that they admit doesn't even highlight all of his skills). He might even be your top QB in the rerank. When a guy says you are further along then Vince Young and Pryor, you're going to be ranked high. If not, they are full of it. He will have two 5 stars soon.
August 17th, 2009 at 2:17 PM ^
Analysts were saying in 2008 that Pryor was the best player they'd seen in many, many years. If Gardner is ahead of Pryor at this point in his career, and Pryor was the #1 player in the country according to every recruiting site known to mankind, then why isn't Gardner not only the #1 QB in this class, but considered the #1 prospect overall?
August 17th, 2009 at 4:59 PM ^
Because they evaluate by each individual recruiting class. Not previous recruiting classes.
Just because Seantrel Henderson is the #1 recruit overall in this years recruiting class doesn't mean he would be the #1 overall recruit in last years class or even the year before that.
August 17th, 2009 at 5:58 PM ^
My impression was they were saying passingwise he is ahead of those two at this point. But that doesn't mean he is a better runner than they are. What made Young and Pryor so highly rated was their incredible athleticism. Not to say Gardner isn't athletic too, but he's not the freak athlete those two were.
August 18th, 2009 at 12:02 AM ^
I went back and checked the reports from the Elite 11 camp, and you're right, Gardner is ahead of Pryor and Young at this point passing wise, not necessarily athletic, freak of nature wise. Still, at 6'4" and almost 200 lbs, Gardner is no pushover. (Pryor was 6'6", 235 lbs and Young was 6'5", 195 lbs coming out of HS.)
Given the fact that Gardner is being compared to Terrell Pryor and Vince Young, both #1 overall in their respective classes, Rivals should at least show him some love and award him 5 stars. Hopefully with their latest updates they will.
August 17th, 2009 at 6:53 PM ^
Pryor and Young also were and are significantly bigger.
August 18th, 2009 at 12:10 AM ^
Pryor was 2 inches and 20lbs heavier but VY was 1 inch taller and 10 lbs lighter. I wouldnt call that significant.
August 18th, 2009 at 7:12 PM ^
That's significant when you have a sidearm delivery.
August 18th, 2009 at 7:40 PM ^
How is 1 inch and 10 lbs lighter significant. That on top of the fact that VYs sidearm delivery was more pronounced at this point in their careers. It doesnt seem to be that big of a deal
August 18th, 2009 at 8:37 PM ^
Your release point with the same delivery will be an inch higher. Also you can see the field a little better. I count that as significant. If you're implying that it doesn't explain the whole difference in their rankings my response is that it's a pointless to begin answering that when Gardner hasn't even been re-ranked yet.
August 18th, 2009 at 11:28 PM ^
at the HS level (and even now on his shorter throws) is a shotput motion, you make it seem like he has good mechanics. and btw DG no longer has that pronounced sidearm throwing motion.
August 19th, 2009 at 12:29 AM ^
No, no. I barely know the first thing about throwing mechanics and don't pretend to know more. All I've been saying is that Pryor and Young being physically bigger than Gardner helps explain why the recruiting services rated them more highly. As a qb, taller = better. Pretty simple, I'm surprised this has encountered the resistance it has.
August 17th, 2009 at 3:24 AM ^
http://michigan.scout.com/a.z?s=162&p=8&c=1&nid=3717412
Here is a link to his scout profile page. Not that surprising after his great showing at the Elite 11 camp. I dont think he'll jump toa 5-star on rivals yet, but an aboverage senior season could make it happen for him.
August 17th, 2009 at 4:27 AM ^
That's my favorite portmanteau ever.
August 17th, 2009 at 10:26 AM ^
Aboverage FTW!
August 17th, 2009 at 3:47 AM ^
It appears they've also updated the Scout 300:
http://recruiting.scout.com/a.z?s=73&p=9&c=4&pid=88&yr=2010
August 17th, 2009 at 4:03 AM ^
The green wall has now penetrated scout.com. It looks like 300 the movie with all those spartans in there.
August 17th, 2009 at 7:14 AM ^
We both have 5 in the top 300.
August 17th, 2009 at 7:17 AM ^
I know, Im just not use to seeing that many highly rated MSU commits this early in the process.
August 17th, 2009 at 11:47 AM ^
Austin White is just outside the top 100.
August 17th, 2009 at 4:16 AM ^
Rivals is, as Sommy implied, much tougher with the fifth star this year, so I don't know if Devin will be able to get it. He's a lock for the top 100 when they update again, and should continue to move up if (as) he explodes in his senior year, and they always give extra attention to the guys playing in the all-star games, so it's possible. If I had to guess, assuming he stays healthy, keeps progressing and tears it up on the field like he should, I bet he finishes in the top 50 on Rivals, but doesn't get his fifth star there.
August 17th, 2009 at 6:56 AM ^
More importantly, he jumps Gholston! Unfortunately, they now have a better average recruit rating.
August 17th, 2009 at 7:12 AM ^
As far as I'm concerned devin gardner needs at least 500 stars
August 17th, 2009 at 7:53 AM ^
This guy is getting a lot of hype now. All deserved now. Is he going to dominate his Senior year of high school? Thats whats so crazy here. He still gets to kill kids in high school for another season.
August 17th, 2009 at 9:48 AM ^
Now?
August 17th, 2009 at 10:32 AM ^
killing kids ≠ family values
August 17th, 2009 at 11:44 AM ^
What about the Manson family?
August 17th, 2009 at 8:45 AM ^
but do you actually care how many stars this kid gets? Don't get me wrong, I love that he has put some work in and has improved his throwing motion/accuracy. I just don't know why the opinoins of the ranking services matter. Is it so you can say, "Top ten recruiting class, baby!" ? We all know that RR and his staff are excellent at scouting and recruiting. Do you really need some non-football people to validate that?
Paying attention to recruiting services can be a good way to get through the offseason. However, you have to take all this stuff with a grain of salt. Did you read the story a few months ago about how the Miami (Fl) staff used rivals and scout to target their players? They had top ranked classes over and over and their program went into the dumps.(sounds a bit like ND?) Why is this? Scout and Rivals are fully staffed with people who aren't real scouts or coaches. They would probably benefit from hiring some, though.
If DG getting another star changes your opinion of him, then I think you might have bought in too much. This is a fantasy "mock draft" for fans to get into. It's something else they can gloat about, and until three years down the road none of us will know how good this class is. Football exists outside of these "experts," and if they were really good at what they did they would be on a real team's salary.
August 17th, 2009 at 9:10 AM ^
This arguement is what beating a dead horse looks like. I don't think anyone is saying they need DG to get that 5th star or they won't want him at UM.....They are simply saying they feel that he is worthy of the 5th star and it would be nice if he got it.
August 17th, 2009 at 10:36 AM ^
Well, sir, if this is a "mock draft" then I say it should be the end-all be-all of these players' careers. Just ask Mr. Crabtree
August 17th, 2009 at 10:05 AM ^
That is great news.
August 17th, 2009 at 10:18 AM ^
Looks like with the updated rankings Sadler, who Michigan passed on, is now rated higher than Hagerup.
August 17th, 2009 at 2:16 PM ^
Since MSU is beating Michingan in the instate recruiting, it's not obvious to all that MSU's commits are all more talented than UM's commits.
August 17th, 2009 at 10:20 AM ^
he went out and earned this.
August 17th, 2009 at 12:04 PM ^
If anyone is bored I think a before and after rankings chart would be nice to see. I see Jerald has become a 4 star again and Wilkins went to a 3 star, but I would like to see the position rankings change. (Ricardo: 19th WR to 25th WR)
August 17th, 2009 at 1:17 PM ^
Can I officially be excited about Gardner now because he has another * next to his name or do I hate him because 5* QBs are prima donna assholes who aren't MICHIGAN MEN?
August 17th, 2009 at 3:13 PM ^
I am fairly sure I am going to go watch a game or two at Inkster High this year...I only work a few minutes away.
August 17th, 2009 at 4:53 PM ^
I thought I read Inkster has no "home" games this year.
Inkster vs AA Pioneer in Ypsi this fall.
August 18th, 2009 at 11:29 PM ^
all of their games are on the road
August 20th, 2009 at 12:49 AM ^
...wtf... that's odd. Any particular reason?
August 17th, 2009 at 3:31 PM ^
Our long national nightmare is over.
August 18th, 2009 at 2:43 AM ^
THERE IS NO SOVIET DOMINATION OF EASTERN EUROPE.
Or Scout rankings.