2009 Football Recruiting Thread

2009? Didn't we just finish the '09 season?

 

South Carolina could be in very good or very bad shape after the All-American game on Saturday. I'll be watching and hoping that we get a few commitments. If the Cocks get a commitment from RB Marcus Lattimore, I will be pumped for 2010.

Fresno State's actually looking like it could bring in it's best class ever. I'm actually pretty sure Fresno has the highest rated recruiting class out of any mid-major team besides BYU and TCU.

 

Miami's class is pretty miserable looking right now. I get it, their plan is to nab all the South Florida kids, but when they let the big fish in the area get away to UF and FSU consistently, then the plan really isn't working. RB Storm Johnson should be a stud, but that's at the one position we already have a wealth of young talent.

 

Rutgers has a good, not great '10 class signed so far. The diamond in the rough is a kid they signed out of Lauderdale area in Florida. Marcus Thompson, a RB, who will most likely end up at LB'er IF he ever makes it up north and will be a stud for Schiano. The kid is a better looking prospect than a lot of 4 and some 5 stars down in talent rich FLA. The reason I say IF is there's still plenty of time for the Fla schools to come in and swoop this kid up. FSU and WVU have offered him as well.

A local gem to watch is DE/DT Dominique Easley out of Staten Island. The kid was already the highest rated recruit in NY state which I know isn't saying much however he blew up this past weekend at the Under Armour combine and is now a national recruit. He was the most dominant player there which says a lot considering there were 5 stars all over the place in attendance. He won MVP and ended up reneging on his verbal to Penn State and signing with the Gators. Kid's a big time player.

 

Well UCF, a day after losing to Rutgers, received commitments from it's two biggest recruits since Daunte Culpepper.

It's a shame, UCF has a great recruiter in David Kelly, but it's only a matter of time before he jumps ship. He turned down Arkansas, but still has a contract offer with Kiffin and Co.

It appears Jim Leavitt of USF is going to be fired, tons of potential FL talent could be back on the recruiting market, if true.

 

Seantrel Henderson is probably one the top recruits, if not the top in the country, should be an outstanding OT.

Ohio State and Notre Dame are probably the favorites.

http://www.twincities.com/ci_14166524?source=most_viewed

 

I've heard nothing but positive things about Lattimore. I hope he stays in SC, but is considering Penn St.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if Penn State stole him away. The same thing happened a few years ago when Rodney Kinlaw committed to the Nittany Lions over Clemson and Carolina.

 

Miami lost a probable early enrollee to Maryland, for pretty much no reason. Their response? To bring in a little known linebacker from Portland, Oregon... Nothing like that State of Miami, eh Coach Shannon?

I like what he did, getting the South Florida back in Miami, but he's clearly not going to be the coach that gets this team to the next level. The spiral might be over, but this feels like a middling ACC team to me still. I expect a very disappointing year in 2010, and a new staff in 2011.

 

I just looked at Florida's recruiting class so far. I'm pretty sure at some point in the next couple of seasons, they are going to have one of the best defensive lines of all time.

2010 - The #1 recruit in the nation: 5 star defensive end Ronald Powell, plus 5 star defensive tackles Shariff Floyd and Dominique Easley.

2009 - 5 star defensive tackle Gary Brown

2008 - 5 star defensive tackle Omar Hunter

That is a god-like rotation at defensive tackle.

 

Let's see, they lost Dunlap, Spikes, Wright, and Haden.

5 star defensive linemen like Powell and Easley can fill Dunlap's spot, 5 star Will Hill fills Wright's safety spot, 5 star Jelani Jenkins steps in a linebacker, and Janoris Jenkins slides over and takes the #1 corner spot.

Guys like Lawrence Marsh, Justin Trattou, and Ahmad Black also return.

Look, I hate the Gators too, but that defense isn't going to take a step back - they may even get better.

 

No doubt the Gators defense is going to be sick for years to come. Even with losing first rounders Haden, Dunlap and possibly Spikes they shouldn't miss a beat.

 

If everything goes the right way on National Signing Day, Fresno State will bring in it's best class ever.

Pat Hill finally realizes that the Dogs are going to have to score A LOT to beat Big Six opponents, so he's recruiting a ton of speed. Derek Carr is going to have a ton of weapons over the next few years.

Now that Ryan Mathews is gone, FS will switch to more of a pro-style spread offense...using a lot of 4 and 5 wide receiver sets. I'm predicting we'll have one of the nation's top passing offenses in 2010/2011/2012.

 

While I think Jelani Jenkins is gonna be a star, he isn't the guy who will be taking over Spikes' spot. That will be Jon Bostic, who is gonna be a heck of a player too. And Will Hill already started on the team, they used 3-3-5 so they had 3 safeties on the field. Truth be told, I prefer Hill to Wright, Wright often looked for a big hit when he didnt need to. They're bringing in a few big name safeties though so I don't see it being an issue. I think they lose the 3-3-5 though for this year and go to a more conventional D because the strength of the team now is the DL and LBs not the DBs. Janoris Jenkins is good, but hes not nearly as good as Joe Haden.

 

It looks like Fresno State will have a top 50 recruiting class. They definitely have one of the most talented mid-major recruiting classes. I'm excited for the future of this team...

It's always awesome to get a few kids to de-commit from USC and Cal.