ESPN Top150 for 2013 is out - 1st rankings

[The Waco Kid]

ESPN Football Recruiting - Player Rankings - ESPN

Bama already on a roll, as usual.

[oryankees]

Originally Posted by The Waco Kid

ESPN Football Recruiting - Player Rankings - ESPN

Bama already on a roll, as usual.

you already know Mackensie Alexander is rated a 5 star because he's not committed to UT anymore.

ESPN hates UT

[SPEDVoL14]

It is interesting to see how they rank their QBs. Hackernberg is #1, ahead of Max Browne, and Darryl Richardson is ranked above Vandy's commit J. McCrary. Trubisky and Ferguson are also ranked alot higher on ESPN.

[TBtheGBwiththeTD]

UT behind early as usual haha.

but seriously, UGA, Auburn, Florida, Alabama all seem to be in great shape already. this is a start gazer point of view, but we need to start winning NOW, if we want to be relevant in the 2013 class.

[The Waco Kid]

I disagree...............Florida will, once again, suck this year and be a 7-5 or 8-4 team at best.

I still think we will have a decent class in spite of our programs downfall and relative weak state right now.

Sure winning helps, but kids want to play in the SEC, so record doesn't always dictate good or bad classes. Look at UT's class last year.............a top 15 class or whatever and didn't even go to a bowl.

Remarkable.

[General Jack]

Not a single commit on the list... sigh. It would be nice to start off strong at some point.

[bigorange61]

Hard to compete with the in-state talent of Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, and Florida.

[RhodesVol]

Originally Posted by General Jack

Not a single commit on the list... sigh. It would be nice to start off strong at some point.

They also have Austin Sanders unranked...I just don't put a ton of stock in ESPN's rankings and evaluations. Sure they can sniff the other services enough to see the top ten players, but their rankings are suspect at best.

[The Waco Kid]

Originally Posted by bigorange61

Hard to compete when the in-state talent of Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, and Florida.

You guys weren't saying that when Fulmer was reeling in top 5 classes.

That stuff is easy to use as an excuse imo. Sure it helps, but let's be honest, Fulmer did it and it is done by other schools too that don't necessarily have a "built-in" talent pool.

Say what you want, but Kiffin's class, reagrdless of where it stands now, had kids coming to UT in his only year.

[rjd970]

Some of this star stuff seems like it is self fulfilling. Kids are rated high because bama/etc is after them...its almost like these services bump kids just because they have committed to a certain school.

[The Waco Kid]

Originally Posted by RhodesVol

They also have Austin Sanders unranked...I just don't put a ton of stock in ESPN's rankings and evaluations. Sure they can sniff the other services enough to see the top ten players, but their rankings are suspect at best.

Disagree. ESPN is the best one out there. Rivals and scout aren't even close to what they used to be.

[Uzzi91]

Texas AnM looks solid too. Don't sleep on Carl Lawson. A birdy told me this is not a done deal with auburn and UT is very much on his mind.

[The Waco Kid]

Originally Posted by rjd970

Some of this star stuff seems like it is self fulfilling. Kids are rated high because bama/etc is after them...its almost like these services bump kids just because they have committed to a certain school.

Even more of a reason for your fanbase not to flip their lid when Dooley gets a 3 star kid to commit All they see is "only 3-star" and don't trust the fact the coaches like the kid for your program.

[The Waco Kid]

The flip side to all of this is classes mean nothing without coaching.

Look at Florida's classes the last 3 years. Alot of good it's done our program.

[SEAL_9821]

Originally Posted by bigorange61

Hard to compete when the in-state talent of Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, and Florida.

You said it! We use to be able to because of our top facilities but now that almost every SEC school has equal to or better facilities, we can no longer win that battle. However, it's a fact that kids now more than ever are staying closer to home. We are flat out in a bad geographical location for an SEC team to recruit top 5 classes every yr. Winning will make a huge difference in my opinion. I also think we need to start winning the both Carolina states and Virginia again to be were we once were. Our roster in the 90's always had some studs from either Virginia or Carolina areas.