20 highest-rated QB recruits in SEC history

[dduncan4163]

20 highest-rated QB recruits in SEC history


No. 17: James Banks, Tennessee
Class: 2002
Prospect rating:.9878
Another player who switched positions at the next level, Banks played quarterback and wide receiver as a freshman before switching to the latter full time as a sophomore. In 2003, he led the Vols with 42 catches for 621 yards. After his sophomore year, Banks was kicked off the team.


No. 16: Casey Clausen, Tennessee
Class: 2000
Prospect rating: .9896
Clausen ended his career at Tennessee second only to Peyton Manning in Vols’ passing yardage. He’s still in the top 10 in the SEC.In four years, Clausen completed 775 passes for 9,707 yards with 75 touchdowns and 31 interceptions.


There are a ton of busts of that list. Also the list only goes back to 2000 so that's why you don't see Peyton.

 

[dduncan4163]

Does anyone remember where Brandon Stewart and Tee Martin were ranked? Wasn't Brandon a 5 Star?

 

[Nasavol]

Does anyone remember where Brandon Stewart and Tee Martin were ranked? Wasn't Brandon a 5 Star?

Stewart was a 5 star and so was JD Booty I believe

 

[DiderotsGhost]

There are a ton of busts of that list.

That's almost an understatement! More busts on that list than QBs that "panned out."

The only ones that fully panned out were Matt Stafford, Chris Leak (though he struggled in early years), DJ Shockley, Tim Tebow, Aaron Murray, and Casey Clausen. Jason Campbell also probably qualifies, but was considered a disappointment till his Senior year.

Biggest takeaway from this list is that Mark Richt was very underrated when it came to devleoping QBs.

 

[fade route]

It's hard for me to believe that Murray threw for more yards than anyone in league history. That just doesn't seem real given the amount of talented QBs in the SECin the last 15-20 years.

 

[chattavol420]

Jonathan Compton was a 5 star and one of the top overall recruits in the country. I think the article missed him

 

[99gator]

It's hard for me to believe that Murray threw for more yards than anyone in league history. That just doesn't seem real given the amount of talented QBs in the SECin the last 15-20 years.

Played 4 years.

I know that's a "duh", but that's the thing here.

Florida's has 3 Heisman trophy winning QB's and a Heisman Runner-up QB and the school's all time leading passer is Chris Leak.

 

[IN Jed]

So the SEC started in 2000? Assinine.

 

[ochocinco]

Stewart was a 5 star and so was JD Booty I believe

Stewart 4
Booty 5
Martin 4

Peyton was a top 5 overall player in his class

 

[HighWaterVol]

20 highest-rated QB recruits in SEC history


No. 17: James Banks, Tennessee
Class: 2002
Prospect rating:.9878
Another player who switched positions at the next level, Banks played quarterback and wide receiver as a freshman before switching to the latter full time as a sophomore. In 2003, he led the Vols with 42 catches for 621 yards. After his sophomore year, Banks was kicked off the team.


No. 16: Casey Clausen, Tennessee
Class: 2000
Prospect rating: .9896
Clausen ended his career at Tennessee second only to Peyton Manning in Vols’ passing yardage. He’s still in the top 10 in the SEC.In four years, Clausen completed 775 passes for 9,707 yards with 75 touchdowns and 31 interceptions.


There are a ton of busts of that list. Also the list only goes back to 2000 so that's why you don't see Peyton.

What about T.Bray?

 

[bigl3327]

This only goes back as far as the modern recruiting number system. It is not an actual list of the greatest in SEC history. Since the current bummer system was implemented in 2000, Vince Young is the highest rated high school quarterback ever.

 

[BallinVol]

Jonathan Compton was a 5 star and one of the top overall recruits in the country. I think the article missed him

Article was Straight outta Compton ...

 

[Volsfaninva917]

What about T.Bray?

3 star

 

[TAF]

What about T.Bray?

3 star

1 Star Brain

 

[Nasavol]

Stewart 4
Booty 5
Martin 4

Peyton was a top 5 overall player in his class

Thanks for the correction, getting older, memory not quite as good.

 

[Roustabout]

That's almost an understatement! More busts on that list than QBs that "panned out."

The only ones that fully panned out were Matt Stafford, Chris Leak (though he struggled in early years), DJ Shockley, Tim Tebow, Aaron Murray, and Casey Clausen. Jason Campbell also probably qualifies, but was considered a disappointment till his Senior year.

Biggest takeaway from this list is that Mark Richt was very underrated when it came to devleoping QBs.

It's even worse when you look at the NFL and how many top rated HS QBs make it or succeed.

 

[walkenvol]

Stewart 4
Booty 5
Martin 4

Peyton was a top 5 overall player in his class

I've still got the newspaper article listing the "Nation's top 50 recruits" when Peyton was a HS senior. Below are the top 6 QB's listed by order. The number shows where they landed in the overall rankings.

1. Josh Booty
2. Peyton Manning
20. Mark Farris
24. Brandon Stewart
37. Lloyd Abramson
47. John D. Phillips

They didn't have the Star ranking system back then like they do today, but as they typically rank the top 30-50 players as 5* then both Manning and Stewart would be considered 5* recruits.

Interesting that some of the earliest national rankings that I have are from a group called "Nation's top 100". Guess they were the precursor to Rivals and 247?

 

[overseasorange2]

Stewart 4
Booty 5
Martin 4

Peyton was a top 5 overall player in his class

Now we only take 3* QB's

 

[golfballs]

Looked at the title quickly and thought it said "20 highest paid QB recruits in SEC history"

 

[LWSVOL]

I've still got the newspaper article listing the "Nation's top 50 recruits" when Peyton was a HS senior. Below are the top 6 QB's listed by order. The number shows where they landed in the overall rankings.

1. Josh Booty
2. Peyton Manning
20. Mark Farris
24. Brandon Stewart
37. Lloyd Abramson
47. John D. Phillips

They didn't have the Star ranking system back then like they do today, but as they typically rank the top 30-50 players as 5* then both Manning and Stewart would be considered 5* recruits.

Interesting that some of the earliest national rankings that I have are from a group called "Nation's top 100". Guess they were the precursor to Rivals and 247?

National Recruiting Adviser was Rivals before the internet craze. NRA started in 1993. They produced magazine to recap recruiting along with monthly letters.

Of course the guys that created NRA & Rivals, created 247 and are currently involved there.

Tom Lemming had recruiting service before 1993 but I'm not certain when he began his. I have data from Lemmings rankings that go back to 1990.

I've gotten rid of all the hard copy I had with the above info and have the data in spreadsheets that I wanted to keep.

Before the above, you had various services with Joe Terranova the first I remember. He goes back to late 60s / early 70s. Max Emfinger out of Texas was another.

 

[LWSVOL]

From Tom Lemming, 1990 rankings. His QB list

Rank Quarterbacks School

1 Weinke, Chris Florida St
2 Gundy, Cale Oklahoma
3 Thomas, Mike North Carolina
4 Knecht, Tommy Stanford
5 Pickens, Joe Ohio St
6 Clements, Steve Texas
7 Bledsoe, Drew Washington St
8 Collins, Todd Michigan
9 Bender, Geoff North Carolina St
9T Jenson, Jon Duke
10 Costa, Frank Miami
11 Handy, Jeff Missouri
12 Schade, Tim TCU
13 Jones, Pookie Kentucky
14 Deshazio, Maurice Virginia Tech
15 Granger, Jeff Texas A&M
16 Dupree, Joe Georgia
17 Collins, Kerry Penn St
18 Hawkins, BJ Notre Dame
19 Coleman, Millard Michigan St
20 Harrison, Preston Ohio St
21 Gelzheiser, Brian Penn St
22 Wilburn, Terry South Carolina
23 Gragnano, Todd Nebraska
24 Dean, Terry Florida
25 Schultz, Randall Rice
26 Stenstrom, Steve Stanford
27 Cerasani, Tom Wisconsin
28 Emerson, Steve Texas A&M
29 Jones, Matt Nebraska
30 Austin, Jay Florida
31 Kinney, Mike Kentucky
32 Womack, Doug Syracuse
33 Colquitt, Jerry Tennessee
34 Harrell, Maurice Georgia
35 Paci, John Indiana
36 Sacca, John Penn St
37 Barr, Dave California
38 O'Laughlin, JJ Illinois
39 Richardson, Jermaine Toledo
40 Levy, Charles Arizona
41 White, Dan Penn St
42 Bostick, Charles Georgia St
43 O'Neil, Dan Oregon
44 Frederick, Kurt South Carolina
45 McDougal, Kevin Notre Dame
46 Pearl, Clarzell Boston College
47 McDowell, Eric South Carolina
48 Evans, Chandler Houston
49 Woody, Rock Alabama
50 Bjornson, Eric Washington
51 Christopher, Steve Alabama
52 Hancock, Ryan BYU
53 Eckers, Scott Minnesota
54 Cates, Toby South Carolina
55 Scarpino, Tony Maryland
56 Jack, Jason Alabama
57 Allen, Jonathan West Virginia

 

[wisvol22]

From Tom Lemming, 1990 rankings. His QB list

Rank Quarterbacks School

1 Weinke, Chris Florida St
2 Gundy, Cale Oklahoma
3 Thomas, Mike North Carolina
4 Knecht, Tommy Stanford

The wildest part about this 1990 list is that Chris Weinke didn't play his last college football season until the 2000 season due to his baseball career.

 

[illinoisvolfan1]

And only Matthew Stafford has done anything as a pro.

 

[livefaith]

Thanks for the old lists guys. Reinforces the fact that playing football as a profession is extremely rare.

 

[perico]

Stewart 4
Booty 5
Martin 4

Peyton was a top 5 overall player in his class

Martin and Stewart were both 5 stars according to some pubs