FredWhite2
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2009
- Messages
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First off let me say that I am very pleased with the effort and diligence Coach Butch Jones and his staff have given toward landing top tier talent since he was hired. Much of the credit for this class goes to Jay Graham and Tommy Thigpen IMO. Graham not only held together our commits after Dooley, but helped get us in with guys like: Lawson, Ford, and North.
Prediction on Finish:
Bell
Dobbs
Levenberry
Johnson
Brown
Boyd
Miller
I do not understand for the life of me why we could not get a top tier RB in this class (Assuming Ford goes to the barn). Our O-line next year should be one of the top units in the COUNTRY. Add that to immediate playing time at an SEC school with the facilities, tradition, and fan base that we have and it shouldn't be too hard for a kid to see the opportunity here. This area is really the only negative thing I have for this class.
Maybin, North, Carr, Levenberry, (Johnson), and Bell will all be solid contributors from day one. These are the type of kid we need to be signing on a consistent basis to return to prominence. It's unfortunate that Lawson stuck with Auburn as he would've helped us a lot in recruiting not only this year, but for years to come as he is not only one of the best players in the country, but a solid young man as well.
Bellamy seems to be headed to UGA as Grantham was able to sell him on playing time and the chance to be the "next Jarvis Jones." Don't blame the kid if that is who he chooses.
Ford's interview today paired with the Jabo committment have led most to believe he is headed to Auburn. This kid showed a lot of interest in TN and is a tough one to lose as he will be a solid RB in the near future.
Morris has been an odd recruitment. All reports were that he wanted to wear orange, but BOTH staffs seemed to pass on him regardless of his 4* status (which I'm sure will piss off some star gazers on here). He will have a UT hat on the table, but seems to be solid to UCLA most believe.
The talent level in TN this year and next can compete with most other states in the country in terms of top tier prospects. Obviously not California, Texas, or Florida, but our home state is producing better quality talent as of late.
2013: Ramsey, Herron, Bell, Maybin, Carr, Dodson, Elder, Wilkins, Morris, etc...
2014: Kelly jr, Wharton, Gaulden, Bars, Malone, Hurd, Wilson, and look for other to emerge this summer.
The point is we have to rebuild our image with our home state talent to be successful. We cannot allow the: Urban Meyer, Hugh Freeze, Nick Saban, Jimbo Fisher, Will Muschamp, and yes (as much as it kills me to say it) James Franklin, to come in and take or fight us for top tier kids in our own backyard. We have to be able to go into 90% of kids from TN living rooms and say "we'd love for you to wear orange for the next 4 years" and have it be a done deal. Dooley killed us with in state kids over the past three years b/c he failed to establish solid relationships with high school coaches as well as put the required effort into courting a top tier talented kid. (See Vonn Bell recruitment)
I hope tomorrow goes great for us as CBJ and co. look to bring us back to a winning tradition. I'll be at the celebration Thursday morning in Memphis and hope to have something to get excited about after tomorrow.
GBO
Prediction on Finish:
Bell
Dobbs
Levenberry
Johnson
Brown
Boyd
Miller
I do not understand for the life of me why we could not get a top tier RB in this class (Assuming Ford goes to the barn). Our O-line next year should be one of the top units in the COUNTRY. Add that to immediate playing time at an SEC school with the facilities, tradition, and fan base that we have and it shouldn't be too hard for a kid to see the opportunity here. This area is really the only negative thing I have for this class.
Maybin, North, Carr, Levenberry, (Johnson), and Bell will all be solid contributors from day one. These are the type of kid we need to be signing on a consistent basis to return to prominence. It's unfortunate that Lawson stuck with Auburn as he would've helped us a lot in recruiting not only this year, but for years to come as he is not only one of the best players in the country, but a solid young man as well.
Bellamy seems to be headed to UGA as Grantham was able to sell him on playing time and the chance to be the "next Jarvis Jones." Don't blame the kid if that is who he chooses.
Ford's interview today paired with the Jabo committment have led most to believe he is headed to Auburn. This kid showed a lot of interest in TN and is a tough one to lose as he will be a solid RB in the near future.
Morris has been an odd recruitment. All reports were that he wanted to wear orange, but BOTH staffs seemed to pass on him regardless of his 4* status (which I'm sure will piss off some star gazers on here). He will have a UT hat on the table, but seems to be solid to UCLA most believe.
The talent level in TN this year and next can compete with most other states in the country in terms of top tier prospects. Obviously not California, Texas, or Florida, but our home state is producing better quality talent as of late.
2013: Ramsey, Herron, Bell, Maybin, Carr, Dodson, Elder, Wilkins, Morris, etc...
2014: Kelly jr, Wharton, Gaulden, Bars, Malone, Hurd, Wilson, and look for other to emerge this summer.
The point is we have to rebuild our image with our home state talent to be successful. We cannot allow the: Urban Meyer, Hugh Freeze, Nick Saban, Jimbo Fisher, Will Muschamp, and yes (as much as it kills me to say it) James Franklin, to come in and take or fight us for top tier kids in our own backyard. We have to be able to go into 90% of kids from TN living rooms and say "we'd love for you to wear orange for the next 4 years" and have it be a done deal. Dooley killed us with in state kids over the past three years b/c he failed to establish solid relationships with high school coaches as well as put the required effort into courting a top tier talented kid. (See Vonn Bell recruitment)
I hope tomorrow goes great for us as CBJ and co. look to bring us back to a winning tradition. I'll be at the celebration Thursday morning in Memphis and hope to have something to get excited about after tomorrow.
GBO
