2019 Recruiting Class Thread

[cjrugger]

Awesome class so far, its been a lot of fun following recruiting under this staff.

Was looking around for some lower rated guys we could look at going forward- to me we still need DTs (hopefully JHH and Ellies, along with Vilbert) and another WR and was intrigued by the below:

https://247sports.com/Player/Charles-Njoku-46038824/ David and Evidence's brother, decommited from Mizzou recently
https://247sports.com/Player/Stanley-King-88590/

A few other names-

https://247sports.com/Player/Cameron-Williams-46042982/ Miami commit who didn't sign, Dunmore's teammate

https://247sports.com/Player/Jason-Bargy-88122/ Anyone know the story here, academics?

Really deep sleeper:
https://247sports.com/player/joseph-appiah-darkwa-46079232/

 

[cjrugger]

If PSU could have added 1 player to this class, my choice would have been Alfano, DT from NJ. That's one that got away.....

Love Alfano but I'd pick Lewis Cine- think the talent gap from our safety play to the Bama/Clemson/OSU level has been the biggest gap on the field the last few years

 

[eidolon21]

CJF should be calling POA if that is allowed right now!

 

[Shadow99]

If PSU could have added 1 player to this class, my choice would have been Alfano, DT from NJ. That's one that got away.....

This could be incorrect, but talent notwithstanding, the discussion at the time was that the DT intended to commit more than once and was told no due to off-field concerns, and then decided to move on instead of waiting on a green light, especially considering his offer sheet?

 

[Raffycorn]

This could be incorrect, but talent notwithstanding, the discussion at the time was that the DT intended to commit more than once and was told no due to off-field concerns, and then decided to move on instead of waiting on a green light, especially considering his offer sheet?

That's the situation as I recall it, as well. Time will tell and hindsight will probably judge whether the staff made the right call at the time - but their evaluations of prospects when it comes to kids dealing with various off-field concerns have been pretty good so far.

 

[GregInPitt]

Seems that the staff will be out looking for an OT as part of the class. Obviously the staff is trying to close on the DT's which everyone knows and who PSU seems to lead for. But at OT there seems to be less clarity - the oh-high-ya commit, Nester, will continue to be a priority until he signs somewhere.

But the other OT possibilities seem to be Jonathan Allen that may be waiting for an oh-high-ya commitable offer, and the big kid from IN that was recently offered, Dawand Jones.

Anyone hear of any other OT's that may be on the staff's radar?

 

[ChiTownLion]

 

[Judge Smails]

Great post on MGoBlog about Michigan's class and them processing players...




In reply to Exactly, Michigan could cut…by Magnum P.I.

andrewgr

December 19th, 2018 at 3:02 PM ^

I guess it depends on how fast UM is willing to process out the lottery tickets that aren't winners. Way back in the day, before Harbaugh became head coach, mgoblog members were almost universal in their scorn, derision, and disgust for programs like Alabama (and, though there was never very much evidence to support it, supposedly OSU) that processed under-performing players. It wasn't The Michigan Way. Michigan wins with Integrity. These aren't just football players, they're students who are part of the Michigan Family.

Of course, that was all bullshit. As soon as Harbaugh stopped returning phone calls from verbal commits he soured on and started processing players in greater numbers than Urban Meyer ever dreamed of, it's all "This is how it's done in modern college football", and "The kids know the score, they know what they're getting into, if they want to go to a major program this is what it's going to be like". Until finally you log on one day to people celebrating the idea that you can take flyers on almost half of your class and just consider them lottery tickets, because if they don't pan out you can just send them on their way and use the spots a year or two down the road.

One thing's for sure, you can't believe that taking 12 extra 3 star players is a good thing AND believe that players shouldn't be processed if they don't pan out. Those are incompatible beliefs. If you take 12 lottery tickets every year, that's 48 in a 4-year window. That's over half the roster. The only way it works is if you're making sure that a sizable number of them get medical redshirts, transfer, or quit. Which didn't used to be okay in these parts.

 

[Judge Smails]

Compare and contrast ChiTown's post with Franklin's speech to the parents (and he walks the walk with that) and mine above with what Harbaugh is doing.

 

[bdgan]

Great post on MGoBlog about Michigan's class and them processing players...




In reply to Exactly, Michigan could cut…by Magnum P.I.

andrewgr

December 19th, 2018 at 3:02 PM ^

I guess it depends on how fast UM is willing to process out the lottery tickets that aren't winners. Way back in the day, before Harbaugh became head coach, mgoblog members were almost universal in their scorn, derision, and disgust for programs like Alabama (and, though there was never very much evidence to support it, supposedly OSU) that processed under-performing players. It wasn't The Michigan Way. Michigan wins with Integrity. These aren't just football players, they're students who are part of the Michigan Family.

Of course, that was all bullshit. As soon as Harbaugh stopped returning phone calls from verbal commits he soured on and started processing players in greater numbers than Urban Meyer ever dreamed of, it's all "This is how it's done in modern college football", and "The kids know the score, they know what they're getting into, if they want to go to a major program this is what it's going to be like". Until finally you log on one day to people celebrating the idea that you can take flyers on almost half of your class and just consider them lottery tickets, because if they don't pan out you can just send them on their way and use the spots a year or two down the road.

One thing's for sure, you can't believe that taking 12 extra 3 star players is a good thing AND believe that players shouldn't be processed if they don't pan out. Those are incompatible beliefs. If you take 12 lottery tickets every year, that's 48 in a 4-year window. That's over half the roster. The only way it works is if you're making sure that a sizable number of them get medical redshirts, transfer, or quit. Which didn't used to be okay in these parts.

Nobody has been able to explain how schools can process players when the BiG guarantees 4 year scholarships. I don't think a kid that transfers because he was told he won't play was "processed". I don't know the loopholes. Can they convert to a medical scholarship against his will to open up a spot? Can they remove kids from the roster but keep his academic scholarship?

 

[CampbellLION]

For sure. That was the biggest miss. Truss comes to mind quickly as well.

Alfano tried to commit to us twice and both times Franklin turned him away.

 

[CampbellLION]

That was a very interesting bit of information. I don't have the transcript in front of me, but JF really showed that he was annoyed with the midnight phone call after Cain previously verbaled to JF. Called it a "heated discussion", talked about how he was in his jammies or something. To talk that openly about his annoyance in a PC was unusual.

I didn't think Franklin sounded annoyed, just giving some insight to what goes on behind the scenes.

 

[Art]

Nobody has been able to explain how schools can process players when the BiG guarantees 4 year scholarships. I don't think a kid that transfers because he was told he won't play was "processed". I don't know the loopholes. Can they convert to a medical scholarship against his will to open up a spot?

Schools can do whatever they want. Can a "processed" athlete take a grievance as to how he was handled to the Big Ten? No, I didn't think so.

 

[HazletonLion]

Alfano tried to commit to us twice and both times Franklin turned him away.

I didn't know that.

 

[MoyerJones]

Alfano tried to commit to us twice and both times Franklin turned him away.

Care to share the details? Thanks.

 

[Judge Smails]

 

[PearlSUJam]

I didn't think Franklin sounded annoyed, just giving some insight to what goes on behind the scenes.

I agree. He also talked about how nervous he was even after the press conference while waiting for the paperwork to faxed. He said all of the other commits had their paperwork to him by 8:30ish.

 

[bdgan]

Love Alfano but I'd pick Lewis Cine- think the talent gap from our safety play to the Bama/Clemson/OSU level has been the biggest gap on the field the last few years

I think the biggest gap has been LB. Apke & Allen weren't too bad at S.

 

[Raffycorn]

I think the biggest gap has been LB. Apke & Allen weren't too bad at S.

I think Golden is a better comparison. Apke was average as a senior in 2017, but Golden was a very solid safety in 2016. Allen would have been a contributor-to-starter anywhere.

 

[anon_1eeb2b426hv3y]

Alfano tried to commit to us twice and both times Franklin turned him away.

I’ve read that a few times. Assuming it’s true, I guess there wasn’t a miss on the recruit, just the talent at a position of major need. It’s CJF’s ship to steer. I’m just looking at two guys it seemed we were bound to land and didn’t. I hope we get these other two DTs and perhaps another OT. And they play for us. And well.

 

[CampbellLION]

I didn't know that.

Back in the summer on two separate occasions Alfano set a commitment date. Both times the staff told him to hold off and no announcement was made. Alfano has had off the field issues (he's changed schools multiple times). The specifics haven't been made public but it's been said the staff wanted Alfano to work on some things before he was able to commit.

 

[anon_1eeb2b426hv3y]

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That’s a sick number of EEs.

 

[Mister Magoo]

That’s a sick number of EEs.

Smith and Cain[If Miles declares) could be on the field very early.

 

[PearlSUJam]

Smith and Cain[If Miles declares) could be on the field very early.

Cain ahead of Ford?

 

[ChiTownLion]

 

[ChiTownLion]

 

[SUPERTODD]

Cain ahead of Ford?

Cain is more of a power back. Ford has a skill set closer to Slade.

 

[TheGLOV]

Cain is more of a power back. Ford has a skill set closer to Slade.

TODD, do you think (when you watch film of both of them) that Ford is faster than Slade??

Yes, I do think both are FAST but,.....

 

[ChiTownLion]

 

[GregInPitt]

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Wouldn't you love to be sitting next to Joey P Sr. at a game? He's got to be the most intense individual I have rooted for in sports.... Loved how he prodded the bozo Bengals into the penalties that caused the Bungles to give the Steelers a game a while back..... Not sure his former methods would fit into CJF's sportsmanship guidelines!!

 

[Jaymar80]

Either way you look at it, whether it's Sanders, Brown, Holmes, Slade, Ford, or Cain, or RB room is stacked!! And next year could be as good, if not better than the last 2 classes!!

 

[Judge Smails]

I think Nolan Smith was just making sure his $$$ offer from Georgia was upped by his all caps tweets regarding his PSU visit. From his twitter account:

 

[anon_1eeb2b426hv3y]

Cain ahead of Ford?

Cain looks DURABLE. If miles declares, I wouldn’t be surprised if, by season-end, Cain might be backed up by Slade with Ford playing in 4 games. Add in the ND transfer, and this RB room looks RE-dic!!!!

If these guys can block, what an embarrassment of riches. I don’t know how they sell PSU on next year’s RB recruits. I guess the same way Bama sells any position on their roster...

 

[Judge Smails]

 

[ChiTownLion]

 

[ChiTownLion]

 

[bdgan]

Cain ahead of Ford?

Hope that Smith will be ready as a true freshman but that's a lot to ask. Parsons & Brown will start at OLB and Johnson will start in the middle. I assume Brooks & Luketa will back up Johnson so there's plenty of opportunity for Smith to see some backup reps on the outside.

Cain's opportunities might depend on if Sanders returns.

 

[19333lion]

We'll see if that was actually a miss. His camp footage is awful, but you can't teach size.

He was another my my 'meh' candidates. We'll see, but I think we will do just as well with our other OT recruits, all one of them so far!

 

[mrmk5110]

He was another my my 'meh' candidates. We'll see, but I think we will do just as well with our other OT recruits, all one of them so far!

Not that the camps mean much, and things can change, but yeah I watched his camp footage at the 5 star challenge for the first time today and he was getting worked pretty good. Looks like he needs to work on leg strength as he was repeatedly getting pushed back into the QB.

 

[Springcity]

For sure. That was the biggest miss. Truss comes to mind quickly as well.

David Bell