See, the big thing is to rate recruiting classes. USC has the number 1 class, Penn State was off in recruiting this year, they had the number 25 class...and so on and so on. But what does that really mean. Three years later, after those recruiting classes, does that mean that the number 1 ranked class puts a much better product out on the field than say the number 56 ranked class.
SI.Com's Andy Staples looks back at the College Football recruiting class of 2006 and see's of anyone knows anything:
2006 Rivals Rank: No. 2 Record since 2006: 35-62008 record: 13-1Conference titles: Two
2008 Starters: QB Tim Tebow, WR Percy Harvin, KR Brandon James, DE Jermaine Cunningham, G Carl Johnson, DT Lawrence Marsh, DT Terron Sanders, LB Brandon Spikes, WR Riley Cooper.
Analysis: The Gators grabbed a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback (Tebow), a dynamic receiver/tailback (Harvin), a bone-crushing middle linebacker (Spikes) and a field-tilting return man (James). All four played supporting roles in Florida's 2006 BCS title run, and they and their classmates were the nucleus of the 2008 BCS title team.
2. Oklahoma
2006 Rivals Rank: No. 9 Record since 2006: 34-82008 Record: 12-2Conference titles: Three
2008 Starters: DE Jeremy Beal, QB Sam Bradford, RB Chris Brown, CB Dominique Franks, TE Jermaine Gresham, RB Mossis Madu, DT Gerald McCoy, RB Demarco Murray, DT Adrian Taylor, OT Trent Williams.
Analysis: This class includes the reigning Heisman winner (Bradford), a three-headed monster of a backfield (Murray, Brown, Madu), a game-changing tight end (Gresham) and three-fourths of one of the nation's best defensive line. In 2009, expect at least three more members of this class to win starting jobs.
2006 Rivals Rank: No. 1 Record since 2006: 34-52008 Record: 12-1Conference titles: Three
2008 Starters: G Zach Heberer, G Butch Lewis, S Taylor Mays, FB Stanley Havili, RB C.J. Gable, RB Stafon Johnson, TE Anthony McCoy, CB Shareece Wright.
Analysis: This tailback-heavy class lived up to its lofty hype, producing some excellent backs (Gable, Johnson), college football's best safety (Mays) and a shutdown corner (Wright). Two players, RB Emmanuel Moody (who transferred and helped Florida to the 2008 BCS title) and Vidal Hazelton (who is transferring this offseason), left, but the Trojans haven't suffered. They also gained the 2006 class' No. 2 quarterback (Mitch Mustain) and No. 9 receiver (Damian Williams), who each transferred from Arkansas after the 2006 season.
4. Georgia
2006 Rivals Rank: No. 4 2008 Record: 10-3Record since 2006: 30-9Conference titles: Zero
2008 Starters: CB Asher Allen, DT Geno Atkins, G Chris Davis, OT Josh Davis, LB Akeem Dent, WR Kris Durham, S Reshad Jones, CB Prince Miller, RB Knowshon Moreno, QB Matthew Stafford.
Analysis: Stafford was the nation's top-ranked quarterback in 2006, ahead of eventual Heisman winners Tebow and Bradford. Three years later, Stafford could be the No. 1-overall pick in the NFL draft. Classmate Moreno -- and possibly Allen -- will join him in the first round. Meanwhile, back in Athens, the rest of the class will likely notch double-digit wins again in 2009.
5. Oklahoma State
2006 Rivals Rank: No. 22 2008 record: 9-4Record since 2006: 23-16Conference titles: Zero
2008 starters: DE Derek Burton, DE Ugo Chinasa, WR DeMarcus Connor, CB Perrish Cox, LB Patrick Lavine, LB Orie Lemon, OT Russell Okung.
Analysis: Quarterback Zac Robinson (2005), receiver Dez Bryant (2007) and tailback Kendall Hunter (2007) were the stars of the Cowboys' 2008 rise, but plenty of credit for that improvement should go to left tackle Okung, the cornerstone of the 2006 class. And don't forget 2006 signee Dantrell Savage, a junior college transfer who rushed for 1,272 yards in 2007 before heading to the NFL.
6. Ohio State
2006 Rivals Rank: No. 20 2008 Record: 10-3Record since 2006: 33-6Conference titles: Two
2008 Starters: OT Bryant Browning, CB Chimdi Chekwa, S Kurt Coleman, DE Thaddeus Gibson, LB Ross Homan, RB Beanie Wells.
Analysis: The Buckeyes were a drastically different team without Wells, who missed three games early in 2008. Still, he rushed for 1,197 yards and helped bridge the gap in a "rebuilding" season that ended with a near-miss against Texas in the Fiesta Bowl. Thaddeus Gibson, who terrorized Penn State quarterback Daryll Clark when the teams met last season, is another potential star from this class.
7. Ole Miss
2006 Rivals Rank: No. 16 2008 Record: 9-4Record since 2006: 16-21Conference titles: Zero
2008 Starters: RB Cordera Eason, LB Jonathan Cornell, C Daverin Geralds, DE Greg Hardy, WR Shay Hodge, OT John Jerry, DE Kentrell Lockett, RB Dexter McCluster, DE Marcus Tillman, CB Cassius Vaughn, LB Allen Walker.
Analysis: The trendy 2009 preseason top 10 pick gathered most of its stars in 2006. Tennessee fans should be thrilled to read this, because Ed Orgeron, the coach who put this class together, is now the Volunteers' recruiting coordinator. McCluster, the ultimate Wild Rebel, was a 2006 signee. So was speed rusher Hardy. Another signee was 340-pound defensive tackle Jerrell Powe, who finally saw the field in 2008 after a long fight with the NCAA over his eligibility.
8. Missouri
2006 Rivals Rank: No. 47 2008 Record: 30-11Record since 2006: 10-4Conference titles: Zero
2008 Starters: C Tim Barnes, CB Castine Bridges, DE Tommy Chavis, WR Jeremy Maclin, WR Jared Perry, LB Sean Weatherspoon.
Analysis: Missouri's recruiting classes will receive higher rankings from 2008 forward because the 2005 and 2006 classes made the Tigers sexy. In 2005, the Chases (Daniel and Coffman) came to Columbia. In 2006, Maclin picked Missouri over Nebraska and Colorado. Meanwhile, Missouri's staff had to beat out Tulane, TCU, Houston and Iowa State for Weatherspoon, who grew into one of the Big 12's best linebackers.
9. Penn State
2006 Rivals Rank: No. 6 2008 Record: 11-2Record since 2006: 29-10Conference titles: One
2008 Starters: DE Aaron Maybin, DT Jared Odrick, DE Maurice Evans, RB Evan Royster, LB Navorro Bowman, CB A.J. Wallace.
Analysis: The big news a few weeks before National Signing Day in 2006 was offensive lineman Antonio Logan-El's switch from Maryland to Penn State. Logan-El quit the team before playing a down. The focus should have been on Maybin, another Maryland native. Maybin committed to the Nittany Lions in October 2005 and grew into the Big Ten's most dominant defender. Royster, who chose Penn State over Nebraska and Virginia, flew even further under the radar.
10. Texas Tech
2006 Rivals Rank: No. 25 2008 Record: 11-2Record since 2006: 28-11Conference titles: Zero
2008 Starters: WR Michael Crabtree, LB Brian Duncan, DT Ra'jon Henley, WR Lyle Leong, DE Brandon Williams, LB Marlon Williams.
Analysis: Red Raiders coach Mike Leach got a big assist from hoops coaches Bob and Pat Knight, who helped bring Crabtree to Lubbock. Crabtree came to college expecting to play football and basketball. He quickly learned the brighter future lay on the gridiron, though, and matured into college football's best receiver.
