'17 OH WR Jaylen Harris (Ohio St. commit)

[jbr82]

Don't see how we could pass up a recruit ranked 171 on the 247 composite. Right now Jones is ranked 833 and it would seem like a chance to upgrade. No disrespect to Jones.

Or are the elite to good teams pushing for these prospects to join their team.

 

[OGbabyaviVol]

Don't see how we could pass up a recruit ranked 171 on the 247 composite. Right now Jones is ranked 833 and it would seem like a chance to upgrade. No disrespect to Jones.

Well, Brandon Johnson wasn't ranked too highly in our last class, and there was a lot of whining about him, yet he's pushing to see playing time as a true FR on a championship caliber team. Not sure when some of you guys are going to start trusting our staff's evaluations. If this were 3 years ago, I would be concerned. However, since Butch is 3.5 years into his tenure and has flipped this roster with elite talent faster than any of us dreamed, I'm going to trust him and his staff's evaluations and recruiting abilities until proven otherwise.

 

[Tuckervol1003]

Well, Brandon Johnson wasn't ranked too highly in our last class, and there was a lot of whining about him, yet he's pushing to see playing time as a true FR on a championship caliber team. Not sure when some of you guys are going to start trusting our staff's evaluations. If this were 3 years ago, I would be concerned. However, since Butch is 3.5 years into his tenure and has flipped this roster with elite talent faster than any of us dreamed, I'm going to trust him and his staff's evaluations and recruiting abilities until proven otherwise.

Unfortunately, you are fighting a losing battle. Unless there are 4 or 5 stars next to a recruits name, they are discarded as fillers and of no great value to the program.

Makes me wonder where this program would be without all of those fillers who ended up being stars.

 

[Orange Studs]

Why?

Because we can only sign 25 from what I heard and seeing how many we are still on, what other option do you have if you got a better player for the same position? Don't take the better one? And its not like that hasn't happen before.

 

[Orange Studs]

"Like I've said, the staff really likes the group they've put together.

You get a mixed bag with Harris. Some love his size and potential, others aren't sure he's fast enough to play somewhere like Ohio State and Tennessee.

I think he's a good player and depending on what Tennessee wants to do he could be a fit here, but again, they really like their class and numbers are just really tight."

- Fortenberry

Why?

And then there's this message which if CBJ is happy with the WR group we got makes my comment mute. I thought Harris was one they really wanted.

 

[Atzar]

FWIW, Butch's rep prior to Tennessee was that he favored small, explosive WRs over big traditional outside WRs. And I really haven't seen anything from him at UT to alter that thought. He has recruited some big WRs here, but he hasn't used them very well to this point.

So if we really are kind of cool on this dude, that tendency could explain it.

 

[Ron Swanson]

FWIW, Butch's rep prior to Tennessee was that he favored small, explosive WRs over big traditional outside WRs. And I really haven't seen anything from him at UT to alter that thought. He has recruited some big WRs here, but he hasn't used them very well to this point.

So if we really are kind of cool on this dude, that tendency could explain it.

I think Butch wants all his WR's to have speed and it sounds like this guy might not have it per Fortenberry. Butch has recruited and signed quite a few tall WR's at UT and they all have speed.

 

[RiseToTheTop]

its easy to see Butch and the staff has shifted their focus to speedy, catch n run receivers for this spread offense. callaway, byrd, williams and the 2017 commits. Even Corey Henderson fit that. I actually think its a good thing. It fits the scheme more.

 

[Nashvegas31]

its easy to see Butch and the staff has shifted their focus to speedy, catch n run receivers for this spread offense. callaway, byrd, williams and the 2017 commits. Even Corey Henderson fit that. I actually think its a good thing. It fits the scheme more.

He still likes to have big targets as well for a mix of skill but yeah they had to really focus on guys that can do damage just by getting the ball in their hands. That was a glaring hole noticed after they lost Pig. All you had after that was Perry who can't stay healthy or apparently go to class. After this class it will probably be more even in terms of Big and small

 

[VolinArizona]

Don't see how we could pass up a recruit ranked 171 on the 247 composite. Right now Jones is ranked 833 and it would seem like a chance to upgrade. No disrespect to Jones.

You keep doing this and it shows your ignorance. I'm not hating on you personally but the rankings mean little to our coaches. You also want to drop Tucker because he's lower rated. He's got so much potential.

 

[jasonvol18]

Don't see how we could pass up a recruit ranked 171 on the 247 composite. Right now Jones is ranked 833 and it would seem like a chance to upgrade. No disrespect to Jones.

I will trust Butch on this one until he proves untrustworthy. Would be hard to pass up if he wanted in but if he likes guys like Jones better then I trust his evaluation. Sometimes a 5'9 3* with 4.5 speed fits what they want to do better than a 6'3 4* who runs a sub 4.4. They do recruit various types of receivers instead of 1 certain type so if he likes J.Jones better and prefers Holloman over Harris then I'm rolling with Butch until he starts wedding on his recruits.

 

[jasonvol18]

You keep doing this and it shows your ignorance. I'm not hating on you personally but the rankings mean little to our coaches. You also want to drop Tucker because he's lower rated. He's got so much potential.

Agreed and truth be told there are 4-5 different recruiting sites and one guy may be a high 4* on one then be a middle 3* on another. Exactly why I prefer going off the average of them all and even more importantly the offers they have and who they are from.

 

[OGbabyaviVol]

Unfortunately, you are fighting a losing battle. Unless there are 4 or 5 stars next to a recruits name, they are discarded as fillers and of no great value to the program.

Makes me wonder where this program would be without all of those fillers who ended up being stars.

We wouldn't have all the lofty expectations that we have entering this season.

 

[cncchris33]

Butch has yet to fail me in recruiting. I won't pretend to know more than he does until he gives me reason to. Several underrated recruits have gone on to play significant roles or project to outplay their recruiting rankings since he's been our coach.

You can maybe fairly question his in-game coaching to this point, but he's got this talent evaluation and recruiting thing locked down pretty well.

 

[Smokey123]

I think Butch wants all his WR's to have speed and it sounds like this guy might not have it per Fortenberry. Butch has recruited and signed quite a few tall WR's at UT and they all have speed.

Yup, and this imo was why our pass game struggled last season. Pearson ran something like a 4.8 40 at pro day! Malone is pretty fast but he wasn't that quick like Pig Howard, who did really well in Butch's scheme. Tbh Josh Smith might have been our best WR last year, and he fits CBJ's scheme very good. This year we have Callaway, Brandon Johnson, Latrell Williams, Byrd to help be that WR we have been missing since Pig. Then Malone, Preston, Jennings and George as deep threats/redzone targets. Would not be surprised if Dobbs passes for close to 3,000 yards in 12 games

 

[BondJamesBond]

Didn't we pick up a really big JUCO receiver last year? I wonder if CBJ recruits skill players somewhat situationally. You like speed, quickness, athleticism in most situations, but there are times you need that big strong guy who can catch on 3rd down at the 3. I think he is a little more strategic, not always favoring a single style, instead creating (hopefully) a series of options to call on when the circumstances warrant it. Same with fast backs and power backs. You'd like someone who was both, but you need to make sure you have the capability to be fast or powerful, depending on the opponent.

 

[Smokey49]

I'm rolling with Butch until he starts wedding on his recruits.

Groce!

 

[BruinVol]

I think Butch wants all his WR's to have speed and it sounds like this guy might not have it per Fortenberry. Butch has recruited and signed quite a few tall WR's at UT and they all have speed.

Yep

This guy has TE written all over him IMO

 

[Eastsidevol]

its easy to see Butch and the staff has shifted their focus to speedy, catch n run receivers for this spread offense. callaway, byrd, williams and the 2017 commits. Even Corey Henderson fit that. I actually think its a good thing. It fits the scheme more.

If this were true then it wouldn't make sense for us to recruit Fant. Fant runs a 4.64 while Harris runs a 4.52. Jones runs a 4.50 and is only slightly faster than Harris. Sounds like Harris is fast enough to me.

 

[ionaVOL]

If this were true then it wouldn't make sense for us to recruit Fant. Fant runs a 4.64 while Harris runs a 4.52. Jones runs a 4.50 and is only slightly faster than Harris. Sounds like Harris is fast enough to me.

Did you get those "vitals" from Tony? If so, then this discussion is over because they might as well be carved in stone by the the Man himself.

 

[Eastsidevol]

Did you get those "vitals" from Tony? If so, then this discussion is over because they might as well be carved in stone by the the Man himself.

I forgot to add that Murphy runs a 4.50. I pulled the numbers from Scout and 247. If someone has better numbers I would like to see them.

Harris is clearly much faster than Fant. It seems to me that Butch would want to go with the faster and more highly ranked WR. Not downplaying what we currently have, it might just be a case of Butch not wanting the negative pub of pulling offers. Otherwise it just doesn't make sense.

 

[ionaVOL]

Here's a thought..instead of checking recruiting sites such as Scout and 247, maybe Butch had all these potential players come to campus and work out at a camp. Then, our staff was able to view all of them in person and decide who was actually the football player they preferred, not based on recruiting site numbers and highlight films, but actual in person performance.

 

[Eastsidevol]

Here's a thought..instead of checking recruiting sites such as Scout and 247, maybe Butch had all these potential players come to campus and work out at a camp. Then, our staff was able to view all of them in person and decide who was actually the football player they preferred, not based on recruiting site numbers and highlight films, but actual in person performance.

That is possible. It is my opinion that there is a strong correlation between recruiting rankings and success in college football. I just think it is extremely hard for a staff to find a ton of diamonds in the rough. Usually, if not always, teams with the top ranked classes are the ones winning championships.

 

[CrunchingTheVolz]

I forgot to add that Murphy runs a 4.50. I pulled the numbers from Scout and 247. If someone has better numbers I would like to see them.

Harris is clearly much faster than Fant. It seems to me that Butch would want to go with the faster and more highly ranked WR. Not downplaying what we currently have, it might just be a case of Butch not wanting the negative pub of pulling offers. Otherwise it just doesn't make sense.

The staff may see that taking commits then dumping them to make room just isn't the way to go. It probably hurts as much or more than it helps in the grand scheme of things. It may be something they are learning this cycle. We'll see. So far VQ has hinted the LBs and WRs committed are safe as the staff likes the guys we got. Both groups being prime candidates discussed on this board as position groups likely to see some gitshirts. Maybe the gitshirts are something the staff is going to get away from. Or maybe they start handling them out tomorrow. Will be interesting to see how it plays out.

 

[benholt06]

We have some commits that aren't SEC champion caliber. Period.

It'll be stupid to turn away guys that are clearly more talented than guys we have in place. As much as a lot of posters bemoan "stargazing", a lot goes into those evaluations, and they're not meaningless.