'24 AR RB Braylen Russell (Arkansas commit)

This isn’t specifically about Russell at all but… everyone should understand all these kids are under a ton of pressure and dealing with a bunch of different considerations. I don’t fault any kid for not picking Tennessee or even handling it poorly. No one knows the fullness of what they’re dealing with. That said, anyone criticizing people like Austin Price on their reporting need to know that some of these guys are misrepresenting stuff throughout to multiple constituents from the coaching staff to the collectives to even their coaches. And even if they’re not misrepresenting it at all, maybe they’re not talking to anyone or they’re seriously torn or they want to go somewhere and their parents want them to go elsewhere or whatever. Austin or Callahan get most of their information from a Tennessee perspective and so you have to understand that what they’re hearing is consistent with what is being told to our coaches. We’ve dealt with a few weird circumstances where people haven’t been particularly forthcoming to us which is not imo Austin or Ryan or Matt Rays fault. I promise next week will be far better with this so cheer up!

all those guys I mentioned though are big boys and they can take people sh1tt ing on them but just know that predicting where 17 year olds are going to go is a tough job and especially so when you don’t want to ruin a kids moment the way Wiltfong will by posting 6 confidence predictions immediately before they commit. We’ve got a great group on our beat (particularly the VQ guys). They’re ethical and work their ass.
On top of that AP has recorded multiple commitment videos with guys that never aired because they ended up elsewhere.
It's a shame something this simple has to be explained. But it does. Again. The attack on these guys reporting is juvenile and tiresome.
 
This isn’t specifically about Russell at all but… everyone should understand all these kids are under a ton of pressure and dealing with a bunch of different considerations. I don’t fault any kid for not picking Tennessee or even handling it poorly. No one knows the fullness of what they’re dealing with. That said, anyone criticizing people like Austin Price on their reporting need to know that some of these guys are misrepresenting stuff throughout to multiple constituents from the coaching staff to the collectives to even their coaches. And even if they’re not misrepresenting it at all, maybe they’re not talking to anyone or they’re seriously torn or they want to go somewhere and their parents want them to go elsewhere or whatever. Austin or Callahan get most of their information from a Tennessee perspective and so you have to understand that what they’re hearing is consistent with what is being told to our coaches. We’ve dealt with a few weird circumstances where people haven’t been particularly forthcoming to us which is not imo Austin or Ryan or Matt Rays fault. I promise next week will be far better with this so cheer up!

all those guys I mentioned though are big boys and they can take people sh1tt ing on them but just know that predicting where 17 year olds are going to go is a tough job and especially so when you don’t want to ruin a kids moment the way Wiltfong will by posting 6 confidence predictions immediately before they commit. We’ve got a great group on our beat (particularly the VQ guys). They’re ethical and work their ass.
co-signed.
 
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There will be new names pop up during the season, or potentially someone from the portal after the season. A lot will depend on how the 3 kids from the '23 class progress this fall.

Looks like all the 24 kids we were recruiting at RB have all committed elsewhere.

I’m fine with a portal guy
 
I wonder if we can get in with Frankie Arthur, 5’10, 200, only visited SMU and UTSA.

247 has him ranked 111 and On3 has him ranked 274. 3 star on rivals and espn

Ran a 10.71 in the 100 meter. Rushed for 1450 yards and 18 TDs

Not like it matters but it says his brother is Adrian Peterson lol
 
I think kids Hudl is so so. Do they teach defense in Arkansas? Level of competition?
 
It’s not like the Arkansas offense has been bad either, particularly for RBs. They led all of P5 in rushing two years ago and had the SEC‘s 2nd leading rusher last year.
I’m not upset about getting Russell we already have a better back committed but let’s be honest Arkansas’s offense has been 35th and 48 th last 2 years while Tennessee has been 1st and 7th.
 
Looks like all the 24 kids we were recruiting at RB have all committed elsewhere.

I’m fine with a portal guy
At this time last year, we(VN) didn't know anything about Khalifa Keith. Another RB isn't nearly as critical this year as some other positions. We have a nice one in the boat already.
 
At this time last year, we(VN) didn't know anything about Khalifa Keith. Another RB isn't nearly as critical this year as some other positions. We have a nice one in the boat already.

you probably seen my post above.

I wouldn’t mind going after that kid. SMU and UTSA were the only visits I saw.
 
I could very easily see Small coming back for his 5th year if eligibility next year, plus you never know about Wright.
 
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you probably seen my post above.

I wouldn’t mind going after that kid. SMU and UTSA were the only visits I saw.
This kid's highlights remind me a lot of DeSean Bishop's highlights. We saw how his recruitment went (very odd). This kid is in Texas, so I wonder what classification he plays in, or if there's possibly some concerns about getting him into school. You may have stumbled on a "diamond in the rough".
 
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I honestly think folks are counting out/underrating Sampson....... He looked electric last year when healthy... he was a true freshman... I believe he gon eat. He runs angry.
He was identified as special on this board since before he committed. And he is only getting better. Never seen anyone underrate him.
 
This kid's highlights remind me a lot of DeSean Bishop's highlights. We saw how his recruitment went (very odd). This kid is in Texas, so I wonder what classification he plays in, or if there's possibly some concerns about getting him into school. You may have stumbled on a "diamond in the rough".
I’d love to jump into that sweepstakes
 
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This isn’t specifically about Russell at all but… everyone should understand all these kids are under a ton of pressure and dealing with a bunch of different considerations. I don’t fault any kid for not picking Tennessee or even handling it poorly. No one knows the fullness of what they’re dealing with. That said, anyone criticizing people like Austin Price on their reporting need to know that some of these guys are misrepresenting stuff throughout to multiple constituents from the coaching staff to the collectives to even their coaches. And even if they’re not misrepresenting it at all, maybe they’re not talking to anyone or they’re seriously torn or they want to go somewhere and their parents want them to go elsewhere or whatever. Austin or Callahan get most of their information from a Tennessee perspective and so you have to understand that what they’re hearing is consistent with what is being told to our coaches. We’ve dealt with a few weird circumstances where people haven’t been particularly forthcoming to us which is not imo Austin or Ryan or Matt Rays fault. I promise next week will be far better with this so cheer up!

all those guys I mentioned though are big boys and they can take people sh1tt ing on them but just know that predicting where 17 year olds are going to go is a tough job and especially so when you don’t want to ruin a kids moment the way Wiltfong will by posting 6 confidence predictions immediately before they commit. We’ve got a great group on our beat (particularly the VQ guys). They’re ethical and work their ass.
I agree to the point where you stopped. The missing part is that AP et al are not in the business of accurately evaluating recruits or even where they will sign.

The recruiting sites and beat reporters get paid when people read and follow them. It is to their benefit to spin positive when they can.

As we see in this instance they can always say the kid changed their mind.

The unintended consequence can be a bad look on the coaches for not being able to close. That’s a pretty ridiculous conclusion but people are making it because they’re following so close that they lose perspective
 
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