This is going to get some of your bowels tore up, but if Pruitt is going to be considered an elite recruiter, this staff is going to have to figure out a way to win some of these toss-ups on NSD for elite recruits. Something they have not been able to do so far.
What about the elite recruits they've already won before NSD, they not count whenever considering how elite a recruiter Pruitt is? Morris, Wright, Crouch...they not count, just because they had chosen Pruitt and Co before signing day?
Pruitt went head to head with Dabo and Harbaugh for Quavaris Crouch, he won. He went head to head with Harbaugh for Eric Gray, he won. He went head to head with Saban and Kirby for Darnell Wright, he won. He went head to head with Gus for Wanya Morris, he won. He went head to head with Saban and Kirby for JJ Petterson, he won. He went head to head with Kirby for Savion Williams, he won. He went head to head with Saban for D Wood-Anderson, he won. I can keep going.
Just because we miss on some on signing day, should not cancel out ALL the ones we won before signing day. Pruitt doesn't need to be "considered" an elite recruiter, because he IS an elite recruiter...and keep in mind, all those victories I mentioned above, and others I didn't mention, Pruitt was able to pull off against Dabo, Saban, Kirby, Harbaugh, Gus...not only having to recruit against those guys, but against a two-year 9-15 record, as well. If you don't "consider" Pruitt an elite recruiter already, then you're a hard son of a gun to impress.