ESD Recruiting Rankings by Average Per Recruit, Etc.

[unfrozencvmanvol]

As this is a point of interest/discussion after early signing day, with the overwhelming majority of the recruits for the next class (who will be freshmen in 2024) having signed yesterday, here are the conference numbers by average recruit ranking, which like it sounds is the average ranking for each recruit in the class, regardless of the number of recruits signed.

Also in parentheses is the number of recruits signed, the overall recruiting ranking (nationally) and nationally by average recruiting ranking. The source is the 247 composite which averages the rankings of the various recruiting services.

1. Georgia, 93.58 (28 commits, # 1), 1st nationally by avg. recruit ranking
2. Alabama, 92.82 (25 commits, # 2) 3rd nationally by avg. recruit ranking
3. Texas A&M, 92.25 (16 commits, # 17) 4th nationally by avg. recruit ranking
4. Texas, 92.24 (22 commits, # 5),5th nationally by avg. recruit ranking
5. Auburn, 91.99 (21 commits, #7) 6th nationally by avg. recruit ranking
6. Florida, 91.31 (18 commits, #16) 9th nationally by avg. recruit ranking
7. Tennessee, 91.07 (21 commits, # 13) 11th nationally by avg. recruit ranking
8. South Carolina, 90.89 (16 commits, # 20), 12th nationally by avg. recruit ranking
9. Oklahoma, 90.81 (28 commits, #8), 13th nationally by avg. recruit ranking
10. LSU, 90.49 (27 commits, # 11), 16th nationally by avg. recruit ranking
11. Ole Miss, 89.58 (21 commits, # 21) 20th nationally by avg. recruit ranking
12. Arkansas, 89.09 (17 commits, # 17), 23rd nationally by avg. recruit ranking
13. Kentucky, 88.92 (21 commits, #25), 24th nationally by avg. recruit ranking
14. Missouri, 88.83 (20 commits, # 24), 25th nationally by avg. recruit ranking
15. Miss State, 87.73 (22 commits, # 35), 32nd nationally by avg. recruit ranking
16. Vandy, 86.97 (20 commits, # 40), 39th nationally by avg. recruit ranking

2024 Recruit Football Team Rankings

In order to create the most comprehensive Team Recruiting Ranking without any notion of bias, 247Sports Team Recruiting Ranking is solely based on the 247Sports Composite Rating.

247sports.com

Note, the "team talent composite" which takes into account all portal entries/departures, etc. usually comes out about a week before the season starts. This is last years as an example (2023):

2023 College Football Team Talent Composite

In order to create the most comprehensive Team Recruiting Ranking without any notion of bias, 247Sports Team Recruiting Ranking is solely based on the 247Sports Composite Rating.

247sports.com

 

[hog88]

Looks like we didn't do so well.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

Looks like we didn't do so well.

We got some good recruits. As is usual, development is also a big part. Ahead of us, we know Bama and Georgia develop based on past record, maybe Freeze at Auburn and Sark at Texas. Behind us, who knows? We certainly didn't make up ground on the top of the conference though.

 

[hog88]

We got some good recruits. As is usual, development is also a big part. Ahead of us, we know Bama and Georgia develop based on past record, maybe Freeze at Auburn and Sark at Texas. Behind us, who knows? We certainly didn't make up ground on the top of the conference though.

Nope, we didn’t make up any ground or separate ourselves from mid pack. The Hype is going to have to pick it up next year.

 

[VolunteerHillbilly]

The thing that stands out to me is Vandy at 39th nationally. I am used to seeing the bottom of the SEC fall into the 50s and 60s, occasionally worse. If this keeps up, there will be more tough outs than gimmes and your chances for walkover conference games will depend more on what point in the season you face off.

 

[Volanooga2521]

Looks like we didn't do so well.

We're higher than LSU or Oklahoma, who are much closer to many more elite prospects, so we didn't do terribly.

 

[Sarms58]

9 of the top 15 nationally are SEC schools….its a tough league.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

We're higher than LSU or Oklahoma, who are much closer to many more elite prospects, so we didn't do terribly.

Their average recruiting ranking was within 1 point of ours and they got 6 and 7 more bodies signed respectively so that's why overall they are ranked higher, though we have a higher average recruiting ranking. Likewise, A&M and Florida are ranked behind us overall, but have higher average recruiting rankings but we have 3 and 5 more bodies signed respectively.

 

[Sarms58]

We're higher than LSU or Oklahoma, who are much closer to many more elite prospects, so we didn't do terribly.

No, it was definitely a good class. We were in the mix for several elite players down to the end. Just got to keep working hard and hope Nico is the special QB we think he is. Another year like 2022 would do wonders for recruiting.

 

[hog88]

We're higher than LSU or Oklahoma, who are much closer to many more elite prospects, so we didn't do terribly.

I didn't say we did terrible just that there is a whole lot of room for improvement.

 

[Carp]

Their average recruiting ranking was within 1 point of ours and they got 6 and 7 more bodies signed respectively so that's why overall they are ranked higher, though we have a higher average recruiting ranking. Likewise, A&M and Florida are ranked behind us overall, but have higher average recruiting rankings but we have 3 and 5 more bodies signed respectively.

Yup. Outside of 1-5 (nationally, not SEC only), there isn't much difference in the next 10 spots. The 6th ranked class and the 12 ranked class are a lot closer than people like to let on.

We also still have a shot to add Seaton or McKinley or both before the late signing period. And we could add Brazell or Stewart or both.

 

[Wireless1]

It'd be interesting if the average was base line on a specific number of commits. UGA and BAma are in a league if there own, but TA&M only has 16 versus Texas at 22 so they have a 0.01 advantage.
Drop all the 3 Star and lower from each program and see what the numbers look like, or take the top 12 or 15 and see what that looks like..... or better yet the top 20 or 25, with zeros if you don't have that quantity.
This is one of those things that you can make somebody look good or bad if you want to.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

It'd be interesting if the average was base line on a specific number of commits. UGA and BAma are in a league if there own, but TA&M only has 16 versus Texas at 22 so they have a 0.01 advantage.
Drop all the 3 Star and lower from each program and see what the numbers look like, or take the top 12 or 15 and see what that looks like..... or better yet the top 20 or 25, with zeros if you don't have that quantity.
This is one of those things that you can make somebody look good or bad if you want to.

The average recruit ranking is like it sounds, it is the average ranking per recruit, regardless of how many commits were signed. The overall takes into account the number of recruits signed. Surprisingly to me, 21-22 seemed to be about the avg. number SEC programs pulled in. A few were higher, a few were lower (we were at 21).

 

[TnVol!]

Very good class with chances to be even better. Go Vols!!!

 

[distrovol]

Aren't we still somewhat hobbled by infraction penalties (scholly reductions, etc.)? Those are tough headwinds the staff has to navigate.

 

[sjt18]

UT's class is within the margin of error for being top 5 in both.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

Aren't we still somewhat hobbled by infraction penalties (scholly reductions, etc.)? Those are tough headwinds the staff has to navigate.

That is what was surprising to me is that we took in about the average number of recruits in the conference. With NIL I am not sure how much scholarship reductions really mean anymore given that you can give a guy an NIL deal that is the exact equivalent of the worth of a scholarship. The big thing in our favor on that was: 1) no post-season ban; and 2) it's not an unknown quantity anymore, we no what the penalty was and it's not changing, in the rear view now.

 

[Clad in Big Orange]

9 of the top 15 nationally are SEC schools….its a tough league.

I'm curious to see how many SEC teams make a 12-team playoff on average. 3 maybe 4? I haven't "studied" the pecking order to see how at-large bids will be given but I can't see more than 1/3rd of the field being from the same conference. So let's say you need to be one of the top 4 teams in the league to have a shot at a playoff spot. Vols appear to be quite a ways off from being in the top 4 most talented teams in the league. That means, players need to develop better/overachieve plus play-calling/strategy/motivation need to be at a high-level. That's asking a lot of a staff that produced such head-scratching results on the field in '23.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

UT's class is within the margin of error for being top 5 in both.

Development is clearly a big piece too, we know based on their track record that Alabama and Georgia will likely develop their guys but I don't think it's clear that we take a back seat to anyone else (given that Bama/UGA have a higher avg. ranking AND a higher no. of recruits, even if we develop at the same level as they have shown they can do, we would still be behind them, but there is no one else I would concede that to).

 

[SGMVols]

Aren't we still somewhat hobbled by infraction penalties (scholly reductions, etc.)? Those are tough headwinds the staff has to navigate.

It’s not just scholarship reductions, it’s also official visit reductions

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

It’s not just scholarship reductions, it’s also official visit reductions

That hurts more than scholarship reductions honestly. No limit on unofficials though and you can get alot done on those as well.

 

[xpsyclonex2002]

This is the NIL era. This mean much less than it did before. Hoarding 5 star talent is harder. They leave for immediate playing time or more NIL money. The portal is the real action. Proven college players are up for auction, not speculative high school kids. We better get more active in the portal.

 

[volfan102455]

I think some focus way too much on these numbers. What matters is the results on the field.

 

[volfan102455]

This is the NIL era. This mean much less than it did before. Hoarding 5 star talent is harder. They leave for immediate playing time or more NIL money. The portal is the real action. Proven college players are up for auction, not speculative high school kids. We better get more active in the portal.

Yes, the rules have changed. When it was difficult for a player to transfer, players stayed longer than they would have. While some teams are still benefiting from the hoarding, it will become a thing of this past. This is why Saban doesn't like the new rules. It works against a team like them and UGA.

 

[SGidds]

As this is a point of interest/discussion after early signing day, with the overwhelming majority of the recruits for the next class (who will be freshmen in 2024) having signed yesterday, here are the conference numbers by average recruit ranking, which like it sounds is the average ranking for each recruit in the class, regardless of the number of recruits signed.

Also in parentheses is the number of recruits signed, the overall recruiting ranking (nationally) and nationally by average recruiting ranking. The source is the 247 composite which averages the rankings of the various recruiting services.

1. Georgia, 93.58 (28 commits, # 1), 1st nationally by avg. recruit ranking
2. Alabama, 92.82 (25 commits, # 2) 3rd nationally by avg. recruit ranking
3. Texas A&M, 92.25 (16 commits, # 17) 4th nationally by avg. recruit ranking
4. Texas, 92.24 (22 commits, # 5),5th nationally by avg. recruit ranking
5. Auburn, 91.99 (21 commits, #7) 6th nationally by avg. recruit ranking
6. Florida, 91.31 (18 commits, #16) 9th nationally by avg. recruit ranking
7. Tennessee, 91.07 (21 commits, # 13) 11th nationally by avg. recruit ranking
8. South Carolina, 90.89 (16 commits, # 20), 12th nationally by avg. recruit ranking
9. Oklahoma, 90.81 (28 commits, #8), 13th nationally by avg. recruit ranking
10. LSU, 90.49 (27 commits, # 11), 16th nationally by avg. recruit ranking
11. Ole Miss, 89.58 (21 commits, # 21) 20th nationally by avg. recruit ranking
12. Arkansas, 89.09 (17 commits, # 17), 23rd nationally by avg. recruit ranking
13. Kentucky, 88.92 (21 commits, #25), 24th nationally by avg. recruit ranking
14. Missouri, 88.83 (20 commits, # 24), 25th nationally by avg. recruit ranking
15. Miss State, 87.73 (22 commits, # 35), 32nd nationally by avg. recruit ranking
16. Vandy, 86.97 (20 commits, # 40), 39th nationally by avg. recruit ranking

2024 Recruit Football Team Rankings

In order to create the most comprehensive Team Recruiting Ranking without any notion of bias, 247Sports Team Recruiting Ranking is solely based on the 247Sports Composite Rating.

247sports.com

Note, the "team talent composite" which takes into account all portal entries/departures, etc. usually comes out about a week before the season starts. This is last years as an example (2023):

2023 College Football Team Talent Composite

In order to create the most comprehensive Team Recruiting Ranking without any notion of bias, 247Sports Team Recruiting Ranking is solely based on the 247Sports Composite Rating.

247sports.com

Tennessee fares slightly better when you change that same 247 list from “Recruit” to “Overall”. The Overall rankings take into account both high school/Juco recruits and transfers from the portal.

By that metric Tennessee ranks 11th in the country in terms of total points, and 6th in the SEC (behind Georgia, Alabama, Texas, Auburn, and Oklahoma, in that order).

If you sort that list by average recruit rating, Tennessee ranks 10th in the country and 7th in the SEC (behind Georgia, Alabama, Texas, Auburn, Texas A&M, and Florida, in that order). Really, the Vols are basically tied for with Florida, because the Gators’ average recruit rating is 91.03 and the Vols’ average is 91.02.

This is a good class, and one that should keep Tennessee competitive in the SEC.

Going forward Tennessee needs to continue to recruit the higher echelon kids who are picking Georgia, Bama, Ohio State, Texas, Oregon, etc. because they can win a few of these battles. Even if they don’t, some players will inevitably transfer, and Heupel and company should position themselves as a good landing spot.