Seems like I read last year after signing day that the coaches like to keep a lot of the blue shirt talk quiet due to the possibility of opposing teams swooping in at the last minute, or something to that effect. That said, we have as many as six possible blue shirts from last year that are counters in this class: Perry, Lovingood, RDA IV, Oliver, Bruce, and Stewart. If all those dudes count, the 2016 number would obviously be 19.
Now I've yet to see someone provide a definitive answer as to whether or not we have to count Bruce or Oliver. According to the blue shirt rule as I read it, I don't think Jones should have to count either of them and that he would have a legitimate beef if they tried to make him.
I haven't seen anyone satisfactorily explain why we couldn't count Stewart in the 2017 class if need be either. I also wonder if Stewart's decision to arrive in the summer rather than in the spring didn't have more to do with having the flexibility to count him in either class. This would be a situation coaches might want to keep on the down low so other team's won't start coming after him. If Jones was willing to take a 2017 spot to blue shirt Hart, it defies logic to say he wouldn't do the same for Stewart in order to free up a spot for a Dickerson, Byrd, or Kongbo.
By subtracting Bruce and Oliver and counting Stewart in the 2017 class, that would allow for 22 in the 2016 class, meaning 5 spots remain. Due largely to Jones's outstanding finish last year and this outstanding line up of recruits making their final OV's in Knoxville this week, I'm going to go ahead and shoot for the moon...
Warrior
Brown
Byrd
Kongbo
Dickerson
If we strike out on Brown or Kongbo, I think we get Jaquan Bailey. If we strike out on both Brown and Kongbo, I wouldn't be surprised to see Josh Bailey get an offer to join his brother. Sounds like we made an impression on Daniels, but I think he ends up in Texas. I think Williams or Moss have a spot if something falls through with either Warrior, Byrd, or Dickerson. If only 4 of those mentioned here want in, then Stewart counts in 2016 class. The only scenarios where I can see us having only 3 spots left is if they've made us count either Bruce or Oliver, there is another counter nobody has mentioned, they're holding a spot for at least one silent (unlikely), or the 85 roster limit has come into play.
EDIT: Joe Young may be a counter. That still leaves the potential for as many as 4 spots, and any 4 of Warrior, Brown, Byrd, Kongbo, or Dickerson would be a phenomenal finish.
