Some Perspective on This Class

[Vol49er]

Tennessee is Recruiting For Championships in Blue Chip Ratio
I think this is a really interesting way to look at the recruiting class, and places it above the 2014 and 2015 class when using this metric. Really great day for the Vols

 

[VolFanNC09]

If you add Solomon and Gibbs that is 4 5* players in this class. I am pretty happy. This is the best OL class I can remember. That was our biggest weakness and now brings competition across the board.

Would like 1 more DL, but really can’t complain. 22 signees and sitting at 12. Signed quality in this class

 

[Volosaurus rex]

One can debate which of the major recruiting services provides the most accurate overall picture, but, based strictly on ESPN's rankings, nobody improved their standing more on National Signing Day than TENNESSEE. We moved up five spots, whereas, among other top 20 finishers, only Florida and Nebraska moved up as much as three spots. See Football Class Rankings.

 

[Ulysees E. McGill]

If you add Solomon and Gibbs that is 4 5* players in this class. I am pretty happy. This is the best OL class I can remember. That was our biggest weakness and now brings competition across the board.

Would like 1 more DL, but really can’t complain. 22 signees and sitting at 12. Signed quality in this class

There are 6 in this class IMO.

 

[Devo182]

If you add Solomon and Gibbs that is 4 5* players in this class. I am pretty happy. This is the best OL class I can remember. That was our biggest weakness and now brings competition across the board.

Would like 1 more DL, but really can’t complain. 22 signees and sitting at 12. Signed quality in this class

Gibbs was never a 5 star and I'm not sure he's even a 4 star right now. 247 ranked him as an 87 and Solomon a 95.

It's asinine to use an original ranking when a guy clearly isn't that good. It'd be like a team getting Richmond running around saying they got a 97 rated OT...I think he was rerated as a mid-80s guy.

As for best OL class, I'd agree. 2015 was really good too, but I think this one is better. Don't care enough to run numbers, pretty sure this one is ranked higher. Pray to god this one can finally avoid our lineman plague (Trey, Jones, Hall had health keep them from playing). We are due for better luck.

 

[BowlBrother85]

Tennessee is Recruiting For Championships in Blue Chip Ratio
I think this is a really interesting way to look at the recruiting class, and places it above the 2014 and 2015 class when using this metric. Really great day for the Vols

It's a solid class with great potential and we didn't have to sign 29 players to do it... it is impressive considering how bad we have been and that we weren't leaning on in-state players or "legacy" players to get there. The heart of this class (Crouch, Morris, Wright and T'oto'o) doesn't fit the mold of players we have been able to sign recently. They didn't come with connections to Tennessee and we beat out both Georgia and Alabama to get them.

 

[CAVPUT]

One can debate which of the major recruiting services provides the most accurate overall picture, but, based strictly on ESPN's rankings, nobody improved their standing more on National Signing Day than TENNESSEE. We moved up five spots, whereas, among other top 20 finishers, only Florida and Nebraska moved up as much as three spots. See Football Class Rankings.

I guess I look at these rankings differently. All these services are in it for a buck. Everyone has seen a kid get a dramatic bump in "star rating" when a big time school offers. I take these rating/rankings with a grain of salt. For me, it comes down to the belief in a coaching staff to evaluate talent and develop talent regardless of "star rating". Did we come up short in some areas? Yep. I think we needed more help on the DL and at LB. Did we fill some needs and upgrade the roster? I think we did. We'll find out about this class in a few years, but honestly, we can't expect to solve all our problems in a year or two of recruiting. The hole is too damned deep. We'll need at least one, if not two, more recruiting classes to become the team we all hope for. I'm celebrating the kids who signed on to help bring us back to what we all expect from UT football. We got both Wright and Henry T. Great signing day.

 

[Devo182]

I'll say this:

1) Highest class average in a decade.

2) focus on points, not annual ranking which have variance. This #12 class (composite ranking) sits at 271.93. 2014 #7 class had 274.77 points. Fewer than 3 points more, but 5 spots higher. That class would rank 11th this year.

3) 247 itself has us ranked 9th and are most respected by many.

4) Auburn is 11th with 271.94 points. We have 271.93. SERIOUSLY??

 

[head1]

Saw someone posted if you put Gibbs and Solomon level players in this class it would rank #3 overall

 

[sjt18]

Article's point is similar to using the "star average" or average numerical rating instead of class rankings.

 

[HoleInTheRoof]

Poor Kentucky (not really) best season in their history and still limp with a trash class.

Poor South Carolina with a head coach who has been there several years and claims he’s an ace recruiter still only lands a middle of the pack class with far too many meh three stars.

Poor Arkansas who’s obnoxious fans bothered to try and troll us, getting spurned on signing day by two kids they thought were shoo ins.

 

[Carson11]

How many of our commits took and decline in rankings in the past 6 months? Were QC and WM not both 5* players last year? If these signees were not dropped what would our ranking be?

 

[MemphisVol3]

How many of our commits took and decline in rankings in the past 6 months? Were QC and WM not both 5* players last year? If these signees were not dropped what would our ranking be?

My guess is probably around 6 or 7 if they were not dropped. We had several drop but Roman Harrison got an nice bump (and rightfully so). Gotta remember at one point in time Crouch was the No. 1 overall recruit until the injuries.

 

[GlockVol]

Now, crossing fingers that the coaches can pull a Rick Barnes and coach'em up. GBO

 

[Devo182]

Saw someone posted if you put Gibbs and Solomon level players in this class it would rank #3 overall

Not quite, we'd go up by 6 points and be 8th (this of course wouldn't include other schools' transfers, so maybe 9th, 10th, who knows). Just tells you how close it is from 7-13 spots.

 

[JCP201]

Saw someone posted if you put Gibbs and Solomon level players in this class it would rank #3 overall

It was ChattaTnVol:

Speaking of Gibbs & Solomon, if I plug their HS composite scores into the 247 class calculator it puts us around 287.91 or #3 in the nation. Here's hoping that with the fresh start both of these guys can live up to their once perceived lofty potential. #GreatDay

 

[PruittEra]

Gibbs was never a 5 star and I'm not sure he's even a 4 star right now. 247 ranked him as an 87 and Solomon a 95.

It's asinine to use an original ranking when a guy clearly isn't that good. It'd be like a team getting Richmond running around saying they got a 97 rated OT...I think he was rerated as a mid-80s guy.

As for best OL class, I'd agree. 2015 was really good too, but I think this one is better. Don't care enough to run numbers, pretty sure this one is ranked higher. Pray to god this one can finally avoid our lineman plague (Trey, Jones, Hall had health keep them from playing). We are due for better luck.

Gibbs was rated at .9770 on 247 and imo he hasn’t shown he was a bust yet. Maybe he was rated to high but he obviously has talent. Maybe not to beat out uga corners but he may at wide receiver. Just my 2 cents

 

[Devo182]

Gibbs was rated at .9770 on 247 and imo he hasn’t shown he was a bust yet. Maybe he was rated to high but he obviously has talent. Maybe not to beat out uga corners but he may at wide receiver. Just my 2 cents

Yeah, who knows? I think an 87 rating makes sense. If he hasn't played over Richt's leftovers, he's certainly no 97.7 rating. It's just like if a kid went JUCO, he gets a new ranking now that there's more evidence of how he'll pan out. He has some athleticism, but an odd fit in a lot of positions. Hoping he could be a JJ type receiver, though burner speed is what we most need.

I like the new re-rankings of transfers and Callahan said they're working on a separate team rankings that will include transfers in the future. Those 2 wouldn't budge our class average, but move us a couple spots possibly.

 

[VolforFootball]

If you add Solomon and Gibbs that is 4 5* players in this class. I am pretty happy. This is the best OL class I can remember. That was our biggest weakness and now brings competition across the board.

Would like 1 more DL, but really can’t complain. 22 signees and sitting at 12. Signed quality in this class

Are Solomon and Gibbs eligible to play this season?

 

[PruittEra]

Yeah, who knows? I think an 87 rating makes sense. If he hasn't played over Richt's leftovers, he's certainly no 97.7 rating. It's just like if a kid went JUCO, he gets a new ranking now that there's more evidence of how he'll pan out. He has some athleticism, but an odd fit in a lot of positions. Hoping he could be a JJ type receiver, though burner speed is what we most need.

I like the new re-rankings of transfers and Callahan said they're working on a separate team rankings that will include transfers in the future. Those 2 wouldn't budge our class average, but move us a couple spots possibly.

I totally agree that we shouldn’t use his rating out of high school. I also agree right now he should be around 87. He may have been a circumstance of being in the wrong place. One things for sure we will know in a couple of years. If he can’t beat out butchs leftovers he is certainly a bust...

 

[basspond]

I don't think Pruitt's ever done as much as he preaches recruiting. I think we need at least one more JUCO or walk-on receiver. The receiver does not have to be super fast, athletic, etc.. Needs really good hands, will go across the middle, and make the money catches when 5-7 yards are needed. An outlet pass for JG when the play breaks down.

 

[Sudden Impact]

I don't think Pruitt's ever done as much as he preaches recruiting. I think we need at least one more JUCO or walk-on receiver. The receiver does not have to be super fast, athletic, etc.. Needs really good hands, will go across the middle, and make the money catches when 5-7 yards are needed. An outlet pass for JG when the play breaks down.

Time will tell....this class has got you thinking...I am impressed with this class and I will bet he will have all basis covered. I don't know what you are looking for but I will bet you he has got it covered.

You are right he has never done more than he preaches because he is quite and carries a big Stick.
The only thing I remember him saying about recruiting was that he would go out and get another recruiting cycle under his belt to fix the problem.

He is a good evaluator of talent and has pulled in a top 10 class plus he is at the point of PWOs that he will fix the problems of old.

This is going to be a team that will be in a survival of the fittest. Time will tell....

 

[bigl3327]

To me this is a much more accurate measure of a recruiting class. It would lead one to believe that we acquired much more potential NFL caliber talent in this class. The kind of talent that helps turn programs around.

 

[sjt18]

Exceptional class considering the Vols are coming off a losing season. The six SEC teams that finished about UT avg'd 10.3 wins in '18... vs UT's five.

If the Vols can manage to add the JUCO DT then there's a chance they'll jump another spot or two in the SEC.

 

[VolInDayton]

I think looking at it this way shows some interesting things. You can see that Pruitt transition class in 2018 is better than Jones transition class in 2013 and Pruitts first full year class was better than Jones and Dooleys first full class. Dooley really got lucky that the transition class was handed to him with how late Kiffin left.

It would be interesting to see the average amount of time each bluechip recruits were a member of the football team from each class.