Barney would approve of the class being put together.
Thanks to Volfan in ATL for starting his excellent thread.
Lane Kiffin has a great product to sell and he will get it done gentlemen. He predicted a number 1 class this year with top 5 to follow every year and I believe him.
We have a lack of depth and a lack of talent that schools like Alabama and Florida do not suffer from and it actually benefits us in recruiting. Also unlike FSU and lots of other programs, we are on the upswing and we have stability (not a coach about to leave for a new job).
Here is a shot at a class that is not insane but also slightly more optimistic than most on here would predict (but also in keeping with a staff that got Janzen and Bryce, and pulled Nuke and Byrnes Boys etc.)
1-Tyler Bray
And this guy will be a stud for us. Parents moving to Knoxville to help him adjust as an EE. Jacory Harris did fine despite being skinny.
2-Matt Simms(JUCO)
Lots of people hate Chris. I think Matt has had enough time in the wilderness now. If he is a prima donna he will lose his attitude real quick under Kiffin or he will join Brandon Warren.
3-Mack Brown/Marcus Lattimore/Michael Dyer/Lache Seastrunk
I am in the minority, but I think we get one of the big 4 names. I think MB stays UF, Lattimore to USCe and LS to LSU but I think we get Dyer. He will be the only RB in the class.
4-Channing Fugate FB
I have no idea why so many people think we now take Keon Williams. Because of a Basilio blog? I do not think he ends up here. Maybe Keon can follow Ralph Williams to Ole Miss.
5-Matt Milton
Early enrollee. He benefits from the extra time with Bray as one giant throws and another catches.
6-Markeith Ambles
Oh sweet sassy mollassy. We will stop with the hot for teacher jokes but opponents fans will not, especially when he is playing at Marcus Nash levels by sophomore year.
7-Demarco Cobbs
Starts at WR no matter what anyone says. Yes he has a nasty looking upper body but his strength will enable him to toss around small DBs like rag dolls in bump and run. It will be more like, get pancaked and run for people trying to play him tight. Plus he will be a road paver for Bryce Brown and Oku and the rest of the RBs.
8-Christian Green/Chris Dunkley/Kenny Stills/Kenny Shaw
(We take one more WR and it is a VERY good one)
9-Dakota Mosley
is a big reason why Dyer comes and provides us with our TE...
10-John Cullen(JUCO)
Ready to start from day 1. Tackle
6'6
280 lbs
11-Chaz Green
Parents return to the hill to cheer for their son.
He is a tackle now, but could easily play Guard for us if needed.
6'6
290 with room to grow easily...
12-Jawuan James
Mark Richt will take this one hard...
# Ht:6'6"
# Wt:293 lbs
5.3 40
-Morgan Moses(Prep)
Only if Cregg's evaluation is that he can get him to play fast enough and he is a solid LT for us...
# Ht:6'7"
# Wt:347 lbs
5.2 40
His weight will need to drop and may not be able to enough for us. That is why he is the guy from this list who is least likely to end up in Orange. If Groh is fired, I look for him to follow Latrell Scott if TN does not take him.
13-Jose Jose
# Ht:6'2"
# Wt:355 lbs
# 40:5.53 secs
This guy is a guard. He also was a project, and he has lost weight already this season. He is an early enrollee and can lose more weight and get faster. His 40 time is irrelevant, but hitting the hole fast and not getting gassed from having a fat belly is important.
14-Zach Fulton
6'4,
Wt. 304
This guy is a guard and is the guy who the staff liked most at the summer camps. He should be a 4 star, not a 3. His family and Praters are close, but in the end that did not make the difference.
15 1 More OL.
D Robinson is a tackle 6'8 330,
Arie Kouandjio is a tackle 6'6 314 with a great prospect for a little brother and a strong friendship to Ego Ferguson who supposedly has eliminated us.
James Stone 6'5 297. Claimed to have a bad camp because he did not sleep well the night before this summer. Then got lit up by J Smith in the game against Ooltewah. Thing is that even if he does not have the lateral speed to get in front of Jacques, neither do most people. It could still end up being M. Pair
We will not have to reach for Chucky Curry IMO.
7 OL! Does that fit the need? Drop out Morgan Moses, or one of the other tackles and keep the rest and we have a great class with 6 OL. Everyone who pointed out that we visited Marques Pair has me questioning my class leaving him out, but I am going to do it anyway. This is the legendary class after all, and Jose Jose and Fulton are enough underrated projects.
16-Jacques Smith
A good at everything athlete. He will be beloved by all Vol fans by the time he finishes his career. He should be ranked higher but is already a national top 100 player.
# Ht:6'3"
# Wt:225 lbs
17-Corey Miller
# Ht:6'4"
# Wt:227 lbs
# 40:4.6 secs
# Bench Reps:23
# Vertical:34 inches
Top 30 player nationally...Who will be able to stop these two at DE?
18-1 more DE.
We are in it for T.J. Stripling/Corey Lemonier/Chris Martin to sway and if we get any we drop J.C. Copeland
19-Pat Harris (JUCO) will be here or he will not in December. Grades keep him out and we pick up a different DT and not a JUCO. Mr. Kelcy Quarles ditches the Gamecocks and we get him. This slot if Pat does not make it and Quarles is not coming is not used...
20-John Brown(JUCO)
Former 5 star Florida player. Glad to have him aboard.
21-This slot was R. Broussards but he cannot get into school. It goes to Mike Thornton or Jeffrey Whittaker or Garrison Smith who would be the number 1 target. If we had G Smith want to come, and Whittaker, I think we take both no doubt in my mind...I hope Jamal's old HS can send us one more beast.
22-Brandon Willis
An absolute future star.
23-Michael Taylor
Dramatically underrated LB
24-Jeff Luc
And the biggest message board star on Volnation award goes to the Haitian sensation!
25-Christian Jones/LaDarius Owens/Josh Shirley
So Owens is a barner legacy and despite his friendship with Coach Thompson looks like he is staying put to me. If we had beaten Auburn it would have helped us. Now that we are losing Ralph Williams we want at least 2 of these guys but I think we end up with just Christian Jones...still he is an unreal athlete and based on need will probably play LB for us instead of another absurd DE, especially if we pull one of the DEs I discuss above.
26-Ted Meline
Who can play DB or WR.
27-Demetrius Wright/Cody Riggs/Dietrich Riley/Matt Elam
/Robey
If 19 slot is available we end up with 2 of these guys, if 19 is not available we end up with the one who comes soon. Elam is not coming IMO. If Elam and Wright wanted to come, of course we would take them. I think the staff A. Loves Elam to death and B. is not going to freak out depth wise if we do not sign multiple skilled safeties in this class.
28-Michael Palardy
I think the class ends at 28.
The class described above would be both legendary and #1 in the nation. We would have gutted UGA and hurt Florida, while creating a class that fills our holes and puts on in the same category as Florida and Alabama, more talented than almost everyone on our schedule. It will not be done with 1 class, but 2 more that are almost as good (and 2011 has a good start) and we can start realistically thinking about a N.C.
