2012 ESPNU Top 150

[Sherm Sticky]

You know the old saying, "You are the company you keep"?

I dont know if I would want to be tied to ESPN after looking at this 150. As listed, all other scouting services vary drastically from ESPN right now.

hehe true...But ESPN's list is usually a little different than eveyrone one elses and they are pretty good. I take the most stock in Rivals and ESPN lists. I'll always remember how ESPN was the only serivce that had Golden Tatae high.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Also I think Tony Alford has to go after Howard hard! I'd love me some Howard and Smith combo!

 

[NDPhilly]

Greenberry as the #83 WR is inconceivable.

I also concur that Darby and Sheppard should be ahead of Richardson.

ESPN was the website publishing all the articles about how he dominated camps so this rating just shocks me.

Has ESPN never heard of the slot receiver because how they could have Treggs in the 70s is beyond me

 

[IrishLax]

For what it's worth, I think this ESPNU 150 is totally overrating DL/OL and underrating skill position players. I wouldn't be surprised to see some movement of DBs, WRs and maybe even RBs northward in their 150.

 

[BeauBenken]

Greenberry as the #83 WR is inconceivable.

I also concur that Darby and Sheppard should be ahead of Richardson.

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[BeauBenken]

Also, I don't know if it's been mentioned but The U has 5 in the top 150. Wow.

 

[hrc08]

1. Keith Marshall is coming to Notre Dame and 2. We wont be needing much offense when our opponents are averaging 2.2 ypc and 10.8 ppg.

 

[Buster Bluth]

We wont be needing much offense when our opponents are averaging 2.2 ypc and 10.8 ppg.

I lol'd

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Anyone else notice that Patrick Destafano is #61 overall!?

 

[irishog77]

Looks a lot like ESPN was lazy and basically just ranked the guys in the southeast, Texas, California (granted there are a lot of great players there)...and/or guys going to SEC schools.

 

[IrishLax]

Anyone else notice that Patrick Destafano is #61 overall!?

Whoah!!! Nice catch! I did NOT see that.

Fascinating........ him and Bolden have my head spinning a little bit right now. I have utmost faith in our staff, but those are two guys we could've had locked up if we wanted to and passed on. To think Destefano is ranked higher than Darby just goes to my point that they are really overrating DL/OL in this 150.

 

[NYIrish14]

I really feel ESPN only really cares about SEC kids and unless ur a stud from the north, your getting a crappy ranking. Also I noticed Tom Luginbills tweets when they were making the 150, they made them in like 3 days. How am i supposed to take these rankings seriously when they probbaly rushed through the process?

 

[ACamp1900]

would the NFL draft also be a part of that SEC conspiracy??

 

[koonja]

For what it's worth, I think this ESPNU 150 is totally overrating DL/OL and underrating skill position players. I wouldn't be surprised to see some movement of DBs, WRs and maybe even RBs northward in their 150.

Interesting point... On why the DE (can't remember his name) is #1 overall over DGB, espn scout replied:

BillyTucker: Adam -"We'll always take an elite pass rusher over an elite receiver. They can have more of an impact on the game and are harder to find."

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Whoah!!! Nice catch! I did NOT see that.

Fascinating........ him and Bolden have my head spinning a little bit right now. I have utmost faith in our staff, but those are two guys we could've had locked up if we wanted to and passed on. To think Destefano is ranked higher than Darby just goes to my point that they are really overrating DL/OL in this 150.

I think you are correct in your assement that ESPN is overrating DL/OL

 

[koonja]

Jamie Newberg: I like what ND has done so far... lots of skills and athletes on both sides of the ball. Love Darby and what he brings. good WR corp and players for their secondary. This summer is big for ND... lots of prospects coming to check them out.

 

[koonja]

Comment From Alex Alex : ]
Notre Dame, regardless of how they perform in the W-L column, is always a national recruiting power because of academics, reputation, NFL pedigrees, and also their immense bankrolls to provide top-notch facilities. I would a fear a 4-8 ND more than an 8-4 ND on the recruiting trail. They are hard to stop once they got the steam rolling with momentum and purpose.

 

[koonja]

Jamie Newberg: Last season they attacked the trenches... this year the Irish will go after skill and speed. Like their approach. Remember, you are only as good as your staff and it seems as a whole that Kelly's ND staff works better and harder than what Weis had in South Bend. It seemed like it was Weis and a few of his asst doing most of the recruiting work where Kelly has everyone doing it and doing it every day. Doing what it takes to compete and win recruiting battles. You can't compete in this day of recruiting short handed. It's absolutely brutal out there and every coach on staff has to beat the streets, phones, etc every day. That's what ND and Kelly are doing better at than the previous regime.

 

[magogian]

I really wish they would have answered more specific ND questions. I asked two such questions but they just resorted to generalities.

 

[Rocket89]

Kelly's staff working harder than Weis?

THE one thing Weis had going for him, right? Ouch.

 

[ab2cmiller]

Kelly's staff working harder than Weis?

THE one thing Weis had going for him, right? Ouch.

I think Lemming said the same thing a while back. Under Weis, it was him, Alford, Brown and Polian doing all the heavy lifting. Most of the recruiting guys are saying that the entire Notre Dame staff under Kelly is doing a great job.

 

[Chicago Irish Fan]

I think Darby got screwed over by ESPN, there is no way he should be lower than Terry Richardson. On Darby's ESPN profile it said ''not a lot of wow factor in his game". Really? His 4.3 speed isn't impressive enough for you?

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Not sure why ESPN would "screw over" someone playing in their own all star game...(Just to note that is sarcasm, I don't beleive ESPN screwed him over)

 

[koonja]

I think Darby got screwed over by ESPN, there is no way he should be lower than Terry Richardson. On Darby's ESPN profile it said ''not a lot of wow factor in his game". Really? His 4.3 speed isn't impressive enough for you?

It's funny how it depends on which side the coin falls on... When I brought up SEC speed everyone reacted with "Speed doesn't help if you can't run and catch", "Speed isn't everything", etc, etc, etc...

Now we're shocked when the fastest corner isn't rated higher because of his elite speed? Hmm.

There's a lot of guys out there that have great camps, great reviews, etc that we don't know about because we don't follow them that closely (cause they're not on ND's radar). We can speculate but we can't know what they saw in one recruit and not another. That's all I'm saying.

 

[IrishLax]

Just did some looking back at last year's class. Add back in Jordan Prestwood and we likely come in #7 ahead of Ohio State (just rough math looking at grades... easy enough considering we both had the same number of commits). I don't see how we can come close to or top that class... we're just not on the inside track with enough highly rated guys.

The other interesting thing I noted is that Jarret Grace got a 78 last year with a "meh" review but Bolden is a 4* just outside of the 150 with an 80. This is weird considering (and I will have to double check this to make sure) Grace had a much better offer list, was considered more talented than his teammate by most people, and was rated higher by the other services. What gives? This side by side comparison, plus everyone's usual conspiracy theories on how recruits lose points after they commit to the Irish, really has me wondering...

Anyways, will be interesting to see class ranks come Friday... I expect Notre Dame to be somewhere in the 10 to 15 range.

 

[magogian]

Anyways, will be interesting to see class ranks come Friday... I expect Notre Dame to be somewhere in the 10 to 15 range.

I expect top 10. I don't think there are 10 teams that have more than 3 ESPNU 150 players yet.

 

[The Polish Irishman]

Just did some looking back at last year's class. Add back in Jordan Prestwood and we likely come in #7 ahead of Ohio State (just rough math looking at grades... easy enough considering we both had the same number of commits). I don't see how we can come close to or top that class... we're just not on the inside track with enough highly rated guys.

The other interesting thing I noted is that Jarret Grace got a 78 last year with a "meh" review but Bolden is a 4* just outside of the 150 with an 80. This is weird considering (and I will have to double check this to make sure) Grace had a much better offer list, was considered more talented than his teammate by most people, and was rated higher by the other services. What gives? This side by side comparison, plus everyone's usual conspiracy theories on how recruits lose points after they commit to the Irish, really has me wondering...

Anyways, will be interesting to see class ranks come Friday... I expect Notre Dame to be somewhere in the 10 to 15 range.

Very good points about Grace and Bolden. ESPN is whack is the answer.

 

[hrc08]

Looks a lot like ESPN was lazy and basically just ranked the guys in the southeast, Texas, California (granted there are a lot of great players there)...and/or guys going to SEC schools.

Perhaps.... Too busy checking their hair and makeup for the next airing of The Experts?

 

[GoldenIsThyFame]

I expect top 10. I don't think there are 10 teams that have more than 3 ESPNU 150 players yet.

It will prob look something like this:

1. Texas (9 in 150) (actually all 9 are within the top 90!)
2. FSU (7 in 150)
3. Bama (6 in 150)
4. Miami (5 in 150)
5. USC (4 in 150)
6. Florida (4 in 150)
7. Oklahoma (3 in 150)
8. LSU (3 in 150)
9 Clemson (3 in 150)
10. Notre Dame (3 in 150)
11. Texas A&M (3 in 150)

Obviously I am only ranking this on each schools "elite" prospects and not factoring in total overall committs, but point being we should be in or around Top 10 to start.

If we would have got Noor Davis you could have moved us up to around Top 5 or 6. :\

Also of note, most likely absent from the initial Top 10 will be the two teams that played in last years championship game (Auburn and Oregon).

 

[Ironman8]

It will prob look something like this:

1. Texas (9 in 150) (actually all 9 are within the top 90!)
2. FSU (7 in 150)
3. Bama (6 in 150)
4. The U (5 in 150)
5. USC (4 in 150)
6. Florida (4 in 150)
7. Oklahoma (3 in 150)
8. LSU (3 in 150)
9 Clemson (3 in 150)
10. Notre Dame (3 in 150)
11. Texas A&M (3 in 150)

Obviously I am only ranking this on each schools "elite" prospects and not factoring in total overall committs, but point being we should be in or around top 10 to start.

If we would have got Noor Davis you could have moved us up to around top 5 or 6. :\

Nice work - a couple of notes on that. Texas A&M will be higher up as they have 20 commits at this time - sheer volume will boost their initial rankings. Oklahoma may be a bit lower, they have a similiar profile to us as of right now. Ohio St. should be around this vicinity as well. Clemson will not be top 10, they only have 5 total commits. Look for Michigan to possibly be above ND, OSU, Oklahoma etc - they have 2 in the 150 but 4 more with grades and 13 overall commits. The rest of this list I think you probably nailed.