Tag: 2018 recruiting class

Did the Oklahoma Sooners top 100 players from the 2018 recruiting class live up to the billing?

Taking a look back at the Oklahoma Sooners’ 247Sports top 100 players from the 2018 recruiting class and examining how they performed for OU.

Recruiting can be a hit-or-miss proposition. Every team in college football has their misses, even within the top 100. The Oklahoma Sooners 2018 class was the ninth-best in the nation according to 247Sports team composite rankings.

Earlier this week, Max Olson of The Athletic re-ranked the 2018 recruiting class. Olson’s scoring system included postseason awards. He gave points for players starting multiple seasons. In his re-rank, Olson has the Sooners 34th in the nation.

The Oklahoma Sooners have a few players from that class still in Norman or are preparing for the 2022 NFL draft. If several players from the class step into starting roles, it will help Oklahoma move up in the rankings. Players like Nik Bonitto could get drafted in the top fifty and help OU move up in Olson’s rankings.

Much of the reason for Oklahoma’s low ranking is the top of their recruiting lass not panning out. Olson took a look back at the top 100 recruits from the 2018 cycle, providing his thoughts along the way.

Here, we’re looking at what he had to say about the Sooners’ top 100 2018 recruits: Brey Walker, Brendan Radley-Hiles, Ronnie Perkins, Michael Thompson, and T.J. Pledger.

Where The Athletic re-ranks Texas’ 2018 recruiting class

The attrition was 50%, but they still fall within the top 10 of the re-rank.

The attrition of previous recruiting classes at Texas is certainly taking a toll on Steve Sarkisian and his staff. Continue reading “Where The Athletic re-ranks Texas’ 2018 recruiting class”

Where does LSU’s 2018 recruiting class land in a re-ranking?

How does the 2018 class look in retrospect?

There is no question that the 2018 recruiting class for the LSU Tigers was huge for the program. For one it brought in soon-to-be Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Joe Burrow and the 2019 Biletnikoff winner Ja’Marr Chase.

One name that seems to be forgotten among the laundry list of great players on that national championship team is Terrace Marshall Jr. He didn’t put up the yards that Chase and Justin Jefferson did but all Marshall did was catch touchdowns.

According to The Athletic’s Max Olson (subscription required), that No. 15 class would get a bump up after revisiting the class that helped win a national championship. Two members of the class were on display at Super Bowl LVI for the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Breakdown for the re-ranking:

  • 5 points: All-American, award winner, top-50 NFL Draft pick
  • 4 points: Multiyear starter, all-conference honors
  • 3 points: One-year starter or key reserve
  • 2 points: Career backup
  • 0 points: Minor or no contribution, left the program
Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

Top Signees:

  • Joe Burrow, Quarterback
  • Ja’Marr Chase, Wide Receiver
  • Damien Lewis, Offensive Line
  • Damone Clark, Linebacker
  • Terrace Marshall Jr, Wide Receiver

What The Athletic Says…

The only reason why this Ed Orgeron haul doesn’t rank higher is the misses, including 10 players who transferred out. This could be considered a bit of a boom-or-bust class – Kelvin Joseph and Dare Rosenthal succeeded at Kentucky – but let’s not lose sight of the legacy. This class brought in the key players needed to win it all.

Other notable signees from this class:

  • Micah Baskerville, Linebacker
  • Chasen Hines, Offensive Line
  • Jaray Jenkins, Wide Receiver

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Les Miles once told Ja’Marr Chase he couldn’t play wide receiver

Les Miles gave Ja’Marr Chase all the motivation he needed.

One of the top stories in the NFL this season was the emergence of former LSU standout wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. A lot was made of his inability to catch the football during the preseason and it had some questioning the Bengals taking him in the first round.

It wasn’t that Ja’Marr Chase wasn’t talented, but more that former Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell was there for the taking. Cincinnati needed to protect their franchise quarterback Joe Burrow and offensive tackle was a position of need. The Bengals opted to bring Burrow’s favorite weapon from the 2019 national championship team after he sat out the entire 2020 season.

Chase rewarded the faith of the front office and head coach Zac Taylor with a monster season. He broke his former teammate’s rookie mark in 2021. Justin Jefferson recorded 1,400 yards and nine touchdowns the season prior to Chase being drafted into the NFL. Chase recorded 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns. His receiving yards set a franchise record for the Bengals.

There was one huge motivating factor for Chase being the receiver that he is today. Former LSU head coach Les Miles once told Ja’Marr Chase that he couldn’t play wide receiver at the college level.

“Les Miles told me I couldn’t play receiver when I was coming out of high school”, Chase said. “So that was something I had on my shoulders growing up. Les Miles told me I could play cornerback.” He would go on to say he just kept focused on playing wide receiver.

As it turns out, Chase could play wide receiver at the college level. In the 2019 season, he racked up 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns. Not only was he a top receiver that year but he took home the Biletnikoff Award given to the nation’s best receiver.

Chase never played for Les Miles as he signed with the LSU Tigers in the 2018 recruiting class. According to 247Sports, he was the nation’s No. 4 wide receiver and a five-star prospect. He originally committed to Kansas but opted to stay home and play for LSU.

Good choice Ja’Marr Chase. This year the Pro Football Writers of America named Chase the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Auburn DB Matthew Hill to enter transfer portal

Auburn defensive back Matthew Hill plans to enter the transfer portal. He ‘s the seventh member of the 2018 recruiting class to transfer.

Matthew Hill plans to enter the transfer portal, per his Instagram.

Hill moved from wide receiver to defensive back prior to this season. Hill appeared in three games this season bur has not entered in the last five and has not recorded a statistic.

Hill wrote “Beginning of a new chapter” with a picture referencing his departure on his Instagram.

The news regarding Hill’s departure was first reported by AuburnSports.com’s Christian Clemente.

Hill came to Auburn as a 4-star wide receiver recruit in 2018. He played in four games as a freshman in 2018 and 13 games in 2019. During his time at receiver, Hill caught eight receptions for 46 yards and had four carries for 30 yards.

Hill is the seventh recruit from the 2018 class to enter the portal and his departure means the four-highest recruits have now left the program.

Quarterback Joey Gatewood, defensive tackle Coynis Miller Jr., running backs Harold Joiner and Asa Martin and linebackers Michael Harris and Richard Jibunor have also moved on.

Hill is the third Auburn player to announce his plans to transfer during the season as Joiner left the team in October and linebacker Josh Marsh announced his intentions in November after opting out of the season in August.

Top safety prospect in the country teases likely commitment to Texas

Five-star safety Kamari Wilson has been active on social media recently, all signs point towards a potential Texas commitment.

We’re starting to witness the ripple effect on the recruiting trail after five-star quarterback Quinn Ewers announced his commitment to the University of Texas. Continue reading “Top safety prospect in the country teases likely commitment to Texas”

Georgia RB Zamir White a top 10 RB prospect for 2021 NFL Draft

Georgia football RB Zamir White is considered a top-10 ball carrier in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Pro Football Network recently released their list of the top-10 running back prospects for the 2021 NFL Draft.

Georgia red-shirt sophomore Zamir White (Laurinburg, North Carolina) comes in at No. 8, which is 3rd in the SEC behind Alabama’s Najee Harris and Mississippi State’s Kylin Hill.

Pro Football Network wrote:

“White is a blend of size and speed but has never been healthy for a full season. The best thing for his draft stock is simply staying healthy. Don’t be surprised if White ends the season as the consensus RB1, or if the injuries were too insurmountable.”

Former Georgia star back D’Andre Swift was drafted to the Lions in the 2020 NFL Draft and with the departure of Brian Herrien too, many believe White will be the next man up in an always talented Georgia running back room.

White’s college career so far still holds more questions than answers. The No. 1 running back in the 2018 recruiting class, White was considered to be the next great Georgia running back by many. After tearing his ACL in his left knee his senior season at Scotland High School, White enrolled at Georgia in 2018. He worked his way back from his first ACL tear only to suffer another one, this time in his right knee two weeks before the Bulldogs’ first game.

Knee injuries are always scary, especially for skill position players, so we weren’t sure if we would ever see White on the field for Georgia. However, he persevered, and after a tough rehab and red-shirting in 2018, White was able to suit up in 2019 and carried the ball 78 times for 408 yards and three touchdowns.

A small glimpse for sure, but NFL draft analysts have taken notice. White has already battled his way back from two serious injuries, so I think it’s safe to say he is ready for a big season in 2020 and it would be awesome to see such a hard worker do great things for the Bulldogs.