Tom Luginbill – Syndication Server

ESPN analyst breaks down the impact of Rutgers football’s recruiting class

Tom Luginbill talks about the Rutgers football recruiting class.

Tom Luginbill sees the momentum Rutgers football has built on the recruiting trail, and the ESPN analyst believes that this is a very strong class for the Big Ten program.

The recruiting class for Rutgers football is shaping up to be one of the best – if not the best – in program history. Currently ranked top-10 by both Rivals and 247Sports – there are six players currently committed who are four-star recruits in this class.

The most recent commits for Rutgers, offensive lineman [autotag]Jaelyne Matthews[/autotag] and wide receiver [autotag]Michael Thomas III[/autotag], are four-star recruits (and both are from New Jersey, coincidentally). Matthews and Thomas are both ranked in the ESPN 300 as well.

For a Rutgers program looking to move up in the Big Ten, this class has the potential to raise that standard. The Scarlet Knights have the third-best class in the Big Ten according to Rivals.

Per the Rivals rankings, Notre Dame has the top recruiting class in the nation. The second overall class belongs to Ohio State with USC fourth overall.

Luginbill, the national recruiting director for ESPN, sees upside for Rutgers from this recruiting class.

“These are the types of prospects in the state of New Jersey at premium positions that are critical for Rutgers to keep at home,” Luginbill said of Rutgers adding Matthews to the class.

“It’s going to always be hard to keep them all, but if you chip away, each and every class, there’s going to be another one after that who will start buying in.”

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Adding Matthews, Luginbill noted, is a big recruiting win for Rutgers but the job isn’t done.

“Now just like every other early commitment, you’ve got to hang on,” Luginbill said.

ESPN analyst Tom Luginbill calls the Pinstripe Bowl ‘a solid win’ for Rutgers football

Rutgers football made a national impression with their Pinstripe Bowl win over Miami.

It was certainly an eye-opening performance from Rutgers football in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. Beating Miami, a brand name in college football, saw Rutgers take a step forward in terms of the overall perception of the program’s rebuild.

For Rutgers, the Pinstripe Bowl win was their first postseason since 2014.

Miami had a number of opt-outs (transfer portal and the NFL draft) but still fielded a very solid team in the Pinstripe Bowl. Arguably, up and down the roster, it could be said that Miami had more overall star talent than Rutgers.

Rutgers, down in the third quarter, rolled back for a 31-24 win over the ACC program. The bowl win gives Rutgers a 7-6 record to close out the season.

Kyle Monangai rushed for 163 yards to be named the game’s MVP.

“It was a solid win and I think it’s very fair and it is valid to say that because of who it was against and the athletes that are on that team – for Rutgers to beat that team,” Luginbill told Rutgers Wire.

“And I know it’s not the full Miami team and that’s fine, but they’ve got great athletes and they probably got lots of athletes that Rutgers would take right now on their two-deep and they beat them.”

The win is one that is being seen as a perception-changer for Rutgers. Since head coach Greg Schiano returned to the program in 2020, the rebuild has pragmatically moved along.

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But what Rutgers has lacked in these past four seasons is a signature win. This game against Miami, arguably, is the biggest win for Rutgers in Schiano 2.0.

“And I think it says something about their preparation because I’m now more than ever convinced that bowl games are not necessarily about who’s the best team, it’s not necessarily about, you know, the layoff and were you prepared for it,” Luginbill said.

“It’s about whether you want to be there. Like do you care? You know, and I thought Rutgers did a great job of kids showing up and performing.”

Scroll down and check out the best photos from Rutgers football’s Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl win over Miami!

What 5-star defensive back did ESPN’s Tom Luginbill compare to Sauce Gardner and Minkah Fitzpatrick?

Ellis Robinson IV gets some big NFL comparisons from ESPN analyst Tom Luginbill.

Georgia football commit and signee Ellis Robinson IV has the potential to be an elite player, with ESPN analyst Tom Luginbill making some pretty strong projections for the class of 2024 defensive back.

Robinson is a five-star player who participated in last week’s Under Armour All-America Game. ESPN ranks him as the top recruit in the nation in the 2024 class.

He had an offer list that included Florida State, Kentucky and Miami among others.

Luginbill was the analyst for last week’s Under Armour All-America game on ESPN. After watching Robinson in practice, he was impressed with the defensive back, who signed with Georgia during the early signing period in December.

“If I were to just tell you from a physical attributes standpoint, he’s as good of a pure cover corner prospect that we’ve had in this game over the last 17 years now,” Luginbill told USA TODAY High School Sports.

“I think what makes him a bit unique is he’s every bit as good a tackler and run supporter- it’s not all about the pass breakup, interceptions and recovery. He’s a complete package. So we’ve been very excited to see that he has been as advertised.”

Robinson played his last year of high school football for IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida). IMG finished the season fifth in the nation in the USA TODAY HSS Super 25.

As for comparisons, Luginbill likened Robinson to a trio of defensive backs who are currently in the NFL.

“He’s built very, very similar to Sauce – that’s a great comp that I would agree with,” Luginbill said.

“I think Eli Apple when he was at Ohio State, that’s another one? I would say that some of the Alabama guys Dre Kirkpatrick, Minkah Fitzpatrick when he first came to Alabama, he was a corner that got moved into safety. So I think there’s a lot of good comps out there.

“You just don’t find six one-and-a-half, 190-pound corners that are just so fluid and agile and explosive…there’s a lot of guys that look the part and are athletic, but maybe they don’t perform to that level all the time. He performs on par with his skill set.”

ESPN analyst Tom Luginbill on why Rutgers football signee Gabe Winowich is a four-star

Tom Luginbill highlights Rutgers football commit Gabe Winowich as a promising player.

Tom Luginbill is a big believer in Gabe Winowich, the four-star running back who is signed and sealed for Rutgers football. Winowich may not have an impressive offer list, but the ESPN analyst believes he is a standout player and an elite talent.

Winowich is a four-star running back with just two Power Five offers (Maryland and Rutgers football) but he is a four-star and part of the ESPN 300. Originally from Michigan, he moved to New Jersey for his senior season and played at Notre Dame Prep (Lawrenceville).

There he partnered with quarterback A.J. Surace (a three-star ranked seventh in New Jersey by Rivals), also a Rutgers commit. Both players are expected to enroll at Rutgers in January.

On Tuesday, Luginbill was asked about his thoughts about Winowich and why the future Rutgers running back was a four-star by ESPN despite only holding a pair of Power Five offers.

“We really liked him. He’s in our ESPN 300 – we don’t care about offers, we care about what he shows us. And we just liked him on film,” Luginbill said.

“We thought he was a really good high-end player and you know what, listen in recruiting and these cycles now, there’s roughly 2,800 kids that will sign an FCS letter. You’re sometimes you’re going to miss on guys and you’re going to pick a guy instead of looking at another guy – and that happens with programs across the country each and every day of the year. So the fact that he didn’t get a lot of attention, I think is a win for Rutgers because they get a really, really good player that they didn’t have to fight over really hard for and he is in their footprint.”

The changing landscape of college football, headlined by conference expansion, is impacting Rutgers. If Rutgers is to continue their progression and their rebuild following a 7-6 season and a win over Miami in the Pinstripe Bowl, they will need to continue adding quality recruits from ‘The State of Rutgers.’

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“I think was what’s happened with the Big Ten with conference realignment and expansion, you know, for schools like Rutgers who like Minnesota, Maryland to some degree…the landscape just got more competitive,” Luginbill said.

“It just got more difficult, right? And in New Jersey, where there’s generally each and every year a high level of quality of player, the more those guys Rutgers can get home and prevent leaving, the better chance they have of competing and being relevant on the field. So my take is Greg Schiano knows that, he knows that as well as anybody else. He knows it isn’t the Big East anymore.”

Luginbill will be on the call for the Under Armour All-America Game on Wednesday, January 3 at 4:00 pm EST (ESPN). The annual all-star game features another very strong roster.

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One player, four-star wide receiver Braylon Burnside, is set to commit during the game. Burnside is down to Mississippi State and Ole Miss.

Tom Luginbill: What Under Armour All-America game offensive lineman can be the next Evan Neal?

Tom Luginbill talks offensive line ahead of Wednesday’s Under Armour All-America Game.

It may have been an overall down year nationally for offensive linemen, but ESPN analyst Tom Luginbill has been really impressed with what he has seen from Oregon commit JacQawn McRoy. The offensive tackle has impressed the past few days during practice for the Under Armour All-America Game.

Luginbill will be on the call for this year’s Under Armour All-America Game on Wednesday, January 3 at 4:00 pm EST (ESPN). The annual game is being held at Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida).

One of the players who has really taken advantage of the opportunity afforded over the last week in McCroy. At 6-foot-9 and 365 pounds, McCroy has obvious eye-opening size.

He is a four-star offensive tackle per ESPN.

“The offensive line group has been surprisingly good. I say surprisingly because it’s been a bit of a down year in this recruiting cycle for offensive linemen, whereas it’s been a really strong cycle for defensive linemen,” Luginbill said.

“But these offensive linemen have really held their own – the McCroy kid who going to Oregon is likely going to be the next Evan Neal – he’s that impactful. And so I’ve been very impressed with that group.”

Neal is a former first-round pick and is in his second season with the New York Giants. The former Alabama offensive lineman, taken No. 7 overall in last spring’s NFL draft, was an All-American selection in 2021.

McCroy held offers from Arkansas, Auburn, Ole Miss and Miami among others when he committed to Oregon.

Luginbill has also been impressed with the wide receivers during the week of practice for the Under Armour All-America Game.

ESPN names the best landing spot for former UCLA QB Dante Moore

Although former UCLA QB Dante Moore has visited Oregon and the Ducks are thought to be the leader to get him, ESPN has other ideas.

Securing the services of former Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel, the transfer portal season has already been a huge win for the Oregon Ducks.

But now they want more, or is that Moore?

Former UCLA quarterback Dante Moore is likely to visit Eugene in the coming days, and the Ducks are thought to be the leader to once again have him commit to Oregon. The Michigan native and former five-star recruit was committed to Dan Lanning’s program before changing his mind and going to UCLA instead.

It wasn’t all fun and games in Pasadena and Moore entered the transfer portal with a whole host of schools lining up for his services.

Again, considering their history with Moore, the Ducks are thought to be the leader. But ESPN has other ideas and thinks he would be best served to stay close to home, as in Ann Arbor.

Moore is likely at the top of a lot of people’s boards because of his upside, eligibility and flashes he showed this fall at UCLA. Going to Michigan makes sense for Moore, a Detroit native, who would get to go back home and compete for a championship every year during his remaining eligibility. He’s not quite the same runner, but as a passer, he has a lot of the same traits Jayden Daniels possesses.

ESPN writer Tom Luginbill makes a lot of sense, but Moore would also compete for multiple championships at Oregon as well, not just Michigan. Many are saying Moore would do better in Eugene as he could redshirt next season, learn the system, and be Gabriel’s understudy to be QB1 for 2025.

And if for some reason Gabriel goes down, Oregon would have a capable backup in Moore for next season.

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ESPN’s Tom Luginbill compares Sooners target David Stone to current Clemson defender

Tom Luginbill of ESPN compared current Oklahoma target David Stone to current Clemson Tigers DL Ruke Orhorhoro.

Oklahoma’s recruiting momentum is peaking right now, and it’s quite a phenomenon when considering the Sooners are waiting on decisions from two of the nation’s top 10 players.

One of those is David Stone, a five-star recruit on every primary recruiting service. Stone hails from Oklahoma but played high school football at IMG Academy the last two years. He and Williams Nwaneri sit at the top of Oklahoma’s recruiting board, and the Sooners have put themselves in a great spot to land both.

Tom Luginbill, a recruiting analyst for ESPN, wrote about the class of 2024 and compared some of the brightest names to current college stars (ESPN+).

For [autotag]David Stone[/autotag], Luginbill compared him to current Clemson’s Ruke Orhorhoro, a talented defender who can play inside and has the skills to rush the passer from the edge.

Stone does not quite possess the bulk and point-of-attack strength of Orhorhoro, but that will come with time. When Orhorhoro came out of high school, he was also on the leaner side.

When watching both of these guys, you see two players who could play on the inside and outside. Stone and Orhorhoro could play the five-technique or even defensive end in a pinch and still be disruptive as a pure pass-rusher. Their initial first step off the ball is outstanding, and their motor to finish plays sets them apart.

If you think about it, it’s a glowing review and assessment of both players. Orhorhoro was recruited to Clemson in 2019 by two gentlemen named Brent Venables and Todd Bates. Those same gentlemen are recruiting David Stone for Oklahoma.

Both men saw something in Orhorhoro. Despite the two no longer being at Clemson, they slowly started tapping into his potential in 2021 when he first hit the scene with 36 tackles, 8.0 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks. He followed that up with 23 tackles, 8.0 tackles for loss and 4 sacks in 2022 while defending five passes as well.

Orhorhoro was a three-star recruit out of high school, while Stone has been at the top of his class since his sophomore year. However, Ruke’s steady rise has him being considered for a possible first-round draft slot if he continues to progress like he has these last two years.

In short, Venables and Bates know defensive linemen. The comparison by Luginbill is another in a long line of reasons that a potential match between Stone and Oklahoma could be an incredible sight to see.

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ESPN’s Tom Luginbill breaks down Jadyn Davis’ commitment to Michigan football

Such a massive get for #Michigan! #GoBlue

It wasn’t a shock to the college football world on Friday when five-star quarterback Jadyn Davis committed to Michigan football, but it was a statement commitment. Davis made his pledge live on ESPN’s flagship program, “SportsCenter,” essentially telling the nation that the Wolverines — off two straight College Football Playoff appearances — aren’t going anywhere.

But why is he choosing to play in Ann Arbor?

After his commitment, Tom Luginbill, ESPN’s recruiting analyst, joined Sage Steele to share why he believes Michigan football and Davis is a match made in heaven.

“I’m not really surprised by this. Three classes ago, they signed J.J. McCarthy, a high-profile player who’s now become the leader of that offense,” Luginbill said. “This last class, 2023, they did not target a four- or five-star quarterback, so they turned their attention to the 2024 class. And I think this is a really nice marriage between skill set and scheme. And I never want to downplay the value of an NFL background when it comes to the recruitment of the quarterback position when you have those principles and that foundation, and although Michigan’s become more explosive, a little bit more wide open, but every young man at this stage has dreams and aspirations of playing in the National Football League. And I think for Jim Harbaugh and Michigan, having that background can really play well in recruiting because it’s something that kids are gravitating towards, and I think it’s a really, really nice fit for the young man.”

Davis grew rather emotional during his pre-commitment speech, crying while he was thanking all of those who mattered to him in the midst of his recruitment. Luginbill thinks that speaks volumes about his preparedness for the next level.

“I think just in listening to him, we would all agree that he’s very mature,” Luginbill said. “He’s thought this thing through. He’s gone through all the scenarios. And you know what, it’s a long process when you’ve been recruited from the eighth grade. And you’re getting pulled in a lot of different directions. There’s only so many spots at quarterback now, with the transfer portal (making it) very, very limited. So you jump on that opportunity that you’re most comfortable with. And in this case, it’s Michigan.”

But what kind of player is Michigan getting in Davis? He’s not a dual threat, but he’s not exactly a statue, either.

Luginbill compared him to another player the Wolverines pursued heavily years ago who wasn’t quite a program-changing player but was a star, nonetheless.

“This young man reminds me an awful lot of UCLA’s Dorian Thompson Robinson,” Luginbill said. “Very, very similar skill set. Good athlete, maybe not an elite runner, but good enough to keep plays alive and get out of trouble. But smooth, poised, I think very a well-groomed thrower of the football, a natural passer of the football. And Jack Tuttle comes into Michigan from Indiana in the transfer portal. Still got a year to go now. For Jadyn Davis to continue to hone and develop and get bigger and stronger. And then all of a sudden when he jumps onto Michigan’s campus, he’s going to be an entirely different player 15 months from now.”

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ESPN compares Oklahoma freshmen to a pair of Sooner legends

Oklahoma’s 2023 class has some exciting players. Two of those signees have been compared to a pair of Oklahoma football legends.

With plenty of 2023 signees taking part in their first spring practices, it signals the end of their high school careers and the first step as collegiate players.

Expectations are high, and many players use this time to adapt to their new homes and carve out roles on their new teams. This time allows teams to get a deeper understanding of who the players are.

As the Sooners integrate members of their 2023 signing class, ESPN issued comparisons for 10 of the top prospects in the ESPN 300. For the Sooners, they identified pretty significant comparisons for Jackson Arnold and Ryan Broyles.

Quarterback Jackson Arnold enters Oklahoma with a ton of hype. He’s yet to take a meaningful snap, but Craig Haubert and Tom Luginbill of ESPN believe he most compares to Heisman winner and Sooner favorite Baker Mayfield (ESPN+).

Mayfield completed a stellar career at Oklahoma after originally walking on at Texas Tech. During his time as a Sooner, he threw for a whopping 12,292 yards and 119 touchdowns, won the 2017 Heisman and averaged a staggering 11.5 yards per pass attempt. He was the very definition of swagger and moxie, and he had the arm to back it up.

Arnold is like Mayfield not only in stature (6-foot-1, 195 pounds), but also in style. He’s confident, poised and intellectual. At Denton Guyer High School (Texas), he ran essentially the same offensive system that he will be in at Oklahoma under Jeff Lebby, which has many similarities to Lincoln Riley’s scheme when tutoring Mayfield. The 2022-23 Gatorade Player of the Year should face a seamless transition at the next level. – ESPN

The expectation for Arnold is he will usurp Davis Beville as the backup QB by season’s end. While Arnold is “at the back of the line” on the depth chart, spring and summer should allow him to leapfrog Beville and give the Sooners a high-ceiling backup who will have the keys to the offense in 2024. Baker waited his turn and blossomed during his time in Norman.

One of Arnold’s incoming classmates will give him a weapon to throw to during his Oklahoma career. Four-star wide receiver Jaquaize Pettaway will not join the Sooners until the summer, but the OU coaching staff will be very happy when he does. The folks over at ESPN believe he most closely resembles the Sooners’ all-time leading receiver, Ryan Broyles.

There were faster players in college football than Broyles during his Oklahoma tenure, but very few were as productive. He finished as Oklahoma’s all-time career leader in receptions (349) and scored 45 touchdowns. The ultimate slot receiver from 2008 to 2011, Broyles was one of the best route runners in recent college football memory and was a second-round draft choice by the Detroit Lions in 2012. Pettaway may be faster (10.4 100-meter) than Broyles, and his scheme versatility and route-running precision is very similar.

His ability to navigate coverage from the slot, be featured on bubble screens and jet sweeps, and win one-on-one matchups in man coverage are all strengths. Like Broyles, Pettaway knows how to get open and make plays. He could follow in his footsteps and develop into a dangerous return man for the Sooners, as well.

Oklahoma’s receiving corps ranked 48th in receiving yards and 68th in receptions per target in 2022, and with Marvin Mims Jr. entering the draft, the Sooners don’t have a strong receiving corps returning. This could provide a great opportunity for Pettaway to break in early and use his speed to develop into a go-to player who is also a feared return specialist. Plus, he is coming in early with QB Jackson Arnold, with whom he has also developed a rapport, which was on display in Under Armour All-America Game. – ESPN

Pettaway has a role with the Oklahoma Sooners as soon as he gets on campus. He’s instantly the fastest in the receiver room and quite possibly the entire team.

His route running and ability to get open will be appreciated by Dillon Gabriel in 2023 and Jackson Arnold in the years to come. It’ll be tough to approach Ryan Broyles’ Oklahoma records unless he starts as a true freshman. Being spoken in the same breath as Ryan Broyles puts him in elite company.

Once on campus, Jaquaize Pettaway will be a welcomed addition to Jeff Lebby’s offense.

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ESPN gives props to Oklahoma’s transfer portal additions

Oklahoma’s transfer portal haul has earned praise from pundits over at ESPN.

Oklahoma entered the offseason needing to better its roster. Yes, the 2023 class would include an infusion of talent. However, it’s not reasonable to expect those true freshmen to provide an immediate impact.

How would Oklahoma improve its defense? How would they replace the offensive starters they lost to the draft?

The transfer portal was the answer. And while Oklahoma missed on a few guys, overall, their haul via the portal was excellent. Pundits at ESPN seem to believe the same thing (ESPN+).

ESPN’s Tom Luginbill hailed the addition of Dasan McCullough as one of the best fits in this transfer portal cycle.

The Sooners are in dire need of upgrades on the defensive side, and McCullough is this cycle’s best pass-rusher. He had an excellent freshman campaign, registering 6.5 tackles for loss and four sacks. The former top-50 recruit in the 2022 class brings speed, effort and a disruptive force to Oklahoma. – Luginbill, ESPN

Oklahoma’s best EDGE rushing addition, Dasan McCullough, figures to be a major player next year for Oklahoma. Oklahoma was abysmal in generating pressure off the edge. Now with McCullough there, the Sooners become a bit more dangerous and dynamic. There’s a chance they plug him in as the Cheetah, utilizing his versatility and athleticism.

Oklahoma not only found answers for their departures, but they improved the overall talent as well. It’s precisely why ESPN believes Oklahoma was one of the schools that addressed its needs the best via this portal cycle in particular.

It’s tough to imagine a Brent Venables-led team would struggle on defense, but the Sooners gave up 461 yards per game, which ranked 122 out of 131 FBS teams and surrendered 5.75 yards per play (82nd). Needing to add playmakers, Venables landed versatile and disruptive Indiana freshman linebacker Dasan McCullough. He also added Texas Tech safety Reggie Pearson Jr., Notre Dame defensive lineman Jacob Lacey, Wake Forest defensive lineman Rondell Bothroyd, Oklahoma State defensive lineman Trace Ford and Texas State defensive lineman Davon Sears. Those transfers are paired with a top-five recruiting class as well. – Tom VanHaaren, ESPN

With a mix of upperclassmen leadership, upside, and production being infused with what the Sooners return, Oklahoma got better as a defense on paper this offseason.

The next step is putting it together this offseason and letting it showcase itself on the field in the fall.

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