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Re-Ranking the Class of 2008
Story URL: http://recruiting.scout.com/2/791292.html
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Scott Kennedy
SuperPrep.com | Sep 17, 2008 |
With the team rankings from Scout.com due to be released this week, now is as good a time as any to look back at the Class of 2008 based on who suited up for their respective teams this month. After all of the class attrition, it turns out, there's a new #1.
From baseball to grayshirts to transfers to academic casualties, there are
multitudes of reasons why the dream that was Signing Day 2008 changed for so
many players. Attrition takes its toll on just about every program in the
country.
Of course the true ranking of each class won't be known for several years, but
here's a look back with a re-ranking of the Class of 2008 based on who suited up
this year.
The Alabama Crimson Tide finished on Signing Day of 2008 with Scout's #1
Class, with Notre Dame nipping closely at their heels. Alabama signed 32
players, so some attrition was expected. Scout only counts the top 25 prospects
per class, but in February there's no telling which 25 are going to report.
Alabama was hit particularly hard by baseball losing Destin Hood and Melvin Ray
to the draft. Alabama lost another 4-Star in Devonta Bolton. Those three players
were enough to give Notre Dame the edge, who enrolled all of their signees.
It's been stated before, but I don't think it can be said enough; the recruiting
job that Charlie Weis and staff did last year to secure the #1 class in
the country in the midst of Notre Dame's worst season in its history, is one of
the best recruiting jobs I've ever seen.
I don't think anyone is taking the Tide lightly despite some attrition, because
Alabama still brought in the #2 class in the country with headliners such as Julio
Jones, Mark Barron, Burton Scott, and Tyler Love. It's less heralded
recruits (if you can call a 4 star guy unheralded) such as Don'ta Hightower
and running back Mark Ingram that have already made a huge impact for
Alabama.
Miami is another team that oversigned and was expecting some attrition,
but most of the key guys in the class enrolled on time and have seen a lot of
early playing time. All of Miami's 4 Star rated or better prospects are
currently on the team. The Class of 2008 is the biggest building block in
getting the Hurricanes back to national prominence.
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