If you go out and actually do the work in terms of looking at signings years later, you'll be surprised at the number of kids who are signed each year by virtually every school and never see the field. At one time my loose estimate is that one in every 3 kids actually plays significant minutes. One in 5 is a starter. And even less is a really productive player who makes a significant contribution.
It seems to me that when the recruiting season starts, IU will evaluate and come up with a list of say, cornerbacks it thinks have what it takes to play at the Big Ten level. They are offered and the process winnows out player A who goes to OSU, B goes to ND, and so forth. When fortunate, they may get one from that list. But often times when you aren't a bowl team annually you are left with "who you can get and who you can develop". By this time of year, unless your Coaches name is Urban, or Nick, (and sometimes them too) you're left scrambling for guys who have specific physical tools you think you can work with, or are just tough kids that may work out.
For every "can't miss" prospect that misses, there is a smart, tough worker who makes it. It's like life. RECRUITING RANKINGS AND STARS DO MATTER. If they didn't, teams that signed a number star prospects wouldn't be any good. But the stars have nothing to do with individual players maximizing opportunity. It's fun to watch how this plays out.
It seems to me that when the recruiting season starts, IU will evaluate and come up with a list of say, cornerbacks it thinks have what it takes to play at the Big Ten level. They are offered and the process winnows out player A who goes to OSU, B goes to ND, and so forth. When fortunate, they may get one from that list. But often times when you aren't a bowl team annually you are left with "who you can get and who you can develop". By this time of year, unless your Coaches name is Urban, or Nick, (and sometimes them too) you're left scrambling for guys who have specific physical tools you think you can work with, or are just tough kids that may work out.
For every "can't miss" prospect that misses, there is a smart, tough worker who makes it. It's like life. RECRUITING RANKINGS AND STARS DO MATTER. If they didn't, teams that signed a number star prospects wouldn't be any good. But the stars have nothing to do with individual players maximizing opportunity. It's fun to watch how this plays out.
