2007 Recruiting Class Breakdown

[bnoro]

I have decided to take a little time and evaluate each recruiting class for SU since 2007, as this is the last class we have players from. My criteria is as follows:

5 Star - NFL 1st or 2nd round draft pick/could start on any team in country/All-American
4 Star - NFL player/potential draft pick/could start on most teams in country/All-BE
3 Star - Solid College Starter/Potential undrafted FA
2 Star - Backup/Special Teamer
Incomplete - Extenuating circumstances
NR - Player left SU early/did not qualify

I hope to do this with the 2008-2011 classes as well. Onto 2007's class. Players will be listed with original recruited position, as well as star rankings from Scout/Rivals/ESPN.

4 Stars
Doug Hogue, RB, (4/3/3) 5th Round draft pick of the Detroit Lions, 26.5 TFL in only 25 games. Top 5 player last year. All-BE 1st team, Selected for East-West Shrine Game.
Rob Long, P, (2/2/NR) What can be said about Rob that hasn't been said? Great player, better person. All-BE 1st team in 2009, All-BE 2nd team in 2008, 2010. May have been drafted if he wasn't diagnosed with cancer.
Mike Holmes, DB, (2/2/NR) Versatile player in his time here, played at S and CB, and did a great job returning punts. Had 5 picks in his career, and finished 25th in the country in PR average last year. Now on the practice squad for the Bears.
Nick Provo, TE, (3/3/2) Mackey award nominee, Most likely All-BE 1st team this year, and definite potential to be drafted. Most likely one of the top 5 TE's to come out of Syracuse. Broke Chris Gedney's record for most receptions by a TE in a single season this year. Balanced TE, can block and catch.

3 Stars
Van Chew, WR, (2/2/2) Generally starts fast and ends slow. Biletnikoff award nominee. 6 Career TDs and over 1000 yards. His size was the only thing that held him back, couldn't stay healthy for a full season. The peanut butter and jelly sandwiches didn't cut it. Solid player though.
Da'Mon Merkerson, WR/DB, (2/2/3) His position changes were well documented. WR to DB to WR to DB. If he had been a DB his whole career he probably would be in the NFL right now, as even with only a few seasons he got a shot with the Cardinals. One of our best coverage corners last year after the Washington game. 2 career interceptions and numerous breakups.
Kevyn Scott, DB, (2/2/NR) Scott has been a yo-yo his whole career. Positively, he is on a track to be very successful in life, a very smart kid and was invited to Obama's inauguration. He had game winning interceptions against Wake and Toledo in OT. But he's never seemed to put those flashes together and has been a bit of a disappointment.
Bud Tribbey, DT, (2/3/3) Good rotational Defensive tackle in his time here. Gave his all and made sure to keep people awake at night with his loud gospel music (he lived underneath me on south) Also gave us this gem of a video.
Max Suter, S, (3/3/3) Max had a ton of potential that he was never able to fully realize because of injuries. A fan favorite due to his work ethic and hard hitting play. Still a solid starter in his time here.

2 Stars
Ryan Gillum, S, (3/3/2) After bulking up to play weakside linebacker, was hurt in spring ball and lost his shot. He stuck the rest of his time out and got his degree last year.
Chad Battles, LB, (2/3/2) Battles got on the field for special teams, but never really got his shot to play defense in his time here. Unlike many G-Rob recruits, however, he stuck it out here, took his degree, and went to play as a graduate student at Norfolk State.
Ollie Haney, DT, (2/2/NR) Ollie never has quite been able to get his chance, as injuries have derailed his season over the past few years. However his work in practice proved he would be a valuable backup if he was healthy.
Randy McKinnon, S, (2/2/2) McKinnon saw quite a bit of playing time in his junior year, and had two of the team's 9 sacks in the Rutgers game in 2009. He graduated early and moved on to SMU.
Ryan Howard, DB, (2/2/JC) - Solid punt returner in his time here, Didn't really see much action besides that. Graduated in 2008.

Incomplete
Cody Catalina, QB, (3/3/3) Marrone decided Cody would be better suited playing TE than backing up the QB spot, so he moved him there. Catalina showed great potential, and may have been 1B to Provo's 1A. However, at the Pitt game, he blew out his knee (one of the worst injuries i've heard) and after an attempt at a comeback hung up the cleats. Now a Grad Assistant.
Jermaine Pierce, LB, (4/4/PG) Unable to play because of a blood clot issue. Would have been interesting to see how he would have developed under a Shafer-run defense.
Jovan Miller, DB, (NR/3/2) Won 2 National Championships in Lacrosse, and was a first round draft pick in the sport. Can't fault him for wanting to play under John Desko.

Not Rated
Andrey Baskin, WR, (3/3/PG) Was there any confirmation Baskin was a real person? Never made it to SU although he did help boost the ratings of numerous recruiting classes on Rivals and Scout.
Romale Tucker, DE, (3/3/Not Listed) Tucker left after Marrone arrived at Syracuse.
David Legree, QB, (3/3/2) Legree had an odd throwing motion, and left after he realized under Marrone that he would not be a starter. Went to Hampton, where he has done fairly well from what I've read.
Mike Mele, LB, (2/3/2) Mele left once Marrone arrived as well, and transferred to UMass, where he was subsequently arrested for possession of a Class B Substance. LINK
Chaz Cervino, DB, (2/2/NR) When he found out he wasn't really in Marrone's plans moving forward, he transferred to Hofstra, and disappeared with their program.
Jamere Knox, RB, (2/3/3) Knox never made it to campus, and it's unclear where he is now.
Josh White, OL, (2/2/NR) He lost his job to Michael Hay in spring ball and decided to move on. No word on where is now.
Lamar Middleton, DL, (2/2/NR) Middleton looked to be a potential starter, and made it all the way through Marrone's first spring ball. However, he missed curfew the night before the spring game and was kicked off the team, and transferred to James Madison.
Darnell Pratt, DE, (2/2/PG) He left when Marrone got here. I don't think he ever played.
Zary Stewart, DL, (2/2/NR) Zary brought a TD back to the house in Marrone's first spring game, but decided to transfer after spring ball, and went to Morgan State.

Most of the players that didn't leave over performed their star rankings. It's very difficult to compare this class because of all the attrition, but we'll see moving forward how they measure up.

 

[N.Y. Orangeman]

Great post!

 

[SmilinBob]

I don't get the Josh White thing? Best lineman and then losses his spot and leaves? Where did he end up?

 

[echosofmanley]

Thanks for the write up.

Darnel Pratt, DE, (2/2/PG)
-No link, but a friend mentioned he worked with Pratt at Loretto with disabled adults.

Jovan Miller
-may have been a solid DB/RB, but a top tier lax player with 2 nationals.

 

[SmilinBob]

Sorry I didn't add thanks for the post, it's an interesting read.

 

[Cuseman78]

Great post. Look forward to future editions of this

 

[rrlbees]

I don't get the Josh White thing? Best lineman and then losses his spot and leaves? Where did he end up?

I might be wrong but I think bnoro is thinking of Nick Speller who was a freshman AA. White may have been good but not Speller good.

 

[cuseclappy]

im almost positive pratt was on special teams..but regardless great post

 

[tep624]

I might be wrong but I think bnoro is thinking of Nick Speller who was a freshman AA. White may have been good but not Speller good.

Yeah he has to be confusing those two. I don't remember that situation with White at all.

 

[bnoro]

I might be wrong but I think bnoro is thinking of Nick Speller who was a freshman AA. White may have been good but not Speller good.

Yep that was my mistake. Will edit.

 

[Cadillac]

Really great take.

Long and Holmes stood out immediately. Hogue was 3rd string RB but still good enough to get on the field. Think Merk caught a few passes and Tribbey (and Mele I think) were in the rotation immediately. That's it.

Pierce, who knows what could have been. PITT threw themselves at him after Milford but credit GR for finding him and really making an impression on him.

It took Provo until last year to show anything (injured against Minny).

I think people get a little sentimental at how Hogue and Provo turned out and give GRob too much credit on the recruiting trail. A lot of no shows/non contributors compared to the last couple of classes.

 

[rrlbees]

I think people get a little sentimental at how Hogue and Provo turned out and give GRob too much credit on the recruiting trail. A lot of no shows/non contributors compared to the last couple of classes.

I don't think that is true at all. GRob didn't have any more no shows than the coaches past or present. And a lot of his kids, who are still here contribute still and have contributed.

 

[wfschrec]

I don't think that is true at all. GRob didn't have any more no shows than the coaches past or present. And a lot of his kids, who are still here contribute still and have contributed.

What troubles me is that we have lost our highest ranked RB the last two seasons (according to scout Timbers and Smallwood) to academics ... that hurts.

 

[Cadillac]

Love Carter, Bailey, Derrell, Hogue, Rob Long, some of my all-time faves. All those seniors last year should get a mural opposite Sacco and Vanzetti.

I'm just trying to make sense of why I've read "GR" and "good recruiter" in the same sentence in the last month. Especially when his recruiting post-Lavar Lobdell was HATED by SU fans and mocked by everyone else.

The names I remember cited were Hogue, who was all potential until his senior year, and Provo, who was all potential until his junior year.

I don't know. Maybe it was said as a way of sleighting DM's classes and bolstering an argument that way, or people just getting sentimental about last season. I don't even remember who said it, I lost my spreadsheet keeping track.
It just seems revisionist history to me. If I'm off-base, let me have it.

 

[bnoro]

Love Carter, Bailey, Derrell, Hogue, Rob Long, some of my all-time faves. All those seniors last year should get a mural opposite Sacco and Vanzetti.

I'm just trying to make sense of why I've read "GR" and "good recruiter" in the same sentence in the last month. Especially when his recruiting post-Lavar Lobdell was HATED by SU fans and mocked by everyone else.

The names I remember cited were Hogue, who was all potential until his senior year, and Provo, who was all potential until his junior year.

I don't know. Maybe it was said as a way of sleighting DM's classes and bolstering an argument that way, or people just getting sentimental about last season. I don't even remember who said it, I lost my spreadsheet keeping track.
It just seems revisionist history to me. If I'm off-base, let me have it.

Honestly, this class is a bad example to try to see G-Rob's recruits. I think Doug got more out of them than Greg could have, but Robinson found some diamonds in the rough and should get credit for them. I think he also took a lot of people who shouldn't have gotten scholarships at the D-1 level. But then again, Marrone may have done this as well. We really will never know because of the change.

Fact of the matter is, G-Rob was a good recruiter because he was able to land kids with offers from other BCS schools, even while compiling 1-11 records.

 

[billsin01]

I don't think that is true at all. GRob didn't have any more no shows than the coaches past or present. And a lot of his kids, who are still here contribute still and have contributed.

This is tiresome. I believe the only no-show listed in there is Baskin. Everyone else that left was essentially either injured or run by Marrone. Big difference.

 

[billsin01]

I'm just trying to make sense of why I've read "GR" and "good recruiter" in the same sentence in the last month. Especially when his recruiting post-Lavar Lobdell was HATED by SU fans and mocked by everyone else.

I don't know. Maybe it was said as a way of sleighting DM's classes and bolstering an argument that way, or people just getting sentimental about last season. I don't even remember who said it, I lost my spreadsheet keeping track.
It just seems revisionist history to me. If I'm off-base, let me have it.

This honestly isn't very difficult to understand -- not that you have to agree with it. But I think the general argument goes like this: As awful as GRob was in many respects he seemed to basically get a pretty decent share of recruits with the bizarre exception of linebacker.

Part of the reason we can't name more good GRob recruits is that dozens of them were run off by the current staff -- perhaps for good reason but not necessarily b/c they didn't have any talent.

But the point is that while GRob's recruiting is continually battered, his holdovers have been a huge part of helping this program turn things around to at least reach "mediocre." Holmes, Merkerson, Smith, Hogue, Tribbey, Perkins (was that GRob?), Lewis, C Jones, Marinovich, Lemon, Nassib, DC3, Provo, Long, Bailey ... off the top of my head. It's not a who's who, but those kids have been solid. Others, like Mike Williams (and GRob is criticized for listening to Mike Hopkins for a reason I fail to comprehend since the whole point of recruiting is being willing to turn over every stone) and Marcus Sales didn't exactly work out, but were awfully talented kids.

At the end of the day, it's my contention anyway, that the development and schemes/game plans, etc. were far more GRob's problems than actually procuring talent (which also could have been better but was far from the eyesore people think it was).

 

[Cadillac]

I get you.

I think I remember most how little fanfare our guys had and the great outcry about the guys we "missed." Sukay, Spinney, Gronk, Jewhan Edwards, Kenny Plue.

Maybe we were miserable people. The times were certainly trying.

I get irked when I read, well, if DM's recruits are so much better, why aren't they playing nowwwww? It's like, hey, those guys we miss so much, the Hogues and Derrells, didn't do much of anything until they were upperclassmen.

Bnoro does this two years ago, Provo gets an incomplete, K Scott too, Hogue's probably a 3 based on wishful thinking. You just can't judge these classes until it's all said and done.

Hoping for a drama-free run to signing day.

 

[bnoro]

I get you.

I think I remember most how little fanfare our guys had and the great outcry about the guys we "missed." Sukay, Spinney, Gronk, Jewhan Edwards, Kenny Plue.

Maybe we were miserable people. The times were certainly trying.

I get irked when I read, well, if DM's recruits are so much better, why aren't they playing nowwwww? It's like, hey, those guys we miss so much, the Hogues and Derrells, didn't do much of anything until they were upperclassmen.

Bnoro does this two years ago, Provo gets an incomplete, K Scott too, Hogue's probably a 3 based on wishful thinking. You just can't judge these classes until it's all said and done.

Hoping for a drama-free run to signing day.

This is why the next few I put together will most likely have to be reworked next year. But that's what's fun about college football. Those that don't know what we will do at RB next year may be pleasantly surprised with a tandem of Gulley and Smith (and maybe AAM). It's all about how much a player wants to improve.