So, what do you recruiting mavens think...

[tep624]

They were recruiting the same guys we wanted. We also went after Tommie Frazier.

And Joe "changes his mind" Dailey.

 

[tep624]

I don't know if McNabb was considered big time. he decided between Syracuse and Nebraska. I really have no idea who his other choices were but you're talking a time period when only a few schools recruited running quarterbacks and Nebraska was primarily run first. I think his choices were very limited nationally. Syracuse imho, pretty much revolutionized 'dual' threat QB's but that's another discussion.

Freeney was not considered big time. Rob Konrad was though. Marvin Harrison was a Parade All American. I think a couple of our ‘busts’ were higher rated than our stars. Dulayn Morgan – 1st Team USA today – 5 star prospect by today’s standards. Scott Freeney out of Georgia was considered HUGE at the time. Damion Mallery was another Parade AA bust.

Clifton Smith was a top 100 prospect at the time.

Joe’s point is dead on though – our primary stars by today’s standards would considered 3 star prospects with a few 4’s sprinkled in. We were recruiting nowhere near the level of the Miami's and FSU's back then. The major difference back then from now is that we were in the discussion with a lot of the top prospect, we could just never seal the deal. I'm starting to see a turnaround now though, we're getting back into the discussions which is a welcome change from the past 10 years.

Rob Konrad was a HUGE recruit, I remember the fight with ND over him with ND trying to flip him, Holtz just wouldn't give up. We haven't had a recruit of his profile since Johnnie Morant.

I do think people are undervaluing KJ Williams from purely a "blue chip" recruiting profile. He is a finalist for the Army AA game - we've never had a commit that was a finalist let alone someone who may make the game. If he makes the Army AA game I'd put him right up there with the Morants and Konrads.

 

[syr02esq]

The point I was trying to make is they have been few and far between.
A lot of fans (especially those under 30) assume the teams during our "glory years" were built around major recruits. Our most well-known players from that era (McNabb, Freeney, Johnson, McClain) would not qualify as "holy " recruits.

Ok, I'm with you. I'm sure you would agree that we would all like to see some "holy " recruits sign with SU?

 

[JoeSU]

Ok, I'm with you. I'm sure you would agree that we would all like to see some "holy " recruits sign with SU?

Would I like to see some "holy sh--" recruits? :Of course.
Have we ever gotten many "holy sh--" recruits? : No.
Do I expect to see some "holy sh--" recruits this year? :No.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I don't know if McNabb was considered big time. he decided between Syracuse and Nebraska. I really have no idea who his other choices were but you're talking a time period when only a few schools recruited running quarterbacks and Nebraska was primarily run first. I think his choices were very limited nationally. Syracuse imho, pretty much revolutionized 'dual' threat QB's but that's another discussion.

Freeney was not considered big time. Rob Konrad was though. Marvin Harrison was a Parade All American. I think a couple of our ‘busts’ were higher rated than our stars. Dulayn Morgan – 1st Team USA today – 5 star prospect by today’s standards. Scott Freeney out of Georgia was considered HUGE at the time. Damion Mallery was another Parade AA bust.

Clifton Smith was a top 100 prospect at the time.

Joe’s point is dead on though – our primary stars by today’s standards would considered 3 star prospects with a few 4’s sprinkled in. We were recruiting nowhere near the level of the Miami's and FSU's back then. The major difference back then from now is that we were in the discussion with a lot of the top prospect, we could just never seal the deal. I'm starting to see a turnaround now though, we're getting back into the discussions which is a welcome change from the past 10 years.

I would bet that McNabb was a 4 star, not a 5 but probably not a 3, IMO. At a time when services were not so comprehensive, he was a star player out of Chicago. His team won the City championship or something like that. Syracuse and Nebraska are pretty good offers for the 1990s.

Freeney, I just don't see him as a 2 star player. Had to be a 3 star. He was First Team All-State in CT, if I recall correctly. Konrad was supposed to be a big star, but he always was having problems with his ankles. If he was a bit more of a north-south runner, he could have been a pro.

Marvin Harrison fulfilled the hype. Both would have been 3 stars, IMO, although Konrad might have had a couple services give him 4 stars. Wasn't Notre Dame after him?

 

[wfschrec]

Not with McNabb, anyway. He was a big-time recruit out of Chicago. There were lots of people on him. That was a big get - he probably would have been a 4 star recruit. Freeney was also big time by Connecticut standards, but probably would have been a 3 star due to his lack of height.

DNabb had offers from Nebraska, ND and a host of others ... considered by many to be the best option QB in his class.