2019 to 2024 B1G Recruiting overview

[NewJerseyHawk]

Here is the summary of the last 5 classes from AND current commits for 2024. Why is this important to summarize??

Because I really don't think, fans have a complete overview of how stark the differences are.

The list below includes USC and UCLA, because the kids committed in 2023 and 2024, are players that will compete against RU going forward.

I didn't separate 5* commits from 4* commits, because there weren't enough 5* kids and some were 1 and done. It doesn't account for which kids stick, and which ones transfer in or out. This also does not include "portal kids into a program". The first number covers 5 & 4 kids and rest cover 3* or unrated ones.. There are some kids that are "unrated", typically because those prospects are international.

1) Michigan (5 & 4*) 17 commits
Michigan (3*) 2 commits

2) Ohio State (5 & 4*) 15 commits
Ohio State (3*) 5 commits

3) USC (5 & 4*) 14 commits
USC (3*) 5 commits

4) MICH ST (5 & 4*) 13 commits
MiCH ST (3*) 1 commit

5) ILLINOIS (5 & 4*) 12 commits
ILLINOIS (3*) 4 commits
ILLINOIS (3 unrated)

6) INDIANA (5 & 4*) 11 commits
INDIANA (3*) 3 commits

7) PURDUE (5 & 4*) 10 commits
PURDUE (3*) 5 commits
PURDUE (1 unrated commit)

8) MARYLAND (5 & 4*) 10 commits
MARYLAND (3*) 4 commits
MARYLAND (1 unrated)

9) UCLA (5 & 4*) 10 commits
UCLA (3*) 2 commits

10) IOWA (5 & 4*) 5 commits
IOWA (3*) 11 commits

11) MINNESOTA (5 & 4*) 4 commits
MINNESOTA (3*) 12 commits

12) RUTGERS (5 & 4*) 4 commits
RUTGERS (3*) 9 commits
RUTGERS (2 Unrated)

13) NEBRASKA (5 & 4*) 3 commits
NEBRASKA (3*) 16 commits

14) WISCONSIN (5 & 4*) 3 commits
WISCONSIN (3*) 11 commits

15) NWESTERN (5 & 4*) 2 commits
NWESTERN (3*) 10 commits

16) PENN STATE (5 & 4*) 1 commit
PENN STATE (3*) 15 commits

Since this includes the 2023 and 2024 classes, it's not necessarily going to explain everything, but it should give some real perspective on the climb RU has had to make.

RU had 2 4* recruits from 2019 to 2022 (Cliff and Jaden Jones)

RU had 2 4* recruits in the 2018 class (Mathis and RHJ)

RU has since landed 3 kids considered 4 or 5 star in the classes of 2023 & 24 (Gavin Griffiths, Ace Bailey, Deliquan Warren)....Baye Ngongo is rated at #140, but would need another jump higher to reach 4* ranking).

It should also highlight how extremely competitive and tight the B1G is. And some schools like Iowa, RU, Wisconsin and Purdue, have done very well with "3* kids since 2019 (Paul Mulcahy, Mawot Mag and Derek Simpson), but Purdue (Zach Edey), Iowa (Keegan and Kris Murray), Wisconsin (Johnny Davis), also fit that profile.

This is something that is trending UP, for RU, but does need to extend over 3, 4 or 5 straight recruiting classes, to truly close the gap, against the schools with that head start in experience AND developed talent.

 

[Scarlet Shack]

I’ll take this metric a little different

How many 4-5 star players on each year roster

2016-2017 ….1 Corey sanders
2017-2018…..1 Corey sanders
2018-2019….2 Montez Mathis , Ron Harper Jr
2019-2020…3 MM, RHJ, Jacob young (transfer)
2020-2021…4. MM, RHJ, JY, Cliff Omouyri
2021-2022….3..RHJ, cliff, Jaden jones
2022-2023….1 Cliff

2023-2024…3
cliff (if he returns)
Gavin Griffiths
Baye Ndongo (he might finish as. 4 in the final rankings…and I think he will ans end up here

2024-2025…4 so far
Gavin Griffiths
Baye Ndongo
Deliquan Warren
Airous Bailey

Plus …in the hunt for
Dylan Harper
Kur teng
Tyler besley
Lathan Sommerville

Point is …as Hawk said , the trend is UP

The second key is ….who are those three star kids that really make a diffeenxe

We have had
Myles Johnson
Geo baker
Caleb macconnell
Paul mulchay
Mawot mag
…and Derek Simpson on his way

Plus …super transfers in cam spenser and akwasi yeboah

So …while lifting up and the ceiling to have more talent with higher profile recruits is critical ….most programs are only going to have 5-7 4-5 star kids at a time …and you need those 3’star kids to come in and lift up the floor and provide quality depth and sometimes push ahead of rhe 4 star kid when they are younger and not yet ready for the bright lights

So while we are all anxiously awaiting to hear about Dylan , kur, Tyler and Latham …to add to Gavin , Baye, Airous and Deliquann….I’m just as curious to find out who the next Caleb and Mawot are gojng to be to make both practice more gritty and physical and take minutes from whose ranking is says it should not

Depth and competion matter

Keep adding the pieces

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

I appreciate the research. I do think the game is evolving with NIL and the portal. HS players are one source another source is the minor leagues. I think we are going to see teams that start using both together.

I think there is a good chance next year we will have a player averaging over 24 MPG that will come from the minors just like Cam.

 

[MiloTalon13]

I appreciate the research. I do think the game is evolving with NIL and the portal. HS players are one source another source is the minor leagues. I think we are going to see teams that start using both together.

I think there is a good chance next year we will have a player averaging over 24 MPG that will come from the minors just like Cam.

Yes, excellent research!
Agreed on at least one (maybe 2) rotation player from the portal next season.

It's a delicate balance - the best recruits want to play right away and some will only be here a year or two if we keep getting 5*s, but you need some maturity too. A portal upperclassman or 2-3 in the rotation every year seems like a formula for success.

 

[hawkjt]

When you look at the top 100 preps their is a plethora of NJ preps on there.
It has to be frustrating for RU fans to be the state university of NJ and have so many top recruits leave the state.

NJ is the source for the most quality recruits in the BIG footprint.
BIG needs to keep them in conference at RU or elsewhere in the league.

 

[NewJerseyHawk]

When you look at the top 100 preps their is a plethora of NJ preps on there.
It has to be frustrating for RU fans to be the state university of NJ and have so many top recruits leave the state.

NJ is the source for the most quality recruits in the BIG footprint.
BIG needs to keep them in conference at RU or elsewhere in the league.

I think there are a lot of these prospects that are placed here in NJ, from other regions or parts of the world, where they really don't have any specific allegiance to NJ. But there are enough NJ prospects for sure (in general).

 

[snowboarder]

Recruit rankings in basketball are much different then football as less influential on success
The volume of recruits in football simply requires a statistical advantage in recruiting based on the number of players to evaluate.
Basketball is different
Northwestern, second place this year, bottom of rankings
Penn State second in tourney and same
Rutgers, without injuries, would have challenged for top spot or top 4 minimally
1. Coaching and connectivity is important
2. Transfer portal
3. Players move on to the pros earlier

 

[rucoe89]

Here is the summary of the last 5 classes from AND current commits for 2024. Why is this important to summarize??

Because I really don't think, fans have a complete overview of how stark the differences are.

The list below includes USC and UCLA, because the kids committed in 2023 and 2024, are players that will compete against RU going forward.

I didn't separate 5* commits from 4* commits, because there weren't enough 5* kids and some were 1 and done. It doesn't account for which kids stick, and which ones transfer in or out. This also does not include "portal kids into a program". The first number covers 5 & 4 kids and rest cover 3* or unrated ones.. There are some kids that are "unrated", typically because those prospects are international.

1) Michigan (5 & 4*) 17 commits
Michigan (3*) 2 commits

2) Ohio State (5 & 4*) 15 commits
Ohio State (3*) 5 commits

3) USC (5 & 4*) 14 commits
USC (3*) 5 commits

4) MICH ST (5 & 4*) 13 commits
MiCH ST (3*) 1 commit

5) ILLINOIS (5 & 4*) 12 commits
ILLINOIS (3*) 4 commits
ILLINOIS (3 unrated)

6) INDIANA (5 & 4*) 11 commits
INDIANA (3*) 3 commits

7) PURDUE (5 & 4*) 10 commits
PURDUE (3*) 5 commits
PURDUE (1 unrated commit)

8) MARYLAND (5 & 4*) 10 commits
MARYLAND (3*) 4 commits
MARYLAND (1 unrated)

9) UCLA (5 & 4*) 10 commits
UCLA (3*) 2 commits

10) IOWA (5 & 4*) 5 commits
IOWA (3*) 11 commits

11) MINNESOTA (5 & 4*) 4 commits
MINNESOTA (3*) 12 commits

12) RUTGERS (5 & 4*) 4 commits
RUTGERS (3*) 9 commits
RUTGERS (2 Unrated)

13) NEBRASKA (5 & 4*) 3 commits
NEBRASKA (3*) 16 commits

14) WISCONSIN (5 & 4*) 3 commits
WISCONSIN (3*) 11 commits

15) NWESTERN (5 & 4*) 2 commits
NWESTERN (3*) 10 commits

16) PENN STATE (5 & 4*) 1 commit
PENN STATE (3*) 15 commits

Since this includes the 2023 and 2024 classes, it's not necessarily going to explain everything, but it should give some real perspective on the climb RU has had to make.

RU had 2 4* recruits from 2019 to 2022 (Cliff and Jaden Jones)

RU had 2 4* recruits in the 2018 class (Mathis and RHJ)

RU has since landed 3 kids considered 4 or 5 star in the classes of 2023 & 24 (Gavin Griffiths, Ace Bailey, Deliquan Warren)....Baye Ngongo is rated at #140, but would need another jump higher to reach 4* ranking).

It should also highlight how extremely competitive and tight the B1G is. And some schools like Iowa, RU, Wisconsin and Purdue, have done very well with "3* kids since 2019 (Paul Mulcahy, Mawot Mag and Derek Simpson), but Purdue (Zach Edey), Iowa (Keegan and Kris Murray), Wisconsin (Johnny Davis), also fit that profile.

This is something that is trending UP, for RU, but does need to extend over 3, 4 or 5 straight recruiting classes, to truly close the gap, against the schools with that head start in experience AND developed talent.

I think RHJr was a 2 or 3*. Not a 4*.

 

[RUJMM78]

Hyatt was a four star coming out of high school before going to LSU and then transferring to Rutgers.

 

[MiloTalon13]

Hyatt was a four star coming out of high school before going to LSU and then transferring to Rutgers.

Hyatt was a 4 star.

He reclassified to join LSU early and red-shirted a year. I forget who pointed this out to me when I didn't realize how highly rated he was. Reclassing like that messes up your ranking as you're not in the class you were ranked in. Most recruiting services don't show their history - only their latest updates, at least that I can find.

 

[RUBlackout]

Great analysis and like the upward trend. Just a very steep hill to climb. We get excited with a potential super class in 2023-2025 but to our peers it’s like leveling the playing field.

 

[Rokodesh]

I think RHJr was a 2 or 3*. Not a 4*.

Ron was a 4 star by one publication, don't remember which

Seems like Rivals

 

[Zak57]

Ron was a 4* on Rivals.

 

[RUDiddy777]

Ron was a 4 star by one publication, don't remember which

Seems like Rivals

He was a late upgrade to 4 here. Had a growth spurt senior year, IIRC.

 

[High Quality H2O]

When you look at the top 100 preps their is a plethora of NJ preps on there.
It has to be frustrating for RU fans to be the state university of NJ and have so many top recruits leave the state.

NJ is the source for the most quality recruits in the BIG footprint.
BIG needs to keep them in conference at RU or elsewhere in the league.

It doesnt exactly work that way but we are 10th/11th most populous state. We have more people than Iowa and Wisconsin combined. We should have ample hs kids to field great teams. Our struggle is keeping them here. Yes it’s frustrating, watch kids grow up in NJ…dis RU..go to school out of state, Notre Dame, Penn State, UVA where ever then come moseying on back to get jobs here. I’m conflating student athletes a bit with NARPs but similar gist.

 

[rucoe89]

He was a late upgrade to 4 here. Had a growth spurt senior year, IIRC.

That may be what I remember - when he committed he was a 2 * but by the time he finished HS we was a 4 *.

 

[Scangg]

Ron was a 4* on Rivals.

View embedded media

People love to say he wasn't. Give Pike credit for going after him before he was highly rated though

 

[RU#1fan]

It doesnt exactly work that way but we are 10th/11th most populous state. We have more people than Iowa and Wisconsin combined. We should have ample hs kids to field great teams. Our struggle is keeping them here. Yes it’s frustrating, watch kids grow up in NJ…dis RU..go to school out of state, Notre Dame, Penn State, UVA where ever then come moseying on back to get jobs here. I’m conflating student athletes a bit with NARPs but similar gist.

Same story in FB ..actually 3x as bad.

 

[pmvon]

This also means we have been punching above our weight with Pike. He deserves alot of credit. Now if we have the same level of recruits and transfers as top teams, hopefully we can take another step up.

 

[Loyal_2RU]

I think RHJr was a 2 or 3*. Not a 4*.

3* when committed, 4 start by end

 

[RU677381]

I think the Law of Diminishing Returns applies. Too many 4 and 5 star, a la Kentucky or Duke, doesn’t necessarily guarantee anything more than a winning season, and even that is not always the case.