This class is typical of the Mac Era

[GatorJ]

With this class, I think we're at 17 scholarship OL. I would have been nice to get a couple additional. But it's not a killer.

Looks like 16 scholarship OL. 4 are walk-ons.

We had 4 total when Mac took over.

51 Antonio Riles
53 Kavaris Harkless
59 T.J. McCoy
61 Brett Heggie
64 Tyler Jordan
65 Jawaan Taylor
66 Nick Buchanan
67 Brandon Sandifer
68 Richerd Desir-Jones
72 Stone Forsythe
73 Martez Ivey
74 Fred Johnson
77 Andrew Mike
TJ Moore
Tedarrell Slaton
Kadeem Telfort
7 Ricardo Benalcazar
79 Dallas Bruch
69 Marcus Givens
71 Nick Villano

 

[TLB]

It isn't bad, but there's no star power. It's just a ho hum class. They'll be some good in Henderson, Wilson, Conliffe, but no players that make you say WOW they're gonna be stars!

I'm sure they are all just happy to be here.

 

[Gator Fever]

11th in star ranking isn't all that great. We were top eight at one point. We aren't catching up to our rivals. That's the problem.

Filling out needs is code for having an ok class.

Yep I wish it was a little better but to be top 10 in total blue chippers now and 5th in the SEC in recruiting is a big improvement from the 7th to 8th place SEC finish that looked likely just a week or two ago.

 

[T REX]

I would definitely have liked a couple five stars. Particularly a QB, WR, and DE. But we knew it wasn't coming.

Five stars bring you over the top but it's the 4 stars that build your class. What I didn't like we're all the 3 stars originally with this class.

So if 4 stars are backbones of championship contending team how did we do in relation to the rest of the field?

When you really break that down and look at the teams in front of us - while we have more 4 stars, their classes are rated much higher than ours - take FSU for example - only 9 four stars but they are top 5/6 in the country - 3 five stars helps I guess. The difference makers. The Cam Akers of the world.

 

[I Have No Friends :(]

Really what this means is that we're going to have to play disciplined, fundamentally sound football in order to beat teams like F$U who are signing those 3 game changers a year. Provided the bulk of our starters are 4-stars we CAN pull it off, but it's going to take near error-free football to do it. This staff hasn't shown it's capable of getting that type of play out of our players.

 

[Alagator]

Looks like 16 scholarship OL. 4 are walk-ons.

We had 4 total when Mac took over.

51 Antonio Riles
53 Kavaris Harkless
59 T.J. McCoy
61 Brett Heggie
64 Tyler Jordan
65 Jawaan Taylor
66 Nick Buchanan
67 Brandon Sandifer
68 Richerd Desir-Jones
72 Stone Forsythe
73 Martez Ivey
74 Fred Johnson
77 Andrew Mike
TJ Moore
Tedarrell Slaton
Kadeem Telfort
7 Ricardo Benalcazar
79 Dallas Bruch
69 Marcus Givens
71 Nick Villano

Well if Slayton gets his way he will be moving to DT... which frankly is a much larger need for us at this point...

If GatorChatter gets it's way then Riles will be moving to DT next year also... And hopefully he'll be better suited to filling holes then he was at making them...(I know, I know... There's a "That's what she said joke" in there).

"IF" those two things happen that gives us 14 scholarship O'lineman. I think 15 - 17 is where you wanna be. We're still short but are in a MUCH better position then we were when Mac took over. BTW, he had 7 OL when he took over, not 4... and then lost one which left him at 6. Still absolutely PATHETIC that that's where he started from... But the other day I saw someone claim we only had 3... seems like the longer we go the fewer people remember us having...

 

[Okeechobee Joe]

Won't win a national championship but blowouts need to stop.

 

[GatorJ]

When you really break that down and look at the teams in front of us - while we have more 4 stars, their classes are rated much higher than ours - take FSU for example - only 9 four stars but they are top 5/6 in the country - 3 five stars helps I guess. The difference makers. The Cam Akers of the world.

Right. We missed out on difference makers. This class is solid but it's not getting us back into the conversation on elite. We need an elite QB and WR next year. By elite, I mean 5 stars.

 

[GatorJ]

Well if Slayton gets his way he will be moving to DT... which frankly is a much larger need for us at this point...

If GatorChatter gets it's way then Riles will be moving to DT next year also... And hopefully he'll be better suited to filling holes then he was at making them...(I know, I know... There's a "That's what she said joke" in there).

"IF" those two things happen that gives us 14 scholarship O'lineman. I think 15 - 17 is where you wanna be. We're still short but are in a MUCH better position then we were when Mac took over. BTW, he had 7 OL when he took over, not 4... and then lost one which left him at 6. Still absolutely PATHETIC that that's where he started from... But the other day I saw someone claim we only had 3... seems like the longer we go the fewer people remember us having...

I thought for sure that when the spring game came around we don't have enough for a starting five. I could be mistaken.

 

[GatorTAG]

This may come as a shock to some of you, but I've been pretty hard on Mac about recruiting. I definitely have been pessimistic about this class but, I will say we got some nice players. Better than I expected a few days ago. There are a number of guys that will flat out ball for us in the next few years. I'm not sure there are enough of those guys but I'm happy with the ones we got.

 

[Alagator]

I thought for sure that when the spring game came around we don't have enough for a starting five. I could be mistaken.

We didn't have enough for a traditional Spring Game because we couldn't field two lineups... We had 7 to start the spring with and Rod Johnson went down with a career ending injury early on, leaving us with only 6 O'lineman.

 

[TLB]

It isn't bad, but there's no star power. It's just a ho hum class. They'll be some good in Henderson, Wilson, Conliffe, but no players that make you say WOW they're gonna be stars!

Since you made this statement, Lemmons and Robinson came in. Could you do it again so Parks and Blades will sign?

 

[GatorMan5K]

It isn't bad, but there's no star power. It's just a ho hum class. They'll be some good in Henderson, Wilson, Conliffe, but no players that make you say WOW they're gonna be stars!

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Sixth in the nation with four stars is a big deal. Would I like to be first? Sure. But that's a huge step up from just a week ago.

Not a very valid measurement. Obviously a couple of teams have less 4 stars but multiple 5 stars. Total bluechippers is however a decent measurement. Last I checked we were 10th or so.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

I take offense to that.

 

[GatorAuthor]

Complaining about a Top 10 class after WM left us in ruins? Roasting Nuss for an offense ranked 117 is understandable. By the same-ish logic you shouldn't respond to a Top 10 class with "meh, we're behind 7-9 programs." All Gators should feel good about this class. Mac was hired to rebuild the program and this is positive movement towards that goal.

 

[T REX]

This may come as a shock to some of you but I've been pretty hard on Mac about recruiting. I defentely have been pessimistic about this class, but I will say we got some nice players. Better than I expected a few days ago. There are a number of guys that will flat out ball for us in the next few years. I'm not sure there are enough of those guys but I'm happy with the ones we got.

This is a great...fair post.

 

[CGgater]

Not a very valid measurement. Obviously a couple of teams have less 4 stars but multiple 5 stars. Total bluechippers is however a decent measurement. Last I checked we were 10th or so.

So, I guess you didn't bother reading the "...from just a week ago" finish to his comments?

 

[heversle]

I think this thread backfired...lol.

To be fair, I've been pretty vocal at times about my criticism of Mac, especially after this past season. But, I have to give credit where credit is due...he closed HARD. We addressed most (if not all) areas of need and got some playmakers on both sides of the ball. Also, he fought for Lemons and Robinson and realized they were too talented to let go. On paper, he and his staff did an excellent job recruiting this cycle. If we have a quarterback on the roster in Franks or Trask (is Zaire still an option mid year?) then the future is very bright. Well done, Coach.

 

[AugustaGator]

This may come as a shock to some of you but I've been pretty hard on Mac about recruiting. I defentely have been pessimistic about this class, but I will say we got some nice players. Better than I expected a few days ago. There are a number of guys that will flat out ball for us in the next few years. I'm not sure there are enough of those guys but I'm happy with the ones we got.

I too had my doubts as too Mac's recruiting. He was able to close...now needs to work on overall structure.