I agree to a point. Most of those guys played a lot regardless if their numbers were gaudy or not. We had good offenses when they were here and their blocking and receiving were fundamental to the success. I know it's sacrilege but if Tim left his senior year and Cam wasnt a scumbag id bet their receiving numbers would have been off the charts
So this is going to sound like a stars don't matter thing, and it's not meant to be. What I was trying to say is that a lot of 5*s are based on potential to the NFL. Not that skill isn't a factor, it is, but raw athleticism and physical measurements matter too. Stars are used to project NFL success as much or more than college success.
That being said, there are reasons why some 3*s become stud players and some 5*s bust. Now the SEC is as close to the NFL as you can get in the college game. So your margin to risk on 3*s is less here, the game is faster. The point I was trying to make is summed up perfectly with David Reese. He has been a very functional LB for us and has contributed a lot, but he probably won't sniff much in the NFL. Just too many physical limitations. Now look at someone like Will Hill who was a 5* and probably never contributed nearly as much as Reese, but Will Hill's NFL career will predictably be better at the end of the day.
So the only thing in my mind that makes someone's success in the NFL relevant is that it may help us recruit. Part of the problem with out recruiting isn't necessarily that we've been taking 3*s, but we've HAD to take 3*s. There is a difference between scouting and vetting a 3* and saying that he's going to be a star, starter, contributor. There is always a reason he's a 3* and you have to identify why. Does he not go to camps? Measurables off? Play multiple sports? Just start playing football? etc, etc, etc.
Now I'm not advocating recruiting 3*s over 4*s or 5*s. The odds are what they are. But ultimately, what I care about is, will this guy contribute at UF and how much? If someone like Torrian Gray latches onto a 3* and says we need this kid, I'm going to trust that 3* more than a 4* from English. Because Gray should be able to land 4* and 5* talent and he chose a 3*. Same with Seider. So given our recruiters, we need higher stars from a sheer percentage and playing the numbers standpoint. It's why kids are given a bump if Bama offers a 3*. Because Bama could probably do better if they wanted to, from a rating perspective.