Chin Diesel
Power of Love
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- Aug 24, 2011
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There are large pockets of this country where there is plenty of talent that doesn't get evaluated. It's not just Connecticut.
Even in Florida where I live all the good players don't get properly evaluated.
Three guys currently playing at a high level in the NFL were all given "NR" 2-star ratings. Doug Baldwin, Josh Sitton and Alfred Morris.
And the area I live in has a history of producing high level college kids and NFL players. So it's not like scouts aren't aware of the talent. They just don't have the time and resources to see and grade everyone. And, of course, they make mistakes too.
So when you read the articles like the one in today's Courant where Diaco talks about not worrying or using the commercial recruiting services, have faith.
http://www.pnj.com/article/20140205/SPORTS/302050020/Bill-Vilona-A-big-day-for-college-football
Millions will follow today on the web or through ESPN. There always should be a disclaimer, however.
Plenty of can’t-miss prospects do miss. Plenty of obscure, can’t-make-it players hoist Super Bowl trophies years later.
Two words.
Doug Baldwin.
His recruiting bio in 2007 as a senior at Gulf Breeze High School had two letters attached — NR. It stands for no rating. That was it.
He wasn’t rated among the nation’s Top 100 or Top 200 receivers. Or within the top 100 in Florida. His only opportunity happened when a Stanford recruiter looked at him and his GPA, then asked if he would consider traveling to the West Coast for football.
Sunday, of course, Doug Baldwin started in the Super Bowl. He was the leading receiver for the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. He caught a fourth-quarter touchdown pass, set up two first half scores with other big catches.
Yep, he turned out okay. Remember his name today on signing day.
Another name to remember: Josh Sitton.
Ten years ago, the Catholic High senior had NR next to his name ... as a defensive lineman, no less. He was rated two stars by Rivals.com and Scout.com, and those sites don’t give one-star status.
How quickly that changed. Sitton started four games at guard as a true freshman in 2004 for the University of Central Florida. He never missed a start in his final three college seasons.
And now? Sitton is regarded as one of the best offensive guards in the NFL. He just completed his sixth season with the Green Bay Packers. He stood amid confetti with winning teammates on Feb. 6, 2011, in Super Bowl XLV. He has started all 78 games he has played since the 2009 season.
UCF won the Fiesta Bowl a month ago. The Knights did it with a class ranked 56th by Rivals.com in 2010.
The top three recruiting classes in 2010? USC, Florida and Texas. They finished a combined 22-17 in 2013. So you never know.
Alfred Morris? Another non-ranked recruit when he signed out of Pine Forest in 2007.
Ten days ago, that was him, playing in the NFL Pro Bowl in Hawaii. Morris is regarded as one of the top running backs in the game.
The rarities in recruiting are the two Pensacola guys in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Derrick Brooks and Emmitt Smith won national awards in high school. They were the blue-chip, five-star, must-have players.
Even in Florida where I live all the good players don't get properly evaluated.
Three guys currently playing at a high level in the NFL were all given "NR" 2-star ratings. Doug Baldwin, Josh Sitton and Alfred Morris.
And the area I live in has a history of producing high level college kids and NFL players. So it's not like scouts aren't aware of the talent. They just don't have the time and resources to see and grade everyone. And, of course, they make mistakes too.
So when you read the articles like the one in today's Courant where Diaco talks about not worrying or using the commercial recruiting services, have faith.
http://www.pnj.com/article/20140205/SPORTS/302050020/Bill-Vilona-A-big-day-for-college-football
Millions will follow today on the web or through ESPN. There always should be a disclaimer, however.
Plenty of can’t-miss prospects do miss. Plenty of obscure, can’t-make-it players hoist Super Bowl trophies years later.
Two words.
Doug Baldwin.
His recruiting bio in 2007 as a senior at Gulf Breeze High School had two letters attached — NR. It stands for no rating. That was it.
He wasn’t rated among the nation’s Top 100 or Top 200 receivers. Or within the top 100 in Florida. His only opportunity happened when a Stanford recruiter looked at him and his GPA, then asked if he would consider traveling to the West Coast for football.
Sunday, of course, Doug Baldwin started in the Super Bowl. He was the leading receiver for the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. He caught a fourth-quarter touchdown pass, set up two first half scores with other big catches.
Yep, he turned out okay. Remember his name today on signing day.
Another name to remember: Josh Sitton.
Ten years ago, the Catholic High senior had NR next to his name ... as a defensive lineman, no less. He was rated two stars by Rivals.com and Scout.com, and those sites don’t give one-star status.
How quickly that changed. Sitton started four games at guard as a true freshman in 2004 for the University of Central Florida. He never missed a start in his final three college seasons.
And now? Sitton is regarded as one of the best offensive guards in the NFL. He just completed his sixth season with the Green Bay Packers. He stood amid confetti with winning teammates on Feb. 6, 2011, in Super Bowl XLV. He has started all 78 games he has played since the 2009 season.
UCF won the Fiesta Bowl a month ago. The Knights did it with a class ranked 56th by Rivals.com in 2010.
The top three recruiting classes in 2010? USC, Florida and Texas. They finished a combined 22-17 in 2013. So you never know.
Alfred Morris? Another non-ranked recruit when he signed out of Pine Forest in 2007.
Ten days ago, that was him, playing in the NFL Pro Bowl in Hawaii. Morris is regarded as one of the top running backs in the game.
The rarities in recruiting are the two Pensacola guys in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Derrick Brooks and Emmitt Smith won national awards in high school. They were the blue-chip, five-star, must-have players.
