Newsome, one of top backs in the country. 4+ stars

[BNich]

Not only is there institutional bias (like the one you're referring to), there is also a state bias. In other words, how in the hell is the number 4 player in all of Massachusetts (Todman) a 2-star player??? If Jordan was from Jersey, he would have been at least a 3-star, and if he was from Florida, maybe even higher.

But this brings us back to Arkeel. He's from CT, so when they give a CT player a 3-star rating, that means that they are extremely high on him. In my mind, a CT 3-star is worth more than an FL 3-star, whether it's true or not...

Not even just a CT player, but from a "smaller school" in CT. If he's at Xavier IMO and maybe my bias (look at Boyle) he is rated even higher. But if you look at Gray's numbers compared to Newsome's the compare favorably. Two different states and sizes. Just one comparison that popped up immediately. If he is that good playing against subpar competition (and I have no clue about the level of competition he faced) then he should be putting up the numbers he earned. If an athlete is that much better than his opponents it should show. And Newsome sure put on a show during his HS career. He has earned incredible honors, those of which other CT HS football athletes of recent memory has been unable to obtain. I for one am excited to see what Arkeel can do at Uconn.

 

[Colt house75]

It's extremely difficult to get 4 or 5 stars when a player plays at a small school. It pretty much doesn't happen because analysts are unsure of how their play ill translate to the next level. The exception may be kids with off the charts measurables. Like a 6'4" receiver who ran a 4.4 and had a 38" vertical leap at a combine as a junior. If newsome could have played at a bigger school and had great production, than there is no question he would have been rated higher. I think having a lot of small schools in new england can be an advantage if the coaches can figure out ways to project play at the college level other than production against top competition in high school.

EXCUSE ME,..IMHO, 10,000 plus yards running, 187 tds, and averaging 12+ yds every time he touched the ball are off the charts measurable, like 5th all time in the history of HS football. HE wasn't playing against POP WARNER teams for 4 years!!. His rating was biased because he came from CT, period and chose to play HERE. Period. ...you can cite the size of the school but in the end-it was all about locale. If he had chosen to play at a P5 school, add the star.

BTW, I want to thank the rating services for "only" rating him a three star.

 

[Sportsman5]

EXCUSE ME,..IMHO, 10,000 plus yards running, 187 tds, and averaging 12+ yds every time he touched the ball are off the charts measurable, like 5th all time in the history of HS football. HE wasn't playing against POP WARNER teams for 4 years!!. His rating was biased because he came from CT, period and chose to play HERE. Period. ...you can cite the size of the school but in the end-it was all about locale. If he had chosen to play at a P5 school, add the star.

BTW, I want to thank the rating services for "only" rating him a three star.

Those are on field stats and not physical measurables. Not only can physical measurables outweight on field stats in some cases for players in high school going into college, but they often do the same for players drafted into the NFL. Maybe he moves up in ranking if he gets offers from several big time schools. No one will know. I don't think he got ranked low because he committed to UConn. If he had offers from Alabama, Michigan, USC and Ohio State, but chose UConn, than he would have been rated much higher. It's about who offers a player and not what school a player chooses. There is no question that due to him playing against inferior competition compared to many other recruits that he had very little chance at being ranked ahead of RB recruits that put up big time stats against top competition.

 

[ZooCougar]

If he commmitted to BC fat Mike Farrell would have made him a 4 star.

 

[uconnfan68]

EXCUSE ME,..IMHO, 10,000 plus yards running, 187 tds, and averaging 12+ yds every time he touched the ball are off the charts measurable, like 5th all time in the history of HS football. HE wasn't playing against POP WARNER teams for 4 years!!. His rating was biased because he came from CT, period and chose to play HERE. Period. ...you can cite the size of the school but in the end-it was all about locale. If he had chosen to play at a P5 school, add the star.

BTW, I want to thank the rating services for "only" rating him a three star.

You should also note that every team he played against had 11 kids knowing he was going to carry the ball and they still couldn't stop him.

 

[BlueMAB]

To be fair to Lemming, he said the only reason he didn't rank him a 5 star is his size.

He also said that Newsome certainly has the potential to be a 5 star RB at UConn, a game changer, and an impact player.

What else matters?

 

[TRest]

Not even just a CT player, but from a "smaller school" in CT. If he's at Xavier IMO and maybe my bias (look at Boyle) he is rated even higher. But if you look at Gray's numbers compared to Newsome's the compare favorably. Two different states and sizes. Just one comparison that popped up immediately. If he is that good playing against subpar competition (and I have no clue about the level of competition he faced) then he should be putting up the numbers he earned. If an athlete is that much better than his opponents it should show. And Newsome sure put on a show during his HS career. He has earned incredible honors, those of which other CT HS football athletes of recent memory has been unable to obtain. I for one am excited to see what Arkeel can do at Uconn.

Ansonia is about as hardcore football as CT gets, i don't think that was an issue.

 

[nomar]

68 TDs in a season is ridiculous. Like Bo-Jackson-in-Tecmo-Bowl ridiculous.