I think we can all agree that the 2014 signing class played a big role in our run last year. With that in mind, I wanted to look back at the 2015 class to see (a) how it has fared and (b) who, if anyone, will be our Nick/Sony/LoCarter/Wynn, etc. this year. Here's the class:
* denotes no longer on team; bold denotes likely starter/contributor in 2018
5 stars
Terry Godwin
Trent Thompson*
4 stars
Roquan Smith *
D'Andre Walker
Pat Allen *
Chauncey Rivers*
Rico McGraw*
Juwan Briscoe*
Jackson Harris
Rashad Roundtree*
Michael Barnett
Natrez Patrick
Jonathan Ledbetter
Jonathan Abram*
3 stars
Jarvis Wilson
Michael Chigbu*
Sage Hardin*
Chuks Amaechi*
Jayson Stanley
Daquan Hawkins-Muckle
Juwan Taylor
Sam Madden*
Devondre Seymour*
Justin Young
Deandre Baker
Shaquery Wilson*
Gary McCrae*
2 stars
Tae Crowder
Kirby Choates*
Analysis:
We signed 29 guys in 2015. Out of that group, 16 are no longer with the program - only two of whom left early for the NFL. (You fellas feel free to check my math).
Of the 13 who are still here, I count 8 as starters/contributors (we can probably debate what a contributor is or isn't, but I consider it to be someone who will actually play a meaningful snap). Of those 8, I see four guys as real "difference makers" (again, a vague term, but I mean that to be someone who can truly affect the outcome of a game with a big play): Godwin, Walker, Ledbetter, Baker.
Also, I don't want to put this class on 2013 level, but I think we can agree the amount of attrition and busts is far too high.
In short, we'll get some contributions from the 2015 class, but it will not be as critical to our success as the 2014 class (plus Bellamy from 2013) was last year. It's no real surprise, but our best 3 classes on campus now are our 3 youngest. That's great news for 2019 - we certainly will not have much attrition after this year - but it remains to be seen what that means for 2018.
* denotes no longer on team; bold denotes likely starter/contributor in 2018
5 stars
Terry Godwin
Trent Thompson*
4 stars
Roquan Smith *
D'Andre Walker
Pat Allen *
Chauncey Rivers*
Rico McGraw*
Juwan Briscoe*
Jackson Harris
Rashad Roundtree*
Michael Barnett
Natrez Patrick
Jonathan Ledbetter
Jonathan Abram*
3 stars
Jarvis Wilson
Michael Chigbu*
Sage Hardin*
Chuks Amaechi*
Jayson Stanley
Daquan Hawkins-Muckle
Juwan Taylor
Sam Madden*
Devondre Seymour*
Justin Young
Deandre Baker
Shaquery Wilson*
Gary McCrae*
2 stars
Tae Crowder
Kirby Choates*
Analysis:
We signed 29 guys in 2015. Out of that group, 16 are no longer with the program - only two of whom left early for the NFL. (You fellas feel free to check my math).
Of the 13 who are still here, I count 8 as starters/contributors (we can probably debate what a contributor is or isn't, but I consider it to be someone who will actually play a meaningful snap). Of those 8, I see four guys as real "difference makers" (again, a vague term, but I mean that to be someone who can truly affect the outcome of a game with a big play): Godwin, Walker, Ledbetter, Baker.
Also, I don't want to put this class on 2013 level, but I think we can agree the amount of attrition and busts is far too high.
In short, we'll get some contributions from the 2015 class, but it will not be as critical to our success as the 2014 class (plus Bellamy from 2013) was last year. It's no real surprise, but our best 3 classes on campus now are our 3 youngest. That's great news for 2019 - we certainly will not have much attrition after this year - but it remains to be seen what that means for 2018.
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