Just looking at trends here... Its understood that stars don't mean everything. Some of these 5 stars contributed zero, some of the 5.6 3-Stars became starters.
Rivals numerical ranking alongside star rating.
I made notes about transfers, NFL, etc... for those in classes that are eligible to still be on this year's team.
2016
3-Star-5.5
3-Star-5.7
4-Star-5.9
Top 10 at position: 1
Rivals 250: 0
Rivals 100: 0
2017
3-Star-5.6
3-Star-5.7
4-Star-5.8 (Juco)
4-Star-5.9
4-Star-6.0
5-Star-6.1
Top 10 at position: 3
Rivals 250: 3
Rivals 100: 3
2018
3-Star-5.7
4-Star-5.8
4-Star-5.9
5-Star-6.1
5-Star-6.1
Top 10 at position: 3
Rivals 250: 4
Rivals 100: 2
2019
3-Star-5.7
4-Star-5.9
5-Star-6.1
Top 10 at position: 1
Rivals 250: 2
Rivals 100: 1
NOTE: This Class Eligible to still be playing in 2024 due to Covid
2 in NFL, 1 Transfer is currently Pre-Season All-American and on Lombardi/Outland Watch list (Clay Webb)
2020
3-Star-5.5
3-Star-5.7
4-Star-5.8
4-Star-5.9
5-Star-6.1
5-Star-6.1
Top 10 at position: 3
Rivals 250: 4
Rivals 100: 3
1 Still on 2024 team (Ratledge)
2021
3-Star-5.7
4-Star-5.8
4-Star-6.0
5-Star-6.1
Top 10 at position: 3
Rivals 250: 3
Rivals 100: 2
1 in NFL
2022
3-Star-5.6
3-Star-5.7
4-Star-5.8
4-Star-5.8
4-Star-6.0
Top 10 at position: 1
Rivals 250: 3
Rivals 100: 1
3 Transfered, 1 is a legacy
2023
3-Star-5.5
3-Star-5.7
3-Star-5.7
4-Star-5.9
4-Star-6.0
Top 10 at position: 2
Rivals 250: 2
Rivals 100: 1
1 Transfered
2024
3-Star-5.5
3-Star-5.5
3-Star-5.7
3-Star-5.7
4-Star-5.8
4-Star-5.9
4-Star-5.9
Top 10 at position: 2
Rivals 250: 2
Rivals 100: 0
LOOKING AHEAD 2025
4-Star-5.8
4-Star-5.8
4-Star-5.9
4-Star-5.9
Top 10 at position: 3
Rivals 250: 4
Rivals 100: 1
Definitely trending down since 2021.... Only 2 Top 100 players and 7 top 250 from 2022-2024, while there was 6 Top 100 and 9 top 250 from 2019-2021.
Also, only signed one player rated less than 5.7 from 2019-2021.... but signed four such players from 2022-2024.
Comparing the 2019 and 2022 because both of those were first classes of these comparison groups and should be contributing heavily 3 recruiting classes (2 years) later... Keep in mind, 2 years after those classes we won a national championship in 2021 and 2 years after 2022 in 2024... well you know already.
2019 - Small class, only 3 players, but nailed it. Two of the three were huge contributors and are in the NFL now and the third, Clay Webb, transferred but is now one of the top available OL heading into the upcoming NFL draft and was on several Pre-Season All-American lists as well as pre-season watch list for the Outland and Lombardi awards.
2022 - Signed Five... three have since transferred. One of the remaining two was a legacy and our lowest ranked OL of that class (Drew Bobo)... and not to knock Bobo because he has contributed to depth and played as well as you could hope when called upon. Every team needs players like him. But every team also needs to get some highly contributing players out of five OL as well and we only got one that year, 4-star Earnest Greene.
Rivals numerical ranking alongside star rating.
I made notes about transfers, NFL, etc... for those in classes that are eligible to still be on this year's team.
2016
3-Star-5.5
3-Star-5.7
4-Star-5.9
Top 10 at position: 1
Rivals 250: 0
Rivals 100: 0
2017
3-Star-5.6
3-Star-5.7
4-Star-5.8 (Juco)
4-Star-5.9
4-Star-6.0
5-Star-6.1
Top 10 at position: 3
Rivals 250: 3
Rivals 100: 3
2018
3-Star-5.7
4-Star-5.8
4-Star-5.9
5-Star-6.1
5-Star-6.1
Top 10 at position: 3
Rivals 250: 4
Rivals 100: 2
2019
3-Star-5.7
4-Star-5.9
5-Star-6.1
Top 10 at position: 1
Rivals 250: 2
Rivals 100: 1
NOTE: This Class Eligible to still be playing in 2024 due to Covid
2 in NFL, 1 Transfer is currently Pre-Season All-American and on Lombardi/Outland Watch list (Clay Webb)
2020
3-Star-5.5
3-Star-5.7
4-Star-5.8
4-Star-5.9
5-Star-6.1
5-Star-6.1
Top 10 at position: 3
Rivals 250: 4
Rivals 100: 3
1 Still on 2024 team (Ratledge)
2021
3-Star-5.7
4-Star-5.8
4-Star-6.0
5-Star-6.1
Top 10 at position: 3
Rivals 250: 3
Rivals 100: 2
1 in NFL
2022
3-Star-5.6
3-Star-5.7
4-Star-5.8
4-Star-5.8
4-Star-6.0
Top 10 at position: 1
Rivals 250: 3
Rivals 100: 1
3 Transfered, 1 is a legacy
2023
3-Star-5.5
3-Star-5.7
3-Star-5.7
4-Star-5.9
4-Star-6.0
Top 10 at position: 2
Rivals 250: 2
Rivals 100: 1
1 Transfered
2024
3-Star-5.5
3-Star-5.5
3-Star-5.7
3-Star-5.7
4-Star-5.8
4-Star-5.9
4-Star-5.9
Top 10 at position: 2
Rivals 250: 2
Rivals 100: 0
LOOKING AHEAD 2025
4-Star-5.8
4-Star-5.8
4-Star-5.9
4-Star-5.9
Top 10 at position: 3
Rivals 250: 4
Rivals 100: 1
Definitely trending down since 2021.... Only 2 Top 100 players and 7 top 250 from 2022-2024, while there was 6 Top 100 and 9 top 250 from 2019-2021.
Also, only signed one player rated less than 5.7 from 2019-2021.... but signed four such players from 2022-2024.
Comparing the 2019 and 2022 because both of those were first classes of these comparison groups and should be contributing heavily 3 recruiting classes (2 years) later... Keep in mind, 2 years after those classes we won a national championship in 2021 and 2 years after 2022 in 2024... well you know already.
2019 - Small class, only 3 players, but nailed it. Two of the three were huge contributors and are in the NFL now and the third, Clay Webb, transferred but is now one of the top available OL heading into the upcoming NFL draft and was on several Pre-Season All-American lists as well as pre-season watch list for the Outland and Lombardi awards.
2022 - Signed Five... three have since transferred. One of the remaining two was a legacy and our lowest ranked OL of that class (Drew Bobo)... and not to knock Bobo because he has contributed to depth and played as well as you could hope when called upon. Every team needs players like him. But every team also needs to get some highly contributing players out of five OL as well and we only got one that year, 4-star Earnest Greene.
