Ranking classes isn't easy -- on Signing Day, or years later

Standout Jeremy Maclin helped Missouri's 2006 recruiting class, which Rivals ranked No. 47 at the time, far exceed expectations. John Biever/SI Andy Staples's Mailbag Have questions or feedback? E-mail Andy Staples. Name: Email: Hometown: Question: SEND Follow Andy Staples on Twitter Rivals' 2006 Recruiting Class Rankings Rank School Projected Stars 1. USC RB C.J. Gable, LB Allen Bradford, WR Vidal Hazelton, S Taylor Mays 2. Florida WR Percy Harvin, OL Carl Johnson, LB Brandon Spikes, QB Tim Tebow 3. Florida State S Myron Rolle, TE Brandon Warren, WR Damon McDaniel 4. Georgia DB Reshad Jones, RB Knowshon Moreno, QB Matthew Stafford 5. Texas DE Eddie Jones, LB Sergio Kindle 6. Penn State CB A.J. Wallace, OL Antonio Logan-El, DE Aaron Maybin, QB Pat Devlin 7. LSU RB Keiland Williams, DT Al Woods, DB Jai Eugene, RB Charles Scott 8. Notre Dame RB James Aldridge, OL Sam Young 9. Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy, RB Chris Brown, RB Demarco Murray 10. Auburn DT Greg Smith, RB Mario Fannin, WR Tim Hawthorne Click here for Rivals' 2009 class rankings.

Every year, coaches stand behind a lectern on National Signing Day and blast recruiting rankings as worthless. Later, many head back to their offices and go to Rivals.com and Scout.com to find out how their teams finished in the race for the most mythical of all national championships.

Conventional wisdom dictates the only reliable way to gauge a class is with the clarity of hindsight. After a class has had two or three years to adapt to the college game and college life and to bulk up in the weight room, it should be far easier to determine which classes succeeded and which failed. Shouldn't it?

To test that theory, I attempted to re-rank the top 10 classes of 2006 based on on-field production and potential for further production in the next two seasons. After spending the weekend sweating out my choices, I realized it's harder than I had envisioned. In most cases, I had to judge the class based on the production of the five or six class members who won starting jobs. Remember, schools can bring in 25 new scholarship players a year, but classes need only produce an average of 5.5 position starters a season.

Also, some classes suffer because of the quality of the classes that came before and after. Texas, which finished No. 5 in the Rivals.com rankings, is the prime example in 2006. The 2006 Longhorns' class has produced only two starters, linebacker Sergio Kindle and quarterback Jevan Snead -- who starts for Ole Miss, not Texas. The rest of the 2006 Longhorns signees have sat the bench, not because they can't play, but because they sat behind the members of the criminally underrated (No. 20 by Rivals.com) 15-member 2005 class, which included quarterback Colt McCoy, tailback Jamaal Charles, receiver Quan Cosby, defensive end Henry Melton, nose tackle Roy Miller and linebacker Roddrick Muckelroy. Meanwhile, the Longhorns' 2007 class already has produced three starters.

Other classes may ultimately live up to their rankings, but they still need work. LSU's seventh-ranked 2006 class has produced its share of starters, but the Tigers took a backward step after many of those players assumed larger roles. If those players join with this year's highly touted class and lead a resurgence in 2009, they'll deserve another look. For now, though, LSU will remain outside the top 10, which kicks off with the two teams that battled for the 2008 BCS title with their 2006 classes on full display.

1. Florida

2006 Rivals Rank: No. 2
Record since 2006: 35-6
2008 record: 13-1
Conference titles: Two

2008 Starters: QB Tim Tebow, WR Percy Harvin, KR Brandon James, DE Jermaine Cunningham, G Carl Johnson, DT Lawrence Marsh, DT Terron Sanders, LB Brandon Spikes, WR Riley Cooper.

Analysis: The Gators grabbed a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback (Tebow), a dynamic receiver/tailback (Harvin), a bone-crushing middle linebacker (Spikes) and a field-tilting return man (James). All four played supporting roles in Florida's 2006 BCS title run, and they and their classmates were the nucleus of the 2008 BCS title team.

2. Oklahoma

2006 Rivals Rank: No. 9
Record since 2006: 34-8
2008 Record: 12-2
Conference titles: Three

2008 Starters: DE Jeremy Beal, QB Sam Bradford, RB Chris Brown, CB Dominique Franks, TE Jermaine Gresham, RB Mossis Madu, DT Gerald McCoy, RB Demarco Murray, DT Adrian Taylor, OT Trent Williams.

Analysis: This class includes the reigning Heisman winner (Bradford), a three-headed monster of a backfield (Murray, Brown, Madu), a game-changing tight end (Gresham) and three-fourths of one of the nation's best defensive line. In 2009, expect at least three more members of this class to win starting jobs.

3. USC

2006 Rivals Rank: No. 1
Record since 2006: 34-5
2008 Record: 12-1
Conference titles: Three

2008 Starters: G Zach Heberer, G Butch Lewis, S Taylor Mays, FB Stanley Havili, RB C.J. Gable, RB Stafon Johnson, TE Anthony McCoy, CB Shareece Wright.

Analysis: This tailback-heavy class lived up to its lofty hype, producing some excellent backs (Gable, Johnson), college football's best safety (Mays) and a shutdown corner (Wright). Two players, RB Emmanuel Moody (who transferred and helped Florida to the 2008 BCS title) and Vidal Hazelton (who is transferring this offseason), left, but the Trojans haven't suffered. They also gained the 2006 class' No. 2 quarterback (Mitch Mustain) and No. 9 receiver (Damian Williams), who each transferred from Arkansas after the 2006 season.