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The next 10 classes
Updated: Saturday February 17, 2001 8:02 PM
Once things settled down after Signing Day, we were able to evaluate in detail for you our top 10 recruiting classes for 2001. This week, we continue our review with classes 11-20, many of which still include some of the highest-profile prospects in the country. For more detailed information on these and other players, visit www.superprep.com. 11) TENNESSEE (23 signees) If this class is guilty of anything, it's running back overkill, a.k.a. serious firepower. And these aren't just any old ball carriers. They are Derrick Tinsley, Cedric Houston, Jabari Davis, and Keldrick Williams, whose combined senior yardage was over 6,000 yards and 90 TDs. That was an immediate need for Phil Fulmer, who was also looking for, and found, superior wide receivers in Montrell Jones and Jomo Fagan. He didn't sign the four OLs he was looking for, but Paul Monroe and Rich Gandy are promising. One of the more intriguing recruits in this class is SuperPrep All-America ATH C.F. Fayton from Virginia, who should help at WR or DB, if not at QB. Heavily recruited California LB Kevin Simon comes from the fantastic Concord De La Salle program and DB Robert Boulware was a SuperPrep Elite 50 honoree. The best in-staters, QBs Matt Henshaw (FSU) and Ingle Martin, (UF) couldn't be persuaded with frosh sensation Casey Clausen already entrenched. 12) MIAMI (20) Immediately following the Butch Davis shocker, it looked as though there would be little fallout for the 'Canes. As Signing Day drew nearer, the tide turned against MIAMI and four prospects decommitted in favor of other programs: DB Jovonny Ward (PITT), DL Darrius Swain (GEORGIA), WR Chris Murray (N.C. STATE) and TE Kevin Everitt (TEXAS). However, Everitt and Ward both reconsidered, signing with the 'CANES. New coach Larry Coker also built some serious momentum on his own watch, adding SuperPrep All-Americas, DL Orien Harris, LB Roger McIntosh and RB Frank Gore. Elite 50 LB Leon Williams was also touch and go for awhile, but the New Yorker hung tight with Coker who proved resilient in his first big test. This class has amazing balance, with nine SuperPrep All-Americas, including Florida DB and superior return man Antrel Rolle. 13) STANFORD (17) Four of SuperPrep's Elite 50 prospects signed with the CARDINAL: DE Mark Anderson, National player of the Year, RB J.R. Lemon, LB Michael Craven and QB Kyle Matter. Only LSU (five) signed more Elite 50 team members. Both Lemon (GEORGIA TECH finished No. 2) and Craven (UCLA lost this battle) decided in favor of STANFORD during the final week before Letter-of-Intent Day. But this class isn't just top-heavy. There are also three other SuperPrep All-Americas (WRs Justin McCullum and Gerren Crochet and DL O.J. Oshinowo ). Every other signee, with the exception of Michigan PK Michael Sgroi, is a SuperPrep All-Regional pick. Watch for sleeper Louisiana LB Jon Alston to become an important part of this class. As always, this academically superior, Who's Who Among High School Students-type class, has a strong national flavor, with only five of the 18 signees coming from in-state. 14) NOTRE DAME (19) The Irish are between a rock and a hard place. They signed an amazing 12 SuperPrep All-Americas but by missing out on big star power reminded Domers of the close-but-no-cigar feeling the Davie regime seems to inspire. Forget QBs. Davie signed a boatload of those last time. Notre Dame always attracts superior runners and they did it again, signing Ryan Grant, a SuperPrep Elite 50 pick, but lost Lydell Ross on a decommit to the Buckeyes. The big blow came when DL Shaun Cody, whose father favored the Irish, stuck with come-from-behind USC at the final hour. The overall defensive line recruiting was disappointing but the four offensive linemen, Mark LeVoir, Zachary Giles, Darin Mitchell and Dan Stevenson are superb. Davie also added four well-recognized LBs and three fine DBs, Lionel Bolen, Quentin Burrell and Dwight Ellick. 15) OHIO STATE (17) Most coaching switches don't help a team in recruiting because the new staff doesn't have time to persuade elite prospects who already have well formed alliances with one or more other schools. But the Bucks and new head coach Jim Tressel closed strongly, signing WR Angelo Chattams, DB Justin Fox, RB Maurice Hall and RB Lydell Ross. All had either been undecided or wavering from previous commitments. Ten in-staters decided in favor of Tressel's new leadership and the long arm of the BUCKEYES reached as far away as California, home to SuperPrep All-America RB Jaja Riley, giving them three of the finest RBs in the nation. Defensive line is another particularly strong area (four signees), highlighted by in-stater Simon Fraser and Quinton Thomas, one of four Floridians on the roster, and Marcus Green from Kentucky. Each of these signees is a SuperPrep All-America or All-Regional pick, but you won't find a QB here. 16) OREGON STATE (25 signees) Dennis Erickson hit the recruiting trail hard with elevated hopes for Beavers recruiting and came away with Rose Bowl-type talent. It's highlighted by the nation's No. 2 QB signee, Derek Anderson, SuperPrep Elite 100 RB Steven Jackson, five DEs (including Alvin Steen, ranked by SuperPrep as the nation's 28th best juco prospect) and superior Calif wide-outs Jayson Boyd and Josh Hawkins. Eight California jucos relocated in Corvallis, including Elite 50 prospects WR Andre Cyrus, LB Jason Lowe and DB D.J. Coote. The SuperPrep All-America haul also includes Arizona LB Chaz Scott and Oregon DE Bill Swancutt. Erickson was hovering around top 10 territory until he lost Nevada All-Americas DE/TE Tim Day to OREGON and RB/LB Dyante Perkins to UNLV on Letter-of-Intent Day. 17) PURDUE (22) Remember the name Reggie Benton? He was ranked the No. 2 RB in the country by SuperPrep when he signed with MICHIGAN in 2000. He is now a part of the Boilers' 2001 class and gives Joe Tiller an explosive counterpart to in-state All-America ball carrier Brandon Jones. Six LBs are headed to West Lafayette, led by SuperPrep All-America Brent Grover from Kentucky and Texas-bred Brandon Villarreal. Boilers coaches are also especially eager to welcome WR Kevin Noel, TE Charles Davis and ATH Jared Void, a raw speedster from Maryland. Tiller only signed three from in-state and one of his most important out-of-state forays was into Iowa, where he found impressive QB Kyle Orton, SuperPrep's No. 3 QB. Fellow QB signee Mike Rhinehart (6-5, 235) could be a very good TE if he gets tired of competing with the better-regarded Orton. 18) ARKANSAS (23)
The Hogs snuck up on the recruiting world, signing SuperPrep's No. 2 DB (and No. 9 overall), Ahmad Carroll. FSU and GEORGIA seemed poised to take this prize secondary ace, but the in-state focus on 19) SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (16) The big story here is the signing of DL Shaun Cody, out of the grips of NOTRE DAME, UCLA and WASHINGTON. It was a true nail-biter for USC fans, many of whom had slight faith in their chances in view of the coaching change. But Pete Carroll proved he could recruit and although the individual credit for Cody's decision should go to DL coach, Ed Orgeron, Carroll made a strong impression on the recruiting trail. The Trojans, recruiting basically from southern California, landed seven SuperPrep All-Americas, including two QBs ( Matt Leinart and Billy Hart ) as well as DL Jason Wardlow. DLs Ray Tago and Mike Patterson give the TROJANS one of the nation's elite D-line groups. SuperPrep All-Americas WR Willie Buchanon, RB Darryl Poston and LB Austin Jackson provide skill and versatility. Trojan coaches are hoping fantastic LB Marvin Simmons qualifies, because if he doesn't, UNLV looks like the alternative. 20) GEORGIA TECH (24) Prime-time QBs seem to like George O'Leary and the Ramblin' Wreck. They come from all over: Damarius Bilbo (Miss.), a threat to go high in the baseball draft, Rahshan Johnson (Ohio) and Dawan Landry (Louisiana). Remember, A.J. Suggs tranferred in from TENNESSEE too. These are all guys who can literally run defenses into the ground and SuperPrep ranked Bilbo as the nation's 11th best. Only six of these signees are from in-state with SuperPrep All-Americas also coming from California (LB Gerris Bowers-Wilkinson ) and New Jersey (DB Dennis Davis ). Five are coming from Florida, including excellent DLs Leron Lee, Scott Wolf and Omar Billy. But the in-staters shouldn't be overlooked, especially smart, versatile DB Reuben Houston. Big RB Brian Johnson (6-3, 240) also comes in behind five new O-liners but O'Leary missed on the runner he coveted, J.R. Lemon, who signed with STANFORD. For more from SuperPrep, click here.
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