Ranking Talent

When it comes to scouting, evaluating and eventually scoring and ranking high school football players, there are plenty of services and websites.  All of these services offer pictures, video highlights, interviews, commentaries, notes and opinions.  Each also uses all their insight to provide stars, rankings and all-star selections.  Most of the top kids find their way onto all of the same lists;with some differences in where they rank, what there score is or how many stars they get.

Recently, I was reviewing 247sports.com and saw they had revamped their scoring and ranking system.  Although each ranking is subject to debate and even argument, I do enjoy seeing where certain (mostly Notre Dame) prospects and commits fall.  After reviewing 247sports.com’s rankings of Notre Dame’s class of 2013, there were two things I found remarkable.  It wasn’t so much the overall rankings of the Irish commits (Notre Dame’s highest overall ranked player was Jaylon Smith at #9), but how groups of their recruits landed within their position rankings.  The five offensive linemen committed all fell within the top 25 for that position (highest Hunter Bivin #9, lowest Mike MiGlinchey #22).  Four of the five linebackers fell within the top 10 of that position (highest Jaylon smith #1, lowest Danny Mattingly #19).  Linebacker Michael Deeb came in at #52.

BlueandGold.com provides a list of where the Irish commitments rank in the 247Composite, with their position ranking noted in parenthesis:

9. LB Jaylon Smith (1)
47.LB Alex Anzalone (5)
98.DL Isaac Rochell (7)
112.QB Malik Zaire (2)
118.OL Hunter Bivin (9)
154.OL Steve Elmer (13)
160.OL John Montelus (14)
163.OL Colin McGovern (15)
231.TE Mike Heuerman (9)
237.OL Mike McGlinchey (22)
292.LB Jacob Matuska (10)
306.LB Danny Mattingly (19)
312.WR James Onwualu (41)
327.DB RashadKinlaw (20)
346.DB Devin Butler (27)
455.WR Corey Robinson (59)
938. LB Michael Deeb (52)

Of course, this is in no way an exact science.  After all, these kids have another year of high school football to play before they get to South Bend.