Fact or Fiction: Parity in recruiting is becoming rare
National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell and National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney tackle three topics daily and determine whether they believe the statements or not.
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CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
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1. Parity in recruiting is becoming rarer and rarer
Farrell’s take: FACT. Look at the top five in the recruiting rankings — Georgia, Clemson, Alabama, LSU and Ohio State — and look at the most recent national champions. Only Georgia hasn’t won one and the Bulldogs were a play away. The best are getting better and that doesn’t look like it will change anytime soon. Aside from Oklahoma, who else outside the top five can you see winning it all? Not many. Things are getting more and more skewed toward the same schools.
Gorney’s take: FACT. From the 2016 to 2020 class, only two teams - Alabama and Georgia - have won team recruiting championships. It’s been two in a row for the Crimson Tide and now three in a row for the Bulldogs - and that’s not the only issue. Like Farrell said above, Clemson, Ohio State, LSU and Oklahoma are separating themselves from other teams on the field as well. Maybe Florida can get there. Maybe Penn State, Texas A&M or Oregon could emerge, but right now there are only a few teams at the top.
2) UNC is the best class not being talked about.
Farrell’s take: FICTION. I like Penn State’s class as a class no one is paying attention to. It’s very large and hits so many needs that if it pans out I think it could push the Nittany Lions closer to Ohio State in the Big Ten. There are a lot of high three-stars in this class that could play at an even higher level, and the class hits more needs for the program than higher-ranked classes such as Michigan. UNC’s class is very impressive and Mack Brown has made a huge difference, but let’s not ignore the job James Franklin did here.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. No one is really talking about Texas, and after a disappointing season on the field coach Tom Herman and his staff did an impressive job with this class and put some nice pieces together. Texas is the highest-ranked team with fewer than 20 commits, and five-star running back Bijan Robinson leads the way. Closing with four-star DE Alfred Collins and three-star ATH Kelvontay Dixon could give the Longhorns some momentum heading into the spring.
3. No running back from the 2020 class has a chance to win the Heisman.
Farrell’s take: FACT. There are some very talented running backs in this class, but let’s be honest: Quarterbacks will continue to win the Heisman, and Bryce Young, DJ Uiagalelei and CJ Stroud have the best chances because of the teams they signed with. Demarkcus Bowman probably has the best shot, or maybe Kendall Milton in the UGA system, but they’d have to have monster years like Derrick Henry did at Alabama and not split votes with their quarterback. That’s not likely to happen.
Gorney’s take: FICTION. Nine of the past 10 Heisman Trophy winners have been quarterbacks, so the decks are stacked against running backs, but there is a good possibility a running back can win over the next four years. On the field, Zachary Evans is better than anybody else in this class, although his recruitment is a mess. Bowman and Robinson could have a good chance because they should both put up big numbers. A dark horse? Give me Wisconsin’s Jalen Berger or Georgia Tech’s Jahmyr Gibbs. Gibbs is going to get the ball a lot in that offense, although the Yellow Jackets’ wins/losses could hold him back.