Take Two: FSU-NFL pipeline, Hackenberg, Sooners in Texas

Take Two is back this week tackling a handful of issues in the college football landscape.

Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney lays out the situation and then receives takes from Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell and a local expert from the Rivals.com network of team sites.

Storyline: Jameis Winston went first in the 2015 NFL Draft and after an outstanding combine and pro day there is at least some talk that former five-star defensive back Jalen Ramsey is in the conversation to go No. 1 to the Tennessee Titans.

Ramsey, the projected first defensive back off the board, has had back-to-back stellar showings on the national stage and if the Titans move away from offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil, there is a legitimate chance Ramsey could be the pick.

That could once again be huge for the Seminoles. What could be better sold on the recruiting trail than back-to-back No. 1 overall draft picks? Even a No. 1 and a top three pick is pretty great for Florida State as it strives to keep its grasp as a national powerhouse in an improving ACC.

First take: “It would be huge if FSU got back-to-back years of having the No. 1 pick. FSU already has enjoyed more draft picks than any program in the country the last three years, breaking that record. So a top pick again would show you how the players are developed and how the FSU staff is getting them ready for the next step.

"Keep in mind with Ramsey, he came in mostly as a safety out of high school, so it speaks to the level of coaching Charles Kelly, the defensive coordinator, has done with him as a corner to work on specifics. I get the vibe it has helped out a great deal in recruiting for the 2016 and 2017 classes. More defensive players, especially defensive backs, want to be a part of that or check it out. On offense, the same thing can be said in how wide open their attack is. Doesn't matter who it is, though if you are having top picks consistently or draft picks in a large number, it's going to give your recruiting class for the future a big boost and we have seen that with the quarterback position with Jameis Winston, and also at defensive back with Jalen Ramsey now. I think kids are seeing whether you are a three-, four-, or five-star, FSU has done a good job with their staff at developing that talent." – Michael Langston, Warchant.com

Second take: “It could be historic. We haven’t seen that in about 50 years. Florida State over the last three years has put more players in the NFL Draft than Alabama. It is definitely going to help recruiting. USC built its mini-dynasty around putting kids in the first round of the draft. Alabama feeds off it. Kids pay attention to who’s going No. 1 in the draft. Kids pay attention to the No. 1 linebacker or defensive back. It’s going to be huge for recruiting, but how much better can recruiting get?” - Farrell

Storyline: When asked about his declining numbers after his freshman season, did Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg really put the blame on coach James Franklin?

That’s the contention of two unnamed personnel sources, according to Robert Klemko of MMQB. These NFL people – whether executives or scouts asking questions at the combine – are essentially saying even if Hackenberg’s statements are true, he shouldn’t have said them.

But even if Hackenberg said them, and none of his quotes have been published, it would have been a complete divergence from what the former PSU quarterback has said publicly, and he’s certainly intelligent enough to know what’s said behind close doors leading up to the draft will leak out.

So much could be playing into this story. Did these “personnel sources” misconstrue what Hackenberg meant? Was it an attempt by these teams to float that information out in hopes of getting Hackenberg lower in the draft?

There’s just not enough context to know – and because of that Hackenberg has another obstacle to deal with on his way to the draft.

First take: “The blind item about Christian Hackenberg buried in Thursday’s MMQB draft rundown immediately struck me as odd. Reporting that two personnel sources on separate teams with interest in drafting the former Penn State quarterback said Hackenberg "said all the wrong things in interviews when asked to explain his declining sophomore and junior numbers," the suggested behavior would amount to a complete departure from two years of diplomacy and tongue-holding. So why now? As media savvy and respectful as any Penn State athlete I’ve covered, I can only describe my own knowledge of Hackenberg and call the report unusual, at best.

“As for the controversy’s impact on Penn State now and moving forward, what’s most odd is that neither of the two primary parties - Hackenberg or Franklin - have ever once spoken negatively about the other, despite countless opportunities to do so during challenging stretches the past two years. From start to finish, the realities of the NCAA sanctions have been discussed honestly as they were designed to severely damage the program and did. Hackenberg knew as much before he committed to Penn State. Franklin knew as much when he took the job. So while some fans and media have glossed over their impact, the whole program has remained relatively positive in an otherwise pressure cooker of a situation. Absolutely everything has been unusual for years now with incremental steps back toward normalcy and coaches, players, recruits and their families are all working in faith with that understanding." – Nate Bauer, BlueWhiteIllustrated.com

Second take: “It seems puzzling from someone who sacrificed so much and so many other opportunities to go to Penn State during the darkest time in the program’s history and showed leadership from the moment he verbally committed to throw his coach under the bus. I don’t know if it will be a big deal to recruits or not. I don’t think they pay attention to that level. If it was Jameis Winston last year, the No. 1 pick, everybody would notice, but Christian Hackenberg is not on the radar to that extent.” - Farrell

Storyline: Texas coach Charlie Strong can talk all he wants about how his program will “steamroll everyone” once the Longhorns get turned around, but Oklahoma is busy going into Texas and getting a lot of top-flight talent in the 2017 class.

After landing just three players from the state of Texas last recruiting cycle, two of them being three-stars, the Sooners are back with a vengeance.

Oklahoma has already secured pledges from six players in the state of Texas including OG Tyrese Robinson, QB Chris Robison and three standout wide receivers. There is also a Twitter campaign #WeWantOmar as the Sooners target Lancaster, Texas, four-star receiver Omar Manning as well.

The Sooners are back recruiting Texas in a big way and they’re having great success so far. That’s a big warning sign to not only the Longhorns but TCU and Baylor, too.

First take: “I don’t know that it’s been a renewed focus so much as some hard work, but also some fortunate circumstances. Chris Robison grew up an Oklahoma fan, Robert Barnes is an Oklahoma legacy, and those two really started the momentum. The move that really got things going was the commitment of Tyrese Robinson, that couldn’t be ‘explained away’ as something of just good fortune, that was Oklahoma doing work and landing a player that was highly coveted by all of the usual suspects in Texas.

“I think the trio of receivers from Texas are huge, not just in landing players from the state of Texas but in recent years Oklahoma hasn’t landed a lot of those elite/highly rated wide receivers. But to have a trio of them with huge offers from across the country was a big win on a couple of fronts." – Josh McCuistion, SoonerScoop.com

Second take: “What you’re starting to see is the failure of TCU and Baylor to take it to that next step and get into the playoffs. This is what happens when you see Oklahoma get there. The Dallas-area kids have been very open to Baylor, TCU, A&M, Texas and Oklahoma and now more are gravitating toward the programs that are winning the biggest. Oklahoma has taken big advantage of the playoff situation.” - Farrell