Three-Point Stance: Classes that exceeded, missed expectations

Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell’s Three-Point Stance is here with a look at five classes that are exceeding expectations, three classes that have missed the mark and the 2017 recruiting losses that stung the most.

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Like in most years, there are a number programs that are killing it with their 2017 classes and outperforming their results over the last few years. Here are a few that stand out to me.

1.) Oklahoma – The aggressive nature of the Sooners staff was evident in the 2017 cycle and it has paid off. This class is loaded with talent and a ton of early commitments. The Sooners used to be consistently in the top 10 of the Rivals.com Team Recruiting Rankings but haven’t landed there in years. Led by a standout wide receiver and defensive backs group with players I like a ton such as Cedarian Lamb, Charleston Rambo, Robert Barnes and Justin Broiles, this class is impressive. Even if Oklahoma loses its lone five-star commitment in Jacob Phillips, this class will be excellent.

2.) Penn State – The highest the Nittany Lions have finished in the Rivals.com Team Recruiting Rankings in recent years is No. 15 in 2015. Beyond that, Penn State's classes have consistently fallen between Nos. 23 and 42, with a low of No. 55 in 2012. Obviously the sanctions played a large part in the lower rankings but, after losing a few notable commitments in the 2016 class, the Nittany Lions have been strong and consistent in 2017. Winning the Big Ten helps that, and landing the state’s best 5-star player for the first time in a while (Lamont Wade) doesn’t hurt, but this class is strong in many spots especially at defensive back and defensive line.

3.) Georgia – Okay, I know. The Dawgs finished No. 6 and No. 7 respectively in 2015 and 2014 and were near the top 10 every other year since 2012, but there’s something about this class that seems special. Perhaps it’s the number of players the Bulldogs beat out Alabama for or landing national prospects like Isaiah Wilson from New York and D’Andre Swift and Mark Webb from Pennsylvania, but there’s something there. Wilson and quarterback Jake Fromm are the two five-stars in the class right now, but I could see prospects such as Jaden Hunter, Swift, Nate McBride and Richard LeCounte playing at that level as well. Trust me, this class is loaded.

4.) Maryland – The Terps don’t get the attention of many of the other programs because they are buried in the best division in college football, but this class is very strong and could get stronger. Losing Josh Kaindoh hurt, but it didn’t kill momentum as it could have. Kasim Hill is as good a quarterback as Maryland has landed in years, the defensive back group is excellent and the program is still in the mix for Anthony McFarland, Tariq Castro-Fields, Ellis Brooks and a few others. The Terps could also lose a few down the stretch, causing this class to slide out of the top 25, but it seems certain that they will post their best finish in the team rankings since 2011.

5.) Kentucky – Mark Stoops has had highly-ranked classes before at Kentucky, especially his 2014 class, which finished No. 18 nationally. Last year the Wildcats finished No. 29 and they were No. 34 in 2015. Despite what the rankings might suggest, this year’s class is the most versatile and athletic yet under Stoops. The geographical reach has been impressive as highly-ranked prospects from Ohio, Kansas, Florida, Georgia and Maryland lead this class. Three of Kentucky's best recruits are “athletes,” meaning they can play multiple positions. If the Wildcats add Danny Davis to the mix, watch out. From a strong start to a rash of decommitments to a strong finish, this has been impressive.

There are also a small handful of programs that will likely sign classes that don't live up to their typical standards.

1.) Ole Miss – The Rebels have two top 10 finishes since 2013 and have been in the national top 25 every year over that span. This year, with the loss of in-state freaks like Cam Akers (more below) and the NCAA investigation hanging over the Rebels' heads, Hugh Freeze's program will likely finish ranked outside the top 25 for the first time since 2012.

2.) Oregon – The Ducks have finished ranked in the top 30 every year since 2012, including two top 20 finishes. With a new head coach and limited momentum following an awful season, Oregon is no longer as hot as it used to be and could finish outside the top 25.

3.) West Virginia – The Mountaineers have never had a great recruiting base and have had to head into hostile territory for recruits since forever. But the last time they finished lower than the top 50 was in 2006. I don’t think they will finish outside the top 50 this year, but it could easily be their worst finish since 2012 despite a really good season.

Every recruiting loss hurts, but some hurt more than others. In fact, some losses leave long-lasting scars on a program. This year there have been a few of those massive losses.

1.) RB Cam Akers to Florida State over Ole Miss – This one killed the Rebels. Akers is a once-in-a-decade in-state talent and to come so close to landing him hurts. The Ole Miss running game needs a shot in the arm to complement Shea Patterson and a talented receiving group and Akers would have been immediately helpful.

2.) OT Foster Sarell to Stanford over Washington – Okay, I know Stanford was his dream school and he wrote about playing there in middle school, but this one still stings if you're Washington. The best in-state offensive lineman in forever heading to a divisional rival is a killer.

3.) WR Tee Higgins to Clemson over Tennessee – A one-time Vols commitment, this one hurts even more than Hunter Johnson in many ways. While quarterback is the most important position on the field, losing an in-state wide receiver with Higgins' talent who was once committed heading to Clemson is a soul crusher.

4.) RB Khalan Laborn to Florida State over Virginia Tech – The Hokies could use a dynamic running back in their offense (who couldn’t?) and Laborn has the speed they covet on offense. But yet another Hampton Roads recruit heads to Tallahassee. This one stings.

5.) WR Jerry Jeudy to Alabama over Miami – Amari Cooper, Calvin Ridley and now Jeudy, the ‘Canes used to keep these studs home with ease. Each new loss adds another layer of scar tissue.