Three-Point Stance: Raiding Florida; Must-gets; Saban on target

Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell’s thought-provoking Three-Point Stance is here taking a look at who raids the state of Florida the most, five must-get commitments for certain schools and why Nick Saban is right.

RELATED: Penn State or Virginia Tech for 5-star Devyn Ford?

Rounding out the look the big four talent producing states, let’s take a look at who raids the state of Florida the best from out of state. The Sunshine State produces as much talent, if not more, than any other state in the country so luring recruits away is crucial for many schools.

These numbers include IMG Academy prospects who are considered Florida prospects since they play their final year or two in the Sunshine State.

Here’s who does it the best:

1. Auburn – The team that raids the state of Georgia the best also wins the battle for Florida with 18 four- or five-stars since 2013, just beating out Ohio State. Yes there are some duds in here (Byron Cowart) but there are also some impact guys like Ryan Davis. Auburn recruits very well out of state obviously.

2. Ohio State – The Buckeyes have secured 17 four- or five-stars since 2013, which is beyond impressive considering the distance and weather factors. Urban Meyer is the best head coach recruiter in the game and guys like the Bosa brothers have made Ohio State a perennial power.

3. Alabama – You’d think Alabama would be a bit higher but with 15 four- or five-stars since 2013, it has hit the state hard. Calvin Ridley and others are key contributors on the roster and ‘Bama is always a threat for top Florida kids.

T-4. Clemson – The Tigers have landed 14 four or five stars from Florida with two already in the 2019 class. CJ Spiller started it all, at least in my opinion, and they have been a name to recognize for big-time prospects in Florida ever since.

T-4. Georgia – This number, also 14 four or five stars since 2013 with one already in 2019, should increase as Kirby Smart takes Georgia recruiting to the next level. It’s hard enough to defend Georgia but to also dip into Florida and lure some top talent makes this number even more impressive.

6. Notre Dame -- There is a drop off from Clemson and Georgia down to nine for Notre Dame, but it’s still an impressive number considering geography and weather and other factors, including academic restrictions. The ACC deal was supposed to help Notre Dame hit the Southeast and it has worked to some extent.

Some schools can afford to miss out on a five-star or two while others have some must-get prospects in this class. Here are five different five-stars that are must gets for certain programs this year.

1. Darnell Wright, Tennessee – The Vols have a solid lead for Wright, the No.2 player in the country, and would love to pair him with Wanya Morris as bookend tackles. Landing a top five prospect would be a big deal for Jeremy Pruitt and his new staff and would send a message that 2020 could be even better. They can’t afford to lose this lead.

2. Derek Stingley Jr., LSU – Some think Stingley is the best athlete in Louisiana since Odell Beckham and between the reputation as DBU and the need to keep top talent at home, he’s a must get for Ed Orgeron, who will be under fire a bit if recruiting doesn’t improve along with on-field results.

3. Devyn Ford, Virginia Tech – Penn State is the other finalist and we’ll know the answer this Friday, but the Hokies need to keep this top 10 talent at home. There was a time where Virginia Tech landed elite running backs with ease, but those days appear to be gone and that will continue if they lose out on Ford.

4. Trey Sanders, Florida – His brother is a Gator and that connection alone means he’s a must-get for Florida. Name the last great Gators running back. I’ll wait for your answer. Sanders is an elite talent and could do many things to help fix the Gators offensive woes.

5. Zacch Pickens, South Carolina – A big-time in-state defensive lineman, Pickens is a guy the Gamecocks need to keep. After losing Xavier Thomas last cycle after having the initial lead, they can’t afford to lose Pickens as everyone else comes charging.

Nick Saban is right, UCF did not win the national championship.

And, this just in, I am not the most beautiful person in the world according to People magazine. I can call myself that if I want to, but self-proclaimed means nothing.

Yes, UCF went undefeated and beat Auburn, who beat Alabama for the SEC West, but its regular season schedule is laughable compared to the playoff teams.

There’s a system in place to win the national championship and it might not favor Group of Five teams, but there’s a reason for that. Whether Alabama or Georgia won it all, give me a full SEC schedule over an AAC schedule any day of the week. UCF had a great season, but they don’t go through game after game of top competition that can wear a team down like Alabama did. And let’s be honest, Auburn probably wasn’t up for the bowl game the way UCF was and didn’t care as much and it showed on the field.

UCF had a magical season, but let’s leave it at that and stop all this national title nonsense. Saban knows the difference between self-proclaimed and real and the rest of the world should too.