Ragin' Cajun Blog: Football ready for recruiting weekend (Jan. 13)

[CajunT]

_ It depends on what you think the purpose of these rankings are. If you believe they are to rate the athletic ability of a player, then grades shouldn't matter. For the NFL draft, that would work. Rivals and Scout ranks STUDENT athletes, and so, I think they should factor the player's academics into their rankings.

What's the difference between the lowest rated back with a 29 & 4.0 and the highest rated back with a 14 & 1.5? _

I think there is some truth to the ranking system, but when you leave out athletes like Qyen Griffen and Micah Eugene for academics, and a kid like Chris Prater that just couldn't afford to pay to attend football camps, the system is flawed to an extent.

[rhineaux]

_ They are suppose to be rating athletic ability...or that is what I always thought. So would an average recruit but with a 4.0 GPA be rated higher than a super athlete who barely qualifies? I would bet not...and I can assure you the SEC and everybody would want kid #2. But maybe based on what you said, the first kid is a 4 and the second kid is a 2.

I don't get it.


igeaux.mobi _

I'm not sure how they rate. I quickly looked on Rivals and Scout and I did not see any sort of explanation of their ratings process. I'm not totally surprised by that because with the number of Scouts out there looking at players, and subsequent high amount of subjectivity, it would be difficult to come up with a detailed set of criteria to judge by. I was hoping to see something like a Mission Statement, giving their purpose and/or goal, but didn't find it.

I think the purpose of these rankings should be focused on how the student-athlete projects in college. As I said, academics are a part of college and if the student-athlete can't cut it in the classroom, then they are useless to the schools.

According to that line of thinking, there would be NO difference between the two players I mentioned because both have a very small chance of ever seeing the field.

[Johnboy4713]

(the following statement in no way reflects towards CajunT in any way) and when you have recruiting guru's that push the kids that their schools are interested in more than others.

[rhineaux]

_ I think there is some truth to the ranking system, but when you leave out athletes like Qyen Griffen and Micah Eugene for academics, and a kid like Chris Prater that just couldn't afford to pay to attend football camps, the system is flawed to an extent. _

I agree that the system has flaws...but disagreed that academics don't/shouldn't play into a rating/ranking.

[CajunT]

_ I'm not sure how they rate. I quickly looked on Rivals and Scout and I did not see any sort of explanation of their ratings process. I'm not totally surprised by that because with the number of Scouts out there looking at players, and subsequent high amount of subjectivity, it would be difficult to come up with a detailed set of criteria to judge by. I was hoping to see something like a Mission Statement, giving their purpose and/or goal, but didn't find it.

I think the purpose of these rankings should be focused on how the student-athlete projects in college. As I said, academics are a part of college and if the student-athlete can't cut it in the classroom, then they are useless to the schools.

According to that line of thinking, there would be NO difference between the two players I mentioned because both have a very small chance of ever seeing the field. _

This is true without at doubt. The problem with Rivals,Scout.com and Scout.Inc is unlike the example you used with NFL prospects, they haven't seen all the athletes play before they rank them. Too many athletes can't afford to pay or have transportation to get to college football camps. Many of them don't have money to pay for someone to put a video presentation together professionally and have to depend on their coaches to help send out video. Some coaches don't want to help their kids and are just lazy.

The other factor is that many of the regional manangers for Scout.com and Rivals have input on rankings, and they are running or have run sites for BCS programs. There focus is mainly on athletes being recruited by BCS programs.

[CajunRed]

Doesn't make sense, huh?

So if Griffin does qualify.....being 1st team all american, he'll go from no stars to 5 stars the second he would qualify?

PP #2

igeaux.mobi