2014 unofficial 247 sports composite FCS recruiting rankings top 20

[chattownmocs]

We all know FCS recruiting rankings are very unreliable. Most players aren't scouted. Some areas aren't scouted. etc. But the coverage is getting better and this is what they have so far. I may have made a mistake, so correct me if you see anything. I will update after signing day.

1. Illinois State
2. Chattanooga
3. Southern Illinois
4. North Dakota State
5. South Carolina State
6. Jacksonville State
7. Samford
8. Charleston Southern
9. Northern Arizona
10. Stony Brook
11. Furman
12. Delaware
13. Indiana State
14. James Madison
15. Missouri State
16. William & Mary
17. Eastern Washington
18. Youngstown State
19. Southeastern Louisiana
20. Savannah State

21. Mcneese State
22. Coastal Carolina

[PaladinFan]

These things are always a crap shoot. There are always guys that end up duds, and always guys that end up being stellar. Still, there's some truth to all speculation. If a kid was a pretty good player in high school and highly recruited, the odds are he's probably a pretty good player.

Even if this ranking is equally wrong across the board, it does suggest that the common perception that the SoCon is doomed is probably a gross exaggeration.

[PaladinNation]

Not to bad that Furman is ranked #11 considering that 247 only has 11 out of 17 commits listed. Four out of the six missing have two stars from Rivals and or Scout.
Plus Furman commit PJ Blazjowski has to be one of the most underrated recruits I've seen in years.

http://staugustine.com/sports/local-sports/2014-01-01/records-2013-football-player-year-bartram-qb-pj-blazejowski#.UubNCXn0C2w
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/585476/highlights/65753384?autoplay=1

[chattownmocs]

But they still have Bagley listed as a commit which I don't think he is unless he recommitted today.

[PaladinNation]

But they still have Bagley listed as a commit which I don't think he is unless he recommitted today.

Your right… not sure if he will come back. Actually 247 only has 9 commits from Furman listed. Missing three players with 2 stars.

OL Chris Wade 6-4 275 (2 star)
OL Jack Bryant 6-3 270 (2 star)
DL Connor Jackson 6-3 250 (2 star)


Other commits missing from 247 list:
OL Matt Schmidt 6-3 265 (helluva lineman)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iahof43GqAc
FB Ridge Gibson 5-11 212
WR Bradford Lemmons 6-3
TE Ajay Williams 6-5 245
DB Joseph Farrar 5-10 180


also how does this guy miss getting a star has offers from Marshall, MTSU, Charlotte, Colgate, Penn, liberty? A 6-5 235 TE that runs a 4.6;http://www.hudl.com/athlete/494977/kedar-bryant

[Dane96]

We all know FCS recruiting rankings are very unreliable. Most players aren't scouted. Some areas aren't scouted. etc. But the coverage is getting better and this is what they have so far. I may have made a mistake, so correct me if you see anything. I will update after signing day.

1. Illinois State
2. Chattanooga
3. Southern Illinois
4. North Dakota State
5. South Carolina State
6. Jacksonville State
7. Samford
8. Charleston Southern
9. Northern Arizona
10. Stony Brook
11. Furman
12. Delaware
13. Indiana State
14. James Madison
15. Missouri State
16. William & Mary
17. Eastern Washington
18. Youngstown State
19. Southeastern Louisiana
20. Savannah State

21. Mcneese State
22. Coastal Carolina

No offense, but there is NO WAY Savannah State has the 20th best recruiting class. Even objectively speaking.

[chattownmocs]

No offense, but there is NO WAY Savannah State has the 20th best recruiting class. Even objectively speaking.

Why would I take offense? I got this from a recruiting site. There is no doubt in my mind some of these teams don't belong and a few more big sky, CAA, and big sky probably do. But based on 247s composite rankings they have a few 2 star prospects which is enough to put them at number 20.

Edit: although I I'd just notice Albany has a 3 star and a 2 star yet for some reason they aren't even ranked, like they aren't D1. Another quirk was that Delaware had only 1 2 star recruit yet they were ranked so highly. Southeastern LA had I believe 6 2 stars and were ranked so low. Its obviously a flawed set up especially for FCS. Now, they do a decent job in places like the southeast and Midwest, which is why so many teams from those regions are ranked so highly.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

These things are always funny. I wonder how many 3 and 4* guys the top Ivy League programs bring in.......

[Dane96]

Why would I take offense? I got this from a recruiting site. There is no doubt in my mind some of these teams don't belong and a few more big sky, CAA, and big sky probably do. But based on 247s composite rankings they have a few 2 star prospects which is enough to put them at number 20.

BTW, where did you find the full FCS rankings. I know that site very well and couldn't find them. I am curious.

[underdawg]

But,But, SIU only recruits FBS players--how could they be so highly rated??? Must be a misprint

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

But,But, SIU only recruits FBS players--how could they be so highly rated??? Must be a misprint


How many FBS transfers has Lennon brought in this year?

[chattownmocs]

BTW, where did you find the full FCS rankings. I know that site very well and couldn't find them. I am curious.

That's the thing. Its unofficial. When you look at a teams commit list there is D1 and conference rank at the top. However your conference says NA beside them while most conferences have rankings. I had to go through and look at all the teams d1 rankings to get their FCS rank. I might do it based on total stars after signing day because it doesn't all make sense.

[CrazyCat]

As of today MSU has over 20 verbal commitments. This site shows 1.

[chattownmocs]

As of today MSU has over 20 verbal commitments. This site shows 1.

Its more or less saying you have one commit in their database. It doesn't list all of any FCS programs recruits. Except maybe Illinois state, it may think they are FBS though.

The recruiting sites still make their money from FBS fans so they don't go places where their aren't many FBS prospects. A few years ago they didn't know any of NDSUs players hardly and look how that turned out. Now they are covering that area a little better.

[CrazyCat]

Unless every commit from every team is listed and ranked then there can't be a comparison of classes. IMO.

[chattownmocs]

Unless every commit from every team is listed and ranked then there can't be a comparison of classes. IMO.

You can't honestly compare a team from Montana to a team from Tennessee, but there is decent coverage down here, enough to at least have a somewhat decent comparison to teams inside the socon, or teams inside the mvfc.

[chattownmocs]

An important thing to consider is that while being a 2 star prospect means that the recruiting sites think you are an FBS caliber player, it also means you are a barely an fbs caliber prospect and that you have been scouted by not only the recruiting sites but also FBS school. In the cases of some of those northwestern states they haven't been scouted by FBS teams or the recruiting services. Which means you can tap unmined talent and take the best of the best from your area. I think ndsu and the Montana schools have had that advantage for years. Even Boise on the FBS level may have benefitted. While in places like the southeast have a ton of talent, FCS schools down here generally get the leftovers from the big boys and are hoping to beat sunbelt or cusa for some guys.

[FargoBison]

Bohl has taken two verbal commits from Illinois State and one from NDSU. All three were very big recruits.

[lionsrking2]

This deal is not even close to accurate. Not even worth the discussion really.

[Tribe4SF]

This is useless with the limited data they include. FCS recruiting just doesn't have the coverage for an analysis like this to be meaningful. Only legitimate attempt I've seen was the guys who actually looked at all film of signed players a couple of years ago, but the job was so big they couldn't come close to finishing. They did W&M and I have to say they were pretty accurate with how that class has developed.

[underdawg]

How many FBS transfers has Lennon brought in this year?

Not quite certain but your insinuation is off base in this case the 247 ratings include only JUCO and High School players (SIU only has signed one JUCO) NOT FBS transfers--hope that clears it up for you

[walliver]

It would be interesting to go back to 2009's rankings so see how the top-rated classes actually performed.

Rodney Allison used to have highly ranked recruiting classes and accomplished nothing with them. At times, Elon had highly rated classes, and, except for the Riddle years, has always been in the bottom half of the conference. At times, it seems that some of the lesser coaches actually pick their recruits based on "star" ratings, and not a real assessment of the team's needs.

[Bisonator]

Anyone have a link to one of these rankings from the 2008 or 2009 recruiting classes?

[chattownmocs]

Recruiting rankings may not matter but beating you rivals and FBS programs for recruits certainly does. Many of these teams have done that. I know Chattanooga has done it like never before.

[NoDak 4 Ever]

ISUr is taking a beating right now so I expect them to sink a little.

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

Not quite certain but your insinuation is off base in this case the 247 ratings include only JUCO and High School players (SIU only has signed one JUCO) NOT FBS transfers--hope that clears it up for you


I know that.

How many has he brought in...FBS transfers? He does every year so just wondering how many this year?

[lionsrking2]

Recruiting rankings may not matter but beating you rivals and FBS programs for recruits certainly does. Many of these teams have done that. I know Chattanooga has done it like never before.

The reality is, nobody really knows who's beating who when it comes to recruiting, unless you're in the trenches doing it yourself. Kids will say almost anything to recruiting publications and newspapers when it comes to offers. It is extremely rare for any FCS program to "beat" an FBS program, straight up, for a recruit. My guess is North Dakota State can beat a MAC school for an upper midwest kid, or Montana can beat a lower level FBS on a Montana kid, but those are exceptions. It's not uncommon for an FBS school to drop kid, who then falls to an FCS, but that's not "beating" them. It's also fairly common for an FBS school to come in at the last minute on an FCS committed kid as a fallback, and the kid hold his commitment, but I don't consider that "beating" an FBS either.

[chattownmocs]

The reality is, nobody really knows who's beating who when it comes to recruiting, unless you're in the trenches doing it yourself. Kids will say almost anything to recruiting publications and newspapers when it comes to offers. It is extremely rare for any FCS program to "beat" an FBS program, straight up, for a recruit. My guess is North Dakota State can beat a MAC school for an upper midwest kid, or Montana can beat a lower level FBS on a Montana kid, but those are exceptions. It's not uncommon for an FBS school to drop kid, who then falls to an FCS, but that's not "beating" them. It's also fairly common for an FBS school to come in at the last minute on an FCS committed kid as a fallback, and the kid hold his commitment, but I don't consider that "beating" an FBS either.

Its not nearly as uncommon as you are attempting to portray. We may not know everything right now, but we will know more after signing day when the coaches can talk about it.

[frozennorth]

The reality is, nobody really knows who's beating who when it comes to recruiting, unless you're in the trenches doing it yourself. Kids will say almost anything to recruiting publications and newspapers when it comes to offers. It is extremely rare for any FCS program to "beat" an FBS program, straight up, for a recruit. My guess is North Dakota State can beat a MAC school for an upper midwest kid, or Montana can beat a lower level FBS on a Montana kid, but those are exceptions. It's not uncommon for an FBS school to drop kid, who then falls to an FCS, but that's not "beating" them. It's also fairly common for an FBS school to come in at the last minute on an FCS committed kid as a fallback, and the kid hold his commitment, but I don't consider that "beating" an FBS either.
it's pretty common actually. I'd guess that most teams beat out an upper level player about once a year, and the top programs even beat out major conference teams on occasion.

[seantaylor]

GSU with the number one class in the Belt

[chattownmocs]

I was going to update this. But the results are so difficult to find, Ill just say that Illinois State finished first. Chattanooga finished 2nd. NDSU was in the top 10. Samford and furman were in the top 20.

[smallcollegefbfan]

I was going to update this. But the results are so difficult to find, Ill just say that Illinois State finished first. Chattanooga finished 2nd. NDSU was in the top 10. Samford and furman were in the top 20.

I'm sorry but I don't see any way UTC and Illinois State could beat out NDSU in recruiting right now. Any rating that has that is just plain wrong or NDSU really screwed up. With the recruiting territory and prestige NDSU has right now they should always have a good class and I would not be surprised if they came in to TN, GA, and some other southern states and stole players from SoCon and MEAC schools that they wanted badly. I have watched film on some of NDSU's commits and they have some guys who should have been 3-star by 247 easily. They already came into Florida and got some talent combined with the best players in ND and several good ones in IL, MI, and WI. I could name at least 3-5 players who should be a 3-star that they signed. Another good group, despite the recruiting services not grading their players. Some of these guys have no film online though so there may be more than what I'm saying. I did see a couple of signings who look like they need a ton of work before they can contribute in FCS at a high level but that is usually the case. No FCS team has a class loaded with more than 10-12 guys who can play right off the bat. They have at least 3-5 who should at contribute in 2014 though.

[underdawg]

I know that.

How many has he brought in...FBS transfers? He does every year so just wondering how many this year?


TWO Mark Iannotti 6'2" 220 QB from eastern Michigan and 6'3" 295 center Garrett Clark from Southern Mississippi ---that's it--sorry to spoil your theories