I love recruiting, but I find the rankings created by recruiting services confusing. For my money they focus way too much time on the size of the class and not enough time on the quality of the signees within a class. For the fun of it I create rankings based on the average score for each team’s recruits.
This year’s Sooner class serves as a perfect example of the differing philosophies. OU signed only 16 players which meant that the Sooners’ ranking in Rivals was #13. With the averaging formula the Sooners jumped to #4 in the team rankings. I know it sounds like I’m being a homer, but I will combat that argument with results.
It has been my experience over the years that this quality point system creates the best teams on the field year in and year out. I will bet the house that Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson and OU will be at the top of the heap for several years to come similar to where to they are in the rankings based on the averaging formula.
Adding to its value, this system has become even more advantageous in the transfer portal era. Why sign a bunch of three-star players to fill out a class when you can use those scholarships to sign seasoned four-and five-star transfers that will contribute immediately.
I have used the same averaging process to rank Big 12 teams as well. Rivals and 247sports ranked Kansas as #3 and #4 in the Big 12, respectively. While Les Miles has done a really nice job recruiting at KU over the past few years, the Jayhawks are still a long way from competing with the Sooners. In the real Big 12 rankings, the Jayhawks slipped to #7 and #9.
I have also made note of the four-and five-star players that these teams have recruited via the transfer portal. While I have not factored in these numbers per se, these players add significant quality to their team’s recruiting classes.
By the way, OU is now tied with Ohio State at 4.2 in the 2022 rankings using the averaging process…that’s right the hits just keep on coming…
Boomer Sooner…
2021 Rivals100 national rankings…
- Alabama/4.04
- Ohio State/4.00
- Clemson/3.95
- Oklahoma/3.88
- Oregon/3.87
- LSU/3.86
- Georgia/3.85
- Texas A&M/3.83
- USC/3.82
- Miami/3.62
- Michigan/3.57
- Florida/3.55
- North Carolina/3.53
- Notre Dame/3.44
- Texas/3.38
2021 Rivals100.com Big 12 rankings…
- OU/3.88 plus one-five star and two four-star transfers…
- Texas/3.38 plus one four-star transfer…
- West Va./3.25 plus one four-star transfer…
- Texas Tech/3.18
- TCU/3.14 plus one four-star transfer…
- Kansas St/2.94 plus four-star transfer…
- Kansas/2.91
- OSU/2.90
- Baylor/2.88 plus one four-star transfer
- Iowa State/2.85
2021 247sports.com Big 12 rankings…
1…OU/93.20 plus one five-star transfer and two four-star transfers…
2…Texas/88.81 plus one four-star transfer…
2…West Va./87.90 plus one four-star transfer…
2…TCU/86.97 plus one four-star transfer…
5…Texas Tech/86.69
5…Baylor/86.47 plus one four-star transfer…
7…OSU/86.17
7…Kansas St./85.46 plus one four-star transfer…
9…Kansas/84.96
10.Iowa St./84.76
Bcs.net - sports professor