For those that are unsure of Rivals Rating .. it's the additional rating given to each player on their profile. It's a sub-tier to the star system. Not all players classified as 2/3/4 star are equal. e.g. there are 3 tiers of 4 star players alone (5.8, 5.9, 6.0) ... the higher the rivals rating, the more rare the talent.
The reason the star ratings need an additional break-down in this way is because the star system is a scale used for all 128 FBS programs. But reality is, the best programs in the country really only recruit 4 stars and up. So an additional sub-tier was created to distinguish between these players as well (which is where the Rivals Rating comes in).
Rivals Rating | Star Classification
6.1 = 5 star player
6.0 = high 4 star
5.9 = 4 star
5.8 = low 4 star
5.7 = high 3 star
5.6 = 3 star
5.5 = low 3 star
etc. etc. etc.
I am using IIOs original list as a proxy but adding each player's Rivals Rating (Rivals is considered the industry standard when it comes to recruiting ratings' accuracy). Rivals has the biggest budget, staff, etc.
The best programs in the country really only recruit 5.8 talents and up. Using this as a basis, we can even change the star rating system to reflect only this premier tier of athletes that the most talent rich programs are in competition for. Lets call this the 'diamond' rating system. For reference, 2.5 diamonds = an average talent on a top 5% program in college football.
Rivals Rating | Diamonds
6.1 = <><><><><> (top ~25 nationally rated talent)
6.0 = <><><><> (top ~50 nationally rated talent)
5.9 = <><><> (top ~100 nationally rated talent)
5.8 = <><> (top ~300 nationally rated talent)
5.7 = <>
<5.7 = empty/NR
Position | Average Diamond Rating:
Quarterbacks | 1.5
Montgomery VanGorder (SR)
Brandon Wimbush (JR), <><><><>
Ian Book (SOPH), <>
Avery Davis (FR), <>
Running backs | 1.75
Josh Adams (JR), <>
Dexter Williams (JR), <><><>
Tony Jones (SOPH), <>
CJ Holmes (FR), <><>
Wide Receivers | 1.8
Miles Boykin (JR), <><><>
Chris Finke (JR)
CJ Sanders(JR), <><>
EQ St Brown (JR), <><><>
Kevin Stepherson (SOPH), <>
Javon Mckinley (SOPH), <><><><>
Chase Claypool (SOPH), <><><>
Deon McIntosh (SOPH)
Jafar Armstrong (FR), <>
Michael Young (FR), <>
Tight Ends | 2.33
Durham Smythe (5th), <>
Tyler Luatua (SR), <>
Nic Weishar (SR), <><>
Aliz'e Jones (JR), <><><>
Cole Kmet (FR), <><><>
Brock Wright (FR), <><><><>
Offensive Line | 2.47
Mike McGlinchey (5th), <><>
Hunter Bivin (5th), <><>
Sam Mustipher (SR), <><>
Quenton Nelson (SR), <><><><><>
Alex Bars (SR), <><><>
Jimmy Byrne (SR), <><>
Trevor Ruhland (JR), <>
Tristen Hoge (JR), <><><>
Parker Boudreaux (SOPH), <><>
Liam Eichenberg (SOPH), <><>
Tommy Kraemer (SOPH), <><><><>
Aaron Banks (FR), <><><>
Josh Lugg (FR), <><>
Robert Hainsey (FR), <><><>
Dillan Gibbons (FR), <>
Defensive Tackles / Nose Guards | 1.2
Daniel Cage (SR), <>
Pete Mokwuah (SR)
Jonathan Bonner (SR)
Jerry Tillery (JR), <><><> (rating reflects his prospects as an OL, not DL)
Micah Dew-Treadway (JR), <>
Elijah Taylor (JR), <>
Brandon Tiassum (JR), <>
Darnell Ewell (FR), <><><>
Myron Tagavailoa-Amosa (FR), <>
Kurt Hinish (FR), <>
Strong Side Defensive Ends | 1.5 (combined DEs)
Jay Hayes (SR), <><>
Khalid Kareem (SOPH), <><>
Ade Ogundeji (SOPH)
Johnathan MacCollister (FR)
Weak Side Defensive Ends | 1.5 (combined DEs)
Andrew Trumbetti (SR), <>
Daelin Hayes (SOPH), <><><><><>
Julian Okwara (SOPH), <><>
Kofi Wardlow (FR)
Buck Linebackers | 1.33 (combined LBs)
Greer Martini (SR)
Asmar Bilal (JR), <><>
Jamir Jones (SOPH)
Drew White (FR)
Mike Linebackers | 1.33 (combined LBs)
Nyles Morgan (SR), <><><>
Te'Von Coney (JR), <><><>
Josh Barajas (JR), <><>
Jonathan Jones (SOPH), <>
David Adams (FR), <>
Rovers | 1.0 (combined S)
Drue Tranquil (SR), <>
Spencer Perry (SOPH), <>
Jeremiah Owusu-Koromoah (FR), <>
Corners | 1.83
Nick Watkins (SR), <><>
Ashton White (JR)
Shaun Crawford (JR), <><><>
Donte Vaughn (SOPH), <><>
Troy Pride (SOPH), <><>
Julian Love (SOPH), <><>
Free Safeties | 1.0 (combined S)
Nick Coleman (JR)
Nicco Fertitta (JR)
Jalen Elliot (SOPH), <><>
Isaiah Robertson (FR), <><>
Strong Safeties | 1.0 (combined S)
Devin Studstill (SOPH), <>
DJ Morgan (SOPH), <><>
Jordan Genmark-Heath (FR)
Kickers
Justin Yoon (SOPH)
John Doerer (FR)
Punters
Tyler Newsome (SR)
Visual Representation:
We should ALL be crossing our collective fingers for Top 100 nationally rated commitments (5.9 rivals rated/3 diamond players and up) at basically any defensive position going forward -- to better balance the roster and close the immense talent gap on that side of the ball.
The reason the star ratings need an additional break-down in this way is because the star system is a scale used for all 128 FBS programs. But reality is, the best programs in the country really only recruit 4 stars and up. So an additional sub-tier was created to distinguish between these players as well (which is where the Rivals Rating comes in).
Rivals Rating | Star Classification
6.1 = 5 star player
6.0 = high 4 star
5.9 = 4 star
5.8 = low 4 star
5.7 = high 3 star
5.6 = 3 star
5.5 = low 3 star
etc. etc. etc.
I am using IIOs original list as a proxy but adding each player's Rivals Rating (Rivals is considered the industry standard when it comes to recruiting ratings' accuracy). Rivals has the biggest budget, staff, etc.
The best programs in the country really only recruit 5.8 talents and up. Using this as a basis, we can even change the star rating system to reflect only this premier tier of athletes that the most talent rich programs are in competition for. Lets call this the 'diamond' rating system. For reference, 2.5 diamonds = an average talent on a top 5% program in college football.
Rivals Rating | Diamonds
6.1 = <><><><><> (top ~25 nationally rated talent)
6.0 = <><><><> (top ~50 nationally rated talent)
5.9 = <><><> (top ~100 nationally rated talent)
5.8 = <><> (top ~300 nationally rated talent)
5.7 = <>
<5.7 = empty/NR
Position | Average Diamond Rating:
Quarterbacks | 1.5
Montgomery VanGorder (SR)
Brandon Wimbush (JR), <><><><>
Ian Book (SOPH), <>
Avery Davis (FR), <>
Running backs | 1.75
Josh Adams (JR), <>
Dexter Williams (JR), <><><>
Tony Jones (SOPH), <>
CJ Holmes (FR), <><>
Wide Receivers | 1.8
Miles Boykin (JR), <><><>
Chris Finke (JR)
CJ Sanders(JR), <><>
EQ St Brown (JR), <><><>
Kevin Stepherson (SOPH), <>
Javon Mckinley (SOPH), <><><><>
Chase Claypool (SOPH), <><><>
Deon McIntosh (SOPH)
Jafar Armstrong (FR), <>
Michael Young (FR), <>
Tight Ends | 2.33
Durham Smythe (5th), <>
Tyler Luatua (SR), <>
Nic Weishar (SR), <><>
Aliz'e Jones (JR), <><><>
Cole Kmet (FR), <><><>
Brock Wright (FR), <><><><>
Offensive Line | 2.47
Mike McGlinchey (5th), <><>
Hunter Bivin (5th), <><>
Sam Mustipher (SR), <><>
Quenton Nelson (SR), <><><><><>
Alex Bars (SR), <><><>
Jimmy Byrne (SR), <><>
Trevor Ruhland (JR), <>
Tristen Hoge (JR), <><><>
Parker Boudreaux (SOPH), <><>
Liam Eichenberg (SOPH), <><>
Tommy Kraemer (SOPH), <><><><>
Aaron Banks (FR), <><><>
Josh Lugg (FR), <><>
Robert Hainsey (FR), <><><>
Dillan Gibbons (FR), <>
Defensive Tackles / Nose Guards | 1.2
Daniel Cage (SR), <>
Pete Mokwuah (SR)
Jonathan Bonner (SR)
Jerry Tillery (JR), <><><> (rating reflects his prospects as an OL, not DL)
Micah Dew-Treadway (JR), <>
Elijah Taylor (JR), <>
Brandon Tiassum (JR), <>
Darnell Ewell (FR), <><><>
Myron Tagavailoa-Amosa (FR), <>
Kurt Hinish (FR), <>
Strong Side Defensive Ends | 1.5 (combined DEs)
Jay Hayes (SR), <><>
Khalid Kareem (SOPH), <><>
Ade Ogundeji (SOPH)
Johnathan MacCollister (FR)
Weak Side Defensive Ends | 1.5 (combined DEs)
Andrew Trumbetti (SR), <>
Daelin Hayes (SOPH), <><><><><>
Julian Okwara (SOPH), <><>
Kofi Wardlow (FR)
Buck Linebackers | 1.33 (combined LBs)
Greer Martini (SR)
Asmar Bilal (JR), <><>
Jamir Jones (SOPH)
Drew White (FR)
Mike Linebackers | 1.33 (combined LBs)
Nyles Morgan (SR), <><><>
Te'Von Coney (JR), <><><>
Josh Barajas (JR), <><>
Jonathan Jones (SOPH), <>
David Adams (FR), <>
Rovers | 1.0 (combined S)
Drue Tranquil (SR), <>
Spencer Perry (SOPH), <>
Jeremiah Owusu-Koromoah (FR), <>
Corners | 1.83
Nick Watkins (SR), <><>
Ashton White (JR)
Shaun Crawford (JR), <><><>
Donte Vaughn (SOPH), <><>
Troy Pride (SOPH), <><>
Julian Love (SOPH), <><>
Free Safeties | 1.0 (combined S)
Nick Coleman (JR)
Nicco Fertitta (JR)
Jalen Elliot (SOPH), <><>
Isaiah Robertson (FR), <><>
Strong Safeties | 1.0 (combined S)
Devin Studstill (SOPH), <>
DJ Morgan (SOPH), <><>
Jordan Genmark-Heath (FR)
Kickers
Justin Yoon (SOPH)
John Doerer (FR)
Punters
Tyler Newsome (SR)
Visual Representation:
We should ALL be crossing our collective fingers for Top 100 nationally rated commitments (5.9 rivals rated/3 diamond players and up) at basically any defensive position going forward -- to better balance the roster and close the immense talent gap on that side of the ball.
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