Quick note on NaNa Mensah

[NDAFArly]

This will circulate here soon, so just want to put out info on this.

Nana was a consistent 90-110 nationally ranked player for the last two years.

Was highly recruited.

Plays big boy football in Texas (Dallas, Ft. Worth).

Won multiple player of the year awards in Texas.

Was All American Bowl selection.

Had a normal week at the AA game. (The West didn’t practice much, or scrimmage much, so no good or bad impressions).

With all that being said, Mike Farrell & Rivals not only dropped him out of the top 250, they dropped him to a 3 Star....

A freaking 3 Star.

 

[echowaker]

does it really matter ? it's mike farrell for gods sake. everyone knows what a hack he is. theres no credibility there whatsoever.

 

[NDAFArly]

To follow up more:

They have two evaluations since the last HS games were played. NaNa was still top 150. Then after 4 days of walkthroughs at the AA week & the game, they drop him to a 3 Star.

Other players who were not invited to All Star games, let alone the All American game, who haven’t played a down of football since the past two rankings, are now in the top 250.

 

[88ND]

If they dropped him to a one star or two star does that mean nobody should want him?

Stupid shit like that is what makes the star ratings over emphasized

 

[NDAFArly]

does it really matter ? it's mike farrell for gods sake. everyone knows what a hack he is. theres no credibility there whatsoever.

It’s just funny.
How you going to take a Dallas, Texas player of the year, All American game selection, & drop him from top 100 to a 3 Star after 4 days of walkthroughs?

LOL

 

[echowaker]

To follow up more:

They have two evaluations since the last HS games were played. NaNa was still top 150. Then after 4 days of walkthroughs at the AA week & the game, they drop him to a 3 Star.

Other players who were not invited to All Star games, let alone the All American game, who haven’t played a down of football since the past two rankings, are now in the top 250.

i think taking ANYTHING from a glorified exhibition game is crazy. worse than spring games. doesn't matter where anyone ranks him. it only matters what the ND staff thinks of him.

 

[IrishInOntario]

This will circulate here soon, so just want to put out info on this.

Nana was a consistent 90-110 nationally ranked player for the last two years.

Was highly recruited.

Plays big boy football in Texas (Dallas, Ft. Worth).

Won multiple player of the year awards in Texas.

Was All American Bowl selection.

Had a normal week at the AA game. (The West didn’t practice much, or scrimmage much, so no good or bad impressions).

With all that being said, Mike Farrell & Rivals not only dropped him out of the top 250, they dropped him to a 3 Star....

A freaking 3 Star.

Nana will be fine. He's not a freak like some think. More of a Daelin Hayes quality rotation DE than a Julian Okwara type that runs like a deer and is just scratching the surface. Happy to have Nana, regardless of what Rivals thinks. His offer list speaks volumes about the fact that he is a quality recruit who projects to play in Notre Dame's rotation down the road, even if he's nowhere near elite...

For the record, elite is Nolan Smith, who y'all watched terrorize people all week at practice and in the game.

 

[NDAFArly]

i think taking ANYTHING from a glorified exhibition game is crazy. worse than spring games. doesn't matter where anyone ranks him. it only matters what the ND staff thinks of him.

I 100% agree.

But you know that a lot of people only care about rankings & use them for arguments or other things. The only reason Hamilton won’t be a 5 Star composite is because of Farrell ranking him 75th. And you know how people here love to argue about 5 Stars.

 

[chaseball]

I like how anytime an ND recruit loses rank on Rivals the mob here brings out the pitch forks for Mike Farrell. Uh...there are 300+ staff members at Rivals. And of course the same logic is not used when a recruit gains a more favorable ranking on Rivals during the recruiting cycle.

I also think it's silly this idea that Rivals is conspiratorial (against ND in someway or that their credibility/integrity is for sale in some way). This business only survives based on being as 100% accurate as possible. I seriously doubt they are moving people up/down for any reason other than that's their best evaluation of the player. These recruiting analysts/ranking systems are in a cut throat competition of accuracy and credibility for their very survival.

 

[NDAFArly]

Nana will be fine. He's not a freak like some think. More of a Daelin Hayes quality rotation DE than a Julian Okwara type that runs like a deer and is just scratching the surface. Happy to have Nana, regardless of what Rivals thinks. His offer list speaks volumes about the fact that he is a quality recruit who projects to play in Notre Dame's rotation down the road, even if he's nowhere near elite...

For the record, elite is Nolan Smith, who y'all watched terrorize people all week at practice and in the game.

Wasn’t it just in the spring (when it was 50/50 with Texas for him) you talked about how important he was to get & he would be one of the most important recruits in the class because of what he brings at the drop?

And no one said he was a freak or elite. He is top 150. But you have to admit making him a 3 Star is ridiculous?

 

[IrishInOntario]

I 100% agree.

But you know that a lot of people only care about rankings & use them for arguments or other things. The only reason Hamilton won’t be a 5 Star composite is because of Farrell ranking him 75th. And you know how people here love to argue about 5 Stars.

Kyle Hamilton is an excellent player. ND is lucky to have him. Nana is a solid player. He's not Nolan Smith, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Zack Harrison, Antonio Alfano, Zacch Pickens or Justin Eboigbe... Those were the Big Boy defensive ends in the class (others will develop), but Osafo-Mensah is still a kid that 120+ teams would be happy to have in their rotation.

 

[NDAFArly]

I like how anytime an ND recruit loses rank on Rivals the mob here brings out the pitch forks for Mike Farrell. Uh...there are 300+ staff members at Rivals.Then there's also those who think Rivals is conspiratorial (against ND in someway or that their credibility/integrity is for sale in some way). This business only survives based on being as 100% accurate as possible. I seriously doubt they are moving people up/down for any reason other than that's their best evaluation of the player. Maybe in an industry where only 1 company monopolized the entire industry but the recruiting rating business is full of competition.

LOL

300 people don’t make that decision Chase.
The Rivals people themselves (Mike, Greg, Adam, etc...) have been on our site explaining how it works.

Regional analyst start profiles. Then they help decide who goes to camps, gets initial rankings, etc.
Then after that the National guys know which top 400 or so guys to look at. And they really, really pay attention to the guys at their camps.
Then after the All Star games the lead National Analysts (which you can count on your fingers) make the final decisions.
So the decision to drop him to a 3 Star was made by a few people, not 300.

Sorry if that isn’t what you like.

 

[IrishInOntario]

Wasn’t it just in the spring (when it was 50/50 with Texas for him) you talked about how important he was to get & he would be one of the most important recruits in the class because of what he brings at the drop?

And no one said he was a freak or elite. He is top 150. But you have to admit making him a 3 Star is ridiculous?

I did, and do think he's one of the most important defensive recruits in the class. Landing high upside defensive linemen has been a bit of a nightmare for Notre Dame up until recently. Notre Dame (and their fans) should always be excited to get a player of Nana's ability. He'll be a strong part of the rotation down the road.

 

[NDAFArly]

I did, and do think he's one of the most important defensive recruits in the class. Landing high upside defensive linemen has been a bit of a nightmare for Notre Dame up until recently. Notre Dame (and their fans) should always be excited to get a player of Nana's ability. He'll be a strong part of the rotation down the road.

I just can’t understand how a kid who hovered around top 100 for two years, and was still top 150 after two rankings after the season, drops to a 3 Star after an All American game invite? How does he drop behind 200 kids who watched the game on their couch? LOL

 

[IrishInOntario]

I just can’t understand how a kid who hovered around top 100 for two years, and was still top 150 after two rankings after the season, drops to a 3 Star after an All American game invite? How does he drop behind 200 kids who watched the game on their couch? LOL

I think it was a dramatic over reaction as well. I'm not going to get bent out of shape about it lol... I've seen the film and I feel like I have a grasp of what type of prospect Nana is. I've been talking for 3 years about how political I think Rivals has become and how much more objective I find 247... This doesn't surprise me.

 

[NDAFArly]

IIO, quick question...

A poster on the other board has a background in the game like you & mentioned something I wonder if you know about too?
He said that Farrell & a couple other guys are close with Don Brown & one of the offensive coaches (can’t remember his name?) & if you look all the players those two recruit get big bumps. And it rubs people the wrong way.

 

[IrishInOntario]

IIO, quick question...

A poster on the other board has a background in the game like you & mentioned something I wonder if you know about too?
He said that Farrell & a couple other guys are close with Don Brown & one of the offensive coaches (can’t remember his name?) & if you look all the players those two recruit get big bumps. And it rubs people the wrong way.

I've said for years that regional politics, personal connections and finances play obvious role in recruiting rankings. To what degree can be hard to say. It fluctuates based on a number of factors.

That said, find me any organization that has a financial agenda that is without corruption and obvious bias and I'll be shocked.

 

[d1042]

maybe it was not him falling but that others impressed and moved up?

 

[TXNDFan88]

If he had spurned ND and committed to Texas at the UA Game he would be a top 100 recruit and the Rivals guys would list him as one of their top performers.

 

[TheSodFather]

Likely has a lot to do with eye test. Movement skills seem more interior line than that of an elite edge defender.

 

[IrishInOntario]

Likely has a lot to do with eye test. Movement skills seem more interior line than that of an elite edge defender.

Definitely not a quick twitch speed rusher, but there are multiple ways ways the be effective as a DE and multiple roles to play in the defensive rotation.

 

[d1042]

Definitely not a quick twitch speed rusher, but there are multiple ways ways the be effective as a DE and multiple roles to play in the defensive rotation.

but, read your post, then ask yourself if maybe the reasons he was passed by other prospects was the lack of clarity how he would fit a D.

 

[wicker]

regardless of where he goes, imagine if he transfers

 

[IrishInOntario]

but, read your post, then ask yourself if maybe the reasons he was passed by other prospects was the lack of clarity how he would fit a D.

I have no problem with a recruiting service dropping a kid down their rankings. It's one subjective opinion. Mine is that he'll be better in ND's rotation than Rivals thinks he will be.

 

[Walruzz]

Nana will be fine. He's not a freak like some think. More of a Daelin Hayes quality rotation DE than a Julian Okwara type that runs like a deer and is just scratching the surface. Happy to have Nana, regardless of what Rivals thinks. His offer list speaks volumes about the fact that he is a quality recruit who projects to play in Notre Dame's rotation down the road, even if he's nowhere near elite...

For the record, elite is Nolan Smith, who y'all watched terrorize people all week at practice and in the game.

“Y’all?”

That’s not the Ontario dialect.....

 

[TheSodFather]

Definitely not a quick twitch speed rusher, but there are multiple ways ways the be effective as a DE and multiple roles to play in the defensive rotation.

Exactly. I immediately thought Emmanuel Ogbah when watching his film. Stacks and sets edge with some power/speed rush ability. Flexibility and edge bending athleticism of an elite pass rusher not visible.

Those traits are on all of the films so the frustration of the late drop people are going to have is warranted imo.

 

[IrishInOntario]

“Y’all?”

That’s not the Ontario dialect.....

I adopted it when I lived in the U.S. and quite like it... So I use it at times.

 

[Pennick4]

This will circulate here soon, so just want to put out info on this.

Nana was a consistent 90-110 nationally ranked player for the last two years.

Was highly recruited.

Plays big boy football in Texas (Dallas, Ft. Worth).

Won multiple player of the year awards in Texas.

Was All American Bowl selection.

Had a normal week at the AA game. (The West didn’t practice much, or scrimmage much, so no good or bad impressions).

With all that being said, Mike Farrell & Rivals not only dropped him out of the top 250, they dropped him to a 3 Star....

A freaking 3 Star.

Farrell is the typical recruiting analyst. Never had a jock on in his life.

 

[Leahylads]

Hopefully he uses this slight to motivate himself to become a great player for the Irish.

 

[Kelso86]

This will circulate here soon, so just want to put out info on this.

Nana was a consistent 90-110 nationally ranked player for the last two years.

Was highly recruited.

Plays big boy football in Texas (Dallas, Ft. Worth).

Won multiple player of the year awards in Texas.

Was All American Bowl selection.

Had a normal week at the AA game. (The West didn’t practice much, or scrimmage much, so no good or bad impressions).

With all that being said, Mike Farrell & Rivals not only dropped him out of the top 250, they dropped him to a 3 Star....

A freaking 3 Star.

"With all that being said, Mike Farrell & Rivals not only dropped him out of the top 250, they dropped him to a 3 Star....

A freaking 3 Star."

At this point, does it really matter? ND, by all accounts, is getting a fantastic player. He is no longer a HS player, but a college player at ND .. he will be judged by what he does going forward, not what he did in HS.

 

[echowaker]

"With all that being said, Mike Farrell & Rivals not only dropped him out of the top 250, they dropped him to a 3 Star....

A freaking 3 Star."

At this point, does it really matter? ND, by all accounts, is getting a fantastic player. He is no longer a HS player, but a college player at ND .. he will be judged byt what he does going forward, not what he did in HS.

YEP, THE STARS DON'T MATTER NO MORE, NOT THAT THEY EVER DID.

 

[echowaker]

Hopefully he uses this slight to motivate himself to become a great player for the Irish.

hopefully he doesn't give a damn. his talent and work ethic got him to where he is today not some silly subjective rankings.

 

[d1042]

YEP, THE STARS DON'T MATTER NO MORE, NOT THAT THEY EVER DID.

Except when determining the National Champions.
Stars 30
Non Stars 3

If stars don’t matter, then why hasn’t Rutgers won a NC? or Purdue? or BSU?

To say the stars (player evaluation services) are not relevant or w/o reliance is as rediculous as saying coaching does not matter.

Name the last 10 NC’s.

Stars do not matter statements are as extreme and rediculous as only stars matter.

 

[Tru2Irish]

Mike Farrell probably flunked gym class for not wearing a jock but wore panties. He's a moron. Enough said.

 

[echowaker]

Except when determining the National Champions.
Stars 30
Non Stars 3

If stars don’t matter, then why hasn’t Rutgers won a NC? or Purdue? or BSU?

To say the stars (player evaluation services) are not relevant or w/o reliance is as rediculous as saying coaching does not matter.

Name the last 10 NC’s.

Stars do not matter statements are as extreme and rediculous as only stars matter.

YOU MISSED THE POINT. ONCE THEY LEAVE HIGH SCHOOL THE STARS DON'T MATTER.

 

[Telx1]

hopefully he doesn't give a damn. his talent and work ethic got him to where he is today not some silly subjective rankings.

Personally, I hope he comes in with a chip on his shoulder over this downgrade. I thought he was a must get and was really happy when he committed, and a post all star game downgrade doesn’t change this one bit. From what I read at the time, it sounded as though the coaches for the West treated the week as an experience to be enjoyed, while the coaches for the East coached to win, and this was reflected in individual play throughout the game.

 

[d1042]

YOU MISSED THE POINT. ONCE THEY LEAVE HIGH SCHOOL THE STARS DON'T MATTER.

ok. except that the expectations go with them.

 

[tbonesays]

hopefully he doesn't give a damn. his talent and work ethic got him to where he is today not some silly subjective rankings.

I'm more interested in the objective offer list.

 

[chaseball]

I'm more interested in the objective offer list.

Recruiting analysts often have to rely on the player's word regarding their offer lists. And there's really no disincentive for them to embellish regarding their offer lists. Also most programs send out hundreds of offers per class despite only 'taking' 20-30 players. So a large majority of offers are not even acceptable.

If you want 'objective' it doesn't get any more objective than a player's composite recruiting ranking.

 

[tbonesays]

Recruiting analysts often have to rely on the player's word regarding their offer lists. And there's really no disincentive for them to embellish regarding their offer lists. Also most programs send out hundreds of offers per class despite only 'taking' 20-30 players. So a large majority of offers are not even acceptable.

If you want 'objective' it doesn't get any more objective than a player's composite recruiting ranking.

I'm aware that there is an element of subjectivity in an offer list but much of it is verifiable by looking to the offering program right?