The 2013 Graveyard Thread

[Don Giovanni]

I guess it's hard not to have the subject of "star ratings" come up a little bit because of this topic, but I would like to know something. Who has been the wide receiver with the most acclaim to come to South Carolina? I know there have been some guys who have had success while they were here and continued in the NFL, but it seems like most of the "big time" recruits at the wide receiver position don't ever seem to have us on their lists of realistic possibilities or favorites. Yes, I know Roland came here last year and was a pretty big name, but it always felt like he was mainly a big name in the state, not nationally. So when I say "big time" recruits, I really mean the guys who are nationally renowned. Thoughts on why it seems we're never in it for guys like this at that position?

[CoverTwo]

Zola Davis. He was the #1 receiver in the country.

[Don Giovanni]

Originally Posted by CoverTwo

Zola Davis. He was the #1 receiver in the country.

I remember Davis. That was a pretty long time ago though. What's been the deal since then?

[HUGEGARNETCOCK]

Alshon was a nationally recruited kid! And Sidney was pretty highly regarded as well!

[CoverTwo]

Well, here are the receivers we have signed since 2002.

2002:

Charles Ben - 3 star, #66
Andre Hemphill - 3 star, #60
D'Von Hill - 3 star, #63
Troy Williamson - 4 star, #27

2003:

Derrick Harper - 3 star, #62
D'Von Hill - NR, NR
David Smith - 3 star, #71
Noah Whiteside - 3 star, #34

2004:

Tramel Kline - 2 star, NR
Sidney Rice - 3 star, #55

2005:

Freddie Brown - 3 star, #51
Jared Cook - 3 star, #42
OJ Murdock - 4 star, #10
Carlos Thomas - 4 star, #9

2006:

Moe Brown - 3 star, #56
Chris Hail - 2 star, NR

2007:

Jason Barnes - 4 star, #32
Michael Bowman - 3 star, NR
Matt Clements - 3 star, #45
Chris Culliver - 5 star, #3
Larry Freeman - 3 star, NR
Dion Lecorn - 4 star, #17

2008:

Tori Gurley - NR, NR
DL Moore - 3 star, NR

2009:

Demario Bennett - 2 star, NR
Charles Holmes - 2 star, NR
Alshon Jeffery - 4 star, #13
Lamar Scruggs - 4 star, #46
Deangelo Smith - 3 star, NR

2010:

Javon Bell - 2 star, NR
Nick Jones - 3 Star, NR
Ace Sanders - 4 Star, #44

2011:

KJ Brent - 3 star, #54
Damiere Byrd - 4 star, #19
Shamier Jeffery - 3 star, #53

2012:

Jody Fuller - 4 star, #37
Shaq Roland - 4 star, #10
Kwinton Smith - 3 star, #51

[CoverTwo]

Originally Posted by HUGEGARNETCOCK

Alshon was a nationally recruited kid! And Sidney was pretty highly regarded as well!

No he wasn't.

[CoverTwo]

What that post shows me, is that Bubba has done a better job getting talent (on paper) the past 2 years. Even that 2007 class doesn't look as sexy as we like to think it was.

[Glamcock]

Shaq Roland was a very big deal. Out of the top recruiting sites, his lowest ranking was like the 10th best WR. He was top 5 in a couple, and was a 5* by scout or rivals.

[CoverTwo]

2 names that stick out to me .. D'Von Hill and Charles Ben.

Those guys were going to be our sleepers and if I recall correctly they never got into school. I know Hill could flat out ball, and I heard great things about Ben at the time.

[Don Giovanni]

Originally Posted by CoverTwo

Well, here are the receivers we have signed since 2002.

2002:

Charles Ben - 3 star, #66
Andre Hemphill - 3 star, #60
D'Von Hill - 3 star, #63
Troy Williamson - 4 star, #27

2003:

Derrick Harper - 3 star, #62
D'Von Hill - NR, NR
David Smith - 3 star, #71
Noah Whiteside - 3 star, #34

2004:

Tramel Kline - 2 star, NR
Sidney Rice - 3 star, #55

2005:

Freddie Brown - 3 star, #51
Jared Cook - 3 star, #42
OJ Murdock - 4 star, #10
Carlos Thomas - 4 star, #9

2006:

Moe Brown - 3 star, #56
Chris Hail - 2 star, NR

2007:

Jason Barnes - 4 star, #32
Michael Bowman - 3 star, NR
Matt Clements - 3 star, #45
Chris Culliver - 5 star, #3
Larry Freeman - 3 star, NR
Dion Lecorn - 4 star, #17

2008:

Tori Gurley - NR, NR
DL Moore - 3 star, NR

2009:

Demario Bennett - 2 star, NR
Charles Holmes - 2 star, NR
Alshon Jeffery - 4 star, #13
Lamar Scruggs - 4 star, #46
Deangelo Smith - 3 star, NR

2010:

Javon Bell - 2 star, NR
Nick Jones - 3 Star, NR
Ace Sanders - 4 Star, #44

2011:

KJ Brent - 3 star, #54
Damiere Byrd - 4 star, #19
Shamier Jeffery - 3 star, #53

2012:

Jody Fuller - 4 star, #37
Shaq Roland - 4 star, #10
Kwinton Smith - 3 star, #51

Thanks for putting that together, C2. I'm not sure what to think when I see the highest rated WR recruit we signed ended up as a DB. And there are a lot of names on that list that just never did or are yet to pan out, but that risk comes with every recruit.

[usc1]

Originally Posted by CoverTwo

2 names that stick out to me .. D'Von Hill and Charles Ben.

Those guys were going to be our sleepers and if I recall correctly they never got into school. I know Hill could flat out ball, and I heard great things about Ben at the time.

I thought I remembered Dvon returning a punt against UF. Maybe I'm thinking about someone else.

[uscfan1]

Originally Posted by usc1

I thought I remembered Dvon returning a punt against UF. Maybe I'm thinking about someone else.

Noah

[scargamecocks87]

Where was kenny m. In that list

[uscfan1]

Originally Posted by scargamecocks87

Where was kenny m. In that list

Probably an ath. Played qb in hs

[CoverTwo]

McKinley was a ATH.

[GarnetArmy07]

Zola was one of my all-time favorites

[JT21]

Wish SC had gotten Javon Bell in... really liked that guy.

Also too bad Scruggs never worked out. Based on his HS highlights, was as close to an Alshon clone as you can get. Beast on jump balls - attacked the ball in the air with his hands as well as anyone I can remember watching.

[75CarolinaFan]

I would have liked to see Javon Bell and Charles Holmes make it in.



I think early on in the Spurrier era we took a lot of guys that weren't full time WRs in high school. It was tougher to convert them imo. McKinley worked out really well for Carolina. But too many others didn't work out. Thomas, Cully, Clements to name a few.

In the past few years we've brought in more true WRs that seem to catch on quicker to what they need to do.


I do think it's somewhat surprising we haven't seen more really highly rated WRs over the years. But we've still hauled in some pretty good talent. Just because a guy is ranked #20 doesn't mean he isn't extremely talented. There are a ton of WRs playing college ball so a top 20 rated WR has a pretty good chance of being a really good player.


I think a reason we haven't seen more interest from the really big names might be the lack of production as a whole from our passing game. There are quite a few programs out there putting up huge numbers and that always gets a recruits attention in the recruiting game. Part of that is the defenses we play week in and week out, part of that would be development of some of those two way players we recruited that weren't true WRs, part of it would be lack of pass protection, part of it would be some of our past QBs seemed to be distracted off the field hurting their development, and part of would be terrible run blocking and run game over the Spurrier era.

The good thing is I think much of that is changing. We've put a few WRs in the NFL over the years. Our QBs are starting to improve their consistency and overall statistics. Our oline is about to come around(knock on wood, fingers crossed) as we begin to see more 4th and 5th year players within this position group. We've recruited some top notch RBs which should open up our passing game. And we've got more speed at WR now which should add some flash and some nice highlights and maybe push some of those safeties back in the near future as our WRs get even more consistent(Byrd catching the ball now etc).

Oh and Spurrier's renewed vigor. Him smiling, slinging zingers, and talking about 100 wins should help ease any fears of him retiring at the end of every season caused by false propaganda being spread by former insurance salesmen within the region.

[Flameout12]

Think D'von Hill had a neck injury that ended his playing. And yea, getting Ben was a big deal...hard to believe he was moderately rated considering all the fuss that I remember.

[ConwayGamecock]

Originally Posted by Don Giovanni

Thanks for putting that together, C2. I'm not sure what to think when I see the highest rated WR recruit we signed ended up as a DB. And there are a lot of names on that list that just never did or are yet to pan out, but that risk comes with every recruit.

Culliver was misleading a bit anyway if I recall correctly....he got all of his high rating as a DB in high school, and rarely played WR. Then he tried it during his all-star games at the end of his HS career, and had a game or two where he put up huge numbers, and all of a sudden he was changed from a 4* DB to a 4* WR. IMO he should've been changed to ATH if anything. But it turned out he was more comfortable playing DB, which was his primary role in HS to begin with....