2004 Recruiting Class Brandon II

We spend so much time looking at our recruiting classes when they are coming in that we sometimes forget that the best time to evaluate them is when they are going OUT. Of course, that's about recruiting and coaching, but if a bunch of guys don't make it to the end of their career, then I guess that tells you something, right?

This was the first class the Coach Brandon signed after the first class, widely regarded as a wash out because that was the class that found Urban half in and half out.

With that in mind, let's look. Below is the classification system I developed.

2004 Recruiting Class (Brandon II)

STAR--ALL MAC, top flight starter and producer, etc.
Starter--player in starting lineup consistently at some point in career.
Role Player--Corn McGrady type. #4 WR or special teams player. You get the idea.
Finished, no footprints. Completed eligibility without doing much.
Washed out--Did not finish career.

Star (2)
Diryal Briggs
Corey Partridge

Starter (7)
Anthony Turner
John Haneline
Erique Dozier
Pete Winovich
Brandon Curtis
Jeff Fink
Nick Davis

Role Player (3)
Aaron Kent
Brandon Mack
Joe Schaefer

No Footprint (1)
Nate Waldron

Washed out (5)
Andrew Allen, DL
Andrew Campbell, OL
Edwin Hood, LB
Lance Latkiewicz, LB
Scott Goodwin

What conclusions can we draw here?

First, this is a pretty good class. It yielded two really good players (Briggs and Partridge) and 7 good players who were consistent starters for our team. Out of the 18 players, 12 contributed, which I think stands up pretty well over time. (I haven't looked ahead but I suspect Brandon IV and V will have some pretty high attrition rates).

For example, when I looked at the class last year, only 12 of 23 players contributed. That class did produce an NFL draftee, but if you compare the stars and starters from one year to the next, you'll find that this class (I think) had more productive players.

Anthony Turner was the big star of this class when they came in, with reports of an Iowa offer floating around, and while he did not turn into the QB we hoped (the next QB in the Harris-Jacobs line), he did save the 2007 season with his play at TB. He worked to contribute to the team all the way through the end of his career.

And, of course, during their senior year, these players were certainly capable of winning a division, but the team as a whole was unable to close the deal.