P5 Talent On UNT Roster

BillySee58 · August 21, 2020

While looking through the roster and the various position groups it really stood out to me how many of these guys had at least one P5 school offer them in high school. We can basically put together a starting lineup of guys who had P5 offers, and are 2-3 deep there in some positions. So I did.

This obviously is nothing like what our starting lineup will look like and some of these guys will get or have already been outplayed by guys who didn’t have P5 offers, but it’s encouraging to see so many of these type of players competing for spots. That’s how you build a good roster. The guys who emerge from these competitions will be the real deal.

QB:

RS SO Austin Aune (TCU, Texas Tech, Kansas)

RS FR Will Kuehne (Maryland)

RS FR Amani Gilmore (Kentucky, Tennessee) - Sitting out season due to transfer

RB:

RS JR Tre Siggers (Louisville, Texas Tech)

RS SR Nick Smith (Cal, Purdue)

FR Ikaika Ragsdale (Arizona, Oregon)

WR:

SR Jaelon Darden (Virginia Tech)

SO Deonte Simpson (Northwestern)

RS FR Kealon Jackson (Kansas, West Virginia)

FR Detraveon Brown (Ole Miss, Kentucky, Kansas)

FR Loronzo Thompson (Baylor, Utah)

TE:

RS FR Khatib Lyles (Indiana, Texas Tech, Kansas, Utah)

RS FR Asher Alberding (Kansas)

FR Jake Roberts (Colorado)

Offensive Line:

RS SO Jacob Farrell (OK State, Kansas, TCU, Texas Tech) - Sitting out season due to transfer

Defensive Line:

RS SO Davontae McCrae (Miss State, Arizona, Colorado, Missouri)

FR Jonathan Pickett (Arizona, Arizona State, Vanderbilt, West Virginia)

FR Kortlin Rausaw (Colorado, Iowa State)

Linebackers:

JR KD Davis (Illinois)

RS FR Taylor Jacobs (Texas Tech)

Cornerbacks:

RS SO Jordan Rucker (Purdue)

RS FR Jevin Murray (Louisville, Oregon State)

Safeties:

JR Alex Morris (Indiana, Louisville)

RS SO Jaxon Gibbs (Illinois)

FR Garnett Burke (Kansas)

25 guys with P5 offers out of 85 scholarship spots available is extremely impressive. Especially when you consider 20 of these guys are underclassmen and only 2 are seniors. Really excited to start seeing this type of talent on the field for us.

MeanGreenTexan · August 21, 2020

1 hour ago, BillySee58 said:

While looking through the roster and the various position groups it really stood out to me how many of these guys had at least one P5 school offer them in high school. We can basically put together a starting lineup of guys who had P5 offers, and are 2-3 deep there in some positions. So I did.

This obviously is nothing like what our starting lineup will look like and some of these guys will get or have already been outplayed by guys who didn’t have P5 offers, but it’s encouraging to see so many of these type of players competing for spots. That’s how you build a good roster. The guys who emerge from these competitions will be the real deal.

QB:

RS SO Austin Aune (TCU, Texas Tech, Kansas)

RS FR Will Kuehne (Maryland)

RS FR Amani Gilmore (Kentucky, Tennessee) - Sitting out season due to transfer

RB:

RS JR Tre Siggers (Louisville, Texas Tech)

RS SR Nick Smith (Cal, Purdue)

FR Ikaika Ragsdale (Arizona, Oregon)

WR:

SR Jaelon Darden (Virginia Tech)

SO Deonte Simpson (Northwestern)

RS FR Kealon Jackson (Kansas, West Virginia)

FR Detraveon Brown (Ole Miss, Kentucky, Kansas)

FR Loronzo Thompson (Baylor, Utah)

TE:

RS FR Khatib Lyles (Indiana, Texas Tech, Kansas, Utah)

RS FR Asher Alberding (Kansas)

FR Jake Roberts (Colorado)

Offensive Line:

RS SO Jacob Farrell (OK State, Kansas, TCU, Texas Tech) - Sitting out season due to transfer

Defensive Line:

RS SO Davontae McCrae (Miss State, Arizona, Colorado, Missouri)

FR Jonathan Pickett (Arizona, Arizona State, Vanderbilt, West Virginia)

FR Kortlin Rausaw (Colorado, Iowa State)

Linebackers:

JR KD Davis (Illinois)

RS FR Taylor Jacobs (Texas Tech)

Cornerbacks:

RS SO Jordan Rucker (Purdue)

RS FR Jevin Murray (Louisville, Oregon State)

Safeties:

JR Alex Morris (Indiana, Louisville)

RS SO Jaxon Gibbs (Illinois)

FR Garnett Burke (Kansas)

25 guys with P5 offers out of 85 scholarship spots available is extremely impressive. Especially when you consider 20 of these guys are underclassmen and only 2 are seniors. Really excited to start seeing this type of talent on the field for us.

A glaring weak spot there... with just 1 guy (out of 16) who is sitting out this season. Compare that to the RBs (3 out of 10, and all 3 eligible now). Hopefully Bloesch gets it addressed quickly.

**Actually, that RB number should be 4 of 10 because Rajan Cunningham had ORSt, Iowa, & Cal offers prior to his injury.**

BillySee58 · August 21, 2020

25 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

A glaring weak spot there... with just 1 guy (out of 16) who is sitting out this season. Compare that to the RBs (3 out of 10, and all 3 eligible now). Hopefully Bloesch gets it addressed quickly.

**Actually, that RB number should be 4 of 10 because Rajan Cunningham had ORSt, Iowa, & Cal offers prior to his injury.**

Good point. I was strictly going off of scholarship guys though, which is why I didn’t even consider Cunningham.

Was really hoping we’d get Bray from OK State too because I really think we should be looking at the OL transfer market since we have not had as much success there as other positions. Hope Bloesch brings us a mix of better HS recruiting and can land some talented transfers.

bstnsportsfan3 · August 21, 2020

1 hour ago, BillySee58 said:

While looking through the roster and the various position groups it really stood out to me how many of these guys had at least one P5 school offer them in high school. We can basically put together a starting lineup of guys who had P5 offers, and are 2-3 deep there in some positions. So I did.

This obviously is nothing like what our starting lineup will look like and some of these guys will get or have already been outplayed by guys who didn’t have P5 offers, but it’s encouraging to see so many of these type of players competing for spots. That’s how you build a good roster. The guys who emerge from these competitions will be the real deal.

QB:

RS SO Austin Aune (TCU, Texas Tech, Kansas)

RS FR Will Kuehne (Maryland)

RS FR Amani Gilmore (Kentucky, Tennessee) - Sitting out season due to transfer

RB:

RS JR Tre Siggers (Louisville, Texas Tech)

RS SR Nick Smith (Cal, Purdue)

FR Ikaika Ragsdale (Arizona, Oregon)

WR:

SR Jaelon Darden (Virginia Tech)

SO Deonte Simpson (Northwestern)

RS FR Kealon Jackson (Kansas, West Virginia)

FR Detraveon Brown (Ole Miss, Kentucky, Kansas)

FR Loronzo Thompson (Baylor, Utah)

TE:

RS FR Khatib Lyles (Indiana, Texas Tech, Kansas, Utah)

RS FR Asher Alberding (Kansas)

FR Jake Roberts (Colorado)

Offensive Line:

RS SO Jacob Farrell (OK State, Kansas, TCU, Texas Tech) - Sitting out season due to transfer

Defensive Line:

RS SO Davontae McCrae (Miss State, Arizona, Colorado, Missouri)

FR Jonathan Pickett (Arizona, Arizona State, Vanderbilt, West Virginia)

FR Kortlin Rausaw (Colorado, Iowa State)

Linebackers:

JR KD Davis (Illinois)

RS FR Taylor Jacobs (Texas Tech)

Cornerbacks:

RS SO Jordan Rucker (Purdue)

RS FR Jevin Murray (Louisville, Oregon State)

Safeties:

JR Alex Morris (Indiana, Louisville)

RS SO Jaxon Gibbs (Illinois)

FR Garnett Burke (Kansas)

25 guys with P5 offers out of 85 scholarship spots available is extremely impressive. Especially when you consider 20 of these guys are underclassmen and only 2 are seniors. Really excited to start seeing this type of talent on the field for us.

What I like is a majority of these players are RS So or less. Lots of good young talent that should help make a difference for the Mean Green!

greenminer · August 21, 2020

What a great perspective. I might do this every year (if you don't) just to see how our roster develops over time.

One more dynamic to look at besides the development of speed/weight. Possibly more telling.

Thanks Billy

GrayEagle · August 21, 2020

Doesn't Jordan Rucker have to sit out as well?

BillySee58 · August 21, 2020

Just now, GrayEagle said:

Doesn't Jordan Rucker have to sit out as well?

NCAA granted him a waiver so he is eligible this season

GrandGreen · August 21, 2020

I am not that impressed with mere numbers because I suspect most G5's have similar or greater p5 offered players.

Comparing current NT recruiting versus prior years, it is obvious that NT is getting better., This in a large part is due, to the much better facilities that NT has developed. I don't think Littrell is a charismatic natural recruiter, but excels at talent evaluation.

A better indication of NT's improved recruiting, is the large numbers of players first offered by NT that quickly become P5 targets.

Edited August 21, 2020 by GrandGreen

greenminer · August 21, 2020

The best indicator is going to be on-field results.

BillySee58 · August 21, 2020

51 minutes ago, GrandGreen said:

A better indication of NT's improved recruiting, is the large numbers of players first offered by NT that quickly become P5 targets.

But if we aren’t pulling any of those players that doesn’t indicate improved recruiting. That’s an example of good evaluating, but good recruiting is convincing players to choose your school over others.

If we offer a bunch of players who later become P5 signees, then have to fill our class with a bunch of guys who we don’t really have to beat out other teams to get, then we aren’t actually recruiting well. And we saw that a lot under Mccarney, especially in 2012 and 2013.

BillySee58 · August 21, 2020

1 hour ago, bstnsportsfan3 said:

What I like is a majority of these players are RS So or less. Lots of good young talent that should help make a difference for the Mean Green!

For sure. That’s the benefit of putting together back to back solid classes. If we could pull off a 3rd class in a row of similar caliber to 2019 and 2020, we should be in very solid shape to have good rosters for the foreseeable future. Much more to work with for Littrell and the staff than really anytime since they have been here.

NorthTexasSportsNetwork · August 21, 2020

With the amount of young talent we have right now and coming in, I really think this team is poised to win a championship sooner than later

GrandGreen · August 22, 2020

I don't buy your view that you have to fill your class with second tier players because you have expended your efforts on low probability signees. I highly doubt NT is losing good players because they are concentrating on higher level recruits.

You just made a list of NT signees with P5 offers. So obviously NT gets a few.

Texas Stranger · August 22, 2020

A lot of overlap with Kansas. Kinda makes me wonder who is lurking the other's offer lists, or maybe it's both ways.

MeanGreenTexan · August 22, 2020

44 minutes ago, Texas Stranger said:

A lot of overlap with Kansas. Kinda makes me wonder who is lurking the other's offer lists, or maybe it's both ways.

Rock Chalk Copycats

BillySee58 · August 22, 2020

2 hours ago, GrandGreen said:

I don't buy your view that you have to fill your class with second tier players because you have expended your efforts on low probability signees. I highly doubt NT is losing good players because they are concentrating on higher level recruits.

You just made a list of NT signees with P5 offers. So obviously NT gets a few.

I really don’t understand how you interpret my posts in such bizarre ways. I’m clearly giving a hypothetical to explain why our recruiting improving shouldn’t be evaluated based on us offering guys first who quickly become P5 targets. You said:

5 hours ago, GrandGreen said:

A better indication of NT's improved recruiting, is the large numbers of players first offered by NT that quickly become P5 targets.

I responded by saying:

4 hours ago, BillySee58 said:

But if we aren’t pulling any of those players that doesn’t indicate improved recruiting. That’s an example of good evaluating, but good recruiting is convincing players to choose your school over others.

If. Second word there. You are saying the better indication on if our recruiting is improving is if we are offering guys who go on to P5 before anyone else does. I am saying it doesn’t matter that we offer them first IF we aren’t landing good quality players. And that if we aren’t landing good quality recruits, and aren’t getting recruits to choose us over other schools, our recruiting is not improving even if we might be offering those guys first.

GrayEagle · August 22, 2020

I count 58 players who were 3-star composite-rated when they came here as either freshmen or transfers. Most, maybe all, of those are legitimate FBS players. In addition we have a few who have developed into 3-star players were they recruited today (ie Novil, Mose). I believe that our recruiting and recruiters are finding some hidden gems that are not on the P5 radars.

Our university, location and facilities should keep us competitive with all G5 universities and perhaps a better conference would be enough to make us an elite G5.

TIgreen01 · August 22, 2020

13 hours ago, NorthTexasSportsNetwork said:

With the amount of young talent we have right now and coming in, I really think this team is poised to win a championship sooner than later

On the contrary, those oline numbers are anemic and probably the biggest reason why we won’t.

Championships are won in the trenches.

GrandGreen · August 22, 2020

14 hours ago, BillySee58 said:

I really don’t understand how you interpret my posts in such bizarre ways. I’m clearly giving a hypothetical to explain why our recruiting improving shouldn’t be evaluated based on us offering guys first who quickly become P5 targets. You said:

I responded by saying:

If. Second word there. You are saying the better indication on if our recruiting is improving is if we are offering guys who go on to P5 before anyone else does. I am saying it doesn’t matter that we offer them first IF we aren’t landing good quality players. And that if we aren’t landing good quality recruits, and aren’t getting recruits to choose us over other schools, our recruiting is not improving even if we might be offering those guys first.

"If we offer a bunch of players who later become P5 signees, then have to fill our class with a bunch of guys who we don’t really have to beat out other teams to get, then we aren’t actually recruiting well. And we saw that a lot under Mccarney, especially in 2012 and 2013."

The above is your quote that is now apparently a hypothetical. Any opinion can be called a hypothetical.

Your hypothetical states that NT might have to backfill their recruiting class with lesser talent because they have spent resources chasing better players. That is just false and you know it.

1
1

BillySee58 · August 22, 2020

40 minutes ago, GrandGreen said:

"If we offer a bunch of players who later become P5 signees, then have to fill our class with a bunch of guys who we don’t really have to beat out other teams to get, then we aren’t actually recruiting well. And we saw that a lot under Mccarney, especially in 2012 and 2013."

The above is your quote that is now apparently a hypothetical. Any opinion can be called a hypothetical.

Your hypothetical states that NT might have to backfill their recruiting class with lesser talent because they have spent resources chasing better players. That is just false and you know it.

1

1

The very first word is if. If that happens. If it happens, as in if this hypothetical situation happens. Then I gave a real example of it happening under Mccarney. I don’t understand how you interpret these statements so far from how they are written.

Edited August 22, 2020 by BillySee58

GrandGreen · August 22, 2020

18 minutes ago, BillySee58 said:

The very first word is if. If that happens. If it happens, as in if this hypothetical situation happens. Then a gave a real example of it happening under Mccarney. I don’t understand how you interpret these statements so far from how they are written.

The debate is not about semantics

I just wonder why you think, hypothetically if you chose, NT's recruiting efforts would suffer if they go after top talent. That is obviously what you are inferring might happen.

Again this is your direct quote, "If we offer a bunch of players who later become P5 signees, then have to fill our class with a bunch of guys who we don’t really have to beat out other teams to get, then we aren’t actually recruiting well. And we saw that a lot under Mccarney, especially in 2012 and 2013."

Why even bother to hypothetically state something if it means nothing?

BillySee58 · August 22, 2020

6 minutes ago, GrandGreen said:

The debate is not about semantics

I just wonder why you think, hypothetically if you chose, NT's recruiting efforts would suffer if they go after top talent. That is obviously what you are inferring might happen.

Again this is your direct quote, "If we offer a bunch of players who later become P5 signees, then have to fill our class with a bunch of guys who we don’t really have to beat out other teams to get, then we aren’t actually recruiting well. And we saw that a lot under Mccarney, especially in 2012 and 2013."

Why even bother to hypothetically state something if it means nothing?

I thought I explained it pretty clearly. To state that solely using us offering players first who later become P5 prospects is a flawed way to evaluate whether our recruiting is improving or not. And that what’s more indicative is looking at the players we are actually landing and our ability to win recruiting battles.

I know both can be done. I know we can be guys first offers before the P5s start rolling in, and we can land top quality CUSA-level recruits. I am clearly stating that if that first thing is happening but the second (us landing good recruits) isn’t happening then our recruiting isn’t improving.

GrandGreen · August 22, 2020

5 minutes ago, BillySee58 said:

I thought I explained it pretty clearly. To state that solely using us offering players first who later become P5 prospects is a flawed way to evaluate whether our recruiting is improving or not. And that what’s more indicative is looking at the players we are actually landing and our ability to win recruiting battles.

I know both can be done. I know we can be guys first offers before the P5s start rolling in, and we can land top quality CUSA-level recruits. I am clearly stating that if that first thing is happening but the second (us landing good recruits) isn’t happening then our recruiting isn’t improving.

Just pulling your chain, about everything I know about NT football recruiting I got from reading your posts.

Keep up the good work.

MeanGreenTexan · August 22, 2020

2 hours ago, GrandGreen said:

...

Why even bother to hypothetically state something if it means nothing?

fresh off the boat mind blown GIF

greenb.o.g. · August 24, 2020

On 8/21/2020 at 2:34 PM, BillySee58 said:

While looking through the roster and the various position groups it really stood out to me how many of these guys had at least one P5 school offer them in high school. We can basically put together a starting lineup of guys who had P5 offers, and are 2-3 deep there in some positions. So I did.

This obviously is nothing like what our starting lineup will look like and some of these guys will get or have already been outplayed by guys who didn’t have P5 offers, but it’s encouraging to see so many of these type of players competing for spots. That’s how you build a good roster. The guys who emerge from these competitions will be the real deal.

QB:

RS SO Austin Aune (TCU, Texas Tech, Kansas)

RS FR Will Kuehne (Maryland)

RS FR Amani Gilmore (Kentucky, Tennessee) - Sitting out season due to transfer

RB:

RS JR Tre Siggers (Louisville, Texas Tech)

RS SR Nick Smith (Cal, Purdue)

FR Ikaika Ragsdale (Arizona, Oregon)

WR:

SR Jaelon Darden (Virginia Tech)

SO Deonte Simpson (Northwestern)

RS FR Kealon Jackson (Kansas, West Virginia)

FR Detraveon Brown (Ole Miss, Kentucky, Kansas)

FR Loronzo Thompson (Baylor, Utah)

TE:

RS FR Khatib Lyles (Indiana, Texas Tech, Kansas, Utah)

RS FR Asher Alberding (Kansas)

FR Jake Roberts (Colorado)

Offensive Line:

RS SO Jacob Farrell (OK State, Kansas, TCU, Texas Tech) - Sitting out season due to transfer

Defensive Line:

RS SO Davontae McCrae (Miss State, Arizona, Colorado, Missouri)

FR Jonathan Pickett (Arizona, Arizona State, Vanderbilt, West Virginia)

FR Kortlin Rausaw (Colorado, Iowa State)

Linebackers:

JR KD Davis (Illinois)

RS FR Taylor Jacobs (Texas Tech)

Cornerbacks:

RS SO Jordan Rucker (Purdue)

RS FR Jevin Murray (Louisville, Oregon State)

Safeties:

JR Alex Morris (Indiana, Louisville)

RS SO Jaxon Gibbs (Illinois)

FR Garnett Burke (Kansas)

25 guys with P5 offers out of 85 scholarship spots available is extremely impressive. Especially when you consider 20 of these guys are underclassmen and only 2 are seniors. Really excited to start seeing this type of talent on the field for us.