The Coddled Athlete?

[Viking]

What are the instances of the highly-touted, highly-recruited QB, etc., actually becoming veritable college superstar?

I can think of dozens of examples of the guys who walked-on, or maybe had scholarships but had to work there way up the ranks who became stars but I don't follow HS recruiting at all...

[Commando]

mmm.. Cam Newton?

[Surfah]

What are the instances of the highly-touted, highly-recruited QB, etc., actually becoming veritable college superstar?

I can think of dozens of examples of the guys who walked-on, or maybe had scholarships but had to work there way up the ranks who became stars but I don't follow HS recruiting at all...

Give me your dozens of walk on QBs who became veritable college superstars please.

[Viking]

Give me your dozens of walk on QBs who became veritable college superstars please.

etc.

[Surfah]

etc.

So this is your concession?

[Mormon Red Death]

What are the instances of the highly-touted, highly-recruited QB, etc., actually becoming veritable college superstar?

I can think of dozens of examples of the guys who walked-on, or maybe had scholarships but had to work there way up the ranks who became stars but I don't follow HS recruiting at all...

Terrelle Pryor
Denard Robinson
Tim Tebow
Sam Bradford
Colt McCoy
Matt Barkley

to name a few.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

What are the instances of the highly-touted, highly-recruited QB, etc., actually becoming veritable college superstar?

I can think of dozens of examples of the guys who walked-on, or maybe had scholarships but had to work there way up the ranks who became stars but I don't follow HS recruiting at all...

There's no shortage of them and I think you're making an argument here before actually looking at the facts. A fairly sizeable portion of the NFL first round draft picks -- probably a majority -- were highly recruited out of high school.

But there's also no shortage of busts coming out of the Elite 11.

I pointed out in another thread that James Lark coming out of high school was sandwiched between Josh Freeman and Sam Bradford. lol

[Viking]

There's no shortage of them and I think you're making an argument here before actually looking at the facts. A fairly sizeable portion of the NFL first round draft picks -- probably a majority -- were highly recruited out of high school.

But there's also no shortage of busts coming out of the Elite 11.

I pointed out in another thread that James Lark coming out of high school was sandwiched between Josh Freeman and Sam Bradford. lol

I'm 100% curious...not making an argument either way...wondering if there is an argument, actually.

[woot]

Terrelle Pryor
Denard Robinson
Tim Tebow
Sam Bradford
Colt McCoy
Matt Barkley

to name a few.

Robinson came to Michigan because RichRod was the only coach willing to give him a shot at QB. I don't think he works as an example.

I do agree, however, that lots of highly sought after recruits do pan out. I remember following Chris Leak's recruitment on his ESPN blog. Everybody wanted him. Pryor was an enormous prospect that everybody wanted as well. He chose poorly, as Tressel's offense just didn't put him in situations that maximized his skillset (and didn't keep him on the straight and narrow, to say the least), but he still had a pretty good college career.

[Mormon Red Death]

Robinson came to Michigan because RichRod was the only coach willing to give him a shot at QB. I don't think he works as an example.

Welll seeings how he was offered by Michigan, Florida, Georgia, KSTate, USF & West Va (Most of those schools have a running qb *florida just finished up winning the MNC with tebow). I am going keep him up there as a QB.

[woot]

Welll seeings how he was offered by Michigan, Florida, Georgia, KSTate, USF & West Va (Most of those schools have a running qb *florida just finished up winning the MNC with tebow). I am going keep him up there as a QB.

Those guys were all offering him as a receiver.

[Blueintheface]

First Dicks now coddling. Hmmm...I'm sensing a theme.

[Paperback Writer]

On another interent forum, this was debated and research was presented that the great majority of all-American or "star" college players were highly recruited in HS - most were 4 star or above recruits. There will always be exceptions like Nebraska with a renowned walk on program where a walk on becomes an all-American. But those cases are the minority. Still, many big time college programs sign a lot of 3-star recruits because they are a better fit for their program, the player is underranked, or the school cannot fill it's class with better players. There are many instances where a 3-star recruit out preforms and starts over more highly ranked recruits.

But I think its a myth that highly ranked athletes are "coddled" at any program. They have to perform and compete for playing time like any player on the roster. Once the pads are on, no one cares how many stars you had as a HS recruit.

[woot]

On another interent forum, this was debated and research was presented that the great majority of all-American or "star" college players were highly recruited in HS - most were 4 star or above recruits. There will always be exceptions like Nebraska with a renowned walk on program where a walk on becomes an all-American. But those cases are the minority. Still, many big time college programs sign a lot of 3-star recruits because they are a better fit for their program, the player is underranked, or the school cannot fill it's class with better players. There are many instances where a 3-star recruit out preforms and starts over more highly ranked recruits.

But I think its a myth that highly ranked athletes are "coddled" at any program. They have to perform and compete for playing time like any player on the roster. Once the pads are on, no one cares how many stars you had as a HS recruit.

I've seen some good numbers on this, and may have even posted them here before. While The numbers of 5, 4, and 3 stars chosen in the NFL draft are roughly similar, that is the result of there being far fewer 5s than 4s and far fewer 4s than 3s. By percentage, 5s really do outperform 4s in college, and 4s really do outperform 3s in college. If this topic is still going tomorrow maybe I'll dig those numbers up again.

[il Padrino Ute]

What are the instances of the highly-touted, highly-recruited QB, etc., actually becoming veritable college superstar?

I can think of dozens of examples of the guys who walked-on, or maybe had scholarships but had to work there way up the ranks who became stars but I don't follow HS recruiting at all...

How many highly-recruited athletes are coddled? Was Barkley told by his parents and coaches from an early age that his shit don't stink? Was he told by his parents and coaches that it doesn't matter at which level he's playing, nobody is as good as he is?

Heaps' problem is that before and during high school, he was never told that there are players who are just as good a player - perhaps even better - than he. He was never told that the opposing defensive players wouldn't give a rat's hiney that he was an Elite 11 QB. He was never told that he was going to have to earn the respect he wants rather than believe he was entitled to it.

I would blame his parents and coaches when he was growing up for his not being able to handle adversity. It was a tough lesson for him to learn and for his sake, I hope he's able to learn from it.