Class Rankings Not Best Gauge For Projecting Success

As the big "networks" release their recruiting class rankings and rabid recruiting fans howl about how high their teams are ranked, I scratch my head, look back at the numbers and say to myself, "self, does it really matter?" Rivals.com began tabulating its Top 50 recruiting class team rankings with the Class of 2002. In nine years, 29 teams have made the rankings each season. A "breakdown" of that data is interesting when you look at the teams who consistently finish in the Top 50 against their winning percentage in that time frame.

The school that has had the highest achievement with their recruiting classes was Virginia Tech. The Hokies tied for 21st in recruiting classes in the time frame but has the 6th highest winning percentage for a plus 15.  The biggest underachievers? South Carolina and Texas A&M are the two biggest violators of good classes gone bad, with each coming in nine places lower on the field than in recruiting. South Carolina ranked No. 15 in recruiting average but just 24th in winning percentage. Texas A&M was one spot behind in both, finishing No. 16 in recruiting but No. 25 in results.

For the complete article originally published on RivalsHigh, click here.

BY THE NUMBERS
There are 29 schools to have its recruiting classes ranked inside the Top 50 each year since 2002. Here's a breakdown by team of the differential between the average Rivals.com team rank and the winning percentage those teams have produced.
Team	Avg. Class (rank)	Win percent (rank)	+/-
Virginia Tech	28.0 (t21)	.752 (6)	+15
Missouri	32.3 (27)	.634 (14)	+13
Ohio State	14.0 (12)	.853 (1)	+11
Oregon	26.5 (20)	.684 (10)	+10
Pittsburgh	34.8 (29)	.607 (19)	+10
Oklahoma State	29.3 (t25)	.622 (17)	+8
Maryland	29.3 (t25)	.575 (20)	+5
Texas	8.6 (6)	.818 (3)	+3
Alabama	15.6 (13)	.675 (11)	+2
Nebraska	25.2 (18)	.623 (16)	+2
Oklahoma	7.8 (5)	.803 (4)	+1
Auburn	12.3 (10)	.741 (9)	+1
Arkansas	28.7 (23)	.548 (22)	+1
Arizona State	29.1 (24)	.544 (23)	+1
USC	3.7 (1)	.846 (2)	-1
LSU	7.7 (4)	.779 (5)	-1
Arizona	34.0 (28)	.394 (29)	-1
Georgia	7.3 (3)	.745 (t7)	-4
Miami	10.3 (8)	.667 (12)	-4
Florida	7.0 (2)	.745 (t7)	-5
Florida State	8.8 (7)	.644 (13)	-6
Michigan	11.8 (9)	.628 (15)	-6
North Carolina	28.0 (t21)	.427 (28)	-7
Tennessee	12.7 (11)	.608 (18)	-7
Notre Dame	17.8 (14)	.571 (21)	-7
UCLA	21.8 (17)	.513 (t25)	-8
Mississippi	26.4 (19)	.481 (27)	-8
South Carolina	18.3 (15)	.535 (24)	-9
Texas A&M	19.7 (16)	.513 (t25)	-9