Recruiting U series! Outside Linebackers

[tsweezy]

As we are nearing the end of the third sim recruiting cycle let's take a walk down memory lane and see which teams are leading at recruiting each position. This week we move to outside linebackers

Methodology: So I have a "score" for every recruit in the sim thus far. It is basically my (educated) assumption of their starting overall + 2.5 years of progressions. So these player scores are my rough estimate for how good a player will be as a ~RS JR / Senior. Of course this is not precise, some will over-perform or under-progress but I think it's the best metric there is. In any case, for offensive line we are taking the top THREE recruits for each school at OLB and simply adding them together and then ranking the schools. 

Without further Ado:

 

Honorable mentions:

 

LSU - 136.47

2021 OLB Darius Laguda - Coverage 4*, C overall, B+ potential - 46.8695537742668 overall  (15th best OLB)

2022 OLB James Hatlen - Pass Rush 3*, C overall, B potential - 44.9636764250302 overall  (59th best OLB)

2022 OLB Derrick Perry - Coverage 3*, C overall, B- potential - 44.6396801425023 overall  (78th best OLB)

Penn State - 137.4

2021 OLB Hisashi Rudock - Coverage 5*, B overall, C potential - 53.3414583333333 overall  (8th best OLB)

2022 OLB Sam Zedek - Coverage 3*, C overall, C potential - 42.2394292131333 overall  (171th best OLB)

2022 OLB Charles Caesar - Pass Rush 3*, C overall, C+ potential - 41.8169663878545 overall  (198th best OLB)

Minnesota - 138.6

2023 OLB David McGinnis - Speed 4*, B overall, C+ potential - 51.91872 overall  (12th best OLB)

2021 OLB Cavon Scott - Coverage 4*, C overall, C potential - 44.6098772459725 overall  (90th best OLB)

2021 OLB Derek Kidd-Gilchrist - Pass Rush 3*, C overall, B potential - 42.0865210262939 overall  (192th best OLB)

Houston - 139

2022 OLB Terrel Bernard - Speed 4*, B overall, B+ potential - 53.0110416666667 overall  (10th best OLB)

2021 OLB Adrian Lincoln - Coverage 4*, C overall, C+ potential - 45.1072007007989 overall  (51th best OLB)

2021 OLB Collin Claggett - Speed 3*, C overall, C+ potential - 40.8901487168943 overall  (256th best OLB)

Tennessee - 142

2023 OLB Tee Sweezy - Coverage 5*, B overall, B potential - 53.67 overall  (2th best OLB)

2021 OLB Henry Andriese - Coverage 4*, C overall, C potential - 44.6098772459725 overall  (90th best OLB)

2022 OLB Armando Perez - Coverage 3*, C overall, B+ potential - 43.743639250308 overall  (124th best OLB)

#5: Western Michigan - 142.56

2021 OLB Seantrel Garate - Pass Rush 5*, B overall, C potential - 53.3414583333333 overall  (8th best OLB)

2023 OLB David Hartshorn - Coverage 4*, C overall, B- potential - 45.21447 overall  (35th best OLB)

2023 OLB Anthony Reevey - Run Stopper 4*, C overall, C potential - 44.00961 overall  (114th best OLB)

 

Seantrel was the OG 5* for the Broncos and a key position. This year as a sophomore he is already an A overall (and thank goodness as OLB 2/3 are a B and a C+). Massive hype for this guy, but they passed on getting him a stud for the other side in 2022. Instead, they went for 3 in this cycle, with Hartshorn looking like the higher overall and better potential. A good mix of attributes here, and they're definitely improving over their genned talent.
 

#4: Tulane - 142.99

2022 OLB Jose Hernandez - Pass Rush 5*, B overall, C- potential - 52.946875 overall  (11th best OLB)

2023 OLB Byung Tengan - Speed 3*, C overall, A- potential - 45.46579 overall  (33th best OLB)

2022 OLB Gregory Barr - Run Stopper 4*, C overall, C potential - 44.5860834882277 overall  (91th best OLB)

 

Tulane meanwhile has a pretty damn good set of seniors this year who have kept 5-star Jose Hernandez from being a freshman starter. Knowing that he locks down 1 side, they got a speedy high potential player for one side this year. Barr looks like the future complement to Jose, but Byung will eventually get minutes as an upperclassman.

 

#3: Texas - 143.24

2022 OLB Irvin Castleberry - Run Stopper 5*, B overall, C potential - 53.4091666666667 overall  (4th best OLB)

2023 OLB Manuel Rodriquez - Run Stopper 4*, C overall, A potential - 46.52947 overall  (18th best OLB)

2022 OLB Dan Vargas - Coverage 3*, C overall, B potential - 43.3047544919437 overall  (134th best OLB)

 

Same formula for Texas. Last year they took Irvin to be an instant impact freshman starter, and Dan Vargas to grow into a starting role opposite him. This year they added Rodriguez who's got an extremely high ceiling and will potentially snipe Vargas's spot within a year or 2.

 

#2: UNLV - 144.43

2023 OLB Mike Zhao - Speed 5*, B overall, B potential - 53.59558 overall  (3th best OLB)

2022 OLB David Weller - Pass Rush 4*, C overall, B- potential - 45.7270407372985 overall  (28th best OLB)

2021 OLB Ryan Flaherty - Pass Rush 4*, C overall, C+ potential - 45.1072007007989 overall  (51th best OLB)

2023 OLB Marvin Reeves - Coverage 4*, C overall, C+ potential - 43.74026 overall  (125th best OLB)

 

UNLV didn't have a ton of genned talent here, but they have knocked it out of the park. A trio of solid blue chips of varying ability are nice, and then this year they also nabbed Mike Zhao, a top-3 all-time OLB prospect who should immediately be able to start next year ahead of Flaherty. Loaded for the future with tons of depth.

 

#1: Utah State - 148.87

2023 OLB John Conti - Pass Rush 5*, B overall, B potential - 54.11884 overall  (1th best OLB)

2021 OLB Henry Gomes - Pass Rush 5*, B overall, C potential - 53.3414583333333 overall  (8th best OLB)

2022 OLB Sang Nguyen - Run Stopper 3*, C overall, B- potential - 41.4147730793044 overall  (219th best OLB)

 

Well, this is what a #1 position group looks like. 2021 they took Gomes who is the clear #1 as a sophomore now. Sang Nguyen was a future prospect last year and then this year they inked the number 1 OLB recruit of all time in a battle for John Conti. The 5-star pass rushing tandem is likely to set all kinds of school / conference records and I am very jealous. Nice work

 

[Jieret]

Seantrel is the fucking MAN.