The SEC is full of elite recruiters, and while it’s most notably the head coaches sealing the deal and getting commits to sign on the dotted line, the assistants often do the majority of the legwork leading up to signing day.
With the 2017 recruiting cycle all but finished, 247Sports’ recruiter rankings can now be evaluated based on actual signees, not just commitments.
Here’s the list of the 10 best assistant coach recruiters the SEC had to offer in this cycle. No surprise, the list is filled with Alabama and Georgia coaches.
1) Tosh Lupoi – Alabama
Lupoi’s top signees included: LB Christopher Allen, RB Dylan Moses, QB Tua Tagovailoa, and RB Najee Harris.
2) Sam Pittman – Georgia
Pittman’s top signees include OT Isaiah Wilson, OG Netori Johnson, OT Andrew Thomas, OL D’Antne Demery.
3) Austin Thomas – LSU
Thomas’ top signees include DB JaCoby Stevens, DB Kelvin Joseph, LB K’Lavon Chaisson, LB Jacob Phillips, DB Todd Harris, QB Myles Brennan.
4) Glenn Schumann – Georgia
Schumann’s top signees include DB Richard LeCounte III, QB Jake Fromm, LB Jaden Hunter, LB Nate McBride.
5) Derrick Ansley – Alabama
Ansley’s top signees include OL Jedrick Wills, S Xavier McKinney, WR Henry Ruggs III, LB Markail Benton, S Daniel Wright.
6) Randy Shannon – Florida
Shannon’s top signees include ATH Christopher Henderson, OL Tedarrell Slaton, DB Marco Wilson, OL Kadeem Telfort, TE Kemore Gamble.
7) Mel Tucker – Georgia
Tucker’s top signees include DB Deangelo Gibbs, LB/DE Robert Beal, DE Malik Herring, CB William Poole III.
8) Scott Fountain – Auburn
Fountain’s top signees include OT Calvin Ashley, DE Markaviest Bryant, K Anders Carlson
9) Karl Dunbar – Alabama
Dunbar’s top signees include DE LaBryan Ray, DL Phidarian Mathis, DE Isaiah Buggs
10) Brent Key – Alabama
Key’s top signees include OLB/DE Jarez Parks, QB Mac Jones, OL Elliot Baker, OL Kendall Randolph
For teams not represented in the Top 10, here are the top assistant coach recruiters from every remaining SEC school:
Texas A&M – Clarence McKinney ranked No. 13
Kentucky – Vince Marrow ranked No. 14
Tennessee – Robert Gillespie ranked No. 17
Arkansas – Barry Lunney Jr. ranked No. 24
South Carolina – Travaris Robinson ranked No. 25
Mississippi State – Brian Baker ranked No. 29
Ole Miss – Tray Scott ranked No. 45
Vanderbilt – Cameron Norcross ranked No. 49
Missouri – Cornell Ford ranked No. 95
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
