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When evaluating recruiting classes, it’s impossible to assess a proper evaluation until after the class has completed its collegiate career. Not only are the top classes determined by what they looked like on paper, but on-field contributions also play a big part.
SDS takes a look at the each SEC team’s best recruiting class of the last decade based off of the recruiting rankings as well as how effective the class was on the field.
NOTE: Recruiting rankings references are to 247sports’ industry composite rankings.
Alabama Crimson Tide
Top recruiting classes are a fact of life for the Crimson Tide under Nick Saban. From 2010-2014, Alabama brought in the No. 1 class in the nation each year, and is on track to do so again in 2015. The best recruiting class of Saban’s tenure, though, was the last one to not be ranked No. 1, the same class that helped get the ball rolling on Alabama’s run of three championships in four years.
2009 recruiting class
Record: 60-7, 2009-2013
SEC championships: 2009, 2012
National championships: 2009, 2011, 2012
Bowl record: 4-1
Class ranking: No. 2 national, No. 2 SEC
Cream of the crop: AJ McCarron, who established himself as one of the greatest quarterback in Alabama history, made good on his four-star ranking and was the starting quarterback for two national championships. Three of the four of the five-star recruits from the 2009 class — Trent Richardson, Dre Kirkpatrick and D.J. Fluker — all excelled at Alabama and became first round NFL draft picks. Eddie Lacy, who provided a complement to Richardson and eventually took over as starting running back in 2012, rushing for more than 1,300 yards.
Biggest bust: LB Nico Johnson (five-star). While Johnson played four years and made 20 starts at Alabama, he never made the impact expected of five-star recruits. He finished fourth and fifth on the team in tackles in his final two years on campus, respectively, but after an SEC All-Freshman nod he never took home any hardware or honors other than the national titles he was a part of. Even as a relative bust for his recruiting standing, Johnson was still a fourth round pick in the 2013 NFL draft.
Biggest surprise: OG Chance Warmack (three-star). Warmack had plenty of suitors as a three-star recruit, but was the No. 26 player in the country at his position and No. 461 overall. He far outperformed those rankings. After enrolling early and serving as a backup as a freshman, he stepped into the starting lineup as a sophomore and started every game of his career from there out. He was a unanimous All-America and All-SEC selection in 2012 and the Tennessee Titans chose him No. 10 overall in the 2013 NFL draft.
A former freelance journalist from Philadelphia, Brett has made the trek down to SEC country to cover the greatest conference in college football.
