Recruiting U series! The Free Safeties

[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 Free Safety

 

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 TWO recruits for each school at FS and simply adding them together and then ranking the schools. 

Without further Ado:

 

Honorable mentions:

 

Florida - 95.279

2023 FS Shaun Thomas - Zone Coverage 4*, B overall, B potential - 48.99093 overall (25th best FS)

2022 FS John Lee - Man Coverage 4*, C overall, C+ potential - 46.2881250000001 overall (35th best FS)

 

Pitt - 95.37

2021 FS Brett Smith - Man Coverage 4*, B overall, B- potential - 50.6912434895834 overall (11th best FS)

2021 FS Magneuris Canzler - Man Coverage 3*, C overall, A potential - 44.6846574246166 overall (69th best FS)

 

Houston - 96.5

2021 FS Stephon Leonard - Man Coverage 4*, B overall, C potential - 49.5434815880349 overall (20th best FS)

2022 FS Benjamin Dunlap - Ball Hawk 4*, B overall, C+ potential - 46.9516666666667 overall (33th best FS)

 

Washington - 97.53

2023 FS Marvin Brubaker - Ball Hawk 4*, B overall, A potential - 53.44349 overall (4th best FS)

2022 FS Terence Jarosz - Run Stopper 3*, C overall, B+ potential - 44.0828585811632 overall (84th best FS)

 

Minnesota - 98.8

2023 FS Mark Truitt - Ball Hawk 5*, B overall, C+ potential - 53.64547 overall (3th best FS)

2022 FS Dan Boyd - Zone Coverage 4*, C overall, D+ potential - 45.1579166666668 overall (54th best FS)

 

#5: Arkansas - 98.9

2022 FS Jeffrey Wright - Man Coverage 4*, B overall, A- potential - 53.7854166666667 overall (2th best FS)

2021 FS Nicolas Holland - Run Stopper 4*, C overall, C+ potential - 45.1072007007989 overall (60th best FS)

2022 FS Rodney Brown - Man Coverage 3*, C overall, C+ potential - 44.0335091387848 overall (88th best FS)

 

Jeffrey Wright is one of my favorite prospects. Nearly a 5-star, his high potential pushed him to the 2nd best FS. Holland has now been recruited over and looks likely to either slide to CB/SS or transfer, while Rodney will be a career backup

#4: North Carolina - 99.7

2022 FS Gerardo Castillo - Ball Hawk 4*, B overall, B+ potential - 50.1672916666667 overall (12th best FS)

2021 FS Scott Darby - Zone Coverage 4*, B overall, C potential - 49.5434815880349 overall (20th best FS)

2022 FS Robert Wilson - Man Coverage 4*, C overall, B potential - 46.0556838599752 overall (38th best FS)

 

Gerardo and Robert were a monster pair of signees, and they got Scott the year before. It seems likely one of these guys is tagged as SS since they haven't really signed any good SS. An extremely deep class though, and they're all scheme fits.

#3: Georgia - 100.66

2022 FS Dennis Germany - Zone Coverage 4*, B overall, C potential - 51.6555208333334 overall (8th best FS)

2023 FS Darin Haney - Zone Coverage 4*, B overall, B- potential - 49.00756 overall (24th best FS)

2021 FS D.J. Tucker - Run Stopper 3*, C overall, A+ potential - 45.7669902858901 overall (44th best FS)

2022 FS Manuel Centeno - Zone Coverage 3*, C overall, C potential - 43.6195407372977 overall (97th best FS)

 

UGA meanwhile has a good SS, so getting a couple high end FS makes it hard to find where each one will go. Dennis Germany is already the starting FS and his spot is secure as the eraser of the secondary. DJ will be an upperclassman fill in, I doubt Manuel plays, and Darin is likely going to be cross training at CB.

#2: Penn State - 102.6

2022 FS James Watson - Run Stopper 5*, B overall, D+ potential - 53.0730208333333 overall (6th best FS)

2021 FS Mario Wittgren - Zone Coverage 4*, B overall, C potential - 49.5434815880349 overall (20th best FS)

 

Penn State initially took Mario and I really like him as a prospect. Then last year Watson fell into their laps and they couldn't say no to his services. I don't believe they have signed any SS in the last 3 years though so one of these 2 is almost certainly going to slide there.

 

#1: LSU - 105.44

2022 FS Edward Martin - Zone Coverage 5*, B overall, B potential - 54.7486458333333 overall (1th best FS)

2021 FS Giancarlo Tulowitzki - Man Coverage 4*, B overall, B- potential - 50.6912434895834 overall (11th best FS)

 

Bingpot. Edward Martin was my number one FS prospect all time and is absolutely going to be an amazing player. Of course I though Giancarlo was also a top-11 prospect so LSU has an embarrassment of riches in the defensive backfield (they also signed a good SS). My expectation is Martin will hold the outright job while Giancarlo becomes a nickel corner or rotates in at SS. Very good position for them to be in though.