How many recruits are buried on rosters?

[AkronsWitness]

Hey all, just read a Athletic article that Max Wray who is a 4 year OL player for the Buckeyes is entering the transfer portal for his final season.

Max was a top 150 player out of HS and was a 4* recruit. This got me thinking, how many super talented players that choose to go to the best football colleges are buried on rosters and never get a shot?

Almost like wasted talent that might never get their chance to shine simply because they go to a school that recruits a bunch of 5* players in front of them. There is no doubt in my mind if Wray went to a school like....Maryland for example he would have gotten a starters job for years to showcase himself and potentially become a draft pick. Now his entire NFL future is in doubt unless he completely balls out his senior year.

I would like to think that being that highly rated of a HS prospect he had dreams of going pro. So that's my question. Do you think there are a lot of college players on really good teams that could be studs on different teams, even if it's not a headliner program?

Also, if you were a 4* player would you choose to go to a smaller program that guarantees playing time in hope to become a NFL prospect even if that means you know that you won't have much chance of team success at the college level? Or would you rather go to a major program like OSU/CLM/BAMA because they have the best preparation and chance at college success even if that means your fighting for a job that might not happen?

Edited April 16, 2021 by AkronsWitness

[CWood21]

The problem is every 5* and 4* thinks their future is in the NFL.  That majority of them believe they'll spend 3 years in college before declaring for the NFL Draft and becoming a FRP.

[buno67]

doesnt help that a stud player like Munford who was thought to leave, shocks everyone, and returns, eliminating a starting chance for him.

He can still go some where, not sit out a year, and probably be a stud

[BigD88]

It’s a bit less than you’d think, given that the washout rate even for 4 stars is a lot higher than one might think.

But it’s becoming more of an issue these days as more and more top recruits are honestly not factoring anything into their decisions except for, “is this team a regular playoff participant or not.”

[MikeT14]

I think my team would have to recruit 5 and 4 stars for that to be an issue. 

[MWil23]

Tom Brady couldn't even win the starting job at Michigan, and thanks to Drew Henson getting drafted by the Yankees, ended up getting the job as a full time starter his senior year.

Matt Cassell couldn't beat out Carson Palmer and spent 10+ years in the league.

Barry Sanders didn't start until his junior year at Oklahoma State and backed up some HOF dude named Thurman Thomas.

TL;DR

A lot

[NateDawg]

These high school kids that are getting division I offers are the big-name kids in the area and have always been the best growing up. So they assume they could come right in at a school like Alabama and start as a freshman. Doesn’t matter if they are ranked as the 639th best player in the class. They don’t see the big picture. 
 

“For the next 3-4 years, I will be taking my talents to...”

-#47 ranked dual threat QB

[AkronsWitness]

On 4/19/2021 at 11:53 AM, NateDawg said:

These high school kids that are getting division I offers are the big-name kids in the area and have always been the best growing up. So they assume they could come right in at a school like Alabama and start as a freshman. Doesn’t matter if they are ranked as the 639th best player in the class. They don’t see the big picture. 
 

“For the next 3-4 years, I will be taking my talents to...”

-#47 ranked dual threat QB

That's what I'm saying lol if I was a 4* player I would much rather go to a school that would garuantee me 3 yèars minimum playing time to showcase my talent over going to a powerhouse that I might not even see the light of day.