What is ESPN's problem in regards to how they rack and stack compared to the recruiting services who do this everyday for a living? I mean, I acknowledge that forecasting a HS senior's worth 3 and 4 years down the road is more art than science...but ESPN's ranking seems to be an outlier from the other recruiting services. Yet, because they are ESPN many people assume that ESPN's rankings are the standard bearer (for example, most beat writers). To throw ESPN a bone, they did barely mention Dylan Moses. But how could they go all day and not mention our running back commit - Najee Harris? At several points across the last two to four years, Harris/Moses were at the top of every recruiting service. ESPN went all out recognizing Cam Akers from Mississippi but not one word about Harris. Then they made a big to-do about the OT tackle Tennessee and Georgia signed, but their omission of recognizing our OT seemed to insinuate that Leatherwood was in a different tier.
So then.......why is ESPN different?
1. Are they trying to include players and programs across the country to generate interest and a larger viewing audience?
2. Is it Alabama fatigue...maybe some Ohio State fatigue too?
3. Is it related to Tom Luginbill being ESPN's "National Recruiting Director?" I think he has an Auburn funk to him.
4. Maybe I should be satisfied that at least ESPN didn't drag out Heather Dinich or another social engineering experiment and anoint them as a recruiting expert too.
Sometimes ESPN...and you can lump Paul Finebaum in with them now too....makes me sick. Just turn it off and trust in Coach Saban.
RTR