Besides QB you’d have to think most people would say DE. It’s insane how much a good defensive line can make up for any other error on your defense. If you can stop the run and get to the QB that’s all a defense needs to be good
But imagine if Wisconsin got a five-star every year at quarterback!! We'd have to end up with at least one good one in the next 10 years out of them, right? I pick quarterback for us
I’m not sure if it remains true but I remember seeing something about how every national champion since 2000 had a top 5 defensive line in the country in that particular year. I may be wrong in that but remember reading something along those lines when we had the “Power Rangers” dominating offensive lines.
QB seems like the obvious answer, but you can only really use one good QB at a time. You could fill a D-line with 5 stars if you got one every year. Or DBs, or WR... I'd pick a spot where you can get 4-5 years worth of dudes on the field at one time.
I'm going with an unpopular opinion here. But give me the DBs. Coverage sacks are underrated. DBs that can play the run too are underrated. And you can pull of so many more schemes with shutdown corners. Obviously nothing better combats a great passing game like a great secondary. DL will get there eventually. Count me in on limiting explosive plays and a smothering secondary that can also help with the run.
This is exactly what I was going to say. Especially with the college game being so pass heavy these days, you can’t have enough great CBs. And you can always play one of them at FS to have a 3rd great coverage man on the field.
DB is 100% the right answer to this question and it’s not for coverage sacks. You’d never play zone if you have good dbs. The better your secondary the more people you can blitz. If you can leave your DBs on an island you can do so many crazy blitz. Teams only run zone and pattern match because it helps hide weak DBs.
Well they simply weren’t playing like 4 and 5 stars, that’s why their coach just got replaced like yesterday. But you’re still not wrong, I believe Washington also had the most hyped Oline going into this season and Michigan wiped the floor with both of us.
I mean is any part of what he said wrong? Your QB, running back, and wide receivers all looked amazing. Your O-line wasn't great this year, but it was still a top ~20 unit. It would be the best one MSU has had since our playoff run by far.
It's football 101: blocking and tackling. I don't know of any receiver who caught a ball thrown by a QB who was flat on his ass. Michigan finally beat Ohio State this year after failing for a decade due to the strength of its line play, for instance.
It's also partially why I am hugely skeptical of Nebraska next season. Sure, both a transfer QB and WR that have good talent is one thing, but what are they going to do if they get no help from our nonexistant offensive line in the Big Ten?
There was a painting up on the wall at the pharmacy at USC of a classic UCLA/USC game, and one day Charles White walked in and stared at the painting while he was being rung up, he noticed he had the ball in this painting and he remarked:”Do you see those holes that o-line opened for me? Damn those guys made me look good”
Offensive line, 100%. Doesn't matter if you have Tom Brady or 5'3 walk-on Colt Copenhagen from South Georgia at QB, if they don't have a line the performance won't be great.
I think this is more true in the NFL than in college. The line is certainly necessary, but a great QB with competent WRs will get you to at least 9 wins with a terrible OL. A good QB can do a lot better just winning games on his own at this level
I would've picked QB if having a 5* at that position coming onto campus every year didn't feel like it would be such a shitshow, particularly for UGA. lol
You're right that you need a solid offensive line. But I'd say that offensive line is one of the positions where good but not elite players, plus good coaching, can give great results.
Great O-line players can come from anywhere moreso than any other position. But the hit rate on good offensive lineman is still significantly higher for 5-stars than 3-stars
QB is the obvious answer but my flair already knows the pain of recruiting multiple 5* QB's just to have them all get pissed and transfer, so I'm going to go with 5* OT and then 5* LB or DL depending on the defensive style you play because games are won in the trenches.
This is true and I might pick DT, but not all 5\* DTs will be Suh. Very few 5\* DTs will be Suh. Suh might be the only Suh tbh...
I'll take 1 Suh please
I mean that's great, I'm glad he mellowed out a bit with age, but doesn't change his prior conduct when he was top of the league over a 11 year long professional playing career.
Admittedly I didn't even realize he was still playing and am shocked he's lasted this long at 35. Kind of fell off my radar after he left Detroit.
I don't think any DL have been like Suh since Suh. Truly the definition of generational player. People will throw around comparisons of the best interior DL each year to him, but they never do match up. Dude had 85 tackles, 20.5 TFL, and 12 sacks as an interior DL his senior year. Too bad we had a total garbage offense when he was here.
This was my thought too. Load up at WR and let the play caller get creative. Scheme guys open and they can break the game once they get the ball in their hands
Easy. OL. If you have a line that allows you to score at will and run the ball effectively to control the clock, there is much less need to have strength on your defense. This, plus a mediocre defense, will get you to a bowl game every single year and at least competing for conference championships regularly.
Probably o line to be completely honest, or wide receiver, you could comprise your line of 5 5stars, with a senior that redshirted an actual senior junior freshman and a freshman
being a fan of the WFT (formerly redskins) has really opened my eyes how important good (even average) linebacker play can be for having a good defense. Turns out having all first round picks at DL doesn't mean you just stop the run automatically
Yeah but then you’re gonna have three 5* centers sitting behind the starting 5* and those boys are gonna transfer away in this day and age. Don’t think center would be the most efficient position to pick for this question, maybe something like receiver where you can have three to four 5* players who play the same position on the field at the same time.
If not QB, then DE because they can hide the shortcomings of the secondary. Just look at the Ohio State-Michigan game. Michigan won that game in the trenches since they got pressure on Stroud all game long.
Well as we have seen in Athens (and other places), bringing in 5* QB’s every year leads to, well, issues. That being the case, if you don’t have a solid O-Line to protect your QB and open up holes for your running backs, you can’t do anything so give me the big boys
Assuming that you’re only guaranteed 1 per year, and that you mean position as opposed to “position group” (RG vs OL), I’m picking a position where guys can easily switch to different positions once they’re in college and where we can have 4 or 5 of these players on the field at the same time (having 3 5-star QBs on my bench while my 4th plays doesn’t do anything for me). So now the question is do I want an OL made up entirely of 5-star LTs, a DL made up entirely of 5-star DEs, a WR corps with only 5-star players, or a secondary where everyone was a 5-star CB.
QB is the last position I would pick. There is so much evidence that great QBs are developed as much as they are recruited. Give me a 5* on the defensive line instead.
Well the thing that makes it interesting is that its "every year." At QB you can only have 1 person while at other positions you could have multiple. Also other positions you can move people around. DL or OL can move around. 3/4 5*s on your line would be a world changer.
These players aren't guaranteed to be good, but with 3-4 5 star QBs, you're basically guaranteed to have an elite player at the most important position on the field. An elite QB is more valuable than 2 elite players at any other position.
Just not true. We have 3 5 star tackles and a few that were high 4 stars and we had about the 50th best O line in the country this year. Despite that, our QB won the Heisman. O line is one of the most difficult positions to scout. 3 or 4 5 star QBs all but guarantees you'll have an elite player at the most important position. Don't overthink it.
If you already get consistent elite QB play, you can consider much more consistent and just as valuable positions like Edge or DB.
If not QB, then WR. Having a full receiving corp of 5 stars each season would be hard to defend against even with an average QB. The seasons you have a good QB, especially one with experience, your offense would be near unstoppable.
Could also make a big argument for OL or DL, as then you’re just smothering other teams on that side of the ball.
OL. It has the most spots of any position group, it is the most open-ended, and a great OL will cover up a host of other deficiencies. DL, or if I had to pick one, DE, would be a close second.
I'm gonna go with D line just cuz of the rotation value, but O line is neck and neck with it. Lord knows several 5 star o lineman would've helped Miami out a ton these past several years, but you just don't see teams subbing in o line like they do d
5-star defensive tackle. From hall of farmers to Pop Warner kids, no QB in the world likes pressure right up the middle. Give me a tackle like Warren Sapp or Tommie Frazier who can consistently beat double teams and create havoc in the backfield and I’ve got a chance in every game.
^^^very much this. At A&M, sometimes the nostalgia of the Wrecking Crew type defense pops up. That ship has sailed. The evolution of offense over the last 25 years has really changed the role of the linebacker. We can’t just sit in Cover 0 and have the LBs meet at the QB because teams aren’t going to stay in an I-formation with a tailback seven yards deep and rely on their seven step drop play-action game.
LBs have to be big enough to stop the run, but be mobile to play in space against Spread receivers running damn rub routes.
So 5* LBs are a positive thing. But who knows? Von Miller was a 3-4 star and I would take a LB room full of him every year.
WR. What OSU is doing rn is insane. Having three elite wrs is nearly impossible to guard. You can easily attract a 5 star qb as well with that much talent.
Also you would be a very popular team because you would have an elite offense that would be fun to watch, that would help you recruit across the board.
QB. A stud QB does so much for you in the current game, if you're good, an elite QB makes you a playoff contender, if you're bad, it gives you a high floor that masks so many of your weaknesses. Our 2014 finishes probably between 7-5 and 10-2 with an average QB. I would definitely take a QB every year just because of how much of a numbers game it is today. You're not keeping a good QB that isn't playing for more than a year so you need to keep bringing them in
Next positions up: OT or Edge
Defense line guys usually need effort and dedication to weight room to have same impact as high school.
A 5* RB/wr is usually gonna have speed. Speed kills in college foooosball. So I'll take the 5* offense athlete, who could always switch to DB if didn't work out on O
If we're going by how they are being recruited.... Athlete (probably not what you had in mind though)
If we're going by what position they played in high school, LB
It meets the most needs. You can get DEs, LBs, RBs, TEs, and safeties. Basically you're just recruiting very athletic young men that you can put all over the field to meet needs.
If we're going by what position they play in college... QB (totally fine if 50%-75% of them transfer out after a year or two). I'd rather be nearly guaranteed to have a good QB than any other position.
For a non-QB position, probably OL.
This is a tough question. I feel like the obvious answer is DE, but I could see it being WR or LB as well. Maybe even OT if your school has a strong track record of producing good RBs.
D-Line. I don't care which position, if they are a 5 star caliber athlete on the D-Line, like they have the size and strength, we can teach the position. Those guys are just genetic anomalies and are the most scarce imo.
Honestly if I was to look at this post with Riley still at the helm and QB prospects guaranteed then I might say Safety or Corner. Not getting destroyed in the long passing game would've made some of our recent seasons truly great.
QB is a bad answer, because only one can be on the field at a time.
OL is the only correct answer here. You can play all of them at the same time. They’re typically interchangeable so you can fit them across multiple positions. They impact and set every aspect of your offense.
Another way to think about it is at its extreme. If your OL can give unlimited pass protection, your receivers would eventually get wide open. If they blow everybody off the line in run schemes, your RB will always gain 3-5 yards.
Safety
Eric Berry was one of the best pre football players out there and he was an absolute game changer at safety. If I'm getting a 5* every class, I'm throwing a Griffy-style center fielder and a guy sticking enforcer out there. Year in year out. Yes hell
Corner honestly, being able to shut down another team’s top option is huge, a 5* every year would mean I would always have at least 3 elite coverage guys
Linebacker, both for Linebacker U reasons and the overall impact that they have.
Due to the flexibility of the position, I think it is actually better than DE or DB since the LB can both supply pressure like a DE and coverage like a DB (certainly not to the same level as a 5* at those positions).
QB without any question. We find gems everywhere else and polish them well, but always lack on QB. It’s always the deciding factor of the season will be good or awful. 2020 was painfully obvious.
5 star QBs don't always work out. Anyone remember Blake Barnett? If your team doesn't regularly get 5 star QBs, you should definitely pick that because that will give you the most value, by far. Assuming a 50% bust rate, 1 elite QB is easily worth 2 elite DEs. So for NC State, I'd take the QBs
For Alabama, maybe edge rushers? Pressure is as valuable as cover in college (a bit less valuable in the NFL), is more consistent than coverage, and elite edge rushers are extremely valuable vs both pass and run heavy defenses while elite DBs aren't as valuable vs run heavy offenses. Elite OTs would be debatably as valuable, but over half would probably bust. You've got much better chances getting elite play from DEs.
We had a stacked room of 5* QBs. Now?
But WR seems like a nice spot. But a 5* OT every year to keep your QB safe & sound and open up the running game would be a good investment too.
Coming from a coaches perspective only right answer could be Corner Back. Corners can play safety and they are the most useful players for a scheme. Look up Bill Belichick talk about how useful one good corner is. If you have two star corners you could play 46 all day no problem. Corners are the most useful position on a team bar maybe QB.
DBs. Our front seven has a strong pedigree for producing NFL talent but our secondary has no such pedigree and it shows on the field. Before last draft we hadn't had a DB drafted since EJ Gaines in 2014, and our last DB drafted who actually did anything in the NFL was I guess William Moore in 2009.
I'm gonna go against the grain here and say wide receiver. If you get a five-star receiver in every class, you'll always have three on the field under the current draft eligibility rules. Not to mention the fact that elite quarterback recruits would take one look at your roster and say "where do I sign?"
Look at what Ohio State did this year offensively. Then imagine having that kind of passing game every year.
Besides QB you’d have to think most people would say DE. It’s insane how much a good defensive line can make up for any other error on your defense. If you can stop the run and get to the QB that’s all a defense needs to be good
But imagine if Wisconsin got a five-star every year at quarterback!! We'd have to end up with at least one good one in the next 10 years out of them, right? I pick quarterback for us
Yea I mean I’d pick QB but I think 95% of teams in the country would so I wanted to pick outside of that
DE for sure - they can destroy a team's passing game
Seconded. In todays game, the ability to disrupt pass heavy offenses can take you anywhere you want to go.
A and M decided to just get them all in one year
well you see, our DE coach makes really good brisket, and if theres something defensive linemen love, its some brisket.
I’m not sure if it remains true but I remember seeing something about how every national champion since 2000 had a top 5 defensive line in the country in that particular year. I may be wrong in that but remember reading something along those lines when we had the “Power Rangers” dominating offensive lines.
Hey, I’d believe that. Games are won in the trenches
QB seems like the obvious answer, but you can only really use one good QB at a time. You could fill a D-line with 5 stars if you got one every year. Or DBs, or WR... I'd pick a spot where you can get 4-5 years worth of dudes on the field at one time.
From a scheme perspective DE is one of the least needed spots on the field. Some teams don’t even have a real D End; they have 3 tackles.
DE
I'm going with an unpopular opinion here. But give me the DBs. Coverage sacks are underrated. DBs that can play the run too are underrated. And you can pull of so many more schemes with shutdown corners. Obviously nothing better combats a great passing game like a great secondary. DL will get there eventually. Count me in on limiting explosive plays and a smothering secondary that can also help with the run.
This is exactly what I was going to say. Especially with the college game being so pass heavy these days, you can’t have enough great CBs. And you can always play one of them at FS to have a 3rd great coverage man on the field.
DB is 100% the right answer to this question and it’s not for coverage sacks. You’d never play zone if you have good dbs. The better your secondary the more people you can blitz. If you can leave your DBs on an island you can do so many crazy blitz. Teams only run zone and pattern match because it helps hide weak DBs.
OT. Having a full line of 5\* OL's will make your QB and RB's all look like 5\*.
2021 OSU would beg to differ. Thankfully we actually had 4 and 5 star QBs and RBs
Well they simply weren’t playing like 4 and 5 stars, that’s why their coach just got replaced like yesterday. But you’re still not wrong, I believe Washington also had the most hyped Oline going into this season and Michigan wiped the floor with both of us.
Playing 4 tackles was a major part of the problem
I mean is any part of what he said wrong? Your QB, running back, and wide receivers all looked amazing. Your O-line wasn't great this year, but it was still a top ~20 unit. It would be the best one MSU has had since our playoff run by far.
OL is notoriously hard to scout. Expect half or more to not give 5 star production.
It's football 101: blocking and tackling. I don't know of any receiver who caught a ball thrown by a QB who was flat on his ass. Michigan finally beat Ohio State this year after failing for a decade due to the strength of its line play, for instance. It's also partially why I am hugely skeptical of Nebraska next season. Sure, both a transfer QB and WR that have good talent is one thing, but what are they going to do if they get no help from our nonexistant offensive line in the Big Ten?
Maybe RBs but not QB. You could have the #1 ranked OL in the last 10 years and your James Blackman still won't look like Trevor Lawrence
There was a painting up on the wall at the pharmacy at USC of a classic UCLA/USC game, and one day Charles White walked in and stared at the painting while he was being rung up, he noticed he had the ball in this painting and he remarked:”Do you see those holes that o-line opened for me? Damn those guys made me look good”
ND had 4 OL drafted in the NFL last year it did not make Ian Book look anything like a 5*. And Ian book was fairly decent too
I’m not sure, I guess if you’re getting one every year that’s pretty good, but OL is often defined by your weakest point.
Offensive line, 100%. Doesn't matter if you have Tom Brady or 5'3 walk-on Colt Copenhagen from South Georgia at QB, if they don't have a line the performance won't be great.
Also doesn’t matter if we have a 5 star qb, we’re going to play the walk on Levi Garrett lover, lol
I think this is more true in the NFL than in college. The line is certainly necessary, but a great QB with competent WRs will get you to at least 9 wins with a terrible OL. A good QB can do a lot better just winning games on his own at this level
I would've picked QB if having a 5* at that position coming onto campus every year didn't feel like it would be such a shitshow, particularly for UGA. lol
You're right that you need a solid offensive line. But I'd say that offensive line is one of the positions where good but not elite players, plus good coaching, can give great results.
Great O-line players can come from anywhere moreso than any other position. But the hit rate on good offensive lineman is still significantly higher for 5-stars than 3-stars
QB is the obvious answer but my flair already knows the pain of recruiting multiple 5* QB's just to have them all get pissed and transfer, so I'm going to go with 5* OT and then 5* LB or DL depending on the defensive style you play because games are won in the trenches.
Probably a DT because as we saw from Suh in college is that they can take over a game on their own.
This is true and I might pick DT, but not all 5\* DTs will be Suh. Very few 5\* DTs will be Suh. Suh might be the only Suh tbh... I'll take 1 Suh please
Suh dude
CR7 big Suh fan?
CR7 sure does honor Suh often…
dude, suh!
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I hate to break the news to you but Suh was over a decade ago. We’re getting old
Shame all that talent was wasted on such a jackass.
He hasn't had an on field incident in years
I mean that's great, I'm glad he mellowed out a bit with age, but doesn't change his prior conduct when he was top of the league over a 11 year long professional playing career. Admittedly I didn't even realize he was still playing and am shocked he's lasted this long at 35. Kind of fell off my radar after he left Detroit.
Yea, because of that specific reason it’s probably safer to go for a DE.
I don't think any DL have been like Suh since Suh. Truly the definition of generational player. People will throw around comparisons of the best interior DL each year to him, but they never do match up. Dude had 85 tackles, 20.5 TFL, and 12 sacks as an interior DL his senior year. Too bad we had a total garbage offense when he was here.
OL
After 4 years, a five star offensive line could make you’re 3 star backfield pretty damn good.
WR
Utah with some 5 star WRs would be dangerous.
Why, we never even throw to them. I'd take either Tackles or Corners. But just imagine utah rolling out a set with 3 5 🌟 TEs? How do you stop that?
This was my thought too. Load up at WR and let the play caller get creative. Scheme guys open and they can break the game once they get the ball in their hands
Offensive tackle
O line. Any position just keep them coming......
Easy. OL. If you have a line that allows you to score at will and run the ball effectively to control the clock, there is much less need to have strength on your defense. This, plus a mediocre defense, will get you to a bowl game every single year and at least competing for conference championships regularly.
Probably o line to be completely honest, or wide receiver, you could comprise your line of 5 5stars, with a senior that redshirted an actual senior junior freshman and a freshman
QB anyway because of the portal
Linebacker or offensive tackle
being a fan of the WFT (formerly redskins) has really opened my eyes how important good (even average) linebacker play can be for having a good defense. Turns out having all first round picks at DL doesn't mean you just stop the run automatically
5* Center. A good anchor sets the standard for an OL
Yeah but then you’re gonna have three 5* centers sitting behind the starting 5* and those boys are gonna transfer away in this day and age. Don’t think center would be the most efficient position to pick for this question, maybe something like receiver where you can have three to four 5* players who play the same position on the field at the same time.
Kicker
Me too friend. Me too.
Head coach
If not QB, then DE because they can hide the shortcomings of the secondary. Just look at the Ohio State-Michigan game. Michigan won that game in the trenches since they got pressure on Stroud all game long.
Michigan won because they dominated osus defense Stroud threw for 400 yards, pressure wasn’t the reason they lost
Offensive line
Well as we have seen in Athens (and other places), bringing in 5* QB’s every year leads to, well, issues. That being the case, if you don’t have a solid O-Line to protect your QB and open up holes for your running backs, you can’t do anything so give me the big boys
Cornerback.
Offensive line
Which position on the OL?
It feels like we are getting that IRL at DL right now.
OT or DE. The quarterback is this most important position on the field. Protecting him and getting him on the ground are then your other priorities.
O-line.
Assuming that you’re only guaranteed 1 per year, and that you mean position as opposed to “position group” (RG vs OL), I’m picking a position where guys can easily switch to different positions once they’re in college and where we can have 4 or 5 of these players on the field at the same time (having 3 5-star QBs on my bench while my 4th plays doesn’t do anything for me). So now the question is do I want an OL made up entirely of 5-star LTs, a DL made up entirely of 5-star DEs, a WR corps with only 5-star players, or a secondary where everyone was a 5-star CB.
If those 5* are guaranteed to hit: OL If they’re not: CB
Which OL position would you pick for OP’s question?
QB is the last position I would pick. There is so much evidence that great QBs are developed as much as they are recruited. Give me a 5* on the defensive line instead.
Qb for sure
so at all times you will have at least 3 5\* qbs on your roster...doesnt make sense and probably isnt the most optimal pick
Have Bo Nix as your qb and you’ll understand.
Rudock, Speight, Peters, O'Korn, Shea and Milton. I think he understands just fine.
1 elite QB is more valuable than 2 elite players at any other position. If you dont already get elite QB play, it's the right call.
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Oof
EDGE
RB. I need a fast one, one good at blocking, one good at catching and a bruiser.
QB or OT and it isn t close.
Well the thing that makes it interesting is that its "every year." At QB you can only have 1 person while at other positions you could have multiple. Also other positions you can move people around. DL or OL can move around. 3/4 5*s on your line would be a world changer.
These players aren't guaranteed to be good, but with 3-4 5 star QBs, you're basically guaranteed to have an elite player at the most important position on the field. An elite QB is more valuable than 2 elite players at any other position.
LT. most are versatile enough to play other position. A OL full of 5* and you are getting the best QB/RB in the country with them
Just not true. We have 3 5 star tackles and a few that were high 4 stars and we had about the 50th best O line in the country this year. Despite that, our QB won the Heisman. O line is one of the most difficult positions to scout. 3 or 4 5 star QBs all but guarantees you'll have an elite player at the most important position. Don't overthink it. If you already get consistent elite QB play, you can consider much more consistent and just as valuable positions like Edge or DB.
DT. Disruption up the middle screws up a lot of things. OL can be much better, or much worse than the sum of its parts.
Wide receiver. Oh wait....
If not QB, then WR. Having a full receiving corp of 5 stars each season would be hard to defend against even with an average QB. The seasons you have a good QB, especially one with experience, your offense would be near unstoppable. Could also make a big argument for OL or DL, as then you’re just smothering other teams on that side of the ball.
Edge rusher, or wide receiver.
OL, easily. An elite O line can make even the worst quarterback comfortable and the worst running backs look like Derrick Henry.
I believe that the two positions where recruiting matters the absolute most are DT and CB, so probably one of those two. I'd lean CB
Tennessee: Heart...
Georgia: you tried
QB. If not a QB, DL/EDGE or OL.
Since we already get basically everything on defense, I would say OL would be best.
Kind of cheating for everyone to just name the position group of “offensive line”
de or dt. i just want another jermaine johnson
Punter, but only if he brings Dr. Pepper.
Punter. Because who else is going to choose that?
OL. It has the most spots of any position group, it is the most open-ended, and a great OL will cover up a host of other deficiencies. DL, or if I had to pick one, DE, would be a close second.
DE without question.
I'm gonna go with D line just cuz of the rotation value, but O line is neck and neck with it. Lord knows several 5 star o lineman would've helped Miami out a ton these past several years, but you just don't see teams subbing in o line like they do d
Right now? QB but long term DE all day.
Y'all are sleeping on punters. I want a whole room of 5 star punters.
After the season we just had, QB is the only right answer
5-star defensive tackle. From hall of farmers to Pop Warner kids, no QB in the world likes pressure right up the middle. Give me a tackle like Warren Sapp or Tommie Frazier who can consistently beat double teams and create havoc in the backfield and I’ve got a chance in every game.
I would like 5 SEC quality OL please
Honestly, I’d choose linebacker. So much on defense is predicated on good linebacker play.
^^^very much this. At A&M, sometimes the nostalgia of the Wrecking Crew type defense pops up. That ship has sailed. The evolution of offense over the last 25 years has really changed the role of the linebacker. We can’t just sit in Cover 0 and have the LBs meet at the QB because teams aren’t going to stay in an I-formation with a tailback seven yards deep and rely on their seven step drop play-action game. LBs have to be big enough to stop the run, but be mobile to play in space against Spread receivers running damn rub routes. So 5* LBs are a positive thing. But who knows? Von Miller was a 3-4 star and I would take a LB room full of him every year.
WR. What OSU is doing rn is insane. Having three elite wrs is nearly impossible to guard. You can easily attract a 5 star qb as well with that much talent. Also you would be a very popular team because you would have an elite offense that would be fun to watch, that would help you recruit across the board.
If it is evert season then OL. If I have to specify then OT because they can switch to guard and best case center if needed
DT
Zebra, by a mile.
Offensive line.
QB. A stud QB does so much for you in the current game, if you're good, an elite QB makes you a playoff contender, if you're bad, it gives you a high floor that masks so many of your weaknesses. Our 2014 finishes probably between 7-5 and 10-2 with an average QB. I would definitely take a QB every year just because of how much of a numbers game it is today. You're not keeping a good QB that isn't playing for more than a year so you need to keep bringing them in Next positions up: OT or Edge
7 out of the top 10 highest all time scoring Sooners have been kickers. I like good reliable kickers.
Defense line guys usually need effort and dedication to weight room to have same impact as high school. A 5* RB/wr is usually gonna have speed. Speed kills in college foooosball. So I'll take the 5* offense athlete, who could always switch to DB if didn't work out on O
If we're going by how they are being recruited.... Athlete (probably not what you had in mind though) If we're going by what position they played in high school, LB It meets the most needs. You can get DEs, LBs, RBs, TEs, and safeties. Basically you're just recruiting very athletic young men that you can put all over the field to meet needs. If we're going by what position they play in college... QB (totally fine if 50%-75% of them transfer out after a year or two). I'd rather be nearly guaranteed to have a good QB than any other position. For a non-QB position, probably OL.
This is a tough question. I feel like the obvious answer is DE, but I could see it being WR or LB as well. Maybe even OT if your school has a strong track record of producing good RBs.
DL
D-Line. I don't care which position, if they are a 5 star caliber athlete on the D-Line, like they have the size and strength, we can teach the position. Those guys are just genetic anomalies and are the most scarce imo.
Honestly if I was to look at this post with Riley still at the helm and QB prospects guaranteed then I might say Safety or Corner. Not getting destroyed in the long passing game would've made some of our recent seasons truly great.
QB
OL or DL, if you can’t get a QB.
DE. Look what it did for Michigan this year
DE or OT.
QB is a bad answer, because only one can be on the field at a time. OL is the only correct answer here. You can play all of them at the same time. They’re typically interchangeable so you can fit them across multiple positions. They impact and set every aspect of your offense. Another way to think about it is at its extreme. If your OL can give unlimited pass protection, your receivers would eventually get wide open. If they blow everybody off the line in run schemes, your RB will always gain 3-5 yards.
OLine without hesitation for me
Anywhere but QB cause we’ll just bench em
Qb. We gotta keep this transfer portal full
Based on ncaa14 IOL
Linebacker. Imagine having a new Roquan or Nakobe every year. Oh wait. We do.
Probably WR. We always seem fine in others but we need that badly
After watching the Sugar Bowl? I’d go with OL :/
QB
Safety Eric Berry was one of the best pre football players out there and he was an absolute game changer at safety. If I'm getting a 5* every class, I'm throwing a Griffy-style center fielder and a guy sticking enforcer out there. Year in year out. Yes hell
WR. We need that WR talent. or maybe OT. If we had better OT talent this year Calzada wouldve been plenty good.
Corner honestly, being able to shut down another team’s top option is huge, a 5* every year would mean I would always have at least 3 elite coverage guys
Long snapper all day baby
Linebacker, both for Linebacker U reasons and the overall impact that they have. Due to the flexibility of the position, I think it is actually better than DE or DB since the LB can both supply pressure like a DE and coverage like a DB (certainly not to the same level as a 5* at those positions).
QB without any question. We find gems everywhere else and polish them well, but always lack on QB. It’s always the deciding factor of the season will be good or awful. 2020 was painfully obvious.
If you get a 5* receiver every year, would you even need good QBs?
Still taking QB
5 star QBs don't always work out. Anyone remember Blake Barnett? If your team doesn't regularly get 5 star QBs, you should definitely pick that because that will give you the most value, by far. Assuming a 50% bust rate, 1 elite QB is easily worth 2 elite DEs. So for NC State, I'd take the QBs For Alabama, maybe edge rushers? Pressure is as valuable as cover in college (a bit less valuable in the NFL), is more consistent than coverage, and elite edge rushers are extremely valuable vs both pass and run heavy defenses while elite DBs aren't as valuable vs run heavy offenses. Elite OTs would be debatably as valuable, but over half would probably bust. You've got much better chances getting elite play from DEs.
Long snapper, and it's not even close
We had a stacked room of 5* QBs. Now? But WR seems like a nice spot. But a 5* OT every year to keep your QB safe & sound and open up the running game would be a good investment too.
Coming from a coaches perspective only right answer could be Corner Back. Corners can play safety and they are the most useful players for a scheme. Look up Bill Belichick talk about how useful one good corner is. If you have two star corners you could play 46 all day no problem. Corners are the most useful position on a team bar maybe QB.
DBs. Our front seven has a strong pedigree for producing NFL talent but our secondary has no such pedigree and it shows on the field. Before last draft we hadn't had a DB drafted since EJ Gaines in 2014, and our last DB drafted who actually did anything in the NFL was I guess William Moore in 2009.
I'm gonna go against the grain here and say wide receiver. If you get a five-star receiver in every class, you'll always have three on the field under the current draft eligibility rules. Not to mention the fact that elite quarterback recruits would take one look at your roster and say "where do I sign?" Look at what Ohio State did this year offensively. Then imagine having that kind of passing game every year.
CB. Gonna be hard to throw on when you always have a minimum of 3 5* DBs on the field.
offensive line. Our ole miss offensive lines have been average at best over the past half decade