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We should not have to tell you this, but some folks debate what to take from these articles. We expect you, the reader, to form an opinion of your own. Often we will give you our take on things, but you should independently form your own thoughts based on information out there. This article shows recruiting data for the depth chart roster as referenced above. It does not weigh experience nor does it evaluate coaching, preparation, etc... We think this is an interesting and valuable tool that is useful in overall program evaluation because there is a link between these star ratings and other metrics in both college football and the NFL.
Keep in mind as you look through this data that only players who were officially signed were given a "Star Rating". Players who were not signed could not be quantitatively assessed a recruiting rating. Such players get a "NA" rating and were not included in the averaged data. Again, all data was attained from www.Scout.com and www.Rivals.com. Players whose Scout/Rivals data was not available but were signed were assigned a "NR". We picked carefully through the data and believe all is correct. However, if we've overlooked an item we apologize in advance and ask that you point it out so that we can make the correction in our database.
Figure 1 and Table I both show an average of offensive players, defensive players, and specialist listed on the two-deep roster. Tables II through IV show the two-deep roster used for analysis along with the recruiting ratings for each player on the roster. Clemson is, on paper, better than Scar in both offensive and defensive stars per player recruited. Clemson lags Carolina on the specialists front but still maintains an approximate 0.2 stars per player overall advantage over the Gamecocks. I will point out that since Bruce Ellington was only concerned with basketball coming out of HS, he was not given a Rivals rating and scored a mere 2 stars from Scout. He should have a higher rating and would have had he been committed to playing college football when he left Berkeley HS.
Table I: Overall Recruiting Numbers
| Team | Recruiting Service | Offense | Defense | Specialists | Overall Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clemson | Scout | 3.36 | 3.50 | 3.00 | 3.35 |
| Rivals | 3.36 | 3.58 | 2.82 | 3.35 | |
| Average | 3.36 | 3.54 | 2.91 | 3.35 | |
| South Carolina | Scout | 3.11 | 3.09 | 2.67 | 3.05 |
| Rivals | 3.27 | 3.29 | 3.20 | 3.27 | |
| Average | 3.19 | 3.19 | 2.91 | 3.16 |
Figure 1: Recruiting Stars Comparison
Table II: Offensive Talent Comparison
| Clemson Offense | South Carolina Offense | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos. | # | Player | Hgt | Wgt | Cl. | Scout | Rivals | Pos. | # | Player | Hgt | Wgt | Cl. | Scout | Rivals | |
| LT | 63 | BRANDON THOMAS | 6-3 | 305 | *Jr. | 4 | 4 | LT | 53 | COREY ROBINSON | 6-8 | 337 | So. | 2 | 3 | |
| 79 | Isaiah Battle | 6-6 | 280 | Fr. | 3 | 3 | 71 | Brandon Shell | 6-6 | 331 | Fr. | 5 | 4 | |||
| LG | 68 | DAVID BEASLEY | 6-4 | 315 | *So. | 3 | 3 | LG | 50 | A.J. CANN | 6-4 | 309 | So. | 4 | 4 | |
| 67 | Kalon Davis | 6-5 | 330 | *So. | 3 | 3 | 75 | Will Sport | 6-5 | 291 | Fr. | 2 | 3 | |||
| C | 55 | DALTON FREEMAN | 6-5 | 285 | *Gr. | 4 | 4 | C | 55 | T.J. JOHNSON | 6-6 | 319 | Sr. | 3 | 3 | |
| 58 | Ryan Norton | 6-3 | 270 | *Fr. | 3 | 3 | 70 | Kyle Harris | 6-3 | 268 | Fr. | 3 | 3 | |||
| RG | 62 | TYLER SHATLEY | 6-3 | 295 | *Jr. | 3 | 3 | 61 | Travis Ford | 6-3 | 278 | Jr. | N/A | N/A | ||
| 77 | Reid Webster | 6-5 | 285 | *So. | 3 | 3 | RG | 67 | RONALD PATRICK | 6-2 | 305 | Jr. | 3 | 3 | ||
| RT | 70 | GIFFORD TIMOTHY | 6-6 | 310 | *So. | 2 | 3 | 74 | Kaleb Broome | 6-6 | 332 | Sr. | 2 | 3 | ||
| 76 | Shaq Anthony | 6-4 | 265 | *Fr. | 3 | 3 | RT | 71 | BRANDON SHELL | 6-6 | 331 | Fr. | 5 | 4 | ||
| TE | 80 | BRANDON FORD | 6-4 | 240 | *Gr. | 3 | 4 | 78 | Cody Gibson | 6-7 | 278 | So. | 3 | 3 | ||
| 86 | Sam Cooper | 6-5 | 250 | *So. | 2 | 2 | TE | 87 | JUSTICE CUNNINGHAM | 6-4 | 264 | Sr. | 2 | 2 | ||
| 88 | Eric MacLain | 6-4 | 260 | *Fr. | 4 | 4 | 81 | Rory Anderson | 6-5 | 218 | So. | 3 | 3 | |||
| WR | 6 | DeANDRE HOPKINS | 6-2 | 205 | Jr. | 4 | 4 | 89 | Jerell Adams | 6-6 | 224 | Fr. | 3 | 3 | ||
| 1 | Martavis Bryant | 6-5 | 200 | So. | 4 | 4 | WR | 1 | ACE SANDERS | 5-8 | 175 | Jr. | 3 | 4 | ||
| QB | 10 | TAJH BOYD | 6-1 | 225 | *Jr. | 5 | 4 | 4 | Shaq Roland | 6-1 | 173 | Fr. | 5 | 4 | ||
| 8 | Cole Stoudt | 6-5 | 205 | So. | 3 | 3 | 6 | DeAngelo Smith | 6-1 | 196 | Jr. | 2 | 3 | |||
| RB | 23 | ANDRE ELLINGTON | 5-10 | 195 | *Sr. | 4 | 4 | QB | 14 | CONNOR SHAW | 6-1 | 207 | Jr. | 3 | 3 | |
| 22 | D.J. Howard | 5-11 | 195 | *So. | 3 | 3 | 17 | Dylan Thompson | 6-3 | 212 | So. | 2 | 2 | |||
| or | 25 | Roderick McDowell | 5-9 | 195 | *Jr. | 3 | 4 | 11 | Seth Strickland | 6-2 | 195 | Sr. | N/A | N/A | ||
| FB | 40 | DARRELL SMITH | 6-2 | 250 | *Jr. | 3 | 2 | TB | 31 | KENNY MILES | 5-9 | 193 | Sr. | 3 | 3 | |
| WR | 18 | JARON BROWN | 6-2 | 205 | *Gr. | 3 | 3 | 28 | Mike Davis | 5-9 | 216 | Fr. | 4 | 4 | ||
| 19 | Charone Peake | 6-3 | 200 | So. | 4 | 4 | FB | 43 | QUA GILCHRIST | 6-1 | 245 | Sr. | 3 | 4 | ||
| WR | 2 | SAMMY WATKINS | 6-1 | 205 | So. | 5 | 5 | 41 | Connor McLaurin | 6-0 | 222 | So. | N/A | N/A | ||
| 16 | Adam Humphries | 5-11 | 190 | So. | 3 | 2 | WR | 23 | BRUCE ELLINGTON | 5-9 | 197 | So. | 2 | N/A | ||
| 3 | Damiere Byrd | 5-9 | 168 | So. | 4 | 4 | ||||||||||
| 80 | K.J. Brent | 6-4 | 184 | Fr. | 3 | 3 | ||||||||||
| WR | 10 | NICK JONES | 5-7 | 184 | So. | 3 | 3 | |||||||||
| 82 | D.L. Moore | 6-5 | 198 | Sr. | 3 | 3 | ||||||||||
| 3 | Damiere Byrd | 5-9 | 168 | So. | 4 | 4 |
Table III: Defensive Talent Comparison
| Clemson Defense | South Carolina Defense | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos. | # | Player | Hgt | Wgt | Cl. | Scout | Rivals | Pos. | # | Player | Hgt | Wgt | Cl. | Scout | Rivals | |
| DE | 97 | MALLICIAH GOODMAN | 6-4 | 270 | Sr. | 4 | 4 | DE | 98 | DEVIN TAYLOR | 6-8 | 267 | Sr. | 2 | 3 | |
| 6 | Tavaris Barnes | 6-4 | 275 | *So. | 3 | 4 | 57 | Aldrick Fordham | 6-4 | 269 | Sr. | 3 | 3 | |||
| NG | 50 | GRADY JARRETT | 6-1 | 290 | So. | 3 | 3 | 44 | Gerald Dixon | 6-2 | 272 | Fr. | 2 | 3 | ||
| 48 | D.J. Reader | 6-3 | 335 | Fr. | 3 | 3 | DT | 70 | BYRON JERIDEAU | 6-1 | 316 | Sr. | NR | 2 | ||
| DT | 91 | JOSH WATSON | 6-4 | 285 | *So. | 4 | 4 | 92 | Gerald Dixon Jr. | 6-3 | 304 | Fr. | 2 | 3 | ||
| or | 99 | DeSHAWN WILLIAMS | 6-1 | 285 | So. | 3 | 3 | DT | 99 | KELCY QUARLES | 6-4 | 286 | So. | 3 | 4 | |
| 94 | Carlos Watkins | 6-3 | 300 | Fr. | 4 | 4 | 97 | J.T. Surratt | 6-2 | 295 | So. | 3 | 2 | |||
| DE | 93 | COREY CRAWFORD | 6-5 | 270 | So. | 4 | 4 | 52 | Phillip Dukes | 6-3 | 306 | Fr. | 4 | 4 | ||
| 3 | Vic Beasley | 6-3 | 225 | *So. | 3 | 3 | DE | 7 | JADEVEON CLOWNEY | 6-6 | 256 | So. | 5 | 5 | ||
| SLB/NB | 34 | QUANDON CHRISTIAN | 6-2 | 225 | *Jr. | 3 | 3 | 90 | Chaz Sutton | 6-5 | 248 | Jr. | 3 | 4 | ||
| or | 11 | TRAVIS BLANKS | 6-1 | 190 | Fr. | 4 | 4 | MLB | 47 | REGINALD BOWENS | 6-3 | 254 | Sr. | 3 | 3 | |
| MLB | 33 | SPENCER SHUEY | 6-3 | 230 | *Jr. | 3 | 3 | 33 | Damario Jeffery | 6-4 | 233 | Sr. | 4 | 4 | ||
| 12 | Stephone Anthony | 6-3 | 235 | So. | 5 | 5 | WLB | 54 | SHAQ WILSON | 5-11 | 224 | Sr. | 3 | 3 | ||
| WLB | 46 | JONATHAN WILLARD | 6-2 | 225 | *Sr. | 3 | 4 | 24 | Quin Smith | 6-1 | 239 | Sr. | 3 | 3 | ||
| 42 | Corico Wright | 5-11 | 230 | Sr. | 3 | 3 | 18 | Cedrick Cooper | 6-2 | 215 | Fr. | 3 | 3 | |||
| 7 | Tony Steward | 6-1 | 235 | So. | 4 | 5 | SPUR | 21 | DeVONTE HOLLOMAN | 6-2 | 241 | Sr. | 4 | 4 | ||
| CB | 9 | XAVIER BREWER | 5-11 | 190 | *Gr. | 4 | 3 | 9 | Sharrod Golightly | 5-10 | 179 | So. | 3 | 3 | ||
| 29 | Cortez Davis | 6-3 | 200 | *Fr. | 3 | 4 | CB | 27 | VICTOR HAMPTON | 5-10 | 197 | So. | 3 | 4 | ||
| SS | 5 | JONATHAN MEEKS | 6-1 | 210 | Sr. | 4 | 4 | 4 | Ahmad Christian | 5-10 | 189 | Fr. | 3 | 3 | ||
| 27 | Robert Smith | 5-11 | 210 | So. | 3 | 3 | SS | 12 | BRISON WILLIAMS | 5-11 | 205 | So. | 3 | 3 | ||
| FS | 31 | RASHARD HALL | 6-2 | 210 | *Gr. | 3 | 3 | 28 | Jared Shaw | 5-10 | 179 | Sr. | N/A | N/A | ||
| 9 | Xavier Brewer | 5-11 | 190 | *Gr. | 4 | 3 | FS | 36 | D.J. SWEARINGER | 6-0 | 210 | Sr. | 3 | 3 | ||
| CB | 26 | GARRY PETERS | 6-0 | 195 | *So. | 3 | 4 | 25 | Kadetrix Marcus | 6-1 | 185 | So. | 3 | 3 | ||
| or | 17 | Bashaud Breeland | 6-0 | 195 | *So. | 4 | 3 | CB | 3 | AKEEM AUGUSTE | 5-9 | 188 | Sr. | 4 | 4 | |
| 15 | Jimmy Legree | 6-0 | 189 | Jr. | 2 | 3 |
Table IV: Specialists Talent Comparison
| Clemson Specialists | South Carolina Specialists | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos. | # | Player | Hgt | Wgt | Cl. | Scout | Rivals | Pos. | # | Player | Hgt | Wgt | Cl. | Scout | Rivals | |
| PK | 39 | CHANDLER CATANZARO | 6-2 | 195 | *Jr. | N/A | N/A | PK | 8 | ADAM YATES | 6-1 | 196 | Sr. | N/A | N/A | |
| 13 | Spencer Benton | 6-1 | 195 | *Sr. | 2 | 2 | 19 | Landon Ard | 5-9 | 189 | Fr. | N/A | N/A | |||
| or | 36 | Ammon Lakip | 5-10 | 175 | *Fr. | 3 | 2 | P | 13 | TYLER HULL | 6-2 | 205 | So. | N/A | N/A | |
| P | 13 | SPENCER BENTON | 6-1 | 195 | *Sr. | 2 | 2 | 13 | Patrick Fish | 6-0 | 193 | So. | 2 | 2 | ||
| 92 | Bradley Pinion | 6-6 | 230 | Fr. | 3 | 3 | KO | 8 | Adam Yates | 6-1 | 196 | Sr. | N/A | N/A | ||
| KO | 13 | Spencer Benton | 6-1 | 195 | *Sr. | 2 | 2 | 19 | Landon Ard | 5-9 | 189 | Fr. | N/A | N/A | ||
| 92 | Bradley Pinion | 6-6 | 230 | Fr. | 3 | 3 | LS | 91 | Walker Inabinet | 5-10 | 204 | Sr. | N/A | N/A | ||
| LS(PK) | 75 | Michael Sobeski | 6-2 | 205 | *So. | N/A | N/A | 59 | Coleman Harley | 6-1 | 280 | Fr. | N/A | N/A | ||
| 52 | Phillip Fajgenbaum | 6-0 | 220 | *Jr. | N/A | N/A | H | 11 | Seth Strickland | 6-2 | 195 | Sr. | N/A | N/A | ||
| LS(P) | 52 | Phillip Fajgenbaum | 6-0 | 220 | *Jr. | N/A | N/A | 13 | Patrick Fish | 6-0 | 193 | So. | 2 | 2 | ||
| 75 | Michael Sobeski | 6-2 | 205 | *So. | N/A | N/A | PR | 1 | Ace Sanders | 5-8 | 175 | Jr. | 3 | 4 | ||
| H | 13 | Spencer Benton | 6-1 | 195 | *Sr. | 2 | 2 | 27 | Victor Hampton | 5-10 | 197 | So. | 3 | 4 | ||
| 39 | Chandler Catanzaro | 6-2 | 195 | *Jr. | N/A | N/A | KOR | 23 | Bruce Ellington | 5-9 | 197 | So. | 2 | N/A | ||
| PR | 16 | Adam Humphries | 5-11 | 190 | So. | 3 | 2 | 3 | Damiere Byrd | 5-9 | 168 | So. | 4 | 4 | ||
| 2 | SAMMY WATKINS | 6-1 | 205 | So. | 5 | 5 | ||||||||||
| KOR | 2 | SAMMY WATKINS | 6-1 | 205 | So. | 5 | 5 | |||||||||
| 18 | Jaron Brown | 6-2 | 205 | *Gr. | 3 | 3 |