If your school hasn’t had a top-six recruiting class in the last three years, odds are it won’t win the 2016 national championship.
In fact, seven of the last eight champions had at least two top-six classes in the three-year span leading to the title, and each of the last eight champions had a top-four class within two years of winning the title.
Paul Myerberg
Each of the last 10 national champions have signed a top-5 class (per Rivals) within two years of their NC. Recruiting wins titles.
Gerry Hamilton
How the Class of 2016 recruiting season evolved from March until National Signing Day Eve: pic.twitter.com/3hrGaoMvOi
Stars. Matter.
Annual reshare of @MattRHinton on recruiting:
http://www.footballstudyhall.com/2014/2/5/5382140/recruiting-matters-why-the-sites-get-the-rankings-right …
Jared Shanker
Twenty percent of the top-10 players in each ESPN 300 from 2006-2011 were first-round picks, including a No. 1 overall selection (Clowney).
The ACC signed the second most ESPN 300 players from 2013-2015. The SEC signed 208 more. Signed 291 more blue chips pic.twitter.com/Q4NijYDobe
Jared Shanker
Number of four- and five-star signees among ACC teams from 2013-2015 pic.twitter.com/K48TtjdN7j
Jared Shanker
ACC is second with four teams with 25+ blue-chip signees from 2013-2015. ACC and Pac-12 both with 5 teams with 20+
Jared Shanker
Duke has four ESPN 300 commitments. If signing day goes as planned, it should be the best haul for the Blue Devils in the modern era.
Jared Shanker
Duke's rise as a solid football program evident in recruiting. Zero blue chips in 2013, four in 2014, two last year and now seven in 2016
Recruiting rankings show why Florida State, Clemson have pulled away http://es.pn/1X08QKf
1. Florida State (No. 4 nationally)
2. Clemson (No. 8 nationally)
3. Miami (No. 14 nationally)
4. Duke (No. 27 nationally)
5. North Carolina (No. 30 nationally)
6. Louisville (No. 34 nationally)
7. Virginia Tech (No. 37 nationally)
8. Pitt
9. Wake Forest
10. Virginia
11. NC State
12. Georgia Tech
13. Boston College
14. Syracuse
Now, for some historical perspective. I averaged out the class rank for the 11 ACC teams that have been in the league since 2006 thanks to compilations from ESPN Stats and Information. Some might surprise you.
1. Florida State
2. Miami
3. Clemson
4. North Carolina
5. Virginia Tech
6. Georgia Tech
7. Virginia
8. NC State
9. Duke
10. Boston College
11. Wake Forest
The biggest takeaways?
- You can see exactly why Florida State and Clemson have opened up a gaping lead on the rest of the Atlantic. The Seminoles are on pace to have the No. 1 class in the ACC in all seven seasons under Jimbo Fisher. Clemson has turned it on under Dabo Swinney, too. The Tigers have five top-13 classes in the past five years after having only two in the previous five classes. Now, look at the next-highest Atlantic team. That would be NC State, behind five teams from the Coastal. Louisville has had an average class rank of No. 7 in its three years in the ACC so it's not as if they are a Top 25 recruiting program, either.
- Speaking of the former Big East teams now in the ACC, Louisville is clearly leading the pack there, but that's not a huge shock given the program's recent success relative to Pitt and Syracuse. The Panthers' class has averaged a No. 9 rank, while the Orange have averaged a 13.5 (two No. 14s and a No. 13).
- Miami fans already know this, but the recruiting rankings confirm once again how much the Hurricanes have underachieved in the ACC. Miami's average class rank was 2.6; Clemson's was 2.7. Since 2006, Miami has finished outside the ACC top 3 just twice -- both under Al Golden. The first time was in his first year; the second time was in 2013 amid an NCAA investigation. Miami had three straight No. 1 classes in the ACC under Randy Shannon. That's three more than Clemson has had in this time frame. Given all the talent that has come through South Florida, and its class average compared to the rest of the Coastal, the Canes should have played in an ACC Championship Game by now.
- North Carolina has been an underachiever, too, though 2015 finally changed that. The Tar Heels' average class rank was 4.8, thanks to six classes that ranked among the top 4 in the ACC during this time span.
- Duke is on pace to have the best recruiting class in school history. Its previous best ranking? No. 8 in 2011. The following year, Duke made a bowl game for the first time since 1995. The Blue Devils haven't missed a bowl game since.
- 2011 was a dismal year for Virginia Tech. The Hokies ranked No. 10 among 12 ACC classes, its lowest rank in this 11-year period. Is it a coincidence they never won the Coastal after that? Maybe. We'll have a look at that specific class later in the week.
- Two first-year coaches ended up with the ACC's No. 1 class: Randy Shannon in 2007 and Jimbo Fisher in 2010. Both also ranked in the top 10 nationally.
![[Image: image_zpse8deb669.jpg]](http://s228.photobucket.com/user/JimmyT1963/media/image_zpse8deb669.jpg.html)
![[Image: image_zps63a5fbfa.jpg]](http://s228.photobucket.com/user/JimmyT1963/media/image_zps63a5fbfa.jpg.html)
![[Image: image_zpsc0a9b016.jpg]](http://s228.photobucket.com/user/JimmyT1963/media/image_zpsc0a9b016.jpg.html)
