Dear Vim, I got the Number 4 Future Boobcats off of Payton's post "Instate Recruiting Board," which is based on your 100 top Montana HS FB players. So, I know there is a #5 for your Cats, just enlighten us and tell us who it is.
And I don't doubt at all that you ranked these kids before they committed to either school, and I appreciate your hard work and dedication--someone needs to fricking pay you for all of your hard, excellent work !!!
But, these rankings are often "Beauty is In The Eye of The Beholder," as 227 said--two coaches can have widely varying views and see different strengths and weaknesses in the same kid.
Two real-life examples: Tanner Roderick was a stud for The Bozeman Hawks, winning The Gatorade POY in both football and basketball in 2010-11, leading Bozeman to their first state football title in almost 100 years--1917.
He was a stud and slam-dunk to be a star at the next level at Nevada and then MSU except he wasn't.
One of his older teammates at Bozeman High was named Brock Coyle, and while Brock received critical acclaim in high school, he was no Tanner Roderick
And yet Tanner is now watching Brock play on Sundays--when he isn''t hurt--for the Seattle Seahawks in The NFL, and Brock isn't watching Tanner play any more.
And Matt Miller was a stud WR for Helena Capital, a Montana Gatorade POY in 2009, a year before Roderick would receive the same honor, and unlike Roderick, a bona fide college star at Boise State. Yet he didn't have the break away speed for The NFL and also experienced some unfortunate injuries. I am sure he is a fine young coach for MSU.
Tim Hauck, Marc Mariani and Colt Anderson were no one's Gatorade POY, they had no big offers upon high school graduation, and were largely recruited by Frontier Conference schools and were lowly walk-ons at UM.
And yet all three believed in themselves, had tremendous work ethics to go with their largely hidden athletic talents and Tyler and Matt watched Tim Hauck in The NFL and still they watch Colt and Marc play on Sundays--these football ugly ducklings blossomed into GRIZ, Packers, Broncos, 49'ers, Colts, Eagles, Bears and Titans and far surpassed the football careers of these far more critically acclaimed former Montana Gatorade POY's.
Thus, I do think your rankings have some validity as long as we realize some high school studs will be duds at the next level in college, including the supposedly best high school player in the state !!!
