Recruiting Hindsight: Re-Ranking The Top 10 Recruits from 2004
As we continue with our "Recruiting Rewind" series, we go back to the realm of re-ranking the top 10 players from a year, and look at the 2004 class this go around. Looking at the board for this year, I hate to say it but there were a lot of let downs and dare I use the word "busts." This year had a lot of star power, hyped recruits and talented players, but not too many big names of college football and/or the NFL stem from this class.
However, as I began to re-rank the players based on how they fared in college and so forth, the board did become top heavy with stardom and success. But as the list dwindled down, elite talent became a bit of a stretch to find. Yet, there were some players in the class that went on to become studs and I think I have a pretty solid top 10.
So let's turn back the clock before Jersey Shore existed and when we still thought Charlie Sheen was sane to re-rank the top 10 players to come out of the class.
10. Early Doucet,WR: LSU
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Doucet was a 5-star recruit out of Louisiana that played QB, RB and WR for hi prep squad, but projected best at WR in college. 6'0", 200 pounds, he was not a blazer, but was quicker than fast type of athlete that ran solid routes and was reliable to catch the football.
He pledged to LSU and then-head coach Nick Saban (wow have the times changed) and went on to have a pretty good career in the Bayou. I even had Doucet as a projected first round pick before his final season with the Tigers.
Scouts saw his lack of deep speed and really questioned if he could stand out at the NFL level. Yet the Cardinals liked him enough to take him the middle rounds and Doucet is currently a slot receiver on their roster.
9. Chad Henne, QB: Michigan
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I've always maintained that Henne had the best ball I've seen from both a high school and college quarterback. I mean that by the sheer beauty of the way the ball spun out of his hand. Henne's balls were crisp, had a tight spiral and were very light.
6'2", 210 pounds in high school, Henne decided on Michigan as his place to play and started as a true freshman along with Mike Hart. He played pretty well during his tenure at the Big House and, like Doucet, I thought Henne to be a first round caliber pick.
The Dolphins took him in the second round and while Henne has had his bumps in the road, he has flashed promise at times. There are some questions about his future as a starter, but count me as someone who feels Henne deserves one more year to show what he can do.
8. Fred Davis, WR: USC
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Davis was seen as a big, physical receiver in high school, but there was already talk during his senior year that he was growing into a tight end. He did. He went to USC, with thoughts on being Mike Williams, and ended up being better than Dominique Byrd.
6'3" and 210 pounds in high school, Davis left USC almost 250 pounds. He displayed soft hands, solid speed and a willingness to improve his in-line blocking. He is one of perhaps the best tight end tandem in football with the Redskins and Chris Cooley.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
7. Marshawn Lynch, RB: Californa
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There has been talk that while he was at Cal, Lynch was the best and most complete runner in the Pac-10. A 4-star recruit and the 28th overall player in 2004, Lynch was regarded one of the best running backs in the country and to come out of NorCal in history.
The Oakland area native settled on the idea of playing in Berkley across town and ran circles and drove circles around opposing teams during his tenure as a Bear. He became a first round pick to the Bills and flashed brilliance on the field, but also ran into off-field problems.
Lynch, who's also known as "Beast Mode," was traded to Seattle and had perhaps the most memorable run in playoff history in 2010.
6. Zach Miller, TE: Arizona State
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Miller was the most complete tight end in the country in the 2004 recruiting cycle and 4-star player. At 6'4" and 240 pounds, he possessed soft hands, and good strength to factor as an in-line blocker. Miller was the top player in the state and a coveted recruit along the trail.
From Phoenix, he chose to stay close and catch touchdowns at Arizona State where developed into the best tight end in the Pac-10 before he departed the desert. The Raiders drafted Miller and today he is one of their core offensive players and looked at as one of the better young tight ends in the league.
He was steady as a prep, great at Arizona State and he is solid now in Oakland.
5. Keith Rivers, LB: USC
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Rivers, who could have easily made my "most hyped linebackers of the decade" story, decided to spurn the Florida Big three and head to USC. At 6'3" and 225 pounds, he was the fifth overall recruit in the country, and had consecutive 100 tackle seasons in high school.
He had a very good career at USC, becoming an All-Conference and All-American linebacker for the Trojans, all while wearing the coveted No. 55 at USC. Pete Carroll wanted to get Rivers on the field almost immediately, as during his true freshman year, Rivers served as a sub package pass rusher for the Trojans.
He developed into a first round pick by the Bengals and is one of the top young second level defenders in the NFL.
4. Lawrence Timmons, LB: Florida State
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It was a forgone conclusion that during this recruiting cycle Lawrence Timmons was the top player in South Carolina. You think Jadeveon Clowney, Marcus Lattimore and Alshon Jeffrey were men amongst boys in Palmetto State prep ball? Then you need to look a couple years further back and check out Timmons.
At 6'3" and 225 pounds, Timmons was a complete linebacker. He had the size, speed, instincts, toughness, range and sheer hitting ability to blow an offense up. Even when I worked with the Giants and we had to advance scout the Steelers, my boss came by my office gloating about Timmons, just on his special teams play alone.
He mans up the inside linebacker position for Pittsburgh and is one of their defensive cornerstones.
3. Glen Dorsey, DT: LSU
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Dorsey is a legend to LSU fans, and having him just 47th overall in 2004 proved to be a huge mistake. At 6'1" and 297 pounds, Dorsey developed into an All-American and more so the best defensive player in the country before he left Baton Rouge. He is bantered as perhaps the best defensive tackle to ever call Tiger Stadium home.
His snap quickness, active and violent hands, leverage, gap penetration, strength, power an burst to finish all made him a force on the defensive front and a top five pick to the Chiefs. I really think Dorsey is playing out of position in a 30 front now in Kansas City as a 3-4 end, but he's even excelling there.
He has a very bright future and has the tools of a pro bowl player.
2. Calvin Johnson, WR: Georgia Tech
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Johnson is the best NFL Draft wide receiver prospect, ever. But before he became that, he was a tall, skinny, 6'4" and 210 pound receiver that couldn't decide between Georgia and Georgia Tech. He finally chose Tech and the rest is history.
Johnson was so good that he was considered the best receiver in the country his junior year and never really had solid QB play in college. We all remember the one handed catch he made, across the middle, to the ball that was nearly 2 yards behind him.
He's one of the most purely talented players you'll ever see play football. Even when the Lions were on their way to an 0-16 record, I would still want to watch them play just to see Johnson.
He grew to be a 6'5", 235 pound specimen that was timed at 4.3 in 40 and is one of the best receivers in the NFL today.
1. Adrian Peterson, RB: Oklahoma
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What hasn't been said about Peterson. He dominated as a high schooler, as a college player and now as a pro. Like Calvin Johnson, he has the prototypical size, speed and skill set for what you want out of his position. 6'2", 220 pounds, 4.3 speed, vision, run instincts, burst, power, agility, lateral quickness and light feet—Peterson was a man child in high school.
He was the top player in the class then, and is the top player in the class now. Hindsight is 20/20 but even seven years ago it was easy to see Peterson would sit in this position now. His talent was too apparent and he is a recruit that not only matched, but exceeded his hype.
He's on his way to a Hall of Fame career with the Vikings and is generally regarded as the best running back in football.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
