FC: The Athletic is doing a recruiting retrospective on different programs….

[Midnighter]

You have to subscribe for the whole article, but these are the categories and selections for Penn State:

Best Recruit, Pre-Internet - LaVar Arrington
Best Recruit, Modern Era - Saquon Barkley
Most Influential - Derrick Williams
Biggest Bust - Ricky Slade
Best Developmental Story - Matt McGloin
The One Who Got Away - Justin Fields

Any thoughts? What would your list be if you couldn’t include these recruits? Maybe:

Best, Pre-Internet - Ki-Jana Carter
Best, Modern - Micah Parsons
Most Influential - Christian Hackenberg
Biggest Bust - Brandon Smith
Best Developmental Story - Joey Porter Jr.
The One Who Got Away - Dan Kendra

 

[Nitt1300]

Best Recruit, Pre-Internet - Mike Reid

 

[EricStratton-RushChairman]

Dan Kendra... Nice pull

 

[Midnighter]

Dan Kendra... Nice pull

I think he could have been a big deal at PSU. He probably would have played fairly soon. He got log jammed at FSU and obsessed with weightlifting. Maybe he chills more with Christie Cochran? Would have been the man after Collins…

 

[JWB389]

You have to subscribe for the whole article, but these are the categories and selections for Penn State:

Best Recruit, Pre-Internet - LaVar Arrington
Best Recruit, Modern Era - Saquon Barkley
Most Influential - Derrick Williams
Biggest Bust - Ricky Slade
Best Developmental Story - Matt McGloin
The One Who Got Away - Justin Fields

Any thoughts? What would your list be if you couldn’t include these recruits? Maybe:

Best, Pre-Internet - Ki-Jana Carter
Best, Modern - Micah Parsons
Most Influential - Christian Hackenberg
Biggest Bust - Brandon Smith
Best Developmental Story - Joey Porter Jr.
The One Who Got Away - Dan Kendra

What is the cutoff for pre-internet? I recall Lavar being the one of the earliest recruiting stories I ever followed back in the plotit days.

 

[Midnighter]

What is the cutoff for pre-internet? I recall Lavar being the one of the earliest recruiting stories I ever followed back in the plotit days.

Dunno - article mentions Paterno using Skype in 2011…

 

[psuro]

Best Recruit Pre-Internet - Quintus McDonald. He was the USA Today Defensive Player of the Year. He was the best recruit, but did not turn out to be the best player.
Best Recruit, Modern Era- Nick Singleton - he was Gatorade POY. Parsons cannot say that.
Most Influential - I would agree with Derrick Williams
Biggest Bust - Eric Renkey says "hello".
Best Development Story - McGloin is a good choice. Greg Garrity Sr is also a good choice.
The One Who Got Away - Mike Ditka

 

[LB99]

Biggest Bust- Ricky Slade? I’m thinking more like Hack. Or Eric Shrive.

 

[Midnighter]

Biggest Bust- Ricky Slade? I’m thinking more like Hack. Or Eric Shrive.

Wedderburn? Corey Jones?

 

[LB99]

Wedderburn? Corey Jones?

Not Wedderburn. He played and contributed. Jones, maybe? Shrive never saw the field. I’m pretty sure Hack was the top QB recruit in the country.

 

[Midnighter]

Not Wedderburn. He played and contributed. Jones, maybe? Shrive never saw the field. I’m pretty sure Hack was the top QB recruit in the country.

Wedderburn was top ten got injured and was three inches shorter than his reported height. He was fine but not the killer DL I was hoping for (especially after switching positions). I’d add Corey Jones was rated the same as Randy Moss at WR coming out of Hs despite being 5’9” in heels….

 

[psuro]

Wedderburn was top ten got injured and was three inches shorter than his reported height. He was fine but not the killer DL I was hoping for (especially after switching positions). I’d add Corey Jones was rated the same as Randy Moss at WR coming out of Hs despite being 5’9” in heels….

If you are looking at players that did not produce relative to their perceieved skills, then you have to add AJ Wallace to the list. 4/5 star CB who was #1 in his position in the country. Did not really shine at PSU, although he played a lot.

 

[Blair10]

You have to subscribe for the whole article, but these are the categories and selections for Penn State:

Best Recruit, Pre-Internet - LaVar Arrington
Best Recruit, Modern Era - Saquon Barkley
Most Influential - Derrick Williams
Biggest Bust - Ricky Slade
Best Developmental Story - Matt McGloin
The One Who Got Away - Justin Fields

Any thoughts? What would your list be if you couldn’t include these recruits? Maybe:

Best, Pre-Internet - Ki-Jana Carter
Best, Modern - Micah Parsons
Most Influential - Christian Hackenberg
Biggest Bust - Brandon Smith
Best Developmental Story - Joey Porter Jr.
The One Who Got Away - Dan Kendra

Biggest Busts - Christian Hackenberg, Scott Stratton (Parade AA, USA AA) 305 LB OL

The one who got away - Tony Dorsett

Best recruits on defense - Shane Conlan, Bruce Clark

Best recruits on offense - Ki Jana Carter, Saquon Barkley

 

[NoSoup4U]

Best Recruit Pre-Internet - Quintus McDonald. He was the USA Today Defensive Player of the Year. He was the best recruit, but did not turn out to be the best player.
Best Recruit, Modern Era- Nick Singleton - he was Gatorade POY. Parsons cannot say that.
Most Influential - I would agree with Derrick Williams
Biggest Bust - Eric Renkey says "hello".
Best Development Story - McGloin is a good choice. Greg Garrity Sr is also a good choice.
The One Who Got Away - Mike Ditka

I would then say Quintas would be the Bust--- but then again so is Morelli

 

[Bison13]

If you are looking at players that did not produce relative to their perceieved skills, then you have to add AJ Wallace to the list. 4/5 star CB who was #1 in his position in the country. Did not really shine at PSU, although he played a lot.

Never understood the AJ Wallace hype. Coached against him in basketball, was not a superior athlete. 5 Stars should easily be the best athlete on the floor even if they aren't true basketball players, he was not. I drew up a pretty sweet play to seal the win as well....

 

[Midnighter]

Biggest Busts - Christian Hackenberg, Scott Stratton (Parade AA, USA AA) 305 LB OL

The one who got away - Tony Dorsett

Best recruits on defense - Shane Conlan, Bruce Clark

Best recruits on offense - Ki Jana Carter, Saquon Barkley

How is Hackenberg - or anyone who came to PSU and played under sanctions - a bust? He started three years and was basically told to hit the road. His offenses starred Bill Belton. I’d give anyone on the OB teams a pass. He was as good as any QB we had since Clark.

 

[Blair10]

How is Hackenberg - or anyone who came to PSU and played under sanctions - a bust? He started three years and was basically told to hit the road. His offenses starred Bill Belton. I’d give anyone on the OB teams a pass. He was as good as any QB we had since Clark.

You don’t get a pass when you are a 5 star recruit. Ever hear of the old saying he looked like Tarzan but played like Jane?
That was Hack. By the way, Hack’s offense included arguably the greatest WR in PSU history. His name is Allen Robinson who is still in the NFL.

Hack was a huge bust on so many levels that had nothing to do with sanctions.

Examples:

- Consistently taking unnecessary sacks
- Horrible accuracy causing receivers like Robinson to make acrobatic catches
- Taking 4th down sacks when he clearly had time. Go look at the end of the MSU game in East Lansing during Hack’s last year.
- Consistently throwing the ball at the feet of wide open receivers.

My bet, is that if you ran a poll on biggest busts in PSU history, Hack would easily finish in the top 3.

 

[Midnighter]

You don’t get a pass when you are a 5 star recruit. Ever hear of the old saying he looked like Tarzan but played like Jane?
That was Hack. By the way, Hack’s offense included arguably the greatest WR in PSU history. His name is Allen Robinson who is still in the NFL.

Hack was a huge bust on so many levels that had nothing to do with sanctions.

Examples:

- Consistently taking unnecessary sacks
- Horrible accuracy causing receivers like Robinson to make acrobatic catches
- Taking 4th down sacks when he clearly had time. Go look at the end of the MSU game in East Lansing during Hack’s last year.
- Consistently throwing the ball at the feet of wide open receivers.

My bet, is that if you ran a poll on biggest busts in PSU history, Hack would easily finish in the top 3.

Terrible take. How was his OL? The guys who blocked each other? I’d invite you to go back and read some of the very excellent analysis on why Hack took so many sacks (hint: zero time) from the former BWI writer who left to cover the Patriots. Very clearly laid out how bad the OL was under O’Brien.

I guess if players don’t get a pass from sanctions, coaches don’t either.

 

[Blair10]

Terrible take. How was his OL? The guys who blocked each other? I’d invite you to go back and read some of the very excellent analysis on why Hack took so many sacks (hint: zero time) from the former BWI writer who left to cover the Patriots. Very clearly laid out how bad the OL was under O’Brien.

I guess if players don’t get a pass from sanctions, coaches don’t either.

You do realize in Hack’s final year 2015 he had Chris Godwin and Saquon Barkley on offense.

Also, it was no accident Trace McSorley managed to win a B1G championship in 2016 with a similar weak offensive line.

At some point, the Hack excuses have become kind of embarrassing. It’s always someone else’s fault when it comes to Hack.

 

[psuro]

Pretty sure that one of the the biggest busts of all time at Penn State was this certain brown eyed girl from the Hub circa my junior year.

 

[Midnighter]

You do realize in Hack’s final year 2015 he had Chris Godwin and Saquon Barkley on offense.

Also, it was no accident Trace McSorley managed to win a B1G championship in 2016 with a similar weak offensive line.

At some point, the Hack excuses have become kind of embarrassing. It’s always someone else’s fault when it comes to Hack.

Neither were who they would be the following year (and Godwin has been a much better pro than college player). The hate on Hack is embarrassing.

 

[Bison13]

Pretty sure that one of the the biggest busts of all time at Penn State was this certain brown eyed girl from the Hub circa my junior year.

Flag

 

[LionJim]

Pretty sure that one of the the biggest busts of all time at Penn State was this certain brown eyed girl from the Hub circa my junior year.

Or the blonde in Pattee Library, 1977. Yeats: “I shall be a sinful man to the end, and think upon my death-bed of all the nights I wasted in my youth.”

 

[LB99]

How is Hackenberg - or anyone who came to PSU and played under sanctions - a bust? He started three years and was basically told to hit the road. His offenses starred Bill Belton. I’d give anyone on the OB teams a pass. He was as good as any QB we had since Clark.

Neither were who they would be the following year (and Godwin has been a much better pro than college player). The hate on Hack is embarrassing.

I don’t hate Hack. It’s just reality that he didn’t pan out as the franchise QB he was supposed to be as the top QB recruit in the country. It’s not unique to him either. It happens all the time.

 

[Midnighter]

I don’t hate Hack. It’s just reality that he didn’t pan out as the franchise QB he was supposed to be as the top QB recruit in the country. It’s not unique to him either. It happens all the time.

But Franklin gets a pass for his first two years because of sanctions. A QB who actually had to play the game doesn’t get one? Wow.

 

[LB99]

But Franklin gets a pass for his first two years because of sanctions. A QB who actually had to play the game doesn’t get one? Wow.

When did I bring up Franklin?

 

[LB99]

He was the #7 overall recruit in the country. The #1 rated QB. 5 stars. Perfect 100 rating.

I applaud him for his decision and his time at PSU. He played through a very difficult time with less scholarship players than any other school. However, he simply did not live up to the hype. I remember the homecoming game against NW at home in 2014. Belton was wide open and could have run for 30 yards untouched on a screen pass and Hack drilled it into the dirt. Belton threw his arms up in disbelief. He was fantastic in the Pinstripe Bowl. He threw into windows that were very tight. But that was the issue with him. Very, very inconsistent. I’m sorry, but he simply didn’t live up to the hype.

 

[Keyser Soze 16802]

Wasn't Hack a 2nd rd pick? How many PSU QBs have gone that high in the draft?

The one that got away....Kevin Jones?

 

[Keyser Soze 16802]

The one that got away for Rutgres has to be Saquon, right?

 

[LB99]

Wasn't Hack a 2nd rd pick? How many PSU QBs have gone that high in the draft?

The one that got away....Kevin Jones?

Yes…to the Jets. There’s a reason why certain franchises are always struggling..bad decisions in the front office.

 

[Blair10]

Wasn't Hack a 2nd rd pick? How many PSU QBs have gone that high in the draft?

The one that got away....Kevin Jones?

Kerry Collins and Todd Blackledge were drafted in the first round of their respective NFL drafts.

 

[Pocono Lion]

He was the #7 overall recruit in the country. The #1 rated QB. 5 stars. Perfect 100 rating.

I applaud him for his decision and his time at PSU. He played through a very difficult time with less scholarship players than any other school. However, he simply did not live up to the hype. I remember the homecoming game against NW at home in 2015. Belton was wide open and could have run for 30 yards untouched on a screen pass and Hack drilled it into the dirt. Belton threw his arms up in disbelief. He was fantastic in the Pinstripe Bowl. He threw into windows that were very tight. But that was the issue with him. Very, very inconsistent. I’m sorry, but he simply didn’t live up to the hype.

Bust is a pretty harsh term. Just my opinion, but not living up to the hype doesn’t necessarily make you a bust. If that’s the case then most 5*’s could be considered busts. IMO, a bust would be a 5* that stinks, can’t crack the starting lineup and hardly plays during the entirety of their career.

 

[LB99]

Bust is a pretty harsh term. Just my opinion, but not living up to the hype doesn’t necessarily make you a bust. If that’s the case then most 5*’s could be considered busts. IMO, a bust would be a 5* that stinks, can’t crack the starting lineup and hardly plays during the entirety of their career.

Fair enough. Which means Ricky Slade wasn’t a bust either. Neither was Brandon Smith. Takes me back to my original post. Eric Shrive.

 

[Tri-Power65]

Bust is a pretty harsh term. Just my opinion, but not living up to the hype doesn’t necessarily make you a bust. If that’s the case then most 5*’s could be considered busts. IMO, a bust would be a 5* that stinks, can’t crack the starting lineup and hardly plays during the entirety of their career.

Agree. And for the record Morelli was not a bust.

 

[LB99]

Agree. And for the record Morelli was not a bust.

Not the most complimentary of the coaching he got.

Anthony Morelli Agrees to Terms with Arizona

Ken Whisenhunt said that the Cardinals would like to sign between 12-13 undrafted players, which they would like to solidify as soon as possible. And Scout.com's Ed Thompso...

247sports.com

 

[Midnighter]

When did I bring up Franklin?

You didn’t. But Franklin did poorly his first couple years at PSU. Is that because he sucks? No impact from Sanctions? Hackenberg probably wins a NC if he goes to Bama.

 

[Blair10]

Bust is a pretty harsh term. Just my opinion, but not living up to the hype doesn’t necessarily make you a bust. If that’s the case then most 5*’s could be considered busts. IMO, a bust would be a 5* that stinks, can’t crack the starting lineup and hardly plays during the entirety of their career.

Completely disagree with your definition of bust. You are taking things way too personally. The fact is many 5 star recruits are busts. Being a starter does not disqualify a player from being labeled a bust.

By definition, a bust is a highly touted player who does not meet expectations.

JaMarcus Russell was an NFL starter and the first overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. Yet, he is widely known as a huge bust because he did not meet expectations. Has nothing to do with being a starter.

 

[Midnighter]

Completely disagree with your definition of bust. You are taking things way too personally. The fact is many 5 star recruits are busts. Being a starter does not disqualify a player from being labeled a bust.

By definition, a bust is a highly touted player who does not meet expectations.

JaMarcus Russell was an NFL starter and the first overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. Yet, he is widely known as a huge bust because he did not meet expectations. Has nothing to do with being a starter.

What are the expectations for a freshman QB who can’t practice at full speed and whose recruiting class was cut by half? Oh and his team had more than a dozen players transfer? You’re not being serious.

 

[Blair10]

Not the most complimentary of the coaching he got.

Anthony Morelli Agrees to Terms with Arizona

Ken Whisenhunt said that the Cardinals would like to sign between 12-13 undrafted players, which they would like to solidify as soon as possible. And Scout.com's Ed Thompso...

247sports.com

Everything Morelli said was accurate and true. Historically, Penn State’s QB legacy has not been overly impressive. However there have been a few exceptions (McSorley, Collins, Fusina, Blackledge, etc.) who were successful high quality QBs at the collegiate level. Coach Franklin has helped to improve things with a more modern and aggressive mindset when it comes to offense. This was really recognizable with the brilliant Joe Moorhead hire by coach Franklin.

 

[Blair10]

What are the expectations for a freshman QB who can’t practice at full speed and whose recruiting class was cut by half? Oh and his team had more than a dozen players transfer? You’re not being serious.

Talk about not being serious, you actually posted Hack would have won a National Championship at Alabama. Come on man.

Ranking NFL's second-round QBs since 2000: Is Christian Hackenberg biggest bust?

The NFL draft has featured both second-round QB success stories (Drew Brees) and busts (Brian Brohm). We rank all of them since 2000 from worst to first.

www.usatoday.com