#1
Northwestern · 2006
Recruiting #112 → S2S #13
Ignored class turned into elite outcomes.
+99 spots vs recruiting rank — 2 NFL outcomes from 14 recruits
Development
+99
- Recruiting Rank
- #112
- S2S Rank
- #13
- Dev Score
- 99
Ignored on signing day. Proven on Sundays.
What it means: this view highlights the biggest positive gap between recruiting reputation and S2S outcomes — the programs that consistently proved recruiting rankings wrong.
Recruiting sets the input. Factories prove development is the multiplier.
Some programs consistently beat recruiting rankings
Development beats recruiting rankings.
Factories don’t just sign talent
They turn overlooked recruits into pros.
The best builders win despite ranking disadvantages
They win without elite recruiting classes.
The pattern is simple: they build players — then the rerank confirms it.
Northwestern · 2006
Ignored class turned into elite outcomes.
+99 spots vs recruiting rank — 2 NFL outcomes from 14 recruits
Wake Forest · 2004
Bottom-tier recruiting, top-tier NFL results.
+99 spots vs recruiting rank — 5 NFL outcomes from 19 recruits
Boise State · 2007
Low-ranked class became NFL pipeline.
+98 spots vs recruiting rank — 8 NFL outcomes from 24 recruits
Numbers tell you what happened. The story explains why.
Northwestern's 2006 recruiting class was ranked a lowly 112th but shockingly finished 13th in outcome rankings.
This class exceeded expectations by nearly 100 spots, showcasing remarkable development despite an average star rating of only 2.7.
Wake Forest's 2004 recruiting class was ranked low at #106, but they dramatically exceeded expectations by finishing at #7 in S2S outcomes.
With an average star rating of 2.9, this class showcased remarkable development, producing five NFL players and a substantial ranking gap of nearly 99 spots.
Boise State's 2007 recruiting class was ranked low at #103 but achieved a remarkable #5 in outcome ranking.
This class significantly outperformed expectations, closing a massive gap of nearly 98 spots with a modest average star rating of 2.7.
Same recruiting hype, wildly different outcomes. The red bar shows where the class landed.
Compare programs by player development, overall S2S results, and recruiting overperformance.
Ranked by Development Score: the share of signees who became college starters or NFL talent. A higher score means more recruits reached meaningful on-field impact.
See the programs that signed elite classes—and got nothing back.