Boston College 2004 — Recruiting Outcomes

Hits & Misses

Hit: B.J. Raji (DL) — Originally ranked 933. Outcome: NFL Pro Bowl. Despite his initial low ranking, Raji emerged as a top-tier player, achieving the highest possible outcome. Hit: Ron Brace (IOL) — Originally ranked 230. Outcome: NFL Starter. Brace significantly exceeded expectations, proving to be a key player and achieving the status of an NFL Starter. Miss: Brian Toal (LB) — Originally ranked 21. Outcome: College Starter. As one of the highest-ranked recruits in the class, Toal's performance was a disappointment, only managing to become a College Starter. Miss: Brandon Robinson (CB) — Originally ranked 105. Outcome: College Starter. Despite his high original ranking, Robinson only achieved the status of a College Starter.

Development Story

Boston College's 2004 recruiting class was an intriguing mix of overachievers and underperformers. A sizable portion of the class was composed of blue-chip recruits, indicating that the Eagles had a strong recruiting presence that year. However, the performance outcomes varied considerably among the recruits. The class had several standout players who significantly exceeded their initial rankings. These players managed to rise above their initial low expectations and perform at an elite level. However, some of the highly ranked recruits failed to meet their lofty expectations, only achieving the status of College Starters.

Outcome Summary

Given the original expectations and the final outcomes, the 2004 Boston College recruiting class can be seen as a mixed bag. There were certainly success stories, but there were also disappointments. The S2S rerank of 25, slightly better than the original class rank of 27, reflects this. The significant achievements of players like Raji and Brace helped to elevate the class overall, counterbalancing the underperformance of highly-ranked recruits like Toal and Robinson. The takeaway is that while this class had its share of hits and misses, it ultimately produced some extraordinary talent.