Hits & Misses
Hit: Stanley Havili (RB) — Originally ranked 260. Outcome: NFL Starter. Havili significantly exceeded his lower initial ranking, ultimately becoming an NFL Starter.
Hit: David Buehler (K) — Originally unranked. Outcome: NFL Drafted. Despite not having a pre-college ranking, Buehler managed to make it to the NFL Draft, a clear demonstration of his development at USC.
Miss: Antwine Perez (S) — Originally ranked 14. Outcome: Bust. Despite high expectations given his rank, Perez didn't live up to the hype, failing to make a significant impact at USC.
Miss: Jamere Holland (WR) — Originally ranked 43. Outcome: Bust. Holland, another high-ranked recruit, also struggled at USC, resulting in a disappointing outcome for a promising player.
Development Story
The 2006 USC recruiting class was a mixed bag when it came to development. With an original ranking of 1, this class was filled with high expectations, boasting a blue-chip percentage of 85%. However, the development story of this class is one of both hits and misses.
While some recruits, like Stanley Havili and David Buehler, outperformed their initial rankings, others, like Antwine Perez and Jamere Holland, fell short. This inconsistency in development resulted in the class being reranked at 9. Despite the high percentage of blue-chip recruits, the development patterns reveal that success isn't guaranteed solely based on high school ranking.
Outcome Summary
The USC 2006 recruiting class, on the whole, underperformed its initial expectations. Despite starting with the number 1 ranking, the class was reranked at 9, indicating that the actual performance did not meet the high expectations that came with such a top-tier original ranking.
This class showcases the unpredictability of college football recruiting, with the success of originally unranked or low-ranked players and the underperformance of some highly-ranked recruits. The key takeaway from the 2006 USC class is that initial rankings, while potentially indicative of talent, do not guarantee future success on the field.