Virginia Tech 2004 — Recruiting Outcomes

Hits & Misses

Hit: Brandon Flowers (CB) — Originally unranked. Outcome: NFL Pro Bowl. Despite coming in as an unranked recruit, Flowers managed to exceed expectations by attaining the highest possible outcome. Hit: Josh Morgan (WR) — Originally unranked. Outcome: NFL Starter. Another unranked recruit, Morgan demonstrated considerable development during his time at Virginia Tech, eventually emerging as a NFL starter. Miss: George Bell (RB) — Originally ranked 118. Outcome: Contributor. Although he was one of the higher-ranked recruits in this class, Bell's eventual outcome of being a mere contributor was a disappointment. Miss: Sean Glennon (QB) — Originally ranked 149. Outcome: College Starter. Glennon, despite his relatively high original ranking, only managed to become a college starter, falling short of lofty expectations.

Development Story

The 2004 recruiting class of Virginia Tech is a fascinating study in development patterns. Despite the original class ranking of 30, the program managed to significantly outperform this position, as indicated by the S2S rerank of 10. This suggests a strong development pipeline within the program, particularly for unranked recruits like Flowers and Morgan who eventually became high-impact players. However, it's also worth noting the missed opportunities with some blue-chip recruits, such as Bell and Glennon, who fell short of their potential. These cases underline the inherent unpredictability of college football recruitment, where higher-ranked recruits do not always translate into better outcomes.

Outcome Summary

Overall, the 2004 Virginia Tech class significantly outperformed expectations. The upward move from the original class rank of 30 to the S2S rerank of 10 demonstrates the program's strong development capabilities. However, the underperformance of some higher-ranked recruits serves as a reminder that initial rankings are not always indicative of eventual success. In conclusion, the 2004 Virginia Tech class was a strong group that achieved more than initially expected, with unranked recruits leading the way.