Hits & Misses
Hit: Brian Hendricks (LB) — Originally unranked. Outcome: All Conference. Hendricks achieved a high outcome despite being unranked, showcasing strong performance in his position.
Hit: Clayton Kirven (OT) — Originally unranked. Outcome: All Conference. Kirven also exceeded expectations by earning All Conference recognition without a pre-existing ranking.
Hit: Gabe Knapton (LB) — Originally unranked. Outcome: All Conference. Knapton matched his peers with a noteworthy outcome, contributing significantly to the team's defensive efforts.
Hit: Josh Biezuns (LB) — Originally unranked. Outcome: All Conference. Biezuns rounded out the group of unranked players who achieved All Conference status, indicating strong development.
Miss: Mark Oliver (LB) — Originally ranked 714. Outcome: Contributor. Oliver did not meet the expectations set by his ranking, achieving only a contributor level outcome.
Miss: Chris Stutzriem (QB) — Originally ranked 1011. Outcome: Contributor. Stutzriem's performance fell short of his potential as a ranked recruit, resulting in a low contribution level.
Development Story
The 2007 recruiting class for Wyoming demonstrated notable development patterns, particularly among unranked recruits. Four players—Brian Hendricks, Clayton Kirven, Gabe Knapton, and Josh Biezuns—achieved All Conference status, significantly exceeding their recruiting expectations. This success reflects the program's ability to identify and develop talent regardless of initial rankings, contributing to the overall strength of the team.
Contrastingly, the class also included two ranked recruits, Mark Oliver and Chris Stutzriem, who did not reach the expected outcomes associated with their rankings. Both players achieved only contributor status, indicating that while the program successfully developed players without expectations, it struggled to maximize the potential of those with prior rankings. This disparity highlights a mixed outcome for the class, where unranked players thrived, but ranked recruits underperformed relative to their projected potential.
Outcome Summary
Overall, the 2007 recruiting class for Wyoming met expectations, particularly due to the standout performances of unranked players. The S2S rerank moved up from 82 to 73, reflecting a positive shift in the class's overall impact, particularly through the success of several unranked recruits. The combination of strong outcomes among unranked athletes and limited contributions from ranked players led to a nuanced evaluation of the class, demonstrating that recruiting success can sometimes be found outside traditional rankings.
Takeaway: The 2007 Wyoming recruiting class highlighted the importance of player development, with unranked athletes significantly outpacing their ranked counterparts.