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2004 Recruiting Rankings Were Wrong
We re-ranked 2,535 recruits across 119 teams based on what actually happened — not hype.
Live class note: 1 team includes active NFL players. Scores reflect earned career value to date.
The story in 3 lines
- 🏆 LSU: #5 → #1 (Elite outcomes)
- 💎 Wake Forest: #106 → #7 (Best development class)
- 💀 Florida: #3 → #22 (Massive underperformance)
What Stands Out — 2004
• Wake Forest = biggest development success
• Florida = #3 class → #22 (collapse)
• SEC dominated top-end outcomes
• Mid-majors produced elite value (TCU, Wake Forest, Iowa)
Biggest Recruiting Busts
Florida
(#3 → #22)
Georgia
(#7 → #18)
Michigan
(#2 → #4)
Talent Factories
Wake Forest
(#106 → #7)
Cincinnati
(#110 → #16)
Stanford
(#93 → #15)
Lived Up to the Hype
LSU
(#5 → #1)
USC
(#8 → #2)
Tennessee
(#21 → #3)
What This Data Shows
Recruiting rankings measure potential.
S2S measures outcomes — including NFL production, longevity, and real contribution.
⭐ Star ratings are inconsistent predictors
📈 Development programs outperform talent-heavy ones
💀 Top classes bust more often than expected
Sort by:
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LSU
🔺 +4S2S Rank
#1
Recruiting Rank
#5
✔ — NFL Players
✔ — College Starters
✔ Hit Rate —
Recruiting Rank: 5
S2S Rank: 1
USC
🔺 +6S2S Rank
#2
Recruiting Rank
#8
✔ — NFL Players
✔ — College Starters
✔ Hit Rate —
Recruiting Rank: 8
S2S Rank: 2
Tennessee
🔺 +18S2S Rank
#3
Recruiting Rank
#21
✔ — NFL Players
✔ — College Starters
✔ Hit Rate —
Recruiting Rank: 21
S2S Rank: 3
Michigan
🔻 -2S2S Rank
#4
Recruiting Rank
#2
✔ — NFL Players
✔ — College Starters
✔ Hit Rate —
Recruiting Rank: 2
S2S Rank: 4
Texas
🔺 +1S2S Rank
#5
Recruiting Rank
#6
✔ — NFL Players
✔ — College Starters
✔ Hit Rate —
Recruiting Rank: 6
S2S Rank: 5
TCU
🔺 +74S2S Rank
#6
Recruiting Rank
#80
✔ — NFL Players
✔ — College Starters
✔ Hit Rate —
Recruiting Rank: 80
S2S Rank: 6
Wake Forest
🔺 +99S2S Rank
#7
Recruiting Rank
#106
✔ — NFL Players
✔ — College Starters
✔ Hit Rate —
Recruiting Rank: 106
S2S Rank: 7
Virginia
🔺 +40S2S Rank
#8
Recruiting Rank
#48
✔ — NFL Players
✔ — College Starters
✔ Hit Rate —
Recruiting Rank: 48
S2S Rank: 8
California
🔺 +5S2S Rank
#9
Recruiting Rank
#14
✔ — NFL Players
✔ — College Starters
✔ Hit Rate —
Recruiting Rank: 14
S2S Rank: 9
Oklahoma
🔻 -1S2S Rank
#10
Recruiting Rank
#9
✔ — NFL Players
✔ — College Starters
✔ Hit Rate —
Recruiting Rank: 9
S2S Rank: 10
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