In the FCS Huddle: Top recruits not necessarily at top schools
NCAA Football Betting Lines
02/02/2012 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ever get one of those do-not-open-until- the-holidays packages in the mail?
Well, let's just say we will need to revisit this column in about three years.
That's because recruiting analysis is so fickle - an educated, five-foot throw at the dartboard, but a throw nonetheless.
We'll see where Wednesday's national signing day takes us with this year's incoming FCS freshmen, but the top recruits may not be headed where you think.
Oh sure, Montana State might have signed the best incoming quarterback in Dakota Pruko out of Texas (this storyline has worked for the Bobcats before), or maybe it was Floridian Vegas Harley's commitment to Georgia Southern on signing day.
But the main national recruiting sites - ESPN, Rivals and Scout - say the top incoming freshman is going to South Carolina State.
Yes, a MEAC school.
Indeed, the grades and rankings are highest for 6-foot-6, 290-pound offensive tackle Javarius Leamon, who stayed in-state and gave a commitment to South Carolina State over Clemson on national signing day. The big talent out of Woodruff High is the biggest signee for the conference in a long time.
Leamon shares the top grade from ESPN with a player who didn't even sign a national letter of intent. Well, the Ivy League doesn't have such agreements, and, yes, Penn has a verbal commitment from Los Angeles Beverly Hills wide receiver Cameron Countryman, who ESPN ranks alongside Leamon with 79 scores each.
Up next were Pruko and Harley with 78s - top signees for top programs.
Leamon earned the top rating from Rivals - a 5.8 - and was followed by a signee from a Southland Conference program.
It wasn't national finalist Sam Houston State, either. How about struggling Southeastern Louisiana, which plucked linebacker Juwaan Rogers and his 5.7 rating out of Louisiana. He also gave his commitment on signing day.
Next up with 5.6s each were Harley, wide receivers Dalis Bruce (Eastern Washington) and Tray Rabon (Grambling State), quarterback Lamontiez Ivy (Jackson State), and running backs D.J. Abnar (Liberty), R.J. Robinson (Norfolk State) and Daniel Taylor (Northwestern State).
That's not a bad list of FCS programs, but not necessarily the cream of the national crop, either.
Scout? It gave Matt Barnett the nation's No. 16 rating at fullback and he signed with Wagner. Stud center prospect Austin Stock, No. 24 nationally, has given a verbal commitment to Columbia.
So who knows how the recruiting grades will turn out in the long run.
Maybe a lot of these players will soon be coming to an All-America team near you.
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - NFL owners approved a $200 million loan on Thursday to help the San Francisco 49ers build a new stadium in Santa Clara. In December, the Santa Clara Stadium Authority unanimously approved an $850 millio
<< Swansea's Bodde suffers new injury
Swansea, Wales (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Swansea City midfielder Ferrie Bodde picked
up a new knee injury Wednesday and could face a longer spell on the sidelines.
Bodde has not played for Swansea since February of 2010, and has made just 59
appe
<< Flames' Stempniak sidelined with high ankle sprain
Calgary, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Calgary Flames forward Lee Stempniak will miss
approximately six weeks of action due to a high ankle sprain.
Stempniak left Tuesday's game against the Red Wings due to the injury.
In 51 games this season, St
<< Nationals pick up Edwin Jackson
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Washington Nationals have agreed to
terms with veteran starter Edwin Jackson on a one-year contract.
The deal is contingent upon Jackson passing a physical.
Jackson, 28, entered the majors in 2
<< Earthquakes sign Colombian Tressor Moreno
San Jose, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Jose Earthquakes signed Colombian
midfielder Tressor Moreno on Thursday, pending receipt of his P-1 visa.
Moreno, 33, has played for clubs in Colombia, France, Chile, Mexico and Peru,
and played
Montpellier, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Top-seeded Tomas Berdych and Frenchman Gael Monfils were among Thursday's second-round winners at the Open Sud de France tennis tournament. Berdych, the Czech Republic native ranked seventh in the
Pletcher goes for another Davis win >>
Oldsmar, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Trainer Todd Pletcher has been dominating the
Sam F. Davis Stakes in recent years and has another opportunity to win the
event with its 32nd renewal on Saturday. The $250,000 stakes, with a field of
11 thre
Youzhny rolls; Bogomolov ousted in Zagreb >>
Zagreb, Croatia (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mikhail Youzhny cruised into the
quarterfinals of the Zagreb Indoors tournament Thursday, while fellow Russian
Alex Bogomolov was eliminated by Slovakia's Lukas Lacko.
A pair of past Zagreb w
Colts name Manusky defensive coordinator >>
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Indianapolis Colts have hired Greg
Manusky as defensive coordinator.
The Colts named Bruce Arians offensive coordinator earlier this week.
Manusky was the defensive coordinator of the San Diego
Chievo hands struggling Novara another loss >>
Novara, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sergio Pellissier and Cyril Thereau scored on
each side of halftime as Chievo downed struggling Novara, 2-1, on Thursday in
Serie A.
Pellissier opened the scoring on 33 minutes and Thereau added a second goa
Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds
Super Bowl XLIII, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers.Super Bowl XLIII is now set, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers will meet each other on February 1st in Tampa's Raymond James Stadium to battle it out for the coveted Lombardi Trophy. The game kicks off at 6:00pm ET on NBC with announcers Al Michaels and John Madden covering the on-field action. Super Bowl XLIII betting odds at online bookmaker MySportsbook.com have the Steelers listed as an early -6.5 against the spread favorite.Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds
Pittsburgh earned their passage to the big game by beating their division rival, the Baltimore Ravens, 23-14 in yesterday's AFC Championship Game. The Steelers jumped on Baltimore early, building a 13-0 first half lead, and never let up on their way to a fairly easy win. Although the Ravens did close to within two points in the fourth quarter, it never appeared as if they had enough offense to pull off the upset.
The Steelers dominating defense held Baltimore to a total of 198 yards while allowing them to convert just three third downs in 13 attempts. Pittsburgh also forced quarterback Joe Flacco into three interceptions, one of which safety Troy Polamalu returned fourty yards for a touchdown.
The Cardinals, by far the playoff team with the longest odds to reach Super Bowl XLIII, did so yesterday with a 32-25 upset of the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship. Arizona charged out of the gates and built a 24-6 halftime lead that had the Eagles venerable defense reeling. Quarterback Kurt Warner and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald did most of the damage, connecting on three first half touchdowns.
Arizona, however, could not sustain their momentum and the Eagles took a 25-24 with 10:45 left to play in the fourth. The Cardinals, with the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance hanging in the balance, mounted a fourteen play, 72 yard touchdown drive that consumed 7:52 off the clock. Warner hit running back Tim Hightower on a short screen for the go-ahead, game clinching score that will forever live in Cardinal infamy.
MySportsbook.com's Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds:
Pittsburgh Steelers -6.5 (-110), Over 46.5 (-110), -260 (Money line)
Arizona Cardinals +6.5 (-110), Under 46.5 (-110), +220 (Money line)
Matt Foust won both of his conference championship plays yesterday and he is ready to serve up plenty of Super Bowl action. Each individual play costs $15.00, however, MySportsbook.com recommends purchasing Matt's NFL Playoff Package which includes all of Matt's Super Bowl props and picks from just $45.00.
Get free Super Bowl XLIII Betting from top rated online sportsbook MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online Super Bowl betting with credit cards