Haul marks: after months of wishing, wiggling and waffling, the freshman class for the 2002 season is set. Come inside the Big Six conferences for a look at the hits, misses and musings from another wild and wacky signing day

Sporting News, The, Feb 18, 2002 by Tom Dienhart, Matt Hayes

Ascending

Brandon Cox Quarterback

Data sheet

Name: Brandon Cox Position: Quarterback Height: 6-3 Weight: 190 pounds 40 time: 4.7 seconds Hometown: Trussville, Ala. High School: Hewitt-Trussville Committed: Auburn

Instant impact

Lorenzo Booker Running back

Data sheet

Name: Lorenzo Booker Position: Running back Height: 5-11 Weight: 178 pounds 40 time: 4.43 seconds Hometown: Ventura, Calif. High School: St. Bonaventure Committed: Florida State

ACC

Ascending: Though Virginia suffered through one of its worst seasons in years, Cavaliers fans will remember February 4--two days before national signing day--as the day things turned around. LB Kai Parham, LB Ahmad Brooks and RB Michael Johnson all committed to the Cavaliers that day, giving Virginia its best class ever and one as well-rounded as any in the country. Coach Al Groh wants to build his team around defense, and the additions of DLs Darryl Blackstock, Keenan Carter, Kwakou Robinson, Parham and Brooks will get things moving in that direction.

Descending. Chan Gailey got a late start with his first recruiting class at Georgia Tech, and it showed in the final numbers. The Yellow Jackets signed 13 players, with only five from Georgia. It's hard to ask a first-year coach to make real headway in recruiting when established coaches at other schools have been after players all season, but Tech didn't make a splash anywhere. RB Ajenavi Eziemefe and TE George Cooper are the top players from the class, but only Cooper was highly recruited. Tech failed to address its depth issues at wide receiver and on the defensive line.

Biggest surprise: So maybe it's not a surprise that Florida State, the king of college football recruiting, signed one of the nation's best players. But it was surprising that RB Lorenzo Booker shunned Notre Dame--his favorite all along--and signed with FSU, which is loaded at the position with junior Greg Jones and senior Nick Maddox.

Instant impact: NC State QB Philip Rivers is desperate for a deep threat, and WR Richard Washington is primed to take the role. The Wolfpack beat out heavy hitters Florida, Georgia and Ohio State for Washington, who also played cornerback in high school North Carolina's young offensive line should get a boost from G Kyle Ralph, whose versatility and agility will translate to early playing time. Lost among Florida State's fantastic finish was the early commitment of LB Kamerion Wimbley, who fits the athletic mold of past FSU linebackers.

Wait till 200?: WR Chris Davis, who signed with Florida State, was the best high school player in Florida last season. The Seminoles have stars stacked up at wide receiver, so it may not matter how impressive Davis' credentials are. Davis, who played quarterback at St. Petersburg (Fla.) Catholic, will start out behind impressive sophomores P.K. Sam and Craphonso Thorpe and senior Anquan Boldin, who will return from injury. Don't expect a breakout season for Davis until at least 2004.

Sleeper: Carl Franks' rebuilding job at Duke has suffered because of a lack of quality skill players. But the Blue Devils landed one in RB Malcolm Ruff, whose bullish running style and deceptive speed will fit well in Frank's one-back offense. Ruff, the player of the year in Maryland, turned down the Terps, LSU and Penn State in favor of Duke.

Rating the classes

1. Florida State

2. Virginia

3. Clemson

4. Maryland

5. NC State

6. North Carolina

7. Duke

8. Georgia Tech

9. Wake Forest

BIG EAST

Ascending: Miami used the momentum of an unbeaten season and national championship to lock up one of the nation's better classes. It begins with WRs Ryan Moore, Devin Hester and Sinorice Moss, brother of former Hurricanes All-American Santana Moss. The 'Canes also secured one of the nation's top quarterbacks: Marc Guillon of Miramonte High in Orinda, Calif., which also produced Heisman Trophy finalist Ken Dorsey. New additions not among the signees: former Florida QB Brock Berlin and RB J.R. Mounts, 23, who spent the last five years playing minor league baseball.

Descending: Temple coach Bobby Wallace says the Owls nailed 19 of the 24 players they targeted in May. That sounds like a solid plan--until you see the results. Temple's haul includes only one potential impact player: project QB Brett Haul, who enters the mix knowing the Owls started freshman Mike McGann last season. Temple's last season in the Big East is 2004, and that deadline hasn't helped the school attract quality players. Haul, OL Tariq Sanders and DBs Jonathan McPhee and David Reese have the best opportunities to compete for time this season.

Biggest surprise: Greg Schiano was Miami's best recruiter as a defensive assistant in the late 1990s, helping the program, which was rebuilding, re-establish itself in the state. Now entering his second season as Rutgers' head coach, Schiano used his Florida ties to grab nearly half of his recruiting class (10 of 23 players) from the Sunshine State. Even he couldn't have imagined that much success in convincing players from Florida to play in the Northeast for a school with virtually no tradition.