Sunday, May 19, 2013

Poll results: Who will be the best linebacker in the 2013 class?

Hudson (OH) Hudson linebacker Ben Gedeon
Ben Gedeon - LB - Hudson (OH) Hudson: 58%
There aren't many options for the best linebacker in the 2013 class, but Gedeon wins out here.  Gedeon is a 6'3", 220-pounder who finished the recruiting cycle as the #11 inside linebacker and the #214 overall player in 247's Composite Rankings.  Also a well rounded offensive player in high school, he was recruited to play the weakside linebacker position; there's also a chance that he could grow into the middle linebacker spot as he ages.

Mike McCray II - LB - Trotwood (OH) Trotwood-Madison: 41%
McCray is listed at 6'4" in some places, although he measured in at last summer's Rivals 5-star Challenge at just 6'1".  He also reportedly weighs 230 lbs.  Michigan's coaching staff has mentioned that they see him playing the SAM position this fall, and they surely know his actual height; but height and length are often desirable traits in a SAM, so perhaps McCray won't stay at that position for his entire career.  Readers went away from the recruiting sites' line of thinking in this vote, because McCray is considered the #4 athlete and #130 overall player by 247's Composite Rankings.

6 comments:

  1. Just out of curiosity, how do you rank the recruiting sites.

    To me, it's 247, Scout, Rivals, ESPN.

    Although at the moment, being the homer that I am, I'm rethinking ESPN since we have so many kids on the ESPN Top 150.

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    1. That depends on how you want me to determine the rankings. Which ones give the best information? Which have the best ratings? Which have the best layout? There's a lot involved.

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  2. I will be very interested to see how tall McCray is when the stats come out in August. That 6'1" measurement from Rivals may have been at a camp, but it is not consistent with how he looks on film. Judging from his comparative height with other players I would say that he must be closer to 6'3" which is fine for a SAM. As you say, the coaches "surely know his actual height".

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    1. It is pretty hard to screw up a height measurement. If he measured in at 6'1 then I'm sure he was 6'1 at that time. Hopefully he can grow a couple of inches more throughout his career.

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    2. He doesn't look 6'3" to me on film, but that's obviously not a very exact science.

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  3. I saw him and Shane standing next to each other at the Iowa game this past season, and I would say he was probably about an inch or two shorter than Shane. Max 6'2, but probably closer to 6'1.

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