One weekend in spring 2020 Brandon and I found ourselves at a typically warm and humid combine in Orlando, Florida. While Brandon is a pro, my combine fulfillment came from seeing kids we'd only read about in head to head competition. maybe discover some hidden jewel somewhere.
So while Brandon took notes and actually studied the prospects, I took a more casual approach and looked for obvious signs of dominance, a rare quality as almost every player in a gaggle of 100 or so looks to be similar in skill to almost every other creature sweating out on the field at the same position.
So names mean little to me, even ones that are advertised as potential "4 or 5 stars" prior to the event. On this sweltering Sunday afternoon there were a few standouts. Typically a prospect will look great one moment and flop on his next head to head. After 5 or 6 rounds there are few players you even care about. However, on this weekend it was a relatively tall skinny linebacker that caught our eye. Time after time, regardless of the competition.
"Who's that?" I asked. Brandon told me his name was Danny Stutsman, (6.2 /215), a mid level recruit (by OU standards) but he looked as good or better, than any other linebacker we saw that week.
Brandon got on the phone and dialed his opinion in to the Switzer Center and to the 247 ranking team. I would say our reception from 247 was lukewarm, at best, maybe far more positive at OU.
Anyway, Brandon hits OUInsider and expresses his opinion that Stutsman is WAY under ratted where we were hit with the expected "but -- he's only a three star" comments. With a years' worth of pleading Brandon was eventually able to promote Stutsman to a low 4* level although his 'composite ranking stayed at the '400 level, the 47th LB nationally and the # 61 player in Florida.
Now let's fast forward to current: Stutsman is now 6-4 / 235 and who would trade him for ANY linebacker in the country?
Brian
So while Brandon took notes and actually studied the prospects, I took a more casual approach and looked for obvious signs of dominance, a rare quality as almost every player in a gaggle of 100 or so looks to be similar in skill to almost every other creature sweating out on the field at the same position.
So names mean little to me, even ones that are advertised as potential "4 or 5 stars" prior to the event. On this sweltering Sunday afternoon there were a few standouts. Typically a prospect will look great one moment and flop on his next head to head. After 5 or 6 rounds there are few players you even care about. However, on this weekend it was a relatively tall skinny linebacker that caught our eye. Time after time, regardless of the competition.
"Who's that?" I asked. Brandon told me his name was Danny Stutsman, (6.2 /215), a mid level recruit (by OU standards) but he looked as good or better, than any other linebacker we saw that week.
Brandon got on the phone and dialed his opinion in to the Switzer Center and to the 247 ranking team. I would say our reception from 247 was lukewarm, at best, maybe far more positive at OU.
Anyway, Brandon hits OUInsider and expresses his opinion that Stutsman is WAY under ratted where we were hit with the expected "but -- he's only a three star" comments. With a years' worth of pleading Brandon was eventually able to promote Stutsman to a low 4* level although his 'composite ranking stayed at the '400 level, the 47th LB nationally and the # 61 player in Florida.
Now let's fast forward to current: Stutsman is now 6-4 / 235 and who would trade him for ANY linebacker in the country?
Brian
