With it now being five full seasons since the 2013 class, let's review and see how things went.
This was Coach Holtz's first class at Tech, and what a strange class this was. There are three bonafide NFL players on this list, which makes it very, very difficult to throw stones (especially given the circumstances with the short turnaround time the staff had in recruiting). And of course as usual, there are some busts to go along with the superstars.
When I used to do these way (way) back in the day, I did it on a 0, 1 and 2 point scale. 0 for bust, 1 for contributor, and 2 for high caliber starter. Let's stick with that. Generally, anything north of 50% is good and 60% is really good.
Carlos Henderson
ATH New Orleans, LA 5'10" 170 5.4
SCORE: 2 (TOTAL: 2/2)
Not much needs to be said
Xavier Woods
DB West Monroe, LA 5'11" 180 5.6
SCORE: 2 (TOTAL: 4/4)
Likewise
Chris Aye
OL Houston, TX 6'4" 285 5.3
SCORE: 0 (TOTAL: 4/6)
Bust. Ended up at McNeese, I think. Never did much.
Jamario Lambert
WR Vero Beach, FL 6'2" 190 5.4
SCORE: 0 (TOTAL: 4/8)
Bust. Never made it to campus.
Logan McPherson
K Fort Payne, AL 5'11" 165 5.2
SCORE: 1 (TOTAL: 5/10)
I'll generously throw McPherson a point. He stuck around and did some punting.
Thomas McDonald
DB Corsicana, TX 6'3" 190 0
SCORE: 1 (TOTAL: 6/12)
He started for a full year, so he gets a point. He washed out after one season, however.
Terrell Pinson
DB Fulton, MS 6'3" 215 5.6
SCORE: 2 (TOTAL: 8/14)
Two year starter at a critical position.
Tre Carter
OL Milledgeville, GA 6'3" 285 5.3
SCORE: 1 (TOTAL: 9/16)
One year starter, but didn't move the needle.
Kevin Gary
WR Milledgeville, GA 6'1" 180 5.4
SCORE: 0 (TOTAL: 9/18)
Bust
Eddie Johnson
WR Corsicana, TX 6'3" 200 5.5
SCORE: 0 (TOTAL: 9/20)
Look like Tarzan, play like Jane
Michael Jacob
DB Allen, TX 5'11" 170 5.4
SCORE: 0 (TOTAL: 9/22)
Bust. Left after one season, and never had FBS talent to begin with.
Mitchell Bell
OL Corsicana, TX 6'4" 320 5.5
SCORE: 2 (TOTAL: 11/24)
Two year starter. Good contribution; cup of coffee in the League.
Mitchell Villemez
LB Brenham, TX 6'1" 230 5.4
SCORE: 2 (TOTAL: 13/26)
Two year starter. Great hair.
Nick Thomason
LB Booneville, MS 6'1" 230 5.3
SCORE: 2 (TOTAL: 15/28)
Solid starter. Good pickup.
Tony Johnson
LB Summit, MS 6'4" 250 5.4
SCORE: 1 (TOTAL: 16/30)
One year starter. And he loses a point for leaving the team high and dry in the CUSA championship by not going to class.
Jonathan Barnes
K Baton Rouge, LA 5'10" 155 5.3
SCORE: 2 (TOTAL: 18/32)
All time leading FG kicker in school history.
Trent Taylor
WR Shreveport, LA 5'9" 170 5.5
SCORE: 2 (TOTAL: 20/34)
What more can be said.
Hakim Gray
DE Stonewall, LA 6'4" 235 5.6
SCORE: 0 (TOTAL: 20/36)
Got hurt and never recovered. An unfortunate bust.
DeAngelo Brooks
DT Kilgore, TX 6'1" 290 5.4
SCORE: 1 (TOTAL: 21/38)
Contributor
Nicholas Bickham
DE St. Amant, LA 6'4" 240 5.4
SCORE: 0 (TOTAL: 21/40)
Bust
Cam Manning
OL Southlake, TX 6'3" 260 5.5
SCORE: 0 (TOTAL: 21/42)
Bust. Too much belly showing.
TOTAL SCORE: 21/42 (50%)
VERDICT: 50% exactly. The highs are high, the lows are low. You'll take all of these NFL guys any day of the week. Especially given the timeframe, I think this was a win.
This was Coach Holtz's first class at Tech, and what a strange class this was. There are three bonafide NFL players on this list, which makes it very, very difficult to throw stones (especially given the circumstances with the short turnaround time the staff had in recruiting). And of course as usual, there are some busts to go along with the superstars.
When I used to do these way (way) back in the day, I did it on a 0, 1 and 2 point scale. 0 for bust, 1 for contributor, and 2 for high caliber starter. Let's stick with that. Generally, anything north of 50% is good and 60% is really good.
Carlos Henderson
ATH New Orleans, LA 5'10" 170 5.4
SCORE: 2 (TOTAL: 2/2)
Not much needs to be said
Xavier Woods
DB West Monroe, LA 5'11" 180 5.6
SCORE: 2 (TOTAL: 4/4)
Likewise
Chris Aye
OL Houston, TX 6'4" 285 5.3
SCORE: 0 (TOTAL: 4/6)
Bust. Ended up at McNeese, I think. Never did much.
Jamario Lambert
WR Vero Beach, FL 6'2" 190 5.4
SCORE: 0 (TOTAL: 4/8)
Bust. Never made it to campus.
Logan McPherson
K Fort Payne, AL 5'11" 165 5.2
SCORE: 1 (TOTAL: 5/10)
I'll generously throw McPherson a point. He stuck around and did some punting.
Thomas McDonald
DB Corsicana, TX 6'3" 190 0
SCORE: 1 (TOTAL: 6/12)
He started for a full year, so he gets a point. He washed out after one season, however.
Terrell Pinson
DB Fulton, MS 6'3" 215 5.6
SCORE: 2 (TOTAL: 8/14)
Two year starter at a critical position.
Tre Carter
OL Milledgeville, GA 6'3" 285 5.3
SCORE: 1 (TOTAL: 9/16)
One year starter, but didn't move the needle.
Kevin Gary
WR Milledgeville, GA 6'1" 180 5.4
SCORE: 0 (TOTAL: 9/18)
Bust
Eddie Johnson
WR Corsicana, TX 6'3" 200 5.5
SCORE: 0 (TOTAL: 9/20)
Look like Tarzan, play like Jane
Michael Jacob
DB Allen, TX 5'11" 170 5.4
SCORE: 0 (TOTAL: 9/22)
Bust. Left after one season, and never had FBS talent to begin with.
Mitchell Bell
OL Corsicana, TX 6'4" 320 5.5
SCORE: 2 (TOTAL: 11/24)
Two year starter. Good contribution; cup of coffee in the League.
Mitchell Villemez
LB Brenham, TX 6'1" 230 5.4
SCORE: 2 (TOTAL: 13/26)
Two year starter. Great hair.
Nick Thomason
LB Booneville, MS 6'1" 230 5.3
SCORE: 2 (TOTAL: 15/28)
Solid starter. Good pickup.
Tony Johnson
LB Summit, MS 6'4" 250 5.4
SCORE: 1 (TOTAL: 16/30)
One year starter. And he loses a point for leaving the team high and dry in the CUSA championship by not going to class.
Jonathan Barnes
K Baton Rouge, LA 5'10" 155 5.3
SCORE: 2 (TOTAL: 18/32)
All time leading FG kicker in school history.
Trent Taylor
WR Shreveport, LA 5'9" 170 5.5
SCORE: 2 (TOTAL: 20/34)
What more can be said.
Hakim Gray
DE Stonewall, LA 6'4" 235 5.6
SCORE: 0 (TOTAL: 20/36)
Got hurt and never recovered. An unfortunate bust.
DeAngelo Brooks
DT Kilgore, TX 6'1" 290 5.4
SCORE: 1 (TOTAL: 21/38)
Contributor
Nicholas Bickham
DE St. Amant, LA 6'4" 240 5.4
SCORE: 0 (TOTAL: 21/40)
Bust
Cam Manning
OL Southlake, TX 6'3" 260 5.5
SCORE: 0 (TOTAL: 21/42)
Bust. Too much belly showing.
TOTAL SCORE: 21/42 (50%)
VERDICT: 50% exactly. The highs are high, the lows are low. You'll take all of these NFL guys any day of the week. Especially given the timeframe, I think this was a win.
