What gives?

I saw that too. Muldoon is a three star also.

 

Had Calabrese committed to Florida or SC, he would have been at least a 4*

I saw that too. Muldoon is a three star also.

 

Had Calabrese committed to Florida or SC, he would have been at least a 4*

 

I guess thats why Curtis McNeal, Drew McAlister, Maurice Simmons, and Brian Baucham were all 3* recruits for SC last year

Calabrese is rated appropriately, as unpopular as I know that is to say. He's good, but he's not some kind of athletic freak. There are question marks about him when you take off the blue and gold sunglasses. Just a real good, meat and potatoes linebacker prospect who can be very effective if he continues to push himself. But lets be real, he's not a 5 star who wakes up with God given talents that other players have in a 6'4" 250 frame, runs in the 4.5s and can bench 500 pounds. He's a good, honest kid thats instinctual and has shown he'll be dedicated to getting his body right for college (which for lots of players is more than enough to be a VERY successful college football player, mind you), but we shouldn't be all that shocked by this ranking.

 

And frankly, I'm okay with that. Its not like Laurinitis, Hawk, or Posluszny were highly rated recruits at LB. A lot about that position is demeanor and work ethic, a lot of which isn't seen on film or in combines.

I understand what you're saying Calves but I think Calabrese is rated a little low on Rivals. I do not think he is a five star because his measurables are not up there but I think what really hurt him was the level of competition he plays against.

 

Think he is better than some of the LBs that are ranked ahead of him such as Todd Golper in CA and Larvez Marz in FL but they play against better competition. The latter is smaller but faster and would probably be a better OLB.

I could justify him being a low 4 star, but things like "at least a 4 star" is where I get confused (and this is coming from other boards - the 4HL has been thriving off of threads like this). I know most Irish fans think more highly of Calabrese than Fox, but looking at the two and seeing their different ratings should tell you more about what rivals is looking at. Level of competition is part of it, but it also speaks to the frame that a kid can grow into, and the significance pass coverage & playing in space holds with them. Just some food for thought - not telling you to agree or disagree, but there are more things going against Calabrese than level of competition. Cierre Wood and Marlon Brown got their 5 stars, right? I guess I just don't get what there is to be all that upset over either.

 

I'm more surprised that nobody mentioned Golic not making a top 50 list at TE, nor being slotted with the 3 stars, despite being singled out while down at San Antonio. Just seems inconsistent to laud him then leave him out later, but then again it wouldn't be the first time (as you probably know, I think player rankings out of HS are a total joke).

Calves - that is a great post and I agree that is a good "meat and potatoes" guy. At the MLB position, I would take that real tough SOB that he seems to be in a heartbeat.

 

If you look over the years, we've had some people who have been excellent ILBs who I don't believe were that highly rated coming into ND or at least who weren't that hyped coming into their first year as starters: Anthony Denman, Tyreo Harrison, Bobbie Howard, Kinnon Tatum, etc.

 

I might be wrong in some of these (i.e. someone out there smarter than me will probably find one of these guys was higher rated than I thought, but none of them came in as the "LBJ" of middle linebackers.

I did say on a post above "at least a 4*" and I shouldn't have. I'd say Carlo is a low to mid 4* and a 5.8 ranking would be more accurate.

 

I do think that out of all the positions seems like ILBs are underrated coming out of high school. DFence mentioned some already but I would love to find out what Zach Thomas and Dat Nguyen's rankings were coming out of HS.

Urlacher as well...

Calabrese looks like a great linebacker on film and if Notre Dame offered him that is good enough for me. Honestly I could care less about the star ranking because last time I checked a lot of 5 star players we have had in the past never lived up to their hype.

Urlacher as well...

 

I know that Urlacher played safety in college, but was he an ILB in HS? I would be interested in knowing the answer.

 

As far as the rankings, I'll take Calabrese even if he were a 2* - I just like his intensity. You need guys like this who aren't afraid of more talented guys and will in fact push the 5* guys to work harder or kick their a***** (5 stars) if they aren't team players.

I know that Urlacher played safety in college, but was he an ILB in HS? I would be interested in knowing the answer.

 

As far as the rankings, I'll take Calabrese even if he were a 2* - I just like his intensity. You need guys like this who aren't afraid of more talented guys and will in fact push the 5* guys to work harder or kick their a***** (5 stars) if they aren't team players.

 

Bingo. I'll take a tough SOB at LB who runs a 4.7 and is 6'2" 225 over a 6'4" 250 athletic freak who runs a 4.5 and doesn't know the meaning of work ethic or tenacity.

his level of comp is really poor. North Jersey group 1 schools arent really good, but he plays way above the competition. As long as he's a 4 star on 1 of the sites then i dont mind

He is NOT a 4 star in my book. He plays in small schoolville and does play above the comp, but the size of the lineman he plays up against is what i rate guys by.

 

A 3 star guy from big schoolville south florida is a better fit (IMHO) than a 3 star guy from a D1, 2 or 3 area school.

 

size is good, but we just had a guy (nagel) leave that is a twin of this guy coming in. Hopefully he works out okay, but don't hold your breath.

 

if he turns into a star at ND, I am all for it. Until then, let's see.

He is NOT a 4 star in my book. He plays in small schoolville and does play above the comp, but the size of the lineman he plays up against is what i rate guys by.

 

A 3 star guy from big schoolville south florida is a better fit (IMHO) than a 3 star guy from a D1, 2 or 3 area school.

 

size is good, but we just had a guy (nagel) leave that is a twin of this guy coming in. Hopefully he works out okay, but don't hold your breath.

 

if he turns into a star at ND, I am all for it. Until then, let's see.

 

 

So are you telling me that the best player in the country can't play at a smaller school ??

To be completely honest.....who cares about ratings? CW and his staff have shown that they have a very good ability not only to recruit players, but also to evaluate talent. The fact that he was offered is enough for me. CW and Co. know what they are looking for, and they saw it in him. He may not be a guy that comes in a starts right away, but CW saw something in him the would be an asset to ND's football program.

 

CW does not offer guys that are likely going to warm the bench. He doesn't "just fill spots".

I know that Urlacher played safety in college, but was he an ILB in HS? I would be interested in knowing the answer.

 

As far as the rankings, I'll take Calabrese even if he were a 2* - I just like his intensity. You need guys like this who aren't afraid of more talented guys and will in fact push the 5* guys to work harder or kick their a***** (5 stars) if they aren't team players.

 

Urlacher was an in the box safety in high school. Kind of the same roll Zbikowski used to play with us..he gained over 45 pounds at New Mexico and stayed at saftety...

Meh, stars isnt that big deal on LB for me since so much depends on just natural instincts. And if you go back to rivals and looks how many 2 and 3 star LBs have become tackling machines in their college career it just proves it even more that you dont have to be a freak to be a great LB.

He is NOT a 4 star in my book. He plays in small schoolville and does play above the comp, but the size of the lineman he plays up against is what i rate guys by.

 

A 3 star guy from big schoolville south florida is a better fit (IMHO) than a 3 star guy from a D1, 2 or 3 area school.

 

size is good, but we just had a guy (nagel) leave that is a twin of this guy coming in. Hopefully he works out okay, but don't hold your breath.

 

if he turns into a star at ND, I am all for it. Until then, let's see.

 

carlo is taller and heavier coming in then nagel was, nagel was a S in highschool and converted to LB, carlo is a mike and always has been.....

good post thats my feeling also , some of these**** PLAYERS ARE JUST A BUNCH most OF THE TIME, competation aganist meaningful foes is how i rate them ,

carlo is taller and heavier coming in then nagel was, nagel was a S in highschool and converted to LB, carlo is a mike and always has been.....

 

that's what i was gonna say. Nagel was smaller than Carlo and he was a safety.