In lieu of a five questions with an ECU reporter, which I did not arrange this week, I'm returning to a feature I ran two or three years ago, comparing the Rivals.com recruiting ranking of every starter for the two teams. We all know those ranking are not the be-all, end-all, but they are interesting.
First the offense:
QUARTERBACK
Tulane: Jonathan Banks, JR was a 4-star, 5.8 coming out of junior college when he signed with Kansas State and a 2-star, 5.3 when he signed with Tulane.
ECU: JR Gardner Minshew was a 3-star, 5.5 coming out of high school when he signed with Troy and had zero stars coming out of JC when he signed with ECU. Grad transfer Thomas Sirk was a 3-star, 5.7 when he signed with Duke out of high school.
RUNNING BACK
Tulane: SR Dontrell Hilliard was a 2-star, 5.4 coming out of high school. SR Sherman Badie was 3-star, 5.5, and Darius Bradwell was a 2-star, 5.3 ATH.
ECU: FR Darius Pennix was a 2-star, 5.4. SO Hussein Howe was a 3-star, 5.5.
WIDE RECEIVER
Tulane: JR Terren Encalade was a 2-star, 5.3. SO Darnell Mooney was a 2-star, 5.3. JR Jabril Clewis was a 2-star, 5.4 coming out of high school when he signed with San Diego State and a 2-star. 5.3 when he signed with Tulane.
ECU: Grad student Davon Grayson was a 2-star, 5.4 when he signed with ECU, SR Quay Johnson was a 2-star, 5.4. SR Jimmy Williams was unrated and not in the database, JR Trevon Brown was a 2-star, 5.2.
LEFT TACKLE
Tulane: SO Tyler Johnson was a 2-star, 5.4.
ECU: SR Justin Sandifer was a 3-star, 5.5, SO D'Ante Smith was a 2-star, 5.4.
LEFT GUARD
Tulane: SO Corey Dublin was a 2-star, 5.2
ECU: JR Des Barmore was a 2-star, 5.4
CENTER
Tulane: JR Junior Diaz was a 3-star, 5.5.
ECU: FR John Spellacy was a 2-star, 5.3.
RIGHT GUARD
Tulane: JR Dominique Briggs was a 2-star, 5.3 coming out of junior college.
ECU: JR Garrett McGhin was a 2-star, 5.2
RIGHT TACKLE
Tulane: JR John Leglue was a 2-star, 5.2.
ECU: Grad student Brandon Smith was a 2-star, 5.3.
TIGHT END
Tulane: JR Charles Jones was a 2-star, 5.2
ECU: SR Stephen Baggett was a 2-star, 5.4.
ANALYSIS
There's really no different in recruiting rankings for the starters and key contributors on offense. The quarterback ratings are all over the board, but each team has only one 3-star in the starting lineup anywhere else--Diaz for Tulane, and Sandifer, who is not a certain starter, for ECU. Both teams have 3-star backup RBs who will play.
First the offense:
QUARTERBACK
Tulane: Jonathan Banks, JR was a 4-star, 5.8 coming out of junior college when he signed with Kansas State and a 2-star, 5.3 when he signed with Tulane.
ECU: JR Gardner Minshew was a 3-star, 5.5 coming out of high school when he signed with Troy and had zero stars coming out of JC when he signed with ECU. Grad transfer Thomas Sirk was a 3-star, 5.7 when he signed with Duke out of high school.
RUNNING BACK
Tulane: SR Dontrell Hilliard was a 2-star, 5.4 coming out of high school. SR Sherman Badie was 3-star, 5.5, and Darius Bradwell was a 2-star, 5.3 ATH.
ECU: FR Darius Pennix was a 2-star, 5.4. SO Hussein Howe was a 3-star, 5.5.
WIDE RECEIVER
Tulane: JR Terren Encalade was a 2-star, 5.3. SO Darnell Mooney was a 2-star, 5.3. JR Jabril Clewis was a 2-star, 5.4 coming out of high school when he signed with San Diego State and a 2-star. 5.3 when he signed with Tulane.
ECU: Grad student Davon Grayson was a 2-star, 5.4 when he signed with ECU, SR Quay Johnson was a 2-star, 5.4. SR Jimmy Williams was unrated and not in the database, JR Trevon Brown was a 2-star, 5.2.
LEFT TACKLE
Tulane: SO Tyler Johnson was a 2-star, 5.4.
ECU: SR Justin Sandifer was a 3-star, 5.5, SO D'Ante Smith was a 2-star, 5.4.
LEFT GUARD
Tulane: SO Corey Dublin was a 2-star, 5.2
ECU: JR Des Barmore was a 2-star, 5.4
CENTER
Tulane: JR Junior Diaz was a 3-star, 5.5.
ECU: FR John Spellacy was a 2-star, 5.3.
RIGHT GUARD
Tulane: JR Dominique Briggs was a 2-star, 5.3 coming out of junior college.
ECU: JR Garrett McGhin was a 2-star, 5.2
RIGHT TACKLE
Tulane: JR John Leglue was a 2-star, 5.2.
ECU: Grad student Brandon Smith was a 2-star, 5.3.
TIGHT END
Tulane: JR Charles Jones was a 2-star, 5.2
ECU: SR Stephen Baggett was a 2-star, 5.4.
ANALYSIS
There's really no different in recruiting rankings for the starters and key contributors on offense. The quarterback ratings are all over the board, but each team has only one 3-star in the starting lineup anywhere else--Diaz for Tulane, and Sandifer, who is not a certain starter, for ECU. Both teams have 3-star backup RBs who will play.
