I came across a quick recruiting tidbit while getting ready to head into the office this morning that I thought would be perfect blog fodder.
UNT has its first three-star recruit.
ESPN has updated its rankings and has Hunter Siddons rated as a three-star player and the 69th rated offensive tackle in the Class of 2013.
We can debate the validity and importance of rankings all day, but my position on the topic has never wavered — no matter what UNT’s class looks like. It doesn’t matter if UNT has a top-ranked class or one that isn’t rated all that highly.
Those rankings matter.
It only makes sense. You have better players, you have a better team. Sometimes the services under rate or over rate players (Cyril Lemon was way under rated).
But when it comes to classes overall, they are a pretty good indication of the talent level each class possesses.
And in other news, UNT has announced that Darius Terrell will sit out this season as a transfer after coming to UNT from Texas. He had hoped to get a waiver from the NCAA. That is one less potential weapon UNT will have in the passing game on offense.
Brelan Chancellor is a pretty good player, and UNT also has Chris Bynes and Ivan Delgado. That trio was solid, but didn’t rank anywhere near the top of the Sun Belt last season when it came to receiving corps.
And don’t forget, Roderick Lancaster, an incoming freshman and three-star recruit, is out for the year with a knee injury.
Chaz Sampson keeps looking more and more important for this team. The redshirt freshman has the height at 6-5 and the high school pedigree. He originally committed to Tulsa.
UNT might need him this season, especially since Lance Dunbar is gone. Dan McCarney likes the guys who are stepping into that void and UNT has a good offensive line, but none of those running backs have proven anything yet.
It’s hard to imagine that they will provide what Dunbar and James Hamilton did last season. Dunbar is, after all, one of the best running backs UNT has ever had, while Hamilton was a really solid backup.