Chat Transcript
CBS SportsLine.com
February 5, 2001

How well is your favorite college football team going to be in the upcoming years? It all depends on who they recruit. Who are the coaches going after in the high school ranks? Who are the best high school football players out there?

PrepStar's managing editor, Rick Kimbrel, stopped by for another chat about the best high school football players and which colleges are after them.

You can check out their website at PrepStar.com.

Rick Kimbrel: Welcome, friends! Let us hope we have some fun and that things are better for your team, this week!

Question: juniorlord: What college has really turned up the recruiting heat this past week?

Rick Kimbrel: Florida has done a heck of a job! And we believe FSU has 5 pocket commitments over the weekend.

Question: generals: I read on SportsLine that they are predicting that FSU is on the verge of having the best recruiting class in the nation..... what's going on there?

Rick Kimbrel: Well, like we said, we believe they have 5 major kids in their pocket, as a pocket committment. They love to do this. They love to sandbag and on the signing date, surprise their fans with signings.

Question: arialattck: Who has really surprised you by falling out of the recruiting race?

Rick Kimbrel: Hmm.. That depends on what you mean by falling out. The truth of the matter is that none of the usual suspects have fallen out. The FSUs, the UCLAs, etc are all in it. The difference between the top spot over say #15 is a player or 2 who develops vs ones who don't. Has anyone dropped off the radar? Maybe Colorado. They have been strong the past 15 years or so and have a suspect class. Having said that, watch them go and win a national championship in the next few years!

Question: fdic: Any impact players change their minds this week?

Rick Kimbrel: As far as making a switch? Akeen Hill may have changed from Nebraska to ASU. Mike Gilliam switched from Texas Tech to Georgia. I don't think he is one to step right in and help them. But he was Player of the Year in 6-A in Florida. That is something. Kevin Everett decomitted from Miami and will go to Texas. That may have happened before the hiring of Coker. We will have to see.

Question: adminox: Did this past season's performance hurt Penn State in the recruiting wars? Or are they in a position where one year really can't hurt that much? Inquiring Lions want to know!

Rick Kimbrel: I think one year won't hurt PSU.

Rick Kimbrel: Face it, they have decades of success to look back on. That means a lot. They have stability. Whether Paterno continues or not, they have a program where the next guy will do well. Much like Nebraska hired from within. I don't think this year made them lose out on a lot of players. A lot of other schools are emerging, like Virginia Tech. And they were never a school that would be a player. Penn State even lost a few to Rutgers! Rutgers has done perhaps the most miraculous job of recruiting this season.

Question: Nokia: Has Virginia Tech replaced Vick?

Rick Kimbrel: How do you replace him? They were able to get a pretty good HS QB. The problem with Michael Vick is that someone like him only comes around once every 25 years. The next guy coming in was the only QB in Virginia state history to pass for over 1000 and rush for over 1000 for 2 consecutive years. That is who is coming in, but I don't think he will play next year.

Question: az_why: How is Mizzou's recruiting going?

Rick Kimbrel: They have done a pretty good job! They picked up a good WR/RB/DB, Roberson. He was committed to Illinois but switched. A good WR named Calvin Robertson. A good class with a lot to look forward to in the future. I think they have done a hell of a job.

Question: juniorlord: I see FLA got Frederick Gibson. How big is that for them?

Rick Kimbrel: It's huge! He is a very talented WR with size and quickness. He is a play maker and that is what they want there.

Question: az_why: How hard is it to follow each high school in the nation?

Rick Kimbrel: It isn't that we follow every high school, we have over 25,000 in our database. We have to try to get to the players. Right now, we have 3242 on the database with maybe 800 more come signing day. It is hard and one person can't do it. I have a great group that helps me stay on top of it all.

Question: bamafan2: Where does Prepstar rank LSU and Alabama in their recruiting rankings and the SEC in general?

Rick Kimbrel: LSU is at #3 while Alabama is one of the schools that has dropped. They are in the low twenties. Oh.. here they are. 30th now. They still have done a solid job. They had a lot to overcome. The SEC is like the rich getting richer. They have 7 of 12 in the top 30. Mississippi State is -always- underrated. That is because a lot of their class is junior college. Kentucky was up there all season long until the Memphis scandal.

Question: az_why: Is illegal recruiting at an all time high?

Rick Kimbrel: I don't know if it is at an all-time high. But it seems they are getting caught more. What people have to realize is it is not the coaches that do it, but an over zealous alumnus that wants to see his or her old team win. They cause the coaches a lot of grief. I wish people would remember it is just a game and we should have fair competition. Maybe it would spread over everything else in life.

Question: pokester: Where do you think Shan Cody will go?

Rick Kimbrel: That is the $25,000 question! USC, UCLA and Notre Dame are the ones in the running for him.

Question: bamafan2: Do you anticipate any major "bombshells" being dropped on signing day...that is to say, a major name making a major switch?

Rick Kimbrel: There seems like there is always one or two. Nothing surprises me anymore. What would surprise me is if there -wasn't- one!

Question: az_why: How did you get into the recruiting business?

Rick Kimbrel: I got very lucky, to be frank. Jeff Duva (the publisher) and I were lifelong friends. I've known him since I was 3. He needed part time help, then this exploded. I started it full time and gave up my other job.