It's about time that Rivals.com released its initial list of the top 100 prospects for the Class of 2013. I was beginning to wonder if they'd get around to posting it before next year's National Signing Day!
In all seriousness, I caught a mild case of the recruiting bug over the last few months. How else to explain watching four quarters of a high school All-America game just to see what hat Barry J. Sanders would don? I was excited when Joshua Garnett picked Stanford Medicine over Michigan Football and again after Aziz Shittu capped an incredible signing day with a fax to the 650. I can't wait to see what becomes of the 2012 class and, yes, whether this year's recruiting success can possibly be matched in 2013.
Stanford already has one commitment for 2013 from a Rivals 100 player; linebacker Doug Randolph of Richmond, Va., checks in at No. 68. The name that caught my eye, however, was Tyrone Swoopes, Rivals' No. 11 rated prospect and No. 2 quarterback. As intriguing as the possibility of fielding an offense comprised entirely of four- and five-star linemen sounds -- Power-IHOP formation, anyone? -- you can bet that next year's class will feature some highly touted skill position players.
Swoopes is the nephew of women's basketball legend Sherly Swoopes, who once graced the cover of Sports Illustrated with her former U.S. Olympics team coach Tara VanDerveer. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound quarterback from Whitewright (Tex.) High School is an "A-B student" who has been compared to Vince Young. He can run (40 yards in 4.5 seconds, 560 yards in one game) and pass (70 yards if necessary), and he already has verbal offers from Stanford, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, and Texas among other big-name schools.
Could Swoopes be the eventual replacement for Brett Nottingham (or Josh Nunes, Robbie Picazo, Kevin Hogan, Evan Crower...)? It's still way too early to say, but it sure is fun to wonder. Oh no. I think the recruiting bug might be back.