Ranking the country’s 5 different kinds of college football recruiting states

We took a look at something: how all 50 states rank over the last five years in how many blue-chip football recruits they’ve produced. There are no shocks on the list, for those who’ve followed recruiting for a while, but it’s another pretty good way to see how these things shake out.

What if we try breaking them into five tiers?

Long accepted as the best.

The only problem: tons of in-state competition, in addition to everyone across the country parachuting into your big metros. Florida has the fewest Power 5 teams in this group, and it still has three, plus usually a mid-major capable of swiping a four-star.

The Atlanta area is one of the country’s best producers, and Georgia and Georgia Tech are in each other’s way less often than most state rivals are.

Ohio State and LSU have the advantage of being the only Power 5 programs in their states, though. ATL’s transience and the number of elites all around the state’s perimeter also temper the Peach State edge.

The Crimson Tide roster currently lists 37 players from Alabama. That’s about all one needs to know about the underappreciated quality of high school football in the state, right?

I’m surprised to see Tennessee higher than Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The latter are two of the Big Ten’s most prized recruiting areas, while the Volunteer State’s weird geography and lack of talent are often talked about as major hindrances for the Vols. Everything’s relative, though.

*You could add some portion of D.C.‘s 0.8 percent to either of these, if you like.

Fielding a top team from these states usually requires heavily investing somewhere nearby. Oregon only lists 21 players from in-state, and Oklahoma only 24. Clemson, however, lists 41 from South Carolina.

Sometimes that’s the case, but it’s nice to not have to bank on it. These numbers make successes in previous years by Nebraska, West Virginia, and Wisconsin pretty amazing.

The rest of the numbers show how static recruiting ratings are from year to year, which is either a sign that these things have found equilibrium or a sign that all four recruiting services are all part of the same conspiracy to keep certain states down, for some reason, depending on perspective. (Probably the former, along with the impact of media travel budgets and so forth.)

I did projections for every bowl. So far, people are most displeased with Washington to the Rose and LSU/Michigan to the Playoff. (Been keeping track of dissatisfied customers.)

Bill C team of the day: Arizona State, which will be at its Arizona State-iest this year.

Steve Spurrier might be behind one mic or another for the SEC Network this season. Blessings on blessings.

The Packers want a bowl game at Lambeau. We think that is good, for a few reasons.

Could Bama’s backups beat a totally average FBS team? You know, probably.

Speaking of, a four-star QB has only been committed to the Tide for a few weeks, and he’s already learned the mystical conversation powers of “Roll Tide.”

Texas has now taken four players from Baylor’s 2016 class, including three four-stars.

The country’s most-hyped recruit, a Baton Rouge native, does not have LSU on the list of games he’s attending this year. It’s cool, Tiger fans.

That four-star QB who left Baylor? Texas A&M.

An Ohio State freshman is ahead of where his brother was as a freshman, says Urban Meyer. Oh, it’s Nick Bosa, brother of No. 3 draft pick Joey Bosa. Seems good.

FSU gave its players state championship rings, despite that not technically being a thing. That’s fine.

Mike Leach steered Washington State out of its lost decade. Now what?

The 1973 Playoff race might’ve been the messiest ever.

Today on SB Nation CFB Snapchat, my daughter plays Is This Football Coach A Sith Or A Jedi, America’s favorite game.

Read Holly on Pat Summitt.