How you prepare for EEs is up to the user. I’ve posted the criteria I look at before, and if a player meets one (or especially if he meets more than one) of the criteria, I plan for a possibility that he might go. I might arrange some late signing contingencies, or I may just prepare to play with a shorter bench next year, and prioritize having his replacement ready on my team.
Michael Littleton is #44 as a junior, and if enough guys in front of him stay and he projects as a first rounder (unlikely, but possible), I know his odds could bump up to likely going, because that’s how it works. Even if he’s planted in the second round, there’s a decent chance he’ll go. So I’ve prioritized his replacement. I missed on
Martin Shorter despite being favored 57-43, because that’s how it goes about 43% of the time. So I signed a project, and successfully picked off a
5-star that another team had left vulnerable, having battled for and won 3 other elite recruits. Because that’s also how it goes sometimes.
Daniel Crutchfield is not on the big board. But he meets 3 of my 5 criteria - he’s top 5 by position as a recruit, he’s well over 800 OVR, and he averages above 90 in his non-scoring cores. I am prepared for the possibility - though unlikely - that he will leave. I may just take a walkon, but I’ve also put myself in position to drop a load of visits on a better-than-walkon big with good potential, if I get the extra resources. If I don’t, he’ll go to a good D2 team. Likewise, if Littleton leaves, I have a late signing better-than-walkon guard with good potential to take his place, if I choose to take him on.
Some D1 coaches would not recruit the guys I’m lining up as contingencies; and that’s fine. I may not end up signing them either. But it doesn’t take an unreasonable amount of effort to get them in place. I am not giving up the ability to go after and get in good position on multiple 5-Star recruits, even with only 2 scholarships. It isn’t too hard.
6/1/2019 7:20 PM (edited)