Recruiting skews younger every year. It's no longer unusual to hear of high school freshmen being offered. Some coaches have even dipped into middle school, offering eighth grade basketball players and seventh grade quarterbacks.
So why not flip the script? Why can't those who cover recruiting be the peers (or almost peers) of those who are being recruited?
Cooper Mast, a fifth grader at Our Lady of Lourdes Interparish School in Columbia, MO, had some free time. So he broke down Missouri's 2017 football recruiting class. It was as cogent and analytical as much of the recruiting coverage you can get. So we gave Cooper a byline for his story.
Read the full analysis below the picture.
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Mast's analysis reads:
Mizzou has a very strong commitment list. This year Mizzou has a good defencive group. They have three star DB Terry Petry that decided to take Mizzou over Houston, Nate Anderson three star DE and more.
On the offensive side we have four star DaRon Davis, who will be playing WR, WR Jafar Armstrong and two star QB Reyondous Estes. After looking at tapes on offence I think DaRon Davis is the best pick-up. He has good speed, very physical and soft pair of hands.
On the defensive side I looked at both Terry Petry and Nate Anderson and decided that Nate Anderson would be the best. He has great speed and is very physical for his size. He can deliver a blow and get past the OL. Terry Petry will also be very good. Even though he is 5-10, he can jump to make a block. He can stay with his man for a long time and can deliver a good tackle.
Not bad analysis from an elementary school expert-to-be. Let's be honest, it's as good as you get from a number of people that call themselves experts. Bonus points awarded for the British spelling of offence and defence.
Sources tell us Mast's next project will be an analysis of Mizzou's 2018 recruiting needs.
