Grading the graders - Clemson

The Post and Courier's Larry Williams assesses every player from Clemson's recruiting classes from 2002 to 2006. He used the two most recognized recruiting services, Rivals.com and Scout.com.

Clemson
Player	Pos.	Rivals	Scout	The Verdict
2002
Gaines Adams	DE	3	2	No. 4 pick in '07 draft. Big miss here.
Nathan Bennett	OL	2	2	First-team All-ACC as a senior. Not bad for a 2-star.
Irvin Brisker*	TE	4	3	Never made it to campus.
Brandon Cannon	DE	4	4	Career reserve. Can you say whiff?
Chris Carter*	DB	2	3	Never made it to campus.
Cole Chason	K	2	4	Productive as a senior; not so much before.
Donnell Clark	DL	3	2	Career reserve.
Duane Coleman	CB	2	3	Better as a CB than RB.
Tim DeBeer	OL	2	1	Career reserve.
Jeff Francoeur*	DB	4	3	Went baseball route.
Dustin Fry	OL	4	3	Two-year starter. Rivals got it right.
Roman Fry	OL	3	1	Major overachiever. A swing and a miss for Scout.
Kelvin Grant*	WR	4	4	Permanent resident in coaches' doghouse.
Brandon Jamison*	LB	3	4	JUCO transfer; academically ineligible after one season.
Vontrell Jamison	DL	2	NR	Career reserve.
Brad Lee*	OL	2	1	Played sparingly before transferring.
Gerald McCloud*	WR	2	3	Played sparingly before transferring.
Reggie Merriweather	RB	3	3	Overtaken by better talent in '05 and '06
Justin Miller	DB	4	4	Big hit here; left early for NFL.
Kelvin Morris*	LB	4	5	JUCO transfer who was academically ineligible after one year.
Will Proctor	QB	3	3	Unraveled late in '06. Maybe a 3-star was generous.
Chansi Stuckey	WR	4	3	First-team All-ACC. A hit for Rivals.
Anthony Waters	LB	3	3	Injury denied a special senior season. Underrated.
Buddy Williams*	DB	3	2	Kicked off team in 2003.
Tymere Zimmerman*	WR	4	3	Academically ineligible; ended up at Newberry.

2003
Tramaine Billie	LB	3	3	Played better than a 3-star.
Christian Capote	OL	2	3	Reserve until senior year.
Jad Dean	K	3	3	Came apart mentally in '06.
Marion Dukes	OL	3	3	Underrated; started 36 games at right tackle.
C.J. Gaddis	DB	3	3	Promising talent but average career.
Sergio Gilliam	CB	2	3	Rivals was right; wasn't cut out for big-time
football.
Zach Green*	TE	2	2	Career reserve.
Chris Jefferson*	WR	3	3	Played 20 snaps and transferred.
Clint LaTray*	OL	3	2	Played four snaps and transferred.
Chris McDuffie	OL	3	3	First-team All-ACC in '07.
Maurice Nelson*	LB	4	4	Way overrated; started only because of injuries in '06
Brandon Nolen*	RB	3	2	Played sparingly and transferred.
Brandon Pilgrim	OL	3	3	Serviceable reserve.
Robert Reese*	DB	3	2	Kicked off team in '04.
Brian Staley*	DB	4	5	Couldn't make the grade.
Roy Walker* DB	N/R	2		Career reserve.
Nick Watkins	LB	2	3	Three-year starter; leading tackler in '06 and '07.
Kwam Williams	DL	2	2	Career reserve.

2004
Chris Clemons	DB	3	2	Vastly underrated. Misses on both counts.
Brandon Croley*	DB	2	2	Played sparingly and transferred.
Andrew Diomande*	WR	2	1	Played sparingly and transferred.
Cory Groover	DL	3	2	Started five games as a senior.
Michael Hamlin	DB	3	3	Potential 5-star in hindsight.
Cullen Harper	QB	3	3	Second-team All-ACC as a junior.
La'Donte Harris	WR	2	2	Career reserve.
Bobby Hutchinson	OL	3	2	Career reserve.
Rashaad Jackson	DL	2	2	Nabbed a starting role in '07.
Aaron Kelly	WR	2	2	First-team All-ACC in '07.
Adrian Kindred*	DB	2	2	Played sparingly and transferred.
Xavier Littleberry*	DL	2	2	Kicked off team in '06.
Phillip Morris*	WR	2	3	Never made it to campus.
Alex Pearson*	FB	2	2	Left with eligibility remaining.
Tribble Reese*	QB	3	3	Career backup.
Barry Richardson	OL	2	2	Two-time first-team All-ACC.
Akeem Robinson	TE	2	2	Career backup.
Dorell Scott	DL	3	3	Could be a force in '08.
Taylor Tremel*	OL	2	2	Played sparingly and transferred.
Cortney Vincent	LB	2	2	Became a starter as a junior.
Tony Willis*	OL	2	2	Kicked off team in '05.

2005
Thomas Austin	OL	3	3	More like a 4-star.
Durrell Barry	TE	2	2	Still hasn't realized potential.
Sadat Chambers	RB	3	2	Has become a serviceable back.
Chris Chancellor	DB	4	3	Solid cover corner. Score one for Rivals.
Demerick Chancellor*	RB	3	3	Transferred after '06 season.
Antonio Clay	LB	4	4	Will go down as a bust if he doesn't return in '08.
Kavell Conner	LB	2	2	Potential overachiever with two years left.
James Davis	RB	4	4	Two-time first-team All-ACC. Two thumbs up.
Etta Etta-Tawo*	DL	3	3	Heart problems forced him to give up football.
Elsmore Gabriel*	DL	2	2	Career reserve.
Jamarcus Grant	OL	3	3	Looks like a reserve in '08.
Tyler Grisham	WR	2	3	Better than a 2-star.
Barry Humphries	OL	3	3	Struggled in '07.
Cory Lambert	OL	4	4	A disappointment so far, but still time to justify the star rating.
Haydrian Lewis	DB	3	3	Looks to be a reserve in '08
Ray Ray McElrathbey	RB	3	3	Blew out his knee last summer.
Jock McKissic	DL	2	2	A solid reserve, but not much more.
Phillip Merling	DL	3	4	Potential first-rounder; 5-star in retrospect.
Josh Miller	LB	4	3	Career reserve. What were you watching, Rivals?
Antwon Murchison	DL	2	2	Career reserve.
Paul Muse*	TE	3	3	Transferred in '06.
Quentez Ruffin*	OL	3	2	Attitude problems; left with eligibility remaining.
Terrell Smith*	DB	3	3	Never made it to campus.
Rendrick Taylor	WR	4	4	Looks overrated so far, but injuries have hurt.
T.J. Williams*	WR	3	3	Never made it to campus.

2006
Kevin Alexander	DL	3	3	Got pushed around in '07.
Crezdon Butler	DB	4	4	Future star. Double kudos.
Jeremy Campbell	LB	3	2	Looks like a career reserve.
Jo Jo Cox*	RB	3	3	Admission denied a year ago.
Jamie Cumbie	DL	4	4	Should break out as a junior. Looks right on both counts.
Jacoby Ford	WR	4	3	Speed demon. Scout might have been thrown off by his size.
Darius Gaither	DB	4	3	Career reserve; Rivals missed big on this one.
Chris Hairston	OL	3	2	Looks better than advertised.
Richard Jackson	K	3	3	Overtaken by Mark Buchholz in '07.
Kendrick Johnson*	WR	3	3	Transferred after '06.
Byron Maxwell	DB	4	4	Could blossom as a redshirt sophomore.
Jamal Medlin	OL	3	3	Will get shot in '08.
Jeff Ogren	WR	3	2	One catch as a redshirt freshman.
Michael Palmer	TE	2	2	Looks more like a 3-star.
Chris Russell	DB	2	3	Reserve for two years.
Ricky Sapp	DE	5	5	Needs to get better against run; jury still out.
C.J. Spiller	TB	5	5	Too much east-west running, but still electric.
Michael Wade	DB	3	3	Switched from QB last year.

*-Indicates prospects who did not make it to Clemson or who left the school with eligibility remaining (early NFL departures excluded). Some of those who didn't complete their football eligibility did manage to graduate.