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Recruiting Matchup: How OSU’s Starters Match Up with Texas Tech

OSU has a decided advantage in talent based off high school recruiting rankings.

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Oklahoma State will have a decided advantage in starting-level talent when it takes the field against Texas Tech on Saturday evening in Stillwater.

Last week I compared Boise State’s starters to OSU’s starters based off high school recruiting rankings, and it gave a definitive edge to the Cowboys. This week, same exercise, new team, similar result.

Before I compare the two teams’ starting units based off their high school recruiting ranking, though, a quick note. Last week I threw out unranked players out of the average formula entirely. This week, I’m placing a rating of 70 to unranked players — which would be the equivalent of a low two-star according to 247Sports.

Let’s start with a look at Texas Tech’s starting unit on offense. Highly-ranked high school prospects Jack Anderson and T.J. Vasher buoy the team’s overall ranking of 81.92, but an astounding three starters were unranked coming out of high school by 247 in Ja’Deion High, Zach Austin and Paul Stawarz.

POS TTU OFFENSE RATING
WR Ja’Deion High 70
WR T.J. Vasher 89.19
WR Zach Austin 70
WR Antoine Wesley 82.15
LT Travis Bruffy 79.8
LG Madison Akamnonu 90.4
OC Paul Stawarz 70
RG Jack Anderson 96.28
RT Terrence Steele 80.65
TE Donta Thompson 82.94
QB Alan Bowman 85.68
RB Da’Leon Ward 85.93
AVERAGE 81.92

And now, a look at OSU’s offense.

POS OSU OFFENSE RATING
WR Tyron Johnson 98.79
WR Jalen McCleskey 85.28
WR Dillon Stoner 83.95
WR Tylan Wallace 94.42
LT Arlington Hambright 84.65
LG Marcus Keyes 80.72
OC Johnny Wilson 85.9
RG Shane Richards 82.17
RT Teven Jenkins 84.22
TE Britton Abbott 70
QB Taylor Cornelius 70
RB Justice Hill 84.43
AVERAGE 83.71

Talent at receiver is the area that sticks out to me here in comparing the two teams. Tyron Johnson, the former five-star, helps weigh the scale in favor of OSU. But even along the offensive line, save for TTU’s Jack Anderson and Madison Akamnonu, OSU has an edge. Incredibly, OSU has two unranked players of its starting bunch — one of which played like Johnny Manziel at times last week.

Now on to the defense, where we look at OSU first. As I mentioned last week, OSU doesn’t have a single starter that wasn’t ranked coming out of high school. It’s starting average is 86.40, which is a tick ahead of the electric OSU offense.

POS OSU DEFENSE RATING
S Malcolm Rodriguez 82.33
S Thabo Mwaniki 83.87
S Kenneth Edison-McGruder 87.41
CB AJ Green 84.65
CB Rodarius Williams 85.29
MLB Justin Phillips 84.51
OLB Calvin Bundage 87.70
DE Jarrell Owens 87.34
DE Jordan Brailford 88.94
DT Darrion Daniels 90.32
DT Trey Carter 88.07
AVERAGE 86.40

OSU has an edge on defense in comparison to Texas Tech, too. And by quite a margin. OSU’s average recruiting ranking on defense is at 86.40, nearly five points in total average ahead of Tech, which ranks 81.56. Its unit has only one unranked prospect who plays as a starter.

POS TTU DEFENSE RATING
S Vaughnte Dorsey 84.2
S Jah’Shawn Johnson 83.94
CB Desmon Smith 83.15
CB Damarcus Fields 84.41
N Justus Parker 70
WLB Dakota Allen 85.07
MLB Jordyn Brooks 84.75
RLB Kolin Hill 85.74
DE Eli Howard 75.81
DT Broderick Washington 83.6
DT Preston Gordon 76.5
AVERAGE 81.56

Recruiting rankings matter, obviously, but it’s not always the deciding factor in who wins and loses a game. But with OSU owning a decided advantage on both offense and defense, it should, in theory, give OSU a leg up.

This falls in line with Vegas’ thinking, too, as OSU is now a 13-point favorite entering Saturday.

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