Home » Sports » NCAA College Football » 1999 Recruiting Winners and Losers

1999 Recruiting Winners and Losers

© Chuck Bednar

Winner - The University of Texas, whose incoming class includes quarterback Chris Simms and linebacker Cory Redding - the USA Today offensive and defensive players of the year. Both SuperPrep magazine and the National Recruiting Advisor rate the Longhorn's incoming class as the best in the country.

Simms is the son of former New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms. The 6-5, 218-pound quarterback out of Franklin Lakes, N.J., had committed to national champion Tennessee, but changed his mind last week. Simms threw for 2,239 yards and 18 touchdowns in his senior season at Ramapo H.S. Redding is a 6-5 and 240-pounder from North Shore H.S. in Houston, where he had 123 solo tackles, including 22 for losses, and 112 assists.

Also joining the Longhorns next season will be Parade All-Americans Bo Sciafe, a 6-4, 225-pound wide receiver from Denver, and Alfio Randall, a 6-6, 270-pound offensive lineman from Houston.

"It's a class that can jump-start us back to where we want to be," Texas coach Mack Brown told the Associated Press, "and that's the elite of college football."

Loser - Tennessee. First, the defending National Champions lose Simms to Texas. Then Derek Watson, South Carolina's Mr. Football, also decommits and signs with the hometown Gamecocks and new coach Lou Holtz. The Vols then lost out on prized running back Santonio Beard as the Nashville native opted instead for the Crimson Tide of Alabama. While the National Recruiting Advisor had Tennessee at No. 8 in the country, no other rating source had their recruiting class among the top 10.

Winner - Ohio State shocked the recruiting world by signing one of the strongest recruiting classes in the nation. With a lineup featuring USA Today All-American offensive lineman Bryce Bishop, defensive lineman Tim Anderson, defensive back Michael Doss and defensive back/wide receiver Kelton Lindsay, the Buckeyes were ranked second overall by both SuperPrep and the National Recruiting Advisor.

Winner - With 73 players already on scholarship, Florida State was only able to sign a dozen players this season. But Bobby Bowden took full advantage by signing several highly-rated stars, including quarterback Anquan Boldin of Pahokee, Fla. - the top player in the country, according to SuperPrep. Other major signings for the Seminoles included running back Nick Maddox of Kannapois, N.C., defensive back Rufus Brown of El Paso, Texas; and defensive linemen Darnell Dockett of Burtonsville, Md.

Loser - Notre Dame, who saw highly touted C.J. Leak, a quarterback from Charlotte, N.C., choose Wake Forest instead of the Irish. Leak, a 6-foot-4, 210-pounder quarterback compared by many to Randall Cunningham, had all but moved to South Bend before drastically changing his mind at the last moment. Leak's defection left the Irish without a quarterback in their recruiting class. The news wasn't all bad for Notre Dame fans, however, as the university came away with such standouts as defensive back Gerome Sapp from Houston and a pair of 300-pound linemen - Cedric Hilliard from Arlington, Texas, on defense and Jeff Faine from Florida on offense.

The copyright of the article 1999 Recruiting Winners and Losers in NCAA College Football is owned by Chuck Bednar. Permission to republish 1999 Recruiting Winners and Losers in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.