PonyFans.com

Three "shouldabeen" stars from the Big 12 have surfaced to try to make the Dallas Desperados of the Arena League. Ex-Aggie RBs Sirr Parker and Ja'Mar Toombs are trying to make the team, as is former Baylor QB-turned-Safety Odell James, who arrived in Waco as arguably the top recruit in the nation. He's the best example I can think of that shows what an inexact science recruiting can be.

If I remember right, Odell had everyone in the country after him, and the coaches from Michigan, Texas, Nebraska and Baylor all came to his school for his announcement ... only to have him choose BU, for some reason. How did someone with that much talent turn out to be so bad? How much of it was his surrounding cast?

When Odell was a senior in high school, Nebraska won the National Title.
Craig James was on ESPN at the time, and within minutes of the Huskers winning, he said "Now that Nebraska's won it all, Tom Osborne needs to get on the phone and call Odell James from Houston, and get him up to Lincoln."

So you're saying James was just a little better on the playing field than in the broadcast booth? Good call.

Odell had all those coaches AT HIS SCHOOL for his announcement? That takes some serious stones, if you know what I'm saying, asking the coaches to come to your school rather than just announcing a commitment and FAXing your letter of intent, like everyone else. Too bad his career didn't come close to backing up that kind of confidence.