1979 Top 100

[Dwan]

thought this was cool/depressing:

1. Eric Dickerson, RB, 6-3, 205, Sealy (Texas) - SMU
2. Don Mosebar, OT, 6-7, 265, Visalia (Calif.) - USC
3. John Elway, QB, 6-2, 185, Granada Hills (Calif.) - Stanford
4. Drew Dossett, ILB, 6-4, 235, Shreveport (La.) ΓÇô USC
5. Joey Browner, OLB, 6-4, 200, Atlanta (Ga.) ΓÇô USC
6. Darryl Sheffey, OG, 6-3, 272, Washington (DC) ΓÇô Oklahoma State
7. Roger Craig, RB, 6-2, 202, Davenport (Ia.) ΓÇô Nebraska
8. Jimmy Smith, RB, 6-0, 190, Kankakee (Il.) ΓÇô Purdue
9. Mike Cade, RB, 6-1, 205, Eloy (Az.) ΓÇô Michigan
10. George Achica, OT, 6-5, 265, San Jose (Calif.) ΓÇô USC
11. Vincent White, RB, 5-8, 175, Denver (Co.) ΓÇô Stanford
12. Craig James, RB, 6-1, 210, Houston (Texas) ΓÇô SMU
13. Stanley Wilson, RB, 6-1, 195, Los Angeles (Calif.) ΓÇô Oklahoma
14. Wayne Apuna, ILB, Honolulu (Hawaii) ΓÇô Arizona State
15. Mike McCloskey, TE, 6-4, 230, Philadelphia (Pa.) ΓÇô Penn State
16. Jon English, QB, 6-3, 190, Birmingham (Mi.) ΓÇô Michigan State
17. Tony Hunter, WR, 6-6, 210, Cincinnati (OH) ΓÇô Notre Dame
18. Buford McGee, RB, 6-1, 180, Durant (Ms.) ΓÇô Ole Miss
19. Phillip Boren, DT, 6-5, 245, Dallas (Texas) ΓÇô Arkansas
20. Kevin Ward, QB, 6-1, 198, Conestoga (Pa.) ΓÇô Arizona
21. Tom Jelesky, TE, 6-6, 250, Merrillville (In.) ΓÇô Purdue
22. Mitchell Bennett, WR, 5-11, 180, Bonham (Texas) ΓÇô SMU
23. Doug Collins, DT, 6-4, 240, Andalusia (Al.) ΓÇô Alabama
24. Weldon Ledbetter, RB, 6-3, 210, Clayton (Mo.) ΓÇô Oklahoma
25. Michael Carter, DT, 6-2, 235, Dallas (Texas) ΓÇô SMU
26. Malcom Moore, TE, 6-5, 215, San Fernando (Calif.) ΓÇô USC
27. Anthony Carter, WR, 5-11, 165, Riviera Beach (Fla.) ΓÇô Michigan
28. Matt Harlien, OT, 6-4, 265, Corpus Christi (Texas) ΓÇô Texas Tech
29. Johnny Hector, RB, 5-11, 180, New Iberia (La.) ΓÇô Texas A&M
30. Claybon Fields, OT, 6-7, 270, Washington (DC) ΓÇô Purdue
31. Doug Smith, DT, 6-5, 255, Bayboro (NC) ΓÇô East Carolina
32. Glenn Cobb, LB, 6-4, 212, Miami (OH) ΓÇô Ohio State
33. Ray Brown, DE, 6-4, 230, Rome (Ga.) ΓÇô Clemson
34. Rob Moore, FB, 6-2, 217, Santa An (Calif.) ΓÇô Stanford
35. Winfred Carraway, ILB, 6-3, 235, Detroit (Mi.) ΓÇô Michigan
36. Stanley Godine, DB, 6-1, 180, Houston (Texas) ΓÇô SMU
37. Reuben Jones, QB, 6-2, 205, Tulsa (Ok.) ΓÇô TCU
38. Curt Warner, RB, 6-1, 180, Pineville (WV) ΓÇô Penn State
39. Paul Parker, OG, 6-3, 280, Tulsa (Ok.) ΓÇô Oklahoma
40. Bob Clasby, DT, 6-5, 265, Boston (Mass.) ΓÇô Notre Dame
41. Steve Mott, DL, 6-4, 245, New Orleans (La.) ΓÇô Alabama
42. Cyrus Lawrence, RB, 5-10, 200, South Hampton (Va.) ΓÇô Virginia Tech (VPI then)
43. Norris Brown, WR, 6-3, 197, Laurens (SC) ΓÇô Georgia
44. Johnell Brown, QB, 6-1, 180, Gainesville (Fla.) ΓÇô Florida
45. Joe Lukens, OG, 6-4, 230, Cincinnati (OH) ΓÇô Ohio State
46. Shawn McNamara, OT, 6-6, 250, Long Island (NY) ΓÇô Penn State
47. Will Forts, OLB, 6-1, 205, Fayetteville (Ga.) ΓÇô Georgia
48. Shelby Gamble, RB, 6-0, 195, South Haven (Mi.) ΓÇô Boston College
49. Darryl Songy, S, 6-2 185, New Orleans (La.) ΓÇô Oklahoma
50. Melvin Dorsey, RB, 6-0, 180, Atlanta (Ga.) ΓÇô Georgia
51. Kevin Lindsey, RB, 5-11, 180, Sandusky (OH) ΓÇô Ohio State
52. Andrew Provence, OT, Savannah (SC) ΓÇô South Carolina
53. Irv Eatman, OL, 6-3, 250, Dayton (OH) ΓÇô UCLA
54. Rick Sharp, TE, 6-5, 220, Carmel (In.) ΓÇô UCLA
55. Randy Justes, DL, 6-5, 240, Omaha (Neb.) ΓÇô Missouri
56. Kinny Hooper, RB, 6-1, 205, Cleveland (Tn.) ΓÇô Ole Miss
57. Phil Carter, RB, 5-11, 190, Tacoma (Wa.) ΓÇô Notre Dame
58. Tim Spencer, RB, 6-2, 190, St. Clarisville (OH) ΓÇô Ohio State
59. Tim Case, OL, 6-4, 250, Tilton (Ga.) ΓÇô Georgia
60. Spencer Jackson, WR, Boca Raton (Fla.) ΓÇô Florida
61. Darryl Moore, OT, 6-5, 240, Venice (Calif.) ΓÇô USC
62. Eddie Hornback, QB, 6-2, 200, (Ocean Springs (Ms.) ΓÇô Notre Dame
63. Dan Plonk, OG, Merritt Island (Fla.) ΓÇô Florida
64. Rich Hewlett, QB, 6-1, 195, Plymouth (Mi.) ΓÇô Michigan
65. Roosevelt Wilder, RB, 5-11, 195, Macon (Ga.) ΓÇô Alabama
66. Clyde Duncan, WR, 6-3, 185, Potomac (Md.) ΓÇô Tennessee
67. Alana Risher, QB, 6-2, 180, Slidell (La.) ΓÇô LSU
68. Randy Edwards, DT, 6-4, 245, Marietta (Ga.) ΓÇô Alabama
69. Rob Hedequist, C, 6-3, 218, Spokane (Wa.) ΓÇô USC
70. Don Dixon, TE, 6-6, 230, Jacksonville (Fla.) ΓÇô Georgia
71. James Jones, QB, 6-3, 205, Pompano Beach (Fla.) ΓÇô Florida
72. Chuck McSwain, RB, 6-3, 198, Forest City (NC) ΓÇô Clemson
73. Barry Young, OT, 6-6, 240, Apple Valley (Mn.) ΓÇô Notre Dame
74. Dan Marino, QB, 6-2, 185, Pittsburgh (Pa.) ΓÇô Pittsburgh
75. Donnie Humphrey, DT, 6-3, 260, Huntsville (Ala.) ΓÇô Alabama
76. Marty Martinez, WR, 6-1, 180, Drayton Plains (Mi.) ΓÇô Stanford
77. Todd Blackledge, QB, 6-4, 200, North Canton (OH) ΓÇô Penn State
78. Jeff Guy, DB, 6-1, 175, Aurora (Colo.) ΓÇô Texas
79. Mike Edwards, WR, 6-5, 200, Bradenton (Fla.) ΓÇô Auburn
80. Mike White, DL, 6-5, 240, Philadelphia (Pa.) ΓÇô Arizona State
81. Dan Gregus, OL, 6-5, 235, Chicago (Il.) ΓÇô Illinois
82. Layne Walker, QB, Clovis (NM) ΓÇô SMU
83. Derald Williams, RB, 6-0, 195, Jacksonville (Fla.) ΓÇô Florida
84. Mike Buchanan, ILB, University City (Mo.) ΓÇô Texas
85. Charles Waggoner, RB, 6-2, 200, Dallas (Texas) ΓÇô SMU
86. Mike Cofer, DE, 6-5, 220, Knoxville (Tn.) ΓÇô Tennessee
87. Jim Hawn, El Dorado (Calif.) ΓÇô Arizona State
88. Guy Thurston, DL, 6-3, 240, Arvada (Co.) ΓÇô Colorado
89. Al Blue, DB, 6-2, 175, Maitland (Fla.) ΓÇô Alabama
90. Richard Abraham, DE, 6-3, 238, Paducah (Ky.) ΓÇô Kentucky
91. Woody Grigg, OT, 6-7, 240, Winnfield (La.) ΓÇô Ole Miss
92. Marcus Toney, DB, 6-2, 190, Muskegon (Mi.) ΓÇô Michigan State
93. Damon McCurty, LB, 6-3, 220, Washington County (Ga.) ΓÇô Clemson
94. Todd Spratte, TE, 6-4, 235, Rochester (Mn.) ΓÇô Nebraska
95. Brian Holland, RB, 5-11, 195, Devon (Pa.) ΓÇô Arizona
96. Jeff Hostetler, QB, Davidsville (Pa.) ΓÇô Penn State
97. Chuck Ehin, DT, 6-5, 255, Layton (Utah) ΓÇô BYU
98. Michael Charles, RB, 6-0, 205, Houston (Texas) ΓÇô SMU
99. Billy Ray Smith, DL, 6-4, 215, Dallas (Texas) ΓÇô Arkansas
100. Kyle Money, QB, 6-3, 200, Dallas (Texas) - Baylor

[PonyTime]

If SMU was buying ... How much was USC paying that year?

And surprised at the number of Stanfords in there. How good were they back in the day?

[BUS]

It struck me that Mr. Carter was 235.
Grew to 275-280 .

Nice list a payers.

[ponyfan37]

We had 4 RB's in the top 100. That is absolutely insane.

[ojaipony]

If it helps you/me/us feel any better, we DO have several top 100 on our BASKETBALL team. Shake, Akoy, Mike, Whitt . . .

And, in football, we have a top 100 player in Trey Quinn (was #29 on ESPN top 300). I'm looking if we have any others on the roster in the ESPN 300 . . . I don't think so . . .

[SoCal_Pony]

I look at lists like this and am always impressed with the ability to judge talent so early.

Numbers 1 and 3 in high school go 1 and 2 in the NFL draft and become first ballot HoFers.

Multiple Super Bowl QBs (Marino, Elway, Hostetler) as well, so many NFL players and 1st round draft picks.

Also, so many who fail do so because of injuries. We know about Charles Waggoner. #4, Drew Dossett from Louisiana (went to USC) is another. He actually became a doctor and operated on Tony Romo.

[Stallion]

I think this was a list from the mythical national recruiting guru Joe Terranove (Super Prep magazine) -a former Detroit autoworker I believe-I can confirm the legitimacy-I remember reading it. However, back in 1979 it was pretty much a guessing game because ole Joe probably hadn't seen a single player on the list and video was pretty rare before Al Gore invented the internet. Still to give him credit he hit on a bunch of SMU recruits (probably after reading Dave Campbell's Texas Football). The big bust on this list was DB Stanley Godine (from Houston Kashmere) who shrunk about 3 inches and weighed 30 pounds more than his listed weight. He was the Sean Stopperich of this Class and I'm not sure if he ever played. Godine's teammate at Kashmere-DT Harvey Armstrong was actually the Blue Chip All-American on the Kashmere team

[Fresno Mustang]

Looks like Ron Myer gave a bunch of his "Doak Walker Scholarships" that year

[D]

Interesting to see former SMU WR coach Vincent White on the list at 11 as well. Saw video of him in college and he was good, but didn't know he was that highly rated.

[Dark Horse]

We had 4 RB's in the top 100. That is absolutely insane.

Thatt jumped out at me too ... as did the fact that we had five guys ranked higher than Dan Marino

[Stallion]

yeah that Class is one of the more famous in College and Pro Football history too-look at all the superstars

[Digetydog]

We had 4 RB's in the top 100. That is absolutely insane.

Waggoner was the best. He was playing in front of Dickerson and James before he got injured.

[Pony ^]

almost all texas kids too

[ponyte]

#4 on the list is now one of the Cowboys othopeadic surgeons Seems some found work other than football after college.

Godine liked his pot too much.

Micheal Charles ended up a fullback and competed with Charles Drayton. Drayton ended up being the guy that did the most blocking out of the backfield for James and Dickerson.

Still, SMU pulled some great talent that year.

[ponyboy]

#4 on the list is now one of the Cowboys othopeadic surgeons Seems some found work other than football after college.

Godine liked his pot too much.

Micheal Charles ended up a fullback and competed with Charles Drayton. Drayton ended up being the guy that did the most blocking out of the backfield for James and Dickerson.

Still, SMU pulled some great talent that year.

I remember being fired up by the Dallas Times Herald story on the blue chips we signed that class. My UT uncle was in shock. His shock would deepen a few months later on the field in Austin.