I have been busy last few days and just came across this thread.
OP, I love your thoughts but think they might be premature. I don't think there are too many on here that really give full credit of where we were once Jimbo got fired. We had just lost so many following the 22 season and it got so much worse following the 23 season. Our roster was so depleted. Elko came in late.
Don't get me wrong, with all those factors working against him, there isn't really any coach out there, at least that I know of, that has come close to doing what Elko has done and building it the right way for long term success. I am so impressed with what Elko has done in such a short time, but to act as if we might be deeper or even as deep in the same talent level as the whorns following just 2 or 3 yrs is crazy and really a hopeful stretch, but not likely to be reality.
don't know how things will shake out but it definitely seems as of this year, the sips will be more talented (just from a talent perspective on paper). Here is a paper comparison from 247 composite ranking of team talent for last season................
https://247sports.com/season/2025-football/collegeteamtalentcomposite/You can clearly see the whorns were #4 nationally with 14 guys that are 5*, 44 that are 4* and only 20 that are 3* players. We are 8th and only 5 guys that are 5*, 57 that are 4* and 23 that are 3*. BTW, just to add more information for you here........
2024
whorns----------class was ranked 5th overall, 6th composite and 5th in transfer rankings
Aggies----------class was ranked 16th overall, 19th composite and 4th in transfer rankings
2025
whorns---------- class was ranked 1st overall, 1st composite and 23rd in transfer rankings
whorns----------class was ranked 10th overall, 9th composite and 11th in transfer rankings
2026
whorns---------- class was ranked 2nd overall, 7th composite and 3rd in transfer rankings
Aggies-----------class was ranked 10th overall, 10th composite and 12th in transfer rankings
All that said, Let's see what they lost vs what we lost. It appears we lost more, not only in quantity but also quality. We lost 15 to the NFL total with 10 drafted and 5 signed UDFA deals. They lost 13 with only 6 being drafted and 7 signing UDFA deals. So, not only were they ahead of us, but just with this info, it would seem this makes the gap even greater with the whorns holding the advantage.
To follow up that last point, several absurdly too early mock drafts have 4 whorns (Arch Manning, Colin Simmons, Cam Coleman and Trevor Goosby) going first round and plenty more to get drafted behind that. So, that point is to say, they are very loaded with talent and deep this year.
So, I think those are a ton of facts to just say, be careful to jump the gun from a talent and/or depth comment
As far as HS recruit wanting to come to the 40 acres, he signed 22 HS prospects in the 24 class, 25 HS prospects in the 25 class and he signed another 25 members in their 26 class, so HS prospects are definitely wanting to come to the 40 acres and their classes are ranked on composite rankings better than ours.
EDIT: BTW, I will add I am not being negative, just being real, but I will say I have more confidence in Elko's ability to do more with less and Sark to do less with more. I think that in itself is worth a ton
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