Measuring the impact of BC's last small class

Wednesday is National Signing Day. With numerous defections and the ability to close on a few kids late, Spaz's class remains in flux. The only certainty is that this will be BC's smallest class in years. Scouting service projections predict BC will sign 15 kids. The last time BC received just 15 commitments was 2005. Later this week I will get into some of the macro issues of a small class, but for now let's look at what 15 players can mean to BC.

These are the players who signed Letters of Intent in 2005:

Paul Anderson
Marcellus Bowman
Brendan Deska
Austin Giles
Rich Gunnell
Andre Jones
Mike McLaughlin
Clarence Megwa
Jim Ramella
Nick Rossi
Pat Sheil
Allan Smith
Brady Smith
Razzie Smith
Matt Tennant

This class was not ranked in the Top 50 nationally. Among ACC teams, it was considered the 10th best. The class contained two 4-star commitments, nine 3-star commitments and four 2-stars. Of course the highest ranked players -- Andre Jones and Pat Sheil -- had the least impact. While 2-stars Marcellus Bowman, Nick Rossi and Jim Ramella all became important contributors.

Players who never played for BC: Andre Smith. Smith committed to BC over multiple seasons but never cleared admissions hurdles. He eventually played at Akron to mixed results.

Players who did not use all the eligibility: Allan Smith, Brady Smith, Razzie Smith, and Pat Sheil. Allan dealt with injuries. Brady Smith ran into trouble and was kicked out of school. Razzie was a servicable backup but was not given a 5th year. Instead he finished up at South Carolina State. Sheil had injuries and never lived up to the hype. He did not use his fifth year.

Played as true freshman: Paul Anderson and Jim Ramella. Anderson was overshadowed by some of his DB contemporaries, but was still solid. Ramella played as a true freshman and then dealt with a series of injuries. He did play after a medical redshirt but never became an elite player.

NFL Draft Picks: Matt Tennant.

All Conference: Matt Tennant.

Five Year W-L record: 47-19

Bottom Line: This small group of guys were part of one of the most successful runs in BC history. They also reinforced the idea that BC might be better at evaluating under the radar guys as opposed to four star talent. The biggest concern as it pertains to this year's small class is the attrition rate. 1/3 of the signees did not use all their eligibility (for various reasons). Also, only two guys played as true freshmen. If those two trends recur, Spaz and/or another BC coach is going to have holes to fill with future recruits.