Here are the rivals rankings of some recent NU backs: Helu 5.5, Rex 5.8, AA 5.7, Newby 6(!), Zig 5.6, Mills 5.6 (out of HS).Don't hold your breath. We haven't recruited a top RB since Abdullah.
We never had a problem recruiting RBs. Hopeful Frost comes up with a better game plan so we can land the stud RBs we were so accustomed to having on the roster year in year out
Here are the rivals rankings of those presently on the roster: Stepp 5.8, Sevion 5.8, Rahmir 5.8, Thompkins 5.7, Ervin 5.7, Scott III 5.6, and Yant is a 247 3*.
You can see that their isn't a difference in putative talent between the two groups.
Ameer Abdullah wasn't a top RB when he first got to NU. The difference between Roy, Rex and AA and other backs was the fact that they had talent plus the want it factor. That's why I like what I hear the coaches say about Gabe Ervin. Comes to practice with business like mentality and wants to be good, and isn't just expecting that to magically happen. What is between the ears is most important in making the jump from HS to college.