As he’s become more exposed to the media this season, KU sophomore tailback Jake Sharp has emerged as one of the more likely guys in crimson and blue to always tell it like it is.At Tuesday’s KU football [weekly press session][1], his most candid topic was recruiting.Many were shocked by the [recent commitment drawn][2] from Dodge City senior quarterback Kale Pick.Well, maybe not the commitment itself, but rather the quick turnaround from his previous verbal. The youngster withdrew his pledge to Arkansas on Sunday night, and 24 hours later gave his word to the Jayhawk staff that he’ll be here next year. KU is 7-0 and could become a bigger player in many recruits’ eyes thanks to 2007 success, while Arkansas is struggling during a 4-3 campaign.While Kansas may now start showing up on the radar screens of recruits previously thought unreachable, Sharp is still convinced that people shouldn’t look at the ratings as anything more than window shopping.”I don’t necessarily know that we’ll get bettter players – Maybe according to the braniacs that give people stars and people like that we’ll get better players, but you can’t really measure the size of somebody’s heart,” Sharp said. “And that’s what a football player is.”If there’s anyone who should know how hollow ratings can be in certain cases, it’s Sharp. Shoot, it’s many of KU’s key components, for that matter.”I think I had three (stars),” Sharp said with a grin. “I guess you can measure the height, weight and numbers game, which I guess is the best people can do. Everybody laughs at that stuff, unless you’re a five-star guy – Then I guess you’re pretty proud about it. That stuff is really silly in my opinion.”Sharp was right – He was ranked as the top prospect in Kansas in the 2006 class by Rivals.com, but he was only of three-star quality in their eyes. An outsider may think it was because of his smaller stature and the competition he faced in high school. Though his gaudy, state record-setting numbers were still nothing to scoff at.Some of the names receiving similar grades in high school may surprise you. Sophomore quarterback Todd Reesing, who was slighted by in-state big names while playing prep ball in Texas, was just a three-star talent.His top target – senior wideout Marcus Henry – garnered just one star. And Sharp’s top road-clearer, left tackle Anthony Collins? Well, the man who could be a first day NFL draft pick this April was ranked with only two stars. In fact, the only other schools Collins took official visits to were McNeese State, Houston and Iowa State.Defensively, d-line anchor James McClinton (three stars) and future NFL cornerback Aqib Talib (two stars) flew under most big schools’ radars as well.”If you look at the guy with five stars, numbers-wise he should be a good football player, but you know, when he gets on the football field he may not be,” Sharp continued. “The guy who gave him the five stars, he’s covered, because look at his height-weight, he should be good.”KU’s defensive stallwarts were cast the same way coming out of high school. Defensive tackle James McClinton (three stars) and future NFL cornerback Aqib Talib (two stars) flew under most big schools’ radars as well.KU was simply in a favorable position to recruit these guys who were overlooked by the bigger programs. Sharp pointed out that not only was proximity to his Salina homestead key in him coming to Lawrence, but the opportunity to play right away – which he did as a true frosh – was equally appealing.There’s a laundry list of guys who were recruited ahead of these current Jayhawks who have either not yet panned out or, in some cases, never will pan out.With Reesing and Sharp, it’s a little easier.In the class of 2006, according to Rivals.com, Reesing was ranked as the [No. 16 dual-threat QB][3] in the country, while Sharp was tabbed the [No. 17 all-purpose back][4].Of the 15 quarterbacks ranked ahead of Reesing on that list, only five others are regular starters in this their second year out of high school. Only one, Florida’s Tim Tebow, has [a better passer rating][5] (177.5, No. 1 in nation) than Reesing (149.4, No. 18 in nation). Reesing, though, is the only one who can claim an undefeated record as Halloween grows nearer.For Sharp, only two of the running backs ahead of him on the all-purpose back list (Alabama’s Terry Grant and Wake Forest’s Josh Adams) average [more yards rushing per game][6] than Sharp’s clip of 78.71.What does this mean?It’s by no means an end-all be-all, but while each class has its slam dunks, 90 percent of these guys are far from it. It means that recruiting is an inexact science that is best understood by coaches. The rest of us analyzing and judging these guys on ratings just have a fun hobby.**_A couple of notes on the side:_****-Some may have been impressed by Brandon McAnderson’s smooth delivery** on ESPN Saturday when giving the starting lineups for the Kansas offense. He easily slipped in the entertaining nicknames of Todd “A.K.A. T-O-Double Trouble, A.K.A. The Fun Slinger” Reesing and Anthony “Mama’s Gotta Eat” Collins.What you may not have known is how impressed ESPN was by his work. In fact, after knocking it out, he was told by the ESPN cameraman that he was the first person this year to do so in one take.**-Over the next two-plus seasons, Todd Reesing will play** three regular season games in his home state of Texas. The first is this weekend at Texas A&M, with the last two coming in his senior year when the Jayhawks travel to both Texas and Texas Tech.Reesing was told when being recruited mildly by A&M in high school that he was on their ‘B-List’ because of physical presence, mainly.”It was disappointing, the whole recruiting process, because I didn’t get recruited by a lot of people,” Reesing said. “But nothing ever hurt my feelings. I don’t look back and regret anything. I’m glad I ended up where I am, and obviously it’s working out better than I could have ever expected, so no regrets there.”Still, Reesing grew up in Austin as a Texas fan, and by his count attended severl UT-A&M contests as a kid. So he’s familiar with the atmosphere at Kyle Field.But Reesing, who has done an excellent job playing his cards close to the vest all season, says that adds no fuel to a fire needing no more fanning.”I don’t think it changes the implications of the game,” he added. “We have a chance to get our third Big 12 road win, remain undefeated on the season and in conference, so I think that right there is enough reason to get hyped up for the game. I don’t need to look back at the history or where I come from to get any more excited for this game.”His roommate added some extra insight.”I think that anytime he goes back to Texas it’s going to be extra motivation for him because there’s a lot of family and friends there,” senior tight end Derek Fine said. “I think some of the schools there, they weren’t recruiting him because he was small, and so I think that probably gnaws at him a little bit.”**_And now, for this week’s video fun…_**-Ryan Wood already linked [this][7] in a blog earlier this week, but I can’t stop giggling over it. If you liked that one, check out [this][8], [this][9] and [this][10].-[Here][11] is this week’s classic clip from The Office.-The ‘Crank That’ trend seems to be continuing to take over the world of college football. See it [here][12] and [here][13].-[This][14] is one of the funniest SNL episodes of all-time, hands down. Go to YouTube and find some more clips from it. There’s plenty. This seemed like a good one to post.See you Thursday for Twisted pick ’em v. 1.6.**_KUSports.com editor Ryan Greene can be reached at rgreene@ljworld.com, or by phone at (785) 832-6357._** [1]: http://www2.kusports.com/blogs/sawin_wood/2007/oct/23/sawinwood102307/ [2]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2007/oct/22/ku_gets_commitment_dodge_city_qb_pick/?football [3]: http://kansas.rivals.com/viewrank.asp?ra_key=1144 [4]: http://kansas.rivals.com/viewrank.asp?ra_key=1145 [5]: http://web1.ncaa.org/d1mfb/natlRank.jsp?year=2007&div=4&rpt=IA_playerpasseff&site=org [6]: http://web1.ncaa.org/d1mfb/natlRank.jsp?year=2007&div=4&rpt=IA_playerrush&site=org [7]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZTGJKnwIu8 [8]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKkZTX4AzWc [9]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7INhBp1lnxM [10]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_gdlc1aXpU [11]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjymmDCztB8 [12]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4US7L6ypRk4 [13]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk3tLFUCijE [14]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fCm8p8zQ0s
