I realize that the transfer portal has changed the landscape a bit in recent years, however I still tend to believe in the rule of thumb that you'll only go as far as your upper classmen will take you. I don't believe that any team can truly "reload" until they get to a point where they're stacking strong & deep classes year after year. Anyway, below is a list of remaining players from the 2018 recruiting classes and forward. It paints a pretty clear picture of what Tucker has in front of him...
2018 - (22 total signed. 16 Busts)
Elijah Collins
Jacob Slade
Xavier Henderson
Dashaun Mallory
2019 - (19 signed. 11 Busts)
Brandon Wright
JD Duplain
Maverick Hansen
Tate Hallock
Payton Thorne
Tre Mosley
Michael Fletcher
Nick Samac
Spencer Brown
2020 - (22 signed. 12 Busts)
Terry Lockett
Avery Dunn
Montorie Foster
Noah Kim
Jordan Simmons
Simeon Barrow
Angelo Grose
Jeff Pietrowski
Cal Haladay
Dallas Fincher
2021 - (18 signed. 5 Busts)
Keon Coleman
Hank Pepper
Ma'a Gaoteote
Carson Casteel
Brandon Baldwin
AJ Kirk
Geno VanDeMark
Charles Brantley
Kevin Wigenton
Hamp Fay
Derrick Harmon
Ethan Boyd
Davion Primm
As you can see, there isn't a ton of high-level contributors on the list above. In some instances the transfer portal can help (i.e. K9), but you rarely see high-level contributors from the following positions in the portal: OL, DE, DT and LB. Those are the positions that need to be identified, recruited out of high school, and then developed over 2-3 years before you want to see them on the field.
2018 - (22 total signed. 16 Busts)
Elijah Collins
Jacob Slade
Xavier Henderson
Dashaun Mallory
2019 - (19 signed. 11 Busts)
Brandon Wright
JD Duplain
Maverick Hansen
Tate Hallock
Payton Thorne
Tre Mosley
Michael Fletcher
Nick Samac
Spencer Brown
2020 - (22 signed. 12 Busts)
Terry Lockett
Avery Dunn
Montorie Foster
Noah Kim
Jordan Simmons
Simeon Barrow
Angelo Grose
Jeff Pietrowski
Cal Haladay
Dallas Fincher
2021 - (18 signed. 5 Busts)
Keon Coleman
Hank Pepper
Ma'a Gaoteote
Carson Casteel
Brandon Baldwin
AJ Kirk
Geno VanDeMark
Charles Brantley
Kevin Wigenton
Hamp Fay
Derrick Harmon
Ethan Boyd
Davion Primm
As you can see, there isn't a ton of high-level contributors on the list above. In some instances the transfer portal can help (i.e. K9), but you rarely see high-level contributors from the following positions in the portal: OL, DE, DT and LB. Those are the positions that need to be identified, recruited out of high school, and then developed over 2-3 years before you want to see them on the field.
