With signing day now in the rear-view mirror and spring practice coming up in a few weeks, I thought it would be interesting to use history to put this year's recruiting class in perspective.

I get a kick out of the "recruiting experts" who seem to know which high school players have the skills to stand out at the next level and which have already maxed out their potential.* To me it seems like guesswork. It's easy to spot high school standouts, while it's difficult to predict who will bloom in the proper situation at the college (or professional) level.

(*Is it really possible for a high school player to max out his potential? Isn't that what practice is for? And coaching? And working out? Maybe I'm missing something, but I disagree with this idea, vehemently.)

One of the strengths of Bronco Mendenhall and his coaching staff has been finding players who fit BYU's unique program. Here are a few notable recruits (based on scout.com's five-star ranking system) BYU has secured since 2002, before Mendenhall became head coach:

Five Stars: Ben Olson ('02), Scott Young ('02), Jake Heaps ('10)

Four Stars: Matt Reynolds ('05), Jake Kuresa ('02), James Lark ('06), Jason Munns ('07), Zac Stout ('10), Ross Apo ('10)

Three Stars: Austin Collie ('04), David Nixon ('03), Daniel Coats ('02), McKay Jacobson ('06), Coleby Clawson ('07), Jordan Pendleton ('07), O'Neill Chambers ('08)

Two Stars: Harvey Unga ('05), Bryan Kehl ('02), Max Hall ('06), Michael Reed ('04), Brett Denney ('03), Justin Sorensen ('08), Brian Logan ('09)

One Star: Jan Jorgensen ('05), Manase Tonga ('05), Curtis Brown ('02), Andrew George ('02), Fui Vakapuna ('02)

There were a few things that stood out to me while I was looking over the recruiting lists:

1) Many of BYU's best players -- and some that have gone on to play in the NFL -- were not four- or five-star recruits. The one- and two-star lists are full of players who were leaders on good BYU teams.

2) Thanks to missionary service and redshirt years, it takes a long time for most players to work their way through the BYU football program.

3) While many people are handing next season's quarterback job to five-star recruit Jake Heaps, there are two four-star recruits (James Lark and Jason Munns) who will also be in the mix after recently returning home from their missions.

4) A large number of players who commit to BYU never end up playing a meaningful down for the Cougars.

5) BYU is securing a higher number of four- and five-star recruits the past few years.

6) If there's one thing that's clear, it's that predicting future college success is difficult, if not impossible, for most players. BYU's program is evidence that good players can be found regardless of their high school ranking.