Delarrin Turner-Yell

Football recruiting at Baylor is interesting. Until the Bears claim their first national championship or, heck, even a spot in the playoffs, they will be viewed as a program that's on the rise but not at the top just yet. The Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners bring their historic success to the table in every battle while Texas A&M brings the allure of the SEC in Texas and playing in front of 100,000-plus fans at every home game.Art Briles battled trying to climb the pecking order even after winning two Big 12 Championships and narrowly missing a shot at the championship twice. He beat Texas and Oklahoma consistently and produced three-straight 10-win seasons while Texas A&M set at an average of 8-5. But one thing was likely never going to change with Art Briles... he was always looking for that piece to the puzzle that no one else had. He found prospects on the recruiting trail who contributed to his two Big 12 Championships that no one else wanted. His final class, one that was ripped to shreds in the weeks following his firing, was the highest ranked class he had ever signed at No. 17 in the country, and he was still putting in pieces that he saw as great fits for his offense that not everyone saw as being a priority... such as Denzel Mims and Jared Atkinson. Two Big 12 Championships in, the lag year that is common in recruiting is over, and Baylor finally saw their first top 20 class. That sets the table of reality for Baylor football recruiting. You have to be unique until you don't have to be.Fast forward to May of 2017 and Matt Rhule's staff understands that. Along with competing directly with Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech and occasionally some B1G, PAC 12 and SEC schools, the Bears have to find their niche on the trail. Well, let me back track and say they have.To be as big and as fast as possible. I understand that it's been said on here several times, but that's exactly what this is all about. The reality is that the best players in the country are the biggest and the fastest. You don't beat Alabama (don't take this so literal) by being Oregon. You beat Alabama by being as big and as fast and as physical as Alabama. Will Matt Rhule be able to develop the size and speed his is accumalating? That's the biggest unknown. Yes, he did it at Temple on occasion, but mixing in raw size and raw speed with high-end talent is also crucial. Baylor's 2018 class is a mixed bag. Josh Fleeks and Jackson Gleeson are on opposite ends of the spectrum of ready-to-play ability, but the upside might be equal for both. Casey Phillips and Ylijaah Hall are prospects both held in high regard by the George DeLeone, but Phillips is obviously viewed as the most ready. Delarrin Turner-Yell vs. Mark Milton? Similar situation. Briles found a niche on offense recruiting guys like Kendall Wright, Terrance Williams, Tevin Reese and Antwan Goodley. The production of those players translated into the signing of KD Cannon, Devin Duvernay and Tren Dickson. Now, with a similar niche approach by Rhule on both sides of the ball, can development (mixed with a good share of natural ability) be enough to take recruiting to the next level?