Scout.com: Signing Day 2008 ... How To Build
If you spend too much time courting the superstars, you might lose focus on one of the several bazillion unpolished gems that are out there. Most top recruits turn out to be merely average.There's one position that we must go after, and go after hard -- the hardest position to fill is defensive tackle. (Mark Dantonio?)
Linebackers - Athleticism over production. At no other position does the term "football player" apply more, but
slow linebackers means death to a defense. Preferably, these aren't bulked up safeties, but
sideline-to-sideline linebackers. If the job has been done in getting the right defensive tackles,
size at linebacker can be sacrificed for speed. If the tackles are light, the linebackers generally have to be bigger.(Steve Gardiner,
Drew Stevens, Glenn Winston?)
Cornerbacks - Speed, speed, speed, speed and speed. Obviously everyone wants speed at defensive back, but if you have to find a
relatively obscure high school receiver, quarterback or running back to get that speed, do it and hope you can teach him how to cover. (Trenton Robinson?)