re: Know how "popular" star gazing is here but HAVE to ask about 247

Couple of thoughts here. 247 usually does a few passes at their ratings throughout the camp season and football season. They update them and change them based on what they see with their own eyes and on highlights and game tape and camp performances. The other services tend to kind of go with the flow on measurements and hype. I do think 247 generally has the best true ratings. Their composite sometimes reflects higher or lower than their own rating of a kid, and that is also good, as it gives you an idea of the consensus on someone.

The other thing I would like to point out is that people tend to assume that a rating based on high school performance and future projection is locked in. It's not. If all kids had the exact same work ethic, coaching from their coaching staff, and willingness to accept coaching and to grow and learn, then the physical measureables would be the only things that mattered, but they aren't. The ratings are the best attempt by scouts to project where a kid *could* wind up based on their physical capabilities. Some diamonds in the rough really blossom at the college level. And some dominant high school kids kind of fizzle out. Take the ratings with a grain of salt. :)