How do you rate the UM recruiting sites (Rivals/247/On3)?

Tom Beaver's sources out in Oregon are top-notch.

I only listen to Yoder and Deace.

/s I'm kidding guys!  Calm down.

I’m a big fan of TTB myself.  Magnus has been fairly and evenly scouting players for years.

I have not liked Rivals.

I have never used On3.

I prefer 247.

I’m a simple MGoBlog guy with a side of TTB.

I think 24/7 provides the most consistent scoring compared to the others but all of them feel somewhat like a crapshoot after the top 100-ish players.  After that you wind up getting into guys who go up and down rankings based mostly on a couple of data points these services get in the offseason and if they happen to be watching games with those kids in them.  It's part of the reason why I generally discount the southern bias in rankings you see; while I'm sure there's more talent in some of these places its weird to see the 25th-ranked kid in Florida be ranked in the top 150 while the 5th-best in Michigan is in the 250s and yet the MI guy typically has as good, if not better, a career.  

Chris Balas is the the absolute worst.

Not speaking to the quality of recruiting info, but when 247 articles show up on social media they have the clickbait-iest of clickbait titles these days. 

247 is best by a long shot. They have the most comprehensive information, best analysis, and probably the most accurate scouting. I feel like On3 is making a lane for themselves by being the site that respects sleeper recruits the most, or has the hottest takes on recruiting. I do like this approach from them, but I think they need time to establish their credibility in that regard. Rivals is washed up and I hardly ever visit for recruiting updates.

Easy.

Josh - He's just a dude, a good guy who you'd want to have a beer with. If he has an agenda, it doesn't show. I don't know how connected he is compared to the other two (I'd say he's third)...but in terms of interaction, he's great. 

Chris - He provides value because he has info and he's visible and interactive as well. He tries to reply to everyone. He's also down to earth in a way that he'll chat with you and he shares his opinion, which I personally think is cool because some opinions mean more than others. If Michael Jordan tells me I've got a good jump shot, I'll value that more than if my blind neighbor who only knows dog training* were to tell me the same thing.

Issues with Chris are, he's a typical mod. Likes the power and influence (and before I say more, he hates me, so take it with a grain of salt): Chris loves to share his opinion, which as I said...is great! Chris also doesn't like when you challenge or disagree with his opinion (publicly).

Second, On3 is where the sheep are...it's what MLive used to be back in the day. And Chris feeds the sheep what they want to hear (so does Sam). "NIL sucks, Warde sucks, etc." - all of those narratives (WHICH MAY VERY WELL BE ACCURATE) get amplified on that site. And if you disagree with the mob, you're the problem, not them. It can be like talking to someone who stormed the Capital on Jan. 6 - you're never going to get through to them and if you disagree and you're HATED. If you say they're overreacting, you're the problem. 

So Chris is great, just don't disagree with him and be vocal about it.

Sam - Businessman, loves the fame, is all about his brand, corny AF and LOOOOVES the minions that literally live on his every word. He can't get enough of that shit.

BUT, he's well connected and provides value in his updates when he's not recycling bullshit for clicks and subscriptions.

Sam feels like a "big box" store. You get what you want, but it's sterile and has a certain energy.

Using that same analogy, Josh feels like "buying local." Which I like a local neighborhood establishment and the sense of community. But it may not have everything you always want/need.

In terms of rankings, I don't know anymore, I usually stick to 247 rankings and I might use On3 as a backup. Rivals never feels accurate and ESPN...lol.

I guess that wasn't, "easy."

*I don't really have a blind neighbor...I don't think...

Sam is more reliable than Balas. I honestly can’t stand Balas. I’m not sure why he’s considered an insider.  

I have a lot of respect for Josh Henschke and the way he runs things at Rivals. I really feel like just about anything he says/stands behind can be taken to the bank when it comes to reporting.

247 is a bit of a rumor mill. There's a lot of drama over there. Sam is very plugged in, but he does have a tendency to protect his sources by massaging the message to make it seem like Michigan's coaches/staff are always on the up and up. This recent stuff about Harbaugh's job search was totally twisted by Sam to make it seem like Harbaugh stuck to his word from a year ago, and he didn't.

I don't think anybody in the business works harder than EJ Holland at On3. At the same time, he can get a little emotional at times and hold grudges.

On3 took the legacy media by storm. 
 

Terrestrial radio still a dominant force in markets like Detroit. Miss the Fan

TTB and MGoBlog is perfect combo