Coaches often say the best time to evaluate recruiting classes is four years after recruits show up on campus, when the full measure of their impact can be accurately assessed. Of course, we're a forward-thinking publication for a forward-thinking audience, and we'll always rank recruiting classes when they show up on campus in an attempt to predict which schools have bright futures ahead of them. It is instructional, however, to look back at our 2008 recruiting class rankings (subscribers only) and see how we did. This is also a way to give credit to recruiting coordinators whose classes turned out far better than initially thought.

So, below is how we would rank the 2008 recruiting classes in hindsight, based on what the players accomplished in school. Postseason success weighs heavily in our calculus, but we're also looking at whether the players in these classes were vital cornerstone players or role players who were just along for the ride. The best classes have a blend of both. Draft results have no bearing on these revised rankings, but you'll notice that most of the classes that experienced the most success also produced a number of marquee draft picks (with a glaring exception at the very top).

Overall, the rankings four years ago were pretty strong. Thirteen of our Top 25 classes in 2008 crack our "revised" list four years later. But there were a few glaring omissions from the Top 25 four years ago, led by the top-ranked class on our list.

1. SOUTH CAROLINA

2008 rank: NR.
Recruiting coordinator: Monte Lee/Chad Holbrook.
Key players: Michael Roth, Matt Price, Jackie Bradley Jr., Bobby Haney, Adam Matthews, Justin Dalles, Nick Ebert, Nolan Belcher, Adam Westmoreland.
The bottom line: Simply put, this is one of the most accomplished classes in college baseball history—the foundation for two national titles and a CWS runner-up finish. Only Bradley was drafted inside the top five rounds, which proves that sometimes the best recruiting classes aren't the most prospect-heavy.

2. ARIZONA STATE

2008 rank: 1.
Recruiting coordinator: Josh Holliday.
Key players: Zack MacPhee, Riccio Torrez, Johnny Ruettiger, Kole Calhoun, Zach Wilson, Jordan Swagerty, Josh Spence, Abe Ruiz.
The bottom line: This class earned the top spot four years ago because of its depth, and it did not disappoint, producing a slew of impact players who led ASU to back-to-back CWS appearances in 2009 and '10, plus a super regional in '11. Spence spent one healthy year at ASU, then reached the majors in 2011.

3. VANDERBILT

2008 rank: 2.
Recruiting coordinator: Erik Bakich.
Key players: Sonny Gray, Jason Esposito, Grayson Garvin, Navery Moore, Jack Armstrong, Will Clinard, Corey Williams.
The bottom line: Loaded with All-Americans and front-line prospects (five went on to be drafted in the top three rounds), this class propelled Vanderbilt to Omaha for the first time ever in 2011.

4. UCLA

2008 rank: 7.
Recruiting coordinator: Rick Vanderhook.
Key players: Trevor Bauer, Gerrit Cole, Tyler Rahmatulla, Steve Rodriguez, Adrian Williams.
The bottom line: On their way to being two of the top three picks in the 2011 draft, Bauer and Cole led the Bruins to their first CWS trip in 13 years as sophomores, then carried UCLA to a conference title and a home regional as juniors. Bauer was national Player of the Year in 2011 and the first player from the '11 draft to reach the majors. Rahmatulla and Rodriguez also had solid collegiate careers.

5. FLORIDA STATE

2008 rank: 24.
Recruiting coordinator: Jamey Shouppe.
Key players: James Ramsey, Sean Gilmartin, Sherman Johnson, Hunter Scantling, Brian Busch.
The bottom line: The Seminoles got superb value out of this group partly because Gilmartin was the lone member of this class to sign a pro contract as a junior. A year after Gilmartin earned first-team All-America honors and became a first-round pick, Ramsey accomplished both feats as a senior, as he and Johnson helped carry FSU to its second CWS trip in three years. They reached super regionals all four seasons.

6. VIRGINIA

2008 rank: 14.
Recruiting coordinator: Kevin McMullan.
Key players: Danny Hultzen, Steven Proscia, John Hicks, Will Roberts.
The bottom line: Hultzen, one of the great players of his era, and Proscia were key contributors as freshmen on UVa.'s first-ever CWS team. Along with Hicks and Roberts, they led the Cavs to the No. 1 national seed and another trip to Omaha as juniors. They fell one win shy of a third CWS appearance as sophomores.

7. CONNECTICUT

2008 rank: NR.
Recruiting coordinator: Justin Blood.
Key players: George Springer, Matt Barnes, Nick Ahmed, John Andreoli, Kevin Vance, David Fischer, Billy Ferriter, Scott Oberg.
The bottom line: Beyond producing a pair of first-rounders (Springer and Barnes) plus a second-rounder (Ahmed), this class elevated a UConn program that hadn't made a regional in 16 years before hosting one in 2010. The Huskies followed it up by winning a regional at Clemson a year later.

8. TEXAS CHRISTIAN

2008 rank: 9.
Recruiting coordinator: Todd Whitting.
Key players: Jason Coats, Kyle Winkler, Matt Curry, Taylor Featherston, Brance Rivera, Kaleb Merck, Erik Miller.
The bottom line: This large group of impact players helped lead TCU to a super regional in 2009 and its first-ever CWS trip a year later. Coats produced for four years, plastering his name all over the school record book.

9. KENT STATE

2008 rank: NR.
Recruiting coordinator: Scott Daeley.
Key players: Jimmy Rider, David Starn, David Lyon, Andrew Chafin, Kyle McMillen, Travis Shaw.
The bottom line: Rider (a first-team All-American as a senior), Lyon and Starn wrapped up stellar four-year careers by leading Kent State to Omaha for the first time as seniors. Chafin (supplemental first round), McMillen (fourth) and Shaw (ninth) were drafted inside the top 10 rounds a year earlier, after helping the Golden Flashes win three straight MAC titles (they tacked on a fourth this year).

10. TEXAS

2008 rank: 12.
Recruiting coordinator: Tommy Harmon.
Key players: Taylor Jungmann, Brandon Loy, Sam Stafford, Austin Dicharry, Kevin Lusson, Jordan Etier.
The bottom line: Jungmann and Loy were the foundation for two College World Series teams, including a run to the CWS finals during their freshman year. Dicharry was a valuable contributor early in his career, while Stafford was a difference-maker in his final season at Texas.

11. FLORIDA

2008 rank: 5.
Recruiting coordinator: Kevin O'Sullivan.
Key players: Preston Tucker, Nick Maronde, Anthony DeSclafani, Greg Larson, Tyler Thompson, Mike Mooney.
The bottom line: Tucker was one of the most productive players in school history, while Maronde, DeSclafani and Larson wound up as integral bullpen pieces for multiple CWS teams. Tucker and Larson stayed for four years, reaching Omaha three times. Maronde reached the major leagues with the Angels this season.

12. OREGON

2008 rank: 10.
Recruiting coordinator: Andrew Checketts.
Key players: Tyler Anderson, Alex Keudell, Scott McGough, Madison Boer, Danny Pulfer, Zack Thornton, K.C. Serna, Justin LaTempa.
The bottom line: Oregon's first class after reinstatement was enormous by necessity, and it wound up yielding its share of impact players, led by the previously unheralded Anderson, who departed as a first-round pick. This group helped the Ducks make two regionals in their first four years back.

13. LOUISIANA STATE

2008 rank: NR.
Recruiting coordinator: Terry Rooney/David Grewe.
Key players: Mikie Mahtook, Austin Nola, Tyler Hanover, Matty Ott.
The bottom line: Each of these four players were significant contributors on LSU's run to the 2009 national title as freshmen. Mahtook was a first-round pick as a junior, while Nola and Hanover were four-year infield mainstays.

14. RICE

2008 rank: NR.
Recruiting coordinator: David Pierce/Mike Taylor.
Key players: Anthony Rendon, Jeremy Rathjen, Matthew Reckling, Taylor Wall, Jared Rogers, Steven Sultzbaugh, Brock Holt, Abel Gonzales.
The bottom line: Though this group won just one regional and never reached Omaha, they won plenty of games and kept the Owls at the top of Conference USA. Rendon won Freshman of the Year and Player of the Year honors in back-to-back years, and the rest were quality complementary pieces. Holt reached the big leagues this year with the Pirates.

15. CALIFORNIA

2008 rank: NR.
Recruiting coordinator: Dan Hubbs.
Key players: Erik Johnson, Marcus Semien, Chadd Krist, Matt Flemer, Dixon Anderson, Chad Bunting, Danny Oh.
The bottom line: Cal's run from the chopping block to the 2011 College World Series was more than just a feel-good underdog story; it was the manifestation of a very talented junior class reaching its potential. Each of these seven were key parts of that run; Krist and Flemer were four-year stalwarts.

16. CLEMSON

2008 rank: 13.
Recruiting coordinator: Tom Riginos.
Key players: Brad Miller, Will Lamb, Jason Stolz, Kevin Brady, Chris Dwyer, Scott Weismann, Phil Pohl, David Haselden.
The bottom line: This balanced class helped Clemson reach a super regional in 2009 and Omaha in 2010. Miller, the ACC Player of the Year in 2011, wound up as the lone star in the group, but each of the others made an impact in his own right.

17. ARKANSAS

2008 rank: 8.
Recruiting coordinator: Todd Butler.
Key players: Zack Cox, James McCann, Bo Bigham, T.J. Forrest, Jarrod McKinney.
The bottom line: Cox, McCann and Bigham were valuable building blocks, each of whom helped the Hogs reach Omaha as freshmen, and super regionals the next two years.

18. CAL STATE FULLERTON

2008 rank: 15.
Recruiting coordinator: Sergio Brown.
Key players: Nick Ramirez, Noe Ramirez, Tyler Pill, Carlos Lopez, Colin O'Connell.
The bottom line: After reaching Omaha as freshmen, this group of Titans reached super regionals as sophomores before dropping a home regional as juniors. Pill and the Ramirezes left as fourth-round picks; Lopez is still hitting in the middle of the lineup as a fifth-year senior heading into 2013.

19. GEORGIA TECH

2008 rank: NR.
Recruiting coordinator: Bryan Prince.
Key players: Jed Bradley, Mark Pope, Matt Skole, Jake Davies, Jacob Esch, Brandon Miller.
The bottom line: This class never quite lived up to its talent, losing in regionals three years in a row. But that doesn't mean it didn't have talent, as Bradley, Pope, Skole and Miller (after transferring to Samford) would each wind up as top-five-rounds picks.

20. OKLAHOMA

2008 rank: NR.
Recruiting coordinator: Tim Tadlock.
Key players: Cameron Seitzer, Tyler Ogle, Caleb Bushyhead, Chris Ellison.
The bottom line: These solid complementary players helped the Sooners break a 15-year CWS drought in 2010. Ogle earned third-team All-America honors as a junior.

21. UC IRVINE

2008 rank: NR.
Recruiting coordinator: Pat Shine.
Key players: Matt Summers, D.J. Crumlich, Ronnie Shaeffer, Brian Hernandez, Tommy Reyes.
The bottom line: This group wasn't flashy, as Summers was the lone top-five-rounds prospect, but it was a collection of winning ballplayers who helped the Anteaters reach three straight regionals, capped by a super regional in 2011.

22. COASTAL CAROLINA

2008 rank: NR.
Recruiting coordinator: Kevin Schnall.
Key players: Anthony Meo, Daniel Bowman, Taylor Motter, Tucker Frawley.
The bottom line: Bowman and Frawley made regionals in each of their four seasons at Coastal, highlighted by a trip to super regionals in 2010, when Meo won 13 games and Motter (a three-year starter at shortstop) hit 12 homers.

23. ST. JOHN'S

2008 rank: NR.
Recruiting coordinator: Scott Brown.
Key players: Joe Panik, Matt Wessinger, Kevin Kilpatrick, Brendan Lobban, Bruce Kern.
The bottom line: Panik became a first-round pick and an All-American as a junior in 2011. Wessinger replaced him at short a year later and earned All-America honors in his own right. Wessinger and Kilpatrick helped the Red Storm make three straight regionals, capped by a trip to super regionals this year.

24. STONY BROOK

2008 rank: NR.
Recruiting coordinator: Joe Pennucci.
Key players: Tyler Johnson, Pat Cantwell, Nick Tropeano.
The bottom line: Johnson earned All-America honors as a senior, when he and Cantwell helped lead the Seawolves to the College World Series. Tropeano went 12-1, 1.84 a year earlier to get drafted in the fifth round. 

25. LOUISVILLE

2008 rank: 20.
Recruiting coordinator: Chris Lemonis.
Key players: Ryan Wright, Derek Self, Tony Zych, Adam Duvall, Mike Nastold.
The bottom line: Wright, Duvall, Self and Zych were valuable pieces of Louisville's 2009 super regional team, and that group helped lead the Cardinals back to regionals in 2010. Wright earned All-America honors as a sophomore.