Wow, you mean we might actually pursue a guy who was rated higher earlier than he is today? What a concept. Jeff Ireland did that perhaps once in his life and stumbled onto Reggie Bush. You can argue that Grimes is a second example.
Throw away the fear. That's what I do when I bet college sports based on preseason ratings. A basketball team that was rated 50th among 330 starting the years gets off to a rocky start. Everyone sours on them. The power ratings plunge them down to 180 or 220. But that's when the value kicks in. The talent level really does equate to 50th and you take advantage once they naturally return to their rightful level, long before the power ratings catch up.
No different with Cyrus. As hoops emphasized, he was an elite prospect less than a year ago. Preferred above Fluker virtually unanimous.
Who cares if others have soured on him? As long as the injury concern is overblown this is the type of situation that is ideal. I posted a link in the draft forum a few hours ago on very early 2014 mock drafts immediately following the 2013 draft. Cyrus is near the top in all of those versions.
Besides, while some Alabama kids may not fully pan out, their offensive line is so special in their dominant years that you have to give those guys the benefit of a doubt, when top notch athletic ability is part of the package. That Notre Dame defensive front seven was not only effective and tough but it had lots of highly rated guys. The Tide made them look pathetic.