This feels like revisionist history.
I don't remember any of those guys being flagged as "big risks" whatsoever when they came out. Some folks weren't as high on Ross becuase of concerns, but "big risk" seems like a stretch. Everyone assumed a kid on a college S&C and nutrition program would be able to gain 20-25 pounds on a college nutrition and S&C program. Instead the fucking guy came in and lost 10. I feel like that's a pretty rare occurrence.
Mitchell was coveted by everyone at the time, including GA, and he was a big win. Yes, he was a big body, but everyone was high on that guy, and he still has great qualities. His problem is his head. I don't remember ANY large segment of guys saying he was a Finch from wildcats style fatbody who would never amount to anything. This shit is what's happening in retrospect.
I don't really remember any of Bryant's recruitment either way.
Odd that no one is mentioning Jaray Beldooe here, who basically enrolled academically by the skin of his teeth, and succesfully doing that was a shock to many. People threw around terms like "learning disability" at the time, yet we never hear that mentioned as part of his bust factor.