Who'd be starting for Vanderbilt this season if stars were all that mattered

It’s easy to lose perspective when you’re following recruiting, where all that matters is the number of stars on a piece of paper or on a computer screen.

So today we’re revealing our all-paper Vanderbilt team. We’ve taken all the players on the 2009 roster and chosen a starting lineup of the guys with the highest ratings coming out of high school. Here we’ve used star ratings from rivals.com and scout.com and, for a tie-breaker, the 100-point scale grades from espn.com.

The team includes 27 players, a second running back, a nickel back, a third defensive lineman (Greg Billinger and Taylor Loftley tied) and a kicker and punter. Of the 27 most celebrated recruits at each position, only eight have actually played in a game.

Pictured above are T.J. Greenstone (not all-paper) as well as all-paper selections Billinger and John Stokes, the only 4-star player on the current roster. Here's the list:

QUARTERBACK
• Larry Smith, R-SO (2007); 6 total stars, 78 espn

RUNNING BACKS
• Ryan van Rensburg, R-SO (2007); 6 total stars, 75 espn
• Zac Stacy, FR (2009); 5 total stars, 76 espn

WIDE RECEIVERS
• Brady Brown, FR (2009); 6 total stars, 75 espn
• Udom Umoh, R-SO (2007); 6 total stars, 40 espn
• John Cole, R-FR (2008); 5 total stars, 74 espn

TIGHT END
• Mason Johnston, FR (2009); 6 total stars, 77 espn

OFFENSIVE LINE
• Wesley Johnson, FR (2009); 6 total stars, 78 espn
• Kyle Fischer, R-SO (2007); 6 total stars, 75 espn
• Richard Cagle, R-FR (2008); 5 total stars, 74 espn
• Michael Bryant, R-FR (2008); 5 total stars, 74 espn
• Mylon Brown, FR (2009); 4 total stars, 77 espn

DEFENSIVE TACKLES
• Adam Smotherman, R-JR (2006); 6 total stars, 70 espn
• Greg Billinger, SR (2006); 5 total stars, 75 espn
• Taylor Loftley, R-FR (2008); 5 total stars, 75 espn

DEFENSIVE ENDS
• Thad McHaney, FR (2009); 6 total stars, 74 espn
• Walker May, FR (2009); 5 total stars, 75 espn

LINEBACKERS
• John Stokes, JR (2007); 7 total stars, 72 espn
• DeAndre Jones, R-FR (2008); 6 total stars, 78 espn
• Blake Southerland, FR (2009); 5 total stars, 76 espn

CORNERBACKS
• Eric Samuels, FR (2009); 5 total stars, 78 espn
• Trey Wilson, FR (2009); 5 total stars, 75 espn
• Eddie Foster, FR (2009); 5 total stars, 74 espn

SAFETIES
• Al Owens, R-FR (2008); 4 total stars, 78 espn
• Micah Powell, R-FR (2008); 4 total stars, 78 espn

KICKER
• Ryan Fowler, R-FR (2008); 4 total stars, 40 espn

PUNTER
• Brett Upson, SR (2006); 4 total stars, 40 espn