This team is probably best in terms of top-end quality, even though it is really light on 800/mile strength (the sub-4 milers were not milers). However, Many of them did not have these PRs in 1979.
David Mack was just turning 18 in May 1979, so still in HS.
Also, Hill was in HS in 1979, so he came later. I think Salazar ran in the '81 track season (after red-shirting '80 to train for Games) and McChesney was still there too.
Martin, I think, went to Lane CC for 1 yr or two, and was 20 in 1979 and did not have his breakthroughs until 1980.
McChesney's 13:14 / 27:50 were set in 1982. He does have a 27:47 from July-1981, I believe still in college then (or at least it counted as an AmCR). His fastest 5k was 13:15.77
In the same season (1981) he ran in the NCAA 10k (4th place 28:53) he got 27:40 for 3rd in 27:40 against Kedir and Schildhauer. I guess that is 3 mos past graduation though. But in August of 1980 (just 10 weeks before his NYCM win) he ran 27:49.3 in London.
So it looks like this in '79:
1500
Rudy Chapa 3:38.7
Mile
Rudy Chapa - not sub-4 - 3:57.04 (came in 1981)
Bill McChesney not sub-4 - 3:59.1 (came in 1980)
3000
Rudy Chapa 7:37.7 ('79)
Alberto Salazar 7:43.79 ('79)
Steeple
Ken Martin - still slower than 8:25 -- 8:20.97 (came in 1980)
Don Clary 8:26.9
Mike Friton 8:35
5000
Bill McChesney (still slower than 13:30)
Rudy Chapa 13:19.22 ('79)
Alberto Salazar 13:22.31 ('79)
Ken Martin 13:37.49 (came in 1980)
10000
Bill McChesney 29:06 from 10th grade
Alberto Salazar 28:06.12 ('79)
Rudy Chapa 28:32 HSR ('76)
Compare them to the 2015 roster that the OP posted and even the top-2 don't beat out today's super squad. Not to mention how many mid-distance types and milers the current team has. Also, you would have to measure today's squad against this '79 squad after all of the current guys have graduated for it to be a comparison.
In 2-3 yrs this team will have some PRs that are faster than what is listed.