17 public commitments at this point:
1 MARSHALL ATH
2 OSBORNE (EE) CB
3 HENDERSON (EE) CB
4 OKONYA DE
5 JOHNSON (EE) DT
6 GILES-CHRISTMAS DT
7 HART LB
8 BLAKELEY LB
9 BITULI LB
10 JOHNSON OL
11 GUARANTANO QB
12 FILS-AIME RB
13 BROOKS TE
14 POPE TE
15 HENDERSON WR
16 GEORGE (EE) WR
17 JOHNSON WR
For these purposes I am going to assume we get 7 more commitments. I know that would put us at 23, likely more than we're going to end up signing. This means I, as everyone does, expect some attrition from the list above, but I am not going to speculate on who that could be. I just know we have some really high value prospects that we're right there for, and with all of the coaching instability between now and NSD we're going to have some great opportunities to make this class a ton better than it looks now.
My ideal close would be the following:
WR Hardman - instant contributor, if not starter, at the SWR position. 5-star stud, could also play some CB
WR Davis - another instant contributor at WR. Spring enrollee. Studly size/speed combo. He and Hardman would take the 2016 WR corps to another level
To be clear, I think our second tier WR board is outstanding. Guys like Corley, Callaway, Velus Jones, and some others we'er in the mix for are very good and would be great additions to the class should we not land both Hardman and Davis.
OL - Here's where it gets dicey, as I just don't see an OL for whom we realistically lead. We could jump into a temporary lead for Tatum this weekend before he visits UF at some point. We might be able to overcome TAMU for Diesch, but at this point it will be in-homes for us vs. a TAMU OV+in-homes for them. Who knows with Dickerson - we could take a big step with him this weekend too, especially if we can convince him to take an OV later. But honestly I don't know that we need another Guard. Could we be in it with John Simpson and make it a contest between us and Clemson? Might need to ask The Beast in a separate post. Other than that, and maybe someone like McCargo who Paul says we're still in with, I don't know that I want to go down another tier of prospect. I know we need to sign a few OL every year, so that's the issue. Maybe there are some committed players we can make a move for when the coaching carousel kicks in full gear in late Nov.
DT Brown - no brainer, and if you read between the lines every time Paul talks about him you know we're trending big time here, especially with UGA immolating itself. Don't know if he would be a 2016 rotation player because we should be pretty deep here, but he'd be a key cog in 2017 and beyond championship DLs
DE - Good news is that I don't think we need an instant impact DE for 2016. Which would normally argue against a JUCO, but our two top JUCO targets (Bonner, Kongbo) are 3/3 guys, so that issue is mitigated some. I do like those two, probably Bonner moreso. And it seems like we're in great shape with him. I'd put Bethel at the top of my high school DE wish list, but I can't get a feel for what kind of chance we have with him given that this weekend will be his first (and likely only) visit to campus and he still has 3 more OVs to take, all to very good/instate programs. Maybe we end up with Jordan Woods if UF doesn't take him? Not sure how I feel about that. Simmons seems like a real long shot. In the end I think Bonner is my guy...great measurables (homo), 3/3 and with a year of JUCO experience, I think he'd be a great addition to a loaded DL
S Warrior - nothing needs to be said. If not an instant 2016 starter, certainly an instant 2016 contributor
CB King - JUCO EE (sounds like if we take him it will be as an EE) with great size/speed combo, was an AU/Muschamp commit who could come in an immediately be in the mix at CB and give us some real flexibility in the secondary. If we added him to Osborne and Henderson (also both EEs) and maybe TD Marshall (depending on position) you're talking about a serious talent infusion at CB. Add Warrior...(insert Antonio Banderas gif).
I don't know how many of the above we end up landing, but I'm very confident that we're going to end up with an outstanding class. Butch and staff have proven they are great recruiters and great closers, we're going to have a ton of on field momentum, and the coaching instability everywhere else is only going to give the staff a huge competitive advantage.
1 MARSHALL ATH
2 OSBORNE (EE) CB
3 HENDERSON (EE) CB
4 OKONYA DE
5 JOHNSON (EE) DT
6 GILES-CHRISTMAS DT
7 HART LB
8 BLAKELEY LB
9 BITULI LB
10 JOHNSON OL
11 GUARANTANO QB
12 FILS-AIME RB
13 BROOKS TE
14 POPE TE
15 HENDERSON WR
16 GEORGE (EE) WR
17 JOHNSON WR
For these purposes I am going to assume we get 7 more commitments. I know that would put us at 23, likely more than we're going to end up signing. This means I, as everyone does, expect some attrition from the list above, but I am not going to speculate on who that could be. I just know we have some really high value prospects that we're right there for, and with all of the coaching instability between now and NSD we're going to have some great opportunities to make this class a ton better than it looks now.
My ideal close would be the following:
WR Hardman - instant contributor, if not starter, at the SWR position. 5-star stud, could also play some CB
WR Davis - another instant contributor at WR. Spring enrollee. Studly size/speed combo. He and Hardman would take the 2016 WR corps to another level
To be clear, I think our second tier WR board is outstanding. Guys like Corley, Callaway, Velus Jones, and some others we'er in the mix for are very good and would be great additions to the class should we not land both Hardman and Davis.
OL - Here's where it gets dicey, as I just don't see an OL for whom we realistically lead. We could jump into a temporary lead for Tatum this weekend before he visits UF at some point. We might be able to overcome TAMU for Diesch, but at this point it will be in-homes for us vs. a TAMU OV+in-homes for them. Who knows with Dickerson - we could take a big step with him this weekend too, especially if we can convince him to take an OV later. But honestly I don't know that we need another Guard. Could we be in it with John Simpson and make it a contest between us and Clemson? Might need to ask The Beast in a separate post. Other than that, and maybe someone like McCargo who Paul says we're still in with, I don't know that I want to go down another tier of prospect. I know we need to sign a few OL every year, so that's the issue. Maybe there are some committed players we can make a move for when the coaching carousel kicks in full gear in late Nov.
DT Brown - no brainer, and if you read between the lines every time Paul talks about him you know we're trending big time here, especially with UGA immolating itself. Don't know if he would be a 2016 rotation player because we should be pretty deep here, but he'd be a key cog in 2017 and beyond championship DLs
DE - Good news is that I don't think we need an instant impact DE for 2016. Which would normally argue against a JUCO, but our two top JUCO targets (Bonner, Kongbo) are 3/3 guys, so that issue is mitigated some. I do like those two, probably Bonner moreso. And it seems like we're in great shape with him. I'd put Bethel at the top of my high school DE wish list, but I can't get a feel for what kind of chance we have with him given that this weekend will be his first (and likely only) visit to campus and he still has 3 more OVs to take, all to very good/instate programs. Maybe we end up with Jordan Woods if UF doesn't take him? Not sure how I feel about that. Simmons seems like a real long shot. In the end I think Bonner is my guy...great measurables (homo), 3/3 and with a year of JUCO experience, I think he'd be a great addition to a loaded DL
S Warrior - nothing needs to be said. If not an instant 2016 starter, certainly an instant 2016 contributor
CB King - JUCO EE (sounds like if we take him it will be as an EE) with great size/speed combo, was an AU/Muschamp commit who could come in an immediately be in the mix at CB and give us some real flexibility in the secondary. If we added him to Osborne and Henderson (also both EEs) and maybe TD Marshall (depending on position) you're talking about a serious talent infusion at CB. Add Warrior...(insert Antonio Banderas gif).
I don't know how many of the above we end up landing, but I'm very confident that we're going to end up with an outstanding class. Butch and staff have proven they are great recruiters and great closers, we're going to have a ton of on field momentum, and the coaching instability everywhere else is only going to give the staff a huge competitive advantage.
