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each team for the fill class list
and top players
Air Force
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BYU
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Colorado State
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New Mexico
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San
Diego State
TCU
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UNLV
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Utah
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Wyoming
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2006 Mountain West Recruiting
Rankings
1.
BYU
The
class is heavy on ...
Quarterbacks. BYU got two really,
really good ones. One for now (JUCO
transfer Cade Cooper, who already
served an LDS mission), and one for
the future (Jason Munns, who's
expected to go on a mission soon).
Cooper is a walk-on, but he's
expected to be on scholarship this
fall. While not a runner, the former
NJCAA offensive player of the year
isn't totally immobile. Munns is
going to be the real star at some
point. He's a 6-6, 230-pound bomber.
The player who'll someday be a
really big deal ... QB Jason
Munns
The player you might care about
this year ... QB Cade Cooper
What it all means to the real
world of college football ...
Basically, the Cougars got all the
players they thought they would.
Recruiting at BYU is a bit different
since the satisfaction is delayed
more than at most schools since many
prospects end up going on church
missions, so many of the high-end
players coming in won't be around
for a while. Even so, once JUCO
transfer Magnum Mauga gets over a
knee injury and once Munns becomes a
factor, this class will keep BYU
among the Mountain West elite.
2. Utah
The
class is heavy on ... Defense
and quarterbacks. Kyle Whittingham
wanted to make sure he had insurance
polices at quarterback in case Brian
Johnson's knee isn't quite right and
Tommy Grady isn't up-to-snuff. Griff
Robles is the big bomber for the
future, while JUCO transfer Chad
Manis is the big bomber for depth
right now. Defense was the big
concern with only four starters
returning, and there are plenty of
instant starters from the JUCO ranks
including CB DaMilyn Tanner and
safety DeShawn RIchard. In all, nine
defensive backs were brought in.
The player who'll someday be a
really big deal ... QB Griff
Robles
The player you might care about
this year ... CB DaMilyn Tanner
What it all means to the real
world of college football ... No
one made a more immediate impact
with a class than Utah because of
the JUCO transfers. The defense
needed replacements and depth, and
it got it, while the offense might
have its best running back in a
while with bruising JUCO transfer
Matt Asiata. There are enough decent
high school recruits to develop a
foundation for the future.
3. TCU
The
class is heavy on ... Top skill
players. The bulk of the class was
for the defensive side, but the
offense got the most help with four
skill players to make head coach
Gary Patterson beam. There weren't
any quarterbacks considering the
staff went for the elite of the
elite, but running backs Jamarion
Cavness and Joseph Banyard, and
receivers Jeremy Jerley and Jonathan
Jones, are special.
The player who'll someday be a
really big deal ... WR Jeremy
Kerley
The player you might care about
this year ... S Tekerrein Cuba
What it all means to the real
world of college football ...
The defense hardly needed any help
coming into 2007 with most of the
starters returning, and now it
should be positively devastating
with a slew of instant depth coming
in thanks to tackle Jon Fonua and
safety Chris Goodson from the JUCO
ranks. Safeties Tejay Johnson and
Tekerrein Cuba, along with corner
Greg McCoy, are all good enough to
be in the mix from day one.
4. San Diego State
The
class is heavy on ... Offensive
line. The secondary got a slew of
prospects, but this class is all
about developing the offensive front
with seven players to build with.
This group has to potential to grow
into something decent if they're
given enough time in the weight room
and in practices to develop. When
you have tall, athletic prospects
like 6-8 Kurtis Gunther and 6-5 Leo
Grassilli along with top tackle
Michael Matamua, you have to wait
until they grow into their frames.
The player who'll someday be a
really big deal ... QB Ryan
Lindley
The player you might care about
this year ... S Travis Crawford
What it all means to the real
world of college football ...
Chuck Long and his staff didn't have
any time to work in 2006, and now
after a full year to recruit, it has
a decent class of Mountain West
talents. There aren't any obvious
big-time recruits, but past Aztec
teams had several and did nothing
with them. Call this the foundation
for the future class. Long suffering
Aztec fans might not want to hear
that, but the program needed linemen
to build around and unlike past
years, didn't go for the JUCO route
quick fix.
5. Colorado State
The
class is heavy on ...
Linebackers and running backs. When
Kyle Bell went down just before the
season began, the running game went
from a strength to an absolute
disaster, and while the three backs
brought in aren't going to scare
anyone, there's hope one can become
a change-of-pace option early on.
It's no secret the Rams need to be
more physical, and the pickup of
JUCO linebackers Curtis Cornelson
and John Clark, along with top high
school prospect Luke Diehl, should
help.
The player who'll someday be a
really big deal ... C Tyler
McDermott
The player you might care about
this year ... KB Cutis Cornelson
What it all means to the real
world of college football ...
There might not be the superstars in
this class compared to the league's
big three teams, but there's a lot
to get excited about for the future
getting a little bit of help for
just about everywhere. Don't expect
immediate miracles out of this
class, which might not be a good
thing considering head coach Sonny
Lubick needs a big season to turn
things around.
6. New Mexico
The
class is heavy on ... The
offensive line and tight end. The
team's biggest, glaring need got
some immediate help with three JUCO
transfers and and seven overall
prospects. Tyler Boyette and Josh
Waller don't quite fit the Lobo mold
of massive linemen, but Sylvester
Hatten, arguably the star of the
class, does. The other issue, tight
end, also got an instant boost by
three JUCO transfers in Trey
Buckley, Tim Merrill and DeAndre
Davis.
The player who'll someday be a
really big deal ... QB Kevin
Chavez
The player you might care about
this year ... OT Sylvester
Hatten
What it all means to the real
world of college football ...
New Mexico got a huge freshman
class, but it also did a fantastic
job of patching the immediate holes
for this year. The quarterbacks
weren't scared off by Donovan
Porterie, who might be the main man
for the next three years now that Kole
McKamey has retired. Kevin
Chavez, Brad Bruner and Blair
Peterson are big, talented prospects
who'll get several years to develop.
Rocky Long and his staff have won a
lot of games with far worse
recruiting classes.
7. UNLV
The
class is heavy on ... Defensive
backs. With Eric Wright leaving
early for the NFL and John Guice
gone, UNLV needed a big-time
infusion of talent, especially at
corner, and it went after it with
seven recruits highlighted by safety
Shane Horton, who could've played
for several Pac 10 teams. JUCO
transfers Geoffrey Howard and Lamont
Long need to be major factors right
away or the Rebel defense will be in
trouble.
The player who'll someday be a
really big deal ... S Shane
Horton
The player you might care about
this year ... DE Larry Dennis
What it all means to the real
world of college football ...
After last year's disaster of a
year, UNLV needed help right away
from the JUCO ranks while also
paying attention to the future with
a decent group of high school
players. While this isn't a deep
overall group, head coach Mike
Sanford and his staff got the stars
it wanted and outslugged rival
Nevada for the in-state recruits in
play. Getting talent to Vegas hasn't
been too much of a problem; getting
everyone to play has been an issue.
8. Wyoming
The
class is heavy on ... Linemen.
Wyoming wants to get tougher up
front on both sides, so Joe Glenn
and the coaching staff, for the
second straight year, went after
players who they know have the type
of physical attitude they're looking
for. That starts on the lines with
six for the offense and four for the
D led by 6-6, 270-pound tackle
prospect Clayton Kirven for the
offense and JUCO transfer Anthony
Wilson at defensive end. While this
is mostly a class for the future,
defensive tackle Marcus Felker could
see time right away.
The player who'll someday be a
really big deal ... RB James
Davis
The player you might care about
this year ... S Derrick McMahen
What it all means to the real
world of college football ...
This class will probably ranked near
the Mountain West bottom by just
about everyone, but this isn't a bad
group for Wyoming. That's not a
back-handed compliment; there's just
little recruiting base to work with
in-state and the program requires
the right mix and right fit of
players. Outside of a few defensive
linemen to make up for the major
personnel losses, don't expect much
noise out of this class for a few
years.
Air Force doesn't release an
official list