Click on
each team for the fill class list
and top players
Arkansas State
| Florida Atlantic
| Florida International
| Middle
Tennessee
North Texas
| Troy
| UL Lafayette
| UL
Monroe
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2006
Sun Belt Recruiting Rankings
1.
Troy
The
class is heavy on ... Offensive
linemen. The Trojans needed players
who could step in right away and
fill the void, and block for Omar
Haugabook, and they got them in
mid-year JUCO transfers Windham
Rotunda, Dion Small and Mark Cogburn.
The other side of the line also got
a ton of help with the star of the
class, 6-7, 288-pound end Dion Gales
and 270-pound Rashad Rousell.
The player who'll someday be a
really big deal ... QB Jamie
Hampton
The player you might care about
this year ... DE Dion Gales
What it all means to the real
world of college football ...
The future of the program comes from
the skill players in this class, but
the present is on the lines. The
margin between champion and also-ran
in the Sun Belt is razor thin, and
Troy did enough with the JUCO
transfers to be the favorite to with
the conference title again.
2. Arkansas State
The
class is heavy on ...
Linebackers. The offensive line got
the most overall help, but the
linebackers should shine brightest
with JUCO transfers Vernon Catlin
and Charlton Hankston ready to
provide instant depth, while
safety-sized Elroy Brown and DeMario
Davis will combine on the strongside
over the next few years.
The player who'll someday be a
really big deal ... OG Paul
Hampton
The player you might care about
this year ... DE Stanley Porter
What it all means to the real
world of college football ...
The ASU running game is devastating
in Sun Belt play, and with this
class of offensive linemen, it
should only be better. Receiver
Linzy Harris and fullback William
Anderson were tremendous gets who
should add even more options to the
attack. There were just enough
improvements on defense to hope for
an improvement this year.
3. FIU
The
class is heavy on ... Offense.
When you're as bad as FIU was last
year at scoring points, you need an
instant upgrade. 12 of the 18
recruits focused on the offensive
side with four quarterbacks, five
receivers, and four linemen led by
324-pound Shaquan Hicks. Expect
everyone to get an equal shot at a
starting job this off-season.
The player who'll someday be a
really big deal ... CB Devin
Parrish
The player you might care about
this year ... OG Shaquan Hicks
What it all means to the real
world of college football ...
Mario Cristobal was known as a
top-shelf recruiter, and he did a
great job considering he had little
time to work. He and his staff
honestly believe they can go after
some of the same players the bigger
name programs gets, and while that
might be shooting too high, they'll
get plenty of the leftovers. In
Florida, that's not bad.
4.
Florida Atlantic
The
class is heavy on ... Running
backs. FAU already appeared set at
running back, and then Xavier
Stinson blew off Pitt to come in and
potentially become an immediate
power running threat. Alfred Morris,
Avionne Rolle, and JUCO transfer
Jeff Blanchard are all strong
runners providing a huge upgrade in
depth and talent. The receiving
corps also got some big-time help
with big, speedy Darian Williams and
6-3 Lestar Jean.
The player who'll someday be a
really big deal ... WR Darian
Williams
The player you might care about
this year ... RB Xavier Stinson
What it all means to the real
world of college football ...
It's not like FAU needed a lot of
recruits, but out of the blue,
several very good prospects kept
showing more and more interest, so
the coaching staff kept signing more
and more players. The offense should
be far better over the next few
seasons if this class plats half as
good as expected.
5. Middle Tennessee
The
class is heavy on ... The
defensive back seven. The program
was looking for help right now at
linebacker and defensive back, and
it got it in a big way helped by
star JUCO CB Ted Riley and safety
Ivon Hickmon. JUCO linebacker Andrew
Harrington is a player, but high
schoolers Landon Givers and Antwan
Davis might see the field early in
their careers.
The player who'll someday be a
really big deal ... DE
SaCoby Carter
The player you might care about
this year ... TE Byron McLeod
What it all means to the real
world of college football ...
It's easy to forget how Rick
Stockstill and his staff had a
successful year and went to a bowl
without getting a full recruiting
season. Now they were able to get
the players they needed and wanted.
Along with upgrading the secondary
and the linebackers, they wanted
better receivers so they just went
and got them. Now we'll see what the
staff can do with its type of
players.
6.
UL Monroe
The
class is heavy on ... Athletes.
Basically, ULM went after football
players, and now it has to figure
out what to do with them and where
they should go. Five running backs
were signed, but a few might be
moved to receiver or defensive back
early on. The projected linebackers
could beef up into defensive linemen
over the next few years. Of course,
this all happens at every program,
but ULM did it by design.
The player who'll someday be a
really big deal ... LB Alvin
Jordan
The player you might care about
this year ... QB Brice Beck
What it all means to the real
world of college football ...
While some of the top programs
upgraded for this year (Troy,
Arkansas State), ULM has an eye on
the future. There's only one JUCO
transfer of note, QB Brice Beck, and
a slew of players who'll need time
to figure out what they're doing.
After last year's diverse class of
talents, the Warhawks can afford to
get creative.
7. North Texas
The
class is heavy on ... Receivers.
If new head coach Todd Dodge is
going to run his no-huddle spread
passing game, he needs receivers. He
got them with this class full of
seven wideouts and tight end Jordan
Scoggins who'll all be asked to
contribute right away. Running back
wasn't a priority, but there's no
way the team could pass up JUCO
transfer Cameron Montgomery, who
ripped off 23 touchdowns in his
senior year of high school.
The player who'll someday be a
really big deal ... LB A.J.
Penson
The player you might care about
this year ... RB Cameron
Montgomery
What it all means to the real
world of college football ...
It's asking the world for a bunch of
true freshmen to come in and take
one of the nation's worst passing
games and making it shine. It's
going to take a while for everything
to kick in, so expect a lot of
growing pains this year until
everyone figures out what they're
doing. A lot. Fortunately, the
running backs are so good the
offense will have some positives to
rely on.
8. UL Lafayette
The
class is heavy on ... Variety.
ULL got a little of everything, but
didn't necessarily load up at any
one spot. If there is a strength,
it's in the defensive back seven
with four fast linebackers and
ready-made JUCO corner Scooter
Rogers. Call this a class for the
future with almost all prep players
and no sure things whatsoever. The
coaching staff will have to develop
this crew and hope for a few gems to
pop out early on.
The player who'll someday be a
really big deal ... OT Jaron
Odom
The player you might care about
this year ... CB Scooter Rogers
What it all means to the real
world of college football ...
ULL rocked on the recruiting front
two years ago and had a decent class
last year so this group didn't need
to be anything special. While this
might not be nearly the class some
of the other top Sun Belt programs
got, there's little difference in
conference talent between the top
and the bottom. The Ragin' Cajuns
will be just fine.