Recruiting
2009 ... The Rankings
CFN's Ranking of the 2009 Classes -
No. 61 to 90
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CFN Recruiting 2009
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CFN 2009 Recruiting Rankings
No. 1 to 30 |
No. 31 to 60 |
No. 91 to 120
61. Southern Miss
The class is heavy on ... JUCO transfers. His program headed in
the right direction, Larry Fedora sought out players capable of keeping
the momentum going right now. A league-high six junior-college players,
four on offense and two of defense, will help fill in the holes at tight
end, linebacker, and offensive tackle. LB Hendrick Leverette is already
being counted on to offset Gerald McRath’s departure, and 6-5, 265-pound
David Rue is angling to catch some of the passes that used to go to
Shawn Nelson.
62. Boise State
The class is heavy on ... Linebacker. While the Broncos were able
to come up with a little something for several spots, the stars are at
linebacker where John Michael Davis and Allen Mooney were two tremendous
gets, while Gabe Linehan should be excellent with a little time in the
weight room. This is the Boise State 2013 starting linebacking corps.
Two good quarterbacks, Joe Southwick and Mikey Tamburo, were also signed
to develop until Kellen Moore is done.
63. Louisville
The class is heavy on ... junior college transfers. Can you smell
the desperation coming out of Northern Kentucky? Steve Kragthorpe, in
need of instant help, went heavy on JUCO transfers, especially on the
defensive side of the ball. The scales tipped overwhelmingly toward the
D in this class, though Kragthorpe did land Santa Rosa (Calif.) College
QB Andrew Froman, who’ll be in the mix to replace Hunter Cantwell.
64. Purdue
The class is heavy on ... defensive linemen. Purdue hasn’t
stopped anyone’s running game in a few years, and now it’s time to give
it a try. That’s not to say there haven’t been good linemen flowing
through the program, but most of the stars have been pass rushers. JUCO
transfer Kris Cooke should be an instant upgrade for the interior, while
Eric McDaniel and Brandon Taylor will be the foundation for future
defenses. Xavier Melton and Cody Davis aren’t bad tackle prospects,
either.
65. SMU
The class is heavy on ... offensive linemen. What good is the
run-and-shoot if the quarterback is always running for his life? In fine
shape at the skill positions for the next few years, June Jones loaded
up on linemen, many of whom will need to spend their first year adding
girth and weight. In Ben Hughes and Joey Fontana, the Mustangs signed
two of the nation’s top 10 centers, so replacing Mitch Enright in 2010
shouldn’t be a major headache.
66. Washington
The class is heavy on ... defense. Steve Sarkisian spent almost
all of his recruiting muscle trying to rebuild a defense that allowed
more than 38 points a game a year ago. Every level of the defense
received attention, with special concentration going to the defensive
tackles and cornerbacks. Linebackers Tim Tucker and Andru Pulu, in
particular, might be good enough to dodge a redshirt year and contribute
on special teams and defense right away.
67. Vanderbilt
The class is heavy on ... running backs. The Commodores lived off
the ground game ever since Jay Cutler left, but that was mostly because
of the mobility at quarterback. The running backs needed to be upgraded,
and Bobby Johnson did that, at least for down the road, with Eric
Samuels a speedy option, Warren Norman a quick player, and Zach Stacy a
bit of a do-it-all prospect.
68. Indiana
The class is heavy on ... quarterbacks. IU was more than just
competitive with Kellen Lewis was on, and it showed just how much the
program needs a strong quarterback to carry the rest of the team. The
Hoosiers might have picked up two with Edward Wright-Baker and great
athlete, and Dustin Kiel a nice passing prospect. These two will get a
little bit of time to develop with the future of the program to
eventually ride on one of their shoulders.
69. Northwestern
The class is heavy on ... running backs. It’s never a positive to
recruit to fill an immediate need, but that’s exactly what Northwestern
had to do with Tyrell Sutton gone and Omar Conteh hurt. The Wildcats
need running backs, and it got them led by Arby Fields; a speedy, shifty
back who should fit the offense to a T. Mike Trumpy and Davion Fleming
might be relied on right away if injuries hit the backfield.
70. Louisiana Tech
The class is heavy on ... Running back and receiver. Head coach
Derek Dooley went hard on the offense, and while he didn’t pick up any
sure-thing stars, he got a lot of prospects. If you’re a strength in
numbers fan when it comes to recruiting, then you’ll like all the
options the Bulldogs have to choose from over the next few years with a
few smallish but speedy backs like Lyle Fitte and Tyrone Duplessis. Big
receivers like C.J. Broadus and Jaccari Jackson should be interesting to
keep an eye out for as they develop.
71.
Iowa
The class is heavy on ... receivers. Keenan Davis was one of the
Big Ten’s best wide receiver recruits and might be needed sooner than
later. There weren’t any other major stars, but Jordan Cotton and Josh
Brown will be factors by 2011 and three tight ends, led by Anthony
Schiavone, were brought in. Iowa does a great job of developing tight
ends.
72. Connecticut
The class is heavy on ... receivers. Although the Husky
quarterbacks haven’t exactly been crisp since Dan Orlovsky graduated,
they haven’t been helped by the receivers either. Connecticut had one of
the worst units in the country a year ago, which explains why the
position got so much attention from Randy Edsall and the staff. Three of
the four commits rank among the top 150 receivers, led by Ft. Lauderdale
product Dwayne Difton.
73. Iowa State
The class is heavy on ... receivers. New head coach Paul Rhoads
might be a defensive coach by nature, but he and his staff went after
offense with the passing game getting the most help. Running backs James
White and Beau Blankenship will be a major part of the attack soon, but
the goal is to get the new receivers into the mix as soon as possible.
Five wide receivers and tight end Willie Scott were added, with Donnie
Jennert the best prospect with 6-6 size and good speed, while JUCO
transfer Josh Bellamy has field-stretching wheels.
74. Boston College
The class is heavy on ... big bodies. As is often the case at
Boston College, the school added a considerable amount of girth to the
offensive and defensive lines. The Eagles’ success has long been built
in the trenches, so it makes sense to continue to stockpile big bodies
from the Northeast. The new staff is going to love DT Dillon Quinn, an
uncommon blend of size, strength, and quickness. At a school being
ravaged by graduation at the position, his arrival could not come at a
more opportune time.
75. Central Michigan
The class is heavy on ... Running backs. The idea is to get as
many good athletes as possible and find positions for them, and the
Chippewas have brought in four good backs, led by the small, but speedy,
Malek Redd, along with two good receivers in Cody Wilson and Ronny
Kennedy who aren’t all that big, but can be used in a variety of ways.
76.
Rice
The class is heavy on ... defensive backs. When you give up 34
touchdown passes and finish 110th nationally in pass D, you
better focus on signing more athletes for the secondary. David Bailiff
did exactly that, adding eight two-star defensive backs from as far away
as Minnesota and Canada. Out of that group, the Owls are hopeful that,
in time, two or three will develop into starters and productive members
of a needy defense.
77. Tulsa
The class is heavy on ... wide receivers. The resignation of
offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn does not signal a change in philosophy
at Tulsa, which still plans to wing it around out of no-huddle sets.
With that in mind, the Hurricane is bringing in a bunch of receivers,
most of whom are undersized flyers in the mold of current flanker
Damaris Johnson. The gem of the newcomers is Ricky Johnson, who could
have gone to any number of SEC schools.
78. Fresno State
The class is heavy on ... Linebacker. Headlined by local product,
Travis Brown, the linebackers were clearly the stars of this class,
followed closely by the defensive ends. Pat Su’a and Daniel Salinas move
like safeties, while Nat Harrison should be a good one after a little
bulking up. On the defensive front, JUCO transfer Donnie Pritchett will
be plugged in right away in the rotation, but Nikko Motta could
eventually turn out to be better.
79. Tulane
The class is heavy on ... receivers. When Jeremy Williams was
injured last season, the Green Wave passing attack virtually shut down.
That lack of depth and reliable options at wide receiver has prompted
Bob Toledo to scour Texas and Louisiana high schools for offensive
weapons that can stretch a defense. While there are no sure-things in
the group, D.J. Banks and Devin Figaro look like pretty good prospects,
and the quantity alone should reap a productive player or two.
80. ULM
The class is heavy on ... Wide receivers. This is a huge class
with the major emphasis on the offense, and most specifically, the
receivers. With seven prospects coming in over various shapes and sizes.
JUCO transfer Cordario Calvin will be expected to play right away, but
Tristan Warren might be the best of the lot, and Otis Peterson and
Tavarese Maye will battle it out for who’ll be the fastest.
81. UNLV
The class is heavy on ... Defensive backs. While this is a class
full of variety, there isn’t a lot of star power. JUCO defensive end B.J.
Bell will be asked to shine right away, Jordan Barrett is a top-shelf
outside linebacker prospect, and the defensive backs should be solid.
JUCO transfers Mike Grant and Warren Ziegler will provide instant depth
at corner, while Courtney Bridget is a tall, promising corner for the
other side. Chase Childers is a fast safety.
82. Bowling Green
The class is heavy on ... Quarterbacks. New head coach Dave
Clawson needs quarterbacks to work with for the near future, and he
brought in three of them with Matthew Schilz the best of the lot, Austin
Collier a more mobile option, and Alex Thomas a dark-horse bomber who
could be in the mix a few years from now.
83. East Carolina
The class is heavy on ... defensive backs. The Pirates have
chosen to accentuate a team strength by bolstering an already talented
secondary. Six defensive backs are the backbone of a relatively small
class put together by Skip Holtz and his assistants. Damonte Terry, the
top safety in the mix, is still raw, but has the speed and athletic
ability to overshoot his grade at some point down the road.
84. Western Kentucky
The class is heavy on ... Bulk. There’s a little of something for
every spot with no one spot getting the complete and total focus. The
team was awful last season with a tough mix of seniors and unproven
young players, and this class is built to be a foundation for the next
several years. The skill position players are the stars of the show with
QB Courtney Dalcourt, RB Keshawn Simpson, and WR Jamarielle Brown all
going to be fixtures by 2012.
85. Troy
The class is heavy on ... Ready made defensive linemen. The
Trojans had the Sun Belt’s best offensive line last year by far, but
three starters are gone. While there’s depth and potential with the
returning players, this class made sure the front five is loaded with
four JUCO transfers, led by tackle Tyler Graves. The defensive side got
some fantastic tackle prospects with JUCO transfer Riley Flowers good
enough to play just about anywhere.
86. Western Michigan
The class is heavy on ... Offensive linemen. Ben Samson has the
potential to be an anchor at one tackle spot, while the guard prospects,
particularly Mark Zielinski and Josh Hadel, have big-time potential. The
defense didn’t get a whole bunch of help.
87. San Diego State
The class is heavy on ... Skill positions. New head coach Brady
Hoke needs to bring in the playmakers, and he has them in bunches with a
few prospects for all the skill spots. QB Jake Bernard is a good-looking
option for the near future, and Osmond Nicholas should be an eventual
No. 1 target. The class is also big on corners, arguably the strength of
the class, with several options coming in including Nat Berhe and Marcus
Andrews.
88. New Mexico
The class is heavy on ... Quarterbacks. They might not be needed
right away, and there are a few young options in Brad Gruner and Tate
Smith already in place to push Donovan Porterie, who’s returning from
injury, but the two new quarterbacks will be in the hunt for time by
2010. Darren Jones and Emmanuel Yeager are tall, athletic players who
can do a little of everything.
89. Kansas State
The class is heavy on ... defensive backs. If you’re going to try
to compete in the Big 12, you need good defensive backs. Kansas State
didn’t exactly break the recruiting bank on star prospects, but the
secondary got the most help with safeties Thomas Ferguson and Carlton
Callendar the best in the class. Throw in JUCO transfer Troy Butler and
corner Courtney Thompson, along with safeties Joseph Bonugli and Torrell
Miller, and the Wildcats are thinking defense first with this class.
90. Temple
The class is heavy on ... Guards. Temple has gone heavy on skill
players over the last few years, loading up on receivers and running
backs last year, and it also brought in the guards. The Owls did it
again with several very good prospects for the interior of the offensive
line with Cody Bohler and Darryl Pringle ready-made blockers who could
make an impact right away. The best prospect for the front is Kadeem
Custis, a tackle.
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CFN 2009 Recruiting Rankings
No. 1 to 30 |
No. 31 to 60 |
No. 91 to 120
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