I tend to combine the last 2 classes to see the picture for 2-3 years down the road.
QB - A - Jake Z, Clifford. Two elite 11 QB's both with decent size and arms. Both can move their feet well enough as well.
RB - A- - Sanders and Brown. Brown is very interesting for sure. His speed is there, but we don't know that much more about him. Sanders was the #1 RB in the country and scored some TD's this year while also taking his Frosh lumps. I think he gets bigger this off season and really pops next year in a crowded backfield.
OL - A - McGovern, Menet, Fries, Alex G, Thorpe, Martin, Miranda. You have 2-3 guys that could play inside or out and you have to love the interior OL recruits. Very good foundation moving forward here IMO.
WR - C+ - Darien, Hamler, Sullivan-Brown, Hippenhammer. I like Hip quite a bit. Seems very fluid in a Norwood/Fuller type of way. Hamler is the speed guy, CSB is the posession guy and Darien is the tall guy. Better WR groups on paper before and Shorter next year gets another big guy in the mix.
TE - C - Dalton. The grade isn't on him really but the position. With Bowers and Holland being somewhat of a mystery, it kind of makes sense they made a run at Hendershot. You also have 2 top 10 TE's committed in 2018 so how big is the priority.
DE - A+ - Simmons, Joseph, Matos, Barber. What isn't to like..size, speed. I really like this group moving forward.
DT - B - Jordan, Shelton, Hansard, and Bolds. So many issues here the last few years. Curse, bad luck...whatever you want to call it, but the staff did manage to recover well in the end. These guys all have time to grow up with the depth ahead of them which is a great thing. Adding Bolds late as pretty big if he is on campus next year or the year after. 4 in 2 years with 2 playing in AA games.
LB - C+ - Brown, Franklin, BFW, and Brooks. Brooks coming onboard late was a HUGE pickup. Like DT this position has been a complete enigma. Rivers flaked late. So many misses, but if they can land Brooks today it will go a long way down the road in terms of depth. Toney is listed as a LB for the previous class, but who knows with him. This current group has 2 4 star kids that were highly recruited and Franklin...very solid group brought in this year. BFW and Brooks were both highly recruited LB's.
CB - A - McPhearson, D Johnson, Brown, and Wade. Really great job here. One of the best groups in a 2 year period that I can remember.
Safety C- - Sunderland, A Johnson - I'm assuming Johnson ends up here long term, but it is just a guess. Sunderland is the thumper that I really like, but that ball hawking safety may have to come out of the CB group possibly.
K - INC - Babir...we're not sure what he can do yet.
P - A+ - Gillikin - huge year as a true frosh.
Overall there area few holes at Safety and LB, but the overall talent on this roster is being upgraded with each passing class. Now Franklin can sell a BT title and being ranked which will only help the cause moving forward. 2018 class is off to a fantastic start so hopefully that momentum keeps on building.
QB - A - Jake Z, Clifford. Two elite 11 QB's both with decent size and arms. Both can move their feet well enough as well.
RB - A- - Sanders and Brown. Brown is very interesting for sure. His speed is there, but we don't know that much more about him. Sanders was the #1 RB in the country and scored some TD's this year while also taking his Frosh lumps. I think he gets bigger this off season and really pops next year in a crowded backfield.
OL - A - McGovern, Menet, Fries, Alex G, Thorpe, Martin, Miranda. You have 2-3 guys that could play inside or out and you have to love the interior OL recruits. Very good foundation moving forward here IMO.
WR - C+ - Darien, Hamler, Sullivan-Brown, Hippenhammer. I like Hip quite a bit. Seems very fluid in a Norwood/Fuller type of way. Hamler is the speed guy, CSB is the posession guy and Darien is the tall guy. Better WR groups on paper before and Shorter next year gets another big guy in the mix.
TE - C - Dalton. The grade isn't on him really but the position. With Bowers and Holland being somewhat of a mystery, it kind of makes sense they made a run at Hendershot. You also have 2 top 10 TE's committed in 2018 so how big is the priority.
DE - A+ - Simmons, Joseph, Matos, Barber. What isn't to like..size, speed. I really like this group moving forward.
DT - B - Jordan, Shelton, Hansard, and Bolds. So many issues here the last few years. Curse, bad luck...whatever you want to call it, but the staff did manage to recover well in the end. These guys all have time to grow up with the depth ahead of them which is a great thing. Adding Bolds late as pretty big if he is on campus next year or the year after. 4 in 2 years with 2 playing in AA games.
LB - C+ - Brown, Franklin, BFW, and Brooks. Brooks coming onboard late was a HUGE pickup. Like DT this position has been a complete enigma. Rivers flaked late. So many misses, but if they can land Brooks today it will go a long way down the road in terms of depth. Toney is listed as a LB for the previous class, but who knows with him. This current group has 2 4 star kids that were highly recruited and Franklin...very solid group brought in this year. BFW and Brooks were both highly recruited LB's.
CB - A - McPhearson, D Johnson, Brown, and Wade. Really great job here. One of the best groups in a 2 year period that I can remember.
Safety C- - Sunderland, A Johnson - I'm assuming Johnson ends up here long term, but it is just a guess. Sunderland is the thumper that I really like, but that ball hawking safety may have to come out of the CB group possibly.
K - INC - Babir...we're not sure what he can do yet.
P - A+ - Gillikin - huge year as a true frosh.
Overall there area few holes at Safety and LB, but the overall talent on this roster is being upgraded with each passing class. Now Franklin can sell a BT title and being ranked which will only help the cause moving forward. 2018 class is off to a fantastic start so hopefully that momentum keeps on building.
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