So since this seems to be the slowest time of the year before media days and practice start bringing real news, I thought I would put some guesses in as to how the recruiting class will fill up. How I see it, this is going to be a full class one way or another. I think that there will be more attrition from guys that maybe the staff doesn't think can play, but are needed for depth this year. Next year with two recruiting classes in the books, those kids are going to look for other opportunities. Here's how I see things shaking out:
QB: Losses - none. Committed - D. Moore. Needed - 0. I think that the staff is happy with just Moore in this class. He may not be as polished as other prospects, but with graduating no one and with Park and Noland already on the roster, they can take the chance on someone like Moore with a lot of upside.
RB: Losses - Hargis. Committed - none. Needed - 1 or 0. Seems like the staff can be pretty picky here with Warren, Croney, Nwangwu and Montgomery on the roster. It wouldn't surprise me if they didn't sign one, but they will need to protect themselves if Warren has a great year and goes pro (not super likely). They would obviously take a great no-brainer back like Tre Coleman or Chuba Hubbard, but they're out of the picture. I get the feeling that they would take Daetrich Harrington and that Mike Warren 2 and Chance Bell are emergency plan guys. With how the roster sits, they have the ability to wait and see if anyone blows up as a SR.
WR: Losses - D. Daley. Committed - M. Eaton (JUCO), J. Johnson. Needed - 1. I think that they'll get one more slot/M guy just to get that position pipeline filled. Obviously, KJ Hamlee is the main target. Seems like they have a legit shot at him...especially as schools like Oregon fill up. I really don't know that there's a backup plan to him or if it's him or no one. Maybe they try to flip Willie Wright from Memphis.
TE: Losses - J. Chandler. Committed - C. Kolar. Needed - 0. Obviously, they will take Leitao if he wants to come, but they probably don't get him. Personally, I think that this position sits better than most do. IMO Chandler will get a scholarship this fall. Anderson is back as more of a blocker. Fernandez has some talent. And, I expect Chase Allen to see time as a split out TE.
OL: Losses - P. Scoggins, N. Fett. Committed - A. Kleinow, T. Jost, C. Newell, J. Nogag. Needed - 1-2. Losing Caleb Chandler hurts, not that I think that we're out of it. IF he holds out long enough to take officials and brings his parents to Ames, I think that we have a shot. Still, the odds aren't in our favor. Same thing with Marquis Hayes. Get him on an official and there's a chance. I think that they'll get Thayer Munford or Kelvin Ateman and call it good. The only way they get 2 is if there's a JUCO OT that they find. Or maybe it's a JUCO and no more HS players. Tough to say and we probably won't know until they start lining up official visits.
DE: Losses - G. Luna, J. Thomas, M. Meyers. Committed - D. Lamp. Needed - 2. I'm going to put Dominguez as a DT because I think that's where he ends up. Lots of choices here. I do think that they need a JUCO here, but maybe getting Justin Stewart in 2016 negates that a little. Seems like they really like Brendan Bordner and Corrdarius Bailey (as more of a LEO) with Koby Cumberlander as a backup plan. David Porter and Bobby Roundtree are in the conversation as well.
DT: Losses - D. Tucker, B. Leath, P. Aka. Committed - A. Rodriguez. Needed - 3. I think that with the losses, they're going to need 2 JUCOs. So, I'm hoping for Willie Lester and Kamilo Tongamoa, although I don't know how realistic that is. For HS, I'll guess Curtis Harper, but that's far from a sure thing. Interior DL recruiting is SO hard at a place like ISU that it's tough to predict where they'll end up. I just hope that they bring in some decent guys and not just punt on the position when they lose out on their top prospects like Rhoads did.
LB: Losses - K. Seeley. Committed - O. Vance, J. Hummel. Needed - 1. Seems like they have narrowed in on Dimitri Moore and Andrew Ward with the possibility of flipping Derrick Hubbard from WMU. They can be fairly selective here with two in the fold (unless Vance's grades are a question). I think that they get Ward.
CB: Losses - N. Tribune, J. Wiltz, J. Jones. Committed - R. Bowens, Q. Hafiz, O. Morgan (JUCO). Needed - 0. I think that they'll continue to recruit guys like Cedric Dort and Keisean Nixon (JUCO), but it would surprise me if they took any of them. I feel confident that they can keep Hafiz in the fold, although having a big official visit weekend with all the commits sooner than later might help.
S: Losses - None. Committed - J. Ulmer. Needed - 1-2. There's still some question whether the staff actually took Ulmer's commitment. Obviously, the main key here will be Kam White. If they can get him, he will be the crown jewel of the class. Keontae Jones has been super quiet. If they can get both of those guys, that's an outstanding pair and I'd expect Ulmer to be looking elsewhere. The second one of those two rules ISU out, I would think that Ulmer is firmly on board.
K: Losses - C. Netten. Committed - None. Needed - 0-1. I feel like Chris Francis will be taking some of Netten's duties this fall. And I think that between Francis and whatever walk-ons they bring in next fall, they should be able to handle the position. But if they find a real can't miss Kicker, they could hand out a scholarship.
So, that's around 10 more recruits to add, which is doable. What do you guys think?
QB: Losses - none. Committed - D. Moore. Needed - 0. I think that the staff is happy with just Moore in this class. He may not be as polished as other prospects, but with graduating no one and with Park and Noland already on the roster, they can take the chance on someone like Moore with a lot of upside.
RB: Losses - Hargis. Committed - none. Needed - 1 or 0. Seems like the staff can be pretty picky here with Warren, Croney, Nwangwu and Montgomery on the roster. It wouldn't surprise me if they didn't sign one, but they will need to protect themselves if Warren has a great year and goes pro (not super likely). They would obviously take a great no-brainer back like Tre Coleman or Chuba Hubbard, but they're out of the picture. I get the feeling that they would take Daetrich Harrington and that Mike Warren 2 and Chance Bell are emergency plan guys. With how the roster sits, they have the ability to wait and see if anyone blows up as a SR.
WR: Losses - D. Daley. Committed - M. Eaton (JUCO), J. Johnson. Needed - 1. I think that they'll get one more slot/M guy just to get that position pipeline filled. Obviously, KJ Hamlee is the main target. Seems like they have a legit shot at him...especially as schools like Oregon fill up. I really don't know that there's a backup plan to him or if it's him or no one. Maybe they try to flip Willie Wright from Memphis.
TE: Losses - J. Chandler. Committed - C. Kolar. Needed - 0. Obviously, they will take Leitao if he wants to come, but they probably don't get him. Personally, I think that this position sits better than most do. IMO Chandler will get a scholarship this fall. Anderson is back as more of a blocker. Fernandez has some talent. And, I expect Chase Allen to see time as a split out TE.
OL: Losses - P. Scoggins, N. Fett. Committed - A. Kleinow, T. Jost, C. Newell, J. Nogag. Needed - 1-2. Losing Caleb Chandler hurts, not that I think that we're out of it. IF he holds out long enough to take officials and brings his parents to Ames, I think that we have a shot. Still, the odds aren't in our favor. Same thing with Marquis Hayes. Get him on an official and there's a chance. I think that they'll get Thayer Munford or Kelvin Ateman and call it good. The only way they get 2 is if there's a JUCO OT that they find. Or maybe it's a JUCO and no more HS players. Tough to say and we probably won't know until they start lining up official visits.
DE: Losses - G. Luna, J. Thomas, M. Meyers. Committed - D. Lamp. Needed - 2. I'm going to put Dominguez as a DT because I think that's where he ends up. Lots of choices here. I do think that they need a JUCO here, but maybe getting Justin Stewart in 2016 negates that a little. Seems like they really like Brendan Bordner and Corrdarius Bailey (as more of a LEO) with Koby Cumberlander as a backup plan. David Porter and Bobby Roundtree are in the conversation as well.
DT: Losses - D. Tucker, B. Leath, P. Aka. Committed - A. Rodriguez. Needed - 3. I think that with the losses, they're going to need 2 JUCOs. So, I'm hoping for Willie Lester and Kamilo Tongamoa, although I don't know how realistic that is. For HS, I'll guess Curtis Harper, but that's far from a sure thing. Interior DL recruiting is SO hard at a place like ISU that it's tough to predict where they'll end up. I just hope that they bring in some decent guys and not just punt on the position when they lose out on their top prospects like Rhoads did.
LB: Losses - K. Seeley. Committed - O. Vance, J. Hummel. Needed - 1. Seems like they have narrowed in on Dimitri Moore and Andrew Ward with the possibility of flipping Derrick Hubbard from WMU. They can be fairly selective here with two in the fold (unless Vance's grades are a question). I think that they get Ward.
CB: Losses - N. Tribune, J. Wiltz, J. Jones. Committed - R. Bowens, Q. Hafiz, O. Morgan (JUCO). Needed - 0. I think that they'll continue to recruit guys like Cedric Dort and Keisean Nixon (JUCO), but it would surprise me if they took any of them. I feel confident that they can keep Hafiz in the fold, although having a big official visit weekend with all the commits sooner than later might help.
S: Losses - None. Committed - J. Ulmer. Needed - 1-2. There's still some question whether the staff actually took Ulmer's commitment. Obviously, the main key here will be Kam White. If they can get him, he will be the crown jewel of the class. Keontae Jones has been super quiet. If they can get both of those guys, that's an outstanding pair and I'd expect Ulmer to be looking elsewhere. The second one of those two rules ISU out, I would think that Ulmer is firmly on board.
K: Losses - C. Netten. Committed - None. Needed - 0-1. I feel like Chris Francis will be taking some of Netten's duties this fall. And I think that between Francis and whatever walk-ons they bring in next fall, they should be able to handle the position. But if they find a real can't miss Kicker, they could hand out a scholarship.
So, that's around 10 more recruits to add, which is doable. What do you guys think?
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