CUSA NSD 2016 Recap

For the midlevel schools NSD isn’t as hyped. No one parachuted down to announce nor did any CUSA squad make a historic run up the recruiting rankings. Everyone signed some guys though and it is worth looking around to see how we compare.

The Most Important: UNT

Rankings in CUSA:

247 – 8 of 14
Scout – 8 of 14
Rivals – 14 of 14
Avg: 10.00

This was discussed and will be discussed so we won’t get too deep here. JUCO LB signing Will Johnson is talented and depending on your recruiting service of choice, Will is the highest ranked recruit. Nic Smith is similarly talented (but as a RB) and also comes in from HS, so he has more time to develop and contribute. The smallish class could be a concern but signing guys to simply fill out available spots isn’t good recruiting. Considering the short window Littrell had, and the awful season the program endured previously, this was a solid class. Littrell filled some needs (QB, LB), while also filled out the depth chart in spaces.

The Clear Number One: Marshall

Rankings in CUSA

All – 1st of 14

Led by 4-star LB Jaquan Yulee, and 3/4 star signees QB Xavier Gaines, RB JaQUa Daniels, and S Sir Patrick Scott Marshall got a mid-50s haul in the overall rankings. They got better and are the clear winners in CUSA. Probably because all of that green.

Unsurprising But Not Obvious: Southern Miss

Rankings in CUSA

247 – 5 of 14
Scout – 4 of 14
Rivals – 2 of 14
Avg – 3.67

Southern Miss is coming off a good season in which they basically returned to the form that had them one of the best mid-majors in the nation. Oh but Todd Monken bounced right before signing day. Their future is maybe up in the air, but they got in a solid class with a handful of 3-star guys. 6’3″ 220lb OLB JaCorey Morris is the consensus best player on paper.

Oh Hell: MTSU

Rankings in CUSA

247 – 4 of 14
Scout – 6 of 14
Rivals – 3 of 14
Avg – 4.33

MTSU’s class isn’t filled with stars but they have some good size in their class. Interestingly, the across-the-service best player, Ty Lee sonly 5’8″.

Hurm: UAB

Avg – 4.667

They signed something like 45 guys. They don’t play until 2017. This is a strange scenario.

Tied: FAU/WKU

Scout has WKU as high as 3rd and 247 and Rivals have WKU at 7. FAU, meanwhile, is as high as 4 on Rivals but 6/7 on 247 and Scout. I think you are beginning to understand the life of the national bottom 35 squads. The rankings vary widely, as unranked and low-ranked guys fill the roster. It’s hard to rule out WKU’s talent evaluation considering the seasons they’ve had the last few years, but their class was smallish and filled with 2-star guys. There are some intriguing prospects with possible high ceilings but nothing that blows you away on paper.

FAU, on the other hand, nabbed more 3-stars than WKU, despite the former’s best claim to fame being the near upset against Florida. Chalk that up to the talent in Florida perhaps. That said, WKU’s WR signing Chris Cotto is from the sunshine state and may be the Hilltopper’s best prospect.

Clear 7th: LaTech

Avg: 7

Scout has LaTech ranked second to last in the conference and 127 in the nation. 247 and Rivals are kinder. Led by a couple of 6’4″ DEs, I really don’t know what to make of this class. They signed 3-starish QB Jack Abraham out of Oxford . . . HS. Maybe LaTech is going to try to develop a QB for the future?

FIU, UTEP, UTSA

Avg – 8.33, 8.67, 9.67

The services wildly disagree on these three. FIU is ranked as high as 5th by Scout, but as low as 12th by 247. UTEP as high as 6th by Rivals but as low as 11th by 247. UTSA, in a short window with their new coach, is the only consensus here. 247 and Scout have them at 10, while Rivals puts them at 9. Nothing stands out as a huge need fill here, especially UTSA, who only signed one QB. This after losing former starter Blake Bogenschutz to career-ending concussions.

The Rest: ODU, Rice, Charlotte

Avg – 10.67, 12, 13.67

While the other CUSA programs had some variation in rankings, the services agree that the worst recruiting jobs were done by these. Charlotte, unsurprisingly is the clear worst in the conference. Only Rivals ranked them above 14 (13th, one above UNT, oddly). Rice was clearly lower third in the conference, which again, surprises no one considering their academic standards, private school rep, and slight regression last year. ODU is still trying to make a name for themselves in the conference, and that includes the recruiting trail.

Table

Rank	247	Scout	Rivals
1	Marshall	Marshall	Marshall
2	UAB	UAB	USM
3	LaTech	WKU	MTSU
4	MTSU	USM	FAU
5	USM	FIU	LaTech
6	FAU	MTSU	UTEP
7	WKU	FAU	WKU
8	UNT	UNT	FIU
9	ODU	UTEP	UTSA
10	UTSA	UTSA	UAB
11	UTEP	ODU	Rice
12	FIU	Rice	ODU
13	Rice	LaTech	Charlotte
14	Charlotte	Charlotte	UNT