2012 SEC Football: Top 10 Returning Offensive Playmakers

The dynamic offenses that once tore up and down the fields of the SEC were hard to come by during the 2011 season due to the stifling defenses found throughout the conference.

Five conference teams finished ranked in the top eight out of all FCS teams in total defense outdistancing the SEC from the rest of college football with Alabama finishing the season No. 1, LSU No. 2, South Carolina No. 3, Georgia No. 5, and Florida No. 8.

The depth of talent did not stop there as three more teams notched top 50 defensive efforts with Vanderbilt No. 18, Mississippi State No. 35, and Arkansas No. 47.

The tough defenses in the SEC not only shutdown conference rivals but showed dominance in non-conference action during the regular season and in bowl games.

When the 2011 season concluded University of Arkansas was the only SEC team ranked in the top 30 in total offense last season with Alabama closing in ranking No. 31.

The pendulum appears to be swinging back to the offense with the exodus of top defensive players from all high ranking teams to graduation and early entry to the NFL. The emergence of dominating skill players on the other side of the ball promises the return of offensive firepower to the SEC and college football in 2012.

The top returning playmakers will not only excite college football fans but could lead the SEC to their seventh straight BCS National Championship Trophy.

Which player is the SEC’s best?

No. 10 Tre Mason, sophomore, running back/kick returner, Auburn

Many college football fans are unaware of Tre Mason. Heck many Auburn fans may not fully appreciate the Lake Worth, Florida native and his ability as the top kickoff returner in the SEC.

Mason led all kickoff returners posting 26.4 yards per return average taking one 97 yards to the house.

Mason’s role within the offense was sporadic at best through 2011. With the void left by the departure of All-SEC tailback Michael Dyer Auburn should use running back Onterio McCalebb and Mason to carry the load in 2012.

2012 Outlook:

Auburn’s defense should be improved in 2012 thus lowering the opportunities for Mason returning more kickoffs. If teams do not kick away from Mason he should improve upon his 633 return yards in only 24 attempts. 

No. 9 Isaiah Crowell, sophomore, running back, Georgia

Crowell lived up to his five-star recruiting hype throughout most of his freshman season. He finished with 850 yards, ranking sixth in the SEC, while notching four 100-yard rushing games- South Carolina, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Auburn.

Crowell experienced what most freshman running backs endure in the SEC, SEC defenses. Georgia head coach Mark Richt did a good job of not overusing his talented tailback. Still Crowell’s production slowed in the second half of the season.

2012 Outlook:

Georgia featured a veteran offensive line in 2011. How well the new starters rotate into their roles will be determined. If the line can continue their solid run blocking and Murray gets time to throw, Crowell should benefit in the form of a 1,000-yard rushing season.

No. 8 Tyler Bray, junior, quarterback, Tennessee

Do not mistake Tyler Bray’s swagger and confidence on the field as a sign of arrogance. The junior to be can play. He ripped Cincinnati for 405 yards in the second game of the 2011 season and came 12 yards shy of 300 at Florida.

The only obstacle holding Bray’s development back is game time. A hand injury kept him out of five games last season which was also the toughest stretch of games on the Vols schedule.

Bray showed his ability and poise as a freshman after he replaced veteran SEC quarterback Matt Simms at the end of the 2010 season. His spunk helped the Vols win four out of their final five games after Tennessee started the season 2-6.

Between his freshman and sophomore seasons Bray has missed the grueling part of both Vols schedules. If he can stay healthy for an entire season, how will he respond against the defensive pressure of teams like Arkansas, Alabama, and South Carolina?

Bray threw for over 250 yards in each of his first five starts in 2011, two games he topped 300. For the Vols to succeed and Bray to become an elite SEC quarterback he will have to play better on the road.

Before his injury he threw well at the Swamp but was picked off twice. After his return from injury he was picked off twice by Vanderbilt at home and Kentucky on the road. The loss at Kentucky kept the Vols out of a bowl game.  

2012 Outlook:

Tennessee catches a break by dropping LSU and picking up new SEC East conference member Missouri. The Vols also get Bama and Arkansas at home.

Bray will have All-SEC wide receiver Da’Rick Rogers returning. If wide receiver Justin Hunter can return from his knee injury Bray may have the best wide receiver duo in the SEC catching his passes.

Bray cracked his hand on a helmet following through after a pass making the hand injury a fluke.

He has not thrown for more than 2,000 in a season to date. Look for that to change in 2012. If he can stay healthy he should be able to clip 3,000 yards.

No. 7 Knile Davis, junior, running back, Arkansas

There are a few unproven SEC players returning in 2012 expected to make major contributions to their teams and there are also a couple of proven SEC players with a lot left to prove. One of those players is 2010 All-SEC running back Knile Davis.

Davis tore up the second half of the 2010 season rushing for 1,322 yards, leading all SEC running backs, and found the end zone 14 times.

A foot injury during fall practices caused him to miss the entire 2011 season, a time when he was to be the highlighted offensive weapon for the Razorbacks and a possibly Heisman Trophy candidate.

2012 Outlook:

Rumors and speculation out of Arkansas’ camp say Davis has his speed and cutting ability back. The first test for Davis will be live scrimmages in spring practice and his ability to make it through fall practices without another injury.

Arkansas’ offensive line will be much improved with three offensive linemen returning and two true sophomores with SEC game experience expected to earn starting positions.

If Davis’ body can take the pounding from SEC defenses his talent, speed, and field vision will make him an All-SEC performer again in 2012. Having Tyler Wilson as the starting quarterback should only enhance the running lanes for Davis.

No. 6 Da’Rick Rogers, junior, wide receiver, Tennessee

Da’Rick Rogers blew onto the college football scene out of nowhere during the 2011 season, his sophomore year. Even though his overall production was low in 2010, he showed signs of what was to come when he averaged over 15 yards per catch and two touchdowns on 11 receptions.

In 2011 it did not matter who was under center for the Vols, Rogers kept producing. He completed the regular season leading the SEC in yards and receptions but lost the overall lead to Jarius Wright in post season play.

Rogers’ production may have benefited from the injury to Justin Hunter, but at the same time SEC defenses focused on Rogers due to Tennessee’s lack of a running attack for most of the season.

2012 Outlook:

Quarterback Tyler Bray missed time with a hand injury and fellow wide receiver Justin Henry, an amazing talent in his own right, missed most of the season with a knee injury in 2011. Henry’s return to full strength will be tested during fall practices.

If Henry can take some of the defensive pressure off Rogers, Bray should be able to pick offenses apart in 2012 allowing Rogers to have another All-SEC caliber season.

Roger’s 2011 receiving totals:

Receptions 67, second in SEC

Receiving yards 1,040, second in SEC

Touchdowns 9, second in SEC

Average yards per catch 15.5, seventh in SEC

No. 5 Eddie Lacy, junior, running back, Alabama

The offensive system is in place in Tuscaloosa with no major changes on the horizon. Exit Trent Richardson, enter Eddie Lacy.

Bama head coach Nick Saban’s offense has become a college football system offense. The term system offense usually brings a negative undertone to a coach’s offense. Think a gimmick philosophy that defensive coordinators will one day figure out how to stop.

Not true here. The results speak for themselves, two national championships and soon to be two first round draft picks that were former Tide starting running backs.

Richardson’s rushing statistics were a clone of Mark Ingram’s Heisman Trophy season of 2009. Why would Lacy’s ascension into the starting tailback role be any different? 

Lacy’s 7.1 yards per rush average was higher as Richardson’s understudy than Richardson’s 5.2 yards per carry average in 2009 as Ingram’s backup.

2012 Outlook:

A.J. McCarron was not asked to do a lot as the starting quarterback last season. McCarron finished third in the SEC in total passing yards posting a respectable 16-5 touchdown to interception ratio and led all SEC starters in completion percentage (66.8).

McCarron looses his top four targets to graduation or early entry to the NFL. Senior receivers Marquis Maze and Darius Hanks, senior tight end Brad Smelley, and Richardson are all gone. Wide receiver Kenny Bell (17 catches, 255 yards) is the most experienced receiver returning for the Tide’s offense.

Much of the burden to produce will be placed on Lacy’s shoulders. One would think Lacy will be ready. He better be or Saban could have another 2010 season on his hands.

Watch out for running backs Jolston Fowler and Dee Hart. Fowler excelled as the third Alabama running back and true freshman Dee Hart was back on the practice field in October after tearing his ACL in July.

No. 4 LSU’s Rushing Attack: Ford, Ware, and Blue

Sure it may be cheating to lump three players into one spot on a top 10 list but if you have watched LSU’s rushing attack under head coach Les Miles you should understand. The biggest question is will one of the three-headed monster rotation breakout from the back?

Michael Ford, a junior, can lay claim to being the top yard gainer for the Tigers in 2011. Of the three returning running backs his production was more of a steady as he goes instead of overwhelming the opposition.

Ford came close to gaining 100 yards in a game racking up 96 yards twice against Oregon and Arkansas but he was never counted on for more than 14 rushing attempts in a game.

Spencer Ware will start his junior season as the second leading rusher for the Tigers in 2012 having posted 707 rushing yards with eight touchdowns.

After the first seven games Ware appeared to be on track for a monster season compiling 512-rushing yards. His 73.14 yards per game average over the first half of the season was deceiving because the Tigers barely used Ware against Northwestern State and Kentucky, gathering a total of 10 rushes for 25 yards.

Over the first seven games Ware rushed for 99 yards against Oregon in the season opener, tacked on 107 against Mississippi State, and hit Florida for 109. He found the end zone six times carrying the ball and one time receiving.

Then he was suspended for the Auburn game after failing a drug test. After his return from his suspension, Ware’s punishment for failing the drug test was not over as Miles lowered his production and role in the offense. Ware was no longer the primary back for the Tigers.

Over the remaining six games Ware posted 195 rushing yards for 32.5 rushing yards per game average. He scored two more touchdowns but had clearly lost favor with the Tigers’ coaching staff.

Of the 14 games LSU played last year junior running back Alfred Blue was used as a change of pace back only topping double digit rushing attempts three times. What Blue did prove is his ability to be the homerun threat LSU needs out of the backfield. Against Western Kentucky, Ole Miss, and Georgia Blue ripped off runs of 45 or more yards.

2012 Outlook:

The lack of production in the second half of the season for Ware and the rest of the backfield could be blamed on LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson. LSU fans saw more of Jefferson running than throwing which led to grumblings from within the locker room and around Tiger nation.

Jefferson is gone and the quarterback position is up for grabs. LSU will have to rely on their running game as Miles breaks in a new guy under center.

Do not be surprised to see sophomore running back Kenny Hillard take rushing attempts away from the big three. Hillard caught fire against Arkansas rushing for 102 yards which resulted in snaps being taken away from Blue in the BCS National Championship Game.

2011 Rushing Statistics:

Michael Ford: 127 rushing attempts, 756 yards rushing, seven touchdowns

Spencer Ware: 177 rushing attempts, 707 yards rushing, eight touchdowns

Alfred Blue: 78 rushing attempts, 539 yards rushing, seven touchdowns

Kenny Hillard: 62 rushing attempts, 336 yards rushing, eight touchdowns

No. 3 Zac Stacy, senior, running back, Vanderbilt

SEC fans there is no need to adjust your screen, yes a returning Commodore, running back Zac Stacy, will be one of the top offensive players in the SEC next season. If you don’t believe it you must have missed the 2011 college football season.

Stacy finished his junior season third in the SEC in total rushing yards and second in rushing touchdowns behind a grizzled veteran SEC offensive line last season. He will benefit from that same lineup in 2012 as well. Barring injury, Vanderbilt will return four offensive linemen only losing right guard Kyle Fischer to graduation.

Stacy posses an Emmit Smith style of running along with the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield.

He doubled his career rushing numbers last season under the direction of first year head coach James Franklin. In the process the Commodores found their passing quarterback in senior to be Jordan Rodgers. Rodgers ability to run and pass took pressure off Stacy while opening up running lanes in the ground attack.

2012 Outlook:

Rodgers’ presence along with an offensive line going into their third year of playing together should make Vandy a tough game for any team and positions Stacy as a dangerous weapon in the SEC.

Stacy’s overall numbers could have been higher but he was limited to 11 total rushes against South Carolina and Alabama. He eclipsed the 100 rushing yard mark five times nearly reaching 200 against Army (198) and Wake Forest (184). He also had three games with three rushing touchdowns in each game- Army, Kentucky, and Wake Forest.

Alabama’s running back Trent Richardson and Stacy were the only two rushers in the SEC with over 200 attempts that carried an average rushing attempt of 5.9.

Stacy’s offensive numbers:

Rushing yards 1,193, third in the SEC

Rushing touchdowns 14, second in the SEC

Rushing attempts 201, third in the SEC

No. 2 Aaron Murray, Junior, Quarterback, Georgia

The Bulldogs undisputed leader on offense over the past two seasons has been the man under center, Aaron Murray. Murray added another 3,000 yard passing season to his resume in 2011. He was second in the SEC in total passing yards with 3,149 and led all quarterbacks with 35 touchdown passes.

Murray has too much talent to be overlooked but his development is still a work in progress. He threw 61 more passes during his sophomore season than his freshman year but only managed 100 more yards passing.

The positive is his touchdown total increased from 24 to 35 but he also threw six more interceptions. For stat lovers that means in the 61 more passes he threw over the previous season every tenth pass was picked off. He also took a league high 35 sacks.

What was the contributing factor for Murray’s decrease in throwing accuracy percentage? Was it a sign of him fearing a sack or did the receiving core drop too many passes?

The SEC was top heavy in defense this year but one would guess that someone with Murray’s talent would have thrown for more than 300 yards at least twice last year, but he did not. Vanderbilt’s tough secondary was the only team that gave up 300 yards passing to the Tampa, Florida native.

To be fair Murray could have thrown for 300 yards against Auburn and New Mexico State. The Bulldogs needed him to throw for 300 in their bowl loss to Michigan State.

2012 Outlook:

True freshman running back Isaiah Crowell had an excellent year for the Bulldogs. He rushed for 850 yards, good for seventh best in the SEC, and added five rushing touchdowns. With the running game on the uptick Murray should be able to get better passing lanes in 2012.

The big question is will the receivers help Murray out or will they bail on him like they did in the SEC Championship Game?

The bad news is three offensive linemen graduated including stud guard Cordy Glenn. To make matters worse tight end Orson Charles declared for the NFL draft a year early.

The SEC East should be better in 2012 than it was in 2011. Look for Murray to have another 3,000 yard throwing season but nothing close to 3,600 yards.

No. 1 Tyler Wilson, senior, quarterback, Arkansas

The two biggest recruiting coups of the 2012 recruiting class came and went without much attention. In all fairness to every other freshman entering college football this year, none will have the impact of USC’s quarterback Matt Barkley or Arkansas’ Tyler Wilson. They are arguably the two best quarterbacks in Division 1-A heading into their senior seasons.

Wilson took the reigns of head coach Bobby Petrino’s offense after the departure of Ryan Mallett to the NFL and never looked back. Wilson led the SEC in passing yards (3,638), completions (277), and attempts (438) only throwing six interceptions. He also set a single game school record with 510 passing yards against Texas A&M on a neutral site.  

The Greenwood, Ark. native did all of this without a strong rushing attack for much of the season and in the statistically toughest defensive conference in the nation… and the toughest football division in all of college football.

Adding to Wilson’s legend, the Hogs broke in three new starters along the offensive line and replaced Mackey Award winning tight end D.J. Williams. All five offensive line starters return for Wilson in 2012.

The news gets better for Wilson with not only the return of running backs Dennis Johnson and Ronnie Wingo but All-SEC tailback Knile Davis comes back after missing all of last season with an ankle injury.

2012 Outlook:

Alabama and LSU took some major hits on defense to the NFL Draft and graduation. The SEC West is Wilson’s to win.

The bad news is two of his top wide receivers, All-SEC performer Jarius Wright and All-American Joe Adams, graduated. Wide receiver Kobi Hamilton and tight end Chris Gragg return for their senior seasons. Hamilton caught 34 passes for 542 yards and Gragg caught 41 for 518.

Of the plethora of wide receivers Petrino has at his disposal, who will step up for the Hogs in 2012 as Wilson’s new go-to target?

Look for Wilson’s passing numbers in 2012 to be similar to his 2011 statistics. The difference for Wilson and Arkansas will be a stronger more cohesive offensive line and a much improved running attack.

Worth Mentioning

Marcus Lattimore, junior, running back, South Carolina

Despite missing the final six games of the season, Lattimore’s efforts over the first seven games was good enough for him to finish seventh in total rushing yards in the SEC.

Freshman Brandon Wilds stepped in admirably rushing for over 100 yards in three of his final five games.

Will Lattimore’s knee be healthy enough for him to make an impact in 2012? If Lattimore returns to his pre-injury form he could challenge Tyler Wilson for the SEC’s top playmaker especially with the expected growth of Connor Shaw at quarterback.

Michael Dyer, junior, running back, Auburn

He did what? That’s right he transferred to Arkansas State. Not sure why, but after posting back-to-back 1,000 yard rushing seasons in the SEC he left the Tigers to follow offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn to the Red Wolves in Jonesboro, Ark.

Sunbelt Conference members you have been put on notice.

Justin Hunter, sophomore, wide receiver, Tennessee

If Hunter’s injured knee responds well to rehabilitation allowing him to regain his speed, quickness, and explosive athletic ability he could be the best wide receiver, again, in the SEC.

Hunter had two 100-yard receiving games to start 2011 before hurting his knee against Florida.

Jordan Matthews, junior, wide receiver, Vanderbilt

Much attention is given to the Commodores’ quarterback Jordan Rodgers but Rodgers is still learning how to play quarterback on the college level. Matthews’ help hauling in his passes does not hurt Rodgers chances of becoming a solid perhaps elite SEC quarterback.

Dennis Johnson, senior, running back/kick returner, Arkansas

Arkansas’ depth chart is filled with potential playmakers and Mr. Johnson is one of them. DJ missed all or parts of the first four games of the 2011 season with a hamstring injury after missing the entire 2010 campaign due to bowel surgery. In 2009 he was an All-American kick returner for the Hogs.

He showed his ability returning kicks and finding open running lanes out of the backfield in 2011 constantly setting the Hogs up with great field position. Johnson’s only limitation is his tendency of putting the pigskin on the carpet.

Donte Moncrief, sophomore, wide receiver, Ole Miss

Through all the ups and downs of Mississippi’s 2011 season true freshman Donte Moncrief showed great flashes of potential game breaking skills. His speed and pass catching should only improve with experience and maturity.

With Houston Nutt out and new Head Coach Hugh Freeze in, the Rebels offensive production should increase dramatically. 

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2012 NFL Draft: Former Razorbacks Prepare for Grueling NFL Combine

Every year around this time 300 plus former college football players eligible for the NFL Draft close in on a six to eight week workout process in preparation for the combine in Indianapolis.

During the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine held from Feb. 22-28, former Arkansas Razorback players Jake Bequette, Joe Adams, Greg Childs, and Jarius Wright will participate before the league’s 32 teams, their coaches, and key personnel in hopes of improving their draft status and in some cases getting drafted period.

An invite to the combine does not assure a player the opportunity of being drafted but the opportunity certainly enhances their chances.

At the 2011 NFL combine, four Razorbacks showcased their talents. Quarterback Ryan Mallett, tight end D.J. Williams, and offensive lineman DeMarcus Love were drafted in the third, fifth, and sixth round respectively.

Offensive lineman Ray Dominguez went undrafted after attending the combine but signed a free agent contract with the Green Bay Packers after the draft.

Each combine invitee can choose to participate in the series of mental and physical tests, physical drills, and in some cases interview with perspective teams.

The interview process allows each team to meet with up to 60 different players for a maximum of 15 minutes. Topics of conversation during the interviews range from football knowledge to character concerns centered on the individual player.

Made even more popular by the Madden NFL video game is the Wonderlic Test. The assessment shines the spotlight on those players that perform well and those that test poorly.

The Wonderlic Cognitive Ability Test is a 12 minute timed aptitude test with 50 questions. The word test is designed to gain a better idea of an individual’s ability to problem solve and their overall intelligence level.

The common score of most football players is 20 denoting average intelligence. A testing performance of 10 means the person is considered literate.

A score of 24 is the median national average. A high test score of 31 corresponds with chemist and related fields.

According to Paul Zimmerman’s The New Man’s Thinking Guide to Pro Football the average Wonderlic test scores are broken down per positions:

• Offensive tackle- 26
• Center- 25
• Quarterback- 24
• Offensive guard- 23
• Tight end- 22
• Safety- 19
• Linebacker- 19
• Cornerback- 18
• Wide receiver- 17
• Fullback- 17
• Running back- 16

Over the last 10-15 years the medical tests players endure have been a subject of controversy.

Most NFL teams throw up a red flag on players with an injury history. Even if a player has been productive at the collegiate level and scored well on the physical performance tests during the combine, said players tend to slide down team’s draft boards once their doctors are able to perform orthopedic and MRI exams.

In the past medical information was traded freely between college team doctors and NFL teams. Now, due to medical privacy laws college teams can no longer hand over personal medical information on any given person.

What happens on the field during a game can be observed and documented most of the time. What happens on the practice field cannot. For this reason over 600 MRI are performed yearly at the combine. That is an average of 2 MRI per player each year.

The physical and speed drills tend to grab the headline attention at the combine. Fans drool over 40-yard dash times and player bench press reps while teams focus on 10-yard and 20-yard split times, vertical jumps, and three cone drills.

Heading into this week’s combine Joe Adams is listed as the seventh best wide receiver on Draftcountdown.com. Adams stock has risen over the past two months from a thought fifth round draft pick to a possible second rounder.

Adams is listed at 5’11”, 190 pounds with 4.39 40-yard dash speed.

The second fastest wide receiver among the 66 compiled in the 40-yard dash is Jarius Wright. Wright is listed at 5’10”, 180 pounds with a 40-yard dash time of 4.33 just two one hundredths off Connecticut’s Kashif Moore’s 4.31.

Wright is ranked No. 25 out of the 66 receivers attending the combine.

Greg Childs is the bigger receiver of the Razorback bunch and the bigger prospect of the group until he hurt his knee during the 2010 season. After a slow start Childs picked up his pace in the LSU and Kansas State games at the end of Arkansas’ 2011 season.

Childs has a great opportunity to improve his draft stock at the combine. He is ranked No. 35 on the board. His 6’3”, 217 pound frame along with his production early in his Razorback career will attract attention.

If he can improve upon his 4.55 40-yard dash and show explosiveness in his breaks while running routes he could see his name called during the NFL Draft.

Childs will get to answer his fair share of questions about his knee during the scouting combine. Perspective teams will poke, prod, and examine his knee before the week is through to make sure he has fully healed from his injury before risking a draft pick on him.

After Jake Bequette’s first team All-SEC performance in 2011 it is hard to understand why he is not listed higher than the 14th best defensive end in the draft.

Bequette’s hamstring injury aside, he posted 10 sacks during the season tying him for the SEC lead with South Carolina’s defensive end Marvin Ingram. Both players were tied for the ninth best sack total during the 2011 season.

Ingram is ranked as the second best defensive end.

Bequette enters the combine as the fastest defensive end among the 42 invitees having run a reported 4.59 40-yard dash. His 6’5”, 271 pound frame makes him an ideal 4-3 defensive end in the NFL.

When the combine announced their list of invitees for 2012, a couple of Razorbacks were surprisingly missing- linebacker Jerry Franklin and safety Tramain Thomas.

Franklin led the Hogs in tackles in each of the past four seasons compiling 100 or more tackles during his senior and junior years.

Thomas was tied for 13th in Division I with five interceptions during his senior campaign. He also was second on the team and tied for 10th in the SEC with 91 tackles while playing through a shoulder injury much of the season.

Razorback players attending the combine and those that were not invited will have one last opportunity to showcase their abilities before the NFL Draft at Arkansas’ pro day on March 6.

Last year 18 former Razorbacks performed at Arkansas’ pro day including quarterback Ryan Mallett. This year senior offensive linemen Grant Cook and Grant Freeman, linebacker Jerrico Nelson, cornerback Isaac Madison, safety Elton Ford, running back Broderick Green, and defensive lineman Zach Stadther along with others will get their chance to perform combine drills for the NFL scouts on hand.

If the combine tells fans and future NFL hopefuls anything, it’s no matter where you attend college that if one works hard enough and plays well enough the scouts will find you.

One of the more shocking 2012 combine players scheduled to attend is Shawn Loiseau, a former linebacker at Merrimack. Loiseau’s invite is not shocking because of his ability to play but due to the size of Merrimack’s college.  

Better known for their hockey teams, Merrimack is a small school in North Andover, MA with an undergraduate enrollment of 2,064 students. The Warriors compete in the Northeast 10 Conference, a Football Championship Subdivision conference formerly called Division II.

In-state Arkansas football fans will be happy to know that safety Kelcie McCray and linebacker DeMario Davis of Arkansas State are scheduled to attend the combine as well.

McCray is listed as the 14th best safety at the combine while Davis is ranked as the 16th best linebacker.

Arkansas State will hold their pro day on March 27.

The 2012 NFL Draft is April 26-28. 

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Pittsburg Pirates: A.J. Burnett Gets a Fresh Start

Years of speculation, rumors, and uncertainty finally ended for right-handed pitcher A.J. Burnett (North Little Rock, Ark.) on Saturday when the New York Yankees traded him to the Pittsburgh Pirates for two minor league prospects.

Once the trade is made official pending a physical and Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig agreeing to the financial terms of the deal, Burnett will escape the scrutiny of the New York media returning to the National League East where he began his promising career with the Florida Marlins.

Burnett debuted in the Show with the Marlins during the 1999 season after being drafted in the eighth round of the 1995 amateur draft by the New York Mets. In 1998 Burnett was involved in a trade that brought Al Leiter to New York sending him to Miami.

A.J. spent seven seasons in Miami on a pitching staff that included the great young arms of Josh Beckett, Dontrelle Willis, Carl Povano, and Brad Penny. Of the talented group scouts thought that Burnett had the best stuff on the staff when he was pitching well as evident by his no-hitter thrown in 2001 against the San Diego Padres.

Burnett recorded career best numbers during his three years with the Toronto Blue Jays before joining the Yankees in 2009. As a Blue Jay he won 38 games while only losing 26 notching a season best 18 wins in 2008. In 2008 he also led the majors with 231 strikeouts. 

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Arkansas Razorback Football: New Site for Battle for the Golden Boot

The University of Arkansas announced today that the Razorbacks will no longer play LSU in the Battle for the Golden Boot in Little Rock at War Memorial stadium but will instead play the Tigers in Fayetteville at Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Nov. 24.

There was much speculation leading up to this announcement that Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino and athletic director Jeff Long wanted to move the game from Little Rock to Fayetteville for both economic and thought recruiting advantages.

The last time the Hogs hosted the Tigers in Fayetteville the result was a 30-6 win for Arkansas during the 1992 season, the Razorbacks initial season in the SEC.

The Razorbacks had a 5-4 winning edge over the Tigers at War Memorial Stadium spanning the past 18 years. The last meeting between the two schools in Little Rock resulted in a 31-23 win for the Hogs over LSU in the 2010 season.

Since 2001, the winner of the Arkansas versus LSU game has gone on to represent the SEC West in the SEC Championship Game seven times. In 2002 the Hogs defeated LSU 21-20 in the game known as the Miracle on Markham in Little Rock to earn a berth in the SEC Championship Title Game.

The Golden Boot Trophy was first awarded in 1996 to help build upon the natural SEC West rivalry between the bordering states. The 24-karat gold trophy is molded into the shape of the two states forming a boot.

The Golden Boot Trophy is 4-foot tall weighing 175 pounds.

Arkansas also announced their two-year series with Rutgers on Friday. The home-and-home series will be the first time an SEC school has played at Piscataway, N.J. during the BCS era.

The Scarlet Knights will travel to Arkansas on Sept. 22 with the Razorbacks returning the scheduling favor Sept. 21, 2013. The void on the Hogs schedule was made possible when Texas A&M joined the SEC.

Due to the switch of venues for the LSU game, Arkansas will move the Ole Miss home game to War Memorial Stadium on Oct. 27.

If CBS picks up the broadcasting rights for the Arkansas versus LSU game, the game day could move from Saturday Nov. 24 to Friday Nov. 23. 

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Washington Huskies Recruiting: Sarkisian Looking Beyond California in 2013

Early success in college football recruiting solely depends on the perspective of the individual dissecting the information. Until a recruit finishes his college football career the only enlightenment recruiting services provides fans are rankings, player ratings, and the  hope that said recruiting classes reward fans with winning seasons.  

Over the past three years Washington Huskies head coach Steve Sarkisian has signed highly ranked recruiting classes including his 2012 class ranked No. 20 by Rivals.com and No. 22 by Scout.com.

A staple in Sarkisian’s past recruiting classes have been signing talent from California but also keeping in-state players at home. Over the past two years 28 players have been plucked from the Golden State. Only five players signed out of the Evergreen State in 2012, nine committed in 2011.

For Sarkisian and the Huskies to improve upon their success in recruiting and in Pac-12 conference play, the coaching staff needs to baton down the hatches on talented in-state recruits and expand beyond the fertile but competitive grounds of California .

The loss of the top four rated players from the state of Washington in the 2012 class hurts especially when three home grown talents leave for competing Pac-12 programs. None perhaps more devastating than the deflection of five-star offensive tackle Zach Banner to USC.

The late deflections of 3-star defensive end Pio Vatuvei from USC and five-star safety Shaquille Thompson from Cal to the Huskies cannot always be counted upon.

Much of the recruiting success in Washington’s 2011 class was the ability to sign nine of the top-15 in-state players including four of the top five.

Rivals.com and Scout.com premiered their early 2013 top-100 list this week. Only one in-state player, quarterback Max Browne from Skyline High School in Sammamish, made the list.

Scout.com ranks Browne No. 15 while Rivals.com lists him as the No. 8 player in the nation.

Browne has put together back-to-back 4,000 yard passing seasons with 95 touchdowns and only 20 interceptions. Wisconsin, Cal, Clemson, Arizona State, and Alabama have all offered Browne a scholarship to date.

One of the highlights of Sarkisian’s 2012 class was the signing of two Elite 11 quarterbacks- 4-stars Jeff Lindquist and Cyler Miles.

Will Miles and Lindquist scare off the highly touted Browne in 2013 to another Pac-12 rival?

The good news is the Huskies currently have 31 scholarship offers out to prospects from across the nation. In past recruiting classes Sarkisian has done a good job of pulling the occasional player out of Hawaii, Arizona, Nevada, and Colorado.

The early efforts by the Huskies’ staff for the 2013 class has interest from players in 10 different states including Virginia, Texas, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Tennessee. 22 of the players are rated a 4-star or better including five-star recruit Max Browne.

Other than Browne, inside linebacker Sean Constantine from Bellevue High School is the only other in-state player that has been officially offered by Sarkisian.

Even better news is seven of the top-100 players announced by Scout.com list Washington as a school of interest.

How many top recruits will the Huskies sign in 2013?

Here’s a list of the seven players with the Huskies among their early favorites:

(Position/Player/Measurements/Rating/Location)

OLB Michael Hutchings, 6’1”, 210 pounds, 5-star, Concord, CA

QB Max Browne, 6’5”, 196 pounds, 5-star, Sammamish, WA

OG John Lopez, 6’5”, 320 pounds, 4-star, Orange, CA

DE Marcus Farria, 6’4”, 240 pounds, 4-star, Peoria, AZ

MLB Chans Cox, 6’3”, 220 pounds, 4-star, Lakeside, AZ

SS Su’a Cravens, 6’1”, 205 pounds, 4-star, Murrieta, CA

CB L.J. Moore, 6’1”, 175 pounds, 4-star, Fresno, CA

The Huskies do not have a verbal commitment for the 2013 class at this time. 

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UCLA Football: Mora Looks Ahead to the Recruiting Class of 2013

Riding the momentum of signing a consensus top 20 recruiting class for 2012, Bruins Head Coach Jim Mora, Jr., continues to make waves in recruiting circles across the nation.

In the recently released top 100 recruits in the 2013 class on Scout.com, 15 players list UCLA among their top schools with eight recruits showing interest from out of state.

Of the seven 2013 in-state players listed on Scout.com six have UCLA among their favorites. The top California recruit listed is five-star outside linebacker Michael Hutchings from high school football juggernaut De La Salle in Concord.

Hutchings, ranked No. 10, reports offers from 11 schools including Miami, Michigan, Oklahoma, USC, and Cal. He has attended camps at Cal and USC.

Ranked No. 18 on the list is Los Angeles Cathedral High School’s quarterback Hayden Rettig. Rettig has attended UCLA and USC’s camps. He reports offers from Vanderbilt, Boston College, Arizona, and Arizona State.

UCLA and USC have not offered him a scholarship to date.

Three top quarterbacks have interest in the Bruins. Time will tell if Mora will award the quarterback position an additional scholarship in the 2013 class after early commitment Eddie Printz.

Printz, 6’3”, 205 pounds, from Georgia committed on Jan. 16.

Printz and 2012 UCLA signee linebacker Kenny Orjioke both played together at Lassiter High School in Marietta.

After landing top quarterback recruits Devin Fuller and T.J. Millweard in the 2012 class, speculation would have it if Mora does not get another top quarterback of his choice he may pass on signing two next year.

Massive offensive tackle Jordan Poland, 6’8”, 335 pounds, from La Jolla, CA is the only in-state player that does not have a California school on his early favorite list. His top schools are Boise State, Arizona, Arizona State, and San Diego State.

Cornerback Dashon Hunt from Westlake Village, CA was the first verbal commitment for the UCLA’s 2013 class in August of 2011. He is ranked No. 58 on Rivals.com top 100 list.

If Hunt signs with UCLA next year, he will join two former teammates signed by Mora in the 2012 class- cornerback Ishmael Adams and Jordan Payton. Both Adams and Payton were listed as 4-star recruits by Scout.com.

The Bruins coaching staff was able to amass an incredible collection of talent in under two months time after taking over for departed Bruins’ Head Coach Rick Neuheisel in December.

Results on the field for Mora and his coaching staff coupled with an entire year of touching base with top players should only enhance the Bruins’ chances to land another top class in 2013.

Here’s a list of the 15 players with UCLA among their early favorites:

(Position/Player/Measurements/Rating/Location)

• OLB Michael Hutchings, 6’1”, 210 pounds, 5-star, Concord, CA
• QB Matthew Alviti, 6’0”, 168 pounds, 4-star, Park Ridge, IL
• QB Max Browne, 6’5”, 196 pounds, 4-star, Sammamish, WA
• QB Hayden Rettig, 6’3”, 205 pounds, 4-star, Los Angles, CA
• RB Keith Ford, 5’11”, 195 pounds, 4-star, Cypress, TX
• RB Deon Martin, 5’9”, 190 pounds, 4-star, Lancaster, CA
• WR Mike Williams, 6’4” 185 pounds, 4-star, Holly Hill, SC
• OT Riley Sorenson, 6’5”, 320 pounds, 4-star, Santa Margarita, CA
• OG John Lopez, 6’5”, 320 pounds, 4-star, Orange, CA
• DT Justin Manning, 6’2”, 275 pounds, 4-star, Dallas, TX
• DT Billy Price, 6’4” 265 pounds, 4-star, Youngstown, OH
• MLB Chans Cox, 6’3”, 220 pounds, 4-star, Lakeside, AZ
• SS Hatari Byrd, 6’2”, 200 pounds, 4-star, Fresno, CA
• SS Su’a Cravens, 6’1”, 205 pounds, 4-star, Murrieta, CA
• CB L.J. Moore, 6’1”, 175 pounds, 4-star, Fresno, CA

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Arkansas Razorback Recruiting: 2013 Top Recruits List Hogs among Favorites

Less than a week after the 2012 National Signing Day class faxed in their signatures, top teams are already looking ahead to the class of 2013. No teams are resting on their laurels including Arkansas Razorbacks Head Coach Bobby Petrino.

On Monday Scout.com listed their early 2013 top 100 recruit report. On the database of five and four-star recruits, Petrino already had 13 prospects listing the Razorbacks among their favorites:

• RB Ty Isaac, 6’2”, 220 pounds, 4-star, Joliet, IL
• RB Adam Taylor, 6’0”, 190 pounds, 4-star, Katy, TX
• WR John Diarse, 6’1”, 190 pounds, 4-star, Monroe, LA
• WR Ahmad Fulwood, 6’4”, 200 pounds, 4-star, Jacksonville, FL
• WR James Quick, 6’1”, 175 pounds, 4-star, Louisville, KY
• TE Hunter Henry, 6’5”, 242 pounds, 4-star, Little Rock, AR
• OT Ethan Pocic, 6’6”, 280 pounds, 4-star, Lemont, IL
• OT Laremy Tunsil, 6’6”, 282 pounds, 4-star, Lake City, FL
• DT Greg Gilmore, 6’4”, 285 pounds, 4-star, Hope Mills, NC
• DE Marcus Farria, 6’4”, 240 pounds, 4-star, Peoria, AZ
• DE Jason Hatcher, 6’3”, 240 pounds, 4-star, Louisville, KY
• SS Su’a Cravens, 6’1”, 205 pounds, 4-star, Murrieta, GA
• QB Tyler Bruggman, 6’2”, 185 pounds, 4-star, Phoenix, AZ

Two in-state players were among the 100 recruits listed, running back Altee Tenpenny from North Little Rock High School and tight end Hunter Henry from Pulaski Academy in Little Rock.

Tenpenny is rated as the No. 27 overall prospect while Henry is rated No. 43.

Tenpenny committed to University of Alabama days before the 2012 National Signing Day. He is scheduled to visit Arkansas the weekend of Feb. 11.

Several 2013 Razorback recruiting prospects have visited or are scheduled to visit Arkansas in the upcoming weeks. The list includes:

RB Altee Tenpenny, 6’0”, 203 pounds, North Little Rock, AR

RB Jordan Wilkins, 6’1”, 193 pounds, Cordova, TN

RB Ezekiel Elliot, 6’0”, 195 pounds, St. Louis, MO

RB Chase Abbington 6’4” 210, St. Peters, MO

RB Jamar Criswell, 5’9”, 165 pounds, Morrilton, AR

FB Riley Arvanitis, 6’0”, 225 pounds, St. John, IN

TE Christian Morgan, 6’4”, 244 pounds, Plano, TX

WR Drew Morgan, 6’1”, 185 pounds, Greenwood, AR

QB Brayden Scott, 6’2”, 195 pounds, Tahlequah, OK

QB Austin Allen, 6’2”, 210 pounds, Fayetteville, AR

QB Tyler Cogswell, 6’5”, 220 pounds, Plantation, FL

OL J.J. Gustafson, 6’6”, 265 pounds, Dallas, TX

OL Caleb Benenoch, 6’6”, 317 pounds, Katy, TX

LB Brooks Ellis, 6’2”, 215 pounds, Fayetteville, AR

SS Vonn Bell, 6’2”, 190 pounds, Rossville, GA

CB Devanta Johnson, 6’0”, 175 pounds, Tulsa, OK

ATH Dominique Alexander, 6’0” 190 pounds, Tulsa, OK

Vonn Bell has reportedly received an offer from Arkansas defensive coordinator Paul Haynes. He is scheduled to visit April 21.

Offensive lineman Caleb Benenoch will attend camp in June.

Jordan Wilkins was scheduled to visit this spring but is postponing his trip to Arkansas until this summer.

Per 247Sports.com, the Razorbacks have extended 49 offers to potential 2013 recruits. Of the 49 scholarship offers that have been reported, only four are currently extended to in-state players- Austin Allen, Brooks Ellis, Altee Tenpenny, and Hunter Henry.

Four-star running back Jamel James, 5’11”, 215 pounds, from Cinco Ranch High School in Katy, Texas, is the only 2013 recruit currently verbally committed to Arkansas. He committed in July of 2011.

Recruiting rankings update in August after all college summer camps and seven-on-seven tournaments have been completed. 

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College Football Recruiting: Where did the Elite 11 Quarterbacks Sign

In July Pepperdine University was the site for the prestigious Elite 11 camp. The Malibu setting with the Pacific Ocean in the background featured 24 seniors-to-be instructed by 2001 Super Bowl winning quarterback Trent Dilfer.

With the 2012 National Signing Day now in the past this article will breakdown which universities signed Elite 11 campers, how recruiting services ranked the quarterbacks at the end of their respective seasons, and cover the significance of attending the Elite 11 camp for perspective college quarterbacks.

The camp has been a stepping stone for many high school quarterbacks on their way to college fame and NFL stardom. The previous attendees include Matt Leinart (2000), Kyle Orton (2000), Vince Young (2001), Mark Sanchez (2004), Josh Freeman (2005), Matthew Stafford (2005 MVP), Ryan Mallett (2006), Tim Tebow (2006), Andrew Luck (2007), Landry Jones (2007), and Aaron Murray (2008).

When a quarterback performs well at the Elite 11 camp not only do college coaches notice but so do NFL scouts. Dilfer proudly let it be known that of the 32 starting quarterbacks set to start for their respective NFL teams before the 2011 season, 22 of those quarterbacks attended this camp.

The camp continues to turnout top performers. Four of the top 12 picks in the 2011 NFL Draft competed at Elite 11 camps including Cam Newton, Panthers, Blaine Gabbert, Jaguars, Jake Locker, Titans, and Christian Ponder, Vikings.

With so much attention paid to this particular camp one can see how fierce the competition is among the players to win top honors.

When the 2011 Elite 11 camp was finished three players shared MVP honors- Jameis Winston from Hueytown, AL, Neal Burcham from Greenbrier, AR, and Tanner Magnum from Eagle, ID.

The next eight quarterbacks were ranked in the following order:

Jeff Lindquist, Mercer Island, WA

Chad Voytik, Cleveland, TN

Zach Kline, Danville, CA

Shane Dillion, El Cajon, CA

Chad Kelly, Buffalo, NY

Zeke Pike, Fort Mitchell, KY

Bart Houston, Concord, CA

Austin Appleby, North Canton, OH

The camp counselors, composed primarily of college quarterbacks, awarded the campers with their own set of awards, some in jest the rest on pure talent.

The counselors selected Magnum, Winston, and Burcham in their top five performers along with Gunner Kiel and Patton Robinette.

Honors bestowed to attendees included:

Connor Brewer – The best in any system

Travis Wilson – The quickest release

Zach Kline – The strongest arm

Tanner Magnum – The most accurate

Cyler Miles – The most athletic

Grant Roach – The most coachable

Jameis Winston – The Best deep ball

Jake Rodrigues – The best footwork

Preston Dewey – The best touch

Tyler O’Connor – The most poised

Nick Patti – The Doug Flutie Award

Gunner Kiel – Tightest shirt

Chad Kelly – Needs to learn “no comment” Award

The start of each player’s college career has been mapped out. What happens from here is up to the individual players.

Athletic ability can only take a player so far in college. Which player will benefit the most from hard work, determination, great coaching, and a little bit of luck?

Who will we see excel at the next level?

An alphabetical listing of the 2011 Elite 11 Quarterback Camp finalists:

Player/ High School/ Height/ Weight/ Scout.com Ranking/College

Austin Appleby, North Canton, Ohio, 6’4”, 215 pounds, 3-star, No. 62, Purdue

Connor Brewer, Scottsdale, AZ, 6’ 2”, 190 pounds, 4-star, No. 11, Texas
*Neal Burcham, Greenbrier, AR, 6’ 3”, 190 pounds, 2-star, No. 86, SMU
Tyler Cameron, Jupiter, FL, 6’ 3”, 215 pounds, 3-star, No. 53, Wake Forest

Preston Dewey, Austin, TX, 6’ 3”, 200 pounds, 3-star, No. 65, Miami

Shane Dillon, El Cajon, CA, 6’ 5”, 185 pounds, 3-star, No. 28, Colorado

Bart Houston, Concord, CA, 6’ 3”, 210 pounds, 4-star, No. 7, Wisconsin

Chad Kelly, Buffalo, NY, 6’ 2”, 200 pounds, 3-star, No. 20, Clemson

Gunner Kiel, Columbus, IN, 6’ 4”, 220 pounds, 5-star, No. 1, Notre Dame

Zach Kline, Danville, CA, 6’ 2”, 205 pounds, 4-star, No. 4, California

Jeff Lindquist, Mercer Island, WA, 6’ 3”, 225 pounds, 4-star, No. 8, Washington

*Tanner Mangum, Eagle, Idaho, 6’ 2”, 195 pounds, 4-star, No. 15, BYU

Tyler Matthews, McPherson, KS, 6’2”, 195 pounds, 3-star, No. 34, TCU

Cyler Miles, Denver, CO, 6’ 4”, 220 pounds, 4-star, No. 13, Washington

Tyler O’Connor, Lima, OH, 6’ 2”, 205 pounds, 3-star, No. 23, Michigan State

Nick Patti, Orlando, FL, 5’ 10”, 195 pounds, 3-star, No. 39, Boise State

Zeke Pike, Fort Mitchell, KY, 6’ 5”, 230 pounds, 4-star, No. 16, Auburn

Patton Robinette, Maryville, TN, 6’ 4”, 190 pounds, 3-star, No. 38, Vanderbilt

Jake Rodrigues, Rocklin, CA, 6’ 3”, 215 pounds, 4-star, No. 17, Oregon

Grant Rohach, Moorpark, CA, 6’ 2”, 185 pounds, 3-star, No. 74, Iowa State

Patrick Towles, Fort Thomas, KY, 6’ 5”, 225 pounds, 3-star, No. 33, Kentucky

Chad Voytik, Cleveland, TN, 6’ 1”, 195 pounds, 4-star, No. 12, Pittsburgh

Travis Wilson, San Clemente, CA, 6’ 6”, 215 pounds, 3-star, No. 27, Utah

*Jameis Winston, Hueytown, AL, 6’ 4”, 200 pounds, 5-star, No. 2, Florida State

* Denotes Elite 11 MVP Award

All rankings are per Scout.com

Patton Robinette is the only player to switch his verbal commitment after the camp. He switched from North Carolina to Vanderbilt.

Gunner Kiel, Neal Burcham, Tyler Cameron, Chad Kelly, and Chad Voytik were not verbally committed at the time of the camp.

University of Washington Head Coach Steve Sarkisian bested college football by signing two recruits that competed in the Elite 11 camp. 

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Bobby Petrino 2012 Signing Day Press Conference

Bobby Petrino's 2012 Signing Day Press Conference is interesting. He breaks down the recruits but not with a lot of detail. The press asks Petrino about DGB but neither Petrino nor the press goes to the next level or in too much depth on his situation.

Petrino does touch on the difficulties of the new SEC recruiting rule of hard capping teams at 25 players.

The video quality is not the best but the audio is fine.

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Darius Philon Signing Day Video

Many of you have asked me about this video. All I can say is I feel for Darius Philon.

Philon committed to Alabama in September only to find out that Bama head coach Nick Saban asked him to grayshirt before his announcement on Wednesday... one can see the pain and frustration built up on Darius' face.

I will let you watch the announcement and make your own decision.

You can read the entire story and see additional footage at: http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/02/alabama_commitment_darius_phil_1.html

Darius, a 3-star defensive end, ended up signing with Arkansas and following his Vigor, Alabama high school teammate Ja'Michael Winston to Fayetteville.

Will Darius' heart always be with the Tide or will Darius turn that National Signing Day slight by Saban into motivation to become the best player possible at Arkansas?

Check out Philon's highlight reel. He can play!

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Hogs Miss Out on Diamond

Friday night 4-star offensive tackle Jordan Diamond from Chicago, IL announced he was signing with Auburn.

Among his top teams going in were listed as Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Notre Dame, and Arkansas.

Diamond signing with Auburn was a surprise to all recruiting gurus and those "in the know".

One time Arkansas commitment quarterback Robert Gregory and teammate of Diamond's in high school announced he was signing with Purdue.

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UCLA Bruins Recruiting: Breaking Down the Class of 2012

Before Jim Mora, Jr. has even taken a step onto the practice field for the Bruins much less led his team onto the field for a Pac-12 game, he has already stoked the competitive fires of college football fans in Los Angeles and around the nation with his highly ranked 2012 recruiting class.

The battle for LA is no longer only found in science fiction movies or between competing NBA teams at the Staples Center. Jim Mora, Jr. has drawn a line in the proverbial sand putting USC and the rest of the Pac-12 on notice, especially USC.

The statement from the coaching staff is loud and clear that UCLA will be a force to reckon with for years to come.

If one does not believe this to be true, look at the aggressive spirit UCLA used to flip highly ranked recruits away from Pac-12 rivals and other AQ schools around the country.

Five-star defensive tackle Ellis McCarthy would be the feather in any team’s recruiting cap. For a brief moment in time he was a feather in Cal-Berkeley Head Coach Jeff Tedford’s cap until Mora flipped McCarthy to UCLA.

The Bruins also took 4-star outside linebacker Jeremy Castro from Cal.

Mora did not stop there. In less than a day after 4-star wide receiver Jordan Payton verbally committed to Washington Payton signed with the UCLA.

The Bruins flipped players from Missouri (Simon Goines), Arizona State (T.J. Millweard), and Boise State (Marcus Rios) as well while holding University of Arkansas off on Javon Williams and Kenny Orjoke.

Bragging rights aside, what is more important is the depth and quality of Mora’s first recruiting class while addressing immediate needs at every position.

UCLA is set to lose eight seniors on the Bruins two-deep offensive depth chart including five starters. On defense seven players will be lost to graduation three of those players were starters in 2011.

Mora was able to secure an anchor on the defensive line with McCarthy, a possible quarterback of the future in Devin Fuller, pass catching options in wide receivers Jordan Payton and Javon Williams, and two shut-down corners with Ishmael Adams and Marcus Rios.

The defensive depth in this class promises playmakers at defensive end and linebacker as well. Aaron Porter and Jeremy Castro both enter college highly recruited with high expectations.

The Bruins were able to sign help along the offensive line with Lacy Westbrook and junior college transfer Alexandru Ceachir.

Every need was addressed with recruits that could make an immediate impact as freshman but more importantly turn into All Pac-12 quality starters for years to come.

The only controversy hovering over Mora’s class, if any, is the amount of signees that faxed in their LOI on Wednesday. 26 recruits signed with two more players committed for a total of 28 recruits.

At the time of this writing it is unclear what will happen with the numbers crunching from 28 recruits down to 25. Two to three players may face a grayshirt situation, have to take the junior college route to Westwood, or will have to walk-on the team in the fall.

Running back Tairen Owens from Muir High School in Pasadena and safety Trayvon Watson from West Adams Preparatory remain on the commitment list but have not signed their letter of intent.

Four UCLA verbal commitments signed with other schools on Wednesday. Here’s a list of those players along with their new teams:

RB Steven Lakalaka, 3-star, 5’10”, 200 pounds, Honolulu, HI – Hawaii

ATH Christian Powell, 3-star, 5’11”, 250 pounds, Upland, CA – Colorado

DB Shannon Edwards, 3-star, 5’10”, 175 pounds, Bakersfield, CA – Fresno State

DB Jerico Richardson, 2-star, 6’1”, 180 pounds, Mission Hills, CA – Nevada

Here’s a list of all 28 UCLA commitments:

OT Simon Goines, 3-star, 6’8”, 295 pounds, Keller, TX

OL Colby Cyburt, 3-star, 6’5”, 265 pounds, Mission Viejo, CA

OL Lacy Westbrook, 4-star, 6’5”, 300 pounds, Compton, CA

OL *Alexandru Ceachir, 3-star, 6’5”, 300 pounds, Santa Monica, CA

OL Carl Hulick, 3-star, 6’2”, 285 pounds, Anaheim, CA

QB Devin Fuller, 4-star, 6’0”, 185 pounds, Old Tappan, NJ

QB T.J. Millweard, 3-star, 6’4”, 230 pounds, Fort Worth, TX

WR Jordan Payton, 4-star, 6’2”, 205 pounds, Westlake Village, CA

WR Javon Williams, 4-star, 6’5”, 186 pounds, Chandler, AZ

WR/S Taylor Lagace, 3-star, 6’0”, 176 pounds, Arcadia, CA

WR/RB Ahmaad Harris, 2-star, 5’8”, 170 pounds, Suwannee, GA

TE Ian Taubler, 3-star, 6’4”, 235 pounds, Fresno, CA

RB Kenny Walker, 6’0”, 3-star, 175 pounds, Richmond, CA

RB/WR Fabian Moreau, 3-star, 6’0”, 180 pounds, Davie, FL

RB #Tairen Owens, 3-star, 5’9”, 165 pounds, Pasadena, CA

CB Randall Goforth, 3-star, 6’0” 175 pounds, Long Beach, CA

CB Ishamael Adams, 4-star, 5’10”, 185 pounds, Westlake Village, CA

CB Marcus Rios, 4-star, 6’0”, 170 pounds, Elk Grove, CA

CB Justin Combs, 2-star, 5’9”, 170 pounds, New Rochelle, NY

LB Jeremy Castro, 4-star, 6’3”, 245, Murrieta, CA

LB Aaron Porter, 4-star, 6’2”, 230 pounds, La Habra, CA

LB/S Kenny Orjoke, 3-star, 6’3”, 215 pounds, Marietta, GA

DT Ellis McCarthy, 5-star, 6’5”, 311 pounds, Monrovia, CA

DE Eli Ankou, 3-star, 6’3”, 255 pounds, Bear, DE

DE Nate Iese, 3-star, 6’5”, 240 pounds, Elk Grove, CA

ATH/CB Paul Perkins, 3-star, 5’10”, 180 pounds, Chandler, AZ

ATH #Trayvon Watson, 2-star, 6’1”, 190 pounds, Los Angeles, CA

K Ka’imi Fairbairn, 2-star, 6’0”, 165 pounds, Honolulu, HI

* Denotes junior college transfer and spring term enrollee

# Denotes committed but unsigned per Scout.com

Here’s how the recruiting services ranked UCLA’s class:

Scout.com No. 11

ESPN.com No. 19

Rivals.com No. 13

247Sports.com No. 18

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