While National Signing Day isn’t until Feb. 4, dozens of recruits around the country are already on campus and looking to enter fall camp a few months ahead of their peers.
20 college football teams that already have 2015 instant impact recruits
More and more recruits are looking to get early starts on their college careers. Let’s take a look at the early enrollee names to know for 2015.
Enrolling early is a major advantage for recruits who are mentally ready to skip their final semesters of high school and begin college weight-training programs and participate in spring practice, a major leg up on other incoming players who must wait until the summer to start school. This group also includes JUCO players.
2014’s group of early enrollees included highly productive newcomers like Texas A&M QB Kyle Allen, Clemson QB Deshaun Watson, Alabama OT Cameron Robinson and Ohio State LB Raekwon McMillan.
ACC
With early entrant losses to the NFL at quarterback and four defensive positions plus numerous departed senior starters, Florida State has positions to fill. They could receive some help from five-star Chesapeake (Va.) Smith defensive end Josh Sweat. To be as athletic as he is at 6’5 and 240 pounds is rare -- he ran a 4.46 40-yard dash at The Opening last summer. He’s still trying to recover from an ACL tear that ended his senior season, but rehabbing in Tallahassee could accelerate his recovery.
Auburndale (Fla.) Haines City safety Derwin James is another five-star who could have an even better shot at early playing time. A hard hitter with excellent range, James will have a chance to learn nuances during spring.
Among the country's most massive groups is the 11 already at Clemson, including three defensive tackles and a defensive end. Since Clemson lost all four members of its starting defensive line, each should have a chance to see the field, with Orangeburg (S.C.) Orangeburg-Wilkinson defensive tackle Albert Huggins the best candidate. Keep an eye on Piedmont (S.C.) Wren dual-threat quarterback Kelly Bryant, who could compete for the starting job if Watson doesn't recover from the ACL injury he suffered last fall.
One of the top junior college players from the talent-rich Arizona system is Eastern Arizona College offensive tackle Kahlil Hunter, who could compete along the Louisville line. The 6’4, 290-pounder has college-ready size and is athletic enough to play tackle or a pulling guard position, as he’s especially effective at the second level.
Big 12
Art Briles has built Baylor by playing quarterbacks with multiple years in the program. However, he’s never had a blue-chip prospect like five-star Stephenville (Texas) quarterback Jarrett Stidham, the nation’s top dual-threat, according to 247Sports. Late efforts by Briles’ staff helped convince the former Texas Tech commit to flip to Baylor. Stidham will have a chance to win the starting job because of his athleticism, accuracy, and natural feel.
The Texas Tech class recently lost two big pledges in Stidham and Dallas Skyline wide receiver Carlos Strickland, but Kliff Kingsbury and his staff managed to hold onto one key piece -- Honolulu (Hawaii) Farrington defensive tackle Breiden Fehoko. Family ties helped the Red Raiders land his services in competition against a national offer list. He can beat opponents with a variety of moves.
One of the most physical defensive linemen among JUCO enrollees is headed to Texas -- Navarro College strong side defensive end Quincy Vasser, who could excel as a five-technique end. East Mississippi CC offensive tackle Brandon Hodges could win one of the starting tackle jobs after the Longhorns received poor play at both positions. The nation’s No. 1 outside linebacker, Mesquite (Texas) Poteet’s Malik Jefferson, looks poised to assume the starting weakside linebacker position.
Oklahoma added a number of early enrollees, including dynamic slot types in League City (Texas) Clear Falls product John Humphrey and Blinn College's Dede Westbrook. The Sooners inked a possible early contributor in East Mississippi CC offensive tackle Jamal Danley, who will have a chance to earn one of two open tackle positions and is the No. 10 junior college offensive tackle.
Big Ten
As new head coach Jim Harbaugh starts the rebuilding process at Michigan with two early enrollees, he’ll do so looking for a new quarterback. Bloomington Hills (Mich.) Brother Rice pro-style passer Alex Malzone needs some help to refine his delivery, but Harbaugh may be exactly the coach to do that. While Harbaugh works on Malzone’s game, the quarterback’s arm strength should improve.
For the national champions, there's a starting spot open across from star Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa, and Saint Paul (Minn.) Cretin Derham Hall's Jashon Cornell may be the player to fill it. With a college-ready frame at 6'4 and 260 pounds, Cornell is the No. 8 strong-side defensive end and has a combination of ability at the point of attack and first step.
For Minnesota to continue ascending, Iowa Western CC safety Charlie Rogers may need to fill one of the four open spots in the secondary. The 6’1, 210-pounder has starting experience at Iowa State and is versatile enough to play as a deep safety or in the box. Galena Park (Texas) North Shore guard Tyler Moore could compete for the starting left position after reshaping his body without losing his ability as a run blocker.
SB Nation presents: The way-too-early top 10
Independent
Four members of the top-10 Notre Dame class have arrived, including potential starting tackle Jerry Tillery, the No. 11 offensive tackle from Shreveport (La.) Evangel Christian. Tillery has the reactive body quickness and pass-blocking technique to compete. Fellow U.S. Army All-American Tristen Hoge could also start after emerging as the country’s No. 1 center.
Pac-12
The loss of Heisman winner Marcus Mariota means that Anaheim (Calif.) Servite prospect Travis Waller will have a chance to compete with backup Jeff Lockie for the starting job at Oregon. Since Lockie only has experience playing in relief, Waller could use the spring to jump past by taking advantage of the athleticism that helped make him the nation's No. 4 dual-threat quarterback. His pocket presence and intangibles could even remind Ducks fans of Mariota.
The national championship game revealed issues with the Ducks run defense, but the addition of Honolulu (Hawaii) Punahou defensive end Canton Kaumatule could make a difference. The massive 6’7, 290-pounder is a freak who can play up and down the line, which has earned him a ranking as the No. 16 player and the No. 3 strong-side defensive end.
UCLA is looking for a replacement for star quarterback Brett Hundley and may have one in Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco passer Josh Rosen. The nation's top pro-style quarterback, Rosen is also the No. 14 player overall and has ideal size, arm strength, accuracy and pocket presence. A participant in the Elite 11 Finals, Rosen doesn't have the athleticism of Hundley, but he is a good athlete for his size and can pick up yards if opponents don't respect his feet.
At Arizona State, the Sun Devils don’t lose any starting linebackers, but it will be hard to keep Butler CC linebacker Davon Durant off the field. Ranked as the top outside linebacker in junior college, Durant held high-profile offers from Oregon, Ole Miss and Texas A&M, and has some key requirements for a linebacker -- he’s 6’2 and 240 pounds, has enough athleticism to cover ground and is a physical tackler who can read his keys.
SEC
While star Oklahoma product David Cornwell ended up redshirting after enrolling early at Alabama, Corona (Calif.) Santiago pro-style quarterback Blake Barnett has a better chance to earn the starting job, since he was able to play his entire senior season. Ranked as the No. 2 pro-style passer and the No. 21 player nationally, Barnett committed to Notre Dame before ending up at Bama.
Alabama features six other early enrollees, including five-star Tuscaloosa (Ala.) IMG Academy athlete Bo Scarbrough. A possible running back or H-back, Scarbrough is an elite athlete with offers from around the country who could put his ball skills to use as a wide receiver.
Orange (Texas) West-Orange Stark safety Deionte Thompson has the type of ball skills that allowed him to star at wide receiver in high school in addition to his duties in the defensive backfield. Thompson also has remarkable coverage skills for his size -- as a result, he has a chance to earn one of the two starting safety positions.
Making it to campus at Ole Miss was hardly a given for East Mississippi CC quarterback Chad Kelly, as he was facing numerous charges related to a nightclub incident, but the nation's top JUCO passer took a plea deal and will now have the chance to compete for the job. Kelly has experience from his time at Clemson and will play in an offense that can take advantage of his running ability.
Watch out for Auburn running back Jovon Robinson, the nation’s top JUCO player. The 5’11, 225-pounder pledged in May of 2014, remarkably early for a prospect from those ranks, but will have a chance to take over after the Tigers lost the team’s top two running backs.
Tennessee has a massive early enrollee list of 10 prospects. Murfreesboro (Tenn.) Oakland offensive tackle Jack Jones could step into the vacant right tackle position, while Lexington (N.C.) Davidson defensive tackle Shy Tuttle has the quickness to see playing time as a gap-penetrating, three-technique lineman.
Once the nation’s No. 2 all-purpose back out of high school, Hutchinson CC all-purpose back Alvin Kamara spent a season at Alabama, then transferred and is now the nation’s No. 2 junior college back. Look for Kamara as a change-of-pace option behind 6’3, 227-pound bruiser Jalen Hurd at Tennessee -- Kamara’s quickness out of the backfield should help him slice up SEC competition.
LSU could have a replacement for cornerback Jalen Collins in Jacksonville (Fla.) Trinity Christian cornerback Kevin Toliver II. Ranked as a top-10 prospect, Tolliver is the No. 2 cornerback and has the unusual combination of size at 6’2, elite recovery speed, and the physicality to jam opponents at the line.
At Texas A&M, the secondary needs help at safety and cornerback. Mississippi Gulf Coast CC safety Justin Evans is the No. 3 safety in the junior college ranks. He should use his high-level instincts, ball skills and playmaking ability to earn a starting job. Landing Evans was a major coup for the Aggies, as he also held offers from Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Nebraska, Ole Miss and Texas.
