Welcome to the seventh post in our twelve-part recruiting breakdown series. Today will look at the #7 team in our rankings, Utah State. This was a class focused on securing in-state talent and filled many needs through the transfer portal. To see what the Aggies put together, read below.
The Skinny:
- Recruits signed: 45
- High school: 20
- Transfers: 25
- Offensive: 22
- Defensive: 21
- Special Teams: 2
- Number of 3-stars per 247 rankings: 20
- Players with a rating over 85: 10
- Players with a rating over 82: 10
- Breakdown by state (excluding transfers):
- Utah: 9
- California: 3
- Texas: 2
- Arizona: 1
- Colorado: 1
- Hawaii: 1
- Nevada: 1
- Idaho: 1
- International: 1
- 247 Rankings (subject to change)
- Recruiting: 100
- Transfer: 103
- Overall: 96
High School Players:
QB Brady Goodman
Stand out skills:
- Has the ability to throw on the move with accuracy
- Consistently fakes out the defense with pump fakes to get WRs open
- Makes quick, decisive throws
- Flashes big-play potential with his legs
QB Kaleb Maryland
Stand out skills:
- Plus runner who is comfortable with the ball in his hands
- Elusive in the pocket, buying time to extend plays
- Big arm with the ability to make throws all over the field
- Makes quick reads and hits receivers in stride
WR Cade McCall
Stand out skills:
- Gets open with smooth route-running and double moves
- Reliable hands that come down with everything within range
- Dangerous near the line of scrimmage and on deep routes
- Knowledge of the playbook allows him to be used in a variety of ways
WR Tripp Palmer
Stand out skills:
- Piles up yards after the catch with long strides
- Tracks the ball well in the air with good footwork along the sideline
- Not afraid of physical contact due to his time on defense
- Difficult to tackle with just one defender
TE Preston McDaniel
Stand out skills:
- Effective releases at the line of scrimmage to get open
- Great at high-pointing the ball in the air to come down with the catch
- Instant mismatch wherever he lines up due to speed and size
- Shifty moves in the open field to evade tackles
WR Kaina Watson
Stand out skills:
- Easy change of direction keeps the defense scrambling after he makes a catch
- Great at high-pointing the ball to reach balls that defensive backs can’t reach
- Runs sharp routes that confuse DBs, leaving him wide open for big gains
- Gets separation from his man with his releases at the line of scrimmage
TE Jude Nelson
Stand out skills:
- Smooth route-running to go along with excellent size
- Finds another gear after the catch to create explosive plays
- Willing blocker to get teammates open
- Executes his assignment on every play
OL Luke Baker
Stand out skills:
- Impressive lateral movement in pass protection
- Locks onto defenders and plays through the whistle
- Springs into action immediately once the ball is snapped
- Evident strength, especially when on the move
OL Matekitonga Havea
Stand out skills:
- Springs into action right after the ball is snapped
- Extremely mobile, getting to the second level with his blocks
- Regularly pancakes defenders
- Takes good angles in pass protection to stay in front of his man
OL Lucas Neidig
Stand out skills:
- Consistently open up holes in the run game
- Explodes out of his stance, unleashing his power in his blocks
- At his best as a run blocker who resets the line of scrimmage
- Versatility allows him to play any of the interior positions
OL Easton Hammond
Stand out skills:
- Aggressive player who continually seeks out blocks
- Drives defenders back out of the play in run-blocking
- Holds his own in pass protection, displaying sound technique
- Displays his mobility on screens to get out in front of the ball
OL Chantz Chargualaf
Stand out skills:
- Punishes defensive linemen who try to get past him, pushing them aside on run plays
- Stout in pass protection, shuffling his feet to keep the defense in front of him
- Regularly pancakes defenders, knocking them to the ground and out of the play
- Keeps his eyes moving to pick up blitzes and see how the defense is attacking him
DL Curtis Bell
Stand out skills:
- Speed in short bursts to get into the backfield
- Constantly causing havoc with huge hits
- Gets off blocks with ease due to his strength and agility
- Great form to cause fumbles or complete sacks
Ifo Pili Jr
Stand out skills:
- Generates a strong pass rush with a quick first step off the edge
- Features an array of rush moves to get by offensive linemen, including a great swim move
- Doesn’t let go of ball carriers once he gets his hands on them
- Does a good job staying patient, not overpursuing on misdirection players
Jesse King
Stand out skills:
- Able to shed blocks and get in a good position to keep contain and neutralize the run game
- Keeps playing through the whistle, running down ball carriers from all over the field
- A violent tackler who features a burst of speed when closing in to make a tackle
- Beats tackles with speed and proper angles to cause havoc in the backfield
EDGE Villiami Tapa’atoutai
Stand out skills:
- Explosive first step off the edge
- Doesn’t overpursue once he’s in the backfield
- Violent hits in the run game and pass rush
- Versatile thanks to his game speed
LB John McClellan
Stand out skills:
- Shoots through the gaps to make the tackle
- Strong play recognition, which gets him inthe proper position early
- Wraps up well to ensure no one can break his tackles
- Athletic enough to play running back in high school
LB Brody Flores
Stand out skills:
- Steady rusher who doesn’t give up on plays
- Solid tackler on the run, bringing players down however he can
- Consitently wins matchups while displaying a variety of rushing moves
- Able to stop the run and get after quarterbacks effectively
DB Oshea Webb
Stand out skills:
- Fierce hitter in the open field
- Able to defend on the outside or in the slot
- Solid at tracking the ball in the air from his time at wide receiver
- Does a great job not biting on fakes, watching the WR’s midsection
DB Dontae Dyson
Stand out skills:
- Athletic player capable of lining up in multiple spots on both sides of the ball
- Keeps his hands active to make plays in pass defense
- Strong ability to change directions quickly
- Physical tackler in the flat
Team Writer’s Thoughts:
Quick Hits:
(high school players only)
Headliner(s):
Mike: Nelson, Flores
Graham:
Prominent Talent:
Mike: Webb, Pili Jr, McClellan
Graham:
Favorite Recruit(s):
Mike: Nelson, McClellan
Graham:
Sleeper Recruit(s):
Mike: Bell, King
Graham:
Best unit(s):
Mike: Tight End, Linebacker
Graham:
Transfer Players:
Here is the list of transfer players Fresno State signed. We are moving away from commenting on their film, as it’s often many years outdated by this point, and frankly, it’s become too time-consuming. Jack is doing a tremendous job commenting on transfer players in his transfer tracker. Instead, this section will comment on the class as a whole in terms of attempting to address needs and overall philosophy.
Transfer QB Grady Brosterhous
Transfer QB McCae Hillstead
Transfer RB Sesi Vailahi
Transfer FB Tyler Masdea
Transfer WR Rex Hayes
Transfer WR Eli Wood
Transfer WR LJ Johnson Jr
Transfer OL Chewy Wade
Transfer OL Seth Wilfred
Transfer OL Kadin Lynch
Transfer DL Kasen Long
Transfer DL Ronnie Mageo
Transfer DL Quincy Wright
Transfer LB Asher Cunningham
Transfer LB Adonis Jackson
Transfer LB Jeremiah Holmes
Transfer LB Harrison Taggart
Transfer LB BJ Diakite
Transfer LB James Jennette
Transfer DB Antonio Bluiett
Transfer DB Marcus McKenzie
Transfer DB Kye Stokes
Transfer DB Chapman Lewis
Transfer K Steven Sannieniola
Transfer K Kian Afrookhteh
Utah State brought in 25 transfers, making it a balanced effort along with their high school recruiting. Every position was accounted for, except for tight end and edge rusher, although the fullback and linebacker additions may end up accounting for those spots as well. They are bringing in two quarterbacks to compete for the starting spot, including one previous member of the team. Linebacker was a huge area of emphasis and every other position was pretty even with their additions. Also of note, two incoming kickers should make for a low-key interesting battle.
Summary:
Utah State continues to make consistent recruiting gains, which is a success, even if it is an incremental one rather than a single giant leap in this class. It’s important to look at the process that will hopefully lead to multi-year dividends. This includes investing heavily in their home state of Utah and casting a wide net across states like Hawaii, Idaho, and Arizona, as well as the international market. Combined with some transfer players to fill more immediate needs, it’s safe to say that a load of talent has been added to the program. The roster is still going through the rehaul process, but this is a solid step in the right direction, especially as they move to the PAC-12 next season. Making a bowl game in year 1 of Coach Mendenhall’s tenure was a pleasant surprise, and ideally, this class can help them progress further.
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Next: Nevada
