Welcome to the tenth post in our twelve-part recruiting breakdown series. Today will look at the #10 team in our rankings, San Jose State. To learn more about the small but talented class the staff put together, see below.
The Skinny:
- Recruits signed: 32
- High school: 15
- Transfers: 17
- Offensive: 18
- Defensive: 12
- Special Teams: 2
- Number of 3-stars per 247 rankings: 12
- Players with a rating over 85: 6
- Players with a rating over 82: 6
- Breakdown by state (excluding transfers):
- California: 12
- Arizona: 1
- Colorado: 1
- Hawaii: 1
- 247 Rankings (subject to change)
- Recruiting: 127
- Transfer: 88
- Overall: 124
High School Players:
QB Daniel Rolovich
Stand-out skills:
- Makes quick throws all over the field from the shotgun
- Fires strong short passes and displays more touch on deep throws
- Eyes are actively searching the field as he goes through his progressions
- Smooth footwork, nice throwing mechanics
RB Courshawn Hill
Stand-out skills:
- Reaches top speed as he’s hitting the hole
- Effortless change of direction while running
- Rarely goes down on the first hit
- Solid in pass protection
WR Carson Clark
Stand-out skills:
- Electric straight-line speed and finds another gear after the catch
- Proficient in short passes as well as deep balls over the middle of the field
- Great releases at the line of scrimmage and sets up defenders well
- Ideal in the slot with his quick change of direction
WR Devin Olmande
Stand-out skills:
- Good at adjusting his routes when tracking the ball
- Reliable hands when the ball comes his way
- Deep-ball specialist who creates separation on double moves
- Willing blocker on outside runs
TE Shane Kiley
Stand-out skills:
- Great at stretching the field down the seam, taking the top off the defense
- Able to get open with slight change of direction moves and long strides
- Reliable hands, especially making catches on the run
- Combines sturdiness and speed after the catch, making him touch to bring down
OL Johnny Notarianni
Stand-out skills:
- Noticeable game speed, jumping out in front of plays to block
- Locks on to defenders, not letting go until the play is over
- At his best as a run-blocker, driving players out of the play
- Versatile enough to play anywhere along the line, but profiles best on the interior
OL Keenan Parks
Stand-out skills:
- Jumps into his stance off the snap
- Solid in pass protection, moving well laterally
- Does a great job pulling on run plays
- Skilled at combo blocks, where he can utilize his mobility
OL Andrew Latu
Stand-out skills:
- Unleashes his power easily due to good leverage
- Mobile at the line of scrimmage, pulling or rolling out to make blocks
- Executes his assignment well every play
- Projectable frame with room to add weight at the next level
OL Kamuela Wilhelm
Stand-out skills:
- Sound footwork moving backward and laterally
- Displays plenty of strength to push back defenders
- Stays level with defensive linemen to square up on blocks
- Calm, steady demeanor in pass protection
DL Bronx Letuligasenoa
Stand-out skills:
- Quick burst at the line of scrimmage to get in the backfield
- Great at wrapping up quarterbacks to ensure he completes the play
- Uses a variety of rush moves, but his best may be a swim move
- Solid speed in short distances to chase down scramblers
DL Auma Jennings
Stand-out skills:
- Relentless rusher on the inside, forcing his way into the backfield
- Displays great play recognition to get into position to stop running backs
- Sheds blocks and throws linemen around as he rushes the QB
- Able to fight off double teams to blow up plays before they can get going
LB Skylar Tiatia
Stand-out skills:
- Scans the field well in coverage, moving into position to make a play
- Takes good angles to the ball to make textbook tackles
- Constantly moving on the field, able to cover a lot of ground
- At his best with plays in front of him, whether that’s run support or zone coverage
LB Lance Mitchell
Stand-out skills:
- High-motor player who is quick off the snap
- Blend of power and speed consistently gets him in the backfield
- Displays nice instincts to track down where the play is going
- Mostly plays in a 4-3 but could translate to a 3-4 scheme as well
LB Viliami Lotoaniu
Stand-out skills:
- High-energy player off the edge, determined to cause havoc in the backfield
- Speedy rusher, racing into action before tackles can react
- Strong tackler, pulling players down even by grabbing their legs
- Able to step into run support as well, closing up gaps around the line of scrimmage
DB Parris Vernon
Stand-out skills:
- Playmaker on both sides of the ball with his athleticism
- Great hands and tracks the ball well on passes
- Easy change of direction will aid him at cornerback
- Ability to see the field while staying in constant motion
Team Writer Thoughts:
San Jose State’s recent 2026 haul is small, but it’s also cleanly themed: skill guys who’ve produced (Clark, Olmande, Vernon, Hill), a QB with legit frame and leadership traits (Rolovich), and a four-deep OL intake meant to keep the Spartan identity sturdy while the portal does the “instant roster” work.
The catch is the conference context: by the mainstream team-grade stacks, SJSU’s class lands 8th in the Mountain West (behind the UNLV, New Mexico, Nevada, Boise-type tier). MW Connection’s own wrap-up tiered SJSU lower in the league’s 2026 pecking order, which basically translates to: good players, not a volume class, and not the league’s highest-ceiling star power.
But there’s a “right idea” feel to it; especially for a program that wins by stacking functional pieces and developing them. You can see it in the regional footprint (9 Californians in the early group) and the way the staff diversified body types: a true outside receiver with proven touchdown production (Clark), a longer target who can live in intermediate windows (Olmande), a tackle/core-body group (Latu, Wilhelm, Notarianni, Parks), and a defensive front that’s more motor + violence than glamour (Letuligasenoa, Jennings).
And if you want the conference “underrated” stamp: one league recruiting roundup also tagged Courshawn Hill as a 2026 MW sleeper.
Quick Hits:
(high school players only)
Headliner(s):
Mike: Clark, Letuligasenoa
Vic: Clark, Letuligasenoa
Prominent Talent:
Mike: Rolovich, Mitchell, Lotoaniu
Vic: Rolovich, Olmande
Favorite Recruit:
Mike: Letuligasenoa, Hill
Vic: Mitchell, Hill
Sleeper Recruit:
Mike: Hill, Latu
Vic: Kiley, Vernon
Best unit(s):
Mike: Wide Receiver, Offensive Line
Vic: Offensive Line, Linebackers
Transfer Players:
Here is the list of transfer players San Jose 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.
QB Luke Weaver
RB Tyler Jacklich
WR Dominique McKenzie
WR Jordan Anderson
WR Jeremiah McClure
WR Anthony Ivey
OL Iki Tupou
OL Vaka Taukeiaho
OL Brian Tapu
DT Jayland McGlothen
DL Ian Shewell
LB Aizik Mahuka
DB Pierce Walker
DB Isaiah Buxton
DB Brian Dukes Jr
K Trajan Sinatra
LS Dylan Aguilera
The Spartans didn’t have many holes to fill on their roster, but they did need to address key positions. First and foremost, they needed to find a new starting quarterback, which they accomplished. Then a set of wide receivers was brought in, and the hope is that one of them becomes the next great WR they are known for producing in their system. On the defensive side, San Jose State had to bring in replacements for starters at defensive line, linebacker, and defensive back, and accomplished that, at least on paper. The coaching staff has prioritized portal adds and hopes to hit on players once again.
Summary:
San Jose State’s class is one of the smallest ones among the twelve teams, both in high school recruits and total players added. That is part of the reason they are lower in the rankings. They may not have secured as many talented individuals as some of their peers, but their roster is still improved due to the new players. In the past few seasons, the Spartans have been able to find players at important positions who fit their system well. This has been mostly done on the transfer portal side, but to build sustainability, they will need to do more on the high school side as well. They will need to hit on a number of players to bounce back in the 2026 season.
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Tomorrow: Hawaii
