[2024] Recruiting Class Grades Batch 4

[tsweezy]

It's that time of year again! Time to hand out recruiting class grades!

This year obviously progressions happened way earlier so it's a bit different of a read.

 

 

Temple University

American Athletic Conference

2023: 7-6 (3-5)
 

Recruiting Class Basics:

Temple signed 4 4-stars, 9 3-stars, 7 2-stars, and 2 1-stars. They signed 24! players with B or better potentials and 0 B overalls. Rankings below:

ESPN: 104th
Rivals: 38th
247: 21st

Composite: 40th

 

Signees below:

School	Name	Stars	Ovr	Pot	Pos	Archetype	City	State
TEMP	Nataliya Dockum	3	C	A	C	Line Captain	Lee's Summit	MO
TEMP	Venkata Zheng	2	C-	A	CB	Ball Hawk	Franklinton	LA
TEMP	Adrian Bonilla	2	C-	B+	CB	Zone Coverage	Waco	TX
TEMP	Dale Plott	2	C-	A-	CB	Ball Hawk	Lubbock	TX
TEMP	Mark Lewter	4	C+	A+	DE	Speed Rusher	Lansing	MI
TEMP	Domingo Perez	0	C	A-	DT	Nose Tackle	Fort Washington	PA
TEMP	Robert Mann	3	C	B+	DT	Balanced	Alexandria	LA
TEMP	Robert Poff	3	C	B+	FS	Run Stopper	San Marcos	CA
TEMP	Ty Schoepf	3	C	A-	ILB	Coverage	Pleasanton	CA
TEMP	Wesley Irving	1	D	B+	K	Accuracy	Blountsville	AL
TEMP	David Mcdaniel	2	C-	B+	OG	Pass Blocking	Warner Robins	GA
TEMP	John Bernstein	2	C-	A	OG	Run Blocking	Middletown	CT
TEMP	Raul Ramosperez	3	C	B+	OLB	Speed	Valdosta	GA
TEMP	Willie Brisson	3	C+	B+	OT	Pass Blocking	Strongsville	OH
TEMP	Luis Calderon	3	C	A	OT	Run Blocking	Dallas	TX
TEMP	Alberto Mont	1	D	A-	P	Accuracy	Liberty	PA
TEMP	Arnulfo Baca	3	C	B	QB	Pocket	Warren	AR
TEMP	Mohammed Swanson	0	D	A+	QB	Pocket	Columbus	OH
TEMP	Ricky Lewis	4	C+	B+	RB	Power	Chatsworth	GA
TEMP	Derrick Lovett	0	D	F	RB	Power	Deptford	NJ
TEMP	Dru Bordonaro	4	C+	A	SS	Zone Coverage	Pensacola	FL
TEMP	Jesus Diaz	3	C	B+	TE	Receiving	San Benito	TX
TEMP	Richard Garcia	4	C+	B	WR	Route Runner	Jonesboro	GA
TEMP	Xiu Lin	2	C-	A	WR	Possesion	El Dorado Hills	CA
TEMP	Erik Keys	2	C-	B+	WR	Speed	Dakota	IL

Below is a breakdown position-by-position of (from L-R) their current roster, what they did on the trail, and the grade I gave them in recruiting that position.

Position	Current position grade	Current status	Number signed	Recruiting status	Croot Grade
C	C-	Howard is an... ok guy right now. He's a B- senior which is not that good, but it's not catastrophic either. Just kind of a guy in the middle. The worry is that he's graduating and the only other guy in the room is a 2-star (Fr) who is only a C overall. They could be in line for a significant down-grade next season which is worrisome	1	Dockum is actually a pretty good signee. A 3 star line captain with A potential, he's a future team captain with great upside. The problem is that he's probably going to be asked to start within the next year or 2 which is quite an accelerated timeline. Still a boost over the current room though	C+/B-
CB	C+	They only have 3 A overalls on the roster, and Phillips is one of them. A really good zone corner, he's locking down 1/2 of the field. On the other side is Luvu, a ball hawking B- senior who can mostly hold his own. Of course after they graduate there's an immediate drop off in talent (I don't project any of the 3 remaining corners to reach above a B- level by their senior year).	3	Good re-load in terms of numbers, but mostly the same talent level (better potentials though). Also whyyy are you signing a zone corner, all the current room is man coverage and man corners are typically easier to sign. Go back to man!	C
DE	C	Are most positions going to be like this? A pair of solid senior 3 star B/B+ level at the top, and then a giant drop to a trio of 2-star C overalls from last class. Again, this year is fine and next year comes crashing down	1	Mark Lewter is a great blue chip signee! a 4 star with A+ potential, he might not be an outright starter this year, but will be DE1 guaranteed by next season (so he'd better start getting acclimated)	B-
DT	C-	Garrett and Romero are ok pass rushing up the middle and are strong starters. Similarly though, behind them are a pair of mediocre 2-stars who are NOT going to be up to snuff next season (although they'll likely move to a 3-4 since they have better ILBs?)	2	Struck gold with a 3-star level walk on here. Meaning they got 2 guys who are better "talents" than anyone else in the room. Even with that and high potentials though, they aren't going to be ready for prime-time next season (but good for the long run)	C+
FB	B-	Tyler Colbert is actually extremely good, and one of the few 4-stars on the roster. Unfortunately he is a blocking FB which is one of the LEAST impactful positions to have him at (I have one too, I know the feeling). he's also gone next year and then they'll gave just their 2-star signee from last year (who is not going to be nearly as good)	0	Didn't sign any	-
FS	C+	Really thin here, only a single senior FS on the roster. In Castellanos credit, he's both a good baseball player AND a good FS. A B+ Zone coverage guy, he's going to be gone next year so whoever they sign this year will be the auto starter next season	1	Poff is that guy. A 3-star run stopper with B+ potential, Poff is probably going to be the starter next year with a ~C+ overall (unless they land a mega talent at the position). I like him, but of course AI crooting messed up the progressions	C
ILB	B-	One of the best positions. They have a ton of coverage and speed guys, a 4-star A overall senior, and then another B- senior and a few ok juniors primed for a breakout. I'd expect them to leverage it in a 3-4 this year, but we'll see	1	They only signed one guy this season, but a 3-star A- potential is nothing to scoff at on this roster	C+
K	B-	They have an A- blue chip senior kicker, and also 3 other on roster. Of course 2 of those are 1-stars, so the C overall 2 star (Fr) is going to start next season which... not great, just go for 2	1	They signed Wesley Irving, a 1-star K who is... not good. Not sure what role he'll play on the team tbh	D
OG	C+	One of the better rooms for the future. They obviously have the token A overall blue chip senior (Tomas Baez) who locks down one side. Then they signed a 3 star last cycle who leveled up to B- overall already! Plus a trio of juniors in the B-/C+ range aren't all bad options	2	A pair of high potential 2 stars is... better than most of the AIs classes but it's not exactly contending for the top of the AAC. One of them is likely to turn serviceable eventually though	C
OLB	C-	Not great here. Diallo is the best option (pass rushing B+) but the other side is manned by a C+ junior. Behind them are a C- 2-star and a 1-star so the cabinet is pretty bare.	1	Only 1 guy, but Raul is a 3 star high potential guy who honestly is in line to start next season and be an upgrade over most of the room	C
OT	C+	Davis and Weiser are a nice pair of senior 3-stars who are holding solid on the edges. They actually have a few 2/3 stars in the pipeline to come up as B- starters next season too, but it is not great obviously	2	Calderon again is good enough to push for starting time by year 2, maybe 3. Even better though is Brisson who probably is going to be OT1 next season	C+
P	B	Croaker was last years signee and now a B- punter as a 4-star soph. I like him a lot to give them a strong leg for 3 more years. Possibly the best position	1	Ok, Mont is not good, again idk why they're wasting scholarships on guys who are bad and won't play	D-
QB	C+	There's a potential spring QB battle brewing between Sborz and Jefferson (senior pocket players). I give Sborz the edge, but frankly he's just passable (ha ha). Segovia could get a look since he'll be the guy next season if Temple wants to maintain some continuity I guess	2	I don't think there was a bonafide future starter on the roster, but Baca is close to the guy (not caca). A 3 star B potential pocket passer, he can develop into something nice if the staff puts a focus on him	C+
RB	B-	Really good shape here. Putnam is a track star who's here for another year after this and is a constant big play threat. They have a pair of great senior backups and then a variety of "ok" other players.	2	The big ticket signee here is a power back Ricky Lewis. Built like a brick... outhouse, Ricky definitely looks like he has a future near the top of the AAC stat lists, and gets 2 years of development time before then	B
SS	C-	The senior and junior in this room are not good. They could definitely do with an upgrade at this position	1	They got one! Dru is a 4 star with A potential, an absolute future monster. He may be a hair below Compton at the moment, but he's a huge addition for the future	B
TE	C	Thole is a passable vertical threat, but they are really thin behind him. Goot future prospects but a big dip next year	1	Jesus Diaz was their only signee but he and David (last years signee) are good 3 stars with high potential and a good future base	C
WR	C+	Flande is the shining light of this room, and Parnell is serviceable. Everyone else is kinda not great though. I do like Casanova (surprise), but he can't hold the whole receiving corps up on his own, definitely needs more high impact players nex to him	3	Big haul here, but the 2 2-stars don't move the needle much. However, I am a fan of Richard Garcia, another 4 star with high potential and probably their WR1 next season	B-

 

It's clear that the AI crooting has done a number on this team. This year they actually have a solid roster that I think can finish top-5 in the conference. The problem is that almost all their good players are seniors and the team is going to absolutely collapse next season. However, you can tell their recruiting is going pretty well in establishing a new base. They have a TON of really high potential players who will form the nucleus of a conference contender (in 2-3 years). Until then though, go big this year and just try to live through next year's rebuild.

 

Class Grade: C+

 

 

University of Kansas

Big 12 Conference

2023: 8-5 (5-4)
 

Recruiting Class Basics:

Kansas signed 9 4-stars, 8 3-stars, 2 2-stars, and 5 1-stars. They signed 6 players with B or better potentials and 2 B overalls. Rankings below:

ESPN: 28th
Rivals: 46th
247: 40th

Composite: 34th

 

Signees below:

 

School	Name	Stars	Ovr	Pot	Pos	Archetype	City	State
KANS	Robert Greenburg	0	D	C+	C	Balanced	Shawnee Mission	KS
KANS	Elbert Jackson	4	B-	C	CB	Ball Hawk	Monroe	LA
KANS	Jason Salas	1	D	B-	CB	Ball Hawk	Wauchula	FL
KANS	Mark Depot	3	C	C+	DE	Speed Rusher	Houston	TX
KANS	Michael Beddoe	3	C	C	DE	Run Stopper	Hialeah	FL
KANS	Gary Yates	3	C	C+	DE	Run Stopper	Mason	TX
KANS	Steve McCalister	4	C+	B+	DT	Pass Rusher	Tulsa	OK
KANS	Richard Fulkerson	4	C	B+	DT	Balanced	Fishers	IN
KANS	Victor Munoz	1	D	B-	DT	Balanced	Decatur	IL
KANS	Ivan Leon	1	D	A-	FB	Balanced	Downs	IL
KANS	David Minson	4	C+	C+	ILB	Run Stopper	Washington	DC
KANS	Jon Allen	4	C	B-	K	Accuracy	Overland Park	KS
KANS	Brian Bartels	4	C+	C+	OLB	Run Stopper	Semmes	AL
KANS	Wallace Brooks	4	B-	C+	OT	Run Blocking	Grapevine	TX
KANS	Michael Morrison	3	C	C+	OT	Run Blocking	Jacksonville	FL
KANS	Steve Arena	3	C	C	P	Accuracy	Columbus Grove	OH
KANS	Jeffrey Eagle	4	C+	C+	QB	Pocket	Enterprise	AL
KANS	Michael Ryan	3	C	C+	QB	Scrambler	Sterling	IL
KANS	Nathaniel Rudebacher	4	C+	C+	RB	Speed	Coral Springs	FL
KANS	Jay Ludden	1	D	A	RB	Speed	Nashville	TN
KANS	Jorge Quintanilla	1	D	B	SS	Zone Coverage	Warner Robins	GA
KANS	Victor Santiago	2	D	B+	TE	Blocking	Sarasota	FL
KANS	Larry Gaziano	3	C	B-	WR	Possesion	Laurel	MS
KANS	Robert Bernal	3	C	C+	WR	Red Zone Threat	Sandersville	GA
KANS	Sang Vang	2	D	B-	WR	Red Zone Threat	Maryville	MO

Below is a breakdown position-by-position of (from L-R) their current roster, what they did on the trail, and the grade I gave them in recruiting that position.

 

 

Position	Current position grade	Current status	Number signed	Recruiting status	Croot Grade
C	B	I don't usually do this, but even if their best player is a senior B overall, last years cycle deserves props. I actually looked at both Enrique and Jesus, but Kansas took the pair of 4-star centers and redshirted them. One is going to bump to OG assuredly, but good on them.	1	Didn't sign any (got a walkon)	-
CB	A-	The corner room is REAL good. A pair of senior A overalls are what everyone wish they had, but they have a bunch of other ball hawks on roster who are B-/B+ already. They haven't signed any in the last two classes though, so due for a reload	2	Added a 1-star (who cares) but they also got a B overall 4-star ball hawk! Elbert continues their tradition of excellence and I'm honestly surprised they've been able to sign all these guys of that archetype.	B
DE	B	Another A overall senior blue chip on the Dline, they also have a nice sliding stack of up and comers including Barrios ((Jr) B overall second starter), and Wims ((So) blue chip signee). They also have a few other 3 star great depth options	3	A big haul on paper, but they're all pretty fungible guys. A trio of 3-star C/C+ signees are... fine. One of them at least is likely to become a good starter but certainly not all	C+
DT	B	They've got a great lineup here and really good progressions. (Jr) Morris is the A- overall starter this year and next, and he's got a partner (Jr) B overall alongside him to provide backup. They have an assortment of variously skilled 3-stars in the room as depth as well.	3	Three DTs is a mega haul, and the top two (Steve and Richard) are splash signings: 4-stars with B+ potential. They'll be a fearsome middle of a 4-3 front in 2026 onwards I think. They also got a 1 star who doesn't matter and will never play	A-
FB	C+	They've signed 3 FBs in the last three cycles and all are B- overalls already. Schneider is the only 4-star, and as a (Fr) he's in line to get a starting look to secure 4 years of starting. I guess they're intending to use this position	1	Another one? Even after Schneider last year? Oh wait, Ivan is a 1-star, must be a coaches relative or something getting to join the team as a favor	D
FS	B-	Pedro is good this season and then graduates. Last year they signed another ball hawk (wow they have a type) in 4-star Gaherty who's currently B overall and likely starts from 2025-2026 before potentially going pro.	0	Didn't sign any	-
ILB	C	This is a bit more disappointing of a room. No blue chips and their best player is a B- junior. Nobody on the roster really moves the needle in terms of living up to the rest of the teams standards.	1	Ooo this is a good signing. David Minson is a 4 star run stopper who clogs up lanes in the middle. I don't know that he's going to start imminently, but he could potentially be ILB2 by next season.	B
K	B+	Ramirez is still kickin it for the next 2 seasons, although they should start looking for his replacements soon	1	They got the future starter in Jon Allen, a C overall B- potential accurate kicker. He's obviously the next in line behind Ramirez and restarts the clock on the next K they recruit	B
OG	C+	Well... I see now why they signed multiple centers. Only 2 OGs on the roster is thinnn. Evans isn't very good and he's leaving next year. Hager in contrast is quite good, but still just a sophomore. They don't have a third. Thinnnn	0	No signees? Bold, but foolish. They better get some in the next class	D
OLB	B-	A ton of young options, including a duo of soph eligible B overall 4-stars. Unfortunately nobody is higher than B overall, but the future still looks quite bright for the next 3 seasons imo	1	Another 4-star is a great option. Bartels is a run stopper to crash the edge, even if he's just a C/C at the moment. Still, good pickup by them	B-
OT	B+	They have a great pair of A-/B+ seniors on either edge. Of course they have no bluechips but having 6 B- options is quite good, last years signees had great progressions	2	Another 4 and 3 star: I like Brooks a lot. I don't know that they've settled on a scheme since they keep going back and forth between pass and run blocking archetypes. Either way, I like his attitude and think he'll be a long term starter for this program.	B
P	B	They signed their great punter prospect last season in Longergan who is in no danger of losing his starting spot. Great guy and good prospect. They've been signing a punter every year so I wonder if they still pick one up now.	1	Oh they did. Arena is just another guy and I don't know what he's ever gonna do, but good injury insurance I guess.	C
QB	B+	Honestly, their QB situation has been kinda ass recently. They have plenty of options though. Summers is clearly head and shoulders over the rest of the room, and at the moment balanced QB Perkins is the backup (last classes signee). They have a couple other signees from the last two years (all scramblers) but none of them have flashed yet	2	This year they got a pair of signees. Michael Ryan is a random 3 star scrambler not worth spilling ink on. The jewel is 4-star Jeff Eagle, the only pocket passer on roster. They definitely have seem infatuated with scramblers, so I'm curious if Eagle represents a departure from their philosophy, or if they took him as a cruel joke and scout team fodder	B
RB	A-	Cody Casspi is THAT GUY. the premier talent on offense, he's 100% the player entrusted with moving the sticks when needed and should be the absolute priority to focus on. They also have a few other seniors to spell him.	2	Unfortunately Casspi is old and graduating this season. Who's next in line to pick up the slack? Apparently new signee Rudebacher (4 star speed back). He's basically a similar profile to Casspi but we'll see if he progresses that same way	B-
SS	B-	I have Johnson as right on the cusp of A- overall (and another ball hawk to boot!), but behind him it's thin. Next year they're projected to only have last years signee Fuentes on roster and be the defacto B- junior starter	1	Uh, Quintanilla isn't good. I'd rather cross play a FS than start him. They need a capable backup soon	D
TE	B	Ah, the talent in the room. Steel Blue is the receiving option here with B_ skill as a 4-star junior. They have 3 other 4-stars rostered (2 from last years class), all different archetypes to mix and match. You can tell they take pride in this position group, even if they still have to wait for more progression	1	Only one signee? And he's a 2 star? Boooooo what happened. I'm very disappointed in the Kansas staff for their paltry recruiting this cycle	D
WR	B-	Have I been swindled? The WRs are better than the TEs? They have a pair of A- possession options, and Bradley even has another year of eligibility. Behind them though are a real lack of quality options I guess. They signed nobody relevand last year, and only one mediocre 3 star the year before that.	3	Oh ho ho, 3 WR signees? 2 3 stars and a 2star. 2/3 red zone threats fits their desired build, and I mean technically these guys are going to be starters in 2 years, but they aren't very scary are they. Flex them to TE for jumbo-jumbo packages already	C

 

 

 

Kansas actually has a lot more talent on the roster than I expected, and I'm low-key expecting 8-10 wins for them depending on their schedule and gameplan. They also signed more blue chips than I expected and have a pretty healthy succession line in most rooms. I have them as a top-tier Big 12 team moving forward, only definitively behind Baylor, so they've got a lot to look forward to. They don't have very many offensive weapons after Casspi leaves though, so they will need creativity to put up points

 

Class Grade: B-

 

James Madison University

Sunbelt Conference

2023: 3-9 (1-7)
 

Recruiting Class Basics:

JMU signed 7 4-stars, 9 3-stars, and 5 2-stars. They signed 8 players with B or better potentials and 2 B overalls. Rankings below:

ESPN: 105th
Rivals: 54th
247: 26th

Composite: 50th

 

Signees below:

School	Name	Stars	Ovr	Pot	Pos	Archetype	City	State
JMU	Richard Devereaux	3	C	B+	C	Balanced	Midlothian	VA
JMU	Jonathan Krishna	4	B-	B-	CB	Ball Hawk	Woodbridge	VA
JMU	William Johnson	3	C+	A	CB	Zone Coverage	Midlothian	VA
JMU	Gabriel Bustamante	2	C	B-	CB	Zone Coverage	Akron	OH
JMU	Antonio Medina	4	C+	B-	DE	Speed Rusher	Canton	NC
JMU	Jacob Jackson	3	C	B-	DE	Run Stopper	Petersburg	VA
JMU	Dustin Bock	3	C	A	DE	Run Stopper	Purcellville	VA
JMU	Jimmy Lee	0	D	F	DT	Balanced	Richmond	VA
JMU	Jorge Hernandez	4	B-	C+	FB	Rushing	Elkton	VA
JMU	Charles Drumwright	4	C+	C+	ILB	Speed	Virginia Beach	VA
JMU	Sergeant Major	4	C+	C+	K	Power	Richmond	VA
JMU	Rafael Leu	0	D	B	OG	Balanced	Washington	DC
JMU	Kurt Dinges	0	D	C+	OG	Run Blocking	Washington	DC
JMU	Paul Lock	3	C	A-	OLB	Coverage	Virginia Beach	VA
JMU	Juan Garcia	2	D	B	OLB	Run Stopper	Plantation	FL
JMU	Eloy Guzman	2	D	B	OLB	Speed	Elizabeth	PA
JMU	Jorge Hernandez	3	C	C	OT	Run Blocking	Taylorsville	NC
JMU	Roger Sloop	2	C	C+	OT	Balanced	Louisville	KY
JMU	Christopher Buys	3	C	C+	OT	Run Blocking	Richmond	VA
JMU	Ronald Lynn	4	C+	C+	QB	Balanced	Jacksonville	FL
JMU	David Mcintire	3	C	B-	RB	Receiving	Nokesville	VA
JMU	Kerry Ankney	4	C	C+	RB	Power	Galax	VA
JMU	Gregory Mcgirr	0	D	D	TE	Blocking	Washington	DC
JMU	Oleg Whittington	3	C+	A	WR	Route Runner	Chester	VA
JMU	Bryan Brown	2	C	B-	WR	Possesion	Canadian	TX

 

Below is a breakdown position-by-position of (from L-R) their current roster, what they did on the trail, and the grade I gave them in recruiting that position.

 

Position	Current position grade	Current status	Number signed	Recruiting status	Croot Grade
C	C-	Jamar Parker is a pretty solid junior 3 star here: B- overall is nothing to sneeze at in the sunbelt. He'll be here next year too which is good because the other 2 in this room are very, very bad	1	Starting off hot, grabbed a high potential three star already. This guy projects to be a little bit better than Jamar and won't need to start until 2026, plenty of time to grow. Good hand off strategy	C+
CB	C	Ehh their best corner is a zone and all the rest are man / ball hawks. Not a great look, but aside from that mismatch they do have 3 Bs and 2 B- which is better than most rooms at a glance. Duvalllll is also gonna be back next season with Randall Guy and they'll need to figure out the archetype issue. Behind those 2, there's really nobody on the roster after this season. Will Johnson is another less ballyhooed local kid, but with A potential so he'll be a future starter too	3	Ok, so they needed bodies and they got em. Going back to zone coverage it seems, but a very nice looking 4-3-2 star signings. Jonathan Krishna is a local VA kid and their #1 recruit of the cycle. A B overall blue chip ball hawk with high potential, he really believes in this program and committed after seeing the beatdown of Alabama near the start of the season (bigger than that was keeping his commitment too)	B+
DE	C-	They have a pair of junior speed rushers who will be starting this year. Not good (B-/C+) but next year they should be pretty solid. Behind them though, is once again basically nothing so they need replacements	3	All three signees are future impact players. Jackson and bock are run stopping 3-stars with high potential, and they managed to sign Antonio Medina (hey I signed Armando Medina at DE who has basically the exact same profile, funny) who's a blue chip, B- potential speed rusher. This was a much needed infusion of talent that will start by 2026	B
DT	C+	Huh this is interesting. Firstly, they have 4 nose tackles on the roster, and like most positions, the 3-star Junior is leading the way at B overall. Interestingly it looks like they got a sophomore walkon this season who walked in at a B- overall and an A+ potential. That's a really good look and I'm curious how they balance these two players	1	They got another walk on this class, but he's much worse (D overall, F potential)	C?
FB	C	Another Junior B- overall, interesting. Uh I don't care much about this position, but Hauschild is pretty solid looking	1	Signed their second best player: a blue chip B overall from Elkton VA. With the rushing archetype, it makes you wonder if they'll try starting him at RB in the future.	B+
FS	C+	oh ho ho, a senior starter here. Castillo is a B overall, just a point or 2 above junior Warmack (zone coverage) who will get next years start (last year they signed 2 1-stars who are very bad)	0	Didn't sign any	D
ILB	C	I'll say this for the Dukes, they're veryy consistent. Pretty bad senior class, 3-star juniors all over the roster, and then dog-water second year players. In this case Mejia is the ILB1 field general with Logan Walker next to/behind him	1	Another blue chip! Dang, they are really taking advantage of this season and crooting good players which is desperately needed to patch the upcoming roster drop off. Drumwright is repping Virginia Beach and is a dual sport track athlete with some serious speed	B-
K	C	A 3-star accuracy junior kicker is the only guy on roster. Probably need his replacement soon	1	Got another local 4-star from Richmond who's got a booming leg and earned his 4th star on the camp circuit this summer. Perfect candidate to sit 2 years and then take over	B
OG	C+	A solid pair of junior 3-stars (B/B-) and a senior B overall. Nobody else in the room though.	2	Oof, this would've been nice to get some players. Big miss as they sign nobody and get 2 dud walkons	D
OLB	D+	Sadly, this pair of junior 3-stars did not progress well as the other rooms. They're both C+ overalls (alongside a pair of senior C+ overalls. Absolutely the weakest room on the roster and they don't really have any good prospects in the pipeline either	3	They do bring in a few players. A pair of high potential 2-stars aren't bad, and then their 3 star with A- potential is probably the heir apparent to the #1 slot here	C
OT	C+	The juniors here are B- overall which is ok. The really big pick up is sophomore pass blocker Prevot who walked in as a B- overall with A- potential. He could push for a start this year (or a redshirt).	3	Good trio here with a pair of 3 stars and a 2-star. Unfortunately none of them have great potential, but interestingly Roger Sloop is either one of the best 2-stars coming out, or Buys is one of the worst because it's rare you see a 2-star with a higher starting overall than a 3	C
P	B	I had to double check, but yeah Tropeano is the only blue chip on the roster (before this class). He's quite a good punter with a strong leg and could be an A overall next season. In good hands here (although probably want to get his replacement soon)	0	Didn't sign any	D
QB	C	Framber Jenkins is the unquestioned starter here. Pocket guy from Homer LA, he should have some success as the offense definitely flows through his arm. Not really anything else on the roster but he's got 2 more years to play	1	They got their guy! Ronald Lynn all the way from Jacksonville comes in as a (relatively average) 4-star balanced QB. I think they've got a good lineage now as you assume he takes a redshirt while Framber starts and then walks in for 3 years as a RS SO	B-
RB	C	Not that great here. The serviceable guy is Taiwan Hayward, a receiving guy from Mississippi. He's not bad, but doesn't offer a whole lot of explosiveness, just a replacement level back.	2	David Mcintire is a Taiwan howard clone, but the real pickup was 4-star Kerry Ankney from Galax VA. A power back with C+ potential, Ankney is the future at the position	B-
SS	C+	How many times can I see the same exact room. 3-star B- junior, 2-star senior, nothing else on the roster. O'Brien is a solid player, although a mismatch this year with the Man coverage guy at FS	0	Didn't sign any, I think they needed one	D+
TE	C	Same story, but Archer is only a C+ starter. They've got both a blocking and receiving archetype to use here	1	Didn't sign any, got an awful walk on	D
WR	C+	Probably the second best group on the roster. Both senior 2-stars have grown to B overalls, and the juniors are B/B- overall. That's a deep group fo Jenkins to target.	2	Signed a 3 star with A potential, very good! also got Bryan Brown from Canadian, TX, what a place.	C+

 

 

Well, that was an unnervingly consistent look at the roster. I think 95% of the rooms had the exact same formula: B- junior starter 3-star and a C+/B- senior 2-star. No real signees worth noting last year. This season they're going to be pretty meh, and then next season they should actually have a good squad that contends for the conference title. This was a solid class in most position groups, so if they can get a similar class next season to cover the other position groups they'll be in good shape to be competitive for the foreseeable future

 

Class Grade: C+ by itself, B- with context

 

 

[JC.]

Nice breakdown and analysis! Glad to know someone else finally experienced my pain when looking at the JMU roster…

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the sim generated JMU as not only the worst FBS roster (by some margin) but one of the worst FCS rosters and as this was the team’s first croot cycle, it was very much a case of avoiding long battles and grabbing whoever at whatever position to try and fill some gaps. 
 

Hoping to refine the recruiting approach a little bit more this season.