Jieret

Corrected because I'm an idiot and probably shouldn't make trades while recovering from a hurricane. LAC's 7th round pick should have been their 5th instead. Pinging @Dean to confirm; admins ( @Piercewise1, @subsequent), please reject the trade so we can redo properly.

I placed Portal Points on a player in Week 2. But despite the points being allocated and a promise made (and multiplier showing), total points = 0. Bottom player in the screenshot: EDIT: Disregard, seems like Portal wasn't done running. Points now show as advertised.

Las Vegas trades: WR Charles Brown Los Angeles Chargers trade: 2025 2nd round selection (#52) 2025 7th round selection (#231) Raiders confirm. @Dean

If we don't promise anything to a declaring player does that guarantee they leave? It's still a dice roll based on original likelihood?

I always knew Florida was its own special place, but I didn't think the Interface would think so either!

You know what to do. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ePMuAvqHDXnJiw2Dpw-Jpf17dhfbsO1OUSIPEVA0Lns/edit?gid=0#gid=0 The only note: No, there are no Potentials listed. Ignore that column, I haven't gotten around to taking it out yet.

Lotta 2021 redshirts is what led to a small class this year. Unlike 2021 the 2024 redshirts are almost all of a higher quality, so any further class restrictions won't feel as bad. (aka "I seriously have a C+ senior sucking up a potential scholly?!") Hopefully the roster is also more balanced, so I can mostly avoid a small class going forward - projecting a class size of 23 next year unless I take in a transfer.

SOON. Previously we introduced the offensive players from Western Michigan's 2024 recruiting class. Now it's the defense's turn to get the spotlight and our best guesses as to when these fine young men will see the gridiron! Full Class: #39 5* WR Ismael Leon [Red Zone Threat] (Los Angeles, CA) B/C #162 4* CB Ed Agosta [Zone Coverage] (Lansing, MI) B/B- #204 4* QB Solomon Walker [Balanced] (St. Johns, FL) B/B 4* RB Thomas Giumarra [Balanced] (Leavittsburg, OH) C/C+ 4* WR William Macie [Possession] (Lawrenceville, GA) C/A- 4* OT Kevin Lowe [Pass Blocking] (Opelousas, LA) C/B- 4* OG Aldo Alvarado [Pass Blocking] (Milledgeville, GA) C/B- 4* C Joshua Bouchard [Balanced] (Keyser, WV) C/C 4* DE Kevin Perkins [Run Stopper] (Laurel, MS) C/C+ 4* DE Tucker Adakwa [Run Stopper] (Battle Creek, MI) C/B 4* DT Mikel Smith [Nose Tackle] (Washington, DC) C/B 4* FS Warren Mohsin [Man Coverage] (St. Leon, IN) C/B+ 3* WR Zion Dowden [Possession] (Monroe, MI) C/B+ 3* TE Steven Elder [Vertical Threat] (Independence, LA) C/B 3* CB Craig Wingate [Zone Coverage] (Lebanon, OH) C/A- 3* ATH Eugene Haywood [Slotback] (Childress, TX) C/B 3* ATH Steven Tharp [Strongside] (Terre Haute, IN) C/B- Defensive End 4* DE Tucker Adakwa [Run Stopper] (Battle Creek, MI) C/B: Position Ranks: #32 overall, #12 Run Stopper 4* DE Kevin Perkins [Run Stopper] (Laurel, MS) C/C+: Position Ranks: #45 overall, #17 Balanced The Broncos are deep and balanced at defensive end, so neither Adakwa nor Perkins will need to see the field immediately. This will give both of them plenty of time to refine their techniques and become WMU's bookend DEs of the future. If one of them does need to step up sooner rather than later, Adakwa's longer wingspan and motor gives him a slight edge in our books. The Bucking Bronco's projection: Adakwa, Perkins: 2025 redshirt, 2027 rotation, 2028 starter Defensive Tackle 4* DT Mikel Smith [Nose Tackle] (Washington, DC) C/B: Position Ranks: #24 overall, #4 Nose Tackle Western's coaching staff feels pretty fortunate that somehow there was no real competition for the 4th-rated NT in the class. We can only assume it's because other schools were not even aware that Richard Wright Public Charter, located less than a half-mile from the National Mall in DC, even had a football team. Smith is a true space eater that more than held his own against numerous double-teams; he plus the duo mentioned above shows a pretty clear direction for WMU's defense once the trio gets their moments in the spotlight. The Bucking Bronco's projection: 2025 redshirt, 2027 rotation, 2028 starter Linebacker 3* ATH Steven Tharp [Strongside] (Terre Haute, IN) C/B-: Position Ranks: #23 overall (ATH), #4 Strongside After recruiting 2 OLBs (4-stars Anthony Reevey and David Hartshorn) and 2 ILBs (4* Ronald Fennell and 3* Robert Roe) last year, this was not a huge area of concern. Nevertheless, the Broncos went across the border to sign Tharp out of Indiana. The versatile EDGE racked up double digits in sacks both years he started for the Patriots, and he has experience playing with his hand in the dirt and standing up. The roster numbers suggest he'll see the majority of his time at OLB, hence his inclusion in this section, but expect him to move to DE and maybe even ILB as needed. The Bucking Bronco's projection: 2025 redshirt, 2028 rotation Cornerback 4* CB Ed Agosta [Zone Coverage] (Lansing, MI) B/B-: Position Ranks: #29 overall, #12 Zone Coverage 3* CB Craig Wingate [Zone Coverage] (Lebanon, OH) C/A-: Position Ranks: #119 overall, #42 Zone Coverage The duo of Omari Stanley and Michael Gonzalez are (as of the time of this writing) set to return, giving Western one of the top CB duos in the conference. We expect senior Preston Richburg to be the starting nickel back. Despite all this, we think Ed Agosta plays as a true freshman, whether as the CB4 or pushing for the CB3 spot. His tape shows an impressive amount of awareness for a young corner, while having the physical gifts to help him recover and close on the receiver. The current CB room outside of Stanley, Gonzalez, and Richburg has not shown any flashes, so unless the underclassmen take a really huge step forward a position on the two-deeps is Agosta's to lose. As documented elsewhere, the coaching staff is really high on Wingate. As a recent convert from WR he will need time to really absorb the position's nuances, but they think Wingate could be a true CB2, if not CB1, by the time he graduates. The Bucking Bronco's projection: Agosta: 2025 rotation, 2026 starter Wingate: 2025 redshirt, 2027 rotation Free Safety 4* FS Warren Mohsin [Man Coverage] (St. Leon, IN) C/B+: Position Ranks: #24 overall, #7 Man Coverage With Brandon Eckerman set to take over in 2025, FS was not an immediate need for Western Michigan entering the 2024 cycle. But sometimes you just have to take talent when the opportunity arises, and the Broncos beat out Illinois for the young safety. Just like how Solomon Walker was tapped to be Willie Robinson's heir apparent, we could say the same for Mohsin and Eckerman. Now normally, we would just call a redshirt for Mohsin and call it a day, and that is probably still the likeliest outcome for Mohsin's 2025. What adds uncertainty is the fact that all the WMU free safeties except for Eckerman are much more comfortable in a Zone safety scheme than Man. Considering both Eckerman and stud SS Timothy Khan play in Man, the onus will be on the other free safeties to show enough proficiency in Man to keep Mohsin off the active roster. The Bucking Bronco's projection: 2025 redshirt, 2026 backup, 2028 starter

SimNBA Free Agency is currently a blank screen.

(Weird that I didn't get the notification) Good write-up! Our 2024 defense was odd and makes use of 34 and 43 groupings. Depending on progressions we might switch to a more traditional 4-3 next season, but a 3-4 base is the long term plan. Bouchard was kind of a need not because I expect him to start any time soon, but because everyone else besides Powley at center is either graduating in 2025 or a likely transfer option. Thought the time was right to get a likely QBOTF. There will be two years of separation between WillieRob and Solomon after Walker redshirts, which feels right. This is pretty much what I wanted to do, with extra emphasis on WR and DE. Unless the Duck Commander shows out immediately 2025 will be a middling year, but I'm excited for after that. And for recruiting (nearly) full classes. That'll be fun too.

Soon. On the field, the football season is over for your Western Michigan Broncos. The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl ended in a 34-26 loss to the Colorado State Rams and their senior standout running back Mark Nelson. No one likes to end on a down note like that, yet there were moments and stories to celebrate along the way. Those will have to wait for another time, however. Today is for the other football season, the one that ended over five weeks ago for WMU. Recruiting season. Due to roster space this was always going to be a small class for the Broncos, and indeed they filled out at 17 new commits for the 2024 season. Currently, the Broncos have the 34th-rated class in the nation. So let's meet the class and discuss what they'll bring to the team! Without further ado, YOUR newest Western Michigan Broncos: #39 5* WR Ismael Leon [Red Zone Threat] (Los Angeles, CA) B/C #162 4* CB Ed Agosta [Zone Coverage] (Lansing, MI) B/B- #204 4* QB Solomon Walker [Balanced] (St. Johns, FL) B/B 4* RB Thomas Giumarra [Balanced] (Leavittsburg, OH) C/C+ 4* WR William Macie [Possession] (Lawrenceville, GA) C/A- 4* OT Kevin Lowe [Pass Blocking] (Opelousas, LA) C/B- 4* OG Aldo Alvarado [Pass Blocking] (Milledgeville, GA) C/B- 4* C Joshua Bouchard [Balanced] (Keyser, WV) C/C 4* DE Kevin Perkins [Run Stopper] (Laurel, MS) C/C+ 4* DE Tucker Adakwa [Run Stopper] (Battle Creek, MI) C/B 4* DT Mikel Smith [Nose Tackle] (Washington, DC) C/B 4* FS Warren Mohsin [Man Coverage] (St. Leon, IN) C/B+ 3* WR Zion Dowden [Possession] (Monroe, MI) C/B+ 3* TE Steven Elder [Vertical Threat] (Independence, LA) C/B 3* CB Craig Wingate [Zone Coverage] (Lebanon, OH) C/A- 3* ATH Eugene Haywood [Slotback] (Childress, TX) C/B 3* ATH Steven Tharp [Strongside] (Terre Haute, IN) C/B- Quarterback 4* QB Solomon Walker [Balanced] (St. Johns, FL) B/B: Position Ranks: #13 overall, #5 Balanced WMU felt it was time to find an heir apparent to the Duck Commander Willie Robinson, and initially offered local standout Willis Humphrey. However, Humphrey turned out to favor even more local (and "known" QB factory) Michigan, causing the Broncos to pivot and zero in on Walker. Walker was more than receptive to the pitch, and despite a late push from FAU was WMU's second commit in the class. Walker doesn't have the pure arm talent that Robinson does, but makes up for it with his ability to extend plays outside the pocket. If the Broncos ever decide to shift to a more balanced offensive approach, he could be the perfect man to lead them. In the meantime, he'll try to show enough to earn a place on the 2025 depth chart. The Bucking Bronco's projection: 2025 redshirt, 2026 QB2, 2028 starter Running Back 4* RB Thomas Giumarra [Balanced] (Leavittsburg, OH) C/C+: Position Ranks: #29 overall, #7 Balanced As mentioned elsewhere, Giumarra was once seen as a likely Wisconsin commit. But when coach Kwheele left mid-season for the Miami Gators (and later the Arkansas Razorbacks) the new staff decided to pursue fellow Ohioan Matthew Jones instead, leaving Giumarra in the lurch somewhat late in the cycle. WMU won his signature over Purdue, and Giumarra makes their second-ever blue-chip RB, after Carlo Liu last year. Like Liu, Giumarra is a well-rounded player that is equally adept in the run or pass game. Converted QB David Ponce de Leon is the unquestioned starter next year, and 2026 senior Douglas Wrobel is probably the man then. After that though, it looks like an open competition. On a sadder note, Giumarra's late commitment likely came at the expense of 3* ATH Richard Jones, who lost his spot in the recruiting class to Giumarra. Jones ended up enrolling at Tennessee Tech. The Bucking Bronco's projection: 2025 redshirt, 2027 RB1 competition Wide Receivers/Tight Ends 5* WR Ismael Leon [Red Zone Threat] (Los Angeles, CA) B/C: Position Ranks: #6 overall, #2 Red Zone Threat 4* WR William Macie [Possession] (Lawrenceville, GA) C/A-: Position Ranks: #62 overall, #16 Possession 3* WR Zion Dowden [Possession] (Monroe, MI) C/B+: Position Ranks: #241 overall, #69 Possession (nice) 3* TE Steven Elder [Vertical Threat] (Independence, LA) C/B: Position Ranks: #46 overall, #15 Vertical Threat 3* ATH Eugene Haywood [Slotback] (Childress, TX) C/B: Position Ranks: #69 overall (nice), #5 Slotback Western Michigan has not recruited the WR position well since coach Jieret arrived - odd for such a traditionally pass-happy offense. The coaching staff apparently heard the grumbling and took it to heart with easily the best pass-catching group they've ever signed. Ismael Leon is the crown jewel of the class, WMU's first 5-star WR ever. At 6'2" 205 Leon presents a big target for his QB, shielding the ball well from defenders, and provides a different look from many of the WRs on the current roster. Georgia's William Macie is more in the mold of past Bronco great Durham Simmons, a sure-handed operator that focuses on moving the chains, while Zion Dowden grew up a WMU fan and can't wait to live out his dream. Dowden isn't just a feel-good story though; WR coach Sam McCullum believes he's a diamond in the rough that needs time to develop. We grouped the TEs with the WRs primarily because of Eugene Haywood. He has the agility to play in the slot while showing enough in the blocking game that he could line up as a Move-type TE. We expect him to land in the TE group, but the Western coaches seem open to using as a WR when needed. Steven Elder is a more traditional TE, but not in the "block you to the ground" sense. He was often used at Independence high school to stretch the field, where the Tigers loved lining him up against smaller safeties. Expect the Broncos to use him the same way. The Bucking Bronco's projection: Leon: Immediate starter (WR3 or WR4?) Macie: 2025 redshirt, 2027 rotation Dowden: 2025 redshirt, 2028 rotation Elder: 2025 redshirt, 2028 rotation Haywood: 2025 possible redshirt, 2027/2028 rotation Offensive Line 4* OT Kevin Lowe [Pass Blocking] (Opelousas, LA) C/B-: #41 overall, #16 Pass Blocking 4* OG Aldo Alvarado [Pass Blocking] (Milledgeville, GA) C/B-: #26 overall, #13 Pass Blocking 4* C Joshua Bouchard [Balanced] (Keyser, WV) C/C: #15 overall, #5 Balanced After last year's heavy focus on OL, the Broncos could have been forgiven for not taking any this cycle. But not only did they do so, they took quality depth at each position. Tackle Kevin Lowe will actually be the second-heaviest OT on the 2025 roster, the hope is that this will allow him to become an effective run blocker as both he and guard Aldo Alvarado were notable pass blockers in high school. Alvarado himself is a light-footed blocker who shows the athleticism to improve and become a multi-year starter, perhaps stepping in after current starter Mark Stevens graduates. Lowe was a Tennessee lean but was didn't like the idea of being OT4 in his own recruiting class, while WMU had no real competition for Alvarado after a couple weeks of strong push. From a Broncos' need perspective, Joshua Bouchard from Keyser, WV is actually the biggest get. Richard Powley started as a true freshman and seems entrenched at starter, but Western badly needed someone to back him up who wasn't likely to leave after 2025 one way or another. The coaches rave about the nastiness he brings, finishing his blocks and looking for the next one to make. Bouchard does need to improve his footwork and reach blocking, but he should have time to work on that. The Bucking Bronco's projection: Lowe: 2025 redshirt, 2026 rotation, 2028 starter Alvarado: 2025 redshirt, 2026 rotation, 2027 starter Bouchard: 2025 redshirt, 2026 backup, 2028 starter Defense to follow soon(-ish).

Hey, we said the next one would be around Week 16. Reminder: Top-300 recruits will have their overall rank noted. New commits since the previous article are italicized. Previous editions: Week 4 Week 6 Week 8 Week 10 Week 13 Akron Zips ( @Skye ) Class Stats: Ranking: #123 Overall (-30 from previous national ranking), 9th MAC (-2 from previous conference ranking) Signees: 19 Scores: Composite: 1.32 ESPN: 1399 Rivals: 0 24/7: 235.84 Current Class: 3* QB Chad Judd [Pocket] (Hilliard, OH) C/A 3* QB Willie Harper [Balanced] (Calabasas, CA) C/D+ 3* WR Perry Levy [Possession] (Port Huron, MI) C/A- 3* OT James Rothermel [Run Blocking] (Turlock, CA) C/C+ 3* OT Raul Bustamante [Run Blocking] (Oceanside, CA) C/C 3* C Jorge Lewis [Run Blocking] (West Grove, PA) C/C+ 3* DE Andrew Richardson [Run Stopper] (Minnetonka, MN) C/B- 3* DE Aaron Vanhoy [Run Stopper] (Cedar Hill, TX) C/B+ 3* DT Jeffrey Riley [Nose Tackle] (Pataskala, OH) C/C+ 3* ILB Andrew Brown [Run Stopper] (Grand Island, NE) C/C+ 3* OLB Daniel Moore [Run Stopper] (Stockbridge, GA) C/B 3* OLB Frank Hinson [Speed] (Chiefland, FL) C/C+ 3* K James Wike [Power] (Columbus, IN) C/B- 3* P John Reedy [Accuracy] (Fremont, OH) C/C 3* WR Timothy Browne [Possession] (Alexandria, VA) C/B- 2* RB Eddy Diaz [Balanced] (St. Marys, OH) D/C 1* RB John Sisson [Balanced] (Crestview, FL) D/C+ 1* FS David Criss [Man Coverage] (New Richmond, OH) D/B 1* CB Manuel Graham [Zone Coverage] (Manvel, TX) D/C+ Timothy Browne and Perry Levy will be quite the nice pair of receivers for the Zips. Not so much for the ability to play now, although they could, but because they are two of the higher ceilings in Akron's WR room. Outside of that, there really isn't much to say about the other new commits - they don't even make for good lottery tickets or fill a gaping roster hole. Looking Ahead: Couple of 1-stars here and there, no one worth highlighting, really. Ball State Cardinals ( @npklemm ) Class Stats: Ranking: #43 Overall (-9), 6th MAC (-1) Signees: 12 Scores: Composite: 1.59 ESPN: 1016 Rivals: 201.3 24/7: 244.47 Current Class: #23 5* DE Matthew Babich [Balanced] (Vincennes, IN) B/C+ #73 4* DT Rodney Duerr [Nose Tackle] (Omaha, NE) B/C+ #75 4* CB Chi Son [Man Coverage] (Salida, CO) B/B- #83 4* CB Thomas Mauro [Man Coverage] (Leesburg, VA) B/C #138 4* SS Gregory Saul [Zone Coverage] (Skaneateles, NY) B/C+ #255 4* ATH Stanley Dirig [Weakside] (Celina, OH) C/B- 4* DE Carl Victor [Run Stopper] (Hinsdale, IL) C/C+ 4* OLB Dennis Bethune [Pass Rush] (Canton, OH) C/B+ 4* OLB Francisco Sagrero [Pass Rush] (Rohnert Park, CA) C/C+ 3* CB Felix Wasson [Man Coverage] (Elk Grove, CA) C/B+ 2* WR Alfred Chin [Route Runner] (Chatsworth, GA) D/A 2* OT Shane Frieden [Pass Blocking] (Quitman, GA) D/A+ Coach Klemm said it best himself: "I want to complain about crooting, but I can't. I got so lucky on the good players, but I just couldn't finish out this class." Considering the projected Cardinal transfers, we don't blame them for trying to focus solely on players of high quality. It's just that their efforts after the first half of the season or so failed to bear much fruit; they definitely wanted a much bigger class by the time they started signing 2-stars like Chin and Frieden. Neither one is a need, but these two are how you do low-star lottery tickets. Looking Ahead: True to their strategy, Ball State doesn't seem inclined to continue actively recruiting this year. Bowling Green Falcons ( @PoopyRhinoPickle ) Class Stats: Ranking: #8 Overall (-5), 1st MAC (+/-0) Signees: 20 Scores: Composite: 2.20 ESPN: 1717 Rivals: 196.50 24/7: 347.23 Current Class: #5 5* CB Nat Turner [Ball Hawk] (Perrysburg, OH) B/B- #52 5* RB Dale Lamb [Speed] (Hingham, MA) B/C #65 4* OT John Willhite [Run Blocking] (Terry, MS) B/C+ #200 4* RB Manuel Ponce [Receiving] (Lake Wales, FL) B/B- #233 4* WR Harold Sanford [Speed] (Celina, OH) B/C+ #244 4* ILB Sam Thiers [Speed] (Bradenton, FL) C/B+ 4* QB Sergio Cano [Pocket] (Vineland, NJ) C/A- 4* OG David Harris [Run Blocking] (River Ridge, LA) C/B 4* C Michael Sperry [Balanced] (Wingate, PA) C/C+ 4* DT William White [Pass Rusher] (Bossier City, LA) C/B 4* OLB Charles Tinner [Speed] (Fremont, OH) C/A 4* ILB Gerard Lockhart [Coverage] (Covington, TN) C/C 4* SS Orville Decker [Run Stopper] (Paramus, NJ) C/B+ 4* WR Kevin Soares [Possession] (The Woodlands, TX) C/B- 3* FB Marlon Fields [Blocking] (Orange Park, FL) C/B- 3* OT John Nelson [Balanced] (Lake Worth, FL) C/A- 3* DE Paul Roe [Balanced] (Fayetteville, NC) C/B+ 3* K Stavros Thomas [Accuracy] (Tampa, FL) C/B+ 3* P Carlton Heckstall [Balanced] (Monroe, NC) C/B- 3* OG James Kamau [Pass Blocking] (Barco, NC) C/C+ You know what we're about to say at this point. On most MAC teams, Kamau would either be solid depth or someone who could immediately start in a pinch. On Bowling Green, he's basically a number to balance out the class, and likely to be a transfer candidate in a couple of years. (In case you were wondering, BGSU was battling Marist for TE Edward Meraz, and he signed for the Red Foxes. But it's safe to say he's more likely to see significant playing time at Marist than with the Falcons. Looking Ahead: Two-stars? On this team? But actually, there are still three-star players out there somehow. Virginia DE Kory Hart is one that Bowling Green would like to add, but East Carolina seems to be the favorite. Buffalo Bulls ( @anonemuss ) Class Stats: Ranking: #246 Overall (-14), 12th MAC (+/-0) Signees: 11 Scores: Composite: 0.89 ESPN: 1007 Rivals: 0 24/7: 146.90 Current Class: 3* WR Thomas Brimberry [Red Zone Threat] (Youngstown, OH) C/B- 3* OT Gregg Minard [Balanced] (Hudson, IA) C/A 3* OT Roberto Castillo [Run Blocking] (Scranton, PA) C/B+ 3* DT Jose Campos [Pass Rusher] (Ocala, FL) C/B 3* DT Christopher Colburn [Pass Rusher] (Lawnsdowne, PA) C/B+ 3* OLB Mariano Ramirez [Pass Rush] (New Rochelle, NY) C/C 3* ILB Brent Smith [Run Stopper] (Napavine, WA) C/B+ 3* SS Carl Dundas [Run Stopper] (Pandora, OH) C/B 3* QB Kenneth Lawson [Balanced] (Blissfield, MI) C/B+ 3* TE Ernest Ciccone [Vertical Threat] (West Nyack, NY) C/C+ 2* OG Robert Morrow [Run Blocking] (Cold Spring Harbor, NY) C/A- Lawson is an underrated pickup for the Bulls. They currently have two freshmen QBs who play very, very differently - Kenneth Peterson who prefers to read defenses and take what's given, and Lawrence Fair who is a more of a classic drop-back passer. Lawson is a more well-rounded prospect who will not be totally out of place, no matter what scheme Buffalo eventually goes with. Ciccone is also important; he will be the backup to pending senior Ben Martin and will see quite a few snaps right away. Even Morrow could theoretically see time on the 2025 depth chart, not a bad thing to see if the Buffalo coaching staff is serious about trying to polish a potential low-rated gem. We've said this repeatedly, and we'll say it again: We don't care about what the rankings say, we like this class much, much better than we do some of the classes ahead of them (*coughMiamiToledocough*) Looking Ahead: The Bulls showed interest in George Fields, a running back from New Orleans. They might be behind Houston and Tulsa but nothing ventured, nothing gained, right? Laissez les bons temps rouler! Central Michigan Chippewas (AI) Class Stats: Ranking: #22 Overall (+2), 2nd MAC (+1) Signees: 22 Scores: Composite: 1.83 ESPN: 1548 Rivals: 141.30 24/7: 283.32 Current Class: #85 4* OT Nicholas Hancock [Run Blocking] (Caledonia, MI) B/C #102 4* OT Charles McGee [Pass Blocking] (Haltom City, TX) B/D+ #108 4* OG Juan Villanueva [Pass Blocking] (Brock, TX) B/D #191 4* DE George Kyles [Run Stopper] (Lafayette, LA) B/D+ 4* RB Andrew Mitchell [Power] (Dallas, TX) C/C 4* WR Larry Feltmann [Red Zone Threat] (Fresno, CA) C/B- 3* QB Garland Mainardi [Pocket] (Slaughter, LA) C/B- 3* QB Wayne Ciner [Pocket] (Chicago, IL) C/C+ 3* RB Otis Lewis [Receiving] (Norcross, GA) C/C+ 3* WR Fred Blackwood [Route Runner] (Seattle, WA) C/B 3* WR Seth Kaminski [Zone Coverage] (Loranger, LA) C/B- 3* C Lewis Osborne [Run Blocking] (Coushatta, LA) C/B 3* SS Francis White [Run Stopper] (Scranton, PA) C/A 2* CB Gregory Bauer [Man Coverage] (Freeland, MI) C/C+ 2* DE Reginald Smith [Speed Rusher] (Canyon, TX) D/A 3* FS Harold Hurtubise [Ball Hawk] (Kenner, LA) C/C 2* OLB Syed Akamine [Pass Rush] (Leonardtown, MD) D/C+ 2* ILB Javier Gutierrez [Coverage] (Longwood, FL) D/B 2* TE William Patterson [Receiving] (Voorhees, NJ) D/B- 2* OG Felipe Guardiola [Balanced] (Denison, TX) C/F Hurtubise provides balance for the Chips' Free Safety room, while even the two-stars are at position where they could be needed someday - although CMU would probably prefer they weren't. Still, at least they aren't completely superfluous commits, and the sheer size of the class lets the Chippewas hang in the top 25 classes. Looking Ahead: Central is battling Kansas State for Missouri fullback William Colasuonno. Colasuonno seems to favor the Wildcats at the moment, citing a desire to stay near family. Eastern Michigan Eagles (AI) Class Stats: Ranking: #109 Overall (-4), 8th MAC (+1) Signees: 19 Scores: Composite: 1.37 ESPN: 1445 Rivals: 0 24/7: 245.30 Current Class: 3* QB Freddy Moore [Pocket] (Roswell, GA) C/C- 3* RB Marino Rodriguez [Speed] (Franklinton, LA) C/C+ 3* RB Ian Stapleton [Speed] (Morris, IL) C/B 3* WR Willis Porcelli [Red Zone Threat] (Hilliard, OH) C/A- 3* WR Gerald Martin [Red Zone Threat] (Green Cover Springs, FL) C/B 3* TE Ronald Davis [Vertical Threat] (Alliance, OH) C/B+ 3* OT James Westover [Pass Blocking] (Kingsford, MI) C/C+ 3* OG Derek Berthe [Run Blocking] (Headland, AL) C/C 3* DE Daniel Santos [Balanced] (Stafford, VA) C/B 3* ILB Ronald Dyson [Run Stopper] (Springboro, OH) C/C+ 3* CB Cyril Pierce [Man Coverage] (Lynden, WA) C/C+ 3* CB Neil Else [Man Coverage] (Cincinnati, OH) C/C 3* FS Mark Bell [Run Stopper] (Edmond, OK) C/B 3* QB Thomas Gunderson [Field General] (Perry, OH) C/C 3* DE Clifford Shah [Balanced] (Louisburg, KS) C/C 3* OLB Andrew Louis [Run Stopper] (Birmingham, AL) C/C 2* QB Steven Mckeown [Field General] (Piedmont, SC) D/C 2* OT Ryan Rector [Balanced] (Massapequa, NY) C/C 2* P Robert Rabel [Balanced] (Camarillo, CA) D/C Andrew Louis is a massive pickup for the Eagles. He will be the best underclassman OLB on the roster come 2025 and will likely pick up a starting job in 2026. Shah and Gunderson aren't as needed, but provide solid schematic options. As for others... at least Rabel provides a safety net in case Eastern completely neglects the punter position over the next couple of cycles. Mckeown and Rector shouldn't even be in that position. Looking Ahead: EMU is going after 1-star Chad Potter from Arizona, who also has Arkansas State interested. Normally we'd ignore this battle, but considering that 2023 commit Scott Strahler is the only true SS on the roster next year, Eastern could use the body. We suppose. Kent State Golden Flashes (AI) Class Stats: Ranking: #84 Overall (+25), 7th MAC (+1) Signees: 20 Scores: Composite: 1.41 ESPN: 1501 Rivals: 0 24/7: 248.99 Current Class: 3* FB John Peterson [Balanced] (Van Wert, OH) C/C+ 3* WR Hector Bucci [Red Zone Threat] (Gilbertown, AL) C/A+ 3* OT Ronald Shern [Run Blocking] (Fort White, FL) C/B- 3* OT David Clement [Balanced] (Sparta, NJ) C/C 3* DE Joseph Goodwin [Balanced] (Calhoun City, MS) C/B- 3* DE Philip Roby [Balanced] (Eureka, CA) C/C+ 3* DT Zhen Vang [Nose Tackle] (Honolulu, HI) C/C 3* ILB Kevin Cook [Speed] (Spring, TX) C/B 3* OLB Walter Mccain [Pass Rush] (Pearl, MS) C/A- 3* OLB Garry Barber [Speed] (Gardena, CA) C/C 3* FS Alfred Gray [Ball Hawk] (Kennett Square, PA) C/D+ 3* RB Ashraf Cullen [Balanced] (Sparta, NJ) C/B- 3* SS Luis Joiner [Run Stopper] (Mesquite, TX) C/A 3* DT Brett Pelkey [Balanced] (Salisbury, MD) C/C 3* CB Santiago Negron [Man Coverage] (Dickinson, TX) C/C 2* QB Theodore Schubert [Field General] (Celina, OH) D/C+ 2* QB Jose Sanchez [Balanced] (Frisco, TX) D/D+ 2* RB Christopher Jeans [Balanced] (Cumming, GA) D/C 2* WR Thomas Johnson [Speed] (Bellbrook, OH) D/C+ 2* ILB Jorge Madrigal [Coverage] (Lacey, WA) D/C And this period's second-highest jumper by ranking, Kent State! They currently have four(!) D OVR true freshmen DTs on the roster. Pelkey and fellow DT commit Zhen Vang will see playing time next year, although we suspect the team will move away from the 3-man front Vang is comfortable in. Great get by the Golden Flashes. Negron is also a player we like for Kent State, as he should push a couple more D OVRs down the depth chart. If any of the two-star players see playing time outside of special teams, someone probably really important got hurt. Looking Ahead: Florida kicker Emilio Pineda would be the backup to last year's 2-star recruit Benjamin Kea. Sure, why not. Miami(OH) Redhawks (AI) Class Stats: Ranking: #197 Overall (+10), 11th MAC (-1) Signees: 19 Scores: Composite: 0.8 ESPN: 820 Rivals: 0 24/7: 131.07 Current Class: 2* RB John Brown [Speed] (Marysville, OH) D/B- 2* RB Philip Prignano [Receiving] (Kernersville, NC) C/B- 2* RB Patrick Fitzgerald [Speed] (Greenwood, AR) D/C+ 2* TE Jose Rosenberg [Vertical Threat] (Eunice, NM) D/B+ 2* OG Louis Sciuto [Pass Blocking] (Albany, LA) C/B+ 2* DT Timothy Miller [Balanced] (Houston, TX) D/A 2* OLB Jae Fernandez [Speed] (Saugus, CA) D/B 2* CB Daniel Lopez [Zone Coverage] (Hinesville, GA) D/A- 2* FS Tony Muraki [Ball Hawk] (Kingsburg, CA) C/C 2* SS Christopher Pajor [Ball Hawk] (Gahanna, OH) D/B+ 2* SS Minh Acharya [Man Coverage] (Escalon, CA) D/C+ 2* K David Lambert [Balanced] (Vernon, FL) D/B- 2* FB Frank Zheng [Balanced] (Houston, TX) C/B 2* WR Andrew Lowe [Red Zone Threat] (North Fort Myers, FL) C/C 2* OT Gerald Kooistra [Pass Blocking] (Lewis Center, OH) C/B- 2* DE Marcos Maya [Run Stopper] (Alliance, OH) D/C+ 2* OLB Douglas Beatty [Pass Rush] (Corpus Christi, TX) D/A- 2* CB Sherman Walker [Ball Hawk] (Normal, IL) C/C+ 1* DT Derrick Mitchell [Balanced] (Burke, VA) D/C+ Maya, Beatty, and Walker provide emergency depth. There, that's it. That's all we want to say about Miami's recruiting class this week. Looking Ahead: Why? Northern Illinois Huskies ( @Ape) Class Stats: Ranking: #32 Overall (-2), 5th MAC (-1) Signees: 17 Scores: Composite: 1.72 ESPN: 1430 Rivals: 120 24/7: 284.73 Current Class: #110 4* OT Grant Dotter [Run Blocking] (Katy, TX) B/D+ #124 4* WR Rich Dust [Possession] (Lansing, IL) B/D #148 4* CB Mark Amador [Man Coverage] (Bradenton, FL) B/C+ #183 4* CB Shane Hadnot [Man Coverage] (Lumberton, MS) B/B #198 4* FS Adam Lively [Ball Hawk] (Roanoke Rapids, NC) B/B 4* QB Xin Perry [Field General] (San Diego, CA) C/D- 4* RB Benito Garcia [Speed] (Hudson, OH) C/B- 4* TE John Ridings [Vertical Threat] (Franklin, KY) C/C+ 4* C Jorge Lee [Run Blocking] (Hoffman Estates, IL) C/C+ 4* SS Owen Davis [Run Stopper] (Stillman Valley, IL) C/C+ 4* ATH Steven Kotar [Return Specialist] (Lafayette, LA) C/C 3* ILB Andrew Levin [Field General] (Lamar, SC) C/A 3* ATH Carlos Justiz [Bandit] (Virginia Beach, VA) C/B 3* RB Gary Illescas [Speed] (Westlake Village, CA) C/B- 3* OT Carlos Betancourt [Run Blocking] (Traverse City, MI) C/C+ 3* DE Adrian Hernandez [Run Stopper] (Carthage, TX) C/B+ 3* DE Eloy Perez [Run Stopper] (The Villages, FL) C/C Illescas is likely fated to be Benito Garcia's handcuff for as long as he's a Huskie, but Betancourt and the DE duo provide good balance to their respective lines. A quartet of good players for NIU this period (even if Illescas probably won't get a chance to prove it). Looking Ahead: We invite you to read Coach Ape's own words on the subject. Of the three battles highlighted, we think OLB Shashi Willis is the one that would best help the Huskies. Although of course the NIU coaching staff would not turn down any of them. Ohio Bobcats ( @Traith Kreios) Class Stats: Ranking: #29 Overall (+6), 4th MAC (+1) Signees: 20 Scores: Composite: 1.76 ESPN: 1614 Rivals: 72.80 24/7: 300.53 Current Class: #61 4* ATH Keith Payne [Slotback] (Dodge City, KS) B/B- #119 4* QB Jeffrey Winkler [Pocket] (Las Vegas, NV) B/C+ 4* FB Michael Szalay [Blocking] (Burbank, IL) C/C- 4* C Brandon Rodriguez [Balanced] (Mooresville, IN) C/C+ 4* ATH Philip Roberge [Field General] (Savannah, GA) C/B+ 4* SS Luis Torres [Run Stopper] (Baldwin, FL) C/B 3* RB Renato Goodman [Balanced] (Fortuna, CA) C/B+ 3* TE Michael Shih [Vertical Threat] (Jacksonville, FL) C/B 3* OG Sheng Le [Run Blocking] (Lexington, OH) C/B 3* DT Brian Mccullough [Pass Rusher] (Kirkwood, MO) C/B 3* ILB Stephen King [Speed] (Lorain, OH) C/C+ 3* OLB Parminder Marri [Speed] (Prosper, TX) C/B- 3* CB William Davidson [Ball Hawk] (New Richmond, OH) C/B 3* FS Dwayne Givens [Zone Coverage] (Gates Mills, OH) C/B 3* P Clarence White [Power] (Gilmer, TX) C/A 3* WR Frederick Humphrey [Possession] (Apex, NC) C/B- 3* OG Robert Quinn [Pass Blocking] (Lynchburg, VA) C/B 3* DE Matthew Peck [Balanced] (New Canaan, CT) C/C+ 3* DE Zahra Malik [Speed Rusher] (Mission Viejo, CA) C/C 3* OLB Andres Gloria [Coverage] (Radcliff, KY) C/C+ It's possible one of Peck or Malik could make their way onto the two-deeps at DE, but it's more likely they'll both be redshirted next year. Humphrey is badly needed youth for the WR room and helps stabilize the position somewhat, depending on where Keith Payne settles down (or if he even does). Gloria joins Parminder Marri as the two most talented underclassmen OLBs for the Bobcats, and with Quinn's commitment that crucial second guard Ohio needed this class is finally signed. It wouldn't surprise us to see one of Le or Quinn redshirt while the other gets backup duty. A tidy few weeks of work for the Ohio coaching staff. Looking Ahead: The Bobcats seem to feel their class is solid enough that they don't see a pressing need to offer more recruits at this time. Toledo Rockets (AI) Class Stats: Ranking: #163 Overall (+45), 10th MAC (+1) Signees: 20 Scores: Composite: 1.19 ESPN: 1350 Rivals: 0 24/7: 194.57 Current Class: 2* QB Lauro Cantera [Pocket] (Lexington, OH) D/C+ 2* RB David Schifferdecker [Speed] (Stinnett, TX) D/A 2* RB Richard Kay [Balanced] (Newport Beach, CA) D/B- 2* WR Daniel Merino [Possession] (Hamilton, OH) C/C+ 2* TE Jorge Aguilera [Receiving] (San Antonio, TX) D/B- 2* OT Steve Smith [Pass Blocking] (Crowley, LA) D/B- 2* OG Shawn Evans [Pass Blocking] (Woodland, MN) C/B+ 2* DE James Svendsen [Balanced] (Clifton, VA) D/A 2* OLB Luis Lupercio [Coverage] (Richmond, TX) D/A 2* OLB James Hoffman [Pass Rush] (Cumming, GA) D/B 2* OLB Duane Baer [Run Stopper] (Youngstown, OH) D/C 2* FS Jason Smith [Ball Hawk] (Medina, OH) D/C+ 2* WR Max Lupfer [Possession] (Holland, MI) C/B 2* OT William Davis [Pass Blocking] (Upper St. Clair, PA) D/C+ 2* ILB Joseph Morley [Coverage] (Monroe, IN) D/D+ 2* CB Joseph Hilbert [Zone Coverage] (Grand Blanc, MI) C/A- 2* CB Kenneth Begley [Zone Coverage] (Toledo, OH) C/B- 2* SS John Anderson [Zone Coverage] (New Albany, OH) D/B 2* K Robert John [Accuracy] (Medina, OH) D/C+ 2* P Isidro Zaragoza [Accuracy] (Roswell, NM) D/C+ We care more about this group of players than we did Miami's, if only because Zaragoza will be the Rockets' only punter next year and Robert John (two name alert!) will be the backup to Wayne Osburn. Hilbert is also an intriguing lottery ticket that could legitimately get some playing time in two years. And... we're done caring. Looking Ahead: Gahanna (OH) DT Junior Tung received an offer from the Rockets and seems to slightly favor them over the Rice Owls. Western Michigan Broncos (Jieret) Class Stats: Ranking: #28 Overall (-15), 3rd MAC (-1) Signees: 17 Scores: Composite: 1.85 ESPN: 1450 Rivals: 96 24/7: 313.75 Current Class: #39 5* WR Ismael Leon [Red Zone Threat] (Los Angeles, CA) B/C #162 4* CB Ed Agosta [Zone Coverage] (Lansing, MI) B/B- #204 4* QB Solomon Walker [Balanced] (St. Johns, FL) B/B 4* RB Thomas Giumarra [Balanced] (Leavittsburg, OH) C/C+ 4* WR William Macie [Possession] (Lawrenceville, GA) C/A- 4* OT Kevin Lowe [Pass Blocking] (Opelousas, LA) C/B- 4* OG Aldo Alvarado [Pass Blocking] (Milledgeville, GA) C/B- 4* C Joshua Bouchard [Balanced] (Keyser, WV) C/C 4* DE Kevin Perkins [Run Stopper] (Laurel, MS) C/C+ 4* DE Tucker Adakwa [Run Stopper] (Battle Creek, MI) C/B 4* DT Mikel Smith [Nose Tackle] (Washington, DC) C/B 4* FS Warren Mohsin [Man Coverage] (St. Leon, IN) C/B+ 3* WR Zion Dowden [Possession] (Monroe, MI) C/B+ 3* TE Steven Elder [Vertical Threat] (Independence, LA) C/B 3* CB Craig Wingate [Zone Coverage] (Lebanon, OH) C/A- 3* ATH Eugene Haywood [Slotback] (Childress, TX) C/B 3* ATH Steven Tharp [Strongside] (Terre Haute, IN) C/B- Well, we always knew the rankings would drop once recruiting was done. Wen class grades, @tsweezy? Final thoughts for the week(s): We're really heading into as dead a period as you can have during the recruiting cycle. Some teams are done recruiting, either by choice or by constraint. Others are just trying to add bodies and bump up those ratings - Bowling Green comes to mind, as they have a shot at remaining in the top 10 and gaining the Rising Stars perk for 2025 recruiting. Incredibly, there seems to be a few three-star players uncommitted so there's a chance to get some solid players. Expect the next installment after the recruiting cycle is done and dusted. Tennessee Volunteers ( @tsweezy) Class Stats: Ranking: #1 Overall Signees: 21 Scores: Composite: 2.91 ESPN: 1808 Rivals: 463.5 24/7: 381.64 Current Class: #3 5* OT Michael Cole [Pass Blocking] (Mt. Vernon, IN) B/C+ #35 5* DT David Castle [Balanced] (Camden, MS) B/C+ #66 4* WR Robert Hemphill [Speed] (Lakeland, FL) B/C+ #69 (nice) 4* OT Clayton Grimes [Pass Blocking] (Camden, AL) B/C #74 4* ATH Albert Trigg [Strongside] (St. Louis, MO) B/B- #84 4* RB Mitch Gentry [Receiving] (Tucson, AZ) B/B+ #96 4* CB Frank Crosby [Ball Hawk] (Americus, GA) B/C #105 4* OT Richard Perez [Run Blocking] (Suwanee, GA) B/C+ #118 4* WR Marco Hernandez [Route Runner] (Villa Park, CA) B/C+ #173 4* FB Vincent Clark [Blocking] (Sugar Hill, GA) B/B #202 4* QB Leonard Harlow [Pocket] (Grandview, TX) B/C+ #264 4* SS William Ket [Man Coverage] (Huntsville, AL) C/B- #285 4* FS Richard Coulson [Zone Coverage] (Gulfort, FL) B/C+ 4* OLB Art Major [Speed] (Knoxville, TN) C/C+ 4* TE David Lee [Receiving] (El Paso, TX) C/C 4* DE Mario Hills [Balanced] (Archbold, OH) C/C+ 3* CB Louis Carmignani [Zone Coverage] (West Covina, CA) C/B+ 3* WR Sonny Sampayo [Possession] (Carthage, TX) C/A 3* OG Steven Klosterman [Pass Blocking] (Baltimore, MD) C/C 3* CB Rolando Ku [Zone Coverage] (Lorena, TX) C/C+ 3* ATH Jose Gomez [Triple-Threat] (Lakeland, FL) C/C+ Sampayo in particular will make a wonderful transfer target for the many WR-needy teams out there. Looking Ahead: They're done for the cycle. CHART TIME!

Hi Pierce, Las Vegas signed DT Daniel Garrison during the season. Should he count against our draft picks in that case?

Receiving these messages. It's true I haven't recruited, but that's because my class is full. I hope it doesn't auto-trigger coach removal next week.

WMU has 4th down and long, triple OT, trailing by a TD. They... kick a field goal to lose the game 38-34. Will include PBP screenshot when available. EDIT: Added PBP for end of game.

The SS market is cracked.

Whoo, that's some spice!

The last of the four-star players have signed, so this seems like a good week to check back in on how MAC recruiting is doing! Expect maybe two more of these, somewhere around week 16 and at the end of the recruiting cycle. Reminder: Top-300 recruits will have their overall rank noted. New commits since the previous article are italicized. Previous editions: Week 4 Week 6 Week 8 Week 10 Akron Zips ( @Skye ) Class Stats: Ranking: #93 Overall (-14 from previous national ranking), 7th MAC (+1 from previous conference ranking) Signees: 14 Scores: Composite: 1.15 ESPN: 1084 Rivals: 0 24/7: 207.93 Current Class: 3* QB Chad Judd [Pocket] (Hilliard, OH) C/A 3* WR Perry Levy [Possession] (Port Huron, MI) C/A- 3* OT James Rothermel [Run Blocking] (Turlock, CA) C/C+ 3* OT Raul Bustamante [Run Blocking] (Oceanside, CA) C/C 3* DE Aaron Vanhoy [Run Stopper] (Cedar Hill, TX) C/B+ 3* DT Jeffrey Riley [Nose Tackle] (Pataskala, OH) C/C+ 3* OLB Daniel Moore [Run Stopper] (Stockbridge, GA) C/B 3* OLB Frank Hinson [Speed] (Chiefland, FL) C/C+ 3* K James Wike [Power] (Columbus, IN) C/B- 3* P John Reedy [Accuracy] (Fremont, OH) C/C 3* QB Willie Harper [Balanced] (Calabasas, CA) C/D+ 3* C Jorge Lewis [Run Blocking] (West Grove, PA) C/C+ 3* DE Andrew Richardson [Run Stopper] (Minnetonka, MN) C/B- 3* ILB Andrew Brown [Run Stopper] (Grand Island, NE) C/C+ Let's start with a badly needed commit for the Zips, center Jorge Lewis. When he steps onto campus next year, his only competition for the starting job is two-star Miguel Lina, who will be a true sophomore. Lina is currently starting the rest of the season since senior Cam Allen is out with injury, so he gets some live reps to help fend off Lewis. But no matter the result Lewis should find a solid spot on the depth chart. As for the rest in terms of expected importance: Inside backer Brown is a valuable depth piece who could see a starter role before his junior year. We expect Andrew Richardson to be a solid reserve after a projected redshirt freshman season. Harper doesn't project as highly as fellow 2024 signee Chad Judd, but he can be a hedge in case the Zips don't heavily lean into a passing scheme. Looking Ahead: The Zips are aware how thin they are at center even after signing Lewis, so they're in the fight for Florida lineman Jamie Byrnes. Akron has the inside track right now, but Central Connecticut is still in contention. Ball State Cardinals ( @npklemm) Class Stats: Ranking: #34 Overall (-12), 5th MAC (-2) Signees: 10 Scores: Composite: 1.52 ESPN: 880 Rivals: 201.3 24/7: 221.46 Current Class: #23 5* DE Matthew Babich [Balanced] (Vincennes, IN) B/C+ #73 4* DT Rodney Duerr [Nose Tackle] (Omaha, NE) B/C+ #75 4* CB Chi Son [Man Coverage] (Salida, CO) B/B- #83 4* CB Thomas Mauro [Man Coverage] (Leesburg, VA) B/C #138 4* SS Gregory Saul [Zone Coverage] (Skaneateles, NY) B/C+ #255 4* ATH Stanley Dirig [Weakside] (Celina, OH) C/B- 4* DE Carl Victor [Run Stopper] (Hinsdale, IL) C/C+ 4* OLB Dennis Bethune [Pass Rush] (Canton, OH) C/B+ 4* OLB Francisco Sagrero [Pass Rush] (Rohnert Park, CA) C/C+ 3* CB Felix Wasson [Man Coverage] (Elk Grove, CA) C/B+ A third CB in the class (or fourth, depending on where Stanley Dirig ends up playing) seems like overkill, but there's a lot of uncertainty behind next year's projected starters Tommy Murphy and Cody Moreland. This is a position that Ball State seems to want to sew up and not worry about recruiting for a few years, and considering some of the passing attacks we've seen in the MAC we can't blame them. Unfortunately they lost South Carolina wideout Fernando Lopez to Purdue, a school notable to being incredibly short on receivers*, so the Cardinals' small class size continues to work against them on the leaderboard. */s Looking Ahead: The Cardinals are being VERY deliberate with their recruiting; the grapevine is surprisingly quiet regarding who they may go after next. Might we suggest an offensive player? Bowling Green Falcons ( @PoopyRhinoPickle) Class Stats: Ranking: #3 Overall (+1), 1st MAC (+/-0) Signees: 19 Scores: Composite: 2.24 ESPN: 1640 Rivals: 196.5 24/7: 337.43 Current Class: #5 5* CB Nat Turner [Ball Hawk] (Perrysburg, OH) B/B- #52 5* RB Dale Lamb [Speed] (Hingham, MA) B/C #65 4* OT John Willhite [Run Blocking] (Terry, MS) B/C+ #200 4* RB Manuel Ponce [Receiving] (Lake Wales, FL) B/B- #233 4* WR Harold Sanford [Speed] (Celina, OH) B/C+ #244 4* ILB Sam Thiers [Speed] (Bradenton, FL) C/B+ 4* QB Sergio Cano [Pocket] (Vineland, NJ) C/A- 4* OG David Harris [Run Blocking] (River Ridge, LA) C/B 4* DT William White [Pass Rusher] (Bossier City, LA) C/B 4* OLB Charles Tinner [Speed] (Fremont, OH) C/A 4* ILB Gerard Lockhart [Coverage] (Covington, TN) C/C 4* SS Orville Decker [Run Stopper] (Paramus, NJ) C/B+ 4* WR Kevin Soares [Possession] (The Woodlands, TX) C/B- 4* C Michael Sperry [Balanced] (Wingate, PA) C/C+ 3* OT John Nelson [Balanced] (Lake Worth, FL) C/A- 3* DE Paul Roe [Balanced] (Fayetteville, NC) C/B+ 3* K Stavros Thomas [Accuracy] (Tampa, FL) C/B+ 3* FB Marlon Fields [Blocking] (Orange Park, FL) C/B- 3* P Carlton Heckstall [Balanced] (Monroe, NC) C/B- Bowling Green is mostly just recruiting to fill up their class and maintain their rankings at this point. Not even four-star Michael Sperry is expected to push for quick playing time. At least Heckstall will probably take over punting duties in 2027. Probably. Looking ahead: With only two spots left in the class (we think), the Falcons can afford to be choosy with their targets - well, as choosy as you can be at this stage. They're in the mix for Texas 3* tight end Edward Meraz, with the Marist Red Foxes currently leading. We don't see another target right now, but we expect Bowling Green's class to be fully signed, sealed, and delivered when our next update rolls around. Buffalo Bulls ( @anonemuss) Class Stats: Ranking: #232 Overall (-3), 12th MAC (+/-0) Signees: 8 Scores: Composite: 0.7 ESPN: 626 Rivals: 0 24/7: 131.86 Current Class: 3* OT Gregg Minard [Balanced] (Hudson, IA) C/A 3* DT Jose Campos [Pass Rusher] (Ocala, FL) C/B 3* DT Christopher Colburn [Pass Rusher] (Lawnsdowne, PA) C/B+ 3* OLB Mariano Ramirez [Pass Rush] (New Rochelle, NY) C/C 3* ILB Brent Smith [Run Stopper] (Napavine, WA) C/B+ 3* OT Roberto Castillo [Run Blocking] (Scranton, PA) C/B+ 3* SS Carl Dundas [Run Stopper] (Pandora, OH) C/B 3* WR Thomas Brimberry [Red Zone Threat] (Youngstown, OH) C/B- Buffalo really needed a second offensive tackle in the class, so excellent job by them to land Castillo. Dundas and Brimberry were great gets also, as both can redshirt then make the depth charts immediately afterward. We know what the rankings say, but we'd MUCH rather have this class than the two ranked above them. (That's Miami and Toledo, in case you were wondering) Looking ahead: The Bulls are neck and neck with the Mustangs of SMU for Michigan QB Kenneth Lawson. The experts think this race could end within the next week or two, so here's hoping we get to add him to the list above next update. Central Michigan Chippewas (AI) Class Stats: Ranking: #24 Overall (+/-0), 3rd MAC (+1) Signees: 15 Scores: Composite: 1.63 ESPN: 1200 Rivals: 141.3 24/7: 247.82 Current Class: #85 4* OT Nicholas Hancock [Run Blocking] (Caledonia, MI) B/C #102 4* OT Charles McGee [Pass Blocking] (Haltom City, TX) B/D+ #108 4* OG Juan Villanueva [Pass Blocking] (Brock, TX) B/D #191 4* DE George Kyles [Run Stopper] (Lafayette, LA) B/D+ 4* RB Andrew Mitchell [Power] (Dallas, TX) C/C 4* WR Larry Feltmann [Red Zone Threat] (Fresno, CA) C/B- 3* QB Garland Mainardi [Pocket] (Slaughter, LA) C/B- 3* RB Otis Lewis [Receiving] (Norcross, GA) C/C+ 3* WR Fred Blackwood [Route Runner] (Seattle, WA) C/B 3* C Lewis Osborne [Run Blocking] (Coushatta, LA) C/B 3* SS Francis White [Run Stopper] (Scranton, PA) C/A 3* QB Wayne Ciner [Pocket] (Chicago, IL) C/C+ 3* WR Seth Kaminski [Zone Coverage] (Loranger, LA) C/B- 2* CB Gregory Bauer [Man Coverage] (Freeland, MI) C/C+ 2* DE Reginald Smith [Speed Rusher] (Canyon, TX) D/A If the Chippewas do change their offensive scheme after this season, Ciner and Mainardi should be in competition for QB2 behind Fermin Mendoza. Kaminski will provide some young depth to a position that could use it even with the other two WR signees in the class. And as for the other two? Bauer is at least the first cornerback in the class. If Smith sees the field outside of special teams, something probably went really, really wrong for Central. Looking ahead: FS Harold Hurtubise continues to favor CMU, but a few more schools are starting to reach out to the young Louisiana safety. Eastern Michigan Eagles (AI) Class Stats: Ranking: #105 Overall (-22), 9th MAC (+/-0) Signees: 13 Scores: Composite: 1.09 ESPN: 1014 Rivals: 0 24/7: 199.77 Current Class: 3* QB Freddy Moore [Pocket] (Roswell, GA) C/C- 3* RB Marino Rodriguez [Speed] (Franklinton, LA) C/C+ 3* RB Ian Stapleton [Speed] (Morris, IL) C/B 3* WR Willis Porcelli [Red Zone Threat] (Hilliard, OH) C/A- 3* WR Gerald Martin [Red Zone Threat] (Green Cover Springs, FL) C/B 3* TE Ronald Davis [Vertical Threat] (Alliance, OH) C/B+ 3* DE Daniel Santos [Balanced] (Stafford, VA) C/B 3* ILB Ronald Dyson [Run Stopper] (Springboro, OH) C/C+ 3* CB Cyril Pierce [Man Coverage] (Lynden, WA) C/C+ 3* FS Mark Bell [Run Stopper] (Edmond, OK) C/B 3* OG Derek Berthe [Run Blocking] (Headland, AL) C/C 3* OT James Westover [Pass Blocking] (Kingsford, MI) C/C+ 3* CB Neil Else [Man Coverage] (Cincinnati, OH) C/C Due to a dearth of guards, Berthe should make the depth chart as a true frosh unless the Eagles slide one of their approximately 38294 tackles inside. Speaking of which, new commit Westover won't see playing time immediately, but he won't be buried on the depth chart either assuming a redshirt season to start - he should compete for a backup position in 2026. Cincy's own Neil Else will join Cyril Pierce in providing scheme-correct youth at a position lacking it. Eastern tried to get a third in, but our previous spotlighted player (Pewamo (MI) CB James Davidson) signed with the Fighting Irish. Looking ahead: EMU continues to battle away; this time fighting with Sacramento State for Alabama OLB Andrew Louis. The Hornets have the edge, but there's still time. Kent State Golden Flashes (AI) Class Stats: Ranking: #104 Overall (-24), 8th MAC (-1) Signees: 13 Scores: Composite: 1.1 ESPN: 1010 Rivals: 0 24/7: 203.7 Current Class: 3* FB John Peterson [Balanced] (Van Wert, OH) C/C+ 3* WR Hector Bucci [Red Zone Threat] (Gilbertown, AL) C/A+ 3* DE Joseph Goodwin [Balanced] (Calhoun City, MS) C/B- 3* DE Philip Roby [Balanced] (Eureka, CA) C/C+ 3* DT Zhen Vang [Nose Tackle] (Honolulu, HI) C/C 3* OLB Walter Mccain [Pass Rush] (Pearl, MS) C/A- 3* OLB Garry Barber [Speed] (Gardena, CA) C/C 3* FS Alfred Gray [Ball Hawk] (Kennett Square, PA) C/D+ 3* RB Ashraf Cullen [Balanced] (Sparta, NJ) C/B- 3* SS Luis Joiner [Run Stopper] (Mesquite, TX) C/A 3* OT Ronald Shern [Run Blocking] (Fort White, FL) C/B- 3* OT David Clement [Balanced] (Sparta, NJ) C/C 3* ILB Kevin Cook [Speed] (Spring, TX) C/B We like this trio for the Golden Flashes a lot. Not including Shern and Clement, next year's tackle room only had one underclassman so they were badly needed. As for Cook, he is possibly the highest-rated ILB recruit Kent State's ever had. While he won't start immediately, he could play at linebacker sooner rather than later. Looking ahead: As if Cal Poly wasn't enough competition for California CB Jose Martinez, Charlotte's worked themselves into the fight. We're not sure when Martinez will decide, but this could still be an ongoing battle when we next check in. Miami(OH) Redhawks (AI) Class Stats: Ranking: #207 Overall (-2), 10th MAC (+1) Signees: 12 Scores: Composite: 0.8 ESPN: 820 Rivals: 0 24/7: 131.07 Current Class: 2* RB John Brown [Speed] (Marysville, OH) D/B- 2* RB Philip Prignano [Receiving] (Kernersville, NC) C/B- 2* RB Patrick Fitzgerald [Speed] (Greenwood, AR) D/C+ 2* TE Jose Rosenberg [Vertical Threat] (Eunice, NM) D/B+ 2* DT Timothy Miller [Balanced] (Houston, TX) D/A 2* CB Daniel Lopez [Zone Coverage] (Hinesville, GA) D/A- 2* FS Tony Muraki [Ball Hawk] (Kingsburg, CA) C/C 2* K David Lambert [Balanced] (Vernon, FL) D/B- 2* OG Louis Sciuto [Pass Blocking] (Albany, LA) C/B+ 2* OLB Jae Fernandez [Speed] (Saugus, CA) D/B 2* SS Christopher Pajor [Ball Hawk] (Gahanna, OH) D/B+ 2* SS Minh Acharya [Man Coverage] (Escalon, CA) D/C+ The sad thing is that Sciuto, Pajor, and Acharya actually have very good chances of being second of their positions' depth charts. Ugh. This is a team that better hit the Transfer Portal HARD. Looking ahead: The Redhawks trail the Sharks of Long Island University for Ohio defensive end Marcos Maya. Today we learned LIU is a thing. Northern Illinois Huskies ( @Ape) Class Stats: Ranking: #30 Overall (+12), 4th MAC (+2) Signees: 13 Scores: Composite: 1.55 ESPN: 1117 Rivals: 120 24/7: 248.69 Current Class: #183 4* CB Shane Hadnot [Man Coverage] (Lumberton, MS) B/B #110 4* OT Grant Dotter [Run Blocking] (Katy, TX) B/D+ #124 4* WR Rich Dust [Possession] (Lansing, IL) B/D #148 4* CB Mark Amador [Man Coverage] (Bradenton, FL) B/C+ #198 4* FS Adam Lively [Ball Hawk] (Roanoke Rapids, NC) B/B 4* RB Benito Garcia [Speed] (Hudson, OH) C/B- 4* C Jorge Lee [Run Blocking] (Hoffman Estates, IL) C/C+ 4* SS Owen Davis [Run Stopper] (Stillman Valley, IL) C/C+ 4* ATH Steven Kotar [Return Specialist] (Lafayette, LA) C/C 4* TE John Ridings [Vertical Threat] (Franklin, KY) C/C+ 4* QB Xin Perry [Field General] (San Diego, CA) C/D- 3* ILB Andrew Levin [Field General] (Lamar, SC) C/A 3* ATH Carlos Justiz [Bandit] (Virginia Beach, VA) C/B That's how you bounce back from a goose egg, signing three four-star players to close out this phase! Kotar is the most interesting of the trio, simply because he played all over the field for the Northside Vikings. His agility shone through on tape, but the coaches will have to work with him when he gets on campus to determine his best fit on the gridiron. He and Ridings were admittedly offers based on talent rather than a true need, but there's nothing wrong with that. In Ridings' case, he actually makes a good grab to balance out the TE room some. And Perry... third time's the QB charm for the Huskies. He's likely to redshirt while Yonny Durr and Jermaine Morgan battle for the QB1 spot in 2025. Same goes for Levin and Justiz, who aren't likely to see starter's minutes any time soon but have potential to dream on for down the road. Looking ahead: Northern Illinois were the first to offer Louisiana receiver Larry Heywood, but Virginia wasn't too far behind them. Heywood's indicated he won't take too long to make a decision, so we expect this battle to be short and brutal. Ohio Bobcats ( @Traith Kreios) Class Stats: Ranking: #35 Overall (+1), 6th MAC (-1) Signees: 15 Scores: Composite: 1.51 ESPN: 1227 Rivals: 72.8 24/7: 253.25 Current Class: #61 4* ATH Keith Payne [Slotback] (Dodge City, KS) B/B- #119 4* QB Jeffrey Winkler [Pocket] (Las Vegas, NV) B/C+ 4* FB Michael Szalay [Blocking] (Burbank, IL) C/C- 4* C Brandon Rodriguez [Balanced] (Mooresville, IN) C/C+ 4* ATH Philip Roberge [Field General] (Savannah, GA) C/B+ 4* SS Luis Torres [Run Stopper] (Baldwin, FL) C/B 3* OLB Parminder Marri [Speed] (Prosper, TX) C/B- 3* CB William Davidson [Ball Hawk] (New Richmond, OH) C/B 3* FS Dwayne Givens [Zone Coverage] (Gates Mills, OH) C/B 3* P Clarence White [Power] (Gilmer, TX) C/A 3* RB Renato Goodman [Balanced] (Fortuna, CA) C/B+ 3* TE Michael Shih [Vertical Threat] (Jacksonville, FL) C/B 3* OG Sheng Le [Run Blocking] (Lexington, OH) C/B 3* DT Brian Mccullough [Pass Rusher] (Kirkwood, MO) C/B 3* ILB Stephen King [Speed] (Lorain, OH) C/C+ Solid group of commits here, at positions of need. All of them except for King project to be on the two-deeps in 2026, and King didn't make it only because a pair of four-stars are expected to man the middle for the Bobcat's 4-3 defense - Philip Roberge from this class and 2023 commit James Oneil. Looking ahead: Ohio coaches recently visited Hawaii, but not for vacation (mostly). Hilo guard Christopher Milam slightly favors them over the likes of Tennessee and Tulane, and it will be interesting to see if the Bobcats can pull it out against the bigger schools. Toledo Rockets (AI) Class Stats: Ranking: #208 Overall (-87), 11th MAC (-1) Signees: 12 Scores: Composite: 0.79 ESPN: 814 Rivals: 0 24/7: 131.28 Current Class: 2* QB Lauro Cantera [Pocket] (Lexington, OH) D/C+ 2* RB David Schifferdecker [Speed] (Stinnett, TX) D/A 2* RB Richard Kay [Balanced] (Newport Beach, CA) D/B- 2* WR Daniel Merino [Possession] (Hamilton, OH) C/C+ 2* TE Jorge Aguilera [Receiving] (San Antonio, TX) D/B- 2* OT Steve Smith [Pass Blocking] (Crowley, LA) D/B- 2* OG Shawn Evans [Pass Blocking] (Woodland, MN) C/B+ 2* OLB Luis Lupercio [Coverage] (Richmond, TX) D/A 2* OLB James Hoffman [Pass Rush] (Cumming, GA) D/B 2* OLB Duane Baer [Run Stopper] (Youngstown, OH) D/C 2* FS Jason Smith [Ball Hawk] (Medina, OH) D/C+ 2* DE James Svendsen [Balanced] (Clifton, VA) D/A Biggest drop of the period goes to the Rockets, but it isn't a big surprise to us. Their previous ranking of #121 was buoyed by having a much bigger class than many other schools at the time. Now that they've caught up size-wise, the quality just isn't there to compete in the rankings. They need the transfer portal as badly as Miami. About Svendsen? ...um, he has a cool last name? Not going to stand out in the DE room, even with that potential. Looking ahead: Toledo still leads for Evansville (IN) native Randolph Zanders. But this time, it's Michigan State and not Rio Grande Valley that's making things competitive. Western Michigan Broncos (Jieret) Class Stats: Ranking: #13 Overall (+4), 2nd MAC (+/-0) Signees: 17 Scores: Composite: 1.85 ESPN: 1450 Rivals: 96 24/7: 313.75 Current Class: #39 5* WR Ismael Leon [Red Zone Threat] (Los Angeles, CA) B/C #162 4* CB Ed Agosta [Zone Coverage] (Lansing, MI) B/B- #204 4* QB Solomon Walker [Balanced] (St. Johns, FL) B/B 4* WR William Macie [Possession] (Lawrenceville, GA) C/A- 4* OT Kevin Lowe [Pass Blocking] (Opelousas, LA) C/B- 4* OG Aldo Alvarado [Pass Blocking] (Milledgeville, GA) C/B- 4* C Joshua Bouchard [Balanced] (Keyser, WV) C/C 4* DE Kevin Perkins [Run Stopper] (Laurel, MS) C/C+ 4* DE Tucker Adakwa [Run Stopper] (Battle Creek, MI) C/B 4* DT Mikel Smith [Nose Tackle] (Washington, DC) C/B 4* FS Warren Mohsin [Man Coverage] (St. Leon, IN) C/B+ 3* ATH Steven Tharp [Strongside] (Terre Haute, IN) C/B- 4* RB Thomas Giumarra [Balanced] (Leavittsburg, OH) C/C+ 3* WR Zion Dowden [Possession] (Monroe, MI) C/B+ 3* TE Steven Elder [Vertical Threat] (Independence, LA) C/B 3* CB Craig Wingate [Zone Coverage] (Lebanon, OH) C/A- 3* ATH Eugene Haywood [Slotback] (Childress, TX) C/B And with their recent group of signings, the Broncos close the chapter on their 2024 recruiting class. The headliner for this period is undoubtedly Giumarra, who signed for Western after a short but odd battle with Purdue, when Wisconsin decided they didn't have room for him. Dowden was a silent commit for a long time to the school he grew up cheering for. Signing as the third receiver in the class does create a logjam at WR, but the coaching staff appreciated his willingness to postpone his commitment announcement and honored the scholarship offer. Between the three WRs, TE Steven Elder, and TE/WR Eugene Haywood there are a lot of bodies incoming to the pass-catching groups, but WMU hasn't historically recruited the WR/TE positions all that well, weirdly enough. It seems the coaches were making up for that and will sort it out later. The Broncos' DB coach thinks Craig Wingate is a hidden gem and pushed hard for his scholarship offer. They struck gold before with a similarly under-recruited three-star CB in Michael Gonzalez, can Wingate follow suit? Looking ahead: All eyes turn to the action ON the field now. And afterwards? Mini-golf! Final thoughts for the week(s): With only three-stars (and below) left on the board, plus schools starting to hit their max class sizes, we expect to see teams be much more aggressive for their targets. Whether you're a school that only has a few spots left pushing hard to get them filled ASAP, or you're a school with a lot of space and are really trying to just sign anyone good, we expect a lot of what the kids call "20-bombs" flying around. Whatever that means. Bonus: Tennessee Volunteers ( @tsweezy) Class Stats: Ranking: #1 Overall Signees: 17 Scores: Composite: 2.74 ESPN: 1498 Rivals: 463.5 24/7: 338.39 Current Class: #3 5* OT Michael Cole [Pass Blocking] (Mt. Vernon, IN) B/C+ #35 5* DT David Castle [Balanced] (Camden, MS) B/C+ #66 4* WR Robert Hemphill [Speed] (Lakeland, FL) B/C+ #69 (nice) 4* OT Clayton Grimes [Pass Blocking] (Camden, AL) B/C #74 4* ATH Albert Trigg [Strongside] (St. Louis, MO) B/B- #84 4* RB Mitch Gentry [Receiving] (Tucson, AZ) B/B+ #96 4* CB Frank Crosby [Ball Hawk] (Americus, GA) B/C #118 4* WR Marco Hernandez [Route Runner] (Villa Park, CA) B/C+ #173 4* FB Vincent Clark [Blocking] (Sugar Hill, GA) B/B #202 4* QB Leonard Harlow [Pocket] (Grandview, TX) B/C+ #264 4* SS William Ket [Man Coverage] (Huntsville, AL) C/B- 4* OLB Art Major [Speed] (Knoxville, TN) C/C+ 4* TE David Lee [Receiving] (El Paso, TX) C/C #105 4* OT Richard Perez [Run Blocking] (Suwanee, GA) B/C+ #285 4* FS Richard Coulson [Zone Coverage] (Gulfort, FL) B/C+ 4* DE Mario Hills [Balanced] (Archbold, OH) C/C+ 3* CB Louis Carmignani [Zone Coverage] (West Covina, CA) C/B+ If there were top-300 recruits left to sign, leave it to Sweezy to find them. We have to say, it's not often - if ever - that you see the 105th-best player in a class sign and think, "yup, he's a transfer candidate." But then again, you don't often see the 105th-best player in a cycle be the third-highest OT in a school's class. That's Richard Perez's reality, signing after two top-70 overall players in tackles Michael Cole and Clayton Grimes. CHART TIME!

Just wanted to say thanks for adding schemes to the box scores. Really useful and saves us from have to search through Discord. You're awesome!

Draft book updated with International players.

Halfway through the crooting season. Reminder: Top-300 recruits will have their overall rank noted. New commits since the previous article are italicized. Previous editions: Week 4 Week 6 Week 8 Akron Zips ( @Skye) Class Stats: Ranking: #80 Overall (+4 from previous national ranking), 8th MAC (+1 from previous conference ranking) Signees: 10 Scores: Composite: 1.18 ESPN: 775 Rivals: 0 24/7: 165.34 Current Class: 3* QB Chad Judd [Pocket] C/A 3* WR Perry Levy [Possession] C/A- 3* OT James Rothermel [Run Blocking] C/C+ 3* OT Raul Bustamante [Run Blocking] C/C 3* DT Jeffrey Riley [Nose Tackle] C/C+ 3* OLB Frank Hinson [Speed] C/C+ 3* K James Wike [Power] C/B- 3* DE Aaron Vanhoy [Run Stopper] C/B+ 3* OLB Daniel Moore [Run Stopper] C/B 3* P John Reedy [Accuracy] C/C Another solid trio of players committed to the Zips over the last two weeks. The defensive players should slot into the two-deeps immediately (Reedy probably should take a redshirt), and depending on the defensive scheme the Zips settle on in the future, Moore and Vanhoy could possibly start in 2026. Akron's class is not one that will wow anybody. But it is so far a cromulent class that patches some roster holes and provides a good foundation. Looking Ahead: The Zips battle Indiana for Honolulu wideout Douglas Matos. We should find out in the next week or two if Akron can pull off the upset, as most crystal balls forecast the Hoosiers to sign him. Ball State Cardinals ( @npklemm ) Class Stats: Ranking: #22 Overall (-13), 3rd MAC (+/-1) Signees: 9 Scores: Composite: 1.82 ESPN: 801 Rivals: 201.3 24/7: 202.8 Current Class: #23 5* DE Matthew Babich [Balanced] B/C+ #73 4* DT Rodney Duerr [Nose Tackle] B/C+ #75 4* CB Chi Son [Man Coverage] B/B- #83 4* CB Thomas Mauro [Man Coverage] B/C #138 4* SS Gregory Saul [Zone Coverage] B/C+ #255 4* ATH Stanley Dirig [Weakside] C/B- 4* DE Carl Victor [Run Stopper] C/C+ 4* OLB Dennis Bethune [Pass Rush] C/B+ 4* OLB Francisco Sagrero [Pass Rush] C/C+ A few flips seemed to go against Ball State this period. Most notably, 4* punter Bradford Smith decided the grass was greener on the other side of the State Line, leaving the state of Indiana behind to play for Illinois. This is still a very, very solid class even with the goose egg, but one has to wonder if the Cardinals are near the end of their high-priority targets and if their lower-priorities are still interested. Looking Ahead: There's still unsigned blue chippers halfway through the cycle? News to us! 4* WR Fernando Lopez is a crucial recruit to this coaching staff - remember that all of the Ball State commits are on the defensive side of the ball so far. Tulane and Purdue are their primary rivals here, and no one seems to have any idea who Lopez will pick. Some sources claim even he may not know himself until he puts that hat on at the signing ceremony! Bowling Green Falcons ( @PoopyRhinoPickle) Class Stats: Ranking: #4 Overall (-3), 1st MAC (+/-0) Signees: 13 Scores: Composite: 2.35 ESPN: 1166 Rivals: 196.5 24/7: 274.24 Current Class: #5 5* CB Nat Turner [Ball Hawk] B/B- #52 5* RB Dale Lamb [Speed] B/C #65 4* OT John Willhite [Run Blocking] B/C+ #200 4* RB Manuel Ponce [Receiving] B/B- #233 4* WR Harold Sanford [Speed] B/C+ 4* QB Sergio Cano [Pocket] C/A- 4* OG David Harris [Run Blocking] C/B 4* DT William White [Pass Rusher] C/B 4* OLB Charles Tinner [Speed] C/A 4* ILB Gerard Lockhart [Coverage] C/C 4* SS Orville Decker [Run Stopper] C/B+ #244 4* ILB Sam Thiers [Speed] C/B+ 4* WR Kevin Soares [Possession] C/B- Ho-hum. Another two-week period, another Top-300 recruit that signs with the Falcons. But despite Sam Thiers' talent (and fellow new commit Kevin Soares is no slouch himself), the pair of four-stars are almost certainly looking at a redshirt and a couple of years of primarily special teams, as is tradition. Looking ahead: Into the Sunshine State the Falcons dive, trying to sign 3* kicker Stavros Thomas. The California Golden Bears also want to sign Thomas, who doesn't seem ready to commit one way or the other. (Yes, that says 3-star. No, this is not a typo. Your eyes are not playing tricks on you, do not adjust your set.) Buffalo Bulls ( @anonemuss) Class Stats: Ranking: # Overall (-34), 12th MAC (+/-0) Signees: 5 Scores: Composite: 0.43 ESPN: 235 Rivals: 0 24/7: 50.86 Current Class: 3* OT Gregg Minard [Balanced] C/A 3* DT Jose Campos [Pass Rusher] C/B 3* DT Christopher Colburn [Pass Rusher] C/B+ 3* OLB Mariano Ramirez [Pass Rush] C/C 3* ILB Brent Smith [Run Stopper] C/B+ Kudos to the Bulls coaching staff for keeping Ramirez home, when it looked like he would make his way to Georgia Southern just a couple of weeks ago. Neither he nor Smith are raging needs for Buffalo, but how late anonemuss entered the recruiting cycle is a big consideration when analyzing the class for fit and balance. (aka Just get what you can) Looking ahead: Pennsylvania wideout Gregory Fontaine has favored the Bulls for weeks now, and if Buffalo continues to make him a priority they have to feel pretty good about getting his commitment. Central Michigan Chippewas (AI) Class Stats: Ranking: #24 Overall (-4), 4th MAC (+/-0) Signees: 11 Scores: Composite: 1.79 ESPN: 908 Rivals: 141.3 24/7: 211.3 Current Class: #85 4* OT Nicholas Hancock [Run Blocking] B/C #102 4* OT Charles McGee [Pass Blocking] B/D+ #108 4* OG Juan Villanueva [Pass Blocking] B/D #191 4* DE George Kyles [Run Stopper] B/D+ 4* RB Andrew Mitchell [Power] C/C 4* WR Larry Feltmann [Red Zone Threat] C/B- 3* QB Garland Mainardi [Pocket] C/B- 3* WR Fred Blackwood [Route Runner] C/B 3* RB Otis Lewis [Receiving] C/C+ 3* C Lewis Osborne [Run Blocking] C/B 3* SS Francis White [Run Stopper] C/A We hear that WMU coach Jieret wants to complain to the Recruiting Management about AI Central Michigan's crooting prowess. White is an absolutely critical signing, will-be junior Lawrence Bloom is the only other 2025 SS on the roster - and it's not out of the realm of possibility that White could immediately start. Lewis and Osborne are more depth/future pieces than anything else right now, what with two upperclassmen centers ahead of Osborne and fellow Chips commit Andrew Mitchell likely to see more playing time earlier than Lewis. Looking ahead: FS Harold Hurtubise's name just screams Louisiana, but he seems willing to leave the bayou for less swampy pastures. CMU would be more than happy to facilitate that. Eastern Michigan Eagles (AI) Class Stats: Ranking: #83 Overall (-13), 9th MAC (-1) Signees: 10 Scores: Composite: 1.17 ESPN: 782 Rivals: 0 24/7: 160.62 Current Class: 3* QB Freddy Moore [Pocket] C/C- 3* RB Marino Rodriguez [Speed] C/C+ 3* RB Ian Stapleton [Speed] C/B 3* WR Willis Porcelli [Red Zone Threat] C/A- 3* WR Gerald Martin [Red Zone Threat] C/B 3* DE Daniel Santos [Balanced] C/B 3* ILB Ronald Dyson [Run Stopper] C/C+ 3* FS Mark Bell [Run Stopper] C/B 3* TE Ronald Davis [Vertical Threat] C/B+ 3* CB Cyril Pierce [Man Coverage] C/C+ Davis could be Eastern's TE of the future if he develops well, but he certainly won't be their TE of the present, not with five other players in the TE room. Pierce is actually a good schematic fit (we assume) and will see the field sooner than Davis, even if it's just as a dime back at first. Looking ahead: The Eagles have a battle Close to Home; Pewamo cornerback James Davidson is considering both Eastern Michigan and Illinois, and it seems like the Illini have the advantage. Kent State Golden Flashes (AI) Class Stats: Ranking: #79 Overall (-12), 7th MAC (+1) Signees: 10 Scores: Composite: 1.19 ESPN: 777 Rivals: 0 24/7: 166.9 Current Class: 3* FB John Peterson [Balanced] C/C+ 3* WR Hector Bucci [Red Zone Threat] C/A+ 3* DE Joseph Goodwin [Balanced] C/B- 3* DE Philip Roby [Balanced] C/C+ 3* DT Zhen Vang [Nose Tackle] C/C 3* OLB Walter Mccain [Pass Rush] C/A- 3* OLB Garry Barber [Speed] C/C 3* FS Alfred Gray [Ball Hawk] C/D+ 3* RB Ashraf Cullen [Balanced] C/B- 3* SS Luis Joiner [Run Stopper] C/A Joiner will be Kent State's most talented SS underclassman. He may not start for a couple of years at SS, but it's not inconceivable that he (or some other SS) slides over to FS is Gray isn't ready. Cullen seems like a "depth and class balance" type of commit; everyone in the Golden Flashes' 2025 RB room are pretty similar skill-wise so Cullen isn't a huge need. Looking ahead: Cal Poly takes the lead for 3* CB Jose Martinez, but this race is far from finished. Miami(OH) Redhawks (AI) Class Stats: Ranking: #205 Overall (5), 11th MAC (-1) Signees: 8 Scores: Composite: 0.73 ESPN: 546 Rivals: 0 24/7: 86.56 Current Class: 2* RB John Brown [Speed] D/B- 2* TE Jose Rosenberg [Vertical Threat] D/B+ 2* DT Timothy Miller [Balanced] D/A 2* CB Daniel Lopez [Zone Coverage] D/A- 2* FS Tony Muraki [Ball Hawk] C/C 2* K David Lambert [Balanced] D/B- 2* RB Philip Prignano [Receiving] C/B- 2* RB Patrick Fitzgerald [Speed] D/C+ This is the Redhawks' group of non-graduating RBs: Does it look to you like what they really needed were two more 2* RBs (one a D OVR), to go with the 2* RB they already recruited this cycle? Sigh, this AI. They really need to poach CMU's bagman or something. Looking ahead: Yes, the Redhawks and Toledo are still battling for two-star safety Christopher Pajor. No, no one outside of those two schools really cares all that much. Northern Illinois Huskies ( @Ape) Class Stats: Ranking: #42 Overall (-21), 6th MAC (-1) Signees: 8 Scores: Composite: 1.43 ESPN: 699 Rivals: 120 24/7: 169.98 Current Class: #183 4* CB Shane Hadnot [Man Coverage] B/B #110 4* OT Grant Dotter [Run Blocking] B/D+ #124 4* WR Rich Dust [Possession] B/D #148 4* CB Mark Amador [Man Coverage] B/C+ #198 4* FS Adam Lively [Ball Hawk] B/B 4* RB Benito Garcia [Speed] C/B- 4* C Jorge Lee [Run Blocking] C/C+ 4* SS Owen Davis [Run Stopper] C/C+ Just like Ball State, the Huskies hit a rough patch in their recruiting the last couple of weeks. NIU is sadly 0-for-2 when it comes to Florida quarterbacks, as the Air Force Falcons were the ones to sign New Smyrna Beach's Anthony Goldade. It was a true coin flip in the end, it just didn't go in favor of the red-and-black. Will Northern Illinois try a third time for a QB in this cycle, or will the coaching staff decide that their resources need to be spent on cultivating their current targets? Looking ahead: Four-star TE John "Lil' Red" Ridings hails from Franklin, the home of the Kentucky Derby. NIU Is in a race with West Virginia and Baylor for this stud, and all we can tell you as this heads down the stretch into next week is that someone will be very happy they can add this thoroughbred to their stable. What's that? You're tired of the horse references? Stop whinnying so much and whipping yourself into such a lather! We rarely get a chance to stirrup fun like this. We can't rein it up before it's time to do so, otherwise it would downright unneighborly of us! ...okay, we're done. Ohio Bobcats ( @Traith Kreios) Class Stats: Ranking: #36 Overall (-3), 5th MAC (+1) Signees: 10 Scores: Composite: 1.51 ESPN: 836 Rivals: 72.8 24/7: 196.44 Current Class: #61 4* ATH Keith Payne [Slotback] B/B- #119 4* QB Jeffrey Winkler [Pocket] B/C+ 4* SS Luis Torres [Run Stopper] C/B 4* C Brandon Rodriguez [Balanced] C/C+ 4* ATH Philip Roberge [Field General] C/B+ 3* CB William Davidson [Ball Hawk] C/B 3* FS Dwayne Givens [Zone Coverage] C/B 3* P Clarence White [Power] C/A 4* FB Michael Szalay [Blocking] C/C- 3* OLB Parminder Marri [Speed] C/B- Win some, lose some. Such is the circle of life way of recruiting flips. The Bobcats got Texas backer Marri as a 48% underdog, but were upset by Known Football Recruiting Terrorists Wisconsin who made a successful late push for local running back Matthew Jones. Szalay and Marri won't need to see the field any time soon, but as the only underclassmen of any note at their positions, both will be very important pieces to the puzzle down the road. Looking ahead: Let's highlight a close battle between Ohio and Princeton. Lorain (OH) native Stephen King set his announcement for next week, and the Bobcats and Tigers are the two finalists. We don't know about Princeton, but it's very likely King would join fellow 2024 signee Roberge in seeing backup minutes at ILB immediately. Toledo Rockets (AI) Class Stats: Ranking: #121 Overall (+69) (nice), 10th MAC (+1) Signees: 11 Scores: Composite: 1.01 ESPN: 746 Rivals: 0 24/7: 123.54 Current Class: 2* RB Richard Kay [Balanced] D/B- 2* TE Jorge Aguilera [Receiving] D/B- 2* OG Shawn Evans [Pass Blocking] C/B+ 2* OLB James Hoffman [Pass Rush] D/B 2* QB Lauro Cantera [Pocket] D/C+ 2* RB David Schifferdecker [Speed] D/A 2* WR Daniel Merino [Possession] C/C+ 2* OT Steve Smith [Pass Blocking] D/B- 2* OLB Luis Lupercio [Coverage] D/A 2* OLB Duane Baer [Run Stopper] D/C 2* FS Jason Smith [Ball Hawk] D/C+ Toledo is really going all-in on quantity over quality, so it's a good thing they're at least getting that part right. If nothing else, it let us use the Internet's favorite number in this section, so there's that. We're aware that some claim Schifferdecker and Lupercio are unpolished gems, but will they get enough sharpening and PT any time soon to realize that potential? And is it a good thing if they even do? Looking ahead: Toledo and University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley are the leaders for Indiana defensive end Randolph Zanders. Fun fact: The Vaqueros should not be confused with Rio Grande Valley college, a mighty nursing school also in Texas. This caused a lot of confusion for the hapless intern that did an internet search for RGV. Not so fun fact: Yes Zanders is a two-star player. Western Michigan Broncos (Jieret) Class Stats: Ranking: #17 Overall (-6), 2nd MAC (+1) Signees: 12 Scores: Composite: 1.95 ESPN: 1050 Rivals: 96 24/7: 257.47 Current Class: #39 5* WR Ismael Leon [Red Zone Threat] B/C #162 4* CB Ed Agosta [Zone Coverage] B/B- #204 4* QB Solomon Walker [Balanced] B/B 4* WR William Macie [Possession] C/A- 4* OG Aldo Alvarado [Pass Blocking] C/B- 4* OT Kevin Lowe [Pass Blocking] C/B- 4* DE Kevin Perkins [Run Stopper] C/C+ 4* DE Tucker Adakwa [Run Stopper] C/B 4* DT Mikel Smith [Nose Tackle] C/B 4* FS Warren Mohsin [Man Coverage] C/B+ 4* C Joshua Bouchard [Balanced] C/C 3* ATH Steven Tharp [Strongside] C/B- Western builds up their depth with these two new signings. True freshman Richard Powley is currently the starter at center, and with four other players in the room and none set to graduate this seems like a position that's ripe for a transfer or two out. Bouchard will give some long-term stability and possibly take over after Powley. Tharp is the Broncos' first Athlete commit, and he says the coaching staff envisions using him at both DE and OLB. The flexibility promised him is apparently what convinced him to sign with WMU instead of Air Force. Looking ahead: A bit of a... mysterious race here. Ohio RB Thomas Giumarra was thought to be a Wisconsin lean for a long time, but recently he mysteriously scrubbed all his social media references to those Known Football Recruiting Terrorists the Badgers, putting the whole situation in flux. Purdue and WMU quickly offered and seem to be neck-and-neck in the battle, but Virginia Tech and Washington may also be in play. Final thoughts for the week: We're continuing to see that Tier stratification among the schools. To remind you: (Tier 0: Bowling Green, Overall Rank: 4) Tier 1 (Haves): Ball State, Central Michigan, Northern Illinois, Ohio, Western Michigan. Ranks 17-42 Tier 2 (Floor-raisers/Hold-steadys): Akron, Eastern Michigan, Kent State. Ranks 79-83 Tier 3 (Have nots and the Bulls): Buffalo, Miami(OH), Toledo. Ranks 121-229 (We know Toledo is way ahead of the other two ranking-wise. But 11 two-stars, would any of you really be okay with that class?). We maintain that Buffalo will make their way to Tier 2 shortly, and they're only in Tier 3 because of their late start to the cycle. If we're being honest, you could consider Ohio as a Tier 1.5 - they're kind of in the position NIU was last year, except slightly ahead. Obviously this shows how important having an actual human at the helm is to a team's future (except for CMU, because ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ). This would make the likes of the Redhawks or the Rockets true HARD MODE for a coach who relishes the challenge - or at least someone who is super-aggressive in the Transfer Portal. Bonus: Tennessee Volunteers ( @tsweezy) Class Stats: Ranking: #1 Overall Signees: 13 Scores: Composite: 2.9 ESPN: 1159 Rivals: 407.8 24/7: 286.57 Current Class: #3 5* OT Michael Cole [Pass Blocking] B/C+ #35 5* DT David Castle [Balanced] B/C+ #66 4* WR Robert Hemphill [Speed] B/C+ #69 (nice) 4* OT Clayton Grimes [Pass Blocking] B/C #74 4* ATH Albert Trigg [Strongside] B/B- #84 4* RB Mitch Gentry [Receiving] B/B+ #96 4* CB Frank Crosby [Ball Hawk] B/C #118 4* WR Marco Hernandez [Route Runner] B/C+ #173 4* FB Vincent Clark [Blocking] B/B #202 4* QB Leonard Harlow [Pocket] B/C+ #264 4* SS William Ket [Man Coverage] C/B- 4* OLB Art Major [Speed] C/C+ 4* TE David Lee [Receiving] C/C You recruited players outside the Top 300 sweezy? What's up with that? We could talk about how this class will fit on the Vols roster, but you already know it will be like Bowling Green but many, many times more. *Cue SEC slogan Rather, we choose to amuse ourselves by listing five Volunteers who are likely to volunteer themselves to the transfer portal this offseason based on our highly scientific, proprietary algorithm (and two minutes of browsing their roster). QB Mark Koch is a given, so we won't bother spending a slot on him. Or on any 0/1/2-star players. Note: All player info and stats (if any) are as of this year. 3* Sr DT Brad Johnson 6'2" 289 [Balanced] B-/B+: No stats 3* Jr OLB Yasmani Bradberry 6'2" 220 [Speed] B-/B+: 6 TKL, 1.5 TFL 4* (So) OT Ricky Drummond 6'1" 288 [Balanced] B/C: 2 sacks allowed 3* (Jr) QB Jay Ratley 6'0" 214 [Scrambler] B+/A+: 8 of 17 (47.06%) for 125 yards, 1 TD, 128.24 QBR. 5 rushes for 61 yards (12.20 YPC), 1 Rush TD. 3* So WR Roland Steward 6'1" 218 [Red Zone Threat] C/C: No stats CHART TIME!

It seems like the recruiting sync for next week (Week 10) is now running.

We at the MAC Network changed the title slightly, in order to better reflect what's actually happening in the article! It's still the same content though. Sorry. Reminder: Top-300 recruits will have their overall rank noted. New commits since the previous article are italicized. Previous articles: Week 4 Week 6 Akron Zips ( @Skye [We think? The Zips aren't marked as available.]) Class Stats: Ranking: #84 Overall (+66 from previous national ranking), 9th MAC (-2 from previous conference ranking) Signees: 7 Scores: Composite: 1 ESPN: 541 Rivals: 0 24/7: 118.74 Current Class: 3* QB Chad Judd [Pocket] C/A 3* WR Perry Levy [Possession] C/A- 3* DT Jeffrey Riley [Nose Tackle] C/C+ 3* OT James Rothermel [Run Blocking] C/C+ 3* OT Raul Bustamante [Run Blocking] C/C 3* OLB Frank Hinson [Speed] C/C+ 3* K James Wike [Power] C/B- A quartet of solid 3* players signed with the Zips over the last couple of weeks. Both tackles and Hinson provide badly needed underclassmen depth, although both Rothermel and Bustamante are very different players from last year's blue-chip tackle Rafael Garza. Wike is a bit more of a head-scratcher as kicker isn't a position that most teams want to recruit yearly, but perhaps with a redshirt and decent progressions it would give Akron some time before they feel the need to get another placekicker. Looking ahead: Deep in the heart, the Zips try to woo Texan DE Aaron Vanhoy to Ohio. He's open to the idea, but the likes of Syracuse and Rhode Island have also showed interest. Ball State Cardinals ( @npklemm ) Class Stats: Ranking: #9 Overall (+1), 2nd MAC (+/-0) Signees: 9 Scores: Composite: 2.23 ESPN: 801 Rivals: 201.3 24/7: 202.8 Current Class: #23 5* DE Matthew Babich [Balanced] B/C+ #75 4* CB Chi Son [Man Coverage] B/B- #83 4* CB Thomas Mauro [Man Coverage] B/C #138 4* SS Gregory Saul [Zone Coverage] B/C+ #255 4* ATH Stanley Dirig [Weakside] C/B- 4* DE Carl Victor [Run Stopper] C/C+ #73 4* DT Rodney Duerr [Nose Tackle] B/C+ 4* OLB Dennis Bethune [Pass Rush] C/B+ 4* OLB Francisco Sagrero [Pass Rush] C/C+ Just in case you didn't think the Cardinals were serious about building their defense, their new trio all plays, yup, on the stop side of the ball. They're only missing a FS and another ILB away from recruiting an entire starting defense (if you moved Dirig to inside linebacker). Ball State's coaching staff clearly was not impressed with the state of their defensive underclassmen and took serious steps to rectify that. They did lose a rare battle of an offensive player though, as local center Jorge Lee will cross the border to NIU. Looking ahead: Ball State tries to keep their signing day luck going, as they and the Fighting Illini of Illinois are the other team that will have their hat on the table at 4* punter Bradford Smith's commitment ceremony. This one could go either way, and this is a player the Cardinals could badly use - K Alex Parker is pulling double duty as the punter, but has only landed 15 of his 35 attempts inside the 20. Bowling Green Falcons ( @PoopyRhinoPickle) Class Stats: Ranking: #1 Overall (+2), 1st MAC (+/-0) Signees: 11 Scores: Composite: 2.58 ESPN: 990 Rivals: 196.5 24/7: 247 Current Class: #5 5* CB Nat Turner [Ball Hawk] B/B- #52 5* RB Dale Lamb [Speed] B/C #65 4* OT John Willhite [Run Blocking] B/C+ #233 4* WR Harold Sanford [Speed] B/C+ 4* QB Sergio Cano [Pocket] C/A- 4* OLB Charles Tinner [Speed] C/A 4* DT William White [Pass Rusher] C/B #200 4* RB Manuel Ponce [Receiving] B/B- 4* OG David Harris [Run Blocking] C/B 4* ILB Gerard Lockhart [Coverage] C/C 4* SS Orville Decker [Run Stopper] C/B+ Look, you know the deal with Falcon commits at this point. Great players, unlikely to see immediate playing time because of a deep roster. It does make us wonder, though. How long until this class causes transfers away from BGSU in search of playing time? Looking ahead: Bowling Green isn't done looking for high-end talent. Top-300 linebacker Sam Thiers's recruitment is currently a battle between the Falcons and the Wisconsin Badgers, with a lot of other top teams having varying levels of interest. Buffalo Bulls ( @anonemuss) Class Stats: Ranking: #195 Overall (-41), 12th MAC (-2) Signees: 3 Scores: Composite: 0.43 ESPN: 235 Rivals: 0 24/7: 50.86 Current Class: 3* DT Jose Campos [Pass Rusher] Ocala, FL C/B 3* DT Christopher Colburn [Pass Rusher] C/B+ 3* OT Gregg Minard [Balanced] C/A In an upset, Iowa tackle Minard signed with the Bulls. He is a crucial pickup; a high-ceiling player who gives the team a lot of flexibility. Not just on the line where he can play on the left and right, but also with the coaching staff's OL plans. Minard could either take a redshirt and give him time to acclimate to the college game, or be exposed to the fire sooner by joining the two-deeps immediately. The Bulls have enough players in the OT room to use either option, so Coach anonemuss's hands aren't tied. Colburn will join Jose Campos in being integral parts of an (assumed) eventual switch to a 43-style defense. Looking ahead: Georgia State seems to be in the lead for OLB Mariano Ramirez. Is Buffalo cooling on the pass rusher due to scheme concerns? But things do look more promising for the Bulls to sign in-state 3* guard Jose Castillo. Central Michigan Chippewas (AI) Class Stats: Ranking: #20 Overall (-4), 4th MAC (+/-0) Signees: 8 Scores: Composite: 1.75 ESPN: 675 Rivals: 141.3 24/7: 159.94 Current Class: #85 4* OT Nicholas Hancock [Run Blocking] B/C #102 4* OT Charles McGee [Pass Blocking] B/D+ #108 4* OG Juan Villanueva [Pass Blocking] B/D #191 4* DE George Kyles [Run Stopper] B/D+ 4* RB Andrew Mitchell [Power] C/C 4* WR Larry Feltmann [Red Zone Threat] C/B- 3* QB Garland Mainardi [Pocket] C/B- 3* WR Fred Blackwood [Route Runner] C/B A pair of signees for Central Michigan, but more of the "floor-raising" type than projected future stars. They won't threaten for starting positions any time soon, but they should provide perfectly cromulent play if/when needed. Looking ahead: A triple threat match with New Mexico State and FAU is in the cards for the Chips. Scranton (PA) safety Francis White is likely to commit in the next week or two, and while the few recruiting crystal balls placed point to CMU, none have a terribly high level of confidence. Eastern Michigan Eagles (AI) Class Stats: Ranking: #70 Overall (+48), 8th MAC (+1) Signees: 8 Scores: Composite: 1.11 ESPN: 624 Rivals: 0 24/7: 127.8 Current Class: 3* RB Ian Stapleton [Speed] C/B 3* WR Willis Porcelli [Red Zone Threat] C/A- 3* QB Freddy Moore [Pocket] C/C- 3* RB Marino Rodriguez [Speed] C/C+ 3* WR Gerald Martin [Red Zone Threat] C/B 3* DE Daniel Santos [Balanced] C/B 3* ILB Ronald Dyson [Run Stopper] C/C+ 3* FS Mark Bell [Run Stopper] C/B The Eagles really picked up the pace over the last couple of weeks, going from two commits to eight! While most of these recruits feel like that of the "floor-raising" variety, the roster has so many looming holes that the Eagles playing at a "decent floor" level in the future is a welcome sight. For example, take a look at EMU's underclassman RB room. It is NOT pretty. This is a team that would welcome the opening of the Transfer Portal, that's for sure. Looking ahead: The Eagles lost out on tackle Tracey Carter to the South Dakota State Jackrabbits. But closer to home they should be getting some good news soon, as Ohio TE Ronald Davis looks ready to put pen to paper and commit to Eastern. Kent State Golden Flashes (AI) Class Stats: Ranking: #67 Overall (+34), 8th MAC (+/-0) Signees: 8 Scores: Composite: 1.13 ESPN: 621 Rivals: 0 24/7: 132.04 Current Class: 3* FS Alfred Gray [Ball Hawk] C/D+ 3* DT Zhen Vang [Nose Tackle] C/C 3* FB John Peterson [Balanced] C/C+ 3* WR Hector Bucci [Red Zone Threat] C/A+ 3* DE Joseph Goodwin [Balanced] C/B- 3* DE Philip Roby [Balanced] C/C+ 3* OLB Walter Mccain [Pass Rush] C/A- 3* OLB Garry Barber [Speed] C/C Take what we said about the EMU roster and multiply that by about 300%. That's Kent State. All of the four defensive players picked up over the last two weeks should be primary backups immediately, and it's not out of the realm of possibility that one or two might start. Nothing against any of the new commits, but it says something about the team talent level when 3* C players enroll and immediately get on the two-deeps. Bucci would be best served by getting a redshirt, but he is an unpolished gem that quite frankly we're surprised the Golden Flashes were able to pull out of Alabama. Looking ahead: The Golden Flashes are in a tight battle with Charlotte and... um, what's that logo? *checks notes* Cal Poly for California CB Jose Martinez. This seems like a battle that could drag on for a few more weeks. Miami(OH) Redhawks (AI) Class Stats: Ranking: #150 Overall (NR), 10th MAC (NR) Signees: 6 Scores: Composite: 0.66 ESPN: 410 Rivals: 0 24/7: 65.66 Current Class: 2* K David Lambert [Balanced] D/B- 2* TE Jose Rosenberg [Vertical Threat] D/B+ 2* DT Timothy Miller [Balanced] D/A 2* CB Daniel Lopez [Zone Coverage] D/A- 2* FS Tony Muraki [Ball Hawk] C/C 2* RB John Brown [Speed] D/B- "Hey! Hey all you ace recruiters and coaches! Are you bored of sleepwalking your way to double-digit win seasons? Can you reel in a five-star player just by yawning loudly at their parents' living room table? Sounds like you need a REAL challenge, something that stimulates and titillates and frustrates in unequal measure! Sounds like YOU.... should be a Redhawk!" Seriously, they need help. Someone help them please. It's not that their roster is trash (it certainly isn't good though), but that this group of commits feels so useless. They'll be fine physical trainers and accountants someday, a credit to their schooling. But they don't even fill in any holes on the roster, they're just redundant and bleh. Looking ahead: Ugh, we didn't want to look ahead. All of their targets are two-star players. We... we just can't. They might be better off not recruiting and praying for a walk-on miracle or two. Northern Illinois Huskies ( @Ape) Class Stats: Ranking: #21 Overall (+18), 5th MAC (+1) Signees: 8 Scores: Composite: 1.74 ESPN: 699 Rivals: 120 24/7: 169.98 Current Class: #183 4* CB Shane Hadnot [Man Coverage] B/B #110 4* OT Grant Dotter [Run Blocking] B/D+ #148 4* CB Mark Amador [Man Coverage] B/C+ #198 4* FS Adam Lively [Ball Hawk] B/B #124 4* WR Rich Dust [Possession] B/D 4* SS Owen Davis [Run Stopper] C/C+ 4* C Jorge Lee [Run Blocking] C/C+ 4* RB Benito Garcia [Speed] C/B- NIU continues to pull in players that can help the team on day one. We'll start with Rich Dust. The #15 WR in the class, Dust will leave his mark immediately as we project him to not only start for the Huskies in 2025, but be their WR1. Davis won't catapult all the way to the top of the list like Dust did, but he will entrench himself as Greer Howard's backup. Garcia is a longer-term play and should redshirt, and we expect the same of Lee. Looking ahead: Having lost once on a highly-touted Florida QB, the Huskies try once again to pry their signal caller of the future (and maybe present?) out of the Sunshine State. 4* Anthony Goldade is the prize this time, and so far it seems like a two-team race between NIU and Air Force. This one probably rumbles on through Week 10, is our guess. Ohio Bobcats ( @Traith Kreios) Class Stats: Ranking: #33 Overall (-4), 6th MAC (-1) Signees: 8 Scores: Composite: 1.74 ESPN: 699 Rivals: 120 24/7: 169.98 Current Class: #61 4* ATH Keith Payne [Slotback] B/B- #119 4* QB Jeffrey Winkler [Pocket] B/C+ 4* SS Luis Torres [Run Stopper] C/B 4* C Brandon Rodriguez [Balanced] C/C+ 3* CB William Davidson [Ball Hawk] C/B 4* ATH Philip Roberge [Field General] C/B+ 3* P Clarence White [Power] C/A 3* FS Dwayne Givens [Zone Coverage] C/B Sign five blue-chips in the cycle to date, and it's only good enough for 6th in the conference? Brutal. The Bobcats managed to win a battle with West Virginia for Texas punter Clarence White, and we start with the punter just to highlight that Ohio's seemed to mean regress (in a good way) on their coinflip battles and some losses earlier in the season. Meanwhile, Georgia athlete Philip Roberge decided to end his recruitment and sign. We project Roberge to play on defense, likely backing up James Oneil for a few years after a redshirt. Givens and White should follow similar collegiate career paths. Looking ahead: More crystal balls are coming in for Ohio and local RB Matthew Jones, and all indications are that he's going to commit in the next week or two. Toledo Rockets (AI) Class Stats: Ranking: #190 Overall (NR), 11th MAC (NR) Signees: 4 Scores: Composite: 0.45 ESPN: 271 Rivals: 0 24/7: 46.22 Current Class: 2* OG Shawn Evans [Pass Blocking] C/B+ 2* TE Jorge Aguilera [Receiving] D/B- 2* RB Richard Kay [Balanced] D/B- 2* OLB James Hoffman [Pass Rush] D/B Rankings are silly. Miami and Toledo's classes being ranked above Buffalo is proof of that, don't @ us with that "quantity over quality" crap. At least compared to Miami's class, this group of two-star players has some utility. Aguilera and Evans will both hold backup positions next season. Whether that makes Toledo's class better than Miami's superfluous one, we leave as an exercise for the reader. Looking ahead: Toledo and Miami are locked in a battle for local SS Christopher Pajor, and yes he's a two-star player. Sigh. Western Michigan Broncos (Jieret) Class Stats: Ranking: #11 Overall (+3), 3rd MAC (+/-0) Signees: 10 Scores: Composite: 2.06 ESPN: 884 Rivals: 96 24/7: 224.68 Current Class: #39 5* WR Ismael Leon [Red Zone Threat] B/C #162 4* CB Ed Agosta [Zone Coverage] B/B- #204 4* QB Solomon Walker [Balanced] B/B 4* FS Warren Mohsin [Man Coverage] C/B+ 4* DE Kevin Perkins [Run Stopper] C/C+ 4* DT Mikel Smith [Nose Tackle] C/B 4* OG Aldo Alvarado [Pass Blocking] C/B- 4* WR William Macie [Possession] C/A- 4* OT Kevin Lowe [Pass Blocking] C/B- 4* DE Tucker Adakwa [Run Stopper] C/B Three more blue-chippers joined Bronco Nation. The Southeast was especially good to Western, as Georgia wideout William Macie and Louisiana OT Kevin Lowe signed with WMU. Some fans took an extra bit of schadenfreude in the fact that the Broncos lured Lowe away from Tennessee (and we here at the MAC Network can confirm that, contrary to other reports, there was no NIL "bidding war"), and Macie honored his verbal despite East Carolina jumping in at the last minute. Speaking of honoring his verbal, lifelong fan and Battle Creek DE Tucker Adakwa fulfilled one of his dreams, signing and getting the chance to wear the brown and gold. All three players are expected to redshirt, although we expect Adakwa and Macie to see the field sooner rather than later. Looking Forward: Another battle for one of the few remaining local four-star players, as linebacker Lawrence Christensen is likely to decide next week between WMU and UNC. What makes Christensen so interesting is that he was a lock for Michigan State before they pulled his offer for undisclosed reasons. Final thoughts for the week: In the conference chat, we believe it was Poopy who pointed out that the MAC seems to diverging into two tiers, which seems accurate. Likewise, we're seeing three tiers in recruiting right now (or four, if you want to put BGSU in Tier 0): the Haves, the Floor-Raisers, and the Have-Nots. The Haves are the top six MAC teams for recruiting are all 33rd or better nationwide. Kent State, EMU, and Akron are the teams recruiting a bunch of 3-stars, and they're at least pulling themselves up a bit, even if the gulf between them and Tier 1 gets wider. And the Recruiting Have-Nots? Yikes. With anonemuss in Buffalo there's at least hope that he can get the Bulls to the middle of the pack at least. But consider the rankings difference between Akron (84) and the first team in Tier 3, Miami(OH) at 150. Brutal, just brutal. CHART TIME!

GG. I legit thought this might be the game where the streak is snapped, your team is shaping up so nicely. I know we're not going to keep it going forever, so I have to enjoy it while I can.

I figured the school dropping had to with the AI, but the concern is that since then no team logos show as leading for these players even with points allotted. I can't say for sure, but I suspect that the "Strong Favorite/In Contention/Just Outside" designators aren't working properly either.