With a head coaching change and a newly instituted early signing period for spring graduates, the next few weeks should be quite eventful for the Sun Devils’ recruiting efforts. The recruiting process is extremely fluid and unpredictable in nature, and that aspect can heighten as Herm Edwards tries to make a strong first impression on ASU commits and prospects alike.
Furthermore, at the time we publish this snapshot it’s unclear whether the defensive staff for Arizona State will return intact or not, naturally a factor that can have a significant impact on the recruiting on that side of the ball.
So, let’s delve into how Arizona State is currently standing with its viable prospects at the various positions and how close are the Sun Devils are to fulfilling their remaining needs in this 2018 recruiting class.
Note: we will make predictions as to which players will sign this month in subsequent recruiting snapshots.
We expect ASU’s recruiting class to be approximately 23 players large, and much like previous classes it’s possible multiple recruits will be signed following February 7th, 2018 National Letter of Intent day.
Therefore, with presently 13 total pledges on board, we could see ASU land around ten signees between today and February 7th, 2018 if not beyond that date.
ASU cannot count any count any mid-year signees back to the 2017 class. Thus, the 2018 class cannot exceed 25 players.
The commit list can be found here
The recruiting calendar can be found here (the recruiting dead period runs from December 18th thru January 11th).
Let’s go position by position and see who is committed, and who are the Sun Devils’ viable prospects:
Quarterback
Barring unforeseen circumstances, as is in more than one quarterback transferring out by fall camp, it is our current expectation that ASU won’t sign a signal caller in this class. Ralph Amsden did a great job here explaining the situation.
Offensive Line
2018 Class Commits: Hunter Mayginnes, Ralph Frias
Viable Prospects (ASU expected to sign no more than 4 offensive linemen total):
Jason Dickson – the Diablo Valley Community College has been on ASU’s radar for several months now. The Sun Devils’ pursuit of the one-time UCLA commit paid partial dividends as he decommitted from the Bruins. Yes, what was once believed to be an imminent pledge to ASU has been dragging out. The fact that Arizona State retained its offensive staff can certainly help matters here.
Joey Ramos – the local Glendale Deer Valley standout had the hometown team and Iowa State as his co-favorites for a while now. Much like every recruit on this side of the ball the head coaching change hasn’t affected the relationships he has developed with the offensive assistant coaches. With a visit to Iowa State this weekend and ASU the following weekend, we should know soon enough where Ramos will land.
Xavier Delgado – Ramos’ high school teammate scheduled to visit Tempe this week. His recruitment process has been quiet but that could change if ASU pursued him in earnest.
Chris Murray – the highest ranked lineman ASU is involved with, and as such the most coveted too. Unclear if ASU would get a visit from him or not.
Jarrett Patterson – the Mission Viejo, Calif. decommitted yesterday from the Sun Devils but if he does visit Tempe in January ASU just might be able to get back in the thick of things. Can’t blame his change of heart on Todd Graham’s firing since he had wandering eyes for weeks now, specifically, towards Michigan and UCLA.
Running Backs
2018 Class Commits: Brock Sturges, Demetrious Flowers
Viable Prospects (ASU expected to sign no more than 3 running backs total):
Greg Bell – as detailed in our interview with the Arizona Western running back, Bell was one of the first prospects Edwards called since being named ASU’s head coach. Even if the tandem of 2018 commits stayed put, both ASU’s returners, Eno Benjamin and Trelon Smith are just sophomores, so adding an older player to the depth chart would make sense.
Tony St. Julien – the Louisiana running back has had an uneventful recruiting process to date but is a name that at minimum is still getting mulled around and has some degree of viability.
Tyree Golmon – another Louisiana running back to keep in mind as a possibility.
Tight Ends
2018 Class Commits: Brett Bell
Viable Prospects: (ASU expected to sign no more than 2 tight ends total)
Messiah Swinson – for a while this has been shaping up as a two-school race between ASU and Missouri. There were some reports that he was leaning towards the Tigers, but the fact that he didn’t pull the trigger on a school he visited over a month ago may indicate that the race for his services is wider open than first believed.
Dominick Anderson - Greg Bell told us that his four-star junior college teammate is being heavily pursued by ASU. The former Texas commit is considered the number one junior college tight end in the country so the competition for his services will be stiff.
Michael Ezeike – his decommitment from Oregon was announced as we were compiling this snapshot. Since he visited ASU and was seriously considering them, the Sun Devils can certainly get a legitimate shot at this four-star prospect who could also play wide receiver.
Wide Receivers
2018 Class Commits: None
Viable Prospects: (ASU expected to sign no more than 2 wide receivers total)
Gunner Romney – it’s a name that is very familiar to local prep football fans, but the Chandler High School standout only in the last week or so became more of a realistic chance to land at ASU. Romney, a BYU commit, is exploring his options after Cougars’ offensive coordinator, Ty Detmer, was fired. If the LDS factor can prevail over all factors that Romney could very well stick with his commitment or choose Utah who was strong in his recruitment picture. A visit to Tempe is scheduled next week, and even though Romney isn’t excepted to sign until February we may have a good idea this month if ASU’s could indeed land one of the best in-state players of this class.
Nikko Hall - honestly speaking, for a four-star prospect, his recruiting process has been somewhat bizarre. Oregon State and Illinois have been constantly being mentioned as possible destinations and seemingly have just as big of a chance as ASU to land his services. Now if Hall drags his process out that could benefit ASU as he officially visits the Beavers this week. Several of ASU’s commits are either high teammates or close friends, so even though it hasn’t been all that clear that the Sun Devils ae his leader, landing him in Tempe is quite possible.
Solomon Enis - the only local wide receiver pursued harder than Romney these days. The Phoenix North Canyon High School star has been very receptive to ASU’s recruiting efforts and is scheduled to visit Tempe sometime in January. So, if indeed he’s planning NOT to sign this month this may give ASU a legit shot as he visits USC next week and already completed a visit to Penn State where his father Curtis Enis played.
Jalen Nailor – the Las Vegas Bishop Gorman star decommitted the day after Graham was fired. Not impossible for ASU to get back in, but since he took his official visit already to Tempe he will have to be extremely receptive to ASU’s efforts.
Devon Cooley – the fact that he decommitted from a school that went through a coaching change in UCLA, shouldn’t necessarily preclude a school such as ASU from having a crack at him.
Isaah Crocker - will be anything but a walk in the park to land the four-star Sacramento prospect, but if ASU can score a visit things could get interesting.
Furthermore, at the time we publish this snapshot it’s unclear whether the defensive staff for Arizona State will return intact or not, naturally a factor that can have a significant impact on the recruiting on that side of the ball.
So, let’s delve into how Arizona State is currently standing with its viable prospects at the various positions and how close are the Sun Devils are to fulfilling their remaining needs in this 2018 recruiting class.
Note: we will make predictions as to which players will sign this month in subsequent recruiting snapshots.
We expect ASU’s recruiting class to be approximately 23 players large, and much like previous classes it’s possible multiple recruits will be signed following February 7th, 2018 National Letter of Intent day.
Therefore, with presently 13 total pledges on board, we could see ASU land around ten signees between today and February 7th, 2018 if not beyond that date.
ASU cannot count any count any mid-year signees back to the 2017 class. Thus, the 2018 class cannot exceed 25 players.
The commit list can be found here
The recruiting calendar can be found here (the recruiting dead period runs from December 18th thru January 11th).
Let’s go position by position and see who is committed, and who are the Sun Devils’ viable prospects:
Quarterback
Barring unforeseen circumstances, as is in more than one quarterback transferring out by fall camp, it is our current expectation that ASU won’t sign a signal caller in this class. Ralph Amsden did a great job here explaining the situation.
Offensive Line
2018 Class Commits: Hunter Mayginnes, Ralph Frias
Viable Prospects (ASU expected to sign no more than 4 offensive linemen total):
Jason Dickson – the Diablo Valley Community College has been on ASU’s radar for several months now. The Sun Devils’ pursuit of the one-time UCLA commit paid partial dividends as he decommitted from the Bruins. Yes, what was once believed to be an imminent pledge to ASU has been dragging out. The fact that Arizona State retained its offensive staff can certainly help matters here.
Joey Ramos – the local Glendale Deer Valley standout had the hometown team and Iowa State as his co-favorites for a while now. Much like every recruit on this side of the ball the head coaching change hasn’t affected the relationships he has developed with the offensive assistant coaches. With a visit to Iowa State this weekend and ASU the following weekend, we should know soon enough where Ramos will land.
Xavier Delgado – Ramos’ high school teammate scheduled to visit Tempe this week. His recruitment process has been quiet but that could change if ASU pursued him in earnest.
Chris Murray – the highest ranked lineman ASU is involved with, and as such the most coveted too. Unclear if ASU would get a visit from him or not.
Jarrett Patterson – the Mission Viejo, Calif. decommitted yesterday from the Sun Devils but if he does visit Tempe in January ASU just might be able to get back in the thick of things. Can’t blame his change of heart on Todd Graham’s firing since he had wandering eyes for weeks now, specifically, towards Michigan and UCLA.
Running Backs
2018 Class Commits: Brock Sturges, Demetrious Flowers
Viable Prospects (ASU expected to sign no more than 3 running backs total):
Greg Bell – as detailed in our interview with the Arizona Western running back, Bell was one of the first prospects Edwards called since being named ASU’s head coach. Even if the tandem of 2018 commits stayed put, both ASU’s returners, Eno Benjamin and Trelon Smith are just sophomores, so adding an older player to the depth chart would make sense.
Tony St. Julien – the Louisiana running back has had an uneventful recruiting process to date but is a name that at minimum is still getting mulled around and has some degree of viability.
Tyree Golmon – another Louisiana running back to keep in mind as a possibility.
Tight Ends
2018 Class Commits: Brett Bell
Viable Prospects: (ASU expected to sign no more than 2 tight ends total)
Messiah Swinson – for a while this has been shaping up as a two-school race between ASU and Missouri. There were some reports that he was leaning towards the Tigers, but the fact that he didn’t pull the trigger on a school he visited over a month ago may indicate that the race for his services is wider open than first believed.
Dominick Anderson - Greg Bell told us that his four-star junior college teammate is being heavily pursued by ASU. The former Texas commit is considered the number one junior college tight end in the country so the competition for his services will be stiff.
Michael Ezeike – his decommitment from Oregon was announced as we were compiling this snapshot. Since he visited ASU and was seriously considering them, the Sun Devils can certainly get a legitimate shot at this four-star prospect who could also play wide receiver.
Wide Receivers
2018 Class Commits: None
Viable Prospects: (ASU expected to sign no more than 2 wide receivers total)
Gunner Romney – it’s a name that is very familiar to local prep football fans, but the Chandler High School standout only in the last week or so became more of a realistic chance to land at ASU. Romney, a BYU commit, is exploring his options after Cougars’ offensive coordinator, Ty Detmer, was fired. If the LDS factor can prevail over all factors that Romney could very well stick with his commitment or choose Utah who was strong in his recruitment picture. A visit to Tempe is scheduled next week, and even though Romney isn’t excepted to sign until February we may have a good idea this month if ASU’s could indeed land one of the best in-state players of this class.
Nikko Hall - honestly speaking, for a four-star prospect, his recruiting process has been somewhat bizarre. Oregon State and Illinois have been constantly being mentioned as possible destinations and seemingly have just as big of a chance as ASU to land his services. Now if Hall drags his process out that could benefit ASU as he officially visits the Beavers this week. Several of ASU’s commits are either high teammates or close friends, so even though it hasn’t been all that clear that the Sun Devils ae his leader, landing him in Tempe is quite possible.
Solomon Enis - the only local wide receiver pursued harder than Romney these days. The Phoenix North Canyon High School star has been very receptive to ASU’s recruiting efforts and is scheduled to visit Tempe sometime in January. So, if indeed he’s planning NOT to sign this month this may give ASU a legit shot as he visits USC next week and already completed a visit to Penn State where his father Curtis Enis played.
Jalen Nailor – the Las Vegas Bishop Gorman star decommitted the day after Graham was fired. Not impossible for ASU to get back in, but since he took his official visit already to Tempe he will have to be extremely receptive to ASU’s efforts.
Devon Cooley – the fact that he decommitted from a school that went through a coaching change in UCLA, shouldn’t necessarily preclude a school such as ASU from having a crack at him.
Isaah Crocker - will be anything but a walk in the park to land the four-star Sacramento prospect, but if ASU can score a visit things could get interesting.
