With just over a month before the early signing period begins, ASU has a well-stacked recruiting class and could come very close to filing all of its slots before the traditional February letter of intent day commences. Let us take a closer look at where the Sun Devils stand at each position and what are the recruiting targets that still remain.
Quarterback
Known commits:
Ethan Long
Joey Yellen
Recruiting targets:
Jayden Daniels
We wondered if ASU was going to sign a graduate transfer as a third quarterback and right now, there is a real chance that it could actually sign three high school signal callers, certainly a rarity even in the unpredictable world of college football.
Daniels officially visiting Tempe this past weekend, has seemingly not caused Long or Yellen to waiver from their commitment. I can’t say I’m surprised because in 2019 the competition field at signal caller will be wide open, with no returning players that can claim considerable experience that could even create the perception that they may have an absolute leg up over any arriving newcomer.
Daniels’ visit went very, very well. This is one reason why I’m putting ASU’s in the driver’s seat. I also feel that if he felt that strongly about Utah, UCLA or Cal, not only would he have made a decision by now but he also would not initiate contact with ASU as he did and set this robust recruiting process in motion.
Him continuing his due diligence in his process does not put ASU at a disadvantage because that is the last school he is scheduled to visit before his commitment. Starting on November 25th he will start hosting Herm Edwards and other head coaches ahead of his likely early December decision.
If one of the committed signal callers unexpectedly (again based on their current sentiments) decides to bolt, then this will only enhance the already great position ASU is in terms of landing Daniels.
Running back
Known commits:
Demetrious Flowers (a greyshirt holdover from 2018 class)
Recruiting targets:
Tyrion Davis
Under the radar and all there is an interesting situation brewing here at this position.
When it comes to Flowers. It’s really anybody’s guess if he will break the proverbial greyshirt cycle where delayed enrollment ultimately means no enrollment. What we do know that is that if he did arrive in the spring he will count against a 2019 recruiting class already tight in numbers. Under those circumstances, I wouldn’t say that Flowers is a slam-dunk by any means to be part of this team next year.
Additionally, Davis who is an LSU commit could already have wandering eyes after Top-100 running back prospect John Emery pledged to the Tigers and the prevailing notion is that LSU is likely to try to add another four-star running back in December.
The running back attends Southern Lab High School in Baton Rouge, La. a school where ASU running backs coach John Simon once played and thus has good recruiting connections there. Needless to say, that ASU can be very attractive to Davis, as they tout the fact that the Sun Devils are expected to lose its top running back, Eno Benjamin to the 2020 NFL draft and will need a similar caliber ball carrier to replace him. And again, Davis would seemingly be more comfortable as the lone running back taken here rather than one of three Rivals250 players at his position at LSU.
Running back may not be the biggest need in this class, but I can’t see ASU turning down Davis if he wanted to come and I don’t see a scenario where ASU adds both Davis and Flowers.
Wide receiver
Known commits:
Jordan Kerley
Ricky Pearsall
Andre Johnson (greyshirt possibility)
Recruiting targets: N/A
With eight wide receivers expected to return next season (yes, we are counting N’Keal Harry as an early NFL draft entrant), when the 2019 season begins ASU could potentially have a very crowded wide receiver room with 11 players. As we previously mentioned here, there’s a good chance Andre Johnson does greyshirt and enrolls only in January of 2020. Yet, even in that scenario, you have more than an ample number of wide receivers on the roster. Therefore, I don’t expect Arizona State to actively seek out additional wide receiver prospects in this class.
Offensive line
Known commits:
Roman DeWys
LaDarius Henderson
Ben Scott
Dohnovan West
Alijah Bates (greyshirt possibility)
Recruiting targets:
Drake Nugent
In a nutshell, there is a game of "chicken" going on between Stanford and Nugent. If you told me the Cardinal might be slow playing him, I won't fight you on that.
I know he loves ASU, and if not for Stanford would be a done deal for the Sun Devils. Yet, he feels that he can't make a hasty move without making sure that Stanford is totally out of the picture. He told us that he’s still going through the admissions process with Stanford, but again you can’t rule that out as being codeword (from Stanford’s perspective) for simply stalling.
I’m not sure that ASU with its tight numbers, one reason why Bates is a greyshirt possibility, will wait until February to find out what Nugent wants to do, but for now, cannot rule it out completely.
Cohl Cabral leaving for the NFL draft isn’t a farfetched theory at all. 6-5 athletic centers are largely unheard of in the NFL, and Cabral is enjoying a fine season and has a lot of quality film to show NFL scouts. Thus, the need for a quality center which at worst will be a formidable two-deep player (and Nugent definitely has the potential to be much more than that) is a fairly critical one especially with the virtual guarantee that an inexperienced quarterback will be starting for the Sun Devils in 2019.
If Nugent is going to play in the Pac-12, it will be only for one of these two schools. He naturally has to be careful not to wait too long and possibly miss out on both, but Stanford currently has some leverage, and as mentioned maybe he has some leverage with ASU especially if some unexpected negative developments should take place with its 2019 class.
Tight end
Known commits:
Nolan Matthews
Recruiting targets: N/A
With Matthews on board, the total expected number of 2019 ASU tight ends is now four. Therefore, ASU will not pursue any more players in this role, another “causality” of tight class numbers. You also have walk-on Jarick Caldwell who is certainly a good possibility to be awarded a scholarship, which will take up one of the available spots in the class.
Quarterback
Known commits:
Ethan Long
Joey Yellen
Recruiting targets:
Jayden Daniels
We wondered if ASU was going to sign a graduate transfer as a third quarterback and right now, there is a real chance that it could actually sign three high school signal callers, certainly a rarity even in the unpredictable world of college football.
Daniels officially visiting Tempe this past weekend, has seemingly not caused Long or Yellen to waiver from their commitment. I can’t say I’m surprised because in 2019 the competition field at signal caller will be wide open, with no returning players that can claim considerable experience that could even create the perception that they may have an absolute leg up over any arriving newcomer.
Daniels’ visit went very, very well. This is one reason why I’m putting ASU’s in the driver’s seat. I also feel that if he felt that strongly about Utah, UCLA or Cal, not only would he have made a decision by now but he also would not initiate contact with ASU as he did and set this robust recruiting process in motion.
Him continuing his due diligence in his process does not put ASU at a disadvantage because that is the last school he is scheduled to visit before his commitment. Starting on November 25th he will start hosting Herm Edwards and other head coaches ahead of his likely early December decision.
If one of the committed signal callers unexpectedly (again based on their current sentiments) decides to bolt, then this will only enhance the already great position ASU is in terms of landing Daniels.
Running back
Known commits:
Demetrious Flowers (a greyshirt holdover from 2018 class)
Recruiting targets:
Tyrion Davis
Under the radar and all there is an interesting situation brewing here at this position.
When it comes to Flowers. It’s really anybody’s guess if he will break the proverbial greyshirt cycle where delayed enrollment ultimately means no enrollment. What we do know that is that if he did arrive in the spring he will count against a 2019 recruiting class already tight in numbers. Under those circumstances, I wouldn’t say that Flowers is a slam-dunk by any means to be part of this team next year.
Additionally, Davis who is an LSU commit could already have wandering eyes after Top-100 running back prospect John Emery pledged to the Tigers and the prevailing notion is that LSU is likely to try to add another four-star running back in December.
The running back attends Southern Lab High School in Baton Rouge, La. a school where ASU running backs coach John Simon once played and thus has good recruiting connections there. Needless to say, that ASU can be very attractive to Davis, as they tout the fact that the Sun Devils are expected to lose its top running back, Eno Benjamin to the 2020 NFL draft and will need a similar caliber ball carrier to replace him. And again, Davis would seemingly be more comfortable as the lone running back taken here rather than one of three Rivals250 players at his position at LSU.
Running back may not be the biggest need in this class, but I can’t see ASU turning down Davis if he wanted to come and I don’t see a scenario where ASU adds both Davis and Flowers.
Wide receiver
Known commits:
Jordan Kerley
Ricky Pearsall
Andre Johnson (greyshirt possibility)
Recruiting targets: N/A
With eight wide receivers expected to return next season (yes, we are counting N’Keal Harry as an early NFL draft entrant), when the 2019 season begins ASU could potentially have a very crowded wide receiver room with 11 players. As we previously mentioned here, there’s a good chance Andre Johnson does greyshirt and enrolls only in January of 2020. Yet, even in that scenario, you have more than an ample number of wide receivers on the roster. Therefore, I don’t expect Arizona State to actively seek out additional wide receiver prospects in this class.
Offensive line
Known commits:
Roman DeWys
LaDarius Henderson
Ben Scott
Dohnovan West
Alijah Bates (greyshirt possibility)
Recruiting targets:
Drake Nugent
In a nutshell, there is a game of "chicken" going on between Stanford and Nugent. If you told me the Cardinal might be slow playing him, I won't fight you on that.
I know he loves ASU, and if not for Stanford would be a done deal for the Sun Devils. Yet, he feels that he can't make a hasty move without making sure that Stanford is totally out of the picture. He told us that he’s still going through the admissions process with Stanford, but again you can’t rule that out as being codeword (from Stanford’s perspective) for simply stalling.
I’m not sure that ASU with its tight numbers, one reason why Bates is a greyshirt possibility, will wait until February to find out what Nugent wants to do, but for now, cannot rule it out completely.
Cohl Cabral leaving for the NFL draft isn’t a farfetched theory at all. 6-5 athletic centers are largely unheard of in the NFL, and Cabral is enjoying a fine season and has a lot of quality film to show NFL scouts. Thus, the need for a quality center which at worst will be a formidable two-deep player (and Nugent definitely has the potential to be much more than that) is a fairly critical one especially with the virtual guarantee that an inexperienced quarterback will be starting for the Sun Devils in 2019.
If Nugent is going to play in the Pac-12, it will be only for one of these two schools. He naturally has to be careful not to wait too long and possibly miss out on both, but Stanford currently has some leverage, and as mentioned maybe he has some leverage with ASU especially if some unexpected negative developments should take place with its 2019 class.
Tight end
Known commits:
Nolan Matthews
Recruiting targets: N/A
With Matthews on board, the total expected number of 2019 ASU tight ends is now four. Therefore, ASU will not pursue any more players in this role, another “causality” of tight class numbers. You also have walk-on Jarick Caldwell who is certainly a good possibility to be awarded a scholarship, which will take up one of the available spots in the class.
