Finally, a chance to breathe.
In what might be a record, nobody is known to have committed to Kansas University’s 2005 football recruiting class in seven whole days.
The last was Jarrell Yates, an athletic wide receiver from Denver who visited Lawrence the weekend before Christmas and changed his commitment from Colorado to KU when he returned home.
Yates was the 22nd known recruit to pick KU. A month ago, the Jayhawks had just five oral commitments.
It’s been a hectic four weeks, but it could turn out to be the most rewarding month in the Mark Mangino era — if everything goes right.
“All we have to go by in the recruiting world is the present time,” said Jon Kirby, recruiting expert for rivals.com. “And at this time, this is bar-none the most talented class on paper that I’ve seen at Kansas.”
Mangino and his staff likely aren’t done, as KU is targeting 25-27 recruits for 2005. Six junior-college talents already have signed and will be on campus next month, while the other 16 are high school players that will move to Lawrence next summer.
As is common in college football, many of the 16 will take a red-shirt their first year on campus — but don’t expect all of them to.
“Honestly, I think Josh Bell may be one guy that could be game-ready,” Kirby said of the Hitchock, Texas, tight end. “He’s 6-7, 250 (pounds), he can run … he may be the one guy physically that can be ready to play in the Big 12 right away.”
Bell, though, isn’t even the top-ranked player in the class, according to rivals.com. Terrel Nemons, a 315-pound defensive tackle from Texas, barely graded better, and Pittsburg quarterback Kerry Meier has garnered comparable rankings. Meier is the top-rated player in Kansas.
Those three seem to be the premier high school players in the class, but the drop-off between them and the other 13 is minuscule. And, like their talents, the players’ reasons for choosing KU are strikingly similar, too.
“Every single recruit I’ve talked to has been impressed with the chemistry shown from the players and coaches,” Kirby said. “That’s the constant thing you always hear. The current players at the University of Kansas must feel pretty good about the program.”
Until Feb. 2 signing day, KU only can hope the class holds up. It’s possible one or two will stray, and at this point only the six juco players are tied down by paperwork.
The Jayhawks probably will chase a few more recruits, most notably Texas defensive back Korey Mangum, who told Kirby he would choose between Kansas and Florida State sometime after he played in the Army All-American game Jan. 15.
It would be a nice way to wrap up the 2005 class, but not landing Mangum would have a minimal effect on where this class ranks among Mangino’s best.
“This class,” Kirby said, “is THE best.”
| Players who have signed to play football for Kansas University in 2005:Marcus Anderson, 6-3, 280, OL, CC of San FranciscoPaul Como, 6-2, 240, DE, Saddleback (Calif.) CCJacob Cox, 6-5, 295, OL, Iowa Central CCBrian Murph, 6-2, 190, WR, Butler County CCEric Washington, 6-2, 220, LB, Minnesota West CCWayne Wilder, 6-3, 295, DL, Garden City CCPlayers who are known to have made oral commitments to play football for Kansas University in 2005:Josh Bell, 6-7, 250, TE, Hitchcock, TexasCaleb Blakesley, 6-5, 270, DL, OttawaRussell Brorsen, 6-4, 235, DL, Stillwater, Okla.Dustin Fortson, 5-11, 208, LB, MiamiBobby Johnson, 6-3, 270, DL, Kansas City (Mo.) WestportJacob Lacey, 5-10, 155, DB, Garland, TexasKerry Meier, 6-2, 207, QB, PittsburgTerrel Nemons, 6-3, 315, DL, Cedar Hill, TexasRaimond Pendleton, 6-0, 182, WR, Garland, TexasJose Rodriguez, 6-6, 255, OL, La Puente, Calif.Jake Schermer, 6-2, 200, LB-S, Ozark, Mo.Darrell Stuckey, 6-1, 180, DB, Kansas City WashingtonVal Taylor, 6-1, 180, WR, DallasAdam Welty, 6-6, 270, OL, NewtonJeff Wheeler, 6-7, 245, DT, HoustonJarrell Yates, 6-2, 190, WR, Denver |
