All right, now that the signing day dust has settled and the most recent recruiting class has become an official part of Kansas football, let’s take a quick look at what this all means for the Jayhawks in 2013.
I’ll have plenty more reaction and analysis of this class and signing day itself throughout the day and in the coming days — including a probable podcast later this afternoon — but I wanted to get it all started with a fun and informal look at what I think this class can bring to KU.
So let’s break it down into a handful of three-player categories and follow it up with a quick and crude look at what I think the first first-string might look this fall.
Here goes:
**Three biggest impact players:**
1. Marquel Combs, DT
2. Marcus Jenkins-Moore, LB
3. Isaiah Johnson, S
**Three most needed players:**
1. Andrew Bolton, DE
2. Chris Martin, DE
3. Cassius Sendish, CB
**Three most electric players:**
1. Ishmael Hyman, WR
2. Colin Spencer, RB
3. Kevin Short, DB
**Three biggest dark horse contributors:**
1. Mike Smithburg, OL
2. Dexter McDonald, DB
3. Ngalu Fusimalohi, OL
**Three guys who need time:**
1. Jordan Darling, QB
2. Montell Cozart, QB
3. Ben Johnson, TE
**Three hardest hitters:**
1. Samson Faifili, LB
2. Andrew Bolton, DE
3. Chris Martin, DE
**Three fastest fliers:**
1. Ishmael Hyman, WR
2. Rod Coleman, WR
3. Kellen Ash, LB
**Three guys I liked more after Weis’ presser**
1. Mark Thomas, WR
2. Zach Fondal, OL
3. Tedarian Johnson, DL
**Where this class ranks nationally:**
25th – The Sporting News
45th – Rivals.com (7th in the Big 12)
50th – 24/7 Sports.com (8th in the Big 12)
55th – ESPN.com
**My way-too-early look at 2013 first-stringers:**
*OFFENSE:*
**QB** – Jake Heaps
**RB** – James Sims
**RB** – Tony Pierson
**WR** – Justin McCay
**WR** – Rod Coleman
**TE** – Jimmay Mundine
**LT** – Zach Fondal
**LG** – Damon Martin
**C** – Mike Smithburg
**RG** – Ngalu Fusimalohi
**RT** – Aslam Sterling
*DEFENSE:*
**DE** – Andrew Bolton
**DT** – Ty McKinney
**DT** – Marquel Combs
**DE** – Chris Martin
**LB** – Marcus Jenkins-Moore
**LB** – Ben Heeney
**LB** – Samson Faifili
**CB** – Cassius Sendish
**CB** – JaCorey Shepherd
**SS** – Isaiah Johnson
**FS** – Kevin Short
Stay tuned for much, much more throughout the day and the rest of the week and check back a little later for a podcast with our impressions and reactions from signing day.
