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HURRICANES, SEMINOLES, TIGERS
HOKIES EARN BEST FOOTBALL
RECRUITING GRADES

By Dave Glenn and Staff
February 10, 2008

Four ACC football programs earned top-25 rankings nationally for their 2008 signing classes. Here are the ACC Sports Journal’s annual report cards for all 12 teams in the conference.

RECRUITING REPORT CARDS

MIAMI: A

CORAL GABLES – After Randy Shannon finished his opening statement on Miami’s impressive signing class, reporters tried their hardest to get the coach to smile.

There was little success.

Although the Hurricanes had what experts called one of the nation’s top recruiting classes, Shannon still was not ready to unleash any joy. That won’t happen until the players get on the field and begin to produce.

"It’s a foundation," Shannon said. "Now the foundation, you can take that next step if you want to. If you want to say all 33 of these guys play next year, I don’t think so. But most of them should play. … The foundation of what we have for this team is starting to build for the future now."

It was hard not to be in awe of the Hurricanes’ 2008 class. The group was ranked in the top five by most recruiting services, including No. 1 by ESPN.com.

Miami landed Kansas linebacker Arthur Brown, Scout.com’s top-ranked player, and eight prospects from Miami Northwestern High. The Bulls were the nation’s top high school team last year. Among the Northwestern players are quarterback Jacory Harris, defensive tackle Marcus Forston, linebacker Sean Spence and receivers Aldarius Johnson and Tommy Streeter. Harris, who was the EA Sports national player of the year, already has enrolled and is expected to battle Robert Marve for the starting QB spot during spring practice.

"It’s been a long time since that has happened, to have eight from one school," Shannon said. "I’ve been watching them play since ninth grade. You’re always at the school, at practice. … When you look at the players on this list, many of them were in playoff games, were playing for or won state championships. And they’re passionate about the game. That’s the thing you have to look at, the passion they have for the game."

Miami also scored big by getting Ramon Buchanan, an in-state linebacker from Melbourne Palm Bay. Buchanan was committed to the Hurricanes throughout the season but had changed his mind after visiting Florida. He was all set to be a Gator until a last-minute switch on national signing day.

"We recruited him," Shannon said. "I can’t give you secrets. Someone else may use it. We just recruited hard. Coach (Michael) Barrow, that was his area. He made the phone calls, talked to the kid. We did our job, and that’s part of recruiting. You have to sell your program. Most of the kids, student-athletes, we recruited this year, they come to the University of Miami for one thing – because we’re family."

Buchanan may switch to safety in college, because the Hurricanes are stocked at linebacker. They signed eight, highlighted by Brown and Spence.

Another need was receiver. Miami got seven, with hopes of improving an area that has struggled. After producing the likes of Reggie Wayne, Andre Johnson and Sinorice Moss, the pool has dried up. The receivers have been one of the causes of the offensive woes over the last three seasons, but the addition of players such as Travis Benjamin, Davon Johnson and Laron Byrd could change that.

"If you look at the receivers, we have Aldarius (Johnson), Laron (Byrd) and Tommy Streeter," Shannon said. "Those are big receivers. The next tier is Davon (Johnson) and Travis (Benjamin). Those are guys that can play in and out, make some plays. … Those guys, plus the guys we have now, (make) it exciting because when injuries come, you can always put somebody back in there."

Another huge signing was Miami Washington cornerback Brandon Harris. After losing Patrick Johnson, who was rated as the nation’s best at the position, getting Harris became a necessity. He announced his decision on national television, giving most of the credit to Shannon.

"The one thing I respected that Coach Shannon did was when we met on my official visit," Harris said. "He brought me in the office and said, ‘I know you. You know me. We’ve got a great relationship, but don’t let that affect your decision. Go where you’re happy, go where you want to play ball at.’ That’s what I respected the most. … He didn’t pressure me into a decision."

In all, the Hurricanes signed 33 players. The most impressive aspect was Shannon’s ability to lock down the talent in South Florida. Of the 23 players from Florida, 18 were from Miami-Dade, Broward or Palm Beach counties.

"The first thing when we started off was say, ‘We have to recruit South Florida heavy,’ from Orlando down," Shannon said. "We concentrated on the South Florida area, went out and got the best fit for the University of Miami, not just football-wise, but character-wise, academic-wise."

– Shandel Richardson, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

FLORIDA STATE: A

TALLAHASSEE – Florida State football fans have grown accustomed to landing 11th-hour signing day surprises in recent years. From that perspective, the Seminoles’ 2008 class came up short.

It may prove to be the group’s only shortcoming, though, as advance planning paid off with a couple dozen early commitments making good on their word in the assembly of a consensus top-10 class.

A full year of talent evaluation and recruiting by a re-tooled coaching staff appears to have paid dividends in the form of a 30-member signing day class.

"It’s a group that I don’t think we can afford to swap with anybody in the country," FSU coach Bobby Bowden said. "I don’t know what they (other teams) got, but I know what we got. … I think this group has more maturity than some of our past groups. I say that in regard to boys that will be able to help us immediately."

That’s a good thing, because early playing opportunities abound for the newcomers, who will be forced to fill the voids created by the absences of roughly a dozen players suspended for the first three games as a result of FSU’s recent academic scandal.

Though the Seminoles failed to land any last-minute stars, they did not lose a single verbal commitment, either. Bowden likened it to an Easter egg hunt.

"This year it was kind of like, your basket is full," Bowden said. "If you find them, where are you going to put them?"

FSU managed to fill virtually all of its needs despite recruiting coordinator John Lilly’s defection to Georgia just 10 days before national signing day. The impact of Lilly’s departure was lessened by the organizational plan put in place by first-year director of player personnel Bob LaCivita.

FSU’s new class directly reflected the wants and desires of coach-in-waiting Jimbo Fisher, especially on offense.

"The big thing we were looking for in this class was, we were trying to increase the size of our team and be more physical, but at the same time keep the home run ability to hit big plays," said Fisher, who brought in 17 newcomers to his offense.

"All of them have good size, a lot of physicality. Some guys can play multiple positions. … They’re guys who when they get in space they’re running away from people and when they get in a crowd they’re punishing people. That’s the kind of football players we want."

That’s readily evident when examining the stature of the running backs and receivers in the class. Junior college tailback Tavares Pressley (6-1, 215) and freshmen Jermaine Thomas (6-1, 190), Carlton Jones (5-11, 215) and Debrale Smiley (6-2, 240) are all bigger than any of the Seminoles’ returning ball-carriers.

Meanwhile, Fisher gushed over the signing of junior college wide receiver Corey Surrency (6-5, 210), who also is blessed with 4.4 speed.

"He’s better than anybody I had at LSU," Fisher said.

Freshman Jarmon Fortson (6-3, 220), whom the Seminoles wrangled away from Auburn, may be the best athlete in the class. Not far behind is classmate Avis Commack (6-4, 182), one of a trio of players from Jacksonville First Coast. Commack is among the nation’s best prep hurdlers.

Offensive line coach Rick Trickett was responsible for inking six commitments, though at least two of those may be ticketed for grayshirts. Still, he was able to address one of FSU’s most pressing needs with the kind of smart, gritty players who have a chance to make the two-deep roster the moment they set foot on campus.

"We got guys that we can build on," Trickett said, boasting that his six-pack of signees has an average SAT score of 1,000. "Just like Bobby Knight said the other day: Smart wins."

Andrew Datko, Zebrie Sanders, David Spurlock and Rhonne Sanderson are expected to compete for playing time immediately on a line that must replace three senior regulars.

The star of the offensive class may prove to be quarterback E.J. Manuel, but there’s no shortage of talent on the defensive side, either.

"We’re very fortunate that out of the signees we have on defense, three of them are already in school," said defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews, pointing to linebackers Nigel Bradham and Vincent Williams, and cornerback Terrance Parks.

The suspensions of eight defensive players for three games opened up playing opportunities at linebacker and on the defensive front.

In Bradham and Nigel Carr, the Seminoles landed two of the nation’s top outside linebacker prospects. They are now candidates to start the 2008 opener.

"We want to be the greatest linebacker corps to come through Florida State," Bradham said.

Up front, freshman tackle Moses McCray could be in the playing rotation from day one as well. End Markus White widely is regarded as the best junior college defender in the country, after ringing up 24.5 sacks in his sophomore season for 12-0 Butler Community College. His arrival provided hope that the Seminoles can rediscover their once-daunting pass rush.

"We feel like that group is going to step in and not just play, but help us win football games," Andrews said, "especially the first three games."

A pair of Pennsylvanians also should help fill significant voids. Nick Moody was the only true safety signed in the class. That’s a position where the Seminoles desperately need help.

Diminutive A.J. Alexander (5-11, 170) was signed as a running back, and while he could end up at corner, his playmaking ability and sprinter speed could provide a big lift to FSU’s pedestrian return units.

FSU’s coaches expect some attrition from the over-signed class, but offensive linemen Garrett Faircloth and Blake Snider, receiver Josh Gehres and defensive tackle Anthony Hill could end up accepting grayshirts. The Seminoles expect safety Travis Arnold, defensive tackle Anthony McCloud and Smiley to attend prep schools or junior colleges before joining the program.

– Bob Thomas, Florida Times-Union

CLEMSON: A-

CLEMSON – It would have taken a lot to wipe the smile off Billy Napier’s face.

A year ago, the 28-year-old Napier was promoted to recruiting coordinator at Clemson. And now, on signing day, he was reflecting on the treasure of a jewel-studded recruiting class.

"I’m still waiting on them to wake me up today," Napier said.

Napier and the rest of Clemson’s coaches were pinching themselves often on a day that saw the Tigers land three highly coveted prospects – not to mention a few who already had committed – to cement perhaps the best haul of 10th-year coach Tommy Bowden’s tenure.

The signing-day additions of running back Jamie Harper, tight end Dwayne Allen and offensive lineman Antonio McClain applied the cherry to the top of a 25-man class that would have been impressive even without their signatures.

The only thing that kept Clemson from going 4-for-4 on the day was linebacker Jerrell Harris signing with home-state Alabama. Rest assured, the staff wasn’t going to let that development take away from the celebration.

Scout.com rated the class 11th nationally. Rivals.com pegged it 12th. Both services ranked the Tigers third in the ACC, behind Miami and Florida State.

"We’ve got great people here," Napier said. "I think that was the difference in us putting this class together."

The Tigers certainly have something going for them. Clemson succumbed to a recurring nightmare on the field last season, yet again falling excruciatingly short of the ACC title game. A Nov. 17 home loss to Boston College denied the Tigers an Atlantic Division title, and an overtime defeat to Auburn in the Chick-fil-A Bowl prevented them from claiming their first 10-win season since 1990.

But none of that had any effect on the recruiting trail, where Clemson won plenty of battles with traditional heavyweights. With 10 days remaining until signing day, seven decorated prospects remained on the Tigers’ board. Clemson ended up getting six of them.

"To have seven on the table and get six, it doesn’t happen often," Bowden said.

Clemson gained some strong momentum on Jan. 25, when defensive tackle Brandon Thompson and offensive lineman Kenneth Page committed on the same day.

Thompson, from Thomasville, Ga., also had offers from Florida State, Georgia, LSU and Miami, among others. Page, from Columbia, S.C., chose the Tigers after his hometown Gamecocks backed off because of a shoulder injury. Among Page’s other finalists were Notre Dame, Tennessee and North Carolina.

Receiver Jaron Brown of Cheraw, S.C., added to the positive vibes on Feb. 1, committing to the Tigers over South Carolina and Michigan.

Then came signing day itself.

It got off to a great start when Allen, who had announced his commitment to Georgia earlier in the week, reneged and signed with the Tigers. The 6-3, 220-pounder from Fayetteville, N.C., was rated the 83rd-best player in the nation by ESPN.com.

It continued when McClain, of Anniston, Ala., followed suit and donned a purple and orange Clemson cap at his press conference. McClain, rated the No. 13 offensive tackle in the nation by Rivals.com, also had offers from Florida, Georgia, LSU, Alabama and Auburn, among others.

Soon after noon, Harper stood before ESPN cameras in Jacksonville, Fla., and pledged his allegiance to Clemson. The 6-0, 227-pound running back, whom Scout.com accorded with exalted five-star status, also was considering Miami, Florida, Florida State and Illinois.

Bowden credited Clemson’s on-going facilities improvements for allowing the Tigers to win so many battles against the big dogs. Renewed job security probably didn’t hurt, either: Bowden locked up a lucrative contract extension in December, after flirting seriously with Arkansas for the Razorbacks’ vacancy.

"It’s awful important that you’re going to be there," said Bowden, whose team was 9-4 in 2007. "You’re sitting there taking their son. Whether it’s their first or last son, you’re talking about continuing on what they’ve done for 17 or 18 years. The fact that you’re going to be there to do it is awful important. There’s no doubt it’s used against you if it’s an unstable situation."

Allen began to waver on his initial Georgia commitment the week before signing day. Bowden visited Allen in Fayetteville on Feb. 1 and spoke with him again several times thereafter.

Bowden said he was surprised when Allen announced he was sticking with the Bulldogs two days before signing day. But the Tigers, who recently had lost out to Georgia when defensive lineman A.J. Harmon reneged on his commitment to Clemson, evened the score when everything became official.

Harper’s situation was dicey after Tigers tailback James Davis pulled his name out of the NFL draft and thus opted for a return to Clemson for his senior year. For some time, Napier said, Harper had been under the impression that Davis was bolting for the NFL after his junior season.

Harper’s chief recruiter was assistant head coach Dabo Swinney, who was responsible for nabbing five-star tailback C.J. Spiller from Florida two years ago.

"We kind of had to re-recruit him," Napier said. "The set of circumstances that he based his decision on changed."

Bowden said his pitch to Harper remained the same: The Tigers still have a place for a big, talented back to complement Davis and Spiller.

"Two-twenty-five is 225," Bowden said, "and we didn’t have that."

The Tigers have it now, and a lot more.

– Larry Williams, Charleston (S.C.) Post and Courier

VIRGINIA TECH: B+

BLACKSBURG – Before he spoke with the media on the afternoon of Feb. 6, Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer had a chance to reflect on everything that had gone into the signing of 31 football players, the biggest recruiting class of his 21 years with the Hokies.

He organized his thoughts into what he loved about the class, what he didn’t like and what challenges awaited. With such a huge class, he didn’t have to worry about failure to address immediate needs. In short, Tech got just about everything it wanted, but the big class will require some creativity in the future to be effective.

There was a lot to love, including domination within the state of Virginia and in the talent-rich Hampton Roads area of the state, plus an excellent cache of players from outside the state. Tech picked up 21 signees from within the state, which was 18 more than Virginia.

"I think (in-state recruiting success) goes in cycles," Beamer said. "We hit on a lot of guys that like Virginia Tech, but I think that goes in cycles. Some years Virginia has gotten the best of us, and some years we’ve gotten the best of them. I think you better keep your head down and keep working, because we want to get the best kids out of the state of Virginia. I think we did this year. There’s no question about that."

Tech gained marquee names from in-state and out-of-state, including running back Ryan Williams from Manassas, Va., offensive tackle Vinston Painter from Norfolk, Va., and linebacker Bruce Taylor from Myrtle Beach, S.C. Though Beamer’s list of things he didn’t like was short (maybe a few recruiting misses here and there), he recognized that his team’s future success could depend on how this class is managed.

Tech will have at least four signees (likely wide receiver D.J. Coles, linebacker Derrick McCoy, running back Tony Gregory and possibly linebacker Allen Stephens) head to prep school and two others (quarterback Joseph Clayton and receiver Ben Barber) grayshirt in order to get down to the NCAA maximum of 25 scholarship enrollees per year.

In addition to those detours, it appears that Tech’s coaches sold Williams on coming to Blacksburg by promising to put him on the fast track. Williams, who many recruiting analysts considered among the nation’s top five running back prospects, said one of the reasons he chose Tech instead of Boston College was because he was promised playing time as a true freshman.

With eight tailbacks returning to Tech’s backfield, including starter Branden Ore, it’s going to get crowded, and Williams will have to fight for carries. Of course, there’s always kick and punt returns, but playing a freshman solely for that kind of duty almost seems like a waste of a year.

"I’m not redshirting," Williams said. "I’m going to play. As far as where I am on the running back depth chart, I’m not sure. I talked to (Tech running backs coach) Billy Hite, and he asked me if I’d ever returned kicks, so we’ll see. I just know I didn’t want to redshirt. That’s another thing that played a part with my decision to go to Virginia Tech. I’d rather play at running back next season, but if it’s just at the slot (receiver) and catching a couple of balls or returning kicks, I’ll do anything they ask me to do."

This coming year’s recruiting efforts may be more difficult for Tech’s coaching staff, because they’re going to have to be a lot more selective. After next season, Tech will have only 10 seniors graduate, which means next February’s recruiting class could be only one-third as large as this year’s class.

It’s an unfortunate time to be squeezed in the scholarship department, because this year’s crop of talent in the state of Virginia looks to be outstanding, especially in the Hampton Roads area. Tech offensive line coach Curt Newsome was responsible for gaining six signees from Virginia Beach and one from Norfolk in the most recent class, beating out traditional top 25-level programs such as Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Penn State, Miami and Tennessee.

"If you go back and look at some of those schools we beat, I know when we first got here when some of those schools got involved (Tech) was probably second right away or maybe third," Beamer said. "Now we go in there and those people have got to beat us.

"We’re not going to be able to offer some guys we’d really like to right here in the state next year that we certainly think are good enough, but they don’t fit either what we need or where we plan to offer scholarships. That’s the thing. You want to keep getting those great classes from the state of Virginia."

N.C. STATE: B

RALEIGH – Relationships, as the overused adage goes, are the key to recruiting. Build solid ones, particularly with high school coaches, and the recruits will come.

When N.C. State started putting together its Class of 2008, coach Tom O’Brien and his staff had a two-fold task. Not only did they have to make coaches around the state familiar with them, they also had to repair the damage wrought by the previous Wolfpack regime, under Chuck Amato.

Amato had rubbed many in-state high school coaches the wrong way, on several fronts. First, he spent a great deal of time pursuing prospects in Florida, and he sometimes spoke of a lack of talent in North Carolina. Second, he treated the Murphy Football Center at State as his own private fiefdom, a place where very few outside the program were allowed. Third, Amato’s personality is – for lack of a better term – an acquired taste, especially for many Southerners.

In his introductory press conference at State, O’Brien announced his intention to recruit North Carolina first and foremost. Then he opened up the Murphy Center, issuing an open invitation to high school coaches to come in and watch film with the staff whenever they wanted. Spring practices were moved from the morning to the afternoon, giving coaches within driving distance – and, oh yeah, their star recruits – a chance to drop by and check out the Wolfpack’s new ways.

O’Brien also made it a goal to have at least one member of his staff make contact with every program in the state.

"It is very important, because if people at the high school feel good about the people that are recruiting their players, it is always a positive for you going forward," O’Brien said. "We are the state university. We have to recruit this state to be successful."

It was a very different approach than the one O’Brien had to use at Boston College, where the lack of local prospects forced him to travel far and wide – often to Catholic high schools in the Midwest – to find recruits. But it was very similar to the work O’Brien once did as an assistant at Virginia, when he recruited the talent-rich Tidewater area for George Welsh.

The results were similar as well. When O’Brien was with the Cavaliers, he brought in a host of blue-chip prospects, including defensive end Chris Slade and running back Terry Kirby. In his first full recruiting cycle at State, O’Brien’s class of 26 players included 13 from in-state. According to the Rivals.com rankings, the Wolfpack landed three of the top six players in North Carolina, five of the top 15 and seven of the top 25.

Did State benefit from the fact that UNC appears to be taking a more regional and national approach to recruiting under coach Butch Davis? Perhaps. But it’s worth noting that the top five in-state recruits the Wolfpack landed also received scholarship offers from the Tar Heels.

O’Brien had stated that the goal for this class was to "sign a football team." While it’s true that State had a need to boost talent program-wide, there were some areas that were more critical than others – chiefly both lines and the linebacker corps. The Wolfpack did well on all three fronts.

Two of the four linebackers State brought in were in-state prospects – noticing a theme here? – Terrell Manning and Dwayne Maddox. Manning likely would have competed for immediate playing time next season, but he suffered an ACL tear that will force him to redshirt.

Three of the five offensive linemen the Wolfpack brought in also hail from North Carolina. R.J. Mattes and Sam Jones were both big names, but fellow tackle Andrew Wallace has sleeper potential.

Thanks to the losses of seniors Martrel Brown, DeMario Pressley and Littleton Wright, the defensive line was the area where State most needed players who could get on the field in 2008. So O’Brien tapped into a resource that usually wasn’t available to him at BC: the junior colleges.

State brought in the inside beef O’Brien prefers at tackle in LeRoy Burgess (Georgia Military College) and 330-pounder Thomas Locust (Cerritos Community College). End Shea McKeen, who played one season at South Carolina, came to State via Nassau Community College.

Going the junior college route took O’Brien and his staff out of their typical recruiting territories for the Class of 2008. Going forward, expect that sort of thing to be the exception rather than the rule.

The in-state bridges that had been burned before have been rebuilt, and the doors to the Wolfpack program have been opened wide to the best talent in North Carolina.

"We wanted to recruit this state," O’Brien said. "Recruit it hard."

BOSTON COLLEGE: B

CHESTNUT HILL – Jeff Jagodzinski was pleased with his first full year of recruiting as the Boston College head coach.

Last year, Jagodzinski replaced Tom O’Brien on Dec. 19. This year was all his, and he thought he did well, after bringing in a class that seemed to have most people agreeing with him.

Hit hard by graduation, the Eagles needed a large class, and Jagodzinski unveiled a 29-player group. It came equipped with two quarterbacks (Matt Ryan is gone) and four running backs. Andre Callender and L.V. Whitworth are done, and sophomore Jeff Smith can’t play anymore because of concussion problems.

Jagodzinski is a non-believer when it comes to the rating system that puts stars on high school players. (He loves to talk about how safety Jamie Silva went from nowhere to All-America status.) But Jags managed to fill his 2008 list with mostly three- and four-star players. That’s something this largest class in recent memory at The Heights did not have in common with the groups before it.

"I think we got a really good, solid class," Jagodzinski said.

For four-star guys, the Eagles were able to pick up running back Josh Haden, a fireplug already being seen as a favorite to start next season, plus offensive lineman Mike Goodman and safety Okechukwu Okoroha.

"I’m not looking for five-star recruits," Jagodzinski said. "I want five-star football players."

He brought in transfer Codi Boek, and there are those who feel Boek can challenge heir apparent Chris Crane for the starting job this spring. On the record, Jagodzinski said Boek was added to close the gap between Crane and other, untested guys. Recruit Justin Tuggle, whose father had a long career as a linebacker in the NFL, will arrive this summer.

The running back group got stronger with the late addition of the bruising Jerry Kelly – 6-0, 220 pounds and not yet 18. It is an interesting group and one that has to make an impact. The Eagles have nobody on their current roster who has carried the ball more than eight times at the college level.

"They all have a little different styles," Jagodzinski said. "They all have a little bit different strengths. We’ve got a couple of guys that are smaller (Haden, Montel Harris), but they’re 5-9 and 190-200 pounds."

The list of signees also was full of Jagodzinski’s favorite type of player, the long and lean kid who can be molded into any of several things. There wasn’t a 300-pounder on the list, because the coach believes that’s too big for a high school kid. He wants to get the player in the program and then take it from there.

On signing day, Jagodzinski told a story of having dinner recently with former Eagles star Pete Kendall, the long-time NFL lineman. He said he asked Kendall what his size was before college, and Kendall told him 6-5, 230. Obviously, he got much bigger while at BC.

"I don’t think you can sign enough fullback-, tight end-, defensive end-type bodies, because they’re going to be something," the coach said. "I’m not sure sometimes what they’re going to be, I don’t know, but they’re good football players. Those are guys that make plays. You can’t have enough of those type of people because they’re going to be something."

The new players who fit into that category included 6-2, 240-pound defensive end Max Holloway, one of four members of the class already attending school and thus eligible for spring practice. Then there’s 6-5, 225-pound Chris Pantale, 6-4, 250-pound defensive end Christian Klein and 6-3, 215-pound linebacker Nick Clancy.

Jagodzinski also likes the new kids to be "smart and tough," fitting the BC mold. He was excited about this group from that angle. Beyond that, he said there was "a boatload" of kids left out there who wanted to come but didn’t make the cut. He also said the signees were all excited to be Eagles.

"We’re so excited about our guys," he said. "They’re smart and they’re tough. I’m going to tell you this: The guys that are here wanted to be here. I told kids all along, I want you here if you want to be part of this program. If I have to talk you into coming here or if I have to beg you to come, you’re not our type of guy."

He said he had no way of knowing which rookies would play in 2008, noting the quick rises of offensive tackle Anthony Castonzo and fullback Brad Newman last year. Those two guys weren’t high on the staff’s radar before preseason camp, then played a lot last fall.

"I wish I could predict that, I really do," the coach said. "Last year I would have had zero predictions that Castonzo was going to play, Newman.

"There are a bunch of guys that played as true freshmen, and I would have never thought that. If they come in and they fill a need and are better than what we’re playing with, then they are going to play."

– Mike Shalin, ACCSports.com

NORT CAROLINA: B

CHAPEL HILL – As with many football recruiting classes, who is to say whether North Carolina landed a great class, a good class, a productive class, or something that will struggle to make a name for itself over the next five years?

On the surface, anyway, UNC coach Butch Davis can make a case for it being a successful collection. He inherited a Carolina team in 2007 with some talent, just not enough of it, or at least not enough experienced talent. The ultimate tale will be told this fall.

For now, Davis can argue that the coaching staff signed enough genuine prospects on Feb. 6 to help make this a formidable team on defense and special teams, mainly by adding athletic kids with some size who can make plays in an open field against other quality athletes.

"We wanted to balance out and complement the 2007 team," Davis said. "This year’s signees are decidedly more defensively slanted. Last year, there were a relatively significant amount of offensive players."

UNC signed 11 offensive players last year, compared to six this time. With a limited number of scholarships, this year the Tar Heels landed 10 defensive players. They signed 11 defenders last season, when they had more scholarships to give overall.

The 2008 class is deep along the defensive line, like last year’s group, but this time the depth is at end, not tackle. Quinton Coples, Michael McAdoo, Robert Quinn and Dion Guy are all potential ends.

The Tar Heels also went heavy on linebackers, with Zach Brown, Ebele Okakpu, Kevin Reddick and Kenneth Harris.

"Having a year with our football team," Davis said, "we had a greater understanding of our needs."

One question that remains is how many of the kids who signed their names on paper will get it written across the back of a jersey this fall. Teams in the power conferences sign players every year that they know probably won’t meet the necessary academic requirements as set by the NCAA. They sign them regardless, hoping to place those who fall short in a prep school or junior college.

A year ago, 6-5 wide receiver Dwight Jones of Burlington, N.C., signed with UNC and made the Tar Heels’ class shine even more. He has yet to qualify, even after spending the fall semester at Hargrave Military Academy in an effort to get the necessary test score.

This time, Carolina signed a junior college defensive back and two players from prep school. The difference is Coples spent his senior year of high school at Hargrave. Brown went there after graduating from high school in Maryland.

Brown’s an interesting story. He was timed at 4.39 seconds in the 40-yard dash on timing day at Hargrave. As a high school senior in Maryland, he finished second in the 100-meter dash in the state championships.

"In the staff meeting this afternoon, we talked about having him return kicks," Davis said on signing day. "That is unusual for a linebacker."

UNC hopes it further solved its issues at running back with the addition of Jamal Womble from Arizona. Offensive coordinator John Shoop said Womble now weighs 229 pounds, and it is muscle. Womble was listed officially at 5-10, 220. He ran for more than 1,700 yards and scored 21 touchdowns as a senior.

Another area Davis wanted to address was signing more athletes to help on special teams.

Offensive linemen and defensive tackles just have a limited role they can play on special teams, and a severe lack of depth hurt the Tar Heels in this area a year ago. By adding so many linebackers and a couple of athletic defensive backs with size, Davis is hoping to rectify that issue in the fall.

"We felt like we needed a significant number of players who could play a role in special teams," Davis said. "One of the characteristics of this class is it has speed. This is a class that can run extremely well. It’s also a class that has playmakers. These kids have the ability to make plays on the football."

Two players in particular helped to make this a successful class in the coaches’ eyes, and also impressed the people who rank recruiting classes.

Quinn and Christian Wilson, a tight end from Pennsylvania, were both four-star recruits by the services and were highly recruited by traditional powers. Wilson, in fact, had committed to Michigan, but he changed his mind when the coaching staff there changed at year’s end.

"We were pretty confident on all of them, with the exception of two of them," Davis said. "Two of them … you went to bed, you were crossing your fingers and holding your breath and trying to read the tea leaves. I think the kids know where they are going to go, but they love the drama. They’re trying to give coaches ulcers.

"The two biggest guys were Robert Quinn and Christian Wilson. You felt like we had done everything we could from a recruiting standpoint to get those two players, but it was a highly competitive situation."

– Eddy Landreth, Chapel Hill (N.C.) News

MARYLAND: B-

COLLEGE PARK – After seven years as Maryland’s head coach, Ralph Friedgen said he’s discovered a few secrets about the recruiting game.

Friedgen has learned that the character and heart a prospect possesses means more than the number of stars alongside his name. After getting burned by some high-profile recruits who looked good on paper, Friedgen now is putting more focus than ever on those who impress him in person.

"There are certain measurables that are obvious, and then there are certain measurables that are hard to find. You can height and weight them, you can run them. You can look at them, but what’s inside them is the main one," Friedgen said on signing day. "If you can find out what kind of heart they have, how driven they are to be successful, that’s what I’m looking for. I think that can make up for some physical deficiencies."

Defensive lineman A.J. Francis fits the Terps’ revised description. The local (Gonzaga) product was rated as a three-star (on a five scale) prospect by both Rivals.com and Scout.com, but his stock was much higher among the Maryland coaches who got to know him as a person.

"A.J. Francis is a top-notch individual. He is a quality young man from a great family who has the type of character, confidence and charisma we are looking for in this program," Maryland recruiting coordinator and defensive line coach Dave Sollazzo said. "A.J. came here on his official visit and, without prompting, led the prayer when we all sat down for a meal. It is quite obvious to me that he is a young man of values, with principles, and a true leader."

Francis was the third Class of 2008 recruit to choose Maryland, committing last February after also considering Georgia Tech and Wake Forest. Friedgen has grown wary of early commitments, after having several recruits renege on their pledges and sign with other schools. He praised Francis for holding firm and not taking other official visits, despite numerous overtures from rival programs.

That loyalty became more notable after three 2008 prospects who had committed to Maryland backed out late in the recruiting process. Defensive back Tavon Wilson, linebacker Zach Brown and defensive end Tyler Urban all ditched the Terps and signed instead with Illinois, North Carolina and West Virginia, respectively. That prompted Friedgen to renew his call for an early signing period for football.

"When I shake your hand and say welcome to Maryland, that’s a commitment because I’m a man of my word," Friedgen said. "I really think they could solve this problem with an early signing day. That would do away with a lot of the reservations instead of commitments. That’s what I tell them. They make a reservation. They want me to hold a spot for them while they look somewhere else, and I don’t really think that’s fair."

Wide receiver Kenny Tate (DeMatha Catholic) headlined an impressive crop of local recruits who signed national letters of intent with Maryland this year. Tate, who was selected to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and was named a first-team All-American by SuperPrep and Rivals.com, chose Maryland over Illinois.

Half of the Terrapins’ class hails from the state of Maryland, with Tate among four Forestville residents in the group. In somewhat of an oddity, wide receiver Kevin Dorsey, cornerback Cameron Chism and tight end Devonte Campbell also live in that same community, in Prince George’s County.

"I thought our coaches did an unbelievable job on the local front," Friedgen said. "We got the kids we really wanted from this area."

Maryland signed five recruits who were listed as All-Americans by one or more scouting services, and three of those were wide receivers. Dorsey, Tate and Kerry Boykins, out of Oscar Smith High in Chesapeake, Va., all were rated among the 20 best receivers in the country by most recruiting analysts.

Dorsey and Tate were among several recruits Friedgen singled out for possessing excellent grades and high character. Forestville is a military school, and Dorsey had risen to Commandant, the highest rank a student can achieve.

"Basically, Kevin was in charge of the school during the fall semester. He had a ton of responsibility," Friedgen said. "Kevin is just an outstanding individual."

Dorsey, who committed to Maryland as a sophomore and never wavered, piled up 80 receptions for 1,927 yards and 24 touchdowns over his final two seasons. He graduated in January with a 3.4 GPA.

Boykins, who also had offers from Tennessee, Michigan State and North Carolina, among others, might be better than both Dorsey and Tate. A 6-1, 200-pounder, Boykins earned a reputation as a physical receiver who is capable of making tough catches in traffic. He made 78 catches for 1,455 yards and 15 TDs over the last two seasons.

The Terps inked four prospects for the defensive line, which Friedgen said was a position of need. Masengo Kabongo, a Congo native who speaks four languages fluently, was the most highly regarded of the bunch. The 6-1, 285-pounder from Connecticut chose Maryland over Florida, Notre Dame and others.

"Maska combines great strength and power with excellent quickness and agility," Friedgen said of Kabongo, who came to the United States as a seventh-grader and did not play football until high school.

Other members of the class accorded All-American status included Campbell and running back Gary Douglas.

Campbell, who signed with the Terps last February but did not qualify academically, spent the fall semester at Hargrave Military Academy. Friedgen likened the tight end to former Maryland great Vernon Davis, now of the San Francisco 49ers.

Douglas, out of Hillside High in Durham, N.C., rushed for 3,989 yards and 39 TDs over his final two seasons.

"(Douglas) is an exciting, explosive runner with great speed and moves," Friedgen said.

One of the more recognizable names on Maryland’s signing list was Davin Meggett, a running back out of Surrattsville High in Clinton, Md. The 5-8, 210-pounder, who rushed for 1,784 yards and 32 TDs en route to earning all-state honors in 2007, is the son of former NFL star David Meggett (Towson State).

Four of the players who officially signed with Maryland on Feb. 6 already have enrolled at the university. Campbell and tight end Matt Furstenburg were attending prep schools, while Dorsey and linebacker Demetrius Hartsfield graduated early from high school.

Dorsey and Hartsfield are obviously top-notch students, while the likes of Kabongo, Tate, Francis and Chism all boast cumulative GPAs in the 3.0 range.

Defensive lineman Zach Kerr of nearby Quince Orchard High is believed to be the only signee who needs an upgrade to qualify for freshman eligibility. Friedgen said Maryland was unable to sign in-state defensive lineman Teddy Dargan, who committed to the Terps a year ago, for academic reasons.

"This is, by far, the best class we’ve ever had academically," Friedgen said. "The number of kids who are solid academically is really quite impressive."

– Bill Wagner, Annapolis (Md.) Capital

GEORGIA TECH: C+

ATLANTA – Panic seemed to set in around the middle of December on the message boards, regarding Georgia Tech recruiting.

The Yellow Jackets, who were fresh off their best class under coach Chan Gailey, had built some positive momentum with some high-profile commitments early in the 2008 recruiting class. But the buzz seemingly was lost following the firing of Gailey and the subsequent hiring of former Georgia Southern and Navy coach Paul Johnson.

Johnson ultimately put to bed those worries, fighting through defections and against misconceptions about his triple-option offense in just under two months to sign a respectable first class.

"I am very pleased with this class," Johnson said. "We feel like this is a group of kids who will work hard and who are extremely excited about coming to Georgia Tech. I think we were able to recruit quality kids while filling some needs at every position group. I think we have some good fits for what we want to do on offense and defense. My staff worked very hard to produce solid results in a short amount of time."

It was especially impressive considering the hits the Yellow Jackets took at the end of 2007. The Jackets first lost highly recruited receiver A.J. Jenkins of Jacksonville, Fla., to Illinois, just before another loss to rival Georgia. Arizona quarterback Sean Renfree followed.

Then came another wide receiver, Chris Jackson of McDonough, Ga. – the first player in this class who committed to Gailey – who switched to Alabama. Finally, Johnson lost Buford, Ga., linebacker T.J. Pridemore to Florida. They were arguably the top five Tech commitments.

But Johnson wasn’t dismayed. He retained Gailey assistants Brian Jean-Mary and Charles Kelly, sending them out on the recruiting trail right after he was hired.

Johnson’s biggest recruit, however, was retaining recruiting coordinator and defensive line coach Giff Smith, one of the most respected college coaches in Georgia. Smith played at Georgia Southern when Johnson was the offensive coordinator there and later worked for him in Statesboro.

"There was nothing that Tech could have done that would have made a bigger impact than keeping Giff Smith," said Dublin (Ga.) High coach Roger Holmes, whose center Nick McRae will play for the Yellow Jackets.

"Giff Smith is the kind of representative that you want for a university," Baldwin High coach Jesse Hicks said. "Every person in this state respects that man. When Giff Smith calls, you listen. He’s a great coach, too, but just a fantastic person."

With Smith in tow, Johnson brought three assistants from Navy, and he hired defensive coordinator Dave Wommack from Southern Mississippi and former Georgia Southern coach Mike Sewak for the offensive line.

The group went to work quickly to re-recruit existing commitments. Johnson eventually convinced 11 of Gailey’s pledges to stay with Tech. Those ranged from ones who never wavered, such as Orlando running back Embry Peeples, to Miami linebacker Malcolm Munroe, who actually took a visit to North Carolina to be sure.

Johnson went on to sign nine prospects of his own. Eight of them committed in January or February.

The coach’s biggest pledge may have been his first. In-state quarterback Jaybo Shaw, who accounted for nearly 4,000 yards of total offense as a junior, originally committed to Middle Tennessee. After changing his mind in mid-December, he appears to fit Johnson’s need for a dual-threat quarterback.

Tevin Washington of Alabama also signed, giving Johnson two recruits to compete for the quarterback job with Josh Nesbitt and Calvin Booker.

Shaw’s commitment to the Jackets in December set off a chain of previously committed players switching to Tech.

Texas running back Marcus Wright de-committed from Tulsa. In-state receiver Daniel McKayhan backed out of his commitment to Memphis. In-state defensive end Antonio Wilson and Ohio receiver Quentin Sims changed their minds from Vanderbilt and Buffalo, respectively. Another player, South Carolina defensive back Lee Butler, de-committed from Duke to Tech but ended up signing with the Blue Devils.

In between the raiding of commitments, Johnson nabbed two impressive prospects in Alabama defensive tackle T.J. Barnes and in-state offensive lineman Omoregie Uzzi.

"Johnson did a strong job closing with some good players," said Scott Kennedy, Scout.com’s director of scouting. "He immediately went to work in Georgia, something that took (Gailey) a few years to figure out. Getting a guy like (Uzzi) was a huge exclamation point."

One big enough to get even Tech’s lively internet community singing a tune much different than the one in place about a month before signing day.

– Jonathan Heeter, Macon (Ga.) Telegraph

WAKE FOREST: C

WINSTON-SALEM – Finally, coach Jim Grobe can start to see the impact of Wake Forest’s Orange Bowl victory on the recruiting trail.

Although Grobe joked on national signing day that the 2008 class probably would be ranked 13th in the 12-team ACC, he also said that recruiting is much different than when he arrived in Winston-Salem seven years ago.

"Last year, we had a lot of early commitments before the Orange Bowl," Grobe said. "It really helped this year with our early commitments. Those early commitments came in a big part because of the Orange Bowl. Having another good season and winning a bowl game helped us hold on to some of those guys.

"We’ve always been able to sell Wake Forest as one of the best schools in the country. That’s a slam dunk. But being able to convince them that they can come compete for championships in football was not an easy sell. And now it is an easy sell. We don’t even have to sell that anymore. Really, we can talk more about the school now, because football is selling itself."

Wake signed a class of 17, a typically small number at a school that doesn’t have much attrition. The class was balanced in terms of positions, though not in terms of geography.

The Demon Deacons continued their recent trend in Florida, signing eight prospects. That means that 28 players on the 2008 team will be from Florida.

"I think my wife thinks I live in Florida," said Ray McCartney, Wake’s recruiting coordinator.

McCartney credited assistant Tom Elrod’s work in the state. Grobe mentioned the impact that previous Florida recruits, namely high-profile Riley Skinner and Alphonso Smith, have had on subsequent Sunshine State players.

Another Wake recruiting trend has been Grobe’s pursuit of speed. This class included players such as receiver Terence Davis (4.48 40 and state high jump champion) and running back Lovell Jackson (10.69 100).

"That’s one of the things that characterizes this class," Grobe said. "This is a class that’s very athletic. All these kids can run really well at all these positions.

"That’s one of the things that’s given us a chance to win more games is that we’ve got pretty good athletes who can run, and that’s pretty much everyone in this class. What you find out in the end is that guys who can run can get on the field."

One new issue Grobe had to deal with was the loss of two assistants before signing day. Previously, Grobe had lost only two assistants in his entire Wake tenure. Grobe said he wasn’t sure whether it played into the final results.

"It might have. You really don’t know about that," he said. "That could have hurt us from not only who is going to coach what position, but possibly the recruiter that was after a certain kid moved on, which kind of made us cover for each other. So I think that’s a possibility, but I’m not sure."

Wake addressed several positions that were question marks: the offensive line, tight end and defensive end.

The Deacons signed four offensive linemen. Three of them (Joe Looney, Chance Raines, Garrick Williams) enrolled in January. They added two tight ends, including J.T. Dixon, who played at Hargrave and also is enrolled.

While Wake doesn’t usually play freshmen, the early enrollment and the lack of quality tight ends gives those players a chance to see action next year. Grobe emphasized that he likes veteran players not just because of their talent, but because of their mental experience, which means fewer mistakes.

"The guys that are here right now, those are the guys that are most likely (to play next year)," Grobe said. "I feel a little bit different about those guys."

The prospects at defensive end weren’t quite as lauded, unless you count their basketball careers. Kevin Smith is a 6-4, 210-pounder who played wide receiver in high school.

"What was a problem late for us was we really felt like we needed a defensive end," Grobe said. "We liked Derricus Ellis but felt like we needed another guy, so we took Kevin Smith right at the end of recruiting. That really helps us.

"If you look at our board, look at our depth chart, the defensive end position is the one that looked a little shaky if we didn’t have a couple coming in in this class."

As always in recruiting, there were disappointments.

Wake believed it had running back Ed Imeokparia until Florida State lost some targets at the last minute. FSU offered on signing day, and he accepted.

VIRGINIA: C

CHARLOTTESVILLE – What once had the makings of an Al Groh recruiting machine has ground to a halt in his seventh season.

The Cavaliers, whose 2002 class received top-10 consideration, were ranked 11th among ACC teams this year and 62nd in Division I-A by Rivals.com.

Virginia should have enjoyed some momentum following a 9-4 season, which represented a vast improvement over a 5-7 mark in 2006. But the Cavaliers can only hope that the recruiting benefits are felt with the 2009 class, because there was no bump this year.

Of course, commitments come earlier and earlier with each passing season, and many of the top prospects in Virginia had committed by Sept. 1. But there were some coveted players who remained uncommitted well into November and December, and the Cavaliers were unable to pique their interest.

There was a combination of factors that affected Virginia’s recruiting class, starting with the summer decision by Kyle Long to make a commitment to Florida State for baseball. At the time, Long, who is the son of Howie Long and the younger brother of departing UVa All-American Chris Long, was considered the No. 1 football prospect in the state.

Fans are still wondering how Virginia could have let one of the Longs get away. Indeed, the youngest of the three Long brothers, Howie Jr., has announced that he will play lacrosse for UVa. It’s debatable whether Kyle would have influenced other top prospects to join him in Charlottesville, but it wouldn’t have hurt.

From the start, it appeared that Virginia would have trouble beating Virginia Tech for in-state players, most notably in the Tidewater area known to many by its telephone area code, 757, but the Cavaliers were set up for a big year in Pennsylvania.

They took an early commitment from East Stroudsburg, Pa., offensive tackle Corey Lewis, who previously had played at a Virginia prep school, Christchurch. They also were viewed as the leaders, for a time, with Monroeville, Pa., teammates Shayne Hale and Cameron Saddler, as well as Easton, Pa., star Jarred Holley.

Saddler, a short but electrifying running back and return specialist, held the key to Hale, one of the top-rated linebackers in the country. Saddler had set Dec. 5 as his announcement date and had not been shy about labeling the Cavaliers as his leader.

Virginia had some reason for concern when Saddler visited finalist West Virginia for the Mountaineers’ regular-season finale Dec. 1 against Pittsburgh, but little could they have envisioned the scenario that unfolded.

The Panthers knocked the Mountaineers out of the national title picture, 13-9, and suddenly gave some credibility to a Pitt program that earlier in the season had been embarrassed at Virginia 44-14. Pittsburgh finished 5-7 but was able to land Saddler, Hale and Holley without being under serious consideration until December.

The final stake in the Cavaliers’ recruiting year came when Dave Clawson, the successful four-year head coach at Richmond, decided that his best opportunity for landing a Division I-A head job was to take a position as an offensive coordinator for an influential I-A program (Tennessee).

It was Duke’s decision not to give Clawson serious consideration for its December vacancy that set off a series of events that led to Virginia losing its best recruiter and defensive coordinator of two seasons, Mike London, a Richmond alumnus who was introduced Jan. 19 as the Spiders’ head coach. Of the first 16 players to commit to UVa, eight were recruited by London.

That number dropped to six when D.C. defensive lineman Ugo Uzodinma, who has a sister at UVa, de-committed and eventually signed with Illinois. The Illini and their offensive coordinator, arch-Cavalier antagonist Mike Locksley, then swooped in and got Lewis to commit. Both Uzodinma and Lewis were London recruits.

Early projections that Virginia would be able to sign no more than 18 prospects backfired on the Cavaliers when quarterback Jameel Sewell and three other scholarship underclassmen did not enroll for the spring semester. That academic situation would have allowed UVa to exceed its self-imposed limit.

Throw in four de-commits, including two during the summer, and the 85-scholarship limit never would have been an issue, but there were more than a few prospects UVa might have gotten if it had been able to make earlier offers. Reston South Lakes wide receiver A.J. Price, who eventually signed with Penn State, was one such player.

But UVa had enough offers on the table that it could have had a good recruiting year. The Cavaliers simply were out-recruited or beaten, mostly by Virginia Tech. The Hokies took 20 in-state players, including 14 from the Roanoke Times Top 25. Virginia got one Top 25 player, almost certainly an all-time low.

"This isn’t really a Virginia-Virginia Tech forum here; this is about the players we got," said Groh, who was mostly cordial during a 90-minute session with reporters on signing day.

"You might say, ‘You didn’t get as many players from Virginia as you would prefer.’ That might be the case. But you also might say, ‘Hey, you guys really cleaned up on the Maryland beltway.’

"If all those schools were on the other side of the (Potomac), people would be shooting off rockets."

Nevertheless, the Cavaliers clearly are feeling the effects of having lost most of the young, energetic recruiters on Groh’s first staffs. London, Temple head coach Al Golden and Liberty head coach Danny Rocco were big-time losses on the recruiting front. Kansas State head coach Ron Prince also had his successes as a recruiter for the Cavaliers.

In picking a successor to Prince as the offensive line coach, Groh passed over then-James Madison assistant Curt Newsome, who subsequently joined the Virginia Tech staff and has owned Virginia ever since. Before the Newsome debacle, Groh elected not to retain top recruiter Danny Wilmer from the staff of predecessor George Welsh.

Groh on various occasions has hinted that position needs and academics were major issues on the in-state front, but when nearly 20 offers go out to Virginia players and only three accept, the problems clearly run much deeper.

– Doug Doughty, Roanoke (Va.) Times

DUKE: C-

DURHAM – It’s not easy for a new football coach to make an immediate impact on the recruiting trail, especially when he’s not hired until just before Christmas.

"Recruiting is a lot about relationships, generally about developing relationships over a great length of time," first-year Duke coach David Cutcliffe said. "We missed the December cycle of contacts. We had three weeks to make contacts. The staff was full-speed during that time."

Cutcliffe ended up with a 17-man class. It was a mixture of 10 players who had committed to the program when Ted Roof was the head coach, plus seven who were lured by the new staff.

"It’s a nice combination that kind of fits who we are and where we need to be headed," Cutcliffe said. "We added some speed with this class. There is some strength inside."

The new Duke coach filled his staff with veterans of his six-year stint as the head coach at Mississippi. There is some debate about the recruiting prowess of that staff – recruiting concerns were reportedly a big reason Cutcliffe was fired in Oxford – yet Cutcliffe and his staff recruited the team that won the SEC West Division in 2003. In six full seasons, he and his staff recruited 11 future NFL players, including 2008 Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning.

"We recruited a lot better (at Ole Miss) than people think," Kent McLeod, the Ole Miss veteran who now serves as Cutcliffe’s director of football operations, said recently. "What we didn’t do, we didn’t sign top-15 classes. So people think, ‘Well you’re not getting any players.’

"But when you get a Patrick Willis, a two-star player nobody wants, and he ends up being NFL rookie of the year. … I think people forget, that’s where it goes back to rankings don’t really mean a lot. There was kid after kid who went to the NFL."

Few members of Duke’s 2008 class arrived with NFL expectations, but Cutcliffe has his own system of evaluation.

"I just know what a football player looks like," he said. "They come in different shapes and different sizes."

While this Duke class was not highly rated by the recruiting services, it contained some highly rated prospects. The two top-rated signees were quarterback Sean Renfree of Scottsdale, Ariz., and cornerback Randez James, who is originally from San Antonio.

Renfree is a Parade All-American who is the highest-rated quarterback to arrive at Duke to play football since Billy Ray transferred from Alabama to Durham in 1988. Side note: Greg Paulus was rated higher as a quarterback, but he signed with Duke to play basketball.

James signed with Duke a year ago, but he had to spend a semester at Hargrave Military Academy last fall to qualify for admission. He’s already enrolled at Duke and will participate in spring drills.

"I got to see (James) play last fall against the Tennessee jayvee team at Neyland Stadium," Cutcliffe said. "He was fast. He was the fastest guy on the field."

Indeed, speed is a quality the new Duke coach values highly.

"I made the comment (when introduced at Duke) that, ‘If you can run, we’re going to find you,’ and we went about doing that," Cutcliffe said. "What I like is the big guys can move. We signed 11 (skill players), and if you put them together the average 40 time is under 4.5. It’s one of the fastest groups I’ve been around."

The speed brigade includes Jordon (pronounced "Jor-DON") Byas from Lynn Haven, Fla., who is the reigning Florida prep 400-meter champion, and Johnny Williams of St. Stephens, Ala., who has run a 4.38 40. Lee Butler, a cornerback from Anderson, S.C., is another sub-4.5 man.

Butler was the object of an intense recruiting tug-of-war between Duke and Georgia Tech. The Shrine Bowl star originally committed to the Blue Devils last fall, but after Roof was dismissed, he re-opened his recruiting and took a visit to Tech, where he offered another commitment. Then he wavered and reconsidered Duke. It wasn’t until Butler’s letter of intent arrived at 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 6 that Cutcliffe knew he had retained one of the jewels of Roof’s early recruiting effort.

In the end, Cutcliffe retained 10 of the 12 players who had committed before his arrival. The only losses were running back Montel Harris, who opted for Boston College, and wide receiver Nihja White, who signed with Delaware.

"I want to give special commendation to Scottie Montgomery, who was a one-man show for a while, having to hold this together," Cutcliffe said, citing the one holdover from Roof’s staff.

Cutcliffe also suggested that two recruits – safety Matt Daniels of Fayetteville, Ga., and lineman Brian Moore of Coral Gables, Fla. – also had a lot to do with keeping the early commitments on board.

"There were some guys we had to lean on who loved Duke University," Cutcliffe said. "Matt, I just call him the glue. He’s just a good-looking, natural-born leader. He made friends with these guys. Brian Moore did that as well."

Cutcliffe remains upbeat about the quality of his first Duke recruiting class, even if it was assembled a bit hastily.

"It worked out great," he said. "And we’re well on our way to recruiting next year’s class, and the year after that."

He’s convinced he can bring in the quality of talent needed to compete in the ACC, despite Duke’s high academic standards.

"There are a lot of guys out there who are good players and good enough students," he said. "They’ve just been going to other places."

– Al Featherston, ACCSports.com