Posted by bambi2godzilla on 1/10/2008, 11:04 am
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Hill adds to bright futureNew football recruiting class likely to rate among coach's best ever
Bryant-Jon Anteola
The Fresno Bee
1/09/08
For the second straight offseason, Fresno State is on the verge of putting together its strongest recruiting class under coach Pat Hill, recruiting analysts said.
With national signing day less than a month away, Fresno State has received 15 oral commitments to assemble a potential signing class that currently ranks 49th in the nation and is considered the best among teams not from Bowl Championship Series conferences, according to Rivals.com.
"They've definitely taken things up a notch," said Jeremy Crabtree of Rivals.com. "They're beating Pac-10 schools at some players and putting together a pretty darn good class of players that could bring them up another level."
The latest prospect to orally commit to Fresno State is Rashad Evans, a slot receiver from Logan High-Union City who was named the San Francisco Chronicle's East Bay Player of the Year.
Evans, a 5-foot-9, 160-pounder, was an option quarterback and safety this past season but is expected to enter Fresno State as a slot receiver and possibly fill the versatility role vacated with the departure of senior Clifton Smith.
"The way they used Clifton Smith is how they could use me and that's got me excited about going to Fresno," Evans said Wednesday. "I just felt it was a great fit with the position they have me playing and being comfortable with the players."
Oral commitments are nonbinding. Signing day is Feb. 6.
Another headliner to Fresno State's potential class is Malik Jackson, a four-star defensive end, according to Rivals.com. The 6-foot-5, 212-pounder is rated a three-star prospect by Scout.com.
Jackson also had offers from Arizona State, Colorado State, Nevada and UNLV.
Instead, he and his twin brother, Marquis Jackson, will sign with Fresno State.
"There's some questions with Malik Jackson's grades, but getting him is a huge signing for Fresno State if he pans out," Crabtree said. "Jackson, Rashad Evans, those guys jump out to me as the higher-profile players that were heavily recruited by the upper level Pac-10 schools and chose Fresno State.
"That says a lot about Fresno State. It's a very impressive class."
College coaches are prohibited from speaking about recruits until they sign, but Hill said last month he expected to bring in a signing class of about 20 players.
Fresno State is coming off a 9-4 season that was capped with a 40-28 victory against Georgia Tech in the Humanitarian Bowl.
How have the Bulldogs managed to put together another class being dubbed "the best under Hill?"
It was just last season that Fresno State reeled in a signing class heralded as Hill's best, featuring offensive lineman Devan Cunningham, running back Ryan Mathews, defensive end Chris Carter and receiver Tim Lang.
Mario Gomez, an analyst for Scout.com who focuses on Fresno State, pointed to two factors.
Offensive recruits are attracted to the Bulldogs' offense under coordinator Jim McElwain, and Fresno State is winning recruiting bouts against the six Pac-10 teams outside California.
"A lot of these players are excited about coming to Fresno State, especially the offensive recruits," Gomez said. "They can see themselves in their role under McElwain's offense."
Evans is a prime example.
Evans said he had offers from Oregon, Oregon State, Cal, UNLV, Georgia Tech, Tennessee, Utah and Nevada.
But in the end, Evans said he chose Fresno State because of his possible role in the offense, its location, which is less than a three-hour drive from Union City, and the program's reputation for developing NFL players.
"The fact that Fresno is far enough yet close enough to drive home I'm sure helped," said Evans' high school coach, George Zuber. "And as you know, Fresno takes its football serious, and Rashad wanted to be a part of that."
So how does this class rate with other Fresno State signing classes?
"It's a solid class, but not as deep as last year's class," Gomez said. "This year's class still needs another solid linebacker, another defensive end, and at least one more running back.
"If they got those guys, then you can say this is Pat Hill's best signing class."
FRESNO STATE FOOTBALL ORAL COMMITMENTS
DE Matt Akers (6-3, 240) Liberty-Bakersfield
TE Michael Butler (6-3 220) Sunnyside
OL Max Devlin (6-6 275) Windsor
RB A.J. Ellis (5-11, 180) Andrew Hill-San Jose
WR Rashad Evans (5-9, 160) Logan-Union City
QB Ebahn Feathers (5-11, 189) Washington
OL Richard Helepiko (6-3, 275) Moreno Valley
DE Malik Jackson (6-5, 212) Birmingham-Lake Balboa
DE Marquis Jackson (6-4, 223) Birmingham-Lake Balboa
DB L.J. Jones (5-10, 160) Crespi Carmelite-Encino
LB Ricky Pemasa (5-11, 198) Lutheran-Orange
OL Trevor Richter (6-5, 275) El Segundo
OL Douglas Spacht (6-4, 285) Poly-Long Beach
OL Austin Wentworth (6-5, 295) Whitney-Rocklin
DT Anthony Williams (6-1, 285) Atascocita-Humble (Texas)
(list from Rivals.com)
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