There are never any surprises when UConn unveils it's recruiting class on national signing day. As we have seen throughout the years, Randy Edsall does things differently. While the rest of the recruiting world is in a tizzy as a frenzy of de-commits (is that a word?) and last minute switches the Huskies usually relax on signing day. This year's class is 20 deep, minus only one in Jacob Ruby who had some issues with transcripts coming from Canada from what I hear. Ruby isn't going to be able to play anywhere.
Besides that, the Huskies wrapped up their recruiting a week ago with the final commitment, B.J. McBryde, locked in after UConn coach Randy Edsall spent an entire day with McBryde in Beaver Falls, Pa.
That's just the way things work up in Storrs. Players who verbally commit are held to a high standard and the Huskies don't try and poach or allow "soft verbals." If a recruit visits another school, then the scholarship is pulled.
The Huskies, predictably, are ranked last in the Big East in recruiting but I wouldn't put much stock in the pay site evaluations. Edsall called it propaganda and the poor recruiting classes of the previous four years have turned out pretty well for the team.
I can't tell you how much I don't pay attention to recruiting stars. Edsall called it propaganda on Wednesday and I don't disagree. That I had two emails today wishing me Happy National Signing Day made me want to put my head back in the pillow.
Don't get me wrong, today is important, but there is an ample supply of players out there and the Huskies have done pretty well in the past that I can't take rankings of prep players seriously. So.... I don't.
Here's Edsall on the class.
"This is probably the most athletic class we have been able to put together. There are a lot of 2-3 sport athletes."
It's heavy on a couple of positions and they added 4 offensive linemen including Greg McKee out of Chicago who enrolled in January. McKee was the player Edsall was visiting when we all assumed he was telling an untruth and he was actually in Chicago meeting with ND officials. Funny. It's a secondary area for the Huskies, but McKee showed up in the summer as part of a tour group.
There were also a couple of position switches.
Ruben Frank, 6-2 229 out of Poughkeepsie, N.Y. was moved from DE to fullback. So, there is your fullback. Other moves are Byron Jones from New Britain and St. Paul headed to corner. Jones has size and is extremely athletic. I thought of him as a wide receiver, but Edsall is looking for more size at the corner and safety positions and they do need that.
UConn will also add a pair fo QBS to the fold. Leon Kinnard signed last year and enrolled in January while Scott McCummings from Natik High in Natick, Mass. is also in the fold. Kinnard is 5-9 175, while McCummings is 6-2 210 and both are dualk threat quarterbacks. Kinnard remains at QB for the time being and will get his shot there.
Both of these quarterbacks are more athletic and mobile than the current crop of statue men Zach Frazer and Cody Endres. Edsall said he isn't changing the offense however, but with redshirt Mike Box and now Kinnard and McCummings, UConn is looking for players with a little more mobility at the position. McCummings and Kinnard can throw the ball and are accurate. UConn isn't going to go with a QB that can't throw anymore.
That brings 5 scholarship QBs to the fold, and add in Jonny McEntee and it's six signal callers. That's a lot.
Other highlights of the class include defensive lineman Angelo Pruitt from Cinicnnati (Cincinnati tried to come in late). Current January enrollees that could battle for time at safety are Gilbert Stlouis and Andrew Opoku.
The class is heavy with OL and DB, two need areas for the Huskies on the depth chart.
At wide receiver Edsall cited Tebucky Jones Jr. from New Britain. He loves Jones' competitiveness (Side note: I can't tell you how weird it is that I am going to cover Tebucky Jones Jr. I only went to middle school with Tebucky Jones Sr. in New Britain at St. Ann's and watched him play football in high school. My wife was in the New Britain band when Tebucky Jones led New Britain to the title over Greenwich in 1992. OK enough ancient history).
There isn't much too this recruiting class. Edsall has proven that once he gets raw ability into the fold he has been able to manage it. Recruiting classes also aren't signed without regard to the rest of the roster. The Huskies were light on skill position players. No tight ends and only two wide receivers. It was a defense heavy class with four linebackers, five defensive backs and three defensive linemen.
Huskies are a very young team. I wouldn't expect a ton out of this class next year. Last year's class had 3 WRs and two defensive linemen play. That would be hard pressed this year. Safety and defensive back is the best bet.
As far as other house keeping, Edsall said they will name two assistant coaches tomorrow.
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