The 2017 Boise State recruiting class might be the most important of head coach Bryan Harsin's career. After falling short of team goals, and fan expectations in back-to-ba...
Staff
This 2017 recruiting class will be instrumental in the efforts to be made over the next few years to maintain Boise State's status as a recognized CFB powerhouse. Let's take a closer look at the players that coach Harsin will rely on to bring a Mountain West Championship back to Boise, and perhaps in the process earn a bid to another lucrative New Year's Six Bowl, and continue the rise of this historic program.
Already Signed in January:
** OT (JC All-American)
6'5” 320lbs
(Signed NLI JUCO Transfer)
http://www.scout.com/player/208383-zach-troughton?s=336
** QB
6'1” 190lbs
(Signed NLI JUCO Transfer) 2016 NJCAA Offensive Player Of The Year
https://twitter.com/NJCAA/status/811967494655188992
** S
5'11” 205
(Signed NLI JUCO Transfer)
*** S
6'1” 180lbs
Newbury Park High School, Newbury Park, Calif.
When a player names your school his “dream school”, as a coach you have to like your chances. Marques Evans was quoted by Lorenzo J. Reyna of Scout.com in saying, “Boise has been my dream school ever since I watched my cousin Keith Price play against them when he was the quarterback at UW. I love their winning tradition, I remember watching Titus Young snag some ridiculous catches, and when they picked my cousin off to win that bowl game.” Then after his official visit to Boise State Evans made it known to Scout.com's Brandon Huffman that he knew he had made the right decision. He said that it exceeded his expectations. He went on to state, "The crazy fans and the great community stood out the most to me. The game day atmosphere is wild and exciting. You can smell this sweet aroma in the air when it's game time. It's a great feeling." Boise State fans should definitely have a great feeling about Marques Evans, and the fact that he is a Bronco.
*** OT
6'6” 285lbs
Boise High School, Boise, Idaho
The Broncos landed another big local recruit with Offensive lineman John Ojukwu. At 6'6” he has the frame to build on. Listed at 285lbs coming out of high school he will have to add some weight, but he is a solid overall player. He had seen interest from other schools grow considerably before committing to be a Bronco. Okjukwu gave his verbal back in October, and has since signed his letter of intent to play for Boise State.
**********************************************************************************************************************************************************
Today's signings..
**** ATH (Likely CB)
5'11” 170lbs
Midlothian High School, Midlothian, Virginia
With several power-five offers, and as a one-time Arizona State commit, Jermani Brown is a huge get for Boise State. Brown is listed as an “athlete,” and can play several positions. However, his ability to play corner will probably be where the Broncos coaches will utilize him. He is quick, and plays with great instincts. Scout.com ranks Brown as the No. 1 athlete recruit in the state of Virginia, No. 2 in the East, and No. 27 overall. He will no doubt make an impact right away, and is another top candidate to find playing time next fall as a true freshman.
*** ILB
6'4” 215lbs
Katy High School, Katy, Texas
When Scout.com ranks you the No. 4 inside linebacker in the state of Texas, that's saying something. At 6'4” 215lbs, Breydon Boyd isn't your typical college freshman-to-be. Boyd had several FBS offers, but it will be Boise State benefiting from this tough Texas player with an ability to play downhill, and blow up running plays with his hard-hitting aggressive style. His film is more than impressive, and with a frame that can only get bigger and stronger, this guy has the potential to be a monster for the Broncos. He makes some insane tackles, and is the type of player that Defensive Coordinator Andy Avalos seems to like to recruit. Boise State fans should keep an eye on Breydon Boyd.
*** WR
5'9” 160lbs
Lancaster High School, Lancaster, Texas
Cartrell Thomas is fast, athletic, and can leap. At 5'9”, his ability to jump adds a lot to his toolbox. He competes for every ball, and is quick on the field. He is the kind of versatile player that can line up just about anywhere and contribute. At 160lbs he will certainly need to get bigger, but Boise State has utilized players like Thomas in the past without too much worry about size. His ability to catch the ball on the fly makes him a down field threat as well. He is one of those rare players that play much bigger than their size, and proof of that is some reported big time offers from schools like Illinois, Colorado, Texas Tech, and Utah. However, it is Boise State that will benefit from this unique and dynamic player out of Lancaster, Texas.
*** QB
6'4” 185lbs
Sunrise Mountain High School, Peoria, Ariz.
What do Utah, Princeton, Oregon State, Iowa State, Indiana, Harvard, Colorado, Illinois, and Boise State have in common? They all wanted Chase Cord, but it will be the Broncos benefiting from the talents of this Arizona quarterback. Some schools might have taken a step back from Cord because of a previous knee injury that hampered him a bit during his senior season. However, winning the Most Valuable Player award at the Blue-Grey All-American Bowl certainly proves that he is ready to play at the next level. He has tremendous upside, and in watching his film he makes some very impressive plays. He is able to scramble left or right, and yet still throw the ball accurately. He has decent touch on the long ball, and seems to make fairly quick reads. However, it's his ability to scramble down field that stands out the most. He is athletic and fast, and often makes a huge play out of nothing. He will need some development for sure, but he starts with a very impressive foundation.
**** OT
6'5" 290lbs
Mesa CC, Mesa Arizona
One of the biggest mystery's of this class, not because of his talent which is unquestionably present, but because he committed to Boise State early, and then had to wade through an onslaught of interest from Pac12 schools like Arizona and UCLA. Ranked as the 24th best Junior College athlete in the Country, and a Top-5 Offensive Tackle, Moore was hunted by many more schools than just those 2, but he stayed true to the Blue and signed with Boise State. While he does have a redshirt year available, it is doubtful the Broncos will be able to keep him off the field immediately. He is big, agile, strong, athletic, mobile, and nasty.. essentially he possesses all the traits of a starting Left Tackle, which is likely where he'll push immediately for playing time.
*** DE
6'4” 225lbs
Highland High School, Pocatello, Idaho
Kelemete is a weak-side defensive end out of the highly respected football program at Highland High School right here in Idaho. Kelemete was committed to the Broncos early, but then changed his commitment to the Pac-12 and Washington State. However, in a rare occurrence, Boise State was able to re-flip the young in-state player, and the coaching staff has to be happy about it. One of the biggest reason for the re-flip might be sheer numbers. The Cougars are loaded at DE with more on the way, but Boise State has a huge need for players like Kelemete. This gives him the opportunity to contribute right away, and to become a starter early in his career.
*** WR
6'2” 198lbs
Center High School, Center, Texas
At 6'2”, 198lbs, Octavius Evans is going to be a huge addition to the group of increasingly big wide receivers at Boise State. Ranked No.93 nationally at his position by Scout.com, Evans runs a 4.68 40, and should be able to contribute immediately for the Broncos. Evans caught 254 passes for over 3,200 yards in his high school career. He has a reputation for catching the ball in traffic, and should be a serious red-zone threat. The big wide out had reported offers from Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, and Texas Tech, just to name a few.
*** S
6'2” 200lbs
Mater Dei High School, Santa Ana, Calif.
Scout.com ranks Kafentzis as the No. 10 safety prospect in the state of California. He is a versatile player, and may become a classic Boise State type player after being overlooked by Pac-12 schools. He plays like a Bronco already, and seems to fit the blue collar mold that has made the BSU program so successful over the years. In an interview with Scout.com's Greg Biggins, Kafentzis related how the Broncos coaching staff is proposing to utilize him. “They have a SAM/OLB hybrid position that really fits me well,” he said. He went on to say, “It's very similar to what I did at Mater Dei, and where I see myself playing in the future. I'll be rushing the passer off the edge, containing the outside, playing in the box, and dropping, a little of everything.” Again, he sounds like the type of player that has been crucial to Boise State's continued rise.
*** CB
6'3” 190lbs
San Gorgonio High School, San Bernadino, Calif.
With reported offers from BYU, Idaho, Nevada, and Utah State, Boise State fans have to feel good about landing Tyreque Jones. Bronco Country's own Chase Glorfield covered some of what Jones liked about the Broncos, and what his experience was like when he visited BSU. "It was something that happened while I was there," the 6-foot-3, 190-pound safety from San Bernardino, Calif., said of his commitment. "I got exposed to the culture and environment while I was there, and I really liked it." He went on to talk about what the coaching staff liked about him. “They like that I'm very athletic, and a smart player,” he stated. “They see me fitting in well with their system.” At 6'3” he will be one of the tallest players in the Boise State defensive backfield, and should give BSU an advantage in coverage. Jones plans to major in business at Boise State.
http://www.scout.com/player/208319-tyreque-jones?s=336
*** WR
6' 175lbs
El Cerrito Senior High School, El Cerrito, Calif.
Cole is a three-star wide receiver out of El Cerrito Senior High School in El Cerrito, Calif. Ranked No.117 by Scout.com nationally, and No.18 in the West, Cole received offers from just about every team in the Mountain West Conference. Early on it looked like he might be headed Fresno State's direction, but when coach Eric Kiesau was hired away from the Bulldogs to be the wide receivers coach for BSU it gave the Broncos the edge. Cole committed to Boise State on January 30th, and will be a very good edition to the wide receiving corps. In an article on Scout.com, Brandon Huffman detailed some of the key elements Cole liked about Boise State. The young wide receiver noted that on his official trip it felt like a family atmosphere, and he felt like he was home. He also said, “The facilities were great. Every time I stepped in their stadium, it felt like Game Day.”
*** RB
5'11” 185lbs
La Canada High School, La Canada, Calif.
Boise State is getting something special in running back Drake Beasley. At 5'11” 185lbs, he will need to bulk up a bit, but don't be surprised if he contributes sooner rather than later. He has great breakaway speed, and if you watch his film, he has a way of making moves that can make defensive players look down right silly. Beasley had interest from several Pac-12 schools including Colorado, Arizona State, Cal, and Arizona. He will be a great fit in this balanced Boise State offense, and should push other running backs in camp.
*** LB
6'2 210lbs
San Clemente HS (2015) Returned LDS Missionary
As a Senior, in 11 games, Whimpey had a team high 134 tackles, five sacks, forced four fumbles and one pick that he returned 86 yards for a touchdown. He also returned a fumble 80 yards for a score. He went on a 2-year LDS Mission and will return home this summer (June/July). His older brothers both played on the Line for Utah State.
http://www.scout.com/player/195153-riley-whimpey
*** ILB
6' 230lbs
Helix High School, La Mesa, Calif.
Tough, mean, aggressive, and agile are the attributes a coach wants in an inside linebacker. Well, head coach Bryan Harsin and his staff have to be excited that Zeke Noa has all of those, along with others, and that he will be wearing the blue and orange in 2017. Ranked No. 5 in the state of California at his position by Scout.com, and No. 39 nationally, Noa could be a serious contributor early. Known to his teammates as a quiet leader, Noa does his talking on the field. His high school film is impressive, and if he can translate that to The Blue, with added development, he could have a stellar career for the Broncos. Named the San Diego CIF Defensive Player of the Year his junior year, the Southern California player chose not to become an Aztec. He also turned down reported offers from Wisconsin, Colorado, and Washington State.
*** CB
5'11” 170lbs
Kamehameha Secondary, Kahuku, Hawaii
Kaniho is the highest ranked cornerback prospect in the state of Hawaii according to Scout.com. However, at Boise State he is going to play safety, a position that he prefers. He is known as a ball hawk, and should help Boise State in the area of turnover margin. He had six interceptions his senior year, and plays the ball aggressively. He makes plays that look nearly impossible, and his style should be well received by the Broncos coaches and fans. Kaniho chose BSU over schools like San Diego State and Washington State. He also had reported offers from Colorado and Vanderbilt.
