Tuesday November 19th, 2024 6:48PM

ACC programs haul in mix of talent on Signing Day

By The Associated Press

Here's a team-by-team look at how the Atlantic Coast Conference's football programs fared on National Signing Day...

BOSTON COLLEGE

Top 25 Class: No

Best in class: QB Anthony Brown, from Holmdel, New Jersey, will need to come through for the Eagles if they are going to turn things around long-term. BC turned to fourth-string walk-on John Fadule after Darius Wade broke his ankle in Week 3; Jeff Smith picked up a concussion and missed a month.

Best of the rest: WR Kobay White of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was a three-time all-state selection.

Late addition: TE Korab Idrizi From Fort Lee, New Jersey, changed his mind after initially deciding on Rutgers.

Two that got away: After defensive coordinator Don Brown left BC for Michigan, DB/QB Da'vante Cross decommitted from the Eagles. Cross will play quarterback at Virginia instead.

How they'll fit in: The five offensive linemen in the recruiting class — including Eastern Illinois transfer Jimmy Lowery — could help return BC to its roots as an incubator of NFL blockers.

 

 

CLEMSON

Top 25 Class: Yes.

Best in class: Dexter Lawrence, DE, Wake Forest, North Carolina. Lawrence picked Clemson over Florida State, Florida, Georgia and Notre Dame.

Best of the rest: Tavien Feaster, RB, Spartanburg, South Carolina; Tre Lamar, LB, Roswell, Georgia; Zerrick Cooper, QB, Jonesboro, Georgia; John Simpson, OL, North Charleston, South Carolina

Late addition: CB Isaiah Simmons of Olanthe, Kansas, also was considering Michigan, Nebraska, Missouri and Louisville.

One that got away: Defensive end Rashan Gary of Paramus, New Jersey. Gary, the nation's top prospect, had the Tigers has one of his two finalists before choosing Michigan.

How they'll fit in: Lawrence will bid for immediate playing time with linemen Shaq Lawson and Kevin Dodd off to the NFL. Feaster has speed like former Tiger great C.J. Spiller, Swinney says, and could be the home run hitter Clemson has missed in recent years.

 

 

DUKE

Top 25 Class: On the bubble.

Best in class: Scott Bracey, WR, Richmond, Virginia.

Best of the rest: Dylan Singleton, S, Lawrenceville, Georgia; Mark Birmingham, TE, Ashburn, Virginia; Brandon Hill, LB, Orangeburg, South Carolina.

Late addition: Chidi Okonya, DL, Riverdale, Georgia.

One that got away: Quarterback Chazz Surratt, the AP offensive player of the year in North Carolina, signed with the rival North Carolina. He had committed to Duke before switching to UNC over the summer.

How they'll fit in: Duke brought in seven linemen — four offensive, three defensive — because Cutcliffe said those are the positions "you can't get short in." This class is marked by its versatility — most players play multiple positions and on both offense and defense.

 

 

FLORIDA STATE

Top 25 class: Yes

Best in class: Levonta Taylor, CB, Virginia Beach, Virginia. He was the consensus top-ranked cornerback prospect in the country and committed early enough that he helped attract others to Florida State. He also could end up as a kick or punt returner. At 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, Tyler lacks in size but Fisher said he has a unique skill set, including great ball skills.

Best of the rest: Malik Henry, QB, Long Beach, California. Fisher usually has true freshmen run the scout team but the 6-foot-3, 184-pound Henry has enough athleticism and is an early enrollee, meaning he could challenge for the starting spot during spring practice.

Late addition: Shevar Manuel, DT, Bradenton, Florida. Manuel had originally committed to Florida but was wavering. Florida State remained in contact with Manuel and convinced him to flip at the last minute.

One that got away: Safety Jamel Cook was leaning toward Florida State but the Miami native ended up going to Southern California.

How they'll fit in: With the signings, Florida State will have 18 offensive linemen on scholarship when preseason practices begin August. Fisher said that not only benefits the offensive line in terms of building a rotation but should help guys develop faster.

 

 

GEORGIA TECH

Top 25 Class: No

Best in class: Jordan Woods, DE, Citra, Florida. Woods picked Georgia Tech over Florida, Tennessee and Miami.

Best of the rest: Parker Braun, OL, Hallsview, Texas; Jay Jones, QB, McCalla, Alabama; Xavier Gantt, RB, Buford, Georgia; Dedrick Mills, RB, Waycross, Georgia.

Late addition: CB Ajani Kerr of Powder Springs, Georgia, also was considering Central Michigan and Kennesaw State, among other schools.

One that got away: Safety Romeo Finley of Niceville, Florida, listed Georgia Tech as his leader before making a late switch to Miami.

How they'll fit in: Johnson recruited for immediate help at wide receiver. Stephen Dolphus (6-5, 200) of Westside High in Macon, Georgia, was compared to former Georgia Tech receiver Stephen Hill. The other receivers in the class are Jalen Camp of Cumming, Georgia and Jair Hawkins-Anderson of Suwanee, Georgia.

 

 

LOUISVILLE

Top 25 Class: No

Best in class: Jawon Pass, QB, Columbus, Georgia. The Cardinals bolstered one of their strengths with the 6-foot-4 U.S. Army-All America quarterback, who ranked as the nation's 191st overall prospect by Scout. Pass may not supplant sophomore Lamar Jackson, who became Louisville's starter last season, but he joins his brother Khane, a safety who signed last year.

Best of the rest: Dez Fitzpatrick, WR, Farmington Hills, Michigan. Fitzpatrick committed to Louisville more than a year ago, reconsidered this winter before sticking with his original choice after an official visit last weekend. "He sure made us work hard," Petrino said of the recruitment. The Cardinals beat out Nebraska and Indiana for the 6-2 receiver ranked in the top 220 nationally by Rivals and Scout. Fitzpatrick is one of four receivers signed.

Late addition: London Iakopo, S, Long Beach (California) City College. Iakopo is one of two four-star safeties in the class along with incoming freshman P.J. Blue, and could see early action at the back of the Cardinals' defense. "He's very, very mature and he's going to give us a lot of leadership," Petrino said of Iakopo.

One that got away: Rodjay Burns, Louisville, Kentucky. Ohio State lured Burns, a two-way standout, away from his hometown in the final week. A finalist for Kentucky's Mr. Football, Burns had 14 touchdowns as a receiver and four interceptions on defense as a high school senior.

How they'll fit in: The Cardinals have seamlessly worked in youngsters and transfers on defense without missing a beat, so it wouldn't be shocking if their newcomers became contributors right away. Pass might be Louisville's quarterback of the future, the same thing that was said about Jackson and Reggie Bonnafon before both emerged as starting signal-callers.

 

 

MIAMI

Top 25 Class: No.

Best in class: Sam Bruce, WR, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The 5-foot-8 star from longtime powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas High is considered to be a slot receiver, but the Hurricanes see him getting to the outside as well. Bruce seemed to be wavering on his commitment in recent weeks, but he was the one that Miami fans did not want to see get away. "Very explosive player," Richt said.

Best of the rest: Jack Allison, QB, Parrish, Florida and Shaquille Quarterman, LB, Orange Park, Florida. Allison is the heir apparent to Brad Kaaya as Miami's starting quarterback and jumped at the chance to enroll at what he long considered his dream school. And Quarterman — along with fellow mid-year linebacker enrollees Zach McCloud and Michael Pinckney — gives Miami immediate depth at that position and should be in contention for playing time in the fall.

Late addition: Ahmmon Richards, WR, Wellington, Florida. He was a Miami commit before the Hurricanes fired Al Golden, and then re-opened his process to the point where some thought he would get away.

One that got away: Tyler Byrd, CB, Naples, Florida. The consensus four-star prospect flipped his commitment to Tennessee — where former Miami interim coach Larry Scott is now on staff — on Tuesday night. Byrd was considered someone who would have been a key performer in 2016 for the Hurricanes.

How they'll fit in: There's clearly spots to fill, and Richt didn't get all of Miami's needs taken care of in his first class. But there's a slew of talent returning, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. Getting that trio of linebackers in early might be critical, and having Miami legacies like TE Michael Irvin Jr., S Jeff James (Edgerrin James' nephew) and DE Pat Bethel (son of former Miami TE Randy Bethel) in this class won't hurt.

 

 

NORTH CAROLINA

Top 25 Class: Yes.

Best in class: Kyree Campbell, DT, Woodbridge, Virginia.

Best of the rest: Chazz Surratt, QB, Denver, North Carolina; Jay-Jay McCargo, OL, Alexandria, Virginia; Tomon Fox, DE, Lawrenceville, Georgia.

Late addition: DB Patrice Rene (Alexandria, Virginia) originally committed to Rutgers but flipped to UNC in January.

One that got away: WR Nate Craig-Myers (Tampa, Florida) chose Auburn over UNC on Wednesday.

How they'll fit in: After a defensive turnaround last year under coordinator Gene Chizik, the Tar Heels loaded up on defense with 16 signees — including seven defensive backs and four linebackers — after losing seniors in the unit's back seven.

 

 

NORTH CAROLINA STATE

Top 25 Class: No.

Best in class: Thaddeus Moss, TE, Charlotte.

Best of the rest: Kelvin Harmon, WR, Palmyra, New Jersey.

Late addition: Harmon, originally a South Carolina recruit who decommitted amid the Gamecocks' coaching change to Will Muschamp.

One that got away: Dexter Lawrence, DT, Wake Forest, signed with Clemson.

How they'll fit in: Doeren says he'd like to redshirt all but about six players. Moss and Harmon seem to be extreme talents who should have a chance to play soon. Frazier should be strong enough to make a quick impact.

 

 

PITTSBURGH

Top 25 Class: On the bubble

Best in class: Damar Hamlin, DB, Pittsburgh. Blazing fast with what Narduzzi called "the best feet, hips and most athletic corners you can recruit."

Best of the rest: DL Keyshon Camp (Lakeland, Florida.), chose Pitt after originally committing to USC. RB George Hill (Youngstown, Ohio).

Late addition: Rashad Weaver, DL, Cooper City (Fla.)

One that got away: RB Miles Sanders (Woodland Hills) signed with Penn State.

How they'll fit in: The beauty for Narduzzi is he's not quite sure. Though Whitehead made an immediate impact at safety last year — he was named the ACC Rookie of the Year after leading Pitt with 99 tackles — but he also saw snaps on offense, averaging 10 yards every time he touched the ball. There are plenty of prospects who could get a shot at similar double duty going forward.

 

 

SYRACUSE

Top 25 Class: No.

Best in class: Moe Neal, ATH, Gastonia, North Carolina. The 5-foot-10, 165-pound Neal was the nation's 43rd-ranked athlete in 247Sports.com's composite rankings. He scored 103 TDs in high school.

Best of the rest: DE Jaquwan Nelson. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Nelson is rated three stars and the No. 54 weak-side defensive end in the Class of 2016 by 247Sports.

Late addition: Devin Butler, who had previously committed to Maryland, decided Wednesday morning to go with the Orange. The 6-foot, 185-pound Butler also plans to join the Syracuse track and field team.

One that got away: Three-star OG Stewart Reese of Fort Pierce Central High School in Florida. The 6-foot-6, 333-pound Reese, rated the No. 19 offensive guard in the Class of 2016 by 247Sports.com's composite rankings, opted for Mississippi State of the Southeast Conference on Monday. Syracuse, Reese's other finalist, had visited him twice in the past three weeks in addition to hosting him on an official visit in mid-January.

How they'll fit in: The big story for the Orange is how quickly Babers can install his offense and who he picks to lead it. Sophomore Eric Dungey, despite at least one concussion and several other hard hits to the head last fall, succeeded Terrel Hunt after the senior starter's college career ended with a torn Achilles in the season opener.

 

 

VIRGINIA

Top 25 Class: No.

Best in class: Tre Harbison, RB, Shelby, North Carolina. Ran for 5,770 yards and 100 touchdowns in a high school career that ended with back-to-back state championships and a 32-0 record his last two seasons.

Best of the rest: Hasise Dubois, WR, Irvington, New Jersey. A 6-3 receiver who caught 97 passes for 1,976 yards and 26 touchdowns during his high school career and had nine interceptions as a defensive back.

Late addition: Trysten Hill, DL, Lee, Florida.

One that got away: Laderrian Wilson, RB, Kissimmee, Florida (went to Maryland).

How they'll fit in: Mendenhall takes a unique approach to redshirting and want

 

 

VIRGINIA TECH

Top 25 Class: No.

Best in class: Evans. He threw for 395 yards per game with 38 touchdown passes and just three interceptions last season, and has already enrolled at Virginia Tech. A dual-threat, he also ran for more than 400 yards.

Best of the rest: Khalil Ladler, CB, Stone Mountain, Georgia. A four-star recruit who spent the past season recovering from a torn ACL.

Late addition: Eron Carter, LB, Palatka, Florida was being recruited heavily by the service academies, Foster said, describing the 6-2, 230-pounder as "more of a thumper-type guy."

One that got away: None.

How they'll fit in: With Fuente bringing what Hokies fans hope will be the high-powered offense they have long craved, the quarterback battle will be crucial to how quickly they are able to meet those expectations. Evans and Joshua Jackson join three holdovers — Brenden Motley, Dwayne Lawson and Chris Durkin, and so the winter, spring and summer will be critical times.

 

 

WAKE FOREST

Top 25 Class: No.

Best in class: Sulaiman Kamara, DT, Richmond, Virginia.

Best of the rest: Byrd; Taleni Suhren, OT, Charlotte; Emmanuel Walker, DE, Holly Hill, South Carolina.

Late addition: None. All but a few players have been committed since last September.

One that got away: LB Riley Cole, who decommitted late from Alabama and signed late in the afternoon with South Alabama.

How they'll fit in: For Wake Forest, the better question is WHEN they'll fit in. The Demon Deacons are at their best when they're patiently redshirting players and allowing them to develop. But during the past few years, they simply didn't have enough bodies to do that, a big reason why they were one of the nation's most inexperienced teams in 2015. Clawson says he would prefer to redshirt 80 percent of the incoming freshmen.

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