Recruiting, 2014

[bh2oson]

Awesome news. Thanks to all those that contribute to the recruiting news! It makes the off season a lot more tolerable!

[TheMoody1]

I have seen him play in person several times and this guy is the real deal. Awesome get.

[EastHallApp]

Great pickup, position of need, and from a powerhouse HS program. Sounds good to me!

[AppState89]

Just got home from a 6am huge round up of drug traffickers ..... I LOVE THIS NEWS!!!!!! YES YES YES YES!!!! I'm a happy APPY!!! Sorry, had to say it....LOL

[Rick0714]

Just got home from a 6am huge round up of drug traffickers ..... I LOVE THIS NEWS!!!!!! YES YES YES YES!!!! I'm a happy APPY!!! Sorry, had to say it....LOL

Were you at Bieber's House this morning? ... (Sorry had to say that too, )

[Goapps15]

Not good. One of Apps major targets, Walden Davis has committed to Georgia State tonight.

[AppStateNews]

Not good. One of Apps major targets, Walden Davis has committed to Georgia State tonight.

I'm not sure how much of a top target he actually was... he's not even listed as having an offer from us.

Kid is really good though.. not denying that. Just saying if he didn't have an offer from us, how serious could we have been?

EDIT: I am going strictly off his 247Sports page -- http://247sports.com/Player/Walden-Davis-32339

[Goapps15]

Not good. One of Apps major targets, Walden Davis has committed to Georgia State tonight.

I'm not sure how much of a top target he actually was... he's not even listed as having an offer from us.

Kid is really good though.. not denying that. Just saying if he didn't have an offer from us, how serious could we have been?

EDIT: I am going strictly off his 247Sports page -- http://247sports.com/Player/Walden-Davis-32339

I had heard App was on him late to be a big time guy. Apps need to finish strong by getting one of Renfrow and Eaton. Got a good core now need to close it out in the final leg of the recruiting race of 2014.

[firemoose]

Davis was a top target for safety as a backup if Walton de-commits. We still have Sanders coming in this weekend and one or two more safeties coming in next weekend or are supposed to. Walton is the wild card right now. We need to try to hold on to him or find a replacement. And we need to pick up at least two more receivers, one being a taller receiver. I believe we'll try to get two more WR's with Renfrow and Black both possible and Lewis coming in this weekend (Renfrow can be counted as an ATH) but we really do need to try and get Eaton. He's probably the top target right now and Walton is the top priority to try and keep right now. However a lot can change in the next 12 days.

We have 22 commits with 5 signed or enrolled, 1 an unknown, and 3 being soft right now (1 more than the other 2 but don't count out anyone not signed or enrolled until the name is on the line). Based on conversations I've had it looks like our list right now is (providing all our current commits stay. If any decom then look for 1 more WR, and/or 1 more DB):

2 WR's (1 6' 3" or taller if possible)
1-2 DB's
1 RB
1-3 ATH's (depending on position-1 QB if possible. Renfrow can be counted here or WR)

High end is if all our current commits stay and we get the upper end of the list, which gives us the 30 target. Low end is if the 3 soft commits decom and we get the lower end of the list, which gives us 21-23 recruits. I don't believe the staff would stay there and would find some BPA's to get us to around 25. But as I said anything is possible and we could go in with 16 or 30. If signing day was tomorrow I would expect us to be in the 24-26 range but that number will be changing daily in the next 12 days depending on a bunch of factors. I'm hoping for a strong finish.

[Saint3333]

Surprised we aren't after another DL.

[Goapps15]

No surprise here. Penny Smith has committed to UTC this morning. Nothing to worry about though.

[firemoose]

Surprised we aren't after another DL.

Anything is possible, especially if we loose one. That "list" was from last week and Meadors and Eaton were at the top with a safety, any safety right behind. As I said it's changing daily and as players take these last visits and others commit elsewhere things can change. Going to be a long 12 days.

[CornCobPipes]

How does Quadarius Fair -WR fair in our recruiting picture? From the film I have seen he looks like a better talent on the field than some of the others we are looking at?

Decent basketball player too!

[CornCobPipes]

With our Miami area history, would be sweet if we could get some interest from the likes of Kendrick Edwards.

[CornCobPipes]

We need a stud big receiver and also something imo we have not had since john settle days and that is a stud RB.

[firemoose]

How does Quadarius Fair -WR fair in our recruiting picture? From the film I have seen he looks like a better talent on the field than some of the others we are looking at?

Decent basketball player too!

I know he visited us on Sept 7th but he was never extended an offer from anyone except South Carolina State, as far as I can tell. He did look good on film and MaxPreps has him listed as the #14 WR in SC but in my experience when someone is that good (rated 87 on 24/7) and doesn't have a single offer except SC State (where he committed on 12/16) there must have been something else that kept him from getting any other offers.

On the better news side App commit WR Deltron Hopkins (5′ 8″ 160) of Booker T. Washington High School in Miami, FL talked to John over at 24/7 and he says he is still committed to App, has no visits planned, and plans on signing on the 5th. This is great news as I wasn't sure about him since he had been taking other visits, had an offer from Hawaii, and hadn't been saying a lot on twitter. He had a great senior season and can really stretch the field for us with his speed.

Also I have a feeling I'll be adding ATH/RB Nikia Cathey (5' 8" 175) of Westwood High School in Memphis, TN to the Main Page shortly as an offer and maybe more. Already working on his player page. He tweeted the post below a little while ago along with a uni pic plus some other good things about App.

Nikia Cathey ‏@Nikia_Cathey2
In North Carolina Living It Up. Shoutout to App State

Watching for news from the visit from all three. Will update.

[CornCobPipes]

Thanks for the report Moose!

Good news we are adding some speed.

I just wish we could luck up on a big talented RB of the caliber that usually goes to big programs. We have not had that in a long long long time. These talented small guys are great but our short yardage situations are destroying us year after year now.

Our OL size is improving I am finally glad to see maybe the small RBs will be ok with larger linemen shaping up. These OL guys need to get stronger though.

Canty going to Vandy stings!

[firemoose]

We need a stud big receiver and also something imo we have not had since john settle days and that is a stud RB.

No doubt on the receiver but all we can do is offer and work. We can't make them commit. We've offered several and they've gone elsewhere. Still have a shot at Eaton or a surprise might come up in these last days.

As for RB we did go after several bigger backs but, as you pointed out, most of the good ones wind up at bigger programs. Herrod was our best shot at a between the tackles RB this year but there was an issue that just didn't work out. Building up our OL will help us. Upshaw will be playing this year and by all reports he had a great RS year on the scout team and is stronger than when we signed him. He can run between the tackles as well as outside. And Boyd will be a great addition as well. Things can still change in these last 12 days and I know we've been looking to add one more RB to the mix. We'll just have to see how things go.

Agreed Canty hurt but I always had him going somewhere else. We were never more than a backup to him. The thing that hurt the most was the length on the commit. The staff had to be careful with the offers in case some of those early commits like Canty, who were still looking hard for a better offer, really did wind up here. We can be under but really don't want to start pulling offers off commits if we were going to be over. Tough road to walk but it's what happens at this level. I have faith in the staff. We'll be fine.

[hapapp]

Here is the Virginian-Pilot take on Meadors committing to App State.

http://hamptonroads.com/2014/01/3star-r ... e-over-odu

It does appear we needed him more than they did.

[Goapps15]

I know it has been discussed before, but do any of you think Tobias Edge-Campbell would be a good NT for us. Perfect size and has very nice footwork. I could see the coaches easily putting him there in the spring.