JUCO recruits can fill roster holes, but come with some risk.
Junior college recruits can help to plug holes on a roster. They are more physically mature than their high school counterparts. They need less development, which is good, since they have less years to develop once they reach their ultimate college destination. It’s typically not a good sign if a team has to load up on JUCOs, but teams not at least looking at a few are often missing the boat.
Wednesday was the first day JUCO recruits who are enrolling for the spring semester can sign with a school. I’m not aware of any official tracker, so here are a few examples of schools who signed a lot of JUCO players.
Kansas signed seven players! That is a ton. And looking into it, they signed some seriously talented players, like former Alabama players Charles Baldwin and Daylon Charlot.
Kansas should be close to 80 scholarship players next fall. Between guys counting forward, backward, blueshirts, grayshirts, redshits, and walk-ons earning scholarships, the roster is looking better from a scholarship number perspective. A few wins in 2017 might go a long way to increasing the talent level of future classes as well.
Texas Tech signed six players Wednesday! Included in that is a pair of cornerbacks. That’s probably good, since the Red Raiders were 121st nationally in QB rating allowed.
Ole Miss signed four players Wednesday, including some instant help for what was an awful 2016 defense. Despite not having a defensive coordinator in place, immediate playing time was a draw in Oxford.
I really like the pickup of Brandon Martin by Arkansas. He is one of the most talented receivers I have seen in high school over the last few years.
The Pac-12 had a bit day, as well, lead by Arizona State. Washington State added some help on the offensive line, and at receiver. Utah added some help at safety with Corrion Ballard, a four-star. And Colorado got some much needed help at defensive tackle.
And Purdue, which needs so much help, signed two JUCOs who figure to start immediately.
Quickly in non-JUCO news ...
The signing of safety C.J. Avery by Louisville, beating out Auburn, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and others, is significant.
An interesting development in the Northeast, as running back A.J. Dillon flipped from Michigan to Boston College. The prevailing thought in recruiting circles is that Michigan might flip Alabama commit Najee Harris, the No. 1 running back in the country, and that playing time should be easier to find at BC.
Speaking of Michigan, the Wolverines added a commitment from four-star receiver Tarik Black. Michigan could be set up to close with a bang, including the likes of Isaiah Wilson, Donovan Peoples-Jones, and Cesar Ruiz.
A third of Syracuse’s 2015 recruiting class is already off the team. Ouch.