dg151
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I mostly follow college football and the NFL Draft, but for the past few years I've been doing a write up for the Canes signing class, so I figured I would share here if anyone was bored. It's usually more for guys who don't follow recruiting very much so a lot of the back info you probably already know. Also I'm a huge homer so it's super positive. Hope you guys enjoy it!
QB – A
Kevin Olsen (6.0) – Solid height at 6-3, but a bit skinny and will need time to develop physically. Fantastic mechanics with a clean, quick throwing motion. Excellent accuracy on both intermediate and deep throws. Very smart player who is a student of the game. Good arm strength that should improve as he adds muscle. Good footwork in the pocket and rolling out. Average athlete but can make some plays on the ground. Played under center in a pro style offense in high school. Won 2 state titles in New Jersey. Son of a top HS coach and younger brother of former Cane Greg Olsen. Missed most of his senior season with a broken foot. Under Armour All American. Committed to Miami early over Wisconsin and South Carolina. Elite QB recruit who has a chance to start in 2014.
RB – B-
Augustus Edwards (5.8) – Big back at 6-2 226 with a frame to get bigger. Very strong downhill runner with good speed. Hard to tackle. Very impressive balance. Good at making people miss in small spaces, especially for such a large back. Quick feet. Decisive runner who sees the hole quickly and hits it. Runs with a good pad level when in traffic. Good hands out of the backfield. Uses a stiff arm well. Chose Miami over FSU and Syracuse. Projects as a RB/FB hybrid and has a lot of potential as a power back.
WR – A
Stacy Coley (6.0) – Solid size at 6-1, 173 with a good frame to add weight. Extremely fluid athlete with great long speed. Tremendous body control and high points the ball very well. Great hands and catches the ball away from his body. Big threat after the catch and can make guys miss. Great kick returner who should contribute there in college. Tremendous athlete. Makes it look easy. Plays with a lot of confidence. 30 catches as a senior, 10 of which went for TDs. Dominated top talents in Tracy Howard and Rashard Robinson. Under Armour All American. Commited to Miami over FSU. Complete receiver that projects as a top flight #1 WR in college and should see the field immediately on offense and special teams.
TE – A
Beau Sandland (5.9) - Huge target at 6-5 255 with a muscular build. Physical player who punishes defenders after the catch. Good athlete with solid top end speed. Uses his body extremely well to wall off defenders when the ball is in the air. Hand catcher who doesn't let the ball get into his body. Finds spots in zone coverage well. Physical in the run game but needs to play with better leverage. JUCO player with 3 years to play 2. Had offers from everywhere and ultimately chose Miami over Nebraska and Arizona State. Already enrolled at UM. Will contribute immediately as a receiver and has the potential to be a top all round TE.
Standish Dobard (5.8) – Another big target at TE (6-5 245) but will need to lose some baby fat. Good overall athlete but average top end speed. Good body control and uses his huge frame to block out defenders in the air. Solid technique as a run blocker and should excel there as he develops physically. Physical after the catch and tough to bring down. Committed to UM early over Auburn and has been a diehard Cane since. Early enrollee. Could see the field early but won't see the field consistently for a year or two as he develops into a starting TE.
OL – B-
Sonny Odogwu (5.8) – Legit 6-8, 308, with room to grow still. Incredible lenth and plays with a huge base. Extremely flexible. Plays with good leverage, especially with someone of his height. Solid technique in pass protection but has some growing to do there. Positions his hands well but needs to improve punching. Average foot speed which could limit him some. Grew up in Nigeria. Former basketball player and is still relatively new to football. 12 inch hands! Spent a year at prep school where he gained about 30 pounds. No nonsense player with an incredible work ethic. Committed to Miami over Mississippi State, Texas Tech and Texas A&M. Still developing physically but has the potential to grow into a starting RT.
Alex Gall (5.7) – Good size at 6-5 295 with a solid build. Plays with great pad level. Great in the run game and plays with a wide base when driving defenders. Great hand placement in pass protection with a devastating punch. Nasty demeanor who plays like he wants to hurt the opponent. Limited athletically which will restrict him to an interior player in college. Played multiple positions in HS but mostly RT. Won a state championship in Ohio his senior year. Diehard Cane who picked UM over Kentucky and BC. Projects as rotational interior player with starting upside.
Hunter Knighton (5.5) – Good height at 6-6 but only 265 and needs to bulk up a ton before he contributes. Played both OL and DL in HS. Good athlete with good change of direction skills. Solid technique in pass protection but needs work. Leans on defenders rather than using his hands. Gets off blocks well at DT. Average first step on defense. Committed to Miami over BC and Purdue. Early enrollee. Reserve interior OL who could also end up at DT.
DL – C+
Al-Quadin Muhammad (6.0) – Good size at 6-4 230 with terrific length and a frame to add weight easily. Great athlete who changes direction and bends very well. Terrific first step. Very good functional strength. Great closing speed. Good lateral agility. Plays with very good leverage. Uses his hands well. Advanced as a pass rusher and has multiple moves. Inconsistent off the ball. Sound wrap up tackler. High motor. Comes from a top program in New Jersey at Don Bosco Prep. Had 19 sacks as a senior. Army All American. Committed to Miami over Notre Dame, Alabama and Rutgers. High impact edge rusher who should see the field immediately and can also play some LB.
Ufomba Kamalu (5.6) – Great size at 6-5, 275 with long arms. Good athlete for his size. Plays with good leverage. Sets the edge well. Good lateral agility. Disengages from blockers well. Decent first step. Solid hand usage. Inconsistent technique. JUCO transfer with 3 years of eligibility left. Native of Nigeria. Had offers from Auburn and West Virginia. Will play DE and will likely grow into a 5 tech/DT.
LB – B
Jermaine Grace (5.9) – Undersized at 6-1 208 but should be able to add weight easily over time. Incredible athlete with legit 4.5 speed. Extremely instinctive player who diagnoses plays very fast. Fantastic sideline to sideline player who closes on players and explodes into ball carriers. Very fluid in coverage and shows a good understanding of pass game concepts. Comfortable in both man and zone coverage, so much so that there are some projections of him to safety. Breaks down well in space and consistently makes tackles in the open field. Uses his hands well to get through trash. Over 100 tackles each of the last 2 seasons with 60 tackles for loss, as well as 6 INTs, over that time. Semper Fi All American. Committed to Miami over Louisville and Tennessee. Projects as a starting weak side backer who should play immediately in nickel situations and on special teams.
Alex Figueroa (5.7) – Good size at 6-3 225 but has lost 20 pounds due to surgery which should come back easily once he's fully healthy. Very good athlete with good top end speed. Devastating hitter. Explosive player coming down hill. Good first step and has the tools to be a very effective blitzer at the next level. Sound wrap up tackler. Needs to work on technique when taking on blockers. Special teams demon. Played LB, WR and special teams in high school. Impressive ball skills as a receiver. 2012 graduate who was supposed to attend prep school last season before he suffered a torn labrum. Grade issues caused him to not get much interest in recruiting. Early Enrollee. SLB prospect who should play immediately on special teams.
Devante Bond (5.7) – Solid size at 6-2 230 but should be in the 240-250 range by next season. Plays with tremendous leverage. Great first step. Uses his hands well to keep linemen off of him. Good lower body strength. Closes well. Sets the edge extremely well. Decent in zone coverage but not an area he is going to be relied upon. Primarily uses a speed rush and needs to develop some counter moves. JUCO pass rusher with 2 years of eligibility left. 17 sacks and 3 FF last season. Rushed primarily from a 2 pt stance. Chose Miami over Fresno State and Syracuse. Projects as an immediate contributor as a SLB and 3rd down rusher.
DB – A-
Artie Burns (6.0) – Very good size at 6-1 183 with long arms. Elite speed and acceleration. Played CB, S and WR in HS. Very good ball skills and showed good hands as a WR. Aggressive in run support but will need to improve technique. Comes down hill fast and can lay the big hit. Great at getting a jam on receivers and seems more comfortable in press man than off coverage. Technique is fairly average overall in coverage and his footwork needs to improve a fair amount. Great KR in high school and should excel there in college. Under Armour All American. One of the best HS hurdlers in the country. Former Alabama commit who chose UM over Bama and LSU. Will start out at CB but projects very well to both corner and safety.
Jamal Carter (5.9) – Great size at 6-2 200 with a very muscular build. Explosive athlete with good top end speed. Big time hitter who punishes ball carriers and receivers going for the ball. Drives ball carriers back and is rarely over matched in the run game. Effective blitzer due to his explosion and size. Shows solid range as a deep safety. Solid ball skills but not really a strength. Great return man in high school and has some potential there in college. Had some work ethic issues in the past but matured his senior year. Committed to UM over FSU and LSU. Excellent safety prospect who should be in the 2 deep as soon as he gets on campus.
Ray Lewis III (5.5) – A bit small at 5-9 but a solid build at 190. Solid athlete but has average speed. Great agility and feet. Great vision as a running back. Strong runner who gets through arm tackles. Good hands and body control. Form tackler who drives through ball carriers. Semper Fi All American. Insane production in HS against sub par competition. Son of the greatest LB to ever play the game. Projects as a nickel back or slot receiver and special teamer.
Walk On
P – Austin Barnard – Great size at 6-4 200. Excelled at punting camps and will compete to be the starting punter next season.
Overall Grade – B+
Golden's 2nd full class was much smaller than the first, and had a few specific needs that were targeted. It also didn't have nearly as much focus on Florida as the previous class, as only 5 of the 16 signees are from Florida. They instead went out of state to target their needs, hitting the Northeast and West Coast. The class had 3 from NJ, 2 frin CA, 2 from VA, and 1 from each of NY, LA, KS and OH. The class also focused on immediate contributors, as 3 JUCO transfers were brought in, as well as 2 players who graduated in 2012.
On the offensive side of the ball, the focus was on one QB, a power back, one WR, multiple TEs, and multiple OL. For the QB, they brought in a top pocket passer in Kevin Olsen who will likely redshirt and compete for a starting spot in 2014. Gus Edwards was brought in as the power back of the class, and will likely fill out to be a 6-2 230 hybrid back, and could compete for short yardage carries immediately. The class had room for one WR, and possibly the best WR recruit in the last 5 years for the Canes was signed in Stacy Coley. An elite deep threat and return man, Coley will likely beat out a few guys already on the team for PT next season. Beau Sandland and Standish Dobard are both huge, athletic targets at the TE position, with Sandland likely being a big part of the offense for the next two seasons. The entire OL class brought in will likely redshirt behind a veteran line, but does have some solid bodies going forward. It is also a position that will likely be a main focus for 2014.
On the defensive side of the ball, pass rush was the main focus as it was a huge issue last season. One of the best pass rushers in the country, Alquadin Muhammad, was brought in and should see the field immediately in that role. Missing out on the top DT targets was a huge miss for this class and is the biggest priority for 2014. LB depth was also an issue, and all three brought in could see the field next season, with Devante Bond adding to the pass rush, and Jermaine Grace being used in coverage. The front 7 players brought in really fit in the hybrid defense that the coaches want to install, and more 3-4 base looks should be seen going forward. Adding to an elite DB haul in '12, the Canes brought in 2 of the best from South Florida in 2013 in Artie Burns and Jamal Carter. Both will likely play as freshmen and should be regulars in the two deep. Going forward the Canes might have one of the best young DB groups in the country.
6.1=5*, 6.0=high 4, 5.9=mid 4, 5.8=low 4, 5.7=high 3, 5.6=mid 3, 5.5=low 3, 5.4=2
QB – A
Kevin Olsen (6.0) – Solid height at 6-3, but a bit skinny and will need time to develop physically. Fantastic mechanics with a clean, quick throwing motion. Excellent accuracy on both intermediate and deep throws. Very smart player who is a student of the game. Good arm strength that should improve as he adds muscle. Good footwork in the pocket and rolling out. Average athlete but can make some plays on the ground. Played under center in a pro style offense in high school. Won 2 state titles in New Jersey. Son of a top HS coach and younger brother of former Cane Greg Olsen. Missed most of his senior season with a broken foot. Under Armour All American. Committed to Miami early over Wisconsin and South Carolina. Elite QB recruit who has a chance to start in 2014.
RB – B-
Augustus Edwards (5.8) – Big back at 6-2 226 with a frame to get bigger. Very strong downhill runner with good speed. Hard to tackle. Very impressive balance. Good at making people miss in small spaces, especially for such a large back. Quick feet. Decisive runner who sees the hole quickly and hits it. Runs with a good pad level when in traffic. Good hands out of the backfield. Uses a stiff arm well. Chose Miami over FSU and Syracuse. Projects as a RB/FB hybrid and has a lot of potential as a power back.
WR – A
Stacy Coley (6.0) – Solid size at 6-1, 173 with a good frame to add weight. Extremely fluid athlete with great long speed. Tremendous body control and high points the ball very well. Great hands and catches the ball away from his body. Big threat after the catch and can make guys miss. Great kick returner who should contribute there in college. Tremendous athlete. Makes it look easy. Plays with a lot of confidence. 30 catches as a senior, 10 of which went for TDs. Dominated top talents in Tracy Howard and Rashard Robinson. Under Armour All American. Commited to Miami over FSU. Complete receiver that projects as a top flight #1 WR in college and should see the field immediately on offense and special teams.
TE – A
Beau Sandland (5.9) - Huge target at 6-5 255 with a muscular build. Physical player who punishes defenders after the catch. Good athlete with solid top end speed. Uses his body extremely well to wall off defenders when the ball is in the air. Hand catcher who doesn't let the ball get into his body. Finds spots in zone coverage well. Physical in the run game but needs to play with better leverage. JUCO player with 3 years to play 2. Had offers from everywhere and ultimately chose Miami over Nebraska and Arizona State. Already enrolled at UM. Will contribute immediately as a receiver and has the potential to be a top all round TE.
Standish Dobard (5.8) – Another big target at TE (6-5 245) but will need to lose some baby fat. Good overall athlete but average top end speed. Good body control and uses his huge frame to block out defenders in the air. Solid technique as a run blocker and should excel there as he develops physically. Physical after the catch and tough to bring down. Committed to UM early over Auburn and has been a diehard Cane since. Early enrollee. Could see the field early but won't see the field consistently for a year or two as he develops into a starting TE.
OL – B-
Sonny Odogwu (5.8) – Legit 6-8, 308, with room to grow still. Incredible lenth and plays with a huge base. Extremely flexible. Plays with good leverage, especially with someone of his height. Solid technique in pass protection but has some growing to do there. Positions his hands well but needs to improve punching. Average foot speed which could limit him some. Grew up in Nigeria. Former basketball player and is still relatively new to football. 12 inch hands! Spent a year at prep school where he gained about 30 pounds. No nonsense player with an incredible work ethic. Committed to Miami over Mississippi State, Texas Tech and Texas A&M. Still developing physically but has the potential to grow into a starting RT.
Alex Gall (5.7) – Good size at 6-5 295 with a solid build. Plays with great pad level. Great in the run game and plays with a wide base when driving defenders. Great hand placement in pass protection with a devastating punch. Nasty demeanor who plays like he wants to hurt the opponent. Limited athletically which will restrict him to an interior player in college. Played multiple positions in HS but mostly RT. Won a state championship in Ohio his senior year. Diehard Cane who picked UM over Kentucky and BC. Projects as rotational interior player with starting upside.
Hunter Knighton (5.5) – Good height at 6-6 but only 265 and needs to bulk up a ton before he contributes. Played both OL and DL in HS. Good athlete with good change of direction skills. Solid technique in pass protection but needs work. Leans on defenders rather than using his hands. Gets off blocks well at DT. Average first step on defense. Committed to Miami over BC and Purdue. Early enrollee. Reserve interior OL who could also end up at DT.
DL – C+
Al-Quadin Muhammad (6.0) – Good size at 6-4 230 with terrific length and a frame to add weight easily. Great athlete who changes direction and bends very well. Terrific first step. Very good functional strength. Great closing speed. Good lateral agility. Plays with very good leverage. Uses his hands well. Advanced as a pass rusher and has multiple moves. Inconsistent off the ball. Sound wrap up tackler. High motor. Comes from a top program in New Jersey at Don Bosco Prep. Had 19 sacks as a senior. Army All American. Committed to Miami over Notre Dame, Alabama and Rutgers. High impact edge rusher who should see the field immediately and can also play some LB.
Ufomba Kamalu (5.6) – Great size at 6-5, 275 with long arms. Good athlete for his size. Plays with good leverage. Sets the edge well. Good lateral agility. Disengages from blockers well. Decent first step. Solid hand usage. Inconsistent technique. JUCO transfer with 3 years of eligibility left. Native of Nigeria. Had offers from Auburn and West Virginia. Will play DE and will likely grow into a 5 tech/DT.
LB – B
Jermaine Grace (5.9) – Undersized at 6-1 208 but should be able to add weight easily over time. Incredible athlete with legit 4.5 speed. Extremely instinctive player who diagnoses plays very fast. Fantastic sideline to sideline player who closes on players and explodes into ball carriers. Very fluid in coverage and shows a good understanding of pass game concepts. Comfortable in both man and zone coverage, so much so that there are some projections of him to safety. Breaks down well in space and consistently makes tackles in the open field. Uses his hands well to get through trash. Over 100 tackles each of the last 2 seasons with 60 tackles for loss, as well as 6 INTs, over that time. Semper Fi All American. Committed to Miami over Louisville and Tennessee. Projects as a starting weak side backer who should play immediately in nickel situations and on special teams.
Alex Figueroa (5.7) – Good size at 6-3 225 but has lost 20 pounds due to surgery which should come back easily once he's fully healthy. Very good athlete with good top end speed. Devastating hitter. Explosive player coming down hill. Good first step and has the tools to be a very effective blitzer at the next level. Sound wrap up tackler. Needs to work on technique when taking on blockers. Special teams demon. Played LB, WR and special teams in high school. Impressive ball skills as a receiver. 2012 graduate who was supposed to attend prep school last season before he suffered a torn labrum. Grade issues caused him to not get much interest in recruiting. Early Enrollee. SLB prospect who should play immediately on special teams.
Devante Bond (5.7) – Solid size at 6-2 230 but should be in the 240-250 range by next season. Plays with tremendous leverage. Great first step. Uses his hands well to keep linemen off of him. Good lower body strength. Closes well. Sets the edge extremely well. Decent in zone coverage but not an area he is going to be relied upon. Primarily uses a speed rush and needs to develop some counter moves. JUCO pass rusher with 2 years of eligibility left. 17 sacks and 3 FF last season. Rushed primarily from a 2 pt stance. Chose Miami over Fresno State and Syracuse. Projects as an immediate contributor as a SLB and 3rd down rusher.
DB – A-
Artie Burns (6.0) – Very good size at 6-1 183 with long arms. Elite speed and acceleration. Played CB, S and WR in HS. Very good ball skills and showed good hands as a WR. Aggressive in run support but will need to improve technique. Comes down hill fast and can lay the big hit. Great at getting a jam on receivers and seems more comfortable in press man than off coverage. Technique is fairly average overall in coverage and his footwork needs to improve a fair amount. Great KR in high school and should excel there in college. Under Armour All American. One of the best HS hurdlers in the country. Former Alabama commit who chose UM over Bama and LSU. Will start out at CB but projects very well to both corner and safety.
Jamal Carter (5.9) – Great size at 6-2 200 with a very muscular build. Explosive athlete with good top end speed. Big time hitter who punishes ball carriers and receivers going for the ball. Drives ball carriers back and is rarely over matched in the run game. Effective blitzer due to his explosion and size. Shows solid range as a deep safety. Solid ball skills but not really a strength. Great return man in high school and has some potential there in college. Had some work ethic issues in the past but matured his senior year. Committed to UM over FSU and LSU. Excellent safety prospect who should be in the 2 deep as soon as he gets on campus.
Ray Lewis III (5.5) – A bit small at 5-9 but a solid build at 190. Solid athlete but has average speed. Great agility and feet. Great vision as a running back. Strong runner who gets through arm tackles. Good hands and body control. Form tackler who drives through ball carriers. Semper Fi All American. Insane production in HS against sub par competition. Son of the greatest LB to ever play the game. Projects as a nickel back or slot receiver and special teamer.
Walk On
P – Austin Barnard – Great size at 6-4 200. Excelled at punting camps and will compete to be the starting punter next season.
Overall Grade – B+
Golden's 2nd full class was much smaller than the first, and had a few specific needs that were targeted. It also didn't have nearly as much focus on Florida as the previous class, as only 5 of the 16 signees are from Florida. They instead went out of state to target their needs, hitting the Northeast and West Coast. The class had 3 from NJ, 2 frin CA, 2 from VA, and 1 from each of NY, LA, KS and OH. The class also focused on immediate contributors, as 3 JUCO transfers were brought in, as well as 2 players who graduated in 2012.
On the offensive side of the ball, the focus was on one QB, a power back, one WR, multiple TEs, and multiple OL. For the QB, they brought in a top pocket passer in Kevin Olsen who will likely redshirt and compete for a starting spot in 2014. Gus Edwards was brought in as the power back of the class, and will likely fill out to be a 6-2 230 hybrid back, and could compete for short yardage carries immediately. The class had room for one WR, and possibly the best WR recruit in the last 5 years for the Canes was signed in Stacy Coley. An elite deep threat and return man, Coley will likely beat out a few guys already on the team for PT next season. Beau Sandland and Standish Dobard are both huge, athletic targets at the TE position, with Sandland likely being a big part of the offense for the next two seasons. The entire OL class brought in will likely redshirt behind a veteran line, but does have some solid bodies going forward. It is also a position that will likely be a main focus for 2014.
On the defensive side of the ball, pass rush was the main focus as it was a huge issue last season. One of the best pass rushers in the country, Alquadin Muhammad, was brought in and should see the field immediately in that role. Missing out on the top DT targets was a huge miss for this class and is the biggest priority for 2014. LB depth was also an issue, and all three brought in could see the field next season, with Devante Bond adding to the pass rush, and Jermaine Grace being used in coverage. The front 7 players brought in really fit in the hybrid defense that the coaches want to install, and more 3-4 base looks should be seen going forward. Adding to an elite DB haul in '12, the Canes brought in 2 of the best from South Florida in 2013 in Artie Burns and Jamal Carter. Both will likely play as freshmen and should be regulars in the two deep. Going forward the Canes might have one of the best young DB groups in the country.
6.1=5*, 6.0=high 4, 5.9=mid 4, 5.8=low 4, 5.7=high 3, 5.6=mid 3, 5.5=low 3, 5.4=2
![crossover22[]_[]](https://data.canesinsight.com/avatars/m/2/2075.jpg?1518149361){kind=avatar}
