Welcome to the fifth post in our twelve-part recruiting breakdown series. Today will look at the #5 team in our rankings, Fresno State. The Bulldogs quietly put together a solid class, led by one of the best signees in the conference this past season. To learn more about it, read below.
Recruits signed: 43High school: 25JUCO: 5Transfers: 13Offensive: 24Defensive: 16Athlete: 1Special Teams: 2Number of 3-stars per 247 rankings: 22Players with a rating over 88: 1Players with a rating over 85: 8Players with a rating over 82: 13Breakdown by state (excluding transfers):California: 18Nebraska: 3Missouri: 2Hawaii: 1New Mexico: 1Utah: 1247 Rankings (subject to change)Recruiting: 75Transfer: 119Overall: 81Accurate throws along the sidelinesComfortable throwing off his back foot while under pressureExcels at escaping pressure in the backfieldMakes quick reads and is able to get the ball out quicklyDisplays a quick release on his passesSolid football moving around the pocketPinpoint accuracy throwing into tight windowsShows the ability to make throws all over the fieldSuperb acceleration as he hits the hole at the line of scrimmageShows the ability to catch out of the backfieldLow center of gravity aids him in maintaining balance when hitEasy change of direction to evade the defenseImpressive burst of speed after the catch to blow by defendersThe defense has a hard time tackling him as he is constantly keeping his legs movingNavigates traffic in the trenches and continues to pick up yards after contactDynamic returner on special teamsAbility to adjust his route to catch the ball in strideHard to bring down after the catch, breaking tackles with easeTremendous hands, coming down with balls in tight windows and featuring one-handed catchesGreat body control and footwork along the sidelinesLong strides allow him to get downfield in a hurryImpressive leaping ability to high-point jump ballsGives max effort on every route he runsPhysical receiver who isn’t afraid of contactBlazing speed with the ball in his hands as a rusher, receiver, or returnerSkilled at breaking tackles, bouncing off defenders, and keeping his balanceTurns upfield as soon as he completes a catch to fight for extra yardsStrong hands to win 50/50 balls with defensive backs and pull the ball into his chestIs a matchup nightmare for opposing secondaries on the outside or in the slotLong arms provide a wide catch radius to help quarterbacksLong strides help him create separation after the catchGreat football along the sidelineWilling blocker who helps running backs get openPhysical receiver who works hard to get openPlus hands to pull down difficult catches while absorbing hitsSkilled at slipping off the line, fooling the defense as he runs a routeA two-way athlete who brings a high motor to every snapNice footwork when making catches, and not going out of boundsA big target who does not go down easily after the catchImpactful blocker in the run game neutralizes the defenseDeveloped route-runner who knows how to find the soft spots in the zone to get openGreat at tracking the ball and securing the catch while on the runAble to catch passes in the general vicinity due to his long armsHard-nosed blocker who takes linebackers completely out of playsTowering target who presents matchup issues for defensesFlies down the field with long strides and straight-line speedGo-to target in the red zone due to his height advantageSolid blocker on the outsideAthletic blocker who sets the pace for running backs out in front of playsHas an explosive first step after the snap, which gives him an advantage over defensive linemenAgility and power make him ideal to pull on run playsSound footwork in pass protection as he maintains the pocket for the quarterbackStarts low in his stance to explode into his blocksAggressive blocker who plays through the whistlePicks up blitzes and defensive schemes well and reacts accordinglyMoves well laterally in pass protection to keep pace with edge rushersLots of length off the edge, making him tough to blockRemains active through the play, getting his hands on quarterbacks or knocking down passesTakes good angles on his first few steps, making it hard for tackles to recoverAthletic enough to play wide receiver on offense as wellViolent tackler who hunts down quarterbacks in the backfieldPowerful rusher who can neutralize the strength of offensive tacklesFeatures an array of pass moves to win his battlesGets into the backfield quickly to cause havocDrives tackles back into the quarterback to disrupt the playStrong in run support, keeping contain on the outsideAble to generate a steady pass-rush by winning his one-on-onesAbility to engulf ball-carriers with long arms and brings them down to the groundTackles very well on the move, bringing players down as they try to escapeSkilled at finding the holes in the line to get into the backfieldFights through double teams and holding penalties to generate pressure on the QBFrequently gets tackles for loss in the backfield in run defenseExcels at run fits, closing holes at the line of scrimmage to stop running backs in their tracksHard hitter displaying textbook techniqueGreat play recognition, getting into position quicklyNoticeable game speed as he flies around the field, making playsBlows up screens as he fights through blocks to make playsPlays well in zone coverage, reading the quarterback, and shading over to where the ball will be thrownGood speed while changing directions, thanks to his time at running backNice vision as he reacts to the developing play and gets into the proper positionStrong coverage skills thanks to play awareness and mobilityBig hitter in space, bringing backs down behind the lineNoticeable speed and change of direction from his time at running backGreat in the box or in the flat defending the runDiagnoses plays well, closing in on the pass to make an impactExcellent blitzer, flying into the backfield before the offense can reactTracks passes in the air easily from his time as a receiverKeeps his hands active, snagging interceptions or knocking down throwsDoes a good job stepping into the passing lane to take the ball away in coverageDoesn’t bite on fakes or jukes, keeping his eyes on the receiver’s midsectionViolent hitter in the open field, bringing WRs down with forceAble to play man or zone coverage, constantly in the right positionBallhawk, who is able to get to a lot of balls thanks to his long armsTracks the ball well in the air and consistently out-jumps wide receivers on passesBig-play potential due to his athleticism moving around the fieldBeats WRs to the ball thanks to play recognition and long stridesSees the field well, even when going all-out on a playAt his best when the ball is in his hands in spaceVersatile player who can make an impact at any spotAble to outrun players and make them miss when running
It is no secret that under Matt Entz the Bulldogs want to run the football and play exceptional defense, and this class delivers on both.
Jhadis Luckey is the kind of quick running back that Entz loves. He gives off Bryson Donelson vibes. Very tough to bring down like Donelson and will provide a nice thunder in the backfield to pair with some lightning.
The quarterback position is one that the Bulldogs would like to grow and get back to having pro prospects. Deagan Rose gives the Bulldogs an opportunity to turn another player into a pro. He was offered by both Virginia Tech, Oregon, and many predicted he would go to Oregon State, Rose stunned many and picked Fresno State. Depending on how long he wants to stay in the Valley will be predicated on good talent around him. The Bulldogs do add Xavier Owens, a tall and fast three-star recruit who, dare I say, might be giving some fans a flashback to Davante Adams.
On defense, Isaiah Lucero is the kind of defensive back that Entz and his defense love. His versatility, size, and speed will allow him to play any receiver, which will be huge in the Pac-12. While the players on the offensive side might get all the glory with this class, Lucero might be the the steal of this class.
(High school players only)
Mike: Owens, Rose, Plummer
Adam: Rose, Owens, Luckey
Mike: Lucero, Sutko, Chambers
Adam: Sutko, Robert Lucero, Isaiah Lucero
Adam: R. Lucero, Sutko, I.Lucero
Mike: Quarterback, Linebacker
Adam: Quarterback, running back
Here is the list of transfer players Fresno State signed. We are moving away from commenting on their film, as it’s often many years outdated by this point, and frankly, it’s become too time-consuming. Jack is doing a tremendous job commenting on transfer players in his transfer tracker. Instead, this section will comment on the class as a whole in terms of attempting to address needs and overall philosophy.
QB Khristian Martin
RB Jalen Harris
RB Andrew Chavez
RB Tariq Thomas
WR Tyler Becker
WR Darrian Anderson
TE Jake Appleget
OL Bode Stoddard
OL Patrick Barnett
OL Oscar Weigel
DL Dylan Hampsten
DL Micah Mosley
DL Maverick Noonan
DB Preston Okafor
DB Taylor Powell
DB Croix Stewart
K Manaki Watanabe
LS Ethan Rossetti
Fresno State was relatively light on transfer players this cycle, at least compared to the other eleven teams in this series. With the transfers they did add, they were able to address nine different positions, with only edge rusher, linebacker, and punter the only spots not filled in this cycle. Adding a quarterback was a top priority, and restocking the running back room will help their scheme. Taking some wide receivers will hopefully make the passing game more dynamic. Defensive line and defensive back were a clear focus in the portal and will hopefully pay dividends. It’s quite the accomplishment for the Bulldogs that after only one season, they can use the transfer portal to make specific additions rather than casting a wide net to merely fill spots.
There it is for the Bulldogs. It’s a class with one bona fide star and plenty of talent surrounding him. With both the high school recruits and the transfer signees, the coaching staff focused on addressing specific needs and position upgrades rather than attempting to fill roster spots by casting a wide net. Fresno State recruited in the second tier of the west coast conferences, securing a very good class, even if it’s not great enough to be mentioned among the best. That being said, it’s a huge accomplishment considering this is the first full class by Coach Entz and company and hopefully a sign of more good things to come in the recruiting department.
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