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Looks like we brought in some really quality kids today... to 3 peat in the MAC is getting tougher and Fleck is still capable of pulling things together... even last second.

To lose two highly touted recruits at the end there of this recruiting season to the 'Cuse and be able to backfill those spots without missing a beat... thats guys on the trail doing work. We sit here and claim its Fleck's class... but lets be honest here... coaches Simon, Callahan, Pinkham..etc... those guys are out on the trail closing deals too...

Here's my top 5 instant impact players in this class... (no particular order)

Butch Hampton
Kid can kick the ball... and we haven't had a solid FG kicker in years... We had some success at times last year, but we haven't had someone who could be automatic from inside 40yds like this kid projects to be... I see him having HUGE impact for this team starting immediately.

Hunter Boersma
I have hopes this kid picks up where Braverman left off... He played all over the field in HS and might end up on the defensive side of the ball, but he's a baller and could pick up wherever Fleck puts him out there... Losing Braverman is going to take at least two players to fill his production this next year and I think Hunter could be one of those players.

Spener Kanz
I think this is the highlight of this class (not Flacon)... Reason being, we have plenty of capable RB's and for a non-p5 to pull in a top-50 at his position in the country OL... is HUGE. He plays tackle, and could be used right away to fill the hole left by the departure of Beavers. Lots of upside here...

Stefan Claiborne
One of the biggest (not talked about) departures on the defensive side of the ball is Rontavious Atkins. He played safety all last year and really covered for some mistakes by both LB-ers and CB's that got out of position. I honestly think Safety is the most important piece of a defense that struggles with size up front. Claiborne could fill in nicely right away to roam that middle ground. I think he needs a year of seasoning, but really has some upside at that position.

Jordan Asbury
Defensive Line, Defensive Line, Defensive Line... We saw last year what happens when you don't get push form a DL... <cough>GaSo</cough>... This kid has size and likely will grow even larger... Looks like a good piece to play near right away on a DL that really needs the depth. We need to have these big guys in waves..

Hard to narrow down to just 5... and again... Falcon isn't my top pick from this class, but it is quite a pull for a non-P5 team. I will be interested to see if he sticks at the RB role... If I had to predict the future... I think we see him move to LB. I fear he's another Franklin post ankle injury.. I also think that we are going to see the Franklin we saw as a Freshman make a resurgence this year... Great day to be a Bronco! RTB!!!! GO BRONCOS!

Hard to argue with those choices and I'm also hesitant about Falcon. Tons of upside and raw talent, but coming back from two season-ending injuries is tough.

As far as immediate impact goes, I'd look for Tristian Pipp to factor in, especially after the departure of Jason Sylva. Kid enrolled early for a reason.

Falcon had two season-ending knee surgeries in HS - same as WR Madison from Birmingham Brother Rice who Fleck told would never play here.

Gotta give credit where credit is due. This appears to be a very good recruiting class for us.

This isn't a year where we had to land a major QB, and RB prospect. This is filled with LB's and WR's and DB's, and I love it. Shows the depth we have at some major spots. Obviously you never know how a group turns out, but this has a feel of a class that really fills out a roster well, for several years.

(02-03-2016 11:04 AM)MajorHoople Wrote:  Falcon had two season-ending knee surgeries in HS - same as WR Dawson from Birmingham Brother Rice who Fleck told would never play here.

that is interesting.

(02-03-2016 11:15 AM)wmutkelaw Wrote:  

(02-03-2016 11:04 AM)MajorHoople Wrote:  Falcon had two season-ending knee surgeries in HS - same as WR Dawson from Birmingham Brother Rice who Fleck told would never play here.

that is interesting.

+1

I would add Dee Eskridge to that list.

(02-03-2016 11:04 AM)MajorHoople Wrote:  Falcon had two season-ending knee surgeries in HS - same as WR Dawson from Birmingham Brother Rice who Fleck told would never play here.

He's also been quoted saying that Falcon showed promising recovery signs and is a very hard worker.

Didn't hear either one of those factors in relation to the other kid.

(02-03-2016 11:21 AM)Hoekjeness Wrote:  

(02-03-2016 11:04 AM)MajorHoople Wrote:  Falcon had two season-ending knee surgeries in HS - same as WR Dawson from Birmingham Brother Rice who Fleck told would never play here.

He's also been quoted saying that Falcon showed promising recovery signs and is a very hard worker.

Didn't hear either one of those factors in relation to the other kid.

They were drooling over Falcon on the radio this morning. Granted it was WKZO...but still.

(02-03-2016 11:04 AM)MajorHoople Wrote:  Falcon had two season-ending knee surgeries in HS - same as WR Dawson from Birmingham Brother Rice who Fleck told would never play here.

Thanks for pointing out the negative. You do that so well, while ignoring the overwhelming positives.

(02-03-2016 11:27 AM)GullLake Wrote:  

(02-03-2016 11:04 AM)MajorHoople Wrote:  Falcon had two season-ending knee surgeries in HS - same as WR Dawson from Birmingham Brother Rice who Fleck told would never play here.

Thanks for pointing out the negative. You do that so well, while ignoring the overwhelming positives.

You're welcome. It's nice to be appreciated.

I just stated a fact. YOU labeled it negative, Nancy.

(02-03-2016 11:39 AM)MajorHoople Wrote:  

(02-03-2016 11:27 AM)GullLake Wrote:  

(02-03-2016 11:04 AM)MajorHoople Wrote:  Falcon had two season-ending knee surgeries in HS - same as WR Dawson from Birmingham Brother Rice who Fleck told would never play here.

Thanks for pointing out the negative. You do that so well, while ignoring the overwhelming positives.

You're welcome. It's nice to be appreciated.

I just stated a fact. YOU labeled it negative, Nancy.

Chicken sheet and pretty cowardly, junior.

(02-03-2016 11:04 AM)MajorHoople Wrote:  Falcon had two season-ending knee surgeries in HS - same as WR Dawson from Birmingham Brother Rice who Fleck told would never play here.

If you look at Falcon's abilities BEFORE injury and Dawson's abilities BEFORE injury its pretty easy to understand why one was kept and one was told to try somewhere else... I still think that Falcon is brought in to fill a spot... somewhere. This doesn't mean he won't be moved to the defensive side of the ball... something apparently they couldn't find Dawson being able to fill... not to mention the state of recovery that Falcon was in vs the state that Dawson was in...

I don't think Fleck and Co. look at a kid and bring him in just because he had a ton of stars and broke himself... losing his high end suitors. Sure... as Fleck said on a radio broadcast this morning... sometimes "One teams trash, is another teams treasure"...

BTW - where did Dawson end up?

Madison wound up at Robert Morris for same reason Falcon wound up here - a coach told them both they weren't healthy enough to play at his school.

Only difference is Falcon had "four stars."

"Another man's trash..." indeed.

(02-03-2016 12:00 PM)MajorHoople Wrote:  Madison wound up at Robert Morris for same reason Falcon wound up here - a coach told them both they weren't healthy enough to play at his school.

Only difference is Falcon had "four stars."

"Another man's trash..." indeed.

Then how do you explain guys like Robert Spillane who didn't even have a recruitng profile on all four major sites, had no stars, and zero offers... until WMU offered him?

Also Nathan Braster, Leo Ekwoge, and Zach Novoselsky were all 2-star guys who had serious injuries their senior seasons...

(02-03-2016 11:41 AM)GullLake Wrote:  

(02-03-2016 11:39 AM)MajorHoople Wrote:  

(02-03-2016 11:27 AM)GullLake Wrote:  

(02-03-2016 11:04 AM)MajorHoople Wrote:  Falcon had two season-ending knee surgeries in HS - same as WR Dawson from Birmingham Brother Rice who Fleck told would never play here.

Thanks for pointing out the negative. You do that so well, while ignoring the overwhelming positives.

You're welcome. It's nice to be appreciated.

I just stated a fact. YOU labeled it negative, Nancy.

Chicken sheet and pretty cowardly, junior.

(02-03-2016 12:10 PM)Hoekjeness Wrote:  Also Nathan Braster, Leo Ekwoge, and Zach Novoselsky were all 2-star guys who had serious injuries their senior seasons...

I would prefer we stick to our guns once we offer a kid, generally speaking. That said we have actually done that for the most part so I wonder what more there is to that story.

I sort of defended Harbaugh too (even though I think the guy is a creep and a weirdo) on this subject because the nature of recruiting is such that we get news on this type of thing through the biased filter of the family with little way for the other side to respond.

Falcon and Madison were both injured as Juniors and Seniors.

Different than Braster, Ekwoge, and Novoselsky.

(02-03-2016 10:51 AM)flushtheherd Wrote:  Looks like we brought in some really quality kids today... to 3 peat in the MAC is getting tougher and Fleck is still capable of pulling things together... even last second.

To lose two highly touted recruits at the end there of this recruiting season to the 'Cuse and be able to backfill those spots without missing a beat... thats guys on the trail doing work. We sit here and claim its Fleck's class... but lets be honest here... coaches Simon, Callahan, Pinkham..etc... those guys are out on the trail closing deals too...

Here's my top 5 instant impact players in this class... (no particular order)

Butch Hampton
Kid can kick the ball... and we haven't had a solid FG kicker in years... We had some success at times last year, but we haven't had someone who could be automatic from inside 40yds like this kid projects to be... I see him having HUGE impact for this team starting immediately.

Hunter Boersma
I have hopes this kid picks up where Braverman left off... He played all over the field in HS and might end up on the defensive side of the ball, but he's a baller and could pick up wherever Fleck puts him out there... Losing Braverman is going to take at least two players to fill his production this next year and I think Hunter could be one of those players.

Spener Kanz
I think this is the highlight of this class (not Flacon)... Reason being, we have plenty of capable RB's and for a non-p5 to pull in a top-50 at his position in the country OL... is HUGE. He plays tackle, and could be used right away to fill the hole left by the departure of Beavers. Lots of upside here...

Stefan Claiborne
One of the biggest (not talked about) departures on the defensive side of the ball is Rontavious Atkins. He played safety all last year and really covered for some mistakes by both LB-ers and CB's that got out of position. I honestly think Safety is the most important piece of a defense that struggles with size up front. Claiborne could fill in nicely right away to roam that middle ground. I think he needs a year of seasoning, but really has some upside at that position.

Jordan Asbury
Defensive Line, Defensive Line, Defensive Line... We saw last year what happens when you don't get push form a DL... <cough>GaSo</cough>... This kid has size and likely will grow even larger... Looks like a good piece to play near right away on a DL that really needs the depth. We need to have these big guys in waves..

Hard to narrow down to just 5... and again... Falcon isn't my top pick from this class, but it is quite a pull for a non-P5 team. I will be interested to see if he sticks at the RB role... If I had to predict the future... I think we see him move to LB. I fear he's another Franklin post ankle injury.. I also think that we are going to see the Franklin we saw as a Freshman make a resurgence this year... Great day to be a Bronco! RTB!!!! GO BRONCOS!

Kantz and Asbury will redshirt. Plenty of depth on the Oline. Doubt Asbury is ready to play DT. Borsema will Rs as well. Needs to bulk up.

Claiborne and Pipp could see PT. in fact any of the LBers could.

My guess on Falcon; he'll never play a significant roll.