Baylor Football Recruiting Needs and Way Too Early 2015 Position Previews

As so often happens in the course of running a blog like this, I found myself this evening with almost nothing to do and something on my mind.  You see, although today was an amazing day overall for the future of Baylor Football with the commit of our first-ever 5* QB in Jarrett Stidham, as well as the successes of commits Chad President and Tren'Davian Dickson in the Texas high school playoffs, it wasn't as good as it could have been.  With 5* OLB Malik Jefferson headed south to one school we beat at their place and Midway S Kahlil Haughton to another, as well as indications from at least one other key recruit that things might not be going our way, I started thinking about where we were with this recruiting class and what we might need.

As of this moment on Saturday, December 20, 2014, Baylor has 13 verbal commitments in the 2015 recruiting class.  Projecting out a bit in terms of positions from what we think we know, 8 of those commits are likely to play offense when they get to Waco while just 4 are slated for the defense.  The other, Andrew Galitz, is a kicker/punter or punter/kicker, whichever you prefer. With this kind of split, it seems pretty obvious that the balance of our remaining spots -- 3 or 4 scholarships at most -- will go to defense, but where?

Here's what I've decided to do to try to get a better handle on things: Longtime denizens of ODB have seen my Position Preview series before each of the last two seasons.  In it I make charts for each position to show how many of whatever we have.  It's a decent enough way to look at potential position depth charts before breaking things down individually.  Today, I'm going to do the first part but not the second so we can get a look at the whole without breaking down the parts.  You'll see what I mean. Remember, this is how things will be in 2015, and for the purpose of this exercise, I'm going to assume everyone returns even though we know they won't (due to the Draft) or can't (simply because there's too many of them).

A Few Notes:

• All incoming freshmen are assumed to be redshirting.
  
• Non-scholarship players have been removed except where they may play a significant role.
• Heights/weights have been updated based on the latest roster or 247Sports' recruiting profiles.

Quarterbacks:

Eligibility Remaining
No.	Player	Year	Ht/Wt.	Position	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
17	Seth Russell	JR	6-3/215	Quarterback
13	Chris Johnson	SO	6-5/220	Quarterback
1	Jarrett Stidham	FR*	6-3.5/190	Quarterback

UPDATE: With Chad President's decommittment today, Baylor will now have 3 scholarship QBs in spring practice led by this year's backup, Mr. Russell. I believe Briles has said in the past that he prefers only having 3 QBs at a given time, but you might see some fill-in with a walk-on or two to run the scout team.

Need: 0

Running Backs:

Eligibility Remaining
No.	Player	Year	Ht/Wt.	Position	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
33	Silas Nacita	SR	5-11/185	Running Back
20	Anthony Webb	SR	5-11/195	Running Back
32	Rashodrick Linwood	JR	5-9/200	Running Back
28	Devin Chafin	JR	6-0/225	Running Back
2	Johnny Jefferson	SO	5-10/200	Running Back
22	Terence Williams	RS-FR	6-2/225	Running Back
--	J.W. Ketchum III	FR	5-11.5/201	Running Back

A couple of things here: 1) after having 3 RBs or fewer for most of this year, we're going to have a veritable plethora of options next season provided Webb returns (which seems likely) and our trio of starting options becomes a quartet, and 2) I'm putting Ketchum in the mix at RB and Hasty at IR, but both could easily be RB/WRs.  Just keep that in mind.  We are almost definitely done at RB this year, although I have long felt we could use a big back in this class.  Probably not happening.

Need: 0

Inside Receivers:

Eligibility Remaining
No.	Player	Year	Ht/Wt.	Position	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
80	Cal Spangler	SR	5-11/185	Inside Receiver
1	Corey Coleman	JR	5-11/190	Inside Receiver
84	Lynx Hawthorne	JR	6-0/200	Inside Receiver
9	K.D. Cannon	SO	6-0/170	Inside Receiver
18	Chris Platt	RS-FR	5-11/165	Inside Receiver
--	JaMychal Hasty	FR	5-8/185	Running Back

If we're being completely honest with each other, there's probably no good way to say whether Hasty and Ketchum will be RBs or IRs.  It seems to me that Hasty is better suited as a IR while Ketchum is a RB, but I can't say for sure.  Either way, we're not taking any more here.

Need: 0

Outside Receivers:

Eligibility Remaining
No.	Player	Year	Ht/Wt.	Position	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
4	Jay Lee	SR	6-3/210	Wide Receiver
82	Kaleb Moore	JR	6-0/200	Wide Receiver
26	Brandon Brown	JR	6-0/180	Wide Receiver
12	Quan Jones	SO	6-5/210	Wide Receiver
83	Cole Edmiston	SO	6-1/190	Wide Receiver
16	Davion Hall	SO	6-2/200	Wide Receiver
8	Ishmael Zamora	RS-FR	6-4/195	Wide Receiver
9	Blake Lynch	FR	6-3.5/195	Wide Receiver
2	Devontre Stricklin	FR	6-3/180	Wide Receiver

Looking for a place where someone might transfer out?  You've found it!  This is a lot of outside receivers to carry one one roster, particularly when just two of them play at any given time.  Jay Lee is now the elder statesman leading a group that skews heavily toward underclassmen.  Don't need any other recruits here, although a certain Cedar Hill player whose name rhymes with Shamarkus Dodge could find a home (but probably won't, so don't get your hopes up).

Need: 0

Offensive Line:

I'm going to do this the same way I did it in the Position Previews, broken up between (presumed) starters and likely backups.

Starters

Eligibility Remaining
No.	Player	Year	Ht/Wt.	Position	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
58	Spencer Drango	SR	6-6/305	Left Tackle
73	Blake Muir	SR	6-6/300	Left Guard
55	Kyle Fuller	JR	6-5/305	Center
67	Desmine Hilliard	SR	6-5/340	Right Guard
69	Pat Colbert	SR	6-6/310	Right Tackle

This could change quite a bit depending on what Drango does and where our JUCOs fit in, but doesn't that look amazing if we can pull it off?

Second-Team

Eligibility Remaining
No.	Player	Year	Ht/Wt.	Position	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
--	Maurice Porter	JR	6-6/295	Left Tackle
60	LaQuan McGowan	SR	6-8/410	Left Guard
72	Blake Blackmar	RS-FR	6-5/340	Center
61	Jarell Broxton	SR	6-5/330	Right Guard
69	Ishmael Wilson	SO	6-4/295	Right Tackle
--	Dominic Desouza	JR	6-7/300	Tackle

Really had to search to find our backup center for this group, but I think it's going to be Blackmar.  Or it might be someone else.  Do I look like Nostradamus?

Reserves

Eligibility Remaining
No.	Player	Year	Ht/Wt.	Position	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
--	Devonte Jones	JR	6-2/305	Guard
76	Jason Osei	JR	6-4/300	Tackle
52	Rami Hammad	SO	6-5/315	Guard/Tackle
74	Sean Muir	SO	6-3/285	Center
57	Tanner Thrift	SO	6-5/290	Tackle
77	Patrick Lawrence	RS-FR	6-6/280	Tackle
70	Josh Pelzel	RS-FR	6-6/320	Tackle

Strangely enough, we have not a single interior lineman in this class at this point.  I'm not sure we will add one, either, with limited spots available.  The additions of Hammad and Wilson balance things out for us a bit, since both will be sophomores in 2015, so it's not a huge deal.  A year from now, however, we'll have no scholarship redshirt freshmen OL on the roster. I'd really like to see a HS G or OT, but I don't think we will.

Need: 0 (arguably 1)

Tight Ends:

Eligibility Remaining
No.	Player	Year	Ht/Wt.	Position	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
15	Gus Penning	SR	6-6/250	Tight End
41	Tre'Von Armstead	JR	6-6/265	Tight End
85	Jordan Feuerbacher	SO	6-4/250	Tight End
--	Sam Tecklenburg	FR	6-3.5/257	Tight End

Nothing to see here.  We're not taking another TE.

Need: 0

Defensive Tackles:

Eligibility Remaining
No.	Player	Year	Ht/Wt.	Position	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
93	Suleiman Masumbuko	SR	6-2/300	Defensive Tackle
98	Trevor Clemons-Valdez	SR	6-3/290	Defensive Tackle
95	Beau Blackshear	SR	6-4/300	Defensive Tackle
90	Javonte Magee	JR	6-5/280	Defensive Tackle
75	Andrew Billings	JR	6-2/300	Defensive Tackle
96	Byron Bonds	JR	6-2/280	Defensive Tackle
91	Andrew Morris	RS-FR	6-1/270	Defensive Tackle
97	Ira Lewis	RS-FR	6-3/265	Defensive Tackle

Hmmmm... So we don't have any DTs in this class, and I'm not exactly crazy about that.  Since both of our DTs from the 2013 class (Bonds and Billings) played as true freshmen, we have a hole here.  Do we really want to go into 2016 with 5 scholarship DTs?  This is a situation that basically screams JUCO a year from now (or the year beyond), and I'd rather not have to rely on that.

Need: 1

Defensive Ends:

Eligibility Remaining
No.	Player	Year	Ht/Wt.	Position	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
2	Shawn Oakman	SR	6-9/280	Defensive End
92	Jamal Palmer	SR	6-3/240	Defensive End
86	Samuel Ukwuachu*	SR	6-5/245	Defensive End
15	Brian Nance	SO	6-3/230	Defensive End
56	K.J. Smith	SO	6-2/255	Defensive End
43	Jamie Jacobs	RS-FR	6-4/220	Defensive End
94	Xavier Jones	RS-FR	6-3/205	Defensive End
99	Josh Malin	RS-FR	6-5/245	Defensive End
52	Greg Roberts	RS-FR	6-6/220	Defensive End

*Taken from last year's Post-Spring Depth Chart, since he's not currently on the roster.

This actually looks pretty good, and you might see someone like Malin spin down to DT at some point and help out with depth there.  That makes me feel somewhat better.  We don't have any DEs in the 2015 class, either, and don't seem likely to get one.

Need: 0

Linebackers:

Eligibility Remaining
No.	Player	Year	Ht/Wt.	Position	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
5	Grant Campbell	SR	6-1/225	LB
20	Aiavion Edwards	JR	6-1/225	OLB
16	Kendall Ehrlich	JR	6-1/225	LB
45	Xavier Phillips	SO	6-1/215	OLB
52	Raaquan Davis	SO	6-1/220	OLB
11	Taylor Young	SO	5-10/225	OLB
--	Clay Johnston	SO	6-2/200	LB

We have one LB, Johnston, and are definitely searching for another.  It won't be Malik, obviously, but we need someone.  Richard Moore would be perfect.

Need: 1

Nickelbacks:

Eligibility Remaining
No.	Player	Year	Ht/Wt.	Position	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
34	Lee Bristow	SR	6-3/225	NB
21	Patrick Levels	JR	5-11/195	NB
48	Travon Blanchard	SO	6-2/190	NB
17	Cordell Dorsey	RS-FR	6-1/190	NB

There's a point where it's impossible to tell a small OLB that might grow from a NB that need not do so. Do we need an OLB or a NB?  Both?

Need: 1

Cornerbacks:

Eligibility Remaining
No.	Player	Year	Ht/Wt.	Position	Starts	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
1	Chris Sanders	SR	6-0/185	CB	--
24	Terrence Singleton	JR	5-11/195	CB	--
4	Xavien Howard	JR	6-2/205	CB	12
9	Ryan Reid	JR	5-11/190	CB	11
3	Tion Wright	JR	5-9/160	CB	1
7	Jourdan Blake	RS-FR	6-0/185	CB	--
27	Verkedric Vaughns	RS-FR	5-10/185	CB	--
27	Jordan Tolbert	FR	5-10/185	CB	--
27	Tony Nicholson	FR	5-10/185	CB	--

So I'm going to be honest for a moment-- when I started this task, I set out to look at two positions.  This was the first.  My reason?  I don't think we're getting Kris Boyd on Christmas Day (although I'd really like to), and I have not heard much lately to make me think our chances with Holton Hill are significantly better.  For those two especially, UT's recruiting resurgence could really cost us.

Still, now that I look at what we have going forward, I'm not as convinced as I once was that we absolutely must have another CB in this class.  I'm still going to chalk it up as a need, though.

Need: 1

Safeties:

Eligibility Remaining
No.	Player	Year	Ht/Wt.	Position	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
13	Terrell Burt	SR	5-10/185	S
28	Orion Stewart	JR	6-2/200	S
26	Taion Sells	JR	5-10/185	S
12	Alfred Pullom	SO	6-2/185	S
18	Chance Waz	SO	5-11/170	S
--	Jameson Houston	FR	6-1/190	S

After cornerbacks, this was the second position I wanted to address tonight.  I am of the opinion that regardless Houston's intentions (seems like a decommit is coming), we need at least one safety.  If he decommits, two.  That's why losing Haughton today was such a big deal.  If we don't fill this need now, we'll have to hit the JUCO ranks later (or seriously consider moving Davion Hall to defense as so many have been pining for since his commitment).

Need: 2 (assuming Houston decommits)

Priority of Needs:

So, after all that is done, it's apparent that we have six potential needs: OL, DT, LB, NB, CB, and S.  To the surprise of no one in a class where we have 4 defensive commits, these are nearly all defensive positions.  Taking the above into consideration and folding NB into the LBs, I'd rank our needs as follows:

1. Safety (1 or 2) --  I don't think this is even a question.
2. Defensive Tackle (1) -- I'm baffled why this doesn't seem to be a bigger deal to anyone else.
3. Linebacker (1) -- Both of our HS LBs in the 2014 class failed to qualify. That's a problem.
4. Cornerback (1) -- Hill or Boyd.  Boyd or Hill.  One of those would be great.
5. Offensive Line (maybe 1) -- I just don't like not taking HS OL in a class.

With a class of 14 and spots for 2-3 more at the most, having ~5 needs remaining is hardly ideal.  My guess based on our offer pattern and things we've seen recently is that our coaching staff disagrees with me on the need for a DT and will instead focus on the other three defensive areas.  It's also possible that should you get someone like Hill, you can essentially kill 2 birds with 1 stone in that he can play corner or safety.  That might free up a spot for a flyer on a DT or another linebacker, if you find one you like.

Ideal (Realistic) Finish:

CB/S Holton Hill
LB Richard Moore
? (there may be a potential flip in the works that I'm not considering)

UPDATE:

Chad President's departure from the 2014 class means we're back down to 13 commits and may be able to take 3-4 going forward instead of 2013.  I don't necessarily think that impacts our positional priority all that much, since we still have the same needs on the defensive side of the ball, but it might mean we make a new offer or two soon to try to even things out a bit.  For those worried about balance, 3-4 more defensive recruits would mean we have 8 offensive and 7-8 defensive in this class.