By: Heath Moorman (@Heat1017)
This season, we welcome a new class of recruits to the CFSL, and as we were privileged to witness during the Newcomers Games, the class is full of future stars. Let’s look at the top 10 recruits from the class and what to watch as they begin their career.
Leland Everett – TE – Iowa
Leland Everett joins the Hawkeyes in their first season back in the CFSL since season 15. He looks to become the first tight end to set the standard for the program’s future and surpass previous Iowa tight ends such as Asher McAlister and Franklin Richards in the record books. Considering that Everett is joining an expansion team with a new AD, Matt Haase, it’s hard to know exactly how the young talent will be used on the field. Truly, a talent Everett is, as he was initially seen as a situational blocking tight end, but has quickly exploded into a major passing threat, catapulting him to the top of the recruiting board.
Quincey Asher – WR/HB – Alabama
Alabama, already one of the best teams last season, earned the commitment of the number two overall prospect in recruiting. A dynamic and versatile offensive weapon with speed, agility, and a knack for finding open space. This is an intriguing pickup for the Crimson Tide, as they’ve mostly focused on the running game in recent seasons under AD, David Ware. Alabama’s backfield is crowded with returning CryZen Mai, so I would expect Asher to see use in the receivers group, joining a young troop of Freshmen and Sophomore wide receivers. Alabama’s last 1,000-yard receiver was in Season 21 with Troy Tree. Does Asher have what it takes to join those ranks in Season 1?
Alexander Schultz – New Pancake King? (WR) – Florida State
Schultz was one of many players who impressed in this season’s Newcomers games. But he took a different approach to using the spotlight. He decided “I don’t need to have the ball in my hands to help us go get the win” and laid down 16 PANCAKE BLOCKS in the North vs. South game! That opened up options for his backfield to go for 169 yards rushing on 28 carries (just over 6 yards per carry). Florida State Halfback Dee Money has to be ecstatic about this guy showing up in his second year with the Seminoles. Last season, Money averaged 4.4 yards per carry. My hot take of this recruiting cycle is that Money’s average increases to 5.6 or above this season with the addition of Schultz.
Taytum Melinyshyn – WR – Virginia Tech
Joining a team in their third season, Melinyshyn adds some top-end talent to a team that earned one of the fastest conference titles from an expansion team. He has big shoes to fill as Virginia Tech graduates their top two producers on offense with Jefferies and Williams. As long as Taytum sees that as an opportunity rather than a responsibility, he’ll do great.
Venny Wellignton – DE – UNC
The first big man on defense that we’ve seen in the rankings, Venny Wellington, will join our Season 22 fairy tale team, North Carolina. He joins a thin defensive line room that contains only three defensive ends and no defensive tackles. The room has 15 career sacks, however, and Wellignton is just what the Tarheels need to see that number grow this coming season.
Barry Graves – OLB – Penn State
Heat’s hot take #2 of this article is that Barry Graves will make the nickname “The Reaper” known throughout the league. Although I think his play will more imitate that of The Undertaker, judging from his massive hit in the Newcomers’ Games. Graves is joining a team that is going to be willing to sell their souls to do better than last season (Penn State finishing winless in Season 22). He will bring a chill to Penn State that should match their icy colors.
Spencer Bady – WR – Texas A&M
Texas A&M has been one of the top performers in the league the last two seasons, literally. They’ve finished second in the league twice now. Each of the last two seasons, Graduate Wide Receiver Buck Stackhouse led the team in receiving, followed in each by Eli Riggins. Bady joins Riggins on the Aggies’ depth chart as they look for a third straight visit to the finals.
LC Fremont – QB – Colorado (vs. Declan Murphy – QB – Iowa)
LC Fremont was one of the most contacted recruits this offseason. A dynamic leader like Fremont is what every team wants on their side of the ball. We got our first look at Fremont’s ability on the field during the Newcomers’ Games as he put up 908 yards passing and 7 touchdowns through two games. Colorado AD Skyler Shearer was likely smiling ear to ear as he watched his QB carve up the opposing defenses. Likely, the top story surrounding Fremont will be his battle with second-overall QB in recruiting, Declan Murphy, who passed for 889 and 8 touchdowns through the Newcomers’ Games. Although Murphy will be going to Iowa and the Big 10 and Fremont to Colorado and the Big 12, expect this to be the QB battle of the future as these two dynamic passers will find themselves at the top of the league soon enough.
Jayden Sanders – FS – Colorado
Another prospect for a Colorado team that saw its championship hopes squandered by the Alabama Crimson Tide last season, Jayden Sanders is the top Safety in the cycle. Sanders joins Kamdyn Banks as a pair of talented safety recruits who look to lead Colorado’s defense of the future as they continue to run a 4-2-5 defensive scheme. It will be interesting to see who gets flexed to the nickel this season and gets to pin their ears back more often.
Jurgen McGregor – DE – Texas A&M
Our last recruit we’ll evaluate today, McGregor, is our second Texas A&M recruit, and he joins a pair of senior defensive ends already on the roster. This may mean he gets depth chart reps this season while he gets experience under his belt. The Aggies will be playing a 4-3 defense this season, hoping their fast defensive ends will get to the QB early and often. With the mobility of QBs in the Big 12, depth at this position may come to be seen as a brilliant decision by AD Kade Padgett.
Top 10 Recruits Schedule for Week 1
Leland Everett – Nebraska vs. Iowa – Monday at 8:30 pm CST
Quincey Asher – Alabama vs. USC – Thursday 8:30 pm CST
Alexander Schultz – Colorado vs. Florida State – Tuesday 8:30 pm CST
Taytum Melinyshyn – Virginia Tech vs. Texas – Thursday 6:30 pm CST
Venny Wellington – Oklahoma vs. North Carolina – Wednesday 8:30 pm CST
Barry Graves – Penn State vs. Florida – 6:30 pm CST
Spencer Bady – Texas A&M vs. Miami – 6:30 pm CST
LC Fremont – Colorado vs. Florida State – Tuesday 8:30 pm CST
Jayden Sanders – Colorado vs. Florida State – Tuesday 8:30 pm CST
Jürgen McGregor – Texas A&M vs. Miami – 6:30 pm CST
