By: Cole Mantell (@lightningdragon)
For the ninth season, we will look at each team in the CFSL as recruiting gets underway. At the time of writing, coach recruiting is finishing up, so while some of these positions may be filled by the time we publish, I’ll do my best to take that into account. As always, I aim to find the biggest need for each team in recruiting. I also do not take transfers into account or any team that has lost players to the transfer portal. This is simply an exercise in what a team is for sure losing, and therefore what that team must recruit. I also exclude expansion teams as obviously, they need everything. This season, that means I won’t be talking about the return of Oklahoma and the expansion of Virginia Tech. Teams are listed in alphabetical order. So without further ado:
Alabama Crimson Tide – Halfback
The Crimson Tide have five seniors this season, led by Season 20 All-American Tyrone Blake. Without Blake, Alabama currently has zero running backs on the roster, meaning that it will be the most important position for the staff to replace. Having an All-American the season before will mean that Alabama shouldn’t have a hard time finding a replacement. The real question here is whether the team grabs one or two HBs. I’d expect an open competition if the team does grab two HBs, all to support rising sophomore QB Johnny Ray Davis.
Auburn Tigers – Wide Receiver
It was a brutal end to Season 20, winning every game except that last one. Auburn will look for revenge in Season 21, but first, there is an acute need to replace talent, especially on offense. At wide receiver, both Duke Dawkins and Logan Wetzel graduate, with Devin Zero and Caden Swift entering their senior season as well. There is a genuine need to replenish young talent at WR, and that should be Justin Duke and his staff’s biggest focus this offseason. Jay Duke had a magnificent season, but to repeat that performance, he is going to need the help he had throughout the offense this season.
Clemson Tigers – Defensive Front 7
There’s a new AD in Clemson, South Carolina. Logan Wetzel was a great coach in the Auburn staff and now moves on to his first season leading the other Tiger team. Clemson has some pieces, but depth was and is an issue. Not taking into account any transfers, the Defensive Line and Linebackers already seem to be in the biggest position of need. Clemson only had two five-stars at those positions at the end of Season 20, and one of them was graduating senior Bishop Guerrero. While Maria Sebastiano is a great player, you’ll need more than that on defense to compete in this remade ACC.
Colorado Buffaloes – Tight End
While it may have been a slow start, Colorado has slowly been building in their first two seasons in the CFSL. An underrated fact about this team is that they are nearly full on scholarships, and only had four seniors as a young team. I won’t call them a dark horse yet, but the pieces are here to take that next step both in and out of conference play. Colorado loses Jordan Tank and Barrett Steele to graduation, with only Bill Budde remaining at TE on the roster. While Budde is in line to start, I imagine the Buffaloes will look for at least one more Tight End to support the growing roster. I would not be surprised if they bring in a few veteran transfers for the youth already here.
Florida Gators – Defensive Tackle
Florida was a team in transition last season. There was a lot in common between them and Colorado, as both teams experienced a youth movement heading into the season and both experienced growing pains throughout said season. For Florida, there is a lot to work with here. The Gators’ biggest hole right now is at defensive tackle, with a total of zero players at that position on the team. That obviously will change, and I expect Florida will be aggressive on defense in general in recruiting this offseason. In addition to DT, Florida needs help at linebacker and maybe safety too. With a smaller roster compared to most, expect depth to be restocked as well in Gainesville.
Florida State Seminoles – Outside Linebacker
Florida State is about the exact opposite of its rivals to the south. This is a veteran team, one with playmakers on both sides of the ball. Tom Pence’s squad should be an easy lock for the Preseason Top 10, and that’s before recruiting has even begun. Depth at linebacker is their only real need this offseason. Brody Rockmore graduated, and Bjorn Thorsen is now a rising senior. While Rocky Painter is locked in at MLB, even if FSU goes to a 4-2-5 defense next season, the Seminoles will likely want at least one more linebacker to fill out the position on the roster. I wouldn’t be surprised if the team takes two onboard just to be safe.
Georgia Bulldogs – Defensive Line
The good news here is that Georgia has consistently been a playoff team with some good players who’ve competed hard in SEC play. The bad news is that Georgia has been stuck in neutral for a bit here under a new AD change and a transition throughout the roster. Well, Gene Pettijohn has been here for a bit now. It’s time for the Bulldogs to take that next step. And that means filling depth and replacing guys who graduate. That is most true for Georgia on the defensive line. Tode Danger and Lacrisa Pettijohn are both quality players. But to take that next step, UGA needs to support them. They’ll need impact players at both DE and DT. That is a key part of the team graduating from playoff participant to playoff contender.
Kentucky Wildcats – Wide Receiver
Never underestimate Devan Davis. That’s a key lesson I’ve learned in my days in the CFSL and one any AD can tell you. Kentucky was a factor in almost every game they played this season in defending their Season 19 National Championship. However, this season ended prematurely in the Quarterfinals. Kentucky returns most of their team, but offensive depth will be key for them in Season 21. After Shaud Sanders graduates, currently the Wildcats only have three WRs on the roster. Now, Lamandon Lloyd, Malachi Cobb, and Ricky Rak are all some of the best at their position. But in a conference where teams regularly carry five or six WRs, Kentucky will need to refill at the position to remain competitive. The team has a ridiculous amount of depth on defense, but I can see them rearming at spots in the depth there too, especially at positions like DE and CB.
LSU Tigers – Wide Receiver
If Georgia was a team in transition a few seasons ago, LSU is the team in transition this season. Not only is LSU moving conferences back to the Big XII, but the Tigers also will lose about half of their offense to graduation, including QB Beau Dale. However, Dale was a senior transfer. I’m sure Drake Babineau and his staff already have plans in place for that position next season. Wide Receiver is a much different story, however. LSU loses JJ Lang, BrySon Homan, and Ryan Hall. Nasir Pope and Dakoda Cydrus are the only remaining WRs on the roster. Similarly to Kentucky, LSU will need to target WR as maybe their #1 focus this offseason. Unlike Kentucky, the team is older with a lot of graduating pieces. The team might have one of the larger signing classes, just out of necessity. The team did well this season, so in theory, nothing is stopping LSU from making a run at that #1 recruiting class ranking spot. Time will tell as Babineau assumes the full-time AD position.
Miami Hurricanes – Safety
In a class defined by the relative lack of graduations, Miami is another team that has so few. Only three players (TE Zay Ryan, CB Ryzen Rodriguez, and SS Jamal Davis) graduated from the Hurricanes. Miami joins a list of a few of the teams we’ve discussed where there is not too much urgency with only a few spots to fill this offseason. Still, Miami will need to replenish depth at the back end of their defense. In addition to Davis graduating, Jim Morris and Cody Park are the two remaining safeties, and both are rising seniors for Season 21. Miami likely starts with grabbing one safety this season, and I’d imagine next season the position will be a key priority for the Hurricanes too.
Michigan Wolverines – Cornerback
Unlike last season, with only three QBs graduating, I think this year’s QB recruiting frenzy will be much less chaotic. Michigan has always been a great recruiting team under AD Aaron Ike, so I’m confident it won’t take long for the Wolverines to find their next QB. At Cornerback, however, the Wolverines will lose both Josh Hess and Gabi Blanco. While Amarion Xander Martel was an All-American as a freshman this season, at the time of writing he’s the only 5-star CB left on the team. He can’t do it all alone, so look for the Wolverines to target players that complement their rising star on defense. I’d imagine this could be a position Michigan fills at least one spot with a transfer as well considering the youth movement that is happening here too.
Michigan State Spartans – Depth
While it was a rocky start for Michigan State, the team still is near capacity. Not only that but there are no graduating seniors on this young team either. Now, there obviously will be transfers and other player movements, so Michigan State still has work to do, as any 1-7 team would. But the core is coming into view. This offseason will be all about building depth for the team, expanding their reach, and getting more impact players on the roster. QB Cole Mantell needs more weapons in particular on offense, that seems like the logical place to start. While no position needs to be replaced outright, building that key depth will be the key for the Spartans entering their second season.
North Carolina Tar Heels – Halfback
While not as crazy as last season’s QB departures, HB is a common theme among a few teams in being their biggest losses. There are six HBs, including North Carolina’s Nick Cal, who are departing. Cal was the only HB on the roster, rushing for over 1400 yards and 16 touchdowns in his four seasons in Chapel Hill. North Carolina has five seniors graduating in total, and that includes some of the team’s biggest contributors to their Season 20 ACC Champion squad. However, the need at HB is both obvious and unfilled. It’s going to be tough competing with many great programs for their guy. But Daniel Gunn’s specialty in his time as an AD has seemed to be recruiting, with quite a few signature recruiting wins under his belt in his building of the Tar Heels. This is another prime opportunity for Gunn and his staff to continue fleshing out this roster to make a championship contender, starting at Halfback.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish – Safety
This was maybe the toughest team to choose just one position of need going into this offseason. The Fighting Irish are the third team replacing their Quarterback this offseason due to graduation, and new AD Andrew Brandt will be looking for a statement in whoever the QB is to replace Andrei Belov. However, as I said with both LSU and Michigan, there should be much less chaos in the QB recruiting market this offseason, and thus maybe less of an emphasis league-wide on the position. Safety, however, could be the opposite. Three safeties graduate and Notre Dame only brings rising Junior 4-star Brian Singletary on the roster. Safety is always one of the hardest positions to recruit, and Brandt will need at least a few for next season. This is a young team outside of the seniors graduating, with all but three players on the Season 20 edition of the team being a Senior or Freshman. That’ll make Notre Dame one of the most interesting teams to follow this offseason, even before factoring in the new AD.
Ohio State Buckeyes – Linebacker
Ohio State may not be as unbalanced as Notre Dame when it comes to the dispersion of talent in terms of what year they are entering. But this is still a mostly young and growing team. Only three seniors graduated this season for the Buckeyes, meaning the team will have a much less hectic recruiting cycle (in theory). In terms of depth, they have a bunch. Linebacker could be an area to target with this team, however. Jake James graduates, leaving only two rising seniors Seth Berlin and DJ Money on the roster. Both are quality players, but obviously, there will be an acute need in Season 22 for the team to replace talent at the position group. That’s going to be easily the biggest focus for this team this season, and likely next season as well.
Oregon Ducks – Wide Receiver
Yes, Oregon was maybe the most rushing-heavy team in the CFSL last season. And yes, while both Gavin Lussier and Aaron Kellogg Jr were great players, no one would be shocked if Oregon decided to just run it back (literally) in terms of their game-planning in Season 21. But no matter the era or playbook, you cannot just keep rushing in the CFSL. You eventually need to pass the ball, and rising junior QB Claude DuBois is a quality passer. With only two 3-stars remaining on the roster, expect Oregon to be aggressive on the WR recruiting market, and I could easily see at least one (if not more) transfer WRs coming to Eugene next season too, just to add that veteran presence to the locker room. There are a total of seven seniors graduating this season for the Ducks, so it will be a busy offseason up in Eugene no matter what.
Penn State Nittany Lions – Nothing?
Well, this is a first. Longtime readers will remember when I wrote Texas needed to replace every position on the roster, and then dominated the next season after the article was published. So take that voodoo as you will. The truth is Penn State, fresh off a Semifinal appearance, has no graduating seniors. This will be an offseason all about replacing any few transfers on the team. It would be no surprise if Penn State is the quietest team on the recruiting trail this offseason, and that includes bringing back maybe a Top 5 team in the preseason rankings. It’s an offseason plan that’ll make any rival AD jealous, so congratulations already to TJ Smith and his staff on maybe already winning the offseason by going to the beach.
Tennessee Volunteers – Wide Receiver
With apologies to the graduating kicker Skip Harris, I don’t think kicking is the biggest need this offseason for Tennessee’s recruiting. The biggest story surrounding Tennessee this offseason is building off breaking the streak. The curse is broken, and now it is time for Volunteers AD CJ Furman to take that next step in the SEC—the two best WRs in Tennessee graduate. Replacing Dareon Hall and Matt Cavitt won’t be easy, but it isn’t as hard as some think. There’s untapped potential in the duo of Sterling Verdugo and Mykel Vanderslice, and there is depth around the roster, especially on defense. But the pieces are here on the roster. It’s all about expanding the amount of talent on the roster this offseason so that Tennessee can continue moving up in the CFSL universe.
Texas Longhorns – Halfback
The Longhorns come into the offseason without a single halfback on the roster after the graduation of Chef Wyatt. This makes running back their biggest need. And whoever replaces Wyatt will have big shoes to fill. Wyatt had 602 rushing yards last season while averaging an impressive 6.4 yards per carry. The Longhorns not only have to fill the need, but they will be looking to replace Wyatt’s production. This will be a focus for second-year AD Ryan Moreland and his coaching staff.
Texas A&M Aggies – Halfback
The caveat here is that Texas A&M is entering its second season. They are another team with no graduating seniors. And this is not a whole paragraph dunking on promising rising sophomore HB Crew Walker. But with very little in terms of talent refreshment needed, HB is an easy place for Texas A&M to focus this offseason. Whether it is outright replacing Crew Walker with a 5-star HB, or grabbing a second-string HB to support Walker on third downs, there is a lot to work with here. Again, with very little replacing needed on this roster, it provides AD Kade Padgett a lot of wiggle room to experiment as the Aggies look to build on their expansion season record.
USC Trojans – Outside Linebacker
Congratulations to the Season 20 champion USC Trojans! Recruiting after a National Championship is maybe one of the easiest pitches for any team in the CFSL, and that privilege goes to Jacob Cobb this offseason. Add in a lot of returning star power from this championship squad, and you have a potent combination for another contending season in Season 21. USC will have a few graduations, but the only real position of need seems to be Outside Linebacker. Assuming neither MLB moves to the outside, building depth and getting at least one starter at OLB is an easy target for Cobb and his USC staff. Other spots could also use depth to replace some of the six seniors graduating, but USC is a good place entering Season 21.
West Virginia Mountaineers – Wide Receiver
West Virginia was an incredible story in Season 20. Maybe one of the smallest rosters in the CFSL, the Mountaineers went on a great run to make the playoffs. The season ended on a sour note in the first round, but there is once again hope in Morgantown. While depth is the most important step needed for AD Nate Murphy, WR is the easy main target for WVU. The team loses Cait Graziano and Joshua Campbell, leaving Hunter Dowell and Jay Pittman on the roster. All four of those names are 5 stars, but obviously, the team will need to replace some of that receiving talent leaving. I’ve always been high on this team and their staff, and while there is work to do, look at WVU as maybe a dark horse for possibly the largest, or even dare I say best, recruiting class heading into Season 21.
