We are a full two days removed from 2010's National Signing Day. That means it must be time to look ahead to 2011.
After the jump, take a look at a couple names on Boise State's radar and discuss what positions the Broncos may need the most help with. What position are you hoping to see in the 2011 class? Let me know in the comments.
Boise State's list of 2011 offers and interest
Being proactive never hurt anyone, except maybe in the case of Lane Kiffin recruiting a 13-year-old.
According to Scout.com, Boise State has already laid some groundwork for its 2011 class by offering two four-star skill players out of the state of Washington. Here are their details:
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Austin Seferian-Jenkins
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Kasen Williams
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Sefeian-Jenkins and Williams have offers and interest from a great number of BCS schools, and it is way too early in the process to even begin to wonder where they're headed. Or is it? Lane Kiffin would think these guys are behind their prime at this point.
Scout.com lists several other players who have earned attention from the Broncos. While no offers have been made to any of these, some of the names could show up again in the 2011 Bronco class.
- WR Devon Blackmon
- TE Charlie Hopkins
- CB Brian Clay
- MLB Cody McCarthy (Bishop Kelly HS, Idaho)
- MLB Adam Pulsipher
- DT Chris Jones
- DE Robert Kugler (son of former O-line coach Sean Kugler)
- QB Cody Kessler
- DE Taniela Tupou
- RB Haran Piggee
- QB Earnest Carrington
- QB Austin Kent
- QB Joe Portaro
- QB Steve Wilson
- RB Kendall Brock
- RB Seth Davis
- RB Julius White
- WR Dallas Burroughs (Rocky Mountain HS, Idaho)
- WR Kramer Ferrell
- WR Jajuan Hammond
- WR Cameron McKernan
- OT Jim Bagley (Rocky Mountain HS, Idaho)
- OT Matthew Devereux
- OG Jordan Rigsbee
- C Garrett Williams
- DE Robert Ash
- DE Zachary Wood
- OLB Logan Mayes
- OLB Dennis Taylor
- MLB Jordan Trompke (Rocky Mountain HS, Idaho)
- S Willie White
- CB Michael Ford
- CB Ellis Henderson
Note: The recruiting map will return this offseason, so let me know your zip code if you missed out last year.
Areas of need for the Broncos with the 2011 recruiting class
Boise State was blessed this offseason by only losing one starter out of the Fiesta Bowl lineup. After 2010, holes will start to open up with much greater frequency.
The following is a position-by-position look at the Bronco roster. Classes are as of 2010.
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Quarterback: 5 total, 1 senior, 1 junior
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Running back: 7 total, 2 seniors, 1 junior (DJ Harper is listed as a senior but hopefully his redshirt will go through and he'll have two years of eligibility left)
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Fullback: 4 total, 0 seniors, 1 junior
- Tight end: 8 total, 2 seniors, 1 junior
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Wide Receiver: 12 total, 2 seniors, 1 junior
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Offensive line: 16 total, 3 seniors, 5 juniors
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Defensive line: 18 total, 1 senior, 8 juniors
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Linebacker: 14 total, 2 seniors, 4 juniors
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Cornerback: 9 total, 2 seniors, 2 juniors
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Safety (including nickelbacker): 8 total, 3 seniors, 1 junior
- Kickers: 4 total, 2 seniors, 0 juniors
(Note: Boise State did not have any offensive linemen or running backs in its 2010 class.)
From Ellis Powers to Winston Venable to ...
Venable is gone after this season along with his primary backup, Jason Robinson. Doug Martin learned nickelback over the offseason, but I think that his tour de force performance at running back should keep him on offense. The 2010 recruiting class did not yield an obvious replacement for Venable. So where does that leave the Broncos for 2011?
(Note: I have a couple theories on this. The first involves a JC transfer coming and playing right away like Venable did last year. The second involves new DC Pete Kwiatkowski getting rid of the nickelbacker position. I like my first theory better.)
Offensive linemen do not grow on trees, and thankfully so because those would be some weird-looking trees
Boise State skipped out on offensive linemen in the 2010 recruiting class, and that will not happen in 2011. Though there is a lot of young talent along the Broncos' offensive line, the next two years will take away half of the current roster of linemen, including every player who started Boise State's season finale against NMSU.
One position to watch is center where Thomas Byrd will be gone after the 2011 season. There is no other true center listed on the roster; sophomore OG Bronson Durrant spent last season listed as Byrd's backup. Is center a position that the Bronco coaches can teach? That may be the case.
The topic of offensive line recruiting is deep on many levels. Why is it harder for Boise State to pull in offensive line prospects that are as highly-touted as the skill players that come to Boise? How much of an offensive lineman's success is predicated on high school talent and how much is on college weight training and maturation? I'd be curious to know what you all think.
Is Jimmy Pavel the answer at placekicker?
If Bronco coaches don't think so, then I imagine they will want to find someone in the next recruiting class.
What to expect in the 2011 class
There will be 20 seniors on the Broncos' roster this season (not including DJ Harper), so Boise State will have a standard-sized recruiting class in 2011. Maybe then Scout.com will rank Boise State higher than 96th.
These things we know:
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Boise State will get a quarterback. Coach Pete wants a QB in every class except for the years when Nick Lomax transfers. Nick Lomax will not be transferring in 2011. Might the Broncos be onto Cody Kessler?
- Boise State will get a running back. Since the Broncos skipped out on the position in 2010, the need will be there to find an eventual backup to future Bronco star Malcolm Johnson.
These things I'd like to see:
- More JC transfers. Last year Winston Venable stepped in and was one of Boise State's most valuable defenders. Jerrell Gavins joined the team late and was a starter in the Fiesta Bowl. Seven months from now, I may be talking about 2010 JC transfer Tyrone Crawford in the same breath as Dave Wilcox. More JC transfers, please!
- Offensive linemen. I love it when the Broncos recruit on the O-line, and I am anxious to see what kind of O-line player they will be able to get now that the team is in annual NC discussions.
- Hawaii players. Here's hoping that the Jeremy Ioane commitment will open the door for more players from the islands to come to Boise.
Your turn
What position would you like to see the Broncos target in 2011? What will be the team's biggest area of need? Share your thoughts in the comments.