Is it recruiting season already? When isn't it? Last week saw the first verbal commitment for Boise State's 2011 recruiting class, and it's only a matter of time before there are 20 of them.
Join me after the jump for a look at some potential Boise State pick-ups, check out a nationwide map of BSU recruiting, and leave your thoughts on who you'd like the Broncos to target. Plus, video, measurables, charts, and more.
OBNUG is the panini maker to Scout.com's artisan bread
When it comes to recruiting news, you have to be a certain type of well-connected person to have any idea what is going on. I am mostly just connected to characters on King of Queens re-runs. Scout.com is connected to coaches and players with actual worthwhile information.
You can get great recruiting rundowns over on Scout's website (which is where I found a good chunk of the info in this post), and don't forget to swing by Rivals.com and ESPN's Recruiting Blog just to see how fickle star ratings really are.
The return of the OBNUG recruiting map
Back by popular precedent, it's the OBNUG recruiting map. If you are new to the site or if you are old to the site and don't pay attention all that closely, the recruiting map is a collection of Boise State recruiting prospects with an overlay of OBNUG readers. Its goal is to put you in touch with potential future Bronco stars in your area so that you can stalk them follow them at their games. No buying anyone Escalades now.
View OBNUG.com Boise State Broncos 2011 Recruiting Map in a larger map
Reader locations were imported from last year, so if you have moved or would like to remain anonymous, leave a comment or send an email. Same goes for those of you who are new and want to be a part of the 2011 recruiting map. Leave your zip code in the comments or send it in an email. The final version of the map will come out later this summer.
A proper hello to Jimmy Laughrea
With expansion rumors and Mountain West non-news swallowing up story ideas over the past couple weeks, I realize that I did not give Boise State recruit Jimmy Laughrea a proper hello. So hello there, future Joe Southwick understudy. Welcome to Bronco Nation.
For those who have not already Googled it, Laughrea is a mobile, big play QB who has shades of Jared Zabransky in him (hopefully the good shades). He is 6'2", 180 pounds and comes from the same high school (California's Rocklin High) as current Bronco Holden Huff. Video highlights follow.
(Video HT: Loque)
Loughrea will be the only QB recruit in the Broncos' 2011 class, according to Laughrea. If so, that puts him in line to start in, oh, around 2015 or so.
| Player | Class in 2011 | Presumed starting year |
|---|---|---|
| Kellen Moore | Senior | current |
| Joe Southwick | Sophomore | 2012 |
| Mikey Tamburo | Sophomore | Never |
| Grant Hedrick | Redshirt freshman | 2014 |
| Jimmy Laughrea | Redshirt | 2015 |
The message board posters have already prepared their 2013 spring practice QB controversy posts.
Boise State's recruiting radar
The above is a list of persons of interest for Boise State. Scroll and share as you see fit.
If you aim for the stars and miss, at least you'll hit the moon
And the moon in this metaphor would be a three-star California kid.
Many recruits on Boise State's recruiting list are of the highly unlikely category. Players like WR Kasen Williams, TE Austin Sefarian-Jenkins, and MLB Todd Barr have more offers than the Mountain West has pipedreams, so the likelihood of a five-star recruit landing in Boise, despite the fact that they would be playing for a team that is better than 115 others every year, is slim. Still, every so often a Jeremy Ioane opts for the blue turf.
Idaho's top high school seniors
| Player | Position | High School | City | Interest from Broncos | Interest from Vandals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cody McCarthy | MLB | Bishop Kelly | Boise | Yes | No |
| Dallas Burroughs | WR | Rocky Mountain | Meridian | Yes | Yes |
| Riley Magner | QB | Capital | Boise | No | No |
| Corey Bell | RB | Capital | Boise | Yes | Yes |
| Zach Keiser | RB | Coeur D'Alene | Coeur d'Alene | No | Yes |
| Dillon Lukehart | RB | Eagle | Eagle | Yes | No |
| Jonathan Peden | RB | New Plymouth | New Plymouth | No | No |
| Jim Bagley | OT | Rocky Mountain | Meridian | Yes | No |
| Hunter Griffith | OLB | Bishop Kelly | Boise | No | No |
| Jordan Roland | OLB | Minico | Rupert | No | No |
| Muamer Hasanovic | MLB | Capital | Boise | Yes | Yes |
| Jordan Trompke | MLB | Rocky Mountain | Meridian | Yes | No |
Other things getting interest from the Vandals: Indoor plumbing, the KFC Double Down, staying within 30 points of Boise State.
Thanks to Scout.com for the list.
Boise State's roster breakdown today and today a year from now
Where might the Bronco coaches turn for their recruiting in 2011? For a hint, take a look at the positions that will be relatively lacking after this year's seniors leave.
| Position | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|
| CB | 8 | 7 |
| DL | 17 | 16 |
| LB | 15 | 13 |
| OL | 15 | 14 |
| QB | 5 | 4 |
| RB | 11 | 9 |
| S | 9 | 6 |
| TE | 7 | 5 |
| WR | 11 | 9 |
The thinnest positions after this season appear to be safety, tight end, linebacker, and running back, but a lot could change depending on how Boise State shuffles the roster and how accurate the BroncoSports.com player list really is (note: not very accurate usually).
And just for kicks, I'd like to point out that Boise State will only lose one offensive lineman after this season and that lineman is Matt Slater who was last seen on the third team line.
A random sampling of players I like
-
OT Jim Bagley. Local line products have worked out pretty well for the Broncos (Tad Miller, anyone?), and Bagley would be a good get. Plus, I'm pretty sure I saw him on the sidelines at a Boise State practice, and he looked like he could have eaten me.
- DB Demetrius Jackson. Rumor has it that the Broncos are interested, and reports have it that Jackson is one of the country's top DBs.
-
ATH Kelvin Fisher. The Arizona player apparently has Boise State in his top three. He sounds like the type of kid the Broncos could plug anywhere.
A plea for offensive linemen
Boise State's 2010 recruiting class was small in size and in girth. The Broncos only recruited 10 players since so few left the team after 2009. Among those new players, exactly zero of them were offensive linemen and zero were defensive tackles (there were two defensive ends).
That is sure to change with the 2011 class, and I cannot be happier. I am of the firm belief that teams win or lose with their offensive and defensive lines (something that should have been brought to New Mexico State's attention yesterday). Don't get me wrong. I get pretty giddy with excitement every time the Broncos tie down a recruit from a happening skill player or defensive stud. But I get downright anaphylactic when I see OL or DL next to a kid's name.
Among the big uglies I would like to see in Bronco blue-and-orange come 2011 are these: Bagley, Matthew Devereaux, Jordan Rigsbee, and Cyrus Hobbi.
Of course, as the above chart on roster breakdown attests, the Broncos do not necessarily need to go line shopping what with their embarrassment of riches at the position. In fact, this team could go all punters and still be good.
Your turn
What recruits would you like to see Boise State get for the 2011 recruiting class? Any particular position that is your favorite? What are your thoughts on Jimmy Laughrea, QB of 2015? Share your thoughts in the comments, and don't forget to leave your zip code for the recruiting map.