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Last time we gave a quick run down of the top 3 players of the 2016 class for the Broncos. I tried to base the picks off of the top players according to Scout and Rivals, but we all know how inaccurate the star rating system can be. There were a couple great comments last time. Not only do the stars tell us little about the players work ethic and drive, but K. Lewis made a great point that the video doesn't always tell the whole story. Highlights are meant to be a display of the players best work on the field. But the best work on the field pales in comparison to what the players do off the field. The Broncos have done a stellar job of recruiting and signing not just stellar athletes, but model students as well.
Back to the task at hand. We know the Broncos can recruit, but we don't always know how they stack up against the competition. This week, we'll take a look at what the top team in the MW did recruiting-wise in 2016. You read that right: Boise State is not the top team in the MW right now. SDSU won the conference, and while I have confidence that the Broncos will be back on top, that's the way it is right now. So who did SDSU get?
San Diego State had a total of 26 players sign with them for 2016. That's a big class. Similarly to the Broncos, I could have found quite a few players that would fit as top-3 players, but here are the ones I picked:
Parker Houston, TE, Sparks, NV (Reed) 6'4" 230lbs
His offer list was modest. He received offers from Idaho, Nevada and Toledo along with SDSU. Rivals though has him listed as a 5.6 on their scale which equates to a high 3*. He is a physically imposing TE. Not the biggest, but still massive. He finished his senior season with 42 receptions for 377 yards and 6 TDs. Not eye popping numbers, but not bad at all. He does a great job blocking, and because of that, I liken him to recent graduate Jake Hardee. He's not involved as much in the passing game, but can certainly block well.
Tayler Hawkins, ATH, Palm Springs, CA (Palm Springs) 6'1" 190lbs
Hawkins had a sizeable offer list, including Arizona State, Colorado, Washington, Washington State and the majority of the MW. Like Houston, Hawkins was also listed as a 5.6 on their site. Hawkins is listed as an athlete and his highlights are indicative of that. There's plenty of offense and defense to be had. Scout has him listed as a CB, so maybe that is where he ends up. He finished 2016 with 46 total tackles, 38 solo, and 5 interceptions. On the other side of the ball, he had 52 receptions for 1,000 yards and 14 TDs. So he could easily play on either side of the ball.
Chase Jasmin, RB, Westlake Village, CA (Westlake) 5'11" 180lbs
Chase also has a large list of offers, including Washington, Washington State, Arizona, Colorado, Oregon State, a few MW teams and Montana State. That is a very respectable list. His senior season with Westlake, he had 149 carries for 979 yards and 11 TDs. His junior year, he rushed 157 times for 1,413 yards and 13 touchdowns. San Diego State has always done a great job of identifying talent at the running back position, among others, but especially running backs. Jasmin is no exception.
Like I said, SDSU has a lot of players that could have made this top 3 list, but based on comparing Scout and Rivals, I felt like these were the consistent top players between the two. SDSU will field another dynamite team this season. I think the Broncos will have what it takes to out-dynamite them, if that's a thing. GO BRONCOS!