Top 10 CSU football players recruited by Steve Fairchild

Steve Fairchild's four years as the CSU football coach were disastrous. There was a bowl game in Year 1, followed be three consecutive 3-9 seasons.

The three seasons since his firing have been — all things considered — remarkable, with two bowl berths and the program's first appearance in the AP Top 25 poll since the early 2000s. A lot of that was having a competent head coach and supporting staff in Jim McElwain and company, but plenty of credit needs to be awarded to Fairchild. His recruits — the 2010 class in particular — built Colorado State University into the Mountain West force it is today.

There are still a few appetizing leftovers from Fairchild's final class that are heading into their senior seasons (Trent Matthews, Kevin Pierre-Louis, Joe Kawulok, Sam Carlson, Kivon Cartwright, Justin Hansen). In the meantime, let's take a look back at the 10 best players Fairchild recruited to CSU.

10. Mike Orakpo, LB (2009) — Off-the-field issues that led to his expulsion from CSU aside, Orakpo was a fine football player. Every CSU fan remembers the time he dislodged UNLV running back Tim Cornett's helmet by stuffing him on third down at the 3-yard line in 2010.

Orakpo had 124 tackles in two season at CSU and another 76 after transferring to Texas State, playing in only two games his senior season before being sidelines with a knee injury.

He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Arizona Cardinals in May. Tennessee Titans outside linebacker Brian Orakpo is his older brother.

9. Max Morgan, LB (2010) — Morgan's inability to get invited to an NFL rookie camp tryout this summer was baffling.

Though a bit undersized (6-foot-1, 231 pounds), the converted safety started 31 of 49 career games, ranked at least second on the team in total tackles from his sophomore season on and had a pivotal fumble returned for a touchdown in the 2013 win at Hawaii.

Morgan was a three-star recruit and ranked as the No. 14 overall prospect in Colorado (Greeley West graduate) in 2010, but the Rams were the only program to extend him an offer. CSU taking a chance on him paid off.

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8. Bernard Blake, CB (2010) — If known for nothing else, Blake was the epitome of speed with a 40-yard dash time that could venture faster than 4.4 seconds.

His career came with only 25 starts in 47 games and two interceptions — one at Alabama — but he was a quality cover corner who was rarely beaten by mistakenly jumping routes. His charitable efforts off the field, in particular the relationship he fostered with adopted team member Jack Miller — a young fan battling cancer — spoke to his character.

Blake signed an undrafted free agent deal with the Green Bay Packers in May.

7. Pete Kontodiakos, P (2009) — Yes, a punter did make this list.

Pete the punter was a three-time All-Mountain West selection, earning first team honors as a senior in 2012. While he had a tendency to out-kick the coverage, his 43.8 yards per punt rank second all-time at CSU behind Jimmie Kaylor.

6. Shaquil Barrett, LB (2011) — A little luck might have been involved in landing the 2013 Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year. Had the Nebraska-Omaha football program not folded, Barrett never would have been on the market.

Barrett, entering his second season with the Denver Broncos, started 33 of 38 games played and tallied 246 tackles, 18 sacks, seven forced fumbles and three interceptions. His forced fumble in the 2013 New Mexico Bowl allowed CSU to tie Washington State in the fourth quarter before winning a historic comeback.

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5. Crockett Gillmore, TE (2010) — Recruited as a wide out, Gillmore played defensive end as a freshman then became one of the greatest tight ends in CSU history.

Gillmore was a consistent blocker who had a great release off the line as a receiving threat. He was never a go-to target in the red zone (eight career touchdowns), but was a reliable third-down option, catching 111 passes for 1,308 yards in three seasons as a collegiate tight end.

As a rookie tight end for the Baltimore Ravens last season, Gillmore had 10 receptions for 121 yards and a touchdown.

4. Ty Sambrailo, OL (2010) — He came to CSU as a two-star recruit, a little goofy looking with a buzzed head. He left as the most dominant lineman in the Mountain West who'd grown into his body and grown out a flowing mane.

Sambrailo started three years at tackle for the Rams, mainly on the left side, protecting Garrett Grayson. He was second team All-Mountain West as a junior and voted first team as a senior.

Sambrailo was drafted in the second round of this year's draft by the Denver Broncos and is projected to start at left tackle to keep Peyton Manning's blind side safe.

3. Kapri Bibbs, RB (2011) — Bibbs didn't arrive at CSU until the 2013 season, improving his grades and earning an associates degree at Snow and Front Range Community colleges before becoming academically eligible. When he finally arrived in Fort Collins as a sophomore, he lived up to the hype.

Bibbs played one season before declaring for the NFL draft, ultimately being signed as a free agent by the Denver Broncos, and rushed for 1,741 yards and 31 touchdowns on 281 carries. He's one of three running back in NCAA Division I history (Barry Sanders, Montee Ball) to rush for 30 touchdowns in a season.

2. Weston Richburg, OL (2009) — It's rare to start as a freshman on the offensive line, but Richburg did and continued to for four seasons at center.

With Richburg anchoring the line, CSU rushed for 7,761 yards as a team, including the breakout season for Bibbs. During his rookie season in the NFL last year, Richburg, a second-round pick, started at guard for the New York Giants.

1. Garrett Grayson, QB (2010) — He holds all the records. He has the perfect relationship. The guys want to be him and the girls want to be with him. Garrett Grayson is the essence of the All-American quarterback without ever being named an All-American.

He was recruited to back up four-star recruit Pete Thomas, and when he made his first start in 2011 as a grayshirt freshman in a losing effort at TCU (14 of 24 passing for 248 yards), everyone knew he had a bright future. Grayson started only two full seasons but passed for 9,190 yards, 64 touchdowns and 27 interceptions in the process of becoming a 2014 Heisman Trophy Aspirant.

Now Drew Brees' backup at the New Orleans Saints and a third-round pick in the NFL draft, CSU couldn't have had near the level of success it did under McElwain had it not been for Grayson.

For insight and analysis on athletics around Northern Colorado and the Mountain West, follow sports columnist Matt L. Stephens at twitter.com/mattstephens and facebook.com/stephensreporting.