Opinion: Signing Day reset: Re-evaluating Mike Bobo’s first recruiting classes

The 2018 CSU football recruiting class is shaping up to be one of the highest rated in years for the Rams.

The group is ranked No. 2 in the Mountain West by 247Sports ahead of the opening of the late signing period Wednesday. There are currently 18 three-star recruits (as ranked by 247Sports composite rankings) signed or committed in the class.

Colorado State University signed 17 players in December and has eight spots left. A couple late decisions could move the ranking needle. But the quality of the class, the fourth at CSU for coach Mike Bobo, won’t be known for years.

With that in mind, here’s a look back at Bobo’s first three classes and where he struck gold and struck out.

The trends reflect on on-field product. Bobo’s biggest successes in recruiting have come on offense. While there are certainly some strong defensive players brought in, most of the biggest misses in recruiting have come on that side of the ball.

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2017 class

Hits — The early star of the class is wide receiver Warren Jackson, who had 15 catches for 265 yards and two touchdowns (both against eventual national champion Alabama) as a true freshman. The three-star recruit looks in line to be the next star receiver at CSU.

Three-star punter Ryan Stonehouse was fifth in the country with a 45.9 yards-per-punt average. Three-star defensive tackle Ellison Hubbard earned solid playing time, as did two-star DT Livingston Paogofie. Two-star defensive end Emmanuel Jones had six tackles for loss and two sacks.

Three-star tight end Cameron Butler had three touchdown catches. Three-star cornerback Darius Campbell was one of five true freshman to play in all 13 games.

Misses — It’s too early to call any busts, but two-star safety Zoauntarrious Brunt never showed up on campus and isn’t playing college football. Likewise, three-star defensive end Christian Howard, a transfer from Independence Community College, was announced on signing day but wasn’t on the roster in 2017.

Grade — Incomplete, but good early signs, with 17 players seeing the field in their first year in the program and some significant contributors.

2016 class

Hits — Ever heard of Michael Gallup? The three-star transfer turned into one of the best receivers in school history, was a Fred Biletnikoff Award finalist and will be drafted into the NFL in April.

Three-star safety Jamal Hicks is already a linchpin of the defense and was sorely missed when he was hurt in the eighth game of the 2017 season. Two-star athlete Detrich Clark turned into a dangerous receiving weapon after his transfer from Eastern Arizona College (where he played quarterback), scoring six touchdowns in his last season as a Ram.

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Three-star quarterback Collin Hill took over as the starting quarterback and played in five games as a freshman before tearing his ACL and redshirting in 2017. He’s the presumed starting quarterback for 2018.

Rashaad Boddie (three-star) and Marvin Kinsey (two-star) both have shown flashes of being high-level running backs. Three-star tight end Dalton Fackrell was a Snow College transfer and had six touchdowns as a senior.

Misses — Three-star defensive tackle Christian Colon was the top-rated recruit in the class and looked perfect for a position in need of a game-changing player up front. He was mostly injured his two seasons and played one game before he was removed from the team in November.

Three-star cornerback Devron Davis, a Merced Community College transfer, never enrolled at CSU and instead ended up playing at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He played in 13 games in 2016 and had two interceptions in 2017.

Three-star linebacker Hunter Donnelly has been kicked off the team after being arrested in 2017. He never played for the Rams. Three-star cornerback Chris Gaston never enrolled at the school and is instead at Fresno State, where he redshirted in 2017. Three-star tight end Darneail Jenkins also never showed up at CSU.

Grade — C. Wide variance in this class. Some of the offensive stars, led by Gallup, are program-changing type players. The number of misses on would-be defensive players can’t be overlooked and plays a big role in why the Rams are bereft of defensive playmakers and why that unit struggled in 2017.

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2015 class

Hits — Three-star recruit Bisi Johnson is a consistent threat at wide receiver and primed for a big senior season. Three-star Izzy Matthews is a touchdown machine, with 26 in three seasons. He’ll enter 2018 as the primary back for the Rams.

Three-star defensive tackle Darnell Thompson, a Highland Community College transfer, was a solid contributor in his two seasons. Other contributing players from the class are linebacker Max McDonald (two-star), defensive lineman Richard King (two-star) and offensive lineman Colby Meeks (three-star).

Misses — This one comes with an asterisk. Three-star recruit Braylin Scott is awaiting trail on felony burglary and theft charges from an incident in 2017. He’s still on the roster but was suspended for 2017. His long-term fate legally and with the football program is unknown.

Grade — B. Bobo only had room for 14 signings and it came in a rushed first class, with his hiring to replace Jim McElwain coming less than two months before signing day. For such constraints, CSU ended up with a solid group of players to help keep things steady in the transition between coaches.

Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle at twitter.com/Kevin_Lytle and at facebook.com/KevinSLytle.