NSU football: MEAC recruiting rankings

We all know that rating recruiting classes is next to impossible, that the results don't emerge until years down the line. But that doesn’t keep it from being fun, especially when we just passed signing day and spring practice is still weeks away.

Coaches all rave about their recruiting classes. It’s a way to get the fans excited, to get the season-ticket holders to take out their wallets, to build excitement after a losing season or severe losses. But, more often than not, there’s no way to know if classes will pan out or if the coaches are being honest.

I’m no expert, that’s for sure. But Rivals is as close as they come. Here’s how Rivals ranks the MEAC classes, based on the number of stars given to each player when they came out of high school.

I’ve ordered the teams by top freshman classes, top transfer classes and top total classes. Bethune-Cookman rules both transfers and total stars, while Florida A&M and South Carolina State brought in the best freshman. Norfolk State falls just behind Bethune-Cookman in transfers and overall stars as it tries to reload quickly after winning the MEAC.

Please note that the I-AA recruiting season, particularly in the lower-level conferences like the MEAC, lasts all year, so this will change by the time the season starts. I wouldn’t expect, for instance, South Carolina State and Florida A&M to stay away from all transfers, that’s just not how the game is played at the I-AA level.  Not surprisingly, the power teams dominated the lists.

This was a time-consuming process and, perhaps, an imperfect one. Norfolk State recruit Michael Phillips didn’t show up in the Rivals database for instance, but Mike Phillips did. If you see someone I missed, it wasn't intentional. Please let me know. Hopefully this gives you an idea of how the MEAC coaches fared. 

Top classes 

1. Bethune-Cookman 20 stars

2. Norfolk State 17

3. Florida A&M 10

4. Hampton 10 5. South Carolina State 9

6. North Carolina Central 6

7. Savannah State 5

8. Delaware State 4

9. Howard 2

10. North Carolina A&T 2

11. Morgan State 0

 

Top freshman classes

1. Florida A&M 10 stars 

2. South Carolina State 9

3. Bethune-Cookman 8

4. Norfolk State 7

5. North Carolina Central 4

6. Hampton 4

7. Delaware State 2

8. Howard 2

9. North Carolina A&T 2

10. Savannah State 2

11. Morgan State 0

 

Top transfer classes

1. Bethune-Cookman 12 stars

2. Norfolk State 10

3. Hampton 6

4. Savannah State 3

5. Delaware State 2

6. North Carolina Central 2

7. South Carolina State 0

8. Florida A&M 0

9. Howard 0

10. Morgan State 0

11. North Carolina A&T 0

 

Recruits that were given stars by Rivals

Norfolk State

Lamonte Clark, 3-star defensive tackle

Mike Phillips, 2-star offensive lineman

R.J. Robinson, 3-star running back, transfer from Georgia Military College

Brent Singleton, 3-star linebacker, transfer from Minnesota

Lynden Trail, 4-star defensive lineman, transfer from Florida

Darcell Whitaker, 2-star offensive lineman

Bethune-Cookman

Brandon Bryant, 2-star defensive tackle, transfer from UCF

Tyrone Bouie, 3-star defensive back, transfer from Minnesota

Derek Carter, 2-star defensive back, Central Michigan

Terry Harden, 2-star defensive back

Trevin Huff, 2-star offensive lineman

Mike Jones, 2-star offensive lineman

Ray Martin, 2-star wide receiver

LeBranden Richardson, 2-star defensive end from UCF

Brodrick Waters, 3-star wide receiver from Louisiana Tech

South Carolina State

Marquise Jones, 2-star defensive back

Javarius Leamon, 4-star offensive lineman

Deion Walker, 3-star running back 

Florida A&M

Neal Cunningham, 2-star WR

Ignacio Candon, 2-star offensive lineman

Jamal Gay, 2-star offensive lineman

Marshane Godbolt, 2-star defensive back

Ivan Rios, 2-star offensive lineman 

Hampton

Lorenzo Fields, 2-star defensive back

Marcus Haynes, 2-star offensive lineman

Miles Grooms, 2-star defensive end transfer from Hargrave Military Academy

Terrell Stewart, 2-star offensive lineman transfer from Hargrave Military Academy

Najee Tyler, 2-star quarterback transfer from Purdue and Youngstown State and Coffeyville C.C.

Howard

Markus Wakefield, 2-star defensive tackle

Morgan State

None

North Carolina A&T

Dorian Belcher, 2-star quarterback,

Delaware State

James Boone – 2-star WR, transfer from Colorado State

Willie Bolden – 2-star DB

Savannah State

Chris Jones, Transfer from Illinois, 3-star defensive tackle

Dominique Stallworth, 2-star offensive lineman

North Carolina Central

DeCarrreus Mason, 2-star offensive lineman

Joseph Theard, 2-star defensive lineman, transfer from SMU

Clevonne Davis, 2-star offensive lineman

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