Current committ list - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

Goatnapper'96 · 01-14-2008, 03:55 PM

I looked over the committ list and here is my glimpse based upon what I have read and how I view BYU recruiting.

Primarily, I am excited about this class. Oneil Chambers and Uona Kaveinga pushed me over the edge into being excited. With the solid LDS recruits BYU can be a MWC power consistently. With some good non-LDS recruits and some of the top notch LDS kids, BYU can occassionaly be a national level team while consistently being the dominant team in the MWC. When I say national level team I am saying a legitimate top 10 club like the 1996 team. I think that if BYU continues to recruit like they have the past two years, assuming all committs sign, BYU can have the team to compete at that level once every 3 years or so, and then I figure once every three years BYU will have the luck, lack of injuries and fortuitous scheduling to make that all come together. Hence my once a decade conclusion.

I will break this class into 3 categories. Those categories are jewels, potential impact players and developmental. To be honest I openly admit I have no damn clue. I occassionally watch highlights, but highlights are just that. I don't subscribe to TBS or any recruiting site. I just look at how a kid is evaluated, the athleticism of the kid, the position he plays, the state he comes from and which other programs seem to be recruiting him hard. From that I make a gut prediction and go with it.

With that I present my categories:

The Jewels:
Uona Kaveinga and O'neil Chambers and marginally Austin Holt. Kaveinga appears to me the best LDS prospect BYU has landed since Austin Collie. I think the kid will be in the two deep next year, not that he is needed just that he is that good. If BYU has its historically strong DLs, a linebacker like Kaveinga can dominate MWC play - especially as it appears the dbs are being upgraded. I am really excited about this kid. O'neil Chambers is probably the best skill player any MWC team will land- perhaps an argument can be made for Sasuan Shakerin, but I will take a kid from Florida who has proven it against Floridians before I will take a kid from Alta High. This is as big a recruit to me as G. Pittman was last year. This is a kid that BYU had to recruit to land and they appear to have done it. I don't believe this kid is as big time as Keveinga, but he was the next tier level and he had offers from many legit BCS programs. Once again, a huge key is keeping these kids in school but Mendenhall only seems to lose the non-LDS kids he might want to lose. Holt is also a big time national level recruit, but Tight Ends is something BYU just always finds. If Austin Holt is the next Chad Lewis or the the next Brandon Stephans, BYU will put an NFL caliber tight end on the field if it is Austin or not.

Potential Impact players:
Sorenson the safety. A kid I think would have been marginally big time (offers from BCS schools but not the top tiers ala USC and Florida ala Kaveinga) if he had not comitted so early.

Shiloh Te'o. Similar as above but I think a notch below as far as pure athleticism, but he brings that Poly aggression and toughness that we all love so much. He is also from Kahuku and has a cousin that I understand is pretty good. Would have been worth a scholie alone, but I think is a big land for these other reasons.

Sorenson the kicker. He appears to be that good and he is needed.

Murphy. I just don't know where yet. I am not convinced he will be an impact player at WR, so if he wants to play offense best to serve a mission, beef up and eventually play tight end. Reminds me of Johnny Harline. I could live with another Johnny Harline. Could also be an OLB, but I doubt it.

Sete Pouhaha/ Micheal Alisa. Both of these kids seem to be diamonds in the rough. Neither was recruited highly enough to make this list but I think Alisa might have been overshadowed by the glut of studs at his high school and Pouhaha might have gotten more love but for his grades and early commitment. I think both have the potential to be all conference players and thus belong in this category.

Hola, Clawson, Taufi and Mauga. JC kids who both have the potential to step in and impact the team. Probably Mauga the most as he is probably the most talented. Clawson has the least experienced players ahead of him at his position with only David Nixon seeing any time at OLB, but I think Grant Nelson is stud in the making. Hola seems capable enough, but he is not better than Russel Tialeeva. Regardless I think all 3 may crack the two deep if they make it. Taufi will redshirt and get his chance in 09 and 10. I think he is a future starter on the OL, probably OG.

Comer, Bruner and Yeck all had some decent BCS offers but will take some polishing and development to reach the impact level, but I do think the natural ability is there.

Tuitama is an interesting one. I understand he was a kid who qualified late and many bigger programs had backed off him. He is either not LDS or is going to play 4 straight years. I think he will be a solid MLB and probably one with starting ability.

The developmental gang. These are kids, usually LDS, who are good kids that often raise the team GPA and give great talks at firesides. If they stick around for their entire elgibility, they might get the chance to start as seniors or upperclass players if there are injuries or attrition. If they play as juniors and seniors they are adequate or sometimes worse. Think Corby Hodgkiss to Dustin Staley.

This group includes:

Garrett Nicholsen. Decent athlete and may be a decent corner in time. The attention he got is more reminiscent of Brandon Howard than G. Pittman or even Brannon Brooks. Non-LDS kid but from Utah. If he stays he should be an adequate corner after a redshirt year and two years developing, but there is nothing in his natural ability that causes me to see someone with All MWC ability.

Atem Bol. Good story for the mullahs. Should be an adequate receiver by his upperclass years.

Brock Stringham. Probably more talented and recruited than the above two, but he also plays the one position BYU can load up on upper tier BCS caliber players at OL.

Bills. Has great bloodlines and will work hard. Not as gifted as KC or the youngest stud brother who is a safety and 2009 recruit.

Moalu. Redshirt and backup at best. Decent depth.

Iona Pritchard. Future FB. I think will be a decent FB, but doesn't cause me to think he will be as versatile as Manase Tonga, more in the Joe Semanoff mold.

Hadley. Small town kid and I love those. I see a football future as spectacular as Aaron Attigs.

Kafu. Another great story and probably more athletic ability with respect to his position, but BYU has stockpiled a pretty stout group of OL and while I am sure he stays and plays his 4 years, I don't see him rising above back up.

BYU71 · 01-14-2008, 04:04 PM

I am impressed with this class also. Mainly because of Holt, Kaveinga, kicker Sorenson and Chambers.

While there are some other really nice gets as you mentioned, BYU always gets more than there share of good LDS gets.

What sets a recruiting class apart is if they get a couple or even one top BCS calibre non-LDS kid and the LDS kids BCS schools are really going after. This class has that.

AS far as the next few years, I am equally or more interested in who is coming back off of missions and how they progress.

Speaking of that, I haven't heard a thing about the Braden Brown kid who has come back early off mission. Some rumors that he isn't returning to the Y. Anyone heard anything? We are loaded at TE, so it isn't a big concern, just curious.

Jeff Lebowski · 01-14-2008, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goatnapper'96

Bills. Has great bloodlines and will work hard. Not as gifted as KC or the youngest stud brother who is a safety and 2009 recruit.

I am no recruiting expert (by any means), but Kevin Bills seemed awfully good to me. I thought he was better than Alisa. At least, he seemed to be in on more plays. Two-time all-state selection.

The interesting thing about Alisa is that they would occasionally put him in as running back (often in the second half) and he would do extremely well. His yards-per-carry stat had to have been huge. The Timpview coaches don't like players to go both ways, or I imagine he could have started at RB.

RockyBalboa · 01-14-2008, 04:15 PM

I guess from what I've heard is that Solomon Kafu is a kid they're slating to play D-Tackle.

Indy Coug · 01-14-2008, 04:20 PM

Add Timo and Craig Bills for 2009, and this has been a very good recruiting year.

A-Train · 01-14-2008, 04:27 PM

Kafu appears to be the replacement of Siliaga. I do agree that he is a project but I think the coaches saw the potential and believe they can develop him into something. Time will tell with him.

As for the rest of the class, I am really impressed but I do not think Kaveinga is as solid as people think. I saw an interview with him at the High School all Star game and he appears to be the type of person that doesn't want to say anything that will cause people to think bad of him. My guess is that UCLA and USC will continue the pressure until signing day.

Getting Chambers is HUGE!! Throw him in the mix of the guys that we have and the next couple of years are going to be good ones. I am a big fan of Spencer Hafoka too and it will be interesting to see how he does in spring ball.

It appears that our LB corp is about as loaded as our corp of o-linemen. We get a couple guys back from a mission like Ah you and the kid from Texas, (Ogletree) that reminds me of a Shay Muirbrook clone. I can't wait for spring ball to really see how these guys compete.

Frank Ryan · 01-15-2008, 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BYU71

I am impressed with this class also. Mainly because of Holt, Kaveinga, kicker Sorenson and Chambers.

While there are some other really nice gets as you mentioned, BYU always gets more than there share of good LDS gets.

What sets a recruiting class apart is if they get a couple or even one top BCS calibre non-LDS kid and the LDS kids BCS schools are really going after. This class has that.

AS far as the next few years, I am equally or more interested in who is coming back off of missions and how they progress.

Speaking of that, I haven't heard a thing about the Braden Brown kid who has come back early off mission. Some rumors that he isn't returning to the Y. Anyone heard anything? We are loaded at TE, so it isn't a big concern, just curious.

brown is a good athlete. oregon really wanted him, i bet they might be courting him again

01-14-2008, 03:55 PM	#1
Goatnapper'96 Recruiting Coordinator/Bosom Inspector Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 3,412	Current committ list I looked over the committ list and here is my glimpse based upon what I have read and how I view BYU recruiting. Primarily, I am excited about this class. Oneil Chambers and Uona Kaveinga pushed me over the edge into being excited. With the solid LDS recruits BYU can be a MWC power consistently. With some good non-LDS recruits and some of the top notch LDS kids, BYU can occassionaly be a national level team while consistently being the dominant team in the MWC. When I say national level team I am saying a legitimate top 10 club like the 1996 team. I think that if BYU continues to recruit like they have the past two years, assuming all committs sign, BYU can have the team to compete at that level once every 3 years or so, and then I figure once every three years BYU will have the luck, lack of injuries and fortuitous scheduling to make that all come together. Hence my once a decade conclusion. I will break this class into 3 categories. Those categories are jewels, potential impact players and developmental. To be honest I openly admit I have no damn clue. I occassionally watch highlights, but highlights are just that. I don't subscribe to TBS or any recruiting site. I just look at how a kid is evaluated, the athleticism of the kid, the position he plays, the state he comes from and which other programs seem to be recruiting him hard. From that I make a gut prediction and go with it. With that I present my categories: The Jewels: Uona Kaveinga and O'neil Chambers and marginally Austin Holt. Kaveinga appears to me the best LDS prospect BYU has landed since Austin Collie. I think the kid will be in the two deep next year, not that he is needed just that he is that good. If BYU has its historically strong DLs, a linebacker like Kaveinga can dominate MWC play - especially as it appears the dbs are being upgraded. I am really excited about this kid. O'neil Chambers is probably the best skill player any MWC team will land- perhaps an argument can be made for Sasuan Shakerin, but I will take a kid from Florida who has proven it against Floridians before I will take a kid from Alta High. This is as big a recruit to me as G. Pittman was last year. This is a kid that BYU had to recruit to land and they appear to have done it. I don't believe this kid is as big time as Keveinga, but he was the next tier level and he had offers from many legit BCS programs. Once again, a huge key is keeping these kids in school but Mendenhall only seems to lose the non-LDS kids he might want to lose. Holt is also a big time national level recruit, but Tight Ends is something BYU just always finds. If Austin Holt is the next Chad Lewis or the the next Brandon Stephans, BYU will put an NFL caliber tight end on the field if it is Austin or not. Potential Impact players: Sorenson the safety. A kid I think would have been marginally big time (offers from BCS schools but not the top tiers ala USC and Florida ala Kaveinga) if he had not comitted so early. Shiloh Te'o. Similar as above but I think a notch below as far as pure athleticism, but he brings that Poly aggression and toughness that we all love so much. He is also from Kahuku and has a cousin that I understand is pretty good. Would have been worth a scholie alone, but I think is a big land for these other reasons. Sorenson the kicker. He appears to be that good and he is needed. Murphy. I just don't know where yet. I am not convinced he will be an impact player at WR, so if he wants to play offense best to serve a mission, beef up and eventually play tight end. Reminds me of Johnny Harline. I could live with another Johnny Harline. Could also be an OLB, but I doubt it. Sete Pouhaha/ Micheal Alisa. Both of these kids seem to be diamonds in the rough. Neither was recruited highly enough to make this list but I think Alisa might have been overshadowed by the glut of studs at his high school and Pouhaha might have gotten more love but for his grades and early commitment. I think both have the potential to be all conference players and thus belong in this category. Hola, Clawson, Taufi and Mauga. JC kids who both have the potential to step in and impact the team. Probably Mauga the most as he is probably the most talented. Clawson has the least experienced players ahead of him at his position with only David Nixon seeing any time at OLB, but I think Grant Nelson is stud in the making. Hola seems capable enough, but he is not better than Russel Tialeeva. Regardless I think all 3 may crack the two deep if they make it. Taufi will redshirt and get his chance in 09 and 10. I think he is a future starter on the OL, probably OG. Comer, Bruner and Yeck all had some decent BCS offers but will take some polishing and development to reach the impact level, but I do think the natural ability is there. Tuitama is an interesting one. I understand he was a kid who qualified late and many bigger programs had backed off him. He is either not LDS or is going to play 4 straight years. I think he will be a solid MLB and probably one with starting ability. The developmental gang. These are kids, usually LDS, who are good kids that often raise the team GPA and give great talks at firesides. If they stick around for their entire elgibility, they might get the chance to start as seniors or upperclass players if there are injuries or attrition. If they play as juniors and seniors they are adequate or sometimes worse. Think Corby Hodgkiss to Dustin Staley. This group includes: Garrett Nicholsen. Decent athlete and may be a decent corner in time. The attention he got is more reminiscent of Brandon Howard than G. Pittman or even Brannon Brooks. Non-LDS kid but from Utah. If he stays he should be an adequate corner after a redshirt year and two years developing, but there is nothing in his natural ability that causes me to see someone with All MWC ability. Atem Bol. Good story for the mullahs. Should be an adequate receiver by his upperclass years. Brock Stringham. Probably more talented and recruited than the above two, but he also plays the one position BYU can load up on upper tier BCS caliber players at OL. Bills. Has great bloodlines and will work hard. Not as gifted as KC or the youngest stud brother who is a safety and 2009 recruit. Moalu. Redshirt and backup at best. Decent depth. Iona Pritchard. Future FB. I think will be a decent FB, but doesn't cause me to think he will be as versatile as Manase Tonga, more in the Joe Semanoff mold. Hadley. Small town kid and I love those. I see a football future as spectacular as Aaron Attigs. Kafu. Another great story and probably more athletic ability with respect to his position, but BYU has stockpiled a pretty stout group of OL and while I am sure he stays and plays his 4 years, I don't see him rising above back up. __________________ She had a psychiatrist who said because I didn't trust the water system, the school system, the government, I was paranoid," he said. "I had a psychiatrist who said her psychiatrist was stupid."

01-14-2008, 04:15 PM	#4
RockyBalboa Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Salt Lake City Posts: 7,297	I guess from what I've heard is that Solomon Kafu is a kid they're slating to play D-Tackle. __________________ Masquerading as Cougarguards very own genius dumbass since 05'.

01-14-2008, 04:04 PM	#2
BYU71 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 5,084	I am impressed with this class also. Mainly because of Holt, Kaveinga, kicker Sorenson and Chambers. While there are some other really nice gets as you mentioned, BYU always gets more than there share of good LDS gets. What sets a recruiting class apart is if they get a couple or even one top BCS calibre non-LDS kid and the LDS kids BCS schools are really going after. This class has that. AS far as the next few years, I am equally or more interested in who is coming back off of missions and how they progress. Speaking of that, I haven't heard a thing about the Braden Brown kid who has come back early off mission. Some rumors that he isn't returning to the Y. Anyone heard anything? We are loaded at TE, so it isn't a big concern, just curious.

01-14-2008, 04:20 PM	#5
Indy Coug Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Between Iraq and a hard place Posts: 7,569	Add Timo and Craig Bills for 2009, and this has been a very good recruiting year.

01-14-2008, 04:27 PM	#6
A-Train Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Minnesota Posts: 110	Kafu appears to be the replacement of Siliaga. I do agree that he is a project but I think the coaches saw the potential and believe they can develop him into something. Time will tell with him. As for the rest of the class, I am really impressed but I do not think Kaveinga is as solid as people think. I saw an interview with him at the High School all Star game and he appears to be the type of person that doesn't want to say anything that will cause people to think bad of him. My guess is that UCLA and USC will continue the pressure until signing day. Getting Chambers is HUGE!! Throw him in the mix of the guys that we have and the next couple of years are going to be good ones. I am a big fan of Spencer Hafoka too and it will be interesting to see how he does in spring ball. It appears that our LB corp is about as loaded as our corp of o-linemen. We get a couple guys back from a mission like Ah you and the kid from Texas, (Ogletree) that reminds me of a Shay Muirbrook clone. I can't wait for spring ball to really see how these guys compete.