2016 Football Recruiting Thread - Notes from NSD Press Conference and Reception
- Thread starter Deac94
- Start date
- Latest activity Latest activity:
Wake continues to go forward with official visits this weekend. That must have been a tough call. Virginia, Virginia Tech and ECU cancelled all their visits. Wake, Maryland and NCSU are pressing ahead for those that can make it.
Greg Dortch has already tweeted that he arrived safely. That’s a big win for Wake that he was able to make it. He apparently drove overnight from Richmond following an awards banquet.
It certainly feels like the only unresolved questions in the recruiting class are Dortch and target Arkeem Byrd. That could change of course if Damon Hayes or Chinedu Udeogu have good visits, or if somebody emerges at the 11th hour like Matt Colburn did last year.
I read that Tyler Watson has indeed informed Maryland that Wake will be his only official visit. Another big win for the Deacs, although this doesn’t come as a surprise given the info that we have had on Watson over the past few weeks. Watson topped out at an amazing 29 offers. He is the #555 overall recruit in the country on RankByOffers.com, and the #2 recruit in Wake’s class on that website.
There was one other commit that reportedly had contact with two other schools that reached out to him. No need to name names at this point because – unless he has been VERY stealth about it – it looks like he gave the “thanks, but no thanks” to those schools. So other than Dortch I do expect smooth sailing from here on in to NSD, but I’m still hoping for a great OV weekend to further lock in all of the commits in case something pops up late in the process.
For the second straight weekend Wake will bring in at least one high caliber preferred walk-on candidate (and maybe more that I don’t know about yet). This weekend it will be LB D.J. Washington (Ravenscroft School / Raleigh, NC). Washington measured 6’0 / 220 in May 2015 at Nike-Charlotte. He ran a 4.82 40 and earned a solid overall SPARQ score of 81. His highlights are worth a watch here.
I’m excited about the prospect of Wake improving preferred walk-on recruiting. Given that preferred walk-on’s are eligible for financial aid (if their recruitment is handled properly) it certainly seems possible. Jack Freudenthal looked like a solid catch last year. Hopefully Wake can build on that progress this cycle.
Fingers crossed for a good weekend at Wake.
Enjoy the snow everyone! Stay safe!
Greg Dortch has already tweeted that he arrived safely. That’s a big win for Wake that he was able to make it. He apparently drove overnight from Richmond following an awards banquet.
It certainly feels like the only unresolved questions in the recruiting class are Dortch and target Arkeem Byrd. That could change of course if Damon Hayes or Chinedu Udeogu have good visits, or if somebody emerges at the 11th hour like Matt Colburn did last year.
I read that Tyler Watson has indeed informed Maryland that Wake will be his only official visit. Another big win for the Deacs, although this doesn’t come as a surprise given the info that we have had on Watson over the past few weeks. Watson topped out at an amazing 29 offers. He is the #555 overall recruit in the country on RankByOffers.com, and the #2 recruit in Wake’s class on that website.
There was one other commit that reportedly had contact with two other schools that reached out to him. No need to name names at this point because – unless he has been VERY stealth about it – it looks like he gave the “thanks, but no thanks” to those schools. So other than Dortch I do expect smooth sailing from here on in to NSD, but I’m still hoping for a great OV weekend to further lock in all of the commits in case something pops up late in the process.
For the second straight weekend Wake will bring in at least one high caliber preferred walk-on candidate (and maybe more that I don’t know about yet). This weekend it will be LB D.J. Washington (Ravenscroft School / Raleigh, NC). Washington measured 6’0 / 220 in May 2015 at Nike-Charlotte. He ran a 4.82 40 and earned a solid overall SPARQ score of 81. His highlights are worth a watch here.
I’m excited about the prospect of Wake improving preferred walk-on recruiting. Given that preferred walk-on’s are eligible for financial aid (if their recruitment is handled properly) it certainly seems possible. Jack Freudenthal looked like a solid catch last year. Hopefully Wake can build on that progress this cycle.
Fingers crossed for a good weekend at Wake.
Enjoy the snow everyone! Stay safe!
Last edited:
SurgeryDeac
Member
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2011
- Messages
- 201
- Reaction score
- 11
Thanks 94! Fingers crossed. You are my Most Valuable Poster. I think Coach Clawson and staff are building something special.
DeaconSig
Well-known member
D.J. Washington is the son of former State all-American and Steeler Dwayne Washington. Good bloodlines
Ditto !
Fayettenam
VILLEMATIC
- Joined
- May 6, 2012
- Messages
- 5,895
- Reaction score
- 498
If you can get them to campus with the travel, snow days are probably great recruiting trips.
Much less Twitter activity this weekend from the recruits, players and staff. Greg Dortch has been active on Twitter (all positive). De'Andre Delaney and Lukas Masterson are definitely there as well.
DeacsOrDie
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 18, 2011
- Messages
- 7,336
- Reaction score
- 727
They certainly use their TE well this year
Arkeem Byrd is reportedly visiting Georgia Tech this weekend. I think GT is our biggest competition for Byrd (unless Clemson offers). He has a safety offer from GT. Fingers crossed that we get past this weekend without Byrd committing.
DeacsOrDie
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 18, 2011
- Messages
- 7,336
- Reaction score
- 727
Sounds like he wants to play RB
Does this close the books on the '16 class?
Deaconblue
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2011
- Messages
- 19,878
- Reaction score
- 3,460
Don't think you can really close the book until after the LOI's are in. There are always surprises right up to signing day. With Maryland (and others) sitting with so few recruits for many scholarships, the recruiting isn't done until the LOI rolls off the fax machine.
We will have to see. If reports are correct, Wake will host Cal-commit Chinedu Odeogu next weekend, although landing him looks unlikely in my opinion. If Wake misses out on both Byrd (and keep in mind he hasn't committed to GT yet) and Odeogu, then it would appear that the staff has three options:
Option #1 - Invite the next player on their list in for an official visit next weekend. This seems unlikely to me, unless it is Deuce Statham, but it's still possible we could see a new name surface this week.
Option #2 - Move a grayshirt candidate into the regular enrollee column. Remember grayshirts can't sign LOIs (am I correct on that?) so going this route would allow the staff to lock up another commit on NSD. This is also the reason we don't find out who the grayshirt candidates are - because they might not grayshirt in the end.
Option #3 - Keep the grayshirt plan intact and have at least one scholarship to use if a transfer or post-grad opportunity comes up (or has come up already).
Last edited:
An interesting development with Aubry Payne. He is the ECU TE commit that Wake was reportedly considering before Thomas Cole committed. He was reportedly scheduled for an official visit at one point. Payne has since been pushed out of ECU's class to make room for more commits. He received a Crystal Ball to Western Carolina from ECUs 247 writer.
with some of the new commits to other schools yesterday, Wake dropped from #50 to 52 on the rivals team rankings.
in the past few weeks, we had moved up from the mid 50s. Looks like that's where we'll finish up as I expect some more teams to jump us in the next week.
in the past few weeks, we had moved up from the mid 50s. Looks like that's where we'll finish up as I expect some more teams to jump us in the next week.
Final tally on visitors this past weekend:
Commits: Lukas Masterson, De'Andre Delaney, Greg Dortch, Zander Zimmer, Tyler Watson and Thomas Cole
Preferred Walk-On Target: DJ Washington
That means the only cancellations were Je'Vionte Nash and Rutgers-commit Damon Hayes.
Also Arkeem Byrd's Georgia Tech visit is over and no announcement has been made about a commitment. So hope is still alive there. He has taken 4 official visits, so he has one more available if he wants to take it. His options for the last visit would appear to be Louisville, Mizzou and Clemson (if they come through with an offer). However, I think odds are that he will commit somewhere before this weekend.
Commits: Lukas Masterson, De'Andre Delaney, Greg Dortch, Zander Zimmer, Tyler Watson and Thomas Cole
Preferred Walk-On Target: DJ Washington
That means the only cancellations were Je'Vionte Nash and Rutgers-commit Damon Hayes.
Also Arkeem Byrd's Georgia Tech visit is over and no announcement has been made about a commitment. So hope is still alive there. He has taken 4 official visits, so he has one more available if he wants to take it. His options for the last visit would appear to be Louisville, Mizzou and Clemson (if they come through with an offer). However, I think odds are that he will commit somewhere before this weekend.