With 18 commits currently - Do we sign 4-5 more?

[HancockCountyDog]

If so, who are the 4-5 players we need to land:

Here are the guys we need to be all over:

1) Marlon Humphrey - We have been all over him for months, and he is the type of recruit that Mullen needs to land to make a splash this recruiting class.

2) Cory Thomas - Anyone that watched the AL/MS all star game knows why he is second - another big time out of state recruit that we need to land.

3) Taylor Stallworth -How has this kid not gotten more attention? My only concern is that he is visiting SC the week before he is scheduled to visit us and a lot of times what ends up happening after an official visit to the school you are committed to, you end up cancelling other visits. We need to get him on campus.

4) Trey Carter - Do you see a pattern developing here? Out of state DL is a must in this year's class. The in-state crop of DL is pretty shitty as evidence by us dumping Darius Liggins.

5) Out of the box recruit - This needs to be someone not on our radar that we need to make a strong push for; This could be someone like the Epps kid from the Delta or Speaks from Callaway. Even if we force the bears to spend time re-recruiting these guys, it helps us out. If they are spending time firming up their commits, they can't spend it on out of state recruits. I also think Tito Windham looked good in MS/AL game. I also think we should take a long look at Cornell Armstrong or Genard Avery - both players were playmakers in the AL/MS all star game.

There are several players that we are somewhat recruiting, that I hope we wait until signing day to offer. They are good players, but are clearly developmental players. JT Gray, Grant Harris (Who I've been told does not have a commitable offer), or Shareef White - who does not have the speed to play LB in the SEC.

[Westdawg]

yes, definitely need to look at some out-of-state guys for the DL. If we can sign Cory and Trey, I think that would be a great close to this class for that spot. Humphrey, without a doubt is one of the top targets on the board.
I actually see the potential for this class to expand some, possibly up to 23 or 24. I think there will be, or already has been, some attrition on the team and that will open up a few holes for us.

[Covercorner2]

What's the latest on Tee Shepard? And who has the scoop on unrated Lowell Furlow (OT)? Some guy on 247 predicted him to state...

[smootness]

I'm afraid Humphrey was always a losing battle. With some guys, there's just nothing you can do, can't blame that one on the coaches at all if we don't get him.

If we could land 2/3 out of the Thomas, Stallworth, Carter group, that would go a long way toward making this a very good class. We have to get a couple of quality DL in the class and then load up next year.

I'm pretty sure Harris has a committable offer, but he seems to want to play DE instead of DT and is thinking about going to a lower school to do so. That is generally not the type of kid we usually bring in; it falls under the 'You don't always get who you want, but you always get who you are' line of thinking - if you care more about your specific position than you do the school/program, you're probably not coming to State.

We'll see on Shepard; he seems like the kind of guy who may claim each new school he visits as his leader. He hasn't said anything publicly in a while, so we'll see.

I think the best possible close at this point would be Thomas/Carter/Shepard and then maybe one or two more. And I would take that in a heartbeat.

[Big4Dawg]

Tee Shepard - he moved back to Cali and is transferring for his last semester up there. I doubt we get him, probably would require more classes.
Gray - Steve said this morning we have m
Stallworth - probably sticks with USC
Humphrey - we will come in 3rd place
Carter - Is the most likely sign out of the above.

I bet we end up with:
Cory Thomas (http://247sports.com/Player/Cory-Thomas-29120)
Grant Harris (http://247sports.com/Player/Grant-Harris-21624)
Darrion Hutcherson (http://247sports.com/Player/Darrion-Hutcherson-11794)

[maroonmania]

I'll give OM props on Epps. There was an "under the radar" recruit who they got that looks like a heck of a player. Did we recruit him at all?

Guess I'm not feeling it on the close for 2014. I mean our top 2 DL targets left are already committed to another SEC school and then Humphrey just seems like a lock to Bama when all is said and done. Plus, isn't Carter committed to OK ST? I'm just afraid that we are getting our hopes up on guys that we seem to be behind the 8 ball on trying to reel into the boat.

[smootness]

The only one I'm getting my hopes up on is Cory Thomas. He is technically still committed to Tennessee, but he isn't. Were he a State commit and saying the things he is now saying, we would already be writing him off as not coming to State.

I agree that Stallworth will be very tough because of that visit with SC. If we had a visit first and actually got him on campus, I would think we had a legitimate shot, but I'm guessing he won't make it to campus.

Trey Carter, we'll see. He liked OSU early, then seemed to be leaning to us at one point, then suddenly committed to OSU. I don't have my hopes up and I think there's better than a 50/50 chance he sticks with OSU, but I think we have a legitimate shot. He clearly isn't sold on OSU and has been considering us for a while. Legitimate shot but not 'likely'.

I forgot about Hutcherson - don't know about our chances, we'll see, but he doesn't seem to be leaning anywhere heavily right now.

We're not getting Humphrey, we agree there.

We have a decent shot at several quality guys coming in. I'm guessing we end up with a couple of them. Get more than that, and it would be a great job by the staff.

[HancockCountyDog]

I'll give OM props on Epps. There was an "under the radar" recruit who they got that looks like a heck of a player. Did we recruit him at all?

Guess I'm not feeling it on the close for 2014. I mean our top 2 DL targets left are already committed to another SEC school and then Humphrey just seems like a lock to Bama when all is said and done. Plus, isn't Carter committed to OK ST? I'm just afraid that we are getting our hopes up on guys that we seem to be behind the 8 ball on trying to reel into the boat.

So who are we looking at? Gray and Harris? and who else?

I think we get Cory Thomas - just a gut feeling, but I think it happens.

[Todd4State]

As deep as the 2015 class appears to be, I would actually be totally OK rolling over spots for next year.

I don't feel all that good about Humphrey, Stallworth, or Carter. I feel OK about Thomas.

If it were me, I would go after Epps and the Moore twins and try to flip them and then if that doesn't work go after Harris, Gray, etc.

[RougeDawg]

Yes. Target Epps if not only to force the bear crootin cronies to focus more attention toward keeping him instead of poaching others' Classes.

[HancockCountyDog]

As deep as the 2015 class appears to be, I would actually be totally OK rolling over spots for next year.

I don't feel all that good about Humphrey, Stallworth, or Carter. I feel OK about Thomas.

If it were me, I would go after Epps and the Moore twins and try to flip them and then if that doesn't work go after Harris, Gray, etc.

I agree with this, except I wouldnt go after Gray and Harris. If the 2015 class is as good as everyone says it will be, lets save spots for that class and not give them away this year. Its a tough decision, but I think a good one.