(This article originally appeared on www.macreportonline.com.) Composite MAC Recruiting Rankings
Signees By Position
| 2007 All-MAC Signee Team
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Brian Golden's Team Breakdown & Rankings:
1. Miami 
Like Akron, the Red Hawks got a big add to their class when a powerful BCS squad didn't pay a kid the kind of attention he wanted. Brandon Brooks, an athletic OT from Milwaukee, is the keystone of Miami's 2007 class, and a former commit to Wisconsin. It's not every day a struggling MAC school is going to steal an OL/DL prospect from the defending Capital One Bowl champs, and Brooks could definitely make an impact on either side of the ball. The 'Hawks went in to St. Louis and, with Illinois making big national strides, found it a bit easier to recruit the Gateway City, coming up with three of their best 2007 prospects. Michael Baker is a big, strong safety from Cardinal Ritter HS that picked Miami over offers from Houston and Wake Forest. RB Thomas Merriweather just looks like a high-quality RB. Alex Kaufman is an Ohio LB that, like so many other top MAC signees, stayed close to home when BCS schools underwent coaching changes. Offers from Minnesota and NC State were pushed aside, and Kaufman makes a very nice defensive addition to the group.
Best Player: Brandon Brooks, OL
Could be Underrated: Michael Baker, S
Didn't Get Enough: No position other than K/P went completely unsigned, and the across the board balance makes this the best class in the conference. If I were running a program, I'd try to sign two RBs every single year, but the one Miami got is pretty good.
Grade: A-
2. Ball State 
The Cardinals don't have as many splashy signees as some of the other schools, but the overall balance makes this a very good class for a program that has, quietly, improved a lot the last couple seasons. Indiana just doesn't have the horses Illinois, Ohio and Michigan do, so Ball State is consistently a couple steps behind the rest of the conference as far as having a natural base of interested athletes. Renee Perry is a wide DT from Lake City, FL that saw early interest from Louisville, and Frank Edmonds is a fascinating RB prospect from Ohio. If signing day were a year earlier, Ball State wouldn't have had a chance at nabbing Edmonds, but some Big 10 schools backed off with increased concerns about his size (5-foot-6), and the Cardinals ended up getting the ink, and the endorsement of one of the best players from one of Ohio's best teams. To inspire Edmonds to pass up in-state schools with more recent success has to be considered a nice coup, and if the 5-6, 180 lb. bowling ball continues to work on his vision and flexibility, he's the kind of player that could cull a lot of national exposure if things break right. The Cardinals also scored commits from three OL, none of which have done much yet, but all three are at least 6'2 and 270, and at least one of the class will probably emerge as a solid MAC player.
Best Player: Renee Perry, DT
Could be Underrated: Frank Edmonds, RB
Didn't Get Enough: Starting to sound like a broken record here, but zero QBs and one RB, who's barely tall enough to ride the Tilt-a-Whirl. Edmonds has talent but is a gamble, no doubt. I respect the effort to seriously attack weaknesses in the trenches and on defense, but you've got to bolster the offensive backfield every year.
Grade: B+
3. Akron 
The Zips raided Pennsylvania, tapping the Keystone State for 9 signees altogether. Top top pluck from the Pennsylvania haul is WR Bryan Williams, who was dissed by Pitt on a late January visit, and promptly committed his services to Akron. Williams is a JUCO, and will be an impact player the second he sets foot on campus. Paul Simkovich, a big OG from from Latrobe, had previously committed to Michigan State before John L. Smith was run out of town. In both cases, JD Brookhart swooped in when a bigger program dropped the ball, and deserves credit for his patience and persistence in maintaining strong pursuit. Miguel Graham, from Coffeyville JC (KS) is pretty small to play major college corner, but is an absolute burner, and if the Zips can find the right way to use his speed, he could be an exciting player. Almondo Sewell, from Hargrave Military (VA), could be a major player on defense. The Zips went in to Virginia and supplied a safety net for the 6-foot-2, 235 lb. ILB as he struggled with his test scores. If he ultimately can pass the academic checkpoints, he could apply his ACC size and strength in the MAC East, and the results could excite Zip fans.
Best Player: Bryan Williams, QB
Could be Underrated: Marquinn Davis, DE
Didn't Get Enough: Akron is the anti-Toledo. 15 of the 24 signees are on defense, and of the 9 offensive players, 5 are on the line. Akron made a nice haul on the line, with a couple prospects that could be All-MAC players sooner rather than later. But how do you sign 24 players, and not a single RB and only one QB, who was just barely considered a top 40 player in Pennsylvania? You've got to load the offensive backfield every year.
Grade: B
4. Toledo 
Travaris Cadet made one of the biggest splashes in MAC recruiting this year, spurning offers from Tennessee, Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Minnesota and South Florida and ending up in Toledo...how exactly? Did one of those schools pull an offer late? That seems unlikely, since Cadet's commitment to the Gophers came only last week. Regardless, Cadet is a big-time get for the Rockets, and is easily one of the biggest snags for MAC teams this year. WR Kuanda Hancock doesn't have great speed or great size, but did get some additional notice due to offers from a couple Big Ten schools, so his development will be interesting to watch. The Rockets also got two-time Ohio D-I player of the year Morgan Williams, who logged over 5,000 rushing yards in high school. Mike VanDerMeulen was a major under-the-radar OL from Marshall (Mich.), who told me a couple weeks ago that he was making a late decision between Toledo and CMU. At 6-foot-7, 290 lbs., the Michigan prep has the potential to have great size, especially for a MAC OL. Does he have the nastiness to get ugly in the trenches at the college level? Time will tell, and time will be taken - VanDerMeulen is likely to grayshirt in the 2007 season.
Best Player: Travaris Cadet, QB
Could be Underrated: Mike Vandermeuelen, OL
Didn't Get Enough: Defense. Where is the defense? 15 offensive signings make this easily the best offensive class in the league. But 2 DL, 1 LB and not a single D-back as of last notice? It doesn't matter how confident you are in your current talent, three defensive players is not enough.
Grade: B-
5. Kent State 
The Golden Flashes held off early interest from Michigan, a late push from Notre Dame, and offers from Akron, Temple, Buffalo and Marshall to obtain the commitment of Paul Stefanik, a fast ILB who, with a few more pounds, will be one of the best MAC players in 2010. Stefanik told Rivals.com reporter Matt Dorsey that he should grow in to a 240 pounder, and if he does, he could be an absolute animal in the middle. High school stats can't always be trusted, but 15 sacks from an ILB spot show an ability to get after QBs, and the speed to chase them down. If Darrius Carter is the DE that Kent coaches hope he can be, there will be plenty of QBs facing heat when they visit the Flashes. OL Mike Fay will have to block the two pass rushers in practice, and the Pennsylvania product seems like a workhorse that could play a nice role in Kent's OL future. As I said above, high school stats aren't extremely trustworthy, but Andre Flowers put up 3200 yards and 42 high school TDs with 4.5 speed and a strong frame.
Best Player: Paul Stefanik, LB
Could be Underrated: Mike Fay, OL
What They Didn't Get: The Flashes didn't do much at QB, getting only Giorgio Morgan, who only had offers from I-AA schools. That being said, this is a great class for a team with Kent's recent results. There's balance, there are one or two marquee players, and this has to be the most underrated class in the MAC.
Grade: B-
6. Temple 
Daryl Robinson is an oddity. 95% of the dual-position athletes I talk to on recruiting calls begrudgingly mumble that it doesn't matter where they play, but that they'd rather see action on offense. Robinson actually turned down an offer from West Virginia because they wanted him at RB, and he saw himself as a college corner. Whether or not he has college corner size remains to be seen, but Robinson's play-making high school career and commitment to playing the position has to put him in the conversation for most compelling MAC signee of the year. Robinson might make the biggest impact at KR, with his elusive moves and top level speed (he ran a hand-held 4.38 at one combine). If California JC ILB Tommie Weatherspoon is sound academically, he will make a lot of tackles in Philadelphia. The 6-foot-2, 245 lb. man-child caught pursuit from half the Big 12 before a nearly unanimous back-off in November. I honestly don't know what the story is here; grades, re-evaluation, or nothing. Regardless, the Midwest's loss will be Temple's gain, assuming the academics are in order.
Best Player: Daryl Robinson, CB/KR
Could be Underrated: Michael Campbell, WR
Didn't Get Enough: When you've been as bad as Temple has lately, there's not a lot of room to complain about a recruiting class like this, which features 29 players total, and 17 on defense. A team that has made a habit of giving up points by the truckload is right to focus on stopping teams before loading up their offensive apparatus. With 29 signees, I think the Owls could have landed another OL or two, because the young skill players will develop much more quickly if they have protection and blocking.
Grade: C+
7. Western Michigan 
The Broncos' snag of JC WR Schneider Julien from the likes of Kansas State, Colorado, Minnesota and Oregon State was borderline eye-popping. It isn't clear if Julien, a transfer from Los Altos CC (CA) who frequently told reporters he "wasn't thinking about recruiting" and cancelled a couple visits elsewhere, really loved Kalamazoo or just didn't find another place that sounded better. Of course, for Bronco fans, it doesn't matter one bit - Julien will easily be in the mix for a top 3 WR spot this season. Like Ball State, the Broncos recruited some very nice size on the OL, and the best prospect is probably Anthony Parker, a 6-foot-5, 280 lb. OT from North Miami Beach (FL) WMU held off late interest from Florida Atlantic and an early offer from Baylor to secure the services of one of Dade County's best linemen. WMU managed to beat Brian Kelly twice in the same recruiting season for S Keith Dixson of Harmony Prep (MI). Dixon committed to Kelly at CMU, recommitted at Cincinnati, then eventually opted out of that agreement, and signed on to head to Kalamazoo.
Best Player: Schneider Julien, WR
Could be Underrated: Anthony Middleton, TE
Didn't Get Enough: Just a matter of opinion here, obviously, but 1 player a class from the state of Michigan isn't a good pattern to establish for the Broncos. Yeah, there's intense competition in the state for a limited number of prospects. But this is a case, unlike Ball State, where I think WMU has to establish solid footing on familiar turf, and force EMU and CMU to look elsewhere. In a year where Michigan State and CMU both underwent coaching changes, there should have been more than one body for the taking, especially when that one was a Cincinnati decommit.
Grade: C+
8. Bowling Green 
BG obviously placed a priority on injecting some home-run capability in to the program, and they landed two sub-4.5 RB prospects, Mark Woolridge and Eric Ransom. Woolridge looks to have a slight edge, having landed several other offers, and being a bit stronger at this early juncture. QB Nate Brown might be one of the most underrated prospects in the class. Brown flirted with an offer from UCONN, and got one from Temple. Great thing about Brown is that he doesn't have to do much to radically transform his body - he's already 6'3, 224 pounds and runs a very solid 40, at 4.59. Can he throw? If he can, in time, he could make an impact sooner than people think. Sinisa Vrvilo, of Trinity Village (TX) isn't really built like a K, but at 6-foot-1, 235 pounds, he's a K that won't look stupid trying to tackle a KR on a breakaway. He might hurt somebody. Coffeyville JC (KS) product Jerrson Davis could start at LB very soon if he makes it to school.
Best Player: Mark Woolridge, RB
Could be Underrated: Nate Brown, QB
What They Didn't Get: One offensive lineman? Are you kidding me? One offensive lineman? I want to rank this class higher, because of the exciting RB signings, and Nate Brown, but there is just one offensive lieman. I don't care how, or why that happens, but getting one OL in a class when you've been struggling in the trenches is a disaster.
Grade: C
9. Ohio 
While EMU's Budanauro is the heaviest MAC signee, Ohio boasts the lightest, in 5-foot-8, 148 lb. CB Kenny Jackson. On the whole, the class is faster and smaller than most of the other MAC classes, and includes 6-foot-1, 166 lb. WR Riley Dunlop and 5-foot-10, 172 lb. WR Lavon Brazill. With high school kids like Dunlop, it is almost impossible to know before you shake the kid's hand if he is going to be skinny for life, or truly has the potential to add 20-25 pounds to his frame. Dunlop can scoot, but just has to add weight. A schollie offer from the Air Force Academy is a nice endorsement, so I'll give Dunlop the benefit of the doubt, for now. LB Zac Clark is almost prototype size right now, and with 4.8 speed, should have every chance to make some tackles in the middle of the field. Clark had an early offer from Minnesota. Last year's MAC title game is going to be a constant recruiting turf war now that Brian Kelly is at Cincinnati, but Frank Solich got a nice pull in OL Joe Flading, getting him from right under the nose of Kelly and the rest of the MAC East.
Best Player: Zac Clark, LB
Could be Underrated: Riley Dunlop, WR
Didn't Get Enough: Every position group is important, obviously, but signing only one quality DB in a class has to be considered a let down. Each position is very unique, and you need options in the defensive backfield. In Solich I trust, but the lack of pass defenders is surprising.
Grade: C
10. Eastern Michigan 
The Eagles whipped the Broncos in Michigan, snagging 13 commits from in-state. Whether that was by design or concession remains to be seen. Darrell Davis-Budanauro was one of the many ex-Michigan State commits looking elsewhere, and his 370 lb. frame made him hard to miss. If Shawn Knight can pack on a few pounds to go with his speed, the Trotwood (OH) native could make a quality FS in a few years. S Marcus English and RB Aeric Clay were high school teammates of Knight's, and each of the trio has the pedigree to be good MAC performers. EMU landed a host of players with very few other offers, and that usually isn't a very good sign. Dan Youssif has the build to be the best of that bunch, at 6-foot-3, 240 lb., the Birmingham (Mi.) native has 4.79 speed, and seems like the type of prospect that could be moved around to OT or DE until he finds the right spot. Assuming the athleticism is as good in the flesh as it is on paper, he'll get a chance to play.
Best Player: Shawn Knight, FS
Could be Underrated: Dan Youssif, TE
What they Didn't Get: This is a pretty vanilla class. It doesn't seem too depressing, but there aren't a whole lot of reasons to be thrilled. Both Rivals.com and Scout.com consider this a class that is better than the Eagles have been on the field the last couple years, so that is a good sign. Budanauro could turn in to a beastly pro-prospect, but at nearly 4 bills, health and fitness are major questions. There's only 1 LB in the group, which is at least a couple too few.
Grade: C
11. Central Michigan 
The Chips caught the least amount of ink on signing day amongst the MAC schools, but the fault doesn't lay at the feet of the new coaching staff. Brian Kelly was mentally out of town even before accepting the Bearcat job. Linking his name with several other coaching offers, and jumping, no leaping at the chance to leave Mt. Pleasant, has to at least raise suspicions that recruiting for next year wasn't his top priority in his final months. Josh Allison is a Minnesota leftover that might end up at DT or DE. The 6-foot-2, 246 lb. frame could go either way, but the 4.86 speed is exciting. Rocky Weaver and Chris Starkey present a formidable pair of TE, both boast appropriate frame and hands, and one of the two, if not both, will be a major contributor in CMU's future fortunes. While he may not look like an athlete, ATH Nick Bellore was one of Kelly's first commits of this campaign, and can play a number of positions.
Best Player: Josh Allison, DT
Could be Underrated: Chris Starkey, TE
Didn't Get Enough; Bodies. Warm bodies. More bodies, even if they aren't top players, means more teaching moments, more tackling dummies, more competition. In the MAC the margins between each team, save Buffalo, might be tighter than anywhere else in the nation. Inking a class that has 7-8 less members than the rest of the league will catch up with the Chips down the line.
Grade: C-
12. Northern Illinois 
Every kid I talked to this season that mentioned Joe Novak commented on how nice a guy he is. Maybe Novak is getting too nice, because this Huskie program doesn't have the teeth it did a few years ago. Garrett Wolfe, though talented, turned out to be wearing sheep's clothing as far as being a top-level national back, and it almost seems like that blow to NIU confidence permeated to recruiting this year. There really aren't any splashy signings to report from this year's class. The Huskies took QB Chandler Harnish out of Indiana, as well as speedy WR Nathan Palmer. NIU beat out three other MAC schools for Chicago DB Patrick George, but then, they should be winning the Chicago recruiting wars. WR Landon Cox might have the best upside of the group, with very nice size and the skills to draw early interest from Illinois and Purdue.
Best Player: Landon Cox, WR
Might be Underrated: D.J. Pirkle, DT
They Didn't Get Enough: The quantity is low, and so is the quality, across the board. The most glaring shortage is at DT, where NIU only got two prospects, and one of them is 218 pounds. You don't see many 218 pound kids wreaking havoc on the D-line, so this group has to be looked at as a big disappointment. The Huskies need to reclaim their attitude as giant-killers, and that starts up in the ugly trenches.
Grade: D+
13. Buffalo 
One of the worst teams in college football, the Bulls have been bad early and often, and they should get a bit of help everywhere with this class. Derrick Brown had some other offers at OT, coming from the same part of Harrisburg (PA) as Bowling Green QB Nate Brown. Matt Ostrowski, at 6-foot-6, 299 lbs., gets an A+ for size, but that 5.6 40 doesn't make him sound fearsome coming off the ball. If he can improve his footspeed, he could be a sleeper in this class. Another prospect from this group I kind of like is Aaron Connacher, a fast TE from upstate New York. Buffalo has miles to go in the recruiting derbies just establishing their relevance, but planting roots in upstate New York and northern Pennsylvania is a must. With Syracuse positively brutal, and Pitt floundering, this is an important time for Buffalo football to pick off a couple more solid recruits than they typically might. It will be decades before they can hope to be on even-footing with those BCS programs, but establishing themselves as a credible option for an athletic high school player just has to happen. Signings like Connacher can't hurt.
Could be Underrated: Matt Ostrowski, OL
What They Didn't Get: I'm not going to pile on here. The Bulls got some of everything, and got D-I players at every position. Loading up on defense or offense would be stupid, and I like the strategy of trying to get quality in every position.
Grade: C-
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