The first National Signing Day of the Matt Rhule era was an unparalleled success. While nearly every CFB coach has years to recruit the players he wants, coach Rhule had approximately one month. In those four-ish weeks, Baylor football went from one recruit to 27 (including four mid-year enrollees) + two transfers. Please read the whole post it took me two hours!
On offense, we snagged two QBs + coach McGuire’s son as a preferred walk-on, two RBs, three WRs, two TEs and six OL. On defense, there were three DL, three LBs, one NB and three DBs.
QB Charlie Brewer:
- 3-star pro-style QB from Lake Travis HS
- 2016 Texas AP Player of the Year (completed national record 77.4% of passes)
- 8,362 passing yards, 107 TDs, 11 INTs (career)
QB Anu Solomon:
- Hawaiʻi boy!!!
- Grad transfer from Arizona with one year eligibility remaining
- 6,925 passing yards, 49 TDs, 16 INTs (career)
RB Abram Smith:
- 3-star Mid-year enrollee from Abilene HS
- 504 carries, 4,086 yards, 55 TDs (career)
- Broke Abilene HS’s rushing record in senior year
RB Johnathan Lovett:
- No. 19 ranked prospect in New Jersey
- Picked Baylor over Michigan State, Tennessee, UCF, Penn State and Rutgers
- 1,359 yards, 26 TDs (career? someone needs to update his maxpreps profile)
WR Trestan Ebner:
- No. 8 ranked athlete in Texas
- WR/DB hybrid with 20 FBS offers
- 49 receptions for 966 yards, 16 TDs (senior year)
WR Gavin Holmes:
- No. 70 ranked 4-star receiver in the country (according to 247 Sports)
- 32+ FBS offers
- 2,641 yards, 27 TDs (career)
WR RJ Sneed:
- Mid-year enrollee
- 3-star recruit flipped from Ole Miss
- 1,401 yards, 17 TDs (career)
TE Tyler Henderson:
- 348 yards, 7 TDs (career)
- No. 90 ranked TE flipped from Oklahoma State
- 4.43 40-yard dash
TE B.J. Thompson:
- No. 7 athlete in Arkansas
- 79 receptions, 1,278 yards, 20 TDs, 2 INTs, 54 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 3 pass breakups, one pick six
- Also played basketball, baseball and completed in track and field
OG Jason Moore:
- Unofficial leader of the 2017 class
- No. 12 ranked OT in Texas
- Enjoys pancaking unassuming defenders on the field
OG Xavier Newman:
- 3-star OL from DeSoto, key player in team’s championship season
- No. 27 ranked OG
- 2017 Under Armour All-American
C Ryan Miller:
- Extreme powerlifter?
- All-State OL (teammate of Baylor signee Henry Klinge)
- Flipped from Navy
OT Khalil Keith:
- 3-star OT and No. 31 ranked prospect in Alabama
- All-State OL junior and senior year
- Squats 425 pounds
OT Henry Klinge:
- 3-star OT and teammate of Baylor signee Ryan Miller
- No. 15 ranked OL in Texas (according to maxpreps)
- Wrestled in high school
OT Eleasah Anderson:
- First-team All-District honors
- Excels in the classroom and in the church
- Held offers from over 15 schools
DT James Lynch:
- 3-star signee, No. 48 ranked DT
- Named district DL of the year twice
- Committed to Baylor over TCU (and others)
DE Justin Harris:
- No. 24 ranked SDE
- Committed to Baylor over LSU
- 4-star disruptive DE
DE Cole Maxwell:
- No. 17 ranked DE in Texas
- Played baseball in high school
- Senior year recorded 87 tackles, 10 sacks, six QB pressures, five pass breakups and three forced fumbles
DE Rob Saulin:
- No. 38 ranked athlete in New Jersey
- Dual-position athlete (DE and TE)
- Originally committed to Temple
DE Chidi Ogbonnaya:
- Flipped from Houston
- 3-star prospect, No. 15 ranked DE in Texas
- All-district DL
LB Bryson Jackson:
- 3-star prospect, No. 12 ranked OLB in Texas
- Picked Baylor over 17+ offers including Houston and Michigan
- 135 tackles, 18 sacks, 1 INT and 3 forced fumbles (career)
LB Terrel Bernard:
- Flipped from Houston
- 3-star prospect, No. 139 ranked athlete in Texas
- 441 tackles, 10 sacks, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, seven INTs, one pick six, five pass breakups (career)
LB DeMarco Artis:
- Previously committed to Florida State
- No. 10 ranked DE in Florida
- Explosive pass rusher
NB Jalen Pitre:
- The greatest human being to ever live aka Baylor’s lone commit for decades (read this)
- Mid-year enrollee
- 3-star signee, No. 76 ranked S in Texas
CB Harrison Hand:
- 3-star prospect, No. 6 ranked athlete in New Jersey
- Held offers from Virginia Tech, Pitt, Syracuse, Temple, Rutgers and more
- Named defensive MVP at Rivals and Nike camps
CB Timarcus Davis:
- Flipped from Houston
- 3-star prospect, No. 8 ranked CB in Texas
- 107 tackles, 22 pass breakups, four forced fumbles, 10 interceptions (career)
S Trevon Lewis:
- First commit of the Rhule era
- 3-star prospect
- 92 tackles, one pick six in senior year
S Ashton Logan:
- 3-star prospect, No. 77 ranked S in the country
- Flipped from Arizona State
- 94 tackles, six pass breakups, one pick six, four INTs in senior year
