Winners and Losers from College Football Recruiting Trail for the Month of March
We're still a long way from coaching staffs pressing a panic button or popping champagne regarding endeavors on the 2016 or 2017 recruiting trail, but early momentum this time of year can often create the foundation of a successful campaign or lackluster results on national signing day.
Before we embrace the upcoming events of April, let's take a look back at how several of the country's premier programs fared throughout March. Some stepped up with key commitments, while others sat idle, still waiting to gain traction with this current crop of prospects
Here's a review of who conquered and who underwhelmed last month.
Winner: LSU
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Tigers coach Les Miles managed to address both his 2016 and 2017 recruiting classes with key defensive additions.
In-state safety Cameron Lewis chose LSU over a collection of scholarship offers that includes Texas A&M, Michigan, Mississippi State and Georgia. He further enhances an impressive corps of young Tigers defensive backs, featuring 5-star 2015 signee Kevin Toliver, top-ranked 2016 cornerback Saivion Smith and freakishly athletic 6'4" safety Clifford Chattman.
Just a day earlier, Miles secured a commitment from rising junior Tyler Shelvin, a 5-star defensive tackle. The 6'2", 310-pound prospect joins No. 1 overall 2017 recruit Dylan Moses in a group already packed with promise.
Winner: Ohio State
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Ohio State is assembling an historically impressive offensive backfield in its 2016 recruiting class. A late March commitment from in-state rusher Demario McCall gives the Buckeyes three of America's top four running backs in 247Sports' composite rankings.
McCall, rated third on that list, joins previously pledged talents George Hill (No. 4) and Kareem Walker (No. 1). The trio combined to run for 5,015 yards and 74 TDs in 2014.
If they each stick to their commitments, quarterback may no longer be the greatest position of depth in Columbus.
Urban Meyer also landed rangy defensive end Terrell Hall early in the month. The 4-star Washington, D.C., product has an opportunity to develop into a serious force off the edge.
Loser: Nebraska
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Nebraska is undergoing a significant offensive transition under new head coach Mike Riley, who is likely to lean on the downfield aerial attack far more than folks in Lincoln are accustomed to. These alterations will require a new wave of talent along the perimeter.
However, Riley has still failed to secure a single 2016 commitment at this stage. The three prospects currently on board with the Cornhuskers' class are each holdovers from the past coaching regime, pledging last September.
Nebraska did make the top-five list for 4-star Indiana quarterback Brandon Peters earlier this month, though Michigan and Indiana appear to be more likely destinations for the 6'5", 205-pound passer if he stays in Big Ten territory.
March was by no means a disaster for Nebraska, a program presently more concerned about getting its current players on the same page with a new coaching staff. Still, the clock is ticking for Riley to start making an impact with the current class of prospects.
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Winner: Florida
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Florida finished the 2015 cycle with a flurry, salvaging a messy situation by collecting key commitments during the final week toward signing day. The Gators have maintained that momentum though the early stages of this spring.
Jim McElwain and his staff claimed five commitments in March, headlined by Sunshine State defensive backs Chauncey Gardner and Spencer Perry. Florida also addressed some offensive needs with running back Tyrek Tisdale and wide receiver Isaiah Johnson.
Quarterback is a dire position of interest for McElwain in the 2016 class, and he hosted one of the country's finest passers in March, welcoming 4-star Maryland prospect Dwayne Haskins to campus.
No first-year coach has personally collected more 2016 commitments at their new school than McElwain (eight). In fact, none of his contemporaries have even half that total.
Winner: Stanford
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March featured only one commitment for the Cardinal, but it sure was a big one.
Stanford picked up a pledge from Southern California quarterback KJ Costello, the state's top-rated passer and one of the country's most coveted players at his position. He ultimately chose Stanford over fellow finalists Michigan and USC.
David Shaw didn't sign a quarterback in his 2015 class, so Costello was a longtime key target. The 5-star Santa Margarita Catholic High School standout may deliver the best deep ball in this class and figures to quickly become a factor when he arrives on campus.
Costello is also drawing attention from top-tier wide receivers, including high school teammate Dylan Crawford and Georgia pass-catcher Josh Imatorbhebhe, who told Bleacher Report he's visiting Stanford during spring break and is intrigued by the possibility of playing with the Cardinal's new quarterback commit.
Loser: Michigan
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Michigan is still searching for its first 2016 commitment since Jim Harbaugh arrived in Ann Arbor more than three months ago. The Wolverines missed out on KJ Costello, whom many viewed as an ideal candidate to thrive at quarterback in Harbaugh's system, and multiple recruits with Michigan offers told Bleacher Report they haven't heard much from the new coaching staff during recent weeks.
Communication is vital and, while we understand it isn't easy to leap from an NFL playoff hunt to the college football recruiting trail, the lack of recruiting success so far is still a bit surprising.
Wolverines fans can rest assured it's not for a lack of trying. Ahmir Mitchell, a 4-star receiver who visited campus last weekend, spoke highly of Harbaugh's efforts.
“He’s a great recruiter," Mitchell told Bleacher Report. "He’s very hands-on and doesn’t like other people doing things for him. He was with us the entire visit. It was a lot of fun checking out campus, talking and spending so much time with a coach who has such a high reputation.”
There's a strong sentiment that Michigan will break out of this slump and get on a roll in recruiting. It just hasn't happened yet, and this lull has to start becoming at least a slight concern.
Winner: UCLA
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UCLA enjoyed perhaps the most impressive 2015 national signing day, securing last-minute commitments from across the country that included coveted tight end Chris Clark and top-ranked running back Soso Jamabo. Coach Jim Mora still has things moving in the right direction, evidenced by four more commitments in March.
The Bruins bolstered a defensive haul by landing 4-star linebackers Lokeni Toailoa and Krys Barnes. Both in-state standouts are considered top-10 interior linebacker recruits in composite rankings.
UCLA added all-purpose back Demetric Felton, who presents a weapon in both the passing and rushing attack. Many also expected the Bruins to pick up 4-star rusher Damian Alloway in March, but he postponed that decision until later in the year.
His 247Sports' Crystal Ball still signals 100 percent confidence in an eventual commitment to UCLA based on expert predictions.
Quotes acquired firsthand by Bleacher Report National Recruiting Analyst Tyler Donohue unless otherwise noted.
All recruit ratings courtesy of 247Sports unless otherwise noted.
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