Winners, Losers from the College Football Recruiting Trail for Month of April
This is the time of year when recruiting begins to become a game of chess—for both recruiting targets and college coaches.
April is a month when many athletes begin to narrow their college choices to a top-five or top-10 list, and it's the time of year when coaches are beginning to play their trump cards in selling their respective programs. It's all about building that foundation just in time before athletes consider taking official visits in the fall and winter.
A few spring games also took place in April, which allow athletes to receive the ultimate fan experience of college programs they are considering. Many athletes made decisions this month.
Here are a few winners and losers from a college football recruiting perspective, strictly concerning recruiting in the month of April.
Losers: Those Against Satellite Camps
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And just like that, satellite camps are back.
The NCAA Division I board of directors announced Thursday that it rescinded the rule adopted earlier this month that prohibited FBS coaches from holding and/or participating in camps away from their schools. This is great news for coaches such as Michigan's Jim Harbaugh, who made national news last year by participating in multiple satellite camps across the country.
The good news for those coaches who are against satellite camps is that the rule now allows every FBS school to participate, including the SEC, as Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee noted.
In short, every coach is playing by the same rule. Let the competition begin.
Winner: Iowa State
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Few teams saw success in numbers for the month of April like Iowa State did. The Cyclones snagged seven commitments in the month and now have 10 total.
It's a great start for new head coach Matt Campbell, as he looks to instill his own philosophies into the culture of the Iowa State locker room and around the campus. Campbell took care of home, so to speak, in landing Colin Newell, a 3-star offensive tackle from Ames, Iowa, on April 2.
While the Cyclones are still looking for a 4- or 5-star prospect, landing seven 3-star players gives the class depth. Newell, offensive lineman Tyler Jost and defensive end Angel Dominguez will be players to watch.
Winner: Michigan State
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Michigan State went from three commits to eight thanks to a productive April. With the new commits, head coach Mark Dantonio will receive a lot of help on the offensive side of the ball.
The Spartans started the month well when 4-star wide receiver Hunter Rison recommitted to the Spartans. The son of former Michigan State and NFL star receiver Andre Rison first committed to the Spartans in June 2015 but reopened his process in November to explore his options. He originally was Michigan State's first 2017 pledge.
Rison will join 3-star quarterback Rocky Lombardi and several other players in Michigan State's offensive class. Dantonio and his coaching staff are hoping to have similar recruiting months between now and national signing day.
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Loser: Ohio State
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How often do we get to call Ohio State a loser at anything football-related? The Buckeyes failed to add to their top-ranked recruiting class in April.
A big deal? Not hardly, considering 12 of the Buckeyes' 13 commits are rated as 4-stars or better. Consider April an off month for Urban Meyer and his coaching staff. If anything, it could mean a big month of May.
There are quite a few uncommitted targets for the Buckeyes. Athletes such as defensive back Jeffrey Okudah, wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones and cornerback Darnay Holmes—all 5-star prospects—are major targets for an Ohio State program looking to build its lead on the rest of the competition in the recruiting race.
Winner: Mississippi State
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Mississippi State nearly doubled its class with the help of strong recruiting efforts in April. The Bulldogs entered the month with six pledges and now have 11—with two days still remaining in the month.
Tyler Dunning is the big get for Mississippi State this month. A 4-star outside linebacker, Dunning chose Mississippi State over offers from LSU, Arkansas, Tennessee and others.
Mississippi State additionally scored an in-state win with a commitment from defensive end Aaron Odom. A 3-star prospect, Odom is the No. 27-ranked weak-side defensive end and the No. 11 player in the state of Mississippi.
Winner: Northwestern
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Many wouldn't expect Northwestern to have a dozen commits, but the Wildcats have been on fire lately. Pat Fitzgerald added five new pledges to the 2017 class this month, and he and his staff are hoping to continue building off the streak.
None of April's commits were rated 4-star or better, but Northwestern did land its quarterback of the future in 3-star Andrew Marty. Defensively, the Wildcats picked up a solid cornerback in 3-star Cameron Ruiz.
There's still plenty of time for Northwestern to add players to its roster, and Fitzgerald will continue recruiting elite-level talent. For now, the Wildcats are in a nice position, and April recruiting is a big assist for that.
Winner: Penn State
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Penn State's 2017 class is now eight strong after landing four commits this month. What may be better news for the Nittany Lions and coach James Franklin is that three of the four players will help strengthen the offensive line.
Offensive guard CJ Thorpe committed on April 16 and is a top-10 athlete in the state of Pennsylvania. He is a top-200 player nationally and someone who can see early playing time because of his versatility.
Penn State's lone defensive commit this month also is the team's first defensive back pledge of 2017. D.J. Brown is a 3-star cornerback who, because of his tenacity, will challenge the upperclassmen for a starting position.
Loser: Clemson
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Let's be honest: There's no way to truly consider Clemson a loser, but in the month of April, the Tigers failed to land a pledge.
The Tigers picked up two commits in January, two in February and one in March. Not landing a player in April could mean an opportunity for a big month of May—something that coach Dabo Swinney and his staff wouldn't mind.
Clemson's done a good job of recruiting offensive players, and look for Swinney and Co. to go after studs on both sides of the ball, but don't be surprised if defense is a primary focus. Cornerback Jamyest Williams and linebacker Justin Foster are two athletes to keep an eye on.
Winner: Washington
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Before the month started, Washington was stuck in a recruiting rut. The Huskies only had two commits, and their last pledge was in February. Washington now has a half-dozen commits thanks to a four-pledge month.
Of the four in April, two are 4-star prospects. Wide receiver Terrell Bynum and defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu are Washington's top-ranked recruits and athletes who will be called upon to be keystones on both sides of the ball.
The month was a big one for Chris Petersen and his coaching staff, and the Huskies are hoping to shock the world by winning a few recruiting battles against powerhouses in the Power Five. A major get for Washington would be 5-star offensive tackle Foster Sarrell, who is from Graham, Washington.
Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles
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