TCU football beefs up with physical class to complement star power

For TCU coach Gary Patterson, this was more like it.

The 21-member signing class he announced Wednesday has more beef than glitz.

“Getting back to being a little bit more physical as a football team,” he said. “What Gary Patterson TCU teams are like.”

The glitz comes from four-star quarterback Shawn Robinson and four-star receivers Jalen Reagor and Omar Manning.

The beef comes from defensive tackles Cory Bethley (6-foot-2, 302 pounds) of Katy, George Ellis III (6-2, 290) of Miramar, Fla., and Ezra Tu’ua (6-2, 315) of Los Angeles Harbor College.

“What I like is they all come from programs, the high school guys, that are very well coached,” Patterson said. “And they’re programs where they’re coached tough. It’s one of those things where they’ve got a chance to come in and excel earlier because they come from places where they expect to win state titles.”

In the JUCO product Tu’ua, Patterson said TCU gets a mature 24-year-old player, the type that can provide an infusion of experience for a team that played with only eight seniors last year.

“We were looking for an older guy,” Patterson said.

Another JUCO addition, linebacker Alex Bush, does the same for the Frogs.

“Kind of a throwback type,” Patterson said. “The first question he asked me was, ‘How’s the leadership in the room?’ Those are the kind of guys you like.”

TCU’s class, with four four-star players and 13 three-star players, ranked 30th in a composite ranking compiled by 247Sports. Last season, the Frogs had a school-record 21st-rated class with the benefit of a school-record 10 four-star signees.

Five players ranked in the ESPN 300 — Robinson, Reagor, Manning, Bethley and offensive tackle Wes Harris of Aledo.

Bethley was a late “win” for TCU against Oklahoma and Texas A&M. The Frogs held on to Manning despite heavy pursuit by Texas and Oklahoma.

Defensive back Michael Onyemaobi, a former Cal commit, chose TCU late Wednesday over Nebraska and Iowa State. Offensive tackle Quazzel White joined TCU in a flip from Washington State. Cornerback Noah Daniels signed after decommitting from Baylor last season.

TCU lost bids this week for four-star defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis of Monroe, La., and four-star safety Todd Harris of Plaquemine, La.

In Ni’Jeel Meeking of Farmerville, La., the Frogs got a Patterson special — a player who will change positions in college. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound athlete will go from receiver to linebacker or defensive end.

“Unbelievable athletic ability,” Patterson said. “Kind of a typical end-of-your-recruiting class guy that has the flexibility to do a lot of different things.”

Patterson said TCU still has a few scholarships it can offer.

“Like everybody, would still like another offensive tackle,” he said. “You never have enough defensive ends. Would have liked to have gotten one more safety.”

This story was originally published February 1, 2017 at 8:10 PM with the headline "TCU football beefs up with physical class to complement star power."