TCU football recruiting: Low on numbers, high on quality

It’s only 10 players, but that’s not cause for alarm. Experts say TCU’s recruiting class for 2017 reflects quality over quantity and will grow by National Signing Day, Feb. 1.

“If you look at quality, compared to quantity, their class is very good,” said Jeremy Clark, publisher of HornedFrogBlitz.com of the 247Sports network.

DeSoto quarterback Shawn Robinson, Aledo offensive guard Wes Harris, Waxahachie receiver Jalen Reagor and Lancaster receiver Omar Manning are four-star players who give the class luster.

“Right now, the class ranking is hurt a little bit because of quantity, but if you just look at the average, they’re recruiting about a 3.4-star player,” said Josh Harvey, publisher of HornedFrogInsider.com on the Scout network. “You take that compared to the rest of the country, they have a top-15 class. The quantity is not there, but the quality really is. We’ll see if they continue to recruit at that pace.”

The Horned Frogs lost out on superstar linebackers Baron Browning of Kennedale (Ohio State) and Anthony Hines of Plano East (Texas A&M), but they will hold spots until the 11th-hour for players like that, if necessary. Still, a rush of commitments in December is expected to increase the class to between 14 and 18.

Sunday, the Horned Frogs picked up a commitment from League City Clear Creek cornerback Noah Daniels.

With only seven departing seniors, TCU won’t have the room for a class of around two dozen like they’ve signed the past two years. But it has headliner quality.

Robinson has DeSoto in the 6A Division II state championship game against Cibolo Steele at 4 p.m. Saturday at AT&T Stadium. He’s thrown for 3,324 yards and rushed for 1,386 in 15 games.

Harris is playing offense and defense for undefeated Aledo, which is seeking its sixth title in eight years when it faces Corpus Christi Calallen at 8 p.m. Friday at AT&T Stadium.

All but three of the 10-member class went three rounds deep or more in the playoffs.

“These guys know how to win games,” said Billy Wessels, publisher of PurpleMenace.com on the Rivals network. “They know how to bring their athleticism to the next level when it’s needed most, and that’s what they’re going to need to do when they get to TCU.

“They need to step up in gear to earn their spot, and they all seem to be ready to do that.”

TCU lost four three-star recruits who de-committed: cornerback Josh Thompson of Nacogdoches, receivers Roshauud Paul of Bremond and RJ Sneed of Cypress Ranch and defensive tackle James Lynch of Round Rock.

But other players could arrive via junior college. The JUCO signing period begins Wednesday, and that’s where TCU could look for more immediate help for the offensive and defensive lines, plus the secondary.

“They’re always going to want to take safeties, they’re always going to want to take corners,” Clark said.

“They need them,” Wessels said. “In the Big 12, you can never have too many. I think if they need something, it’s offensive linemen, defensive linemen and defensive backs.”

This story was originally published December 12, 2016 at 11:33 AM with the headline "TCU football recruiting: Low on numbers, high on quality."