For 14 years, BOXTOROW has ranked the top 10 HBCU FCS recruiting classes. I will reveal the classes this weekend on the nationally syndicated radio program FROM THE PRESS BOX TO PRESS ROW.
The two best HBCU FCS classes were Tennessee State and Florida A&M. I will give you a sneak peek by reviewing these two programs’ classes. Two find out the top 10, and who is No. 1, listen to the weekend edition of FROM THE PRESS BOX TO PRESS ROW on one of these radio stations or Saturday morning at 9:00 Eastern Time, 8:00 in the Central Time Zone and 6:00 out West on SiriusXM Channel 142.
Florida A&M
Head coach Willie Simmons is entering his third season and all three years his classes have been ranked in the top 10. This year’s class was by far his best as six of the high school signees were 3-star recruits. The Rattlers will have to try and replace all-world quarterback Ryan Stanley, 2019 BOXTOROW Offensive Player of the Year. Arguably the most important and immediate signing in this class is former Kansas State quarterback John Holcombe. Holcombe redshirted in 2018 and only played in one game last year before entering the transfer portal. At Summer Creek High School in Texas, he was rated the 13th-best dual-threat quarterback by 247Sports. He threw for 2,369 yards and 22 touchdowns and also rushed for 551 yards and another nine scores during his senior season. Holcombe will have to get acclimated to Simmons’ system having essentially only practiced the last two seasons. He will have excellent receivers to throw to in BOXTOROW All-American Xavier Smith, David Manigo and Azende Rey. The Rattler running game averaged less than 106 yards rushing per game so Simmons and his staff signed five offensive linemen. Simmons says they have the ability to play as freshmen. Three of the linemen are 3-star recruits: Kendarius Cunningham from Gibbs High School in St. Petersburg, FL had offers from FAU and Toledo; Delonus Kabir from Pahokee High School in Florida had offers from UCF and Southern Mississippi; Evan Webster from Hardee High School in Florida had offers from Florida State, Virginia, USF, Louisville, Iowa State, UCF to name a few. Orlando Heggs is a transfer from Wake Forest, a former three-star recruit from The Bolles High School in Florida. FAMU also signed a running back in Tre’ven Smith (5-11, 178) from Blountstown HS in Florida. He rushed for 1,950 yards and 22 touchdowns, including a FHSAA State championship game records 365 yards and five touchdowns. Smith also had 10 receiving touchdowns, four kick returns for touchdowns and two defensive touchdowns. Already deep at receiver the Rattlers signed two 2-star talents for the future in Aquil Muhammad from Southwest Dekalb in Decatur, GA, who had offers from Army and Georgia Southern to name a few, and Trevon Dade from South Dade in Florida, who had offers from FAU, Southern Mississippi, and UNLV. Pass defense was an issue for the Rattlers last year and they addressed that in a mighty way signing three 3-star defensive backs. Benjamin Onwuzo from Chaminade-Madonna Prep won three FHSAA State Titles He was rated the No. 105 cornerback in the class and had 22 offers including from Minnesota, Boston College, Kentucky, Louisville, Missouri, Nebraska, Mississippi, UCF, Utah amongst others. Cornerback Tevin Griffin from Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando was ranked the No. 136 cornerback in the country and No. 201recruit from Florida. He is the son of former baseball great Ken Griffery, Sr. Safety Jalil Core from Armwood has the ability to come in and play right away and possible start as a nickel back. Tray Bishop will also be a nice addition to the unit. He originally signed with Georgia and redshirted in 2017. He played last year at Navarro College and was listed as a 3-star prospect with offers from TCU and Texas State.
Tennessee State
Head coach Rod Reed and his staff put together another strong class. The Tigers’ classes have been No. 1 several times and are usually in the top five. 2019 was a tough season for the Tigers going 3-9. TSU signed 23 players, 11 on offense, 12 on defense. What was surprising about this class is that only two were from Tennessee. Ten were from Florida where the Tigers have always recruited well. With the loss of BOXTOROW All-American Chris Rowland and Steven Newbold, the Tigers signed two 3-star receivers in Zaire Thornton (6-2, 180) from Mays High School in Atlanta and Gerand Turner South Miami High School. Turner had offers from Syracuse, Kentucky, Marshall, and Georgia State amongst others. Emmanuel Baez from Plant City HS in Plant City, FL could be a factor with good size at 6-3, 223. Injuries on the offensive line were an issue and TSU addressed that by signing two with big time potential both rated three stars by 247 Sports in Jeremiah Mawali from Chaminade-Madonna Prep in Florida who had offers from Kansas, Louisville, Maryland, Purdue amongst others, and Jai’mari Herbert from St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale. Herbert was ranked the 113th best offensive guard and 229th best player in Florida. He received offers from Kentucky, Louisville, Pittsburgh, and Syracuse. TSU will have to replace quarterback Cameron Rosendahl who was lost due to graduation. 3-star quarterback Edwin Rhodes from American Heritage in Plantation, FL also signed with the Tigers. He had offers from Southern Miss and Vanderbilt and two offers from Ivy League Schools. He completed 139 of 217 passes for 1,995 yards with 32 touchdowns and just six interceptions. At 6-0, 184, he doesn’t fit the mold of recent Tiger quarterbacks. Transfer quarterback David Johnson from Tyler Junior College via South Oak Hill in Oak Cliff, Texas was a former two-star Rivals recruit and is more in that mold at 6-1, 210. 3-star defensive back Jeshon Ingraham (6-2, 175) from Palm Beach Lakes in Florida highlights the defense. He had 10 offers including from Minnesota and Boston College. He was rated the No. 206 CB in the country and No. 314 ranked player by 247 Sports. 2-star linebacker Detoye Adewole from Cane Ridge High School in Antioch is a local product that could come in an play right away.