MAC Football

MAC Basketball

Overview:                   Toledo signed 23 players spanning the country from New York to California.  The majority of the recruits come from Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania. This class includes five defensive linemen to replenish several graduated seniors in that area, a quality punter and QB prospect, four offensive linemen and four wide receivers.  With speed, size, strength, added depth, and immediate needs being addressed very well in this class, the Rockets brought in a very impressive class.  To note, 15 of these incoming recruits are playing within their respected state’s high school all-star games.  Several of these players had multiple offers not only from IA school, but from top notch BCS programs.  

Highlights:

• The speed and talent at the wide receiver position is amazing.  Gabe Hatchett decommitted from Nebraska to sign with Toledo.  He was a junior college All-American.  Trumaine Smith is a speedster who runs in the low 4.4/40 range and was rated a top-30 player in the state of Ohio.  Andre Redd has reported 4.37/40 speed and is considered one of the fasted prep players in NYC.  Nick Moore was rated by two different recruiting services as a top-50 WR prospect in the country.
• Toledo finally addressed the pressing needs on the defensive line and brought in some stellar talent.  Andre Bouldin is a prep school talent originally from Ann Arbor.  He will likely play as a true freshman.  Alfred Martin had several BCS offers and waited until the last minute to sign with Toledo, pending an Ohio State offer that did not happen.  He was rated as one of top defensive line prospects in the Midwest.  Raybin Williams is an intriguing prospect at defensive end at 6’6’’ 240.  
• The Rockets were able to steal away some quality defensive backs.  Billy Relford from the famed Massillon High School decommitted from West Virginia and spurned others to sign with Toledo.  Brandon Alexander did the same going from Indiana to UT.  Tyrell Herbert, Greg Hay & De’Veon Harris are all talented DB prospects.
• The Rockets also brought in some quality talent at QB with Clint Cochran, one of the top QB prospects in Ohio, and two wonderful and powerful running backs.  Jalen Parmale was rated Michigan’s #16 player by the Detroit Free Press.  Punter Brett kern will start immediately, but UT failed to sign a much needed PK.

Final Thoughts:

The Rockets brought in a terrific class that rates as the best this season due not only to the talent across the board, but by addressing the immediate and long term needs of the program.  With many players actively recruited by so many other quality programs, the Rocket coaching staff did a splendid job at keeping these kids from going to other schools.  UT did lose out at the last moment on one terrific recruit, DE Anthony Hoke, Ohio’s Defensive Player of the Year, who opted to go to Cincinnati at the last moment.  Still, this class rates as OUTSTANDING and gets the slight nod over Marshall, BG, Miami & NIU, as the MAC’s top class this year.