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Recruiting thoughts: Looking back at 2016 class

Maciah Long is one to expect on the field next year
Maciah Long is one to expect on the field next year

After 2016 class, the roster is starting to turn

The Jayhawks class finished with the football program officially announcing 18 recruits although likely less than that signed a letter of intent for the 2016 season. To get a more accurate picture of the entire 2016 class you also have to look far beyond Rivals.com rankings. Since the computer doesn’t recognize gray shirt players and those already on campus you have to throw them out the door.

The class also includes former four and three recruits who are already contributing to the program. When you combine those numbers with recruits who signed on Wednesday it gives you the biggest difference between now and this time last year.

The pre-spring rosters look night and day. There is depth going into this year. There is experience returning. Can the numbers improve? Absolutely. Do they need to improve? Yes. But the biggest thing David Beaty and his staff have started to do is flip the roster and it is evident comparing last year’s roster with this year’s.

One of the keys with this year’s recruits is finding a core group to redshirt. Last year the Kansas staff had to play a lot of freshmen due to numbers. But what we found out is a lot of those young players also had talent. Take Evan Fairs who signed last Wednesday for example. A tall, rangy receiver with speed he would have likely played last season. But with several freshmen either playing or redshirting you can now start to build for the future and possibly redshirt a player with Fair’s talent.

The Jayhawks have five offensive linemen counting in this class. Larry Hughes from Carrollton (Tex.) has already started six games and has three more years left. Cam Durley is a massive 6-6, 300 pound tackle who arrived on campus in January. Then you have signees Chris Hughes, Antione Frazier, and Hunter Harris. There is depth building on the offensive line and it would be ideal a lot if those linemen get a redshirt season to spend with Je’Ney Jackson in the weight room.

The Kansas staff did a good job of finding recruits early who ended up getting multiple offers and hanging onto them. They also wrapped up the class landing players who had other Power Five offers and convinced them to sign.

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Two junior college recruits who can help right away

If there was one area the Jayhawks needed help right away it is size on the interior of the defense. Daniel Wise showed a lot of promise inside last year but he needs big bodies next to him. The Jayhawks will lose two players inside and that leaves them few options to anchor down over the ball.

The signing of DeeIsaac Davis and Isi Holani were big for Kansas. Both players are already on campus and have been impressive early on in workouts. Both are listed under the official weights. Beaty said on signing day both are pushing 320 pounds and then some. This could be the first time in a long time the Jayhawks can have players at the nose with legit Big 12 size.

Two high school recruits with best odds to play early

Mayberry has already added over 10 pounds since end of season
Mayberry has already added over 10 pounds since end of season ()

If there was any knock on Kyle Mayberry it was his size. But he is already eliminating those concerns. Mayberry told us last week he has already put on 12 pounds since the end of the season. He said he’s been working out every day with his teammate Justice Hill. I watched Mayberry run a 4.49 on a slow turf at Memorial Stadium and he even slipped during the start. Mayberry has the speed and ability to play week one. And he has the confidence it takes to play against some of the best offenses in the country.

There isn’t one high school prospect who is physically ready to play more than Maciah Long. He’s got the ideal size as an inside linebacker at 6-foot-2, 230 pounds and he can run. He played quarterback in the zone-read offense and led North Shore to the state title game, where he was the MVP. Long told us last week he’s even talked to Beaty about being on the field in an offensive package at quarterback. Long will need a little time to adjust getting back to linebacker since he hasn’t played there since his sophomore. But he said it is like riding a bike and he will figure it out quickly.

Two high school recruits who could surprise with playing time early

When Beaty was wrapping up his recruiting class he made a trip to Louisiana. Beaty along with Kansas assistants Kenny Perry and Jason Phillips have long-standing ties in the state. Beaty admitted after signing day Louisiana could be a new area the staff targets in the future. During the trip Beaty discovered quarterback Tyriek Starks. “We weren't looking for a QB, but he's one that we really think can help us,” Beaty said. “We're going to be a lot more competitive in that room with Tyriek stepping in that room. He’s going to help us moving forward.”

Three quarterbacks who started at least one game for the Jayhawks will return next season. Then there is Carter Stanley who has earned praise after redshirting. There is a lot of competition at quarterback. But Starks might be different. Beaty said Starks was too talented to pass on. There is something Beaty sees in Starks and that tells us to not count him out of the mix as a true freshman.

When the recruiting board was set it was believed the Jayhawks were going to target two running backs. But in the end they only signed one in Khalil Herbert. Kansas running backs coach Reggie Mitchell started targeting Herbert in December along with several other prospects who signed with division one schools. By the beginning of January it was clear Herbert was the back Mitchell moved to the top of the list. The Jayhawks had other backs set to visit the last week of January but Herbert visited the week before that.

He comes from American Heritage High School in south Florida, one of the best programs in the state. He split time in the backfield with Kyshaun Bryan who is ranked the 6th best running back in the nation for 2017. Herbert is 190 pounds and has the frame to handle the physical style right now at the division one level. He averaged 7.3 yards a carry and was voted to the All-Broward County first team and second team All-Dade County. That area is one of the most talented for high school prospects in the country.

Recruit with highest ceiling

Bean will only get better after adding weight and learning the DE position
Bean will only get better after adding weight and learning the DE position ()

Isaiah Bean never played defensive end until his senior year. Until then he was a quarterback and weighed around 180 pounds. Bean, 6-foot-5, made it his goal to get stronger for his final year moving to defense. He put on an amazing 30 pounds in one year. He had 70 tackles and 14 sacks at a position he never played. He has a seven-foot wing span and hasn’t come close to the potential he shows on film. He was voted his team’s defensive MVP and was a first team, all district selection.

He has shown he can add weight and keep his athleticism. He will only get bigger and learn how to play the defensive end position better with time.

Newcomer who could play that hasn't been talked about much

When the roster was updated at the beginning of January a new name appeared in Quinton Conaway. He’s an all-state kicker from Edmond North High in Oklahoma. Coming out of high school he chose Oregon before arriving in Lawrence. He averaged 43 yards a punt as a high school senior. He was also named one of the top 12 kickers in the country by analyst Chris Sailer.

It is unclear if Conaway will be able to play next year at Kansas but he will go through spring football. The Jayhawks have been looking for help in the kicking game and there aren’t any better prospects on paper they could have added than Conaway.

Most exciting newcomer for next season

Kansas fans are going to like watching LaQuvionte Gonzalez, a transfer from Texas A&M who will have two years to play for the Jayhawks. Watching Gonzalez in practice he is the most explosive receiver and returner on the roster. He was a four-star recruit out of high school and one of the top 30 players overall in Texas. As a true freshman at Texas A&M he caught 25 passes and also helped in the return game. He will give the Kansas offense an instant weapon going into 2016.

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