National Signing Day Primer

Tomorrow is National Signing Day. It is a major date on the calendar for every college football program and is a particularly interesting one this year for the Cincinnati Bearcats. Luke Fickell hit the recruiting trail hard after being named the head coach and he has added a great deal of excitement and the commitments to match. There are also the players that signed up during the Tommy Tuberville era. Those players should not be forgotten either.

According to 247Sports, Cincinati currently has 17 hard commits for the 2017 class and tomorrow the old fax machines will be spitting out national letters of intent from those players and other targets. Here’s a brief rundown of each committed player that you should expect to see sign with the Bearcats tomorrow.

R.J. Potts

The big coup of Fickell’s first trip on the recruiting trail as UC head coach, Potts is a four-star safety who committed in mid-January. He is the highest rated recruit to have committed for the 2017 class. Hailing from Fishers, Indiana he is rated the No. 3 recruit in the state of Indiana by 247Sports.

Jarell White

We already did a profile on White, but if you haven’t heard of him yet prepare to be pleased. A four-star recruit depending on who you ask, White is a local kid who projects as an outside linebacker but who also played running back in high school at La Salle.

Ben Hutch

This 315-pound defensive tackle from Nashville took his time before committing, as he made his decision on Sunday. Hutch is the No. 24 recruit in the state of Tennessee and a three-star prospect that would help reinforce the front lines of Fickell’s defense.

Jaelen Greene

A running back from Georgia, Greeene is a three-star recruit who could make an impact early in his career. UC is hurting at running back now that Tion Green has moved on. Mike Boone clearly presents a top option but Greene should compete for a job if/when he signs with the Bearcats. Its worth noting that Greene first committed to UC during Tuberville’s tenure.

Kyle Bolden

Another local find from Fickell, Bolden is a three-star recruit who played high school ball at Colerain. Not surprisingly, Bolden is one of a number of defensive commits Fickell, the former defensive coordinator at Ohio State, has gotten on the UC side. Bolden is an outside linebacker that stands 6’1” and weighs in around 220 pounds.

Javan Hawes

Hawes and Greene actually played high school ball together at Sandy Creek in Tyrone, Georgia. Hawes is a nice player for UC to bring in considering the receiving corps is still being rebuilt after the great exodus of talent following 2015. Hawes is a three-star recruit and just committed on Sunday.

Will Huber

DJ Dowdy is gone but Huber might be the next tight end in line behind Tyler Cogswell. Huber committed quite a while ago, back in June when Tuberville was still head coach. A three-star recruit, he committed just one day after he was offered by UC so the Indianapolis native has been in from the jump. At 6’5” and 225 pounds he projects as a big target and a solid blocker.

Jabari Taylor

Taylor selected UC, which was one of only two schools to present an offer to the 6’3”, 225-pound defensive tackle from Akron, Ohio.

Cody Lamb

Lamb is another Tuberville recruit. An offensive tackle from Miamisburg, Ohio, Lamb is a three-star prospect for the 2017 class and is listed as the No. 69 recruit in Ohio and the 149th prospect at his position according to 247Sports.

Vincent McConnell

Another late commit (Sunday), McConnell is also an Ohio native, illustrating just how much a priority it is to Fickell to keep players in-state. A three-star offensive tackle from Massillon, McConnell is a three-star recruit who stands 6’6” and weighs in at 241 pounds.

Darrick Forrest

Fickell went deep into Ohio State territory to snag a commitment from Forrest, who played at Walnut Ridge in Columbus. A three-star cornerback recruit, Forrest will compete for a role in a UC secondary that isn’t exactly booming with talent.

Jakari Robinson

Robinson is a 6’21” 300-pound center and is currently ranked the No. 31 center for the 2017 class and the No. 71 recruit out of the state of Alabama. He would follow in the footsteps of current Bearcats like offensive lineman Korey Cunningham, defensive back Perry Young and quarterback Hayden Moore as commits from the state of Alabama.

Desmond Ridder

With Hayden Moore and Ross Trail on the roster, plus the transfer of Torrance Gibson, there won’t be a clear route to a starting gig for any incoming quarterback but having depth at the position never hurts. A dual-threat quarterback, Ridder is a two-star recruit from Louisville who committed under Tuberville’s watch.

Rashaad Stewart

A two-star recruit who received 14 offers, Stewart is a cornerback from Clearwater, Florida who signed up with Tuberville.

Cole Smith

Kickers don’t usually move the needle a ton recruiting wise but Smith is a solid two-star recruit from Middletown, Ohio. He is also the No. 16 kicker in the 2017 class according to 247Sports.

Coby Bryant

A three-star defensive back recruit in Rivals’ eyes, the Cleveland prospect also had offers from Buffalo, Eastern Michigan and Marshall, among others. Bryant was offered by UC in December and made an official visit on Jan. 13 according to 247Sports.

Blake Yager

Yager took a circuitous route to UC but the two-star offensive lineman is a hard commit after playing at Iowa Western Community College in 2016.

These 17 players will likely not be the only players to sign, as UC has a number of other targets on its radar. Stay tuned to DTD all day on Wednesday for announcements and analysis.