Inside the Numbers: JUCO Signing Day
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Butch Jones and Tennessee found success in JUCO recruiting
The Tennessee Volunteers have four junior college transfers committed to them in the 2016 class, including three which are rated four-stars. Wide receiver Jeff George, who was No. 7 in the Rivals.com pre-season JUCO 100, and defensive tackle Alexis Johnson, No. 19 in the pre-season 100, signed their letters of intent Wednesday. Four-star defensive end Jonathan Kongbo Arizona Western will sign in February with three years to play three.
The highest rated JUCO in the 2016 class is Brooklyn (N.Y.) ASA College offensive tackle Charles Baldwin, who signed with Alabama on Wednesday. Other big-name high school recruits of years past who are coming out of the JUCO ranks in the 2016 class include wide receiver Demarre Kitt, offensive tackle Na'Ty Rodgers and running back Natereace Strong.
125
Most JUCOs signed by one team in the Rivals.com era
Kansas State coach Bill Snyder
Kansas State had been the standard bearer for junior college recruiting in FBS football and their 125 JUCO signings since 2002 is far and away the most. The Wildcats, however, have turned more of their attention to the high school ranks in recent classes under Bill Snyder. Just two of their 13 commits in the 2016 class are junior college transfers.
In-state Big 12 rival Kansas has signed the second-most JUCO prospects among FBS schools, attesting to the JUCO talent pool in the Sunflower State. Among other Power Five Conferences, Louisville's 50 JUCO signings is the most in the ACC, Nebraska's 50 are the most in the Big Ten, Arizona State's 80 is the most in the Pac-12 and Ole Miss has signed 55 for most in the SEC.
4
JUCO transfers who have won a Heisman Trophy
Heisman winner Cam Newton
Most know that former Auburn quarterback Cameron Newton was a junior college transfer, but far fewer know that he was not the first to earn college football's top individual honor. Newton signed with Florida out of high school and stayed there for two seasons before transferring to Blinn College in Texas for his 2009 season. He signed with Auburn after earning JUCO All-America honors and being ranked as the No. 1 JUCO prospect in the 2010 class.
There were three prior JUCO transfers who won a Heisman Trophy, however, with the most recent being Nebraska's Mike Rozier, who transferred from Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College. Before him was USC great O.J. Simpson, a City College of San Francisco transfer, and Navy's Roger Staubach, who spent a year at the New Mexico Military Institute before enrolling in the Academy.
1
Number of JUCO transfers on the 2015 AP All-American Teams
OL Sebastian Tretola and coach Brett Bielema
While several players honored as All-Americans by the Associated Press have interesting backstories, only one was a former junior college transfer. There were a total of 75 players honored on the AP's first, second and third All-America teams, but only Arkansas offensive lineman Sebastian Tretola played junior college football.
On the AP's first team, Clemson defensive end Shaq Lawson and Temple linebacker Tyler Matakevich both did a year in prep school. Defensive end Carl Nassib walked on at the start of his career at Penn State. And, Utah punter Tom Hackett's pre-college experience was playing Australian Rules football in Melbourne.
Josh Helmholdt
Midwest Recruiting Analyst
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