Pac-12 Breakdown: Report cards for each team's recruiting efforts

There are less than four months until National Signing Day, and while there is still plenty of recruiting to be done in the class of 2017, many Pac-12 programs have the majority of their classes set.

Taking into account each team’s situation, it is time to grade how all 12 conference programs are recruiting heading into the final stretch.

CONFERENCE RECRUITING REPORT CARDS: ACC | Big Ten | SEC

TEAM RANKINGS: 2017 | 2016

Strengths: Arizona has landed some star power on offense and really has loaded up, especially on the back end of the defense led by four-star Greg Johnson, who is a fantastic cornerback who is also dynamic at running back. Four-star quarterback Braxton Burmeister and four-star running back Nathan Tilford have the talent to make a difference in Tucson.

Weaknesses: The Wildcats have the top-rated class in the Pac-12 right now, but that will almost assuredly change as commits come in for other schools because Arizona has only a few spots left and one of the lowest average star rankings in the conference. Only one of the top 10 players in the state is committed to the Wildcats, although many have still not made a pledge.

Strengths: Quarterback Ryan Kelley is the only four-star in the class currently and he’s having a phenomenal senior season. The Sun Devils have done well with in-state recruiting, especially at Scottsdale (Ariz.) Saguaro and dipping into Texas for three three-star commits is never a bad thing for ASU’s long-term recruiting efforts.

Weaknesses: Kelley is the only four-star in the class and the Sun Devils only have eight commits, second fewest in the entire conference. To keep pace in an improving Pac-12, the Sun Devils need to close on a bunch of top in-state prospects and also land some uncommitted players in California that are looking at ASU. The second half of the season and especially the weeks leading up to Signing Day will be crucial.

Strengths: Chase Garbers is the star of this class so far and he’s proving it in his senior season as he’s thrown for 1,890 passing yards with 24 touchdowns and only one interception. The Golden Bears have also done a nice job landing a bunch of athletic players who can plug and play anywhere like three-stars Michael Onyemaobi and Jordan Genmark-Heath.

Weaknesses: There is not a tremendous amount of obvious star power in this class yet. Cal has landed guys like Demetris Robertson, Jared Goff and other big-time four-stars in recent years and that’s not happening yet in this recruiting class. There is still plenty of time and a lot of top targets out there for Cal to land and move higher in the Pac-12 rankings.

Strengths: The Buffaloes are clearly turning around a horrid situation in Boulder and are having a phenomenal season, which has helped land a bunch of talented prospects early this cycle. Colorado jumped out early in Texas and landed four-stars Laviska Shenault and Jaylon Jackson in the spring. Flipping three-star offensive lineman Xavier Newman from his Texas commitment was another big get for the Buffaloes.

Weaknesses: Colorado is doing better but it’s still waiting on some big names. If the Buffaloes can land four-star Greg Rogers out of Las Vegas or some top California talent like Trajon Cotton and Josh Falo from Sacramento (Calif.) Inderkum, then the program will really be in business. But the Pac-12 is getting better and Colorado needs to keep pace.

Strengths: Eleven of Oregon’s 12 commits are three-stars or better and the only one who isn’t is kicker commit Adam Stack. The Ducks have done a great job this recruiting cycle landing personnel that fit their playing style – fast and loose – guys like four-star athletes Jaylon Redd and Deommodore Lenoir or four-star linebacker Sampson Niu. There is a lot of talent and speed on both sides of the ball in this class already.

Weaknesses: Oregon has only two commits in the Rivals100 – Lenoir and Redd – and both are toward the bottom of that list. The Ducks should be playing for Pac-12 and national championships and their recruiting on a national level is not outstanding. Oregon is ranked No. 37 nationally and that’s just not keeping up with the Alabamas and Ohio States of the world.

Strengths: Three-star linebacker David Morris could be a star in the making, a playmaker who can cover all over the field and also come up to make the big hit. The Beavers also did a nice job by going into Arizona and landing three-star Chandler teammates T.J. Green and Kolby Taylor. The Pacific Northwest is loaded with talented linemen this recruiting cycle and Oregon State was successful in getting some commitments from players who could pan out down the line.

Weaknesses: If Oregon isn’t landing top in-state talent then the Beavers have to secure these guys and they haven’t been successful this recruiting cycle in those efforts. Oregon, Washington, USC and Washington State have landed some of the top prospects in the state and it’s unlikely four-star Elijah Molden ends up in Corvallis. To rebuild this program, some of these top in-state kids have to buy in.

Strengths: Stanford’s class is a study in quality over quantity. It was expected for the Cardinal to have a small class but they’ve loaded up in a big way. Almost every commit could be a major contributor early, and Stanford has the highest average star rating in the Pac-12. Five-star quarterback Davis Mills leads the way but four-star tight end Colby Parkinson and four-star wide receiver Osiris St. Brown among others are not far behind.

Weaknesses: Much like a basketball recruiting class, Stanford cannot run the risk of having a few misses in this class or it could have some serious implications down the line. In a class of 25 or so, if some top recruits don’t pan out then everything is usually OK because others step up. In a much smaller class, those misses are magnified. But with the caliber of prospects Stanford has in this class, underperformance probably won’t be an issue.

Strengths: Landing five-star Jaelan Phillips in this class was huge because the defensive end/linebacker is a phenomenal talent who is mature beyond his years on and off the field and could be a superstar for the Bruins. Phillips has the mental makeup and the size and athleticism to be a contributor from Day 1 in Westwood.

Weaknesses: UCLA’s class is toward the bottom of the Pac-12 and while the Bruins have landed some nice pieces, are there enough to compete at the highest levels of the conference and beyond? The good news with only nine commits is that UCLA could really get aggressive and finish strong before Signing Day, especially by landing five-star cornerback Darnay Holmes.

Strengths: As far as star ranking, USC is second in the conference and has the most four-stars in the Pac-12 with eight, although the Trojans don’t have any five-star pledges at this point. Four-star running back Stephen Carr has the physical tools to be an immediate contributor and the Trojans have added length and speed all over the field whether at receiver or defensive end.

Weaknesses: There are five five-star prospects in the state of California and none are committed to the Trojans – right now. That could change because USC is still in play for Alabama running back commit Najee Harris, the top-rated prospect in the class, and Los Angeles Hawkins five-star receiver Joseph Lewis. But if USC strikes out on those two, it’s hard to get back to Pac-12 or national title contenders without the most elite players.

Strengths: It has been a slow start for Utah’s recruiting class, but in the last couple weeks the Utes flipped three-star wide receiver Tyquez Hampton from Washington State and landed two-star athlete Jaylen Dixon out of Texas, too. Five of Utah’s six commits come from talent-rich Texas. The really positive thing for Utah is that it’s playing well this season and really involved with a lot of talented prospects in the West. Closing on them now will be key as the season wraps up.

Weaknesses: The numbers just aren’t there. A bunch of recruits – many of them in California – have Utah among their favorite schools and the Utes should churn out some impressive recruiting victories closer to Signing Day, but having six commits this late into the season has to be somewhat worrisome.

Strengths: The Huskies have loaded up with talented playmakers on both sides of the ball whether it’s at receiver, tight end, along the lines or in the secondary and that’s why Washington has one of the best classes in the Pac-12. That’s scary stuff for the rest of the conference because coach Chris Petersen clearly has this team among the best in the country. Tight end Hunter Bryant and athletes Salvon Ahmed and Connor Wedington are three of the best in-state players. The Huskies have also done really well recruiting California.

Weaknesses: There aren’t many, but to nitpick the top prospect in the state of Washington, five-star offensive tackle Foster Sarell, is still uncommitted and is probably leaning to Stanford at this point. The Huskies’ class is outstanding but is still without that five-star level talent.

Strengths: The commitment of four-star receiver Anthony White Jr. could be a game-changer for the Cougars, especially in coach Mike Leach’s pass-happy offense. Washington State always takes lower-rated prospects and makes them fit well into its system whether on offense or defense. Three-star dual-threat quarterback Connor Neville seems to fit Washington State’s offense perfectly.

Weaknesses: As much as Leach helped turn the Washington State program around, the Cougars still haven’t won 10 games under him although they were 9-4 last season and 4-2 so far this year. Still, to become a major player in the Pac-12 and nationally, more four-star skill players need to be rounded up every year on both sides of the ball.