Countdown to National Signing Day: UTSA Roadrunners

Photo by Mary Scott McNabbNational Signing Day is Feb. 3. We’ll take a look at each recruiting class from the 12 FBS football programs in Texas as the day approaches. TeamRivals.com rank: 121stOverview Recruiting took a hit for UTSA following a 7-17 record over the past two seasons and a dismantling of the staff. It was an odd offseason for a program still growing. Head coach Larry Coker left the program late in the recruiting cycle, and he didn’t leave much of a 2016 recruiting class for the new staff. Former LSU running backs coach and hot-shot recruiter Frank Wilson took over less than two weeks ago and is tasked with completing his recruiting class in a very small window of time. The Roadrunners picked up two commitments since Wilson took over, both from out of state. UTSA currently has 12 commitments, with seven hailing from the JUCO ranks. Six of those JUCO players are already on campus as mid-year transfers with early-enrollee Jess Ebozue, a wide receiver out of Arlington Bowie. Strengths The offensive line is the strength of the current class. Three offensive linemen are committed to UTSA, including JUCO transfers Tanner Myers and Stefan Beard. Myers, an offensive tackle out of Coffeyville C.C. in Kansas, is 6-foot-7 and can provide immediate depth at a position of need for the Roadrunners. UTSA must find a starter at right tackle and Myers will get a shot at securing that position. Beard went to Westlake to close out his high school career, but didn’t play football as a senior. He attended Navarro J.C. before committing to the old staff. He’s an under-the-radar recruit who can play guard. The new staff picked up a commitment from Mississippi prep offensive tackle Josh Oatis this week. Needs UTSA has more needs than numbers, so the staff must decide where it’ll use the remaining scholarships to close out the class. If the offers going out are any indication, Wilson and his staff are targeting front-seven players on defense, offensive line and wide receiver. With only 12 commitments, Wilson’s staff was aggressive from the first moment in recruiting. Offers are flying out and the Roadrunners are scrambling to fill the class with athletes inside the state and around the country. Compiling so many well-respected recruiters from several programs could really benefit Wilson and UTSA during this class, as his assistants have undoubtedly reached out to prospects they recruited at past stops. Top Player Jarrod McLin is a defensive end from Carthage High School. The 6-foot-4, 212-pound defensive end stays out of the recruiting spotlight and that sometimes allows his talents to be overlooked. He’s explosive off the edge and holds up very well against the run. He has the frame to add 30 pounds after an offseason or two in a college program. If he can transition that extra weight to become a true three-down defensive end, while also retaining his athleticism as a pass rusher, McLin will be the jewel of the UTSA recruiting class.

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