FB RECRUITING ***The Recruiting Class as it currently stands***

[Matt Dossett]

Middle Tennessee State is off and running, assembling the 2025 recruiting class. No, you are not dreaming Blue Raider faithful, the class currently sits with double-digit commitments. As of this publication, the Blue Raiders have 11 known commitments.

Derek Mason has put an emphasis on in state recruiting and there is certainly an in-state flavor when it comes to the 2025 class. Seven of the known 11 commitments are from the state of Tennessee.

Here are those guys:

- Otto Van Rensburg. Offensive Lineman. Sevierville, Tennessee.

- Taylor Lawrence. Defensive Back. Thompson Station, Tennessee.

- Neo Clifton. Wide Receiver. Brentwood, Tennessee.

- Joel Lowenberg. Linebacker. Chattanooga, Tennessee.

- Rai Chandler. Running Back. Shelbyville, Tennessee.

- Bo Bryan. Offensive Lineman. Rockvale, Tennessee.

- Ben Hubbard. Wide Receiver. Brentwood, Tennessee.

 

[Matt Dossett]

The remaining four known commits for MTSU are from the states of Florida and Alabama. The commits are as follows:

- Camari Hall. Defensive Back. Hollywood, Florida.

- Wilson Hodges. Tight End. Montgomery, Alabama.

- Anthony Smith. Defensive Tackle. Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

- Stanley Anderson-Lofton. Quarterback. Orlando, Florida.

 

[Matt Dossett]

 

[mtfblue]

when will the ratings be updated?

 

[MTTim]

We are definitely in a better place with recruiting than we have been in years.

 

[MTFAN61]

We are definitely in a better place with recruiting than we have been in years.

Not only do I agree with you that recruiting is better than in years past, but I have a feeling that once here the athletes training & game time prep will be superior to what any MT football player has experienced in a long long time.
One of the major upgrades I look forward to seeing will be defensively. CUSA & most G5 schools are not known for their defense. CDM & our new DC thrive on defense. Have a feeling MT will develop a defense that CUSA hasn't seen in ages.

 

[sWiley]

Recruiting is definitely better.

The question will now become, can we keep the studs?

I want to type out some really negative things right now, but I'll refrain. I've expressed myself enough when it comes to transfer portal disdain and how futile it all feels now.

 

[Brew_Raider]

Recruiting is definitely better.

The question will now become, can we keep the studs?

I want to type out some really negative things right now, but I'll refrain. I've expressed myself enough when it comes to transfer portal disdain and how futile it all feels now.

I don’t think that’s necessarily the right question.

Hopefully CDM makes the situation positive for players to the point the only reason a quality player wants to leave is money or family reasons.

You plan for this, through analytics you predict how many quality players may leave each year and plan for it.

You raid FCS’s top players to fill gaps and becoming a desired landing spot for disgruntled quality players from other FBS programs through the transfer portal.

Whether they like it or not, quality programs our size have to adapt and plan for losing players.

The question isn’t can we keep all the studs. The question is: we know we are going to lose X, what’s our plan to compensate and backfill when it happens?

 

[MidTennMtneer]

I don’t think that’s necessarily the right question.

Hopefully CDM makes the situation positive for players to the point the only reason a quality player wants to leave is money or family reasons.

You plan for this, through analytics you predict how many quality players may leave each year and plan for it.

You raid FCS’s top players to fill gaps and becoming a desired landing spot for disgruntled quality players from other FBS programs through the transfer portal.

Whether they like it or not, quality programs our size have to adapt and plan for losing players.

The question isn’t can we keep all the studs. The question is: we know we are going to lose X, what’s our plan to compensate and backfill when it happens?

I also view it as the same I do when we lose coaches. They get poached enough (as they should for a G5, ignore our past history on this) then young bucks beg to be on staff as they know it is an opportunity to get noticed.

Same for players. Don't get the offer you want, come here. Let us develop you and get you to a Power school. Do that enough and again, you'll have quality kids knocking on your door. And now and then because of your culture, some of those kids stay.

 

[MT01]

I think the point he’s ultimately getting at is this brand isn’t quite as enjoyable for the fan. You don’t or won’t get to experience watching good players become legends anymore here. We’ve already seen some of our best FB players leave in the last few years. Basketball is an even better example. Think back to ‘17. Giddy Potts was coming off leading the nation in 3-point shooting. He would have been paid seven figures to leave. Reggie Upshaw was a beast and would have been plucked. Even the same with the transfer itself. Jacorey W and Nick King get better money offers and never come here.

No Giddy senior year. No Reggie. No Michigan St win. No legends. Those days are now over. And yeah we can adapt to flip through players like a turnstile at six flags but it’s not going to be nearly as enjoyable anymore. It’s gonna be like the construction worker fan in the movie MLB. “Who the hell are these guys?”

I think that’s the reality but will hold a wee bit a faith that DM has a plan in place to influence retention. As for CNM…oof. Well he shouldn’t be coaching a juco right now so we’re f’d there.