The Good, the Bad, the Ugly: Mountain West Recruiting Classes

Last week, we took a look back at the transfer portal classes for each Mountain West team. This week, we are going to shift our attention to the high school and junior college recruits that will be joining Mountain West teams. Some schools made huge splashes with portal additions that could make an immediate impact. Without further ado, let’s take a look at the Good, Bad, and Ugly recruiting classes of the Mountain West.

The Good

Boise State

The Bronco recruiting class was looking kind of bleak early in the season, but Spencer Danielson and his staff did a great job of pulling some recruits in and even flipping Arizona State commit Sire Gaines. This class is deep in defensive talent. Four-star linebacker Clay Martineau has the ability to be an immediate contributor. I’m also a big fan of Travis Anderson; I like his potential in the secondary. The late addition of the top junior college player in the country, wide receiver Chris Marshall, helped the Broncos land the top recruiting class in the Mountain West.

Colorado State

In Jay Norvell’s time as a head coach, he has proven that he can recruit athletes. This class is heavy in skilled players in the secondary. The Rams will have no shortage of dynamic players at wide receiver and in the secondary. I do have some concerns about their lack of quality recruits in the trenches. Norvell’s teams have a tendency to under-perform in this department. Four-star safety Dagan Myers is a little undersized, but he should be an impact player in the secondary. Wide receiver Jordan Ross is a shifty wide receiver that can stretch the field and be an impact player in the screen game.

San Diego State

I was really impressed with the class that Sean Lewis was able to put together in such a short period of time. The Aztecs have a strong argument for best class in the Mountain West. It was clear that Lewis put an emphasis on speed. The Aztecs needed upgrades in the secondary and at wide receiver, and this class has spades of talent in those departments. Quarterback Danny O’Neil is really intriguing. The former Colorado commit had quite the offer list and should be an instant contender to start. Athlete Jason Mitchell out of St. John Bosco will be an instant contributor at safety.

UNLV

Barry Odom continues to get it done on the recruiting trail for the Rebels. This class is bringing in a ton of athletes that should bolster a secondary that struggled late in the season. Linebacker Melvin Laster is the headliner of this class and received a four-star ranking from 247 Sports. Some other notable additions are athletes Devin Green, Damien McDaniel, and Kayden McGee. I’m a little surprised that Odom did not land a high school quarterback that could possibly take the reins in 2025.

Fresno State

The Bulldogs may never have the top class in the conference, but the staff is very talented in identifying guys that can make an impact and are very coachable. This class is filled with athletes that can play multiple positions. It was pretty clear that Tedford and his staff were targeting the secondary as an area of emphasis. I think EDGE rusher Damarrion White is going to end up being the best player in this class; he has really impressive speed as a pass rusher but will need some time to bulk up before he can make a real impact.

The Bad

San Jose State

With how late the coaching change took place in San Jose, it is really difficult to judge this class. It is kind of overwhelming in the trenches, an area where this team will need to be really tough and physical if they are going to find success in Ken Niumatalolo’s system. I think running back Lamar Radcliffe out of Sacramento has the most potential to be an immediate contributor. There is a major hole to fill in the backfield for the Spartans, and Radcliffe is a physical runner that has the potential to play as a true freshman.

Wyoming

The Cowboys have the largest recruiting class in the Mountain West and as usual, there are not a lot of splashy recruits. The Cowboys are a developmental program who rely on bringing in recruits that play physical and are willing to work hard, but there are a few guys in this class that might change the narrative. Athlete Bleyne Bryant was a highly touted recruit that can step in and be a nice change-of-pace running back for the Cowboys. I’m also a big fan of Dash Bauman; he already looks the part of a Wyoming linebacker.

Hawaii

Timmy Chang has placed an emphasis on keeping Hawaii kids in Hawaii, and this class fits that bill. Out of the 17 commits in this class, nine come from Hawaii. I like what Chang is building, and he is finding guys that will likely be loyal to the program. But I really wish I saw more potential in the trenches with this class. Weak play on both sides of the line has been a major issue for this program for far too long. Quarterback Micah Alejado out of Bishop Gorman is an intriguing prospect. He has a little bit of Timmy Chang in him; he’s undersized but has speed and is quite a gunslinger. Alejado seems like the kind of quarterback that Chang can fit into his system.

The Ugly

Utah State

After coming in with a splash, Blake Anderson’s tenure in Logan is starting to become a little disappointing. His high school recruiting classes have been underwhelming, and his reliance on the transfer portal is a little too risky for my taste. There are a few intriguing prospects in this class like defensive lineman Marlin Dean out of Butler Community College and linebacker Tanner Williams out of Mater Dei. But this class is heavy in junior college additions. Where are the high school kids?

Nevada

Jeff Choate inherited a pretty tough situation in Reno where the cupboard was awfully bare in regard to talent. Choate also didn’t have much time to pull together a solid recruiting class. So let’s focus on the positives. Choate and his staff dipped into Illinois for two running back recruits (Dominik Ball and Jaden McGill) that should give the Wolf Pack some depth and help them develop the physical style of play that Choate loves. Linebacker LeVar Talley is also an intriguing prospect. He will need to put on a little weight but could be a guy that gets some early playing time.

New Mexico

It is pretty clear that Bronco Mendenhall is going to build his 2024 team through the transfer portal. There are only seven high school additions in this class and only one has received a ranking from 247 Sports. There really isn’t much to evaluate with this class.

Not Ranked

Air Force

How do you evaluate a program that takes 50 plus recruits every season and a good majority of them never see the field? Air Force built their football program through hard work and discipline, not rankings. With that being said, I do want to recognize a few players in the class. Keep an eye out for Jordan Triplett out of Georgia, he won’t blow you away with his speed, but he is the prototypical Air Force running back that can move the chains. I also think Tanner Stokes fits the mold of a Falcon offensive lineman and was a nice addition for Troy Calhoun and his staff.

What do you think of the 2024 recruiting class for your school? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.