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Get to Know the 2015 Colorado State Recruiting Class

Signing Day is finally here, and after a coaching change that landed a new head coach from the SEC, the Colorado State Rams have finalized their 2015 recruiting class.

By Joshua Carvalho
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

National Signing Day is here at last! Though there is excitement that come with signing day, the Colorado State Rams knew the majority of their class coming into today. New head coach Mike Bobo and his staff had a lot of work to do after taking over the program, but previous head coach Jim McElwain and his staff did a great job to put Bobo in a place to succeed.

While the Rams don't have any 4-star or 5-star recruits, or any guys in the Top 300, the coaching staff still had a productive two months in their attempt to secure a recruiting class in such a short time. The Rams did an excellent job recruiting in their own state, securing commitments from five Colorado prospects as well as receiving a transfer that decided to come back to his home state. So sit back, and get ready to meet the newest members of the Colorado State Football Team!

Quarterback:

The Rams got their guy a few months back and even through the coaching change, JC Robles from El Diamante High School in Visalia, California, is still committed to Colorado State.

Robles is a 6'5" Pro Style Quarterback, ranked as a 2-star prospect (per Rivals). He is a quarterback that can sling the ball around the field, and even though he is considered a pro style quarterback, Robles can run the ball very well. After watching most of his film on Hudl, one thing came to my mind, and that is that he can make almost every throw that you need him to make. He throws a good deep ball, can place the goal line fade where the receiver can compete for the ball and has plenty of zip on his short throws. Robles has been excited about being a Ram from the start and it is possible that he can come in and compete right away for the starting job.

Running Back:

Colorado State got a big commitment from Enterprise High School running back Isiah Matthews from Redding, California. Matthews is 3-Star Athlete (per Rivals) who is expected to play running back for the Rams.

Izzy Mathews is a big back that will bring tough running between the tackles to Fort Collins. Matthews runs low, bounces off would be tacklers and falls forward. He doesn't possess top end speed, but Matthew's ability to get the tough yards will be a good addition for the Rams who have a lot of depth at the running back position. With Colorado State returning three of their top four running backs from the 2014 season, it is probable that Matthews redshirts in 2015 and is a serious contender for touches out of the backfield come 2016.

Wide Receiver:

Local wide receiver Olabisi Johnson from Bear Creek High School in Lakewood, Colorado, brings great speed to the Colorado State recruiting class. Johnson is one of the best two-sport athletes in the state of Colorado, being an All-State selection for football and is expected to compete to be a state champion as a hurdler and sprinter in track.

The two way player excelled as his team's best playmaker. Johnson returned kicks, ran the ball out of the backfield and lined up as a wide receiver for Bear Creek, while also making plays on the defensive side of the ball where he lined up at safety. Every time he touched the ball there was a chance for him to score. Johnson ran for 765 yards and nine touchdowns while catching 25 passes for 408 yards and three scores.

Offensive Line:

The Rams received two commitments on the offensive line early in the 2014 recruiting season when center Colby Meeks and tackle Salofi Gaoa committed to Colorado State in July and stuck with their commitments throughout the season. They also added Justin Nunez, who was a two way starter in high school and is currently projected to play offensive line for the Rams.

Colby Meeks, who is already enrolled at Colorado State, comes from the Ram's pipeline school in Florida, Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando. Other notable Rams from Dr. Phillips are Deionte Gaines, a 3-star (per Rivals) athlete in the 2014 class who lined up at the slot position as well as being used as the primary kick returner. The other notable Ram from Dr. Phillips is running back Dee Hart, who departed early for the NFL Draft.

Meeks a 2-star lineman (per Rivals) is a big, physical offensive lineman who can control the line of scrimmage. He comes to Colorado State after a senior season where he was recognized as one of the better lineman in the state of Florida. Though he is listed as a center, Meeks can line up at either guard spot (which he did for a majority of his senior season) as well, giving the Rams some much needed depth at a position where they lost multiple starters to injury. Being enrolled already, Meeks has the opportunity gain early experience as he his participating in offseason workouts and will participate in spring practice.

Salofi Gaoa, a 2-star lineman (per Rivals) is one of two players to commit to Colorado State from Rocky Mountain High School in Fort Collins, Colorado. Gaoa wasn't the most physical lineman in Colorado, but his size is something that you cannot teach. Gaoa is 6'6" and while he is only 260 pounds, a couple years in a Division I weight room will have him up to speed by the time he is needed. Projected more as a project player, don't expect to see Gaoa on the field until at least 2016.

Justin Nunez is a lineman that has the ability to play on either side of the ball. He is an interior defensive lineman and a tackle on the offensive side of the ball. The 6'5", 320 pound lineman from Red Bluff High School in Red Bluff, California, is unrated according to Rivals. He is a mammoth of a player on the field and can control the line of scrimmage. He also has a great motor and quickness for a guy over 300 pounds. His ability to pull and be a lead blocker for the running back is a reason why I think he will stay on the offensive side of the ball. After being courted by Purdue towards the end of the recruiting cycle, Nunez stayed firm on his commitment to the Rams and has the potential to see early playing time with uncertainty at both tackle positions.

Tight End:

Officially, Colorado State didn't sign any tight ends in their 2015 recruiting class, but I will include Mitch Parsons because he is taking a scholarship for the 2015 season.

Mitch Parsons was one of the top players in the state of Colorado two seasons ago. Ranked by Rivals as the 7th best tight end in 2014 class, Parson chose to go to Vanderbilt before deciding to play football closer to home. He was a two time All-State player in high school and also played in the O and D All-American game. Standing at 6'4", Parsons has great size. He is very athletic and is a great receiver threat who will go up and get the ball. More time in the weight room will help him gain more weight and strength, and if he can improve on his run blocking skills, he will have the ability to be an early contributor in Mike Bobo and Will Friend's offense.

Defensive Line:

The  defensive side of the ball has been a big focus for the Rams, especially the defensive line. They have lost a few guys from previous classes who decided to focus on other things rather than playing football and because of that, they have lacked depth at that position. Colorado State will also graduate multiple starters after the 2015 season, so it is important that the guys they have signed can come in gain experience. The 2015 class features three defensive lineman who will not only improve depth, but will have a chance to come in and play right away.

The first player to sign his Letter of Intent today was O'Shea Jackson from Martin High School in Arlington, Texas. The 2-star defensive tackle (per Rivals) is 6'1", 275 pounds and lined up anywhere from a nose guard to a 5-technique. Jackson is quick off the ball, has a good initial moves to get to heel line and can quickly locate the ball. With the Rams projected to shift to a 4-3 defense, Jackson looks to be a potential interior lineman, either a 1-technique or a 3-technique.

Next up is defensive end Richard King from Rangeview High School in Aurora, Colorado. The 6'6" 2-star (per Rivals) defensive end is another project type player committed to Colorado State. King is Tall and lanky, but lacks a dominant pass rush move. Like Gaoa, King has a frame that cannot be taught and is a major reason why the Rams were ready to offer him a scholarship. King has a lot of work to do in the weight room before he will be ready to play, but with more size, strength and some new skills he will learn over a couple of years, watch for King to be a playmaker on the defensive line come 2016 or 2017.

Darnell Thompson is a 3-star defensive tackle according to Rivals. Coming out of Highland Community College in Kansas, Thompson played defensive end for Highland's 3-4 defense. He will most likely be an interior lineman at Colorado State, where is projected as a 3-technique. The 6'4", 275 pound lineman is quick, has good hands and has the moves to pressure the quarterback. He is a sure tackler and can quickly locate the ball. With the lack of depth on the defensive line, Thompson is an experienced player that has the opportunity to come in right away and compete for a starting spot.

Linebacker:

Colorado State added a pair of in-state linebackers to their 2015 recruiting class in inside linebacker Max McDonald and outside linebacker Deshon Mayes. Replacing top tacklers Max Morgan and Aaron Davis will be important, and these two players both have the potential to do just that.

Max McDonald is a 2-star linebacker according to Rivals, but in my opinion, is one of the most underrated players in the 2015 recruiting class. He is the second player from Rocky Mountain High School in Fort Collins, Colorado, to commit to Colorado State, joining offensive lineman Salofi Gaoa.

McDonald is quick with his reads and once he makes his decision he gets the job done. He is a vicious tackler and rarely does he miss many tacklers. He has good speed and acceleration when running towards the ball carrier. McDonald didn't get many looks from "Power 5" schools, but the 6'2", 210 pound linebacker was one of the best players in Colorado and the Rams coaching staff may be getting a potential star linebacker. McDonald may not play right away, but once he gets stronger in the weight room, watch for the local linebacker making plays for Colorado State.

Deshon Mayes is another local linebacker to commit to Colorado State. Mayes played prep football at Pomona High School in Arvada, Colorado but because of academic issues, he had to go the junior college route first. Mayes played for Glendale Community College in Arizona and Rivals has him rated as a 3-star prospect. As an outside linebacker, Mayes has multiple skill sets that make him a player that can come to Fort Collins right away and compete for playing time. He has great speed for a linebacker, which makes rushing the quarterback one of his specialties. With a great motor, he chases down ball carriers from the backside and has a nose for the football. Mayes was initially a Ram when he first graduated from high school and it was a great job by this coaching staff to make sure he was still ready to be a Ram after some time fixing academic issues.

For a longer look, here is Mayes' high school highlights at Pomona High School.

Defensive Back:

Braylin Scott is a two way star athlete from Liberty High School in Bakersfield, California. Rivals ranks him as a 2-star athlete but the Rams are going to try him out on the defensive side of the ball first. Losing cornerback Bernard Blake to graduation, a playmaker like Scott could have the chance to get touches somewhere on the field.

Braylin Scott is 6'3" and 185 pounds and was Liberty's lock down corner and number one offensive threat. He offers speed that the Rams lack on both sides of the ball, so it will be interesting to see what Colorado State decides to do with Scott. Either way, the Rams gain another playmaker with speed that has the ability to prevent the other team from scoring, and can score every time he gets his hands on the ball. Scott didn't get much interest from other FBS schools, but the Ram's coaching staff believe they found a diamond in the rough.

And here is a look at Scott's playmaking ability on the offensive side of the ball.

Notable Preferred Walk-Ons:

Milo Hall, Running Back, Cherry Creek High School, Greenwood Village, Colorado

Milo Hall in the Colorado State Championship game proved that he deserved to be a Division I football player. He put his team on his shoulders, after an injury, and led Cherry Creek to a state championship over four time defending champion Valor High School. Hall was one of the more dynamic players in the state, though he failed to gain much Division I attention due to his size. Standing at only 5'8", Hall was passed over for guys that have a frame to be an every down back. Don't expect Hall to be an every down back at Colorado State either, if a running back at all. He is shifty and has great speed and could project to be a slot receiver for the Rams.

Chukwuma Obinnah, Running Back, Grandview High School, Aurora, Colorado

Obinnah is another back from the state of Colorado that has decided to walk on at Colorado State. Obinnah led Grandview to the number one seed in the state playoffs, but they eventually went down in a rematch against Valor High School in the semi-finals. Obinnah is a big back who runs low and is power, but his lack of speed is the major reason why he couldn't find a scholarship offer from an FBS football program. With so many running backs on the roster, coach Bobo and coach Friend will have to find a way to utilize the talented in-state athlete.

Braxton Davis, Kicker, Poudre High School, Fort Collins, Colorado

Braxton Davis is a kicker and a punter from Fort Collins, and the Rams are losing a kicker in Jared Roberts. Davis will come in and compete for a chance to get on the field right away. It's not unusual for Davis not getting a scholarship right away. When Roberts came to Colorado State, he came in as a walk-on and earned a scholarship after producing for the Rams. Davis does have a good leg, as he kicked a 50 yard field goal with plenty of room to spare.

Skip to the four minute mark for a 50 yard field goal.

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