The Recruiting Road So Far: Wyoming

Welcome to the twelfth post in our twelve-part series that hopefully makes the dead period go by a bit quicker. These articles aim to provide a detailed look at what each team has done thus far on the recruiting trail and what work still needs to be put in before NLI day in February. One team a day will be featured this year in alphabetical order. Today will look at Wyoming.

Wyoming:

The 2020 season had its bumps and bruises for pretty much everyone, and Wyoming was no exception. They lost a heartbreaker in OT to Nevada and handled Hawaii easily before losing a rivalry game to Colorado State. Then two cancelled games outside of their control kept them from finding a rhythm. They beat UNLV but dropped their final two games, an upset from New Mexico and a more respectable loss to Boise State.

With eligibility rules being adjusted for Covid, it’s a bit difficult to know which players are staying or leaving. That makes it a bit harder to understand what specific needs are in the class. That being said, this class needed to shore up the depth in almost every area after the program experienced a high amount of attrition following the coaching change. To see how they’ve done so far, look below.

The Road So Far:

Last year Wyoming had a considerable boost in recruiting rankings compared to their previous classes. This year is more back to the norm; however, that doesn’t mean the class is devoid of talent. The Cowboys made a concentrated effort to hit Texas hard in this class, and they also continued to hit their traditional states like Nebraska, Illinois, and a few other middle states.

Wyoming only signed five players during the early signing period, but they made it count. Starting with running back Jordon Vaughn, the running game appears to be in good hands for the future. He’s the star of this class and should develop into the star of the offense in the future. Joining him at the skill positions are wide receiver Jaylen Sargent and tight end John Michael Gyllenborg. They both bring the size Bohl loves in his pass-catchers and look to have the talent to go along with it. Along the offensive line, the Cowboys bring in Caden Bennett and Jack Walsh, two recruits with college-ready size who have the potential to develop into starters.

Turning to the defense, this is where the bulk of the class resides. JJ Uphold is an athlete coming in to play defensive tackle along with Will Evans, although both will need to add weight. Joining them will be defensive ends Micah Young and Tyce Westland; the former brings talent who can contribute immediately while the latter possesses a projectable frame along the d-line. At linebacker, Tommy McEvoy and Sam Scott will add depth to the ranks. Defensive back is where they added the most of anyone position with six new players. Local players Andrew Johnson and Kolbey Taylor could push for immediate playing time, but the others (Jovan Marsh, Wrook Brown, Andrew Johnson, Zaire Jackson, and Tommy Wroblewski) are high on potential as well.

Number who signed in December: 16

Number who will enroll early: 0

247 Composite Rankings: 111

The Road Ahead:

Top Targets Remaining: QB, WR, OL,

Wyoming has brought in a few talented pieces to add to their roster, and they have used this class to fill in some spots with depth. However, the holes that remain in this class are glaring ones.

The Cowboys still don’t have a quarterback. Given their issues over the years at that position, finding one in this class should be a priority. Finding a young quarterback to mold would go a long way towards their future, and even looking at the transfer portal for a veteran QB wouldn’t be a bad option either. Likewise, the class could use another wide receiver to add a dynamic weapon to the offense down the line. The offensive line is less of an immediate need, but it is smart to keep that position well-stocked since they have proven they can recruit well each year.

Finding high impact players after December is certainly more challenging, which is why identifying transfers may be a good route for Bohl to take with his remaining spots. Overall, the Cowboys aren’t in a bad position. However, they do seem to be playing to their strengths without addressing their shortcomings.

Previous posts: Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, San Diego State, San Jose State, UNLV, Utah State

There it is. That concludes our twelve-part series on the December Signing Day. I hope this was as enjoyable for you to read as it was to for me to write. Keep following from now until February for all the latest MWC recruiting news.

Coming in February: A more in-depth breakdown of every MWC team’s complete 2021 recruiting class.