The 2022 Recruiting Road So Far: Wyoming

Welcome to the twelfth and final piece of 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:

Wyoming’s 2021 season was an interesting one, to say the least. They started out strong, winning their first four games. When the schedule changed to conference play, so did their fortunes. The Cowboys lost their next four contests, some in embarrassing fashion, as they went seven quarters without scoring any points and a disastrous eleven quarters without scoring a touchdown. They rebounded to become bowl eligible and won their bowl game with ease to finish the year strong.

However, the bottom fell out as soon as the season was over. But what wasn’t expected was the group of players who entered the transfer portal, which has put a huge dent in the roster. Still, Wyoming did sign a recruiting class similar to their usual standards under Coach Craigh Bowl. See below to learn more about their class.

The Road So Far:

Wyoming has had a steady if not spectacular recruiting presence under Coach Bohl and that continued in their 2022 class. They also tend to recruit non-traditional Mountain West recruiting areas. They signed their fifteen players from not only California, Colorado, Texas, and Wyoming but also Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Missouri. The Cowboys class was very balanced, with eight offensive players and seven defensive ones.

Any offense starts with the quarterback, and Wyoming found a good one in Caden Becker, who has college-ready size. Similarly, running back LJ Richardson appears to be already built to handle the pounding he will get carrying the ball. Caleb Merrit looks like an impressive talent at wide receiver, and Charlie Coenen should be a contributor as well. Tight end Isaac Schoenfeld is the prototype big Wyoming tight end who will surely factor into the passing game. The Cowboys also focused heavily on the offensive line, bringing in Rex Johnsen, Mykel Janise, and Wes King, all of whom possess size and ability.

Looking at the defense, defensive linemen Kevin Sjogren, Jaden Williams, and Jagger Filippone continue the pattern of players coming in with college-ready size. Caden Hawkins looks to fit the bill at linebacker. Defensive back seemed to be a priority, as Josh Dixon, Koa Mcintyre, and Malique Singleton are all high on potential.

Number who signed in December: 15

Number who will enroll early: 0

247 Composite Rankings:

• Overall: 107th
• Recruiting: 103rd
• Transfer: N/A

The Road Ahead:

Top Targets Remaining: LB, QB, WR, DB

Wyoming had some additional work to do before the mass exodus in the transfer portal. Now that they have, the work becomes even more important. It is worth noting that Wyoming has not been very active in the transfer portal over the years under Coach Bohl. While it is true Josh Allen was a junior college transfer, he is more of the exception and not the rule when it comes to Wyoming’s recruiting.

Linebacker is a big area of need, as it has not been addressed much in recruiting to this point and is a position that will be in need of an upgrade after losing Chad Muma to the NFL. One or two more linebackers will be necessary at this position. Quarterback is just as big, if not bigger after their top two QBs entered the transfer portal. Coach Bohl has already made a statement saying they will be on the lookout for a QB in the transfer portal, and they basically need one who can come in and start. The defensive back and wide receiver positions were addressed in the Cowboy’s regular recruiting efforts but now need to hit the transfer market for players who can step in and make an impact right away.

As mentioned above, Wyoming has avoided the transfer portal in the past, but now it has become a necessity. It will be uncharted recruiting territory for the Cowboys, but it is crucial if they wish to maintain what they have built under Bohl over the years.

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

Coming next: Recruiting Month in February