Memphis starts the Early Signing Period by signing 12.

It was a light day for the Memphis Tigers on the recruiting trail, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad thing. Mike Norvell signed 12 recruits on the first day of the Early Signing Period, but they key is that there is still plenty of time to add to that class.

It’s also not like Norvell wasn’t in position to get some great recruits to sign. He had Cordova offensive tackle Jerome Carvin and running back Jeremy Banks considering Memphis before flipping to Tennessee. Despite having their former coach Anthony Jones Jr. added to the staff, the Tigers couldn’t come through. But that doesn’t mean Memphis is down and out. Norvell can get the attention of recruits away from Power 5 schools, so expect him to continue the hunt to improve this class.

Memphis welcomed each recruit to the #TigerFam with a personalized video on twitter such as the one below. Always a nice touch to make a recruit feel welcomed.

WR Antonio Gibson - 6-2, 220

Previous School: East Central Community College (Decatur, MS)

247 Sports Composite Rating: 0.8552

Notable Offers: Colorado, FAU, Kentucky, Mississippi State, West Virginia

With the loss of Anthony Miller and Phil Mayhue, someone will need to step up. Memphis has plenty of options with players like Tony Pollard and Sean Dykes (among others), but Gibxon could sneak into the mix right away as well.

OG Titus Jones - 6-3, 265

Previous School: Edna Karr (New Orleans, LA)

247 Sports Composite Rating: 0.8322

Notable Offers: Kansas, Texas Tech

Jones committed to the Tigers in April, and is one of three players from Louisiana in the Tigers class (which equals a fourth of it right now). Jones is the earliest commit to sign with the Tigers thus far.

ATH Troy Hurst - 6-2, 185

Previous School: St. Helena Central (Greensburg, LA)

247 Sports Composite Rating: 0.8305

Notable Offers: Missouri

Mike Norvell made a late night addition to the class by signing Hurst, who can play running back, wide receiver, or defensive back. His speed is noticeable on film, and was a big reason he drew attention from multiple Power 5 schools.

ATH Kenny Gainwell - 5-11, 185

Previous School: Yazoo County (Yazoo City, MS)

247 Sports Composite Rating: 0.8281

Notable Offers: Ole Miss, Arkansas State, Tulane

Gainwell rushed for 1,791 yards and passes for 1,101 more in high school while also accounting for 39 touchdowns. Some think that he could be utilized like Tony Pollard has been the last two years, and that’s not a bad player to be compared to heading in to Memphis.

DE Keith Brigham - 6-3, 270

Previous School: Normal Community West (Normal, IL)

247 Sports Composite Rating: 0.8178

Notable Offers: N/A

Another junior college commit for Norvell, Brigham could be a great addition to a group that looks to continue improving. With three years of eligibility, Brigham could be a staple in the defensive front for a while.

QB Brady McBride - 6-0, 189

Previous School: Coppell (Coppell, TX)

247 Sports Composite Rating: 0.8173

Notable Offers: Indiana, Rice, Bowling Green, Navy

With the exit of Riley Ferguson, the quarterback competition will be wide open for 2018. David Moore, Brady Davis and 2017 commit La’andre Thomas will all be in the running, but throw in McBride for good measure. McBride remained committed to Norvell despite pressure from Power 5 schools and Norvell saying he could add another quarterback before next season (see, he’s not done quite yet people).

ILB Keith Brown - 6-2, 230

Previous School: Northwest Mississippi Community College (Senatobia, MS)

247 Sports Composite Rating: 0.8167

Notable Offers: N/A

Memphis could have used a player like Brown this past year, as injuries hampered nearly every position on defense. Brown will find himself in a stiff competition with multiple players that received valuable reps due to those injuries. That just means that the Tigers might have some depth in 2018.

OT Evan Fields - 6-5.5, 260

Previous School: East Coweta (Sharpsburg, GA)

247 Sports Composite Rating: 0.8054

Notable Offers: Appalachian State, UConn, Army, FAU

Offensive line was a strength for the Tigers offense in 2017, and you should probably expect the same in 2018. Fields most likely won’t be in the mix as he needs to add size, but addressing the trenches is never a bad option in recruiting.

RB Cameron Fleming - 5-7, 171

Previous School: Cedar Hill (Cedar Hill, TX)

247 Sports Composite Rating: 0.8014

Notable Offers: Colorado, Tulane, UCF

Fleming is a burner, and is getting comparisons to Darrell Henderson because of it. He may be small, but he’s got the speed to beat defenders. He can also return kicks, which will be valuable when Tony Pollard is gone.

S Quindell Johnson - 6-0, 185

Previous School: Edna Karr (New Orleans, LA)

247 Sports Composite Rating: 0.7932

Notable Offers: Houston, Purdue, Tulane

He’s the teammate of Tigers signee Titus Jones out of Edna Karr in New Orleans. With Jonathan Cook exhausting his eligibility, one safety spot will be open heading into 2018. The youth at safety was suspect at times last year, so don’t be surprised if Johnson got some looks.

OT Chris Clark - 6-4, 255

Previous School: North Panola (Sardis, MS)

247 Sports Composite Rating: 0.7903

Notable Offers: Middle Tennesse, Tulane, South Alabama

Another lineman that needs to add to his frame, but a lineman nonetheless. Clark played two ways in high school, which shows his athleticism. Not bad to have an athletic lineman put on weight.

WR Jeremy Tate - 6-4, 210

Previous School: New Hope (Columbus, MS)

247 Sports Composite Rating: 0.7893

Notable Offers: Louisiana Tech, South Alabama, Tulane

The first thing that jumps out is the size. Tate will be the biggest receiver on the roster when he gets to campus, and that size could give the Tigers an outside threat with the body to handle it.