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For the first time in five years FIU’s recruiting class has finished in the top 80 as Butch Davis has signed the 77th best class nationally and third best class in Conference USA.
Some were skeptical of whether Butch Davis would be in over his head on the recruiting trail with his last college coaching gig being seven years ago at North Carolina.
Boy were they wrong.
Florida International 2017 Signing Class
Pos | Name | HT | WT | Hometown | 247 Composite | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pos | Name | HT | WT | Hometown | 247 Composite | Status |
WR | Shimoore Stern | 6-5 | 205 | Hollywood, FL | 3 Star | 6/13/2016 |
OG | Mike Crespo | 6-3 | 320 | Miami, FL | 3 Star | 12/19/2016 |
ATH | Noah Curtis | 6-6 | 225 | Delray Beach, FL | 3 Star | 1/21/2017 |
OG | Willa Pierre | 6-3 | 288 | Miami, FL | 3 Star | 12/19/2016 |
OLB | Brandon James | 6-2 | 200 | Miami, FL | 3 Star | 8/2/2016 |
DT | Rashad Colson | 6-5 | 295 | Miami, FL | 3 Star | 1/17/2017 |
ILB | Cornell Jones | 6-2 | 225 | Miami, FL | 3 Star | 12/5/2016 |
DE | Kevin Oliver | 6-4 | 255 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 3 Star | 12/17/2016 |
CB | Richard Dames | 5-11 | 166 | Miami, FL | 2 Star | 6/26/2016 |
OLB | Romelo Brooks | 6-0 | 210 | Miami, FL | 2 Star | 7/29/2016 |
ATH | DeAndre Williams | 6-0 | 166 | Miami, FL | 2 Star | 6/23/2016 |
QB | Kaylan Wiggins | 6-3 | 200 | Sanford, FL | 2 Star | 12/9/2016 |
OLB | Robert McWilliams | 6-3 | 195 | Miami, FL | 2 Star | 1/17/2017 |
DE | Frendy Darelus | 6-5 | 220 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 2 Star | 12/18/2016 |
ILB | Terry Straughter | 6-0 | 200 | Opa Locka, FL | 2 Star | 10/14/2016 |
FB | Hunter Moreno | 6-2 | 225 | Miami, FL | 2 Star | 6/23/2016 |
ATH | Shemar Thornton | 6-0 | 170 | Hallandale, FL | 2 Star | 10/14/2016 |
RB | D'Vonte Pierce | 6-2 | 195 | Punta Gorde, FL | 2 Star | 12/14/2016 |
CB | Rishard Dames | 5-10 | 153 | Miami, FL | 2 Star | 6/26/2016 |
OG | Mershawn Miller | 6-2 | 324 | Miami, FL | 2 Star | 6/20/2016 |
OT | Deondre Chambers | 6-2 | 270 | Hollywood, FL | 2 Star | 6/24/2016 |
DE | Tevin Jones | 6-3 | 210 | Miami, FL | N/A | 10/19/2016 |
DT | Dereck Boles | 6-2 | 294 | Coffeyville, KS (JUCO) | N/A | 1/21/2017 |
OG | Cody Bowers | 6-4 | 280 | Miami, FL | 3 Star | 1/31/2017 |
OLB | Jamal Gates | 6-2 | 215 | Palm Beach Gardens, FL | 3 Star | 1/29/2017 |
CB | Raheme Fuller | 6-3 | 180 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 3 Star | 1/28/2017 |
WR | Jacob White | 5-11 | 162 | Punta Gorde, FL | 2 Star | 2/1/2017 |
ATH | Dorian Hall | 6-4 | 200 | Hollywood, FL | 3 Star | 2/1/2017 |
FIU cleaned up the south Florida region, specifically in the hometown of Miami as the Panthers was able to land 13 players from their backyard of Miami.
The class is headlined by three star athlete Dorian Hall as Hall figures to be an immediate contributor for the Panthers given his 6’4 stature and should be an excellent wide receiver at the next level.
Offensive lineman Cody Bowes is another player who should vie for immediate playing time for FIU. Both Bowes and Hall rank among the 150 best players in the Sunshine State.
For FIU the future of the football program is in good hands as the Panthers haven’t seen a wealth of talent at this level since Mario Cristobal was the head coach.
I know FAU is getting all the pub with Lane Kiffin, but FIU is picking up a number of good football players who have P5 talent...
— SB Nation Recruiting (@SBNRecruiting) January 29, 2017
Rival FAU may have finished with the best class in C-USA but the Panthers aren’t too far behind. This class should pay huge dividends for Butch Davis going forward as he was able to become a huge player on the recruiting trail for 2017 in a short amount of time.