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A few days ago, the Miami Herald caught the attention of the FAU family by saying how FIU was out recruiting FAU.
Boy were they wrong. Really wrong.
Despite turning in a disappointing 2018 season, Lane Kiffin and company was able to sign the best recruiting class in Conference USA.
According to 247 Sports Composite rankings, FAU signed the 67th best recruiting class in country, with a conference best 24 three-star recruits signing with the Owls during Early Signing Period and National Signing Day.
Might want to write these articles after signing day not before. ♂️ @MiamiHerald https://t.co/I9xilWknrT
— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) February 6, 2019
Of the 26 recruits headed to Boca Raton, 17 are from the Sunshine State. The best prospect among the Florida recruits is already on campus, in linebacker Diamante Howard. Howard projects as an outside linebacker for the Owls and held offers from Akron and Baylor among others.
The best overall prospect hails from Chattanooga, Tennessee, in three-star athlete Cameron Wynn.
COMMITTED !!! #CoachKiffinWay @FAU_Football @Lane_Kiffin @WeisJr_FAU @Collins_FAU @TomLoy247 @RivalsJohnson pic.twitter.com/lupZT25aAu
— CAMERON WYNN3️⃣ (@camwynn3) February 6, 2019
Wynn was a major grab for the Owls, as he held offers from Louisville, Tennessee and Indiana among others. Wynn could play quarterback or receiver for FAU.
Out-recruiting FIU and turning some heads locally wasn’t enough for the Owls though, as Lane Kiffin was also able to grab some national headlines by bringing in recruits with a famous football pedigree.
Terique Owens and Warren Sapp II, sons of T.O. and Warren Sapp, commit to FAU to play for Lane Kiffin https://t.co/MgDtIiyEFQ pic.twitter.com/5wiMYRRJ6K
— Bleacher Report CFB (@BR_CFB) February 6, 2019
Terique Owens, son of NFL Hall of Fame WR Terrell Owens, and Warren Sapp II, the son of NFL Hall of Fame DT Warren Sapp, signed with the Owls as blueshirt recruits. The two will count towards next year’s signing class.
On paper, the biggest difference between this class and Kiffin’s previous recruiting classes is the lack of JUCO signees. When Kiffin signed the best 2017 class in C-USA, the Owls signed seven players from the JUCO ranks.
In this class, the Owls signed just two in two-star linebacker Caliph Brice and three-star offensive lineman Lavante Epson.
After watching Butch Davis lead FIU to the best recruiting class in C-USA last year by building primarily through recruiting South Florida high schools, seeing Kiffin change course for this class is a welcomed sighting.
But make no mistake, Kiffin still stayed true to the notion of making FAU a national brand. The best prospect from the class is the aforementioned Wynn, from Tennessee. Including the state of Tennessee, FAU has a signee from six different states.
In three years, FAU has signed the best recruiting class in the conference twice.
While the Owls fell short of expectations on the field in 2018, FAU continues their trend of being a force on the recruiting trail under Lane Kiffin.
FAU Football 2019 Recruiting Class
- Addarius Tolliver - OL, 6-7, 330 lbs, Prattville, AL
- Adrian Bryant - WR, 6-0, 180 lbs, Atlanta, GA (Enrolled)
- Andrew Plummer - S, 6-2, 180 lbs, Daytona Beach, FL
- Antarrius Moultrie - LB, 6-2, 210, Pensacola, FL
- Brian Merritt - DL, 6-0, 295, Moultrie, GA
- Caliph Brice - LB, 6-2, 120, Rock Hill, SC (Hutchinson CC)
- Cameron Wynn - ATH, 5-11, 175 lbs, Chattanooga, TN
- Deshawn Richardson - OL, 6-4, 295, Pahokee, FL
- Diamante Howard - LB, 6-2, 180, Miami, FL (Enrolled)
- Dorien Josey - DE, 6-3, 242, Rockledge, FL
- Dwight Toombs - DB, 6-1, 185, Port Saint Lucie, FL (Enrolled)
- Eddie Williams - LB, 6-1, 195, Miami, FL
- Eyin Cole - WR, 6-2, 200, Niceville, FL
- Federico Maranges - OL, 6-4, 285, Miami, FL
- James Meeks - RB, 5-10, 175 Palm Beach Gardens, FL
- JD Martin - WR, 6-0, 185, Wetumpka, AL
- Javion Posey - ATH, 6-1, 185, Greenville, AL
- Jeremiah Ashe - DB, 6-2, 200, Tampa, FL
- Joe Lewis - LB, 6-2, 215, Tampa Bay, FL
- Kelvin Dean - RB, 6-0, 185, Tallahassee, FL
- Lavante Epson - OL, 6-2, 320, Senatobia, MS (NW Miss CC)
- Larry McCammon - RB, 5-10, 200, Hoover, AL
- Latrell Jean - DE, 6-2, 255, Lakeland, FL
- Marlon Bradley - DE, 6-4, 220, Deltona, FL
- Rahmod Smith - TE, 6-4, 200, Homestead, FL
- Romain Mungin - ATH, 5-9, 155, Tampa, FL
- Tahveon Nicholson - ATH, 5-11, 170, Jacksonville, FL
- Travon Thomas - DE, 6-2, 225, Miami, FL
- Tye Edwards - LB, 6-3, 200, Saint Augustine, FL
- Xavier Roberts - WR, 5-10, 180, Rome, GA