National Signing Day 2018: FIU signs the best class in Conference USA

After leaving Early Signing Period with the best recruiting class in Conference USA, FIU has now officially landed not only the best 2018 recruiting class in Conference USA after National Signing Day, but the best class in school history. According to 247 Sports Composite FIU’s class ranks 67th nationally.

FIU continued to cement their status as a program on the rise with this class as the Panthers signed two 4-star recruits and 14 3-star recruits. In total, Butch Davis signed 22 players.

The 4-star recruits come from the Junior College ranks and fill a huge need along FIU’s defensive line. Defensive tackle Teair Tart-Spencer was one of the best JUCO players in the nation and was being recruited by a ton of SEC schools before signing with the Panthers. Tayland Humphrey also plays defensive tackle and held a ton of Power Five offers such as Oklahoma State, Arkansas and Alabama. Humphrey and Tart-Spencer signed during the Early Signing Period and are already on campus.

FIU also added three-star defensive end Jason Mercier out of Atlantic giving the Panthers a scary defensive line going into the future. Like Tart-Spencer and Humphrey, FIU fended off several P5 programs to keep Mercier in South Florida.

As great of a job FIU’s staff did in beating P5 schools for the services of Humphrey and Tart-Spencer, they did an even better job in South Florida. FIU signed 18 recruits from Florida and eight are from the talent-rich South Florida area.

Jamal Anderson headlines the group as FIU’s best incoming underclassmen as the 3-star defensive back was a former Louisville and Tulane commit. Donovan Georges is another highly-touted prospect as the former Georgia commit projects as in inside linebacker at the next level. I expect both to see the field next season.

Butch Davis also added major talent on offense. FIU beat out Big Ten schools Indiana and Iowa for the services of 3-star receiver Ivan Thomas. Out of Miami Palmetto, Thomas is listed at 6’4”, 225 pounds and easily draws comparisons to former standout receivers Jonu Smith and Thomas Owens.

Another prospect on offense that caught my eye was 3-star running back DeMarcus Townsend out of Naples, Florida. Townsend was being heavily recruited by a ton of P5 schools such as Tennessee, Michigan State and Baylor before suffering a knee injury.

Last year I said the G5 schools in Florida must protect their home turf and sign at least two of the top 150 players in the Sunshine State. Last year FIU signed two in Dorian Hall and Cody Bowes. This year FIU signed two players from the top 150 again in Jamal Anderson and Donovan Georges.

Butch Davis promised to elevate the talent at FIU and in two years he’s done just that, as the Panthers are well on their way to having a roster capable of competing for conference titles on a regular basis.