Meet the 2017 Boise State football recruiting class
▪ RB Drake Beasley, 5-11, 185, La Canada High (La Canada Flintridge, Calif.): Rated as the No. 5 running back in the state of California and the No. 8 running back in the west, per Scout. ... rushed for 1,647 yards and 17 touchdowns as a junior at Loyola High before transferring to La Canada. ... did not compete during his senior season, as he was declared ineligible after moving schools.
▪ LB Breydon Boyd, 6-3, 215, Katy (Texas) High: Two-time All-District 19-6A selection (first team in 2016 and second team in 2015). ... team captain in 2016 and helped the team to eighth straight district title. ... helped lead Katy to Class 6A Division II title in 2015, a season in which he recorded 66 tackles and six sacks.
▪ CB Jermani Brown, 5-11, 175, Midlothian (Va.) High: Four-star recruit per ESPN, 247Sports, Rivals and Scout.com. ... all rank him as one of the top 30 cornerbacks in the country. ... first-team all-conference honors and was a Virginia All-Star Game selection in 2016. ... transferred from Calabasas (Calif.) High before his senior year. ... name is pronounced like Germany.
▪ WR Damon Cole, 6-1, 170, El Cerrito (Calif.) High: Named to All-East Bay Area first team by the Bay Area News Group in 2016. ... All-Metro honorable mention by the San Francisco Chronicle in 2016. ... helped El Cerrito to NCS Division III quarterfinals in 2016. ... twice named to All-Tri-County first team (2015-16). ... 1,640 all-purpose yards and 19 TDs as a junior.
▪ QB Chase Cord, 6-4, 185, Sunrise Mountain High (Peoria, Ariz.): Concluded his prep career as the state of Arizona's all-time leader in career touchdown passes (137). ... through his four years as a starting quarterback, completed 528-of-829 passes for 9,493 yards. ... threw 20 career interceptions. ... rushed 391 times for 2,393 yards and 38 touchdowns throughout his career.
▪ WR Octavius Evans, 6-3, 185, Center (Texas) High: Hauled in 254 receptions for 3,200 yards and 26 touchdowns over the course of his four-year career at Center High. ... first-team 2016 District 9-4A, Division 1 All-District honoree as a wide receiver. ... led team in receptions (66), receiving yards (852) and receiving touchdowns (six) as a senior.
▪ DB Tyreque Jones, 6-2, 180, San Gorgonio High (San Bernardino, Calif.): Was a first-team All-Sun selection as a utility player on defense. ... in his senior season, racked up 77 total tackles, picked off two passes and caused two fumbles on defense, while hauling in 52 receptions for 1,128 yards and 16 touchdowns as a wide receiver. ... had 14 tackles and two forced fumbles in section championship win.
▪ LB Roman Kafentzis, 6-2, 185, Mater Dei High (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.): First-team Trinity All-League selection in 2016. ... registered 49 total tackles his senior season, 38 of which were solo. ... helped Mater Dei to a 13-1 record and a No. 3 national ranking, according to MaxPreps.com in 2016. ... finished prep career with 102 total tackles and three interceptions.
▪ DB Kekaula Kaniho, 6-0, 180, Kahuku (Hawaii) High: Honolulu Star-Advertiser Defensive Player of the Year. ... led the defense on a Kahuku team that finished 11-2 and made it to the state championship game. ... finished senior season with 26.5 total tackles, six interceptions, with five returned for touchdowns (one behind national single-season record).
▪ STUD Aisa Kelemete, 6-3, 225, Highland High (Pocatello): Missed the first three games of 2016 to injury, returned and was named to the 5A All-Idaho first team. ... recorded 3.5 sacks and 28 tackles over seven games in 2016. ... named to the Idaho State Journal’s All-Area first team in 2015 after recording 32 tackles and 7.0 sacks. ... two-time all-conference selection.
▪ OL Isiah Moore, 6-5, 285, Jr., Mesa Community College (Tiffin, Ohio): Four-star recruit, according to Scout.com and rated as the No. 21 overall junior college prospect on the Scout JC Top 100. ... started at left tackle as a freshman and sophomore, garnering all-league honors each season. ... named second-team All-American as a sophomore. ... planned to attend Bowling Green in 2014, but didn’t qualify and has a redshirt available.
▪ LB Zeke Noa, 6-0, 220, Helix High (Spring Valley, Calif.): Two-time CIF San Diego Section Defensive Player of the Year and East County Defensive Player of the Year. ... team captain in 2016 and recorded 92 tackles with 9.5 sacks and intercepted a pass. ... scored nine touchdowns on offense, with 792 yards from scrimmage as tight end/running back.
▪ WR Cartrell Thomas, 5-9, 160, Lancaster (Texas) High: Three-star recruit, according to Scout, Rivals, ESPN and 247sports. ... named fifth best receiver in the Dallas area by the Dallas Morning News. ... as a senior, caught 60 passes for 1,205 yards and 15 touchdowns, helping to lead his team to the District 10-5A title. ... hauled in 54 passes for 943 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior.
ON CHURCH MISSION, WILL JOIN IN SUMMER
▪ LB Riley Whimpey, 6-2, 210, San Clemente (Calif.) High: Initially signed with the Broncos in 2015, was rated No. 15 outside linebacker in California by Scout.com. ... earned spot on All-Orange County first team from the Orange County Register. ... set the San Clemente record with 172 tackles in 2014, leading the Tritons to the league title. ... spent first three years as a prep at Lone Peak High in Utah.
SIGNED IN DECEMBER, CURRENTLY ENROLLED
▪ CB Marques Evans, 6-0, 170, Newbury Park High (Pasadena, Calif.): First-team All-Camino League honors his junior and senior seasons, in addition to earning all-county honors both seasons. ... recorded 38 tackles (28 solo), two interceptions, 10 pass breakups, one fumble recovery and a blocked field goal as a senior on defense. ... on offense, caught eight passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns.
▪ OL John Ojukwu, 6-6, 285, Boise High: Rated as the No. 3 and 4 prospect in the state of Idaho, per Scout and 247Sports, respectively. ... Three-year starter was first-team all-conference and first-team all-state as a senior. ... lettered in wrestling and track and field. ... Added about 85 pounds after his junior season and before the start of his senior year.
▪ QB Rathen Ricedorff, 6-1, 200, Jr., Mesa CC (Show Low, Ariz.): National Junior College Athletic Association Offensive Player of the Year after leading the nation in touchdown passes (42), pass completions (282), pass attempts (434) and passing yards (3,688) last season. ... rushed 90 times for 207 yards and three scores. ... redshirted as a walk-on at Arizona State in 2014 after taking a church mission.
▪ OL Zach Troughton, 6-6, 320, Jr., Butte College (Maxwell, Calif.): Three-star prospect, according to 247Sports. ... rated the No. 14 offensive tackle coming out of junior college. ... all-region, all-conference, all-state and All-American honors.
▪ CB Michael Young, 6-0, 205, Dodge City CC (Kansas City): Rated No. 12 at his position nationally amongst junior college prospects, according to 247Sports. ... as a redshirt sophomore, registered 42 tackles (28 solo) and three tackles for loss, also forced a pair of fumbles and recovered one, in addition to recording two interceptions, three pass breakups and three blocked kicks.
This story was originally published February 1, 2017 at 11:39 PM with the headline "Meet the 2017 Boise State football recruiting class."