Boise State in search of a director of recruiting; star wide receiver declares for draft
After helping the Boise State football team sign one of its highest-rated recruiting classes in program history, director of recruiting Eli Mandel announced Monday that he’s stepping down.
Boise State’s 2022 recruiting class ranks No. 1 in the Mountain West and No. 54 nationally, according to 247Sports. It’s tied with the 2019 class as the Broncos’ highest-ranked haul of recruits.
Quarterback Hank Bachmeier, running back George Holani, safety JL Skinner, cornerback Markel Reed, and pass rushers Isaiah Bagnah and Casey Kline all joined the program in 2019. Bachmeier and Kline were four-star recruits.
The Broncos’ latest recruiting class includes three four-star recruits: linebackers Dishawn Misa and Jayden Virgin, and running back Ashton Jeanty. Boise State signed 22 players in December, and it will put the finishing touches on the class during the traditional signing period in February.
Mandel said his goodbyes Monday on Twitter, and added that he’s excited for his next opportunity at Zcruit — a company that helps college football programs track potential recruits. He joined Boise State coach Andy Avalos’ staff last January after spending the 2020 season as the assistant director of recruiting for defense at Oregon, which is where Avalos spent two seasons as defensive coordinator before returning to his alma mater.
Mandel also spent four seasons at Washington on former Boise State coach Chris Petersen’s staff. After a year as a student assistant and another as a quality control coach, Mandel spent two seasons as a recruiting assistant for the Huskies.
Shakir declares for draft
The announcement everyone in Boise had been expecting finally came on Monday when Boise State wide receiver Khalil Shakir declared for the NFL Draft.
“My time at Boise State was the best I could ever ask for,” Shakir wrote in a post on Twitter. “The next chapter is going to be something special.”
Shakir — who is represented by Steinberg Sports — said in November that he was 99.9% sure this was the final season of his college career. He also said he would play in the Arizona Bowl in December, but the Broncos were forced to pull out of the game after a spike in COVID-19 cases in the program, and it was eventually canceled.
The 6-foot, 190-pound native of Murrieta, California, is a three-time All-Mountain West pick who earned first-team honors the past two seasons. He led the Broncos with 77 catches for 1,117 yards and seven receiving touchdowns this season. Shakir’s 208 career receptions and 2,878 receiving yards both rank No. 5 in Boise State history. He’s tied for No. 9 with 20 touchdown catches.
Shakir is the sixth Boise State player and the Broncos’ second wide receiver to declare for the draft, following Octavius Evans, who threw his name in the hat last Thursday.
Harrington calls it a career
Boise State offensive lineman Donte Harrington won’t take advantage of the extra year of eligibility the NCAA offered players because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The sixth-year senior announced Monday that his football career is over.
“Football has truly been a blessing, and now I’ll strive to pay it forward,” Harrington wrote in a post on Twitter. “Though my time as an athlete has ended, I am excited for the future and truly believe the best is yet to come.”
Harrington was initially lumped in with the Broncos’ super seniors last year, but he was actually taking advantage of a medical redshirt year after he missed the 2019 season with a knee injury. He still has the COVID year available.
The 6-2, 305-pound native of San Clemente, California, played guard and center during his career at Boise State. He started five games at center this season, including the finale at San Diego State.
Harrington is the second Boise State senior to announce in recent months that his career has come to an end. Linebacker Riley Whimpey said in December that he’s stepping away from the game because of a multitude of concussions. Whimpey was out of eligibility, but his original plan was to pursue a professional playing career.
This story was originally published January 4, 2022 at 9:01 AM.
