UTEP Football Recruiting

UTEP Football: 2016 Recruiting Update

UTEP has a few scholarships left for 2016; here are the latest offers, and the main targets.

By Alex Nicolas@NicolasAlex915 Dec 29, 2015, 1:48pm MST

College Football recruiting is currently in a dead period, meaning coaches can only contact recruits electronically or via written messages.

The UTEP offers have been somewhat quiet over the past week, but since the beginning of November UTEP has methodically targeted a number prospects who are still considering UTEP.

Sean Kugler said late in November that UTEP had 17 available scholarships, and hoped to sign at least 20 prospects. To our knowledge, no scholarship player has left the team as of yet.

UTEP currently has nine verbal commits, and two who have signed letters of intent. The immediate areas of need are on the defensive side with corner backs, defensive ends, and linebackers being priorities pretty much in that order of need.

On a 2017 note, UTEP has offered quarterback Jerry Craine from Memphis, Tennessee.

With the dead period officially ending January 13th in which more 2016 offers, and official visits will come to light, UTEP's coaching staff has a number of current solid defensive back targets which appears to be a main priority a little more than month away from signing day.

Here is what the recruiting calendar looks like for 2016.

Date and period	Visit prospect's school	Visit prospect outside of school	Prospect can visit university & meet w/ coaches
8/1/15 - 11/28/15 Quiet			✓
9/1/15 - 11/30/15 Evaluation (42 select days)	✓		✓
11/29/15 - 12/13/15 Contact	✓	✓	✓
12/14/15 - 1/13/16 Dead
1/14/16 - 1/30/16 Contact	✓	✓	✓
1/31/16 Quiet			✓
2/1/16 - 2/4/16 Dead
2/5/16 - 4/14/16 Quiet			✓
4/15/16-5/31/16 Evaluation	✓		✓
6/1/16 - 6/26/16 Quiet			✓
6/27/16 - 7/10/16 Dead
7/11/16 - 7/31/16 Quiet			✓
Note that between 12/13/15 and 1/13/16, admitted mid-year enrollees who have signed financial aid paperwork with the college are governed by contact period rules.

On the offensive side, running back was an area of need Kugler talked about, but with Peytton Pickett officially signing his letter of intent UTEP can be choosy about an available running back, and focus solely on the defensive side of the ball with the remaining scholarships.

Defensive back is in high regard with eight offers currently verified, including El Paso's Tristan Cooper who recruiting sources say has been a priority target for the coaching staff since they first offered.

In a perfect world, I would guess four or five defensive backs for 2016 would be the hope and solidify the class of 2016, but UTEP also needs help along the defensive line particularly at defensive end, and a linebacker signee or two would also be nice gets as well.

Here is who has been offered and still considering UTEP since the beginning of October (Click on name for highlights)

Mahlon Williams, ATH, 5'10, 195 lbs, Statesboro, Georgia

Caesar Williams, DB, 6'1, 178 lbs, Grand Prairie, Texas, 3***

Tykenzie Daniels, DB, 6'0, 177 lbs, Richmond, Texas, 8 offers

Jassir Jordan, DB, 5'11, 170 lbs, Aliquippa, Pennsylvania

Keith Moore, DL, 6'4, 285 lbs, Bremerton, Washingto

Lorenzo Burns, DB, 5'10, 160 lbs, Temecula, California, 3***

Dylan Parsee, DL, 6'2, 220 lbs, San Angelo, Texas, Stephen F. Austin commit

Quardraiz Wadley, Offensive ATH, 6'1, 180 lbs, Kennedale, Texas

Jaylon Bowden, DB, 5'10, 185 lbs, Missouri City, Texas, Blinn JC

Devin Elliott, WR, 6'2, 195, Okolona, Mississippi, Jones County JC

A.J. Ruffin, TE, 6'5, 250 lbs, Tacoma, Washington