Grading the 2016 Recruiting Class on Defense

I handed out grades for the offensive side of the ball which you can read here. Next up is the defensive side of the ball, where the Cowboys addressed some major needs but have some gaping holes, as well.

Cornerback

This was the biggest area of concern with OSU losing Kevin Peterson and a huge need to develop talent behind Ashton Lampkin and Ramon Richards. The staff made this a priority from Day 1 and it paid off, landing junior college back Malik Kearse who will help provide experience at a higher level. They also bring in early enrollee Madre Harper who’s coming off a sensational senior season who is a very versatile (and tall) defensive back. Beyond him, they also bring in Rodarius Williams and AJ Green – both coming from high profile high school programs. Of the group, I like Harper’s chances to see the field early in Stillwater. Both Kearse and Harper are already enrolled, and both will be sorely needed when the season rolls around.

Grade: A+

Defensive line

The defensive line class took a massive hit just days before national signing day when defensive end Jonathan Marshall flipped his pledge to Arkansas. They bring in junior college defensive end Tralund Webber, a former Minnesota commit, who has experience and will, at the least, be a key cog in the rotation next season. They also signed defensive tackle Cam Murray, an underrated prospect from Bryant, Arkansas who will likely have the benefit of taking a redshirt with all the talent along the defensive tackle position. Overall, both prospects seem promising, but another defensive end in this class would have been big. Especially losing both Emmanuel Ogbah and Jimmy Bean.

Grade: C

Linebacker

The Cowboys held long-time commitments from Canadian freak Amen Ogbongbemiga and Devin Harper. Harper has the speed of a running back with the versatility of a linebacker, who will likely benefit from a redshirt year to truly embrace the position and learn. Ogbongbemiga, the cousin of Emmanuel Ogbah, has a big upside with tremendous size and athleticism for a big man who can plug the middle. They also landed in-state linebacker Calvin Bundage on a signing day win, a player who can come in and compete from Day 1. He’s a big hitter with excellent range with experience at safety, and will be a future star at OSU’s “star” position.

Grade: A+