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The 2016-17 season marked the first time the Arizona State Sun Devils didn’t participate in a bowl game during the Todd Graham era. Nevertheless, they’ve found a way to stay active throughout December.
The recruiting trail was hot for the Sun Devils over winter break. They garnered six commitments following the regular season, a stretch which began with ASU’s coup of former five-star Alabama quarterback Blake Barnett, and concluded with the pledge of four-star running back Eno Benjamin.
Excitement surrounding the 2017 signing class continues to mount through January, providing hope for a fan base in much need of it. Below, we provide an update on who the Sun Devils have landed so far, and how they rank across several popular scouting-service platforms.
2017 ASU Football Recruiting Class
| Commitment # | Player | Position (# Signed) | Height/Weight | School | Commitment/Signing Date | Early Enrollee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commitment # | Player | Position (# Signed) | Height/Weight | School | Commitment/Signing Date | Early Enrollee |
| 1 | Ryan Kelley | QB | 6'2"-6'4"; 173-188 lbs | Basha (Ariz.) | May 6, 2016 | No |
| 2 | Jared Poplawski | TE | 6'4"; 220 lbs | Saguaro (Ariz.) | June 17, 2016 | No |
| 3 | Kyle Soelle | TE (2)/LB | 6'3"-6'4"; 215-220 lbs | Saguaro (Ariz.) | June 17, 2016 | No |
| 4 | Corey Stephens | OG | 6'2"-6'3"; 285-290 lbs | Saguaro (Ariz.) | June 17, 2016 | No |
| 5 | Trelon Smith | RB | 5'8"-5'10"; 180-181 lbs | Cypress Ridge (Texas) | June 20, 2016 | No |
| 6 | Ty Thomas | S | 5'11"; 192-195 lbs | Cooper (Texas) | June 23, 2016 | Yes |
| 7 | Curtis Hodges | WR | 6'6"-6'7"; 190-210 lbs | Mountain View (Ariz.) | July 29, 2016 | No |
| 8 | Blake Barnett | QB (2) | 6'5"; 211-215 lbs | Transfer (Alabama) | December 5, 2016 | Yes |
| 9 | Alex Perry | CB | 5'10"-5'11"; 165-178 lbs | Bishop Gorman (Nev.) | December 13, 2016 | No |
| 10 | Loren Mondy | LB (2) | 6'0"-6'1"; 234-240 lbs | Lake Ridge (Texas) | July 2, 2013/December 14, 2016 | No |
| 11 | Tyler Johnson | ATH | 6'4"; 240-245 lbs | Highland (Ariz.) | December 16, 2016 | No |
| 12 | D.J. Davidson | NT | 6'5"; 300 lbs | Transfer (UCF) | December 22, 2016 | Yes |
| 13 | Eno Benjamin | RB (2) | 5'9"-5'10"; 209-210 lbs | Wylie East (Texas) | January 7, 2017 | Yes |
| 14 | Brandon Ruiz | K | 5'10"; 165-170 | Gilbert Williams Field (Ariz.) | January 16, 2017 | No |
| 15 | KJ Jarrell | S | 6'2"-6'3", 170-185 lbs | Saguaro (Ariz.) | January 25, 2017 | No |
Next, we break down the signing class according to how three major scouting services (Rivals, Scout, 247 Sports) grade the group.
Rivals (12 total)
National Rank: 55
Pac-12 Rank: 10
| Player | Position | Stars | Rating (out of 6.1) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Position | Stars | Rating (out of 6.1) |
| Ryan Kelley | QB | 4* | 5.9 |
| Jared Poplawski | TE | 3* | 5.7 |
| Kyle Soelle | LB | 3* | 5.5 |
| Corey Stephens | OL | 3* | 5.5 |
| Trelon Smith | RB | 3* | 5.7 |
| Ty Thomas | DB | 3* | 5.5 |
| Curtis Hodges | WR | 3* | 5.5 |
| Alex Perry | DB | 4* | 5.8 |
| Loren Mondy | LB | 3* | 5.6 |
| Tyler Johnson | WR --> TE | 4* | 5.9 |
| Eno Benjamin | RB | 4* | 5.9 |
| Brandon Ruiz | K | 3* | 5.5 |
(Note: Transfers QB Blake Barnett and NT D.J. Davidson are not included in Rivals’ listing.)
Scout (14 total)
National Rank: 43
Pac-12 Rank: 9
| Player | Position | Stars | Position Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Position | Stars | Position Rank |
| Ryan Kelley | QB | 4* | 17 (No. 284 overall) |
| Jared Poplawski | TE | 3* | 60 |
| Kyle Soelle | TE | 3* | 72 |
| Corey Stephens | OG | 3* | 47 |
| Trelon Smith | RB | 3* | 42 |
| Ty Thomas | S | 3* | 64 |
| Curtis Hodges | WR | 3* | 170 |
| Blake Barnett | QB | 4* | Unranked |
| Alex Perry | CB | 4* | 16 (No. 144 overall) |
| Loren Mondy | OLB | 3* | 58 |
| Tyler Johnson | TE | 4* | 13 |
| D.J. Davidson | DT | 3* | Unranked |
| Eno Benjamin | RB | 4* | 10 (No. 104 overall) |
| Brandon Ruiz | K | 3* | 2 |
247 Sports (13 total)
National Rank: 39
Pac-12 Rank: 8
| Player | Position | Stars | Position Rank | National Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Position | Stars | Position Rank | National Ranking |
| Ryan Kelley | QB | 4* | 14 | 317 |
| Jared Poplawski | TE | 3* | 26 | 625 |
| Kyle Soelle | TE | 3* | 37 | 769 |
| Corey Stephens | OG | 3* | 67 | N/A |
| Trelon Smith | RB | 3* | 39 | 681 |
| Ty Thomas | S | 3* | 65 | 887 |
| Curtis Hodges | WR | 3* | 126 | 878 |
| Alex Perry | CB | 4* | 21 | 156 |
| Loren Mondy | ILB | 3* | 40 | 957 |
| Tyler Johnson | TE | 4* | 7 | 248 |
| Eno Benjamin | RB | 4* | 7 | 139 |
| Blake Barnett | QB | 4* | 1 | 5 |
| Brandon Ruiz | K | 3* | 2 | N/A |
(Note: Transfer DT D.J. Davidson is omitted from 247 Sports’ list.)