ASU Football Recruiting Update: Sun Devils possess No. 5 ranked class in Pac-12

With nine total commitments, including five three stars and a trio of four stars, the Arizona State Sun Devils own the fifth-best 2018 recruiting class in the Pac-12, according to scout.com.

Class of 2018 Commits

Four Stars

• OLB Reggie Hughes (6-foot-2, 208 pounds) from Calabasas HS (California) committed on June 19. Ranks No. 20 OLB in the nation.
• RB Demetrious Flowers (5-foot-11, 200 pounds) from St. John Bosco HS (California) committed on June 20. Ranks No. 19 RB in the nation.
• S Elyjah Doyle (6-feet, 180 pounds) from Bishop Alemany HS (California) committed on June 3.

Three Stars

• CB Dominique Harrison (6-feet-185 pounds) from Blinn College (Texas) committed on May 16.
• RB Brock Sturges (5-foot-10, 200 pounds) from Allen HS (Texas) committed on June 9.
• WR Jalen Nailor (5-foot-11, 170 pounds) Bishop Gorman HS (Nevada) committed on July 22.
• DE Michael Matus (6-foot-2, 235 pounds) Katy HS (Texas) committed on July 10.
• LB Christian LaValle (6-foot, 204 pounds) Mission Viejo HS (California) committed on June 20.

Two Stars

• OL Hunter Mayginnes (6-foot-5, 318 pounds) Chandler HS (Arizona) committed on July 17.

2018 Class Headliners

Flowers, a four-star running back from California, passed up offers from Nebraska, UCLA, Oregon and San Diego State to play in maroon and gold. He gained 954 yards on the ground in his junior season while splitting time with two other 1,000-yard rushers.

Matus, a three-star from Texas, ran a nation-best 4.20 20-yard shuttle, according to ESPN. Also, apparently he can backflip.

At 6-foot-2, 235 pounds, that type of athleticism will be needed on the Sun Devils’ defensive line.

Hughes, a four-star from California, is likely Arizona State’s most notable national commit, as he ranks as Scout’s No. 20 OLB in the nation. As an aggressive pass rusher, he racked up 19 sacks in his junior season. His near invincible force on the line can be seen here.

Making a splash in the Golden State

Five of Arizona State’s nine commits hail from California, and the Sun Devils have already beaten last year’s Golden State commitment total.

The Sun Devils added three commitments from California natives in 2017. Two of them were defensive backs from Long Beach City College, and the other, Alabama transfer Blake Barnett, is from Santiago, California.

With three four-star recruits in the class of 2018, each of them come from California.

New facility brings new talent

“Yes, it's going to impact recruiting. I don't see how it couldn't,” said Head Coach Todd Graham on the new Student Athlete Facility. “Young people are impressionable when it comes to that.”

Arizona State’s new Student Athlete Facility is a head-turning, football teaching, beautifully crafted recruiting machine that may not only woo future athletes to ASU, but create wins with its state-of-the-art equipment.

Quality over quantity

Arizona State totaled 21 commits and had six commitments at this point in time in its 2017 class. The Sun Devils fished the recruiting process ranked No. 7 in the Pac-12 and No. 35 in the nation, according to scout.com.

With nine commits and three four stars already, the Sun Devils are off to a speedy start.

While ASU is on pace to beat last year’s total, the Sun Devils have less commitments than six Pac-12 schools, with UCLA having the most at 16. But the Sun Devils have shown less is more, as Colorado sits sixth in the Pac-12 with 14 commits and California and Arizona each have eight commits, but sit at seventh and eleventh place in the conference respectively.