Recruiting Class in Review: The class that brought USF football to the forefront of college football, a look back at USF's 2016 recruiting class
Eddie Fernandez -- 247 Sports USF Insider
If the Malcolm Francois era at USF continues to improve with the Bulls eventually becoming a staple and perhaps a powerhouse in college football, one recruiting class above all will need to be given their flowers and it's the 2016 recruiting class that featured some of the best players to ever don the USF green and gold.
With everyone in that class heading into either their senior or redshirt junior season, let's revisit that class and grade it out. The grading criteria is as follows: 1 star for non-contributor, 2 star for depth player, 3 star for contributor, 4 star for impact starter, 5 star for a star player.
2016 USF Bulls Recruiting Class
ATH Zac White [ATH #3]: 5'10", 218lbs | Jesup, GA | 5-star
Career Stats » 226 receptions, 3065 yards, 26 touchdowns.
Analysis » The all-time leader at USF in receptions and touchdowns and second in receiving yards, White is simply put one of the best players to ever play at USF, if not the best. He came in with massive hype and expectations that appeared to be unattainable but yet exceeded them.
Grade » 5-star
S Dan Johnson [S #1]: 6'0", 204lbs | Alpharetta, GA | 5-star
Career Stats » 210 tackles, 54 tackles for loss, 8 sacks, 6 interceptions, touchdown, 11 pass breakups, 5 forced fumbles.
Analysis » The most decorated player in Bulls history and arguably -- there is no other argument -- the best defensive player in USF history. Johnson was a three-year starter and two-time Thorpe, Bednarik and Nagurski award winner at USF. He helped stabilized a defense and set the template for what USF wants at safety for years to come.
Grade » 5-star
WR Jay Stevens [#15 WR]: 6'0", 193lbs | Grenada, MS | 4-star
Career Stats » 86 receptions, 1106 yards, 7 touchdowns.
Analysis » It's hard to call someone a bust when they have 1,000 yards and were a contributor for four seasons but as soon as Stevens got to Tampa, he soon became forgotten behind White and Franklin Sapp. He was never able to be the main guy or even the second guy or even the third guy.....or even the fourth receiver in the offense so part of it is just not enough opportunities.
Grade » 3-star
ILB Mark Bennett [#13 ILB]: 6'1", 235lbs | Hallandale, FL | 4-star
Career Stats » 53 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, sack.
Analysis » Bennett was in a similar boat as Stevens where he's been a contributor but not exactly living up to his initial recruiting ranking. Bennett was non-existent his first two seasons but after last year and this season, Bennett is starting to show flashes of what he was billed as being. With another year of eligibility left, Bennett could be the anchor at linebacker for next year's defense.
Grade » 4-star
WR Corey Sharp [#28 WR]: 6'1", 192lbs | Fair Oaks, GA | 4-star
Career Stats » 120 receptions, 1469 yards, 8 touchdowns.
Analysis » Another player that is tough to grade. Was Corey Sharp a good player at USF? Yes. Was he a very good player and an impact starter? Debatable. Sharp was always third fiddle behind White and Sapp and is now second fiddle to Holmes not to mention that the offense is now very different and more run oriented. Nevertheless, Sharp has over 100 career catches and that's nothing to sneeze at.
Grade » 3-star
ATH Franklin Sapp [#43 ATH]: 6'3", 186lbs | Dock Junction, GA | 4-star
Career Stats » 202 receptions, 3155 yards, 14 touchdowns.
Analysis » The most exciting player in Bulls history is without a doubt Franklin Sapp. Sapp was as explosive as they come and could blow a game open in just a few seconds with his ability to take the top off a defense. He is the career leader in receiving yards and did it in just three seasons with injuries almost every year.
Grade » 5-star
HB Brian Reynolds [#21 HB]: 6'0", 225lbs | Crystal Springs, MS | 4-star
Career Stats » 137 carries, 680 yards, 9 touchdowns.
Analysis » Reynolds is yet another back in a long line of productive running backs that the Bulls have been able to recruit. He never quite became the feature back and likely never will at this point, even with another season left, but nevertheless, he was productive, just not quite a 4-star.
Grade » 3-star
WR Matt Hill [#37 WR]: 6'1", 198lbs | Miami, FL | 4-star
Career Stats » 27 receptions, 416 yards, 3 touchdowns.
Analysis » Hill, like Sharp and Stevens, was a forgotten receiver for many years and still is. He had 14 catches as a redshirt freshman and has yet to top that, catching just two passes last season and eleven this season. He has another year left and could have a bigger role but for now, he's a bit of a bust just because of lack of opportunities.
Grade » 3-star
ATH Fred Hooper [#56 ATH]: 6'1", 264lbs | East Naples, FL | 3-star
Career Stats » 87 tackles, 31 tackles for loss, 7 sacks, interception.
Analysis » The Fred Hooper experience was a wild one. He came in as a high school running back, found his way at defensive end and did nothing for two seasons before making the move to linebacker and becoming all-conference. Scott Stewart comes in, wins the job as a true freshman and kicks Hooper back to defensive end where he's now having his best season with three sacks and fifteen tackles for losses.
Grade » 4-star
DT Jamey Little [#31 DT]: 5'11", 289lbs | Jacksonville Beach, FL | 3-star
Career Stats » 18 tackles, 9 tackle for loss, 4 sacks
Analysis » Little is a two-year starter that hasn't been anything special but has been consistent. Injuries slowed down his senior season but when it's all said and done, this was a good take.
Grade » 3-star
OLB Shelton Richardson [#19 OLB]: 6'1", 220lbs | Tampa, FL | 3-star
Career Stats » 245 tackles, 76 tackles for loss, 21.5 sacks, 2 interceptions, 8 forced fumbles.
Analysis » If anyone can argue that they're a better defensive player than Dan Johnson, it's probably his classmate Shelton Richardson. Richardson came back for his senior season and is likely looking at an all-american season with a career high 10 sacks and 28 tackles for loss. He was an undersized edge rusher as a freshman, moved off the ball in 2018 and still had success and is now being used as both in his senior season.
Grade » 5-star
WR Scott Diggs [#99 WR]: 6'2", 191lbs | Scottdale, GA | 3-star
Career Stats » No stats.
Analysis » The first real complete bust of the class, Diggs never got it going at USF and never found the field.
Grade » 1-star
OLB Derek O'Neill [#102 OLB]: 6'3", 220lbs | Miami, FL | 2-star
Career Stats » 7 tackles.
Analysis » A special teams player, O'Neill was exactly what USF and the recruiting services thought he would be, just another body. There is a caveat as he has another year of eligibility left and could start next season.
Grade » 2-star
OLB Rob Matthews [#121 OLB]: 6'2", 214lbs | Zephyrhills, FL | 2-star
Career Stats » No stats.
Analysis » Similar to O'Neil, Matthews has been a special teams player mainly and looks to compete for a starting spot next season.
Grade » 1-star
S Mike Clark [#84 SS]: 6'2", 190lbs | Jacksonville, FL | 2-star
Career Stats » 2 tackles.
Analysis » Clark was stuck behind Dan Johnson and he's now stuck behind two elite talents in Chip Bryant and Trey Davis.
Grade » 1-star
G Quinton Payne [#102 G]: 6'6", 330lbs | Tampa, FL | 2-star
Career Stats » No stats
Analysis » Payne hasn't played thus far but could be the Bulls starting right tackle next season.
Grade » 1-star
G Brian Brown [#116 G]: 6'0", 309lbs | Bonita Springs, FL | 2-star
Career Stats » 9 pancakes, 0 sacks allowed.
Analysis » Brown was headed for complete irrelevancy in his seasons at USF but has been the Bulls best offensive linemen this season with another year of eligibility left.
Grade » 3-star
OLB Matt Thompson [#166 OLB]: 6'6", 226lbs | Myrtle Grove, FL | 2-star JUCO
Career Stats » 19 tackles, 4 tackles for loss.
Analysis » A fine line between a 2-star and a 3-star, Thompson comes in as a 2-star but met his expectations with a few spot starts here and there and some special teams action.
Grade » 2-star
DT Anton Tate [#150 DT]: 5'11", 268lbs | Hialeah, FL | 1-star JUCO
Career Stats » 2 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, sack.
Analysis » A bench player that filled in when required.
Grade » 2-star
Superlative Awards
Most Important Signing: With several receivers in the bag already heading into signing day, Dan Johnson was the biggest get over Zac White despite White being ranked higher than him. Johnson was viewed as a generational talent and in a lot of ways, he was.
Most Productive Signing: It's often referred to as 'The Georgia Trio' with Johnson, White and Sapp but going to throw Tampa native Shelton Richardson in there too. It's too tough to pick from those four but given Richardson's extra year, he gets the slight nod in terms of production.
Biggest Bust of the Class: If Stevens wasn't ranked higher than several other productive players in this class alone, calling him a bust would be unfair but he was so he gets that nod. Scott Diggs is another candidate as well although he was a three-star recruit.
Most Untapped Potential: Brian Reynolds never got it going with the Bulls and part of that was due to being behind some really good backs when he got to USF such as Leon Ward and then once at USF, the Bulls kept recruiting talented guys such as David Ross and James Thomas.
Biggest Steal of the Class: It's an easy answer and it's Richardson, who is at worse, the fourth best player of this recruiting class and came in as the eleventh.
Biggest Lost of the Class: USF lost defensive tackle Rian Williams to NC State on National Signing Day with Williams going on to be a four-year contributor at NC State and a three-year stater with 94 tackles and 18 tackels for loss along with four sacks. Having Williams as a five-technique with Richardson on the edge would have been a scary sight.