Recruiting: Grambling's 2008 signing day class

Here are Grambling State University's announced football signees, with same-day analysis, from National Signing Day in February 2008:

Grambling sought to solve its problems up front
February 7, 2008

By Nick Deriso
nderiso@thenewsstar.com
GRAMBLING -- Grambling State wore down up front last season, ending 2007 by losing its final three games.

That made second-year GSU coach Rod Broadway's mission clear as National Signing Day approached.

Offensive linemen, and more offensive linemen. And more offensive linemen.

"We took guys that we thought could come in and help us," Broadway said. "We didn't go out and just recruit. We knew we had to go out and get some linemen -- which we did."

Did they ever.

Grambling signed three Louisiana offensive linemen -- including Marksville's Demetrius Porter and Darius Rose and Julian Wyndon, both of Captain Shreve -- along with Georgia product Sanford Banks and Alabama native Quint Roberts.

And that's just the recruits who are 6-6 and under.

"We got seven guys, and most of them are 6-4, 6-5 and in the 300 pound range," Broadway said. "They are pretty athletic."

Grambling also added two behemoths in Chris Beardon, a 6-8, 300-pounder out of Georgia; and Greg McGrue, a 6-8, 260-pound Alabama native.

"We've taken some steps," Broadway said. "We need to bring in five or six every year, with the shortage that we feel we have. We can't do it in one recruiting class. It's going to take a couple to really fix that situation."

Broadway also added three prospects up front on defense, and expects to continue to collecting talent on that line, as well. He held back four scholarships, and said he expects as many as two defensive linemen from Florida, where he was a long-time assistant to Steve Spurrier in the 1990s.

GSU is also still pursuing in a kicker in the wake of Tim Manuel's departure. A pair of quarterbacks will provide depth, and push for playing time, behind returning seniors Brandon Landers and Larry Kerlegan. Grambling also signed three prep players with experience at linebacker, another position in need of depth.

Still, it's clear the focus was on the offensive line.

"It's no big secret what happened last season," Broadway said. "We knew what our problems were, and we've taken some steps to improve them. We think we've got some who can come in here and play for us next season, and hopefully there are some who can play two or three years for us. Hopefully, we can get to the point where are not depending on anybody to come in and play right away."

GRAMBLING STATE'S 2008 SIGNEES, DAY 1
Breakdown: 21 signees (15 offense, 6 defense)
Sleeper: Grambling came away with the area's best-kept secret, Rayville quarterback Justin Higgins -- a duel-threat to run and pass, but also to play and stay eligible.
Sudden impact: An offensive line that wore down late in 2007 has been radically remade.
One that got away: Grambling was actually pursuing a pair of kickers, a position of need, but ended Wednesday without one.
Instant analysis: Second-year Grambling coach Rod Broadway took a different approach than his predecessor, signing a smaller, more targeted class. He said he wanted depth a several positions, most notably on the offensive line, and the class perfectly mirrored that focus.

QUARTERBACK
Brendan Crawford, 6-5, 205, Chapin (El Paso, Texas) HS: Passed for 2,207 yards and 20 touchdowns, while also rushing for 466 yards and nine more scores.
Justin Higgins, 6-1, 190, Rayville (La.) HS: Former Louisiana Class 3A MVP; threw for 2,109 yards and 21 touchdowns, while running for 967 yards.

INSTANT ANALYSIS: Crawford and Higgins provide the needed depth for a program entering 2008 with two seniors under center.

OFFENSIVE LINE
Sanford Banks, 6-5, 303, Carver (Columbus, Ga.) HS: One-star recruit, listed at 5:93 in the 40-yard dash by Scout.com. Rivals called Banks the No. 68 recruit in Georgia.
Chris Beardon, 6-8, 300, Towers (Stone Mountain, Ga.) HS: A one-star Scout.com prospect; a 2008 DeKalb County Football Coaches Association All-Star.
Greg McGrue, 6-8, 260, Huffman (Birmingham, Ala.) HS: A two-star Scout.com prospect, and ranked No. 34 overall in Alabama by Rivals.
Demetrius Porter, 6-5, 280, Marksville (La.) HS: Named Class 3A all-state; ranked as the 37th best prospect in Louisiana by Dandy Don's Football Recruiting Web site.
Quint Roberts, 6-6, 325, Anniston (Ala.) HS: Member of one of the top Alabama prep lines; participated in the 2007 Atlanta NIKE Rivals.com Combine.
Darius Rose, 6-6, 250, Captain Shreve (Shreveport, La.) HS: Honorable mention All-District; had previously committed Division II.
Julian Wyndon, 6-3, 315, Captain Shreve (Shreveport, La.) HS: An all-district performer last year for the 5A Louisiana school; helped his team to the LHSAA playoffs.

INSTANT ANALYSIS: Grambling landed a few big fish in McGrue, Beardon and Roberts. Good thing: The entire line is likely to be rebuilt.

WB/TE/ATH
Nico Brown, 6-0, 160, Jonesboro-Hodge (La.) HS: Named honorable mention all-state WR; had 48 receptions for 479 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior.
Elijah Dauzart, 6-1, 195, Peabody (Alexandria, La.) HS: Earned consecutive honorable-mention state Class 4A honors at WR; had 500 receiving yards and nine TDs.
Myron Hobbs, 6-3, 185, John Ehret (Marrero, La.) HS: WR averaged 17.4 yards per catch; Max Emfinger ranked Hobbs No. 13 in his Louisiana Super 75.
Donovan Moss, 6-4, 240, Shades Valley (Irondale, Ala.) HS: Targeted as a first-year TE project; teammate of fellow signee Van Phillips.
Van Phillips Jr., 6-2, 205, Shades Valley (Irondale, Ala.) HS: Lettered in four sports; tight end as a sophomore, he then switched to receiver.
Rodale Pippen, 6-0, 185, Halifax County (South Boston, Va.) HS: ATH, with 2,000 passing yards and 25 scores to go 500 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns.

INSTANT ANALYSIS: Hobbs could work his way onto the field quickly. Pippen looks like the kind of eye-popping phenom who can tear his way through lower-classification football.

DEFENSIVE LINE
Michael Harris, 6-2, 240, Bastrop (La.) HS: DT made 72 tackles with three sacks as a senior; part of three consecutive Class 4A state titles.
Devin Herd, 6-2, 260, Pineville (La.) HS: Class 4A all-state honorable mention; earned special mention honors on Jim Stefani's Underclassmen Recruiting Blog.
Sirderrick "Big Bear" Landreth, 6-2, 310, Huntington (Shreveport, La.) HS: A one-star Scout.com DT; helped his team to the Class 5A playoffs.

INSTANT ANALYSIS: Grambling signed an all-Louisiana group in hopes of one day replacing emotional leader Jason Banks.

LB/DB
Maurice Crawford, 6-2, 245, Glenwood (Smiths, Ala.) HS: Selected first-team all-state at linebacker; finalist for the ASWA Mr. Football honor.
Naquan Smith, 6-1, 185, Mays (Atlanta, Ga.) HS: Second-team all-city; played both SS and LB; reports 77 tackles last season.
Stephan McCord, 6-2, 180, McGill-Toolen (Mobile, Ala.) HS: Starting DB on the state's top-ranked defense; earned honorable mention all-region honors.

INSTANT ANALYSIS: Each could see early playing time, since the loss of hard-hitting safety/linebacker Zaire "Pitbull" Wilborn left a big hole in this defense.

-- Nick Deriso, nderiso@thenewsstar.com

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Grambling recruiting notebook: Quarterback signees will make for intriguing fall
February 8, 2008

By Nick Deriso
nderiso@thenewsstar.com
GRAMBLING — Rayville's Justin Higgins, the state's most productive prep passer, could change the complexion of practices this fall at Grambling State.

He'll join a stable of quarterbacks that includes incumbent senior quarterback Brandon Landers and backup Larry Kerlegan — not to mention new signee Brendan Crawford of Chapin High in El Paso, Texas.

And right away, too.

"We're going to give everybody a chance; you've got to prove yourself every day," Grambling coach Rod Broadway said. "Brandon is our starter, but he's got to keep getting better. Justin might be the guy to make him better."

Landers, entering his fourth year as a starter, also prepped locally, at Carroll High.

A dual-threat, Higgins is coming off District 1-3A MVP honors, having passed for 2,100 yards while running for another 1,000. The agile Crawford, taller than the 6-1 Higgins by four inches, passed for 2,200 yards while rushing for 500, as well.

"We're quite hopeful that we can win with Brandon, but we are going to give Justin a chance, and we will give Crawford a chance to play," Broadway said, "and we will go with the best one we have."

In the end, however, Broadway said the focus of this recruiting period was protecting Landers, not replacing him.

"Brandon is not our problem; our problem is up front," Broadway said. "That kid showed a lot of courage, even while he got the heck beat out of him over the course of the year. When we protect him, he's a different player. We signed a couple, but we think he can be the guy."

<B>Home, sweet home:</B><B> </B>Grambling, undergoing that radical reconstruction on the offensive line, offered more than the chance to start for prep prospects.

"I liked the surroundings," said Sanford Banks, the 6-5, 303-pound Columbus, Ga., product. "It felt like it was home."

Same with Greg McGrue, the 6-8, 360-pounder from Birmingham, Ala.

"Grambling had everything I had been looking for," said Banks, who also reported interest from Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Purdue and Southern Miss. "I really liked the campus and the support for me there."

Banks and McGrue were part of a seven-man class of linemen signed by Grambling on Wednesday.

"They told me I was at the top of their list," said Banks, who Scout said ran a 5.93 in the 40. "I think I have a great chance of starting, if I just work hard."

McGrue, a two-star Scout.com prospect, was listed at No. 34 overall in Alabama by Rivals. Banks was ranked No. 68 in Georgia by Rivals, which gave him one star.

Like many of the new faces on the GSU roster, McGrue first became aware of the program through its nationally televised annual rivalry game against Southern, the Bayou Classic. Growing up in Birmingham, he also had a chance to regularly see Grambling — which has appeared in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship Game, held in that city, five times since 2000.

"I've been going to the SWAC Championship, and just about every year, it seemed like it was Grambling," McGrue said. "Between that and the Bayou Classic, you just got to know all about the program and its history."

Last season, Grambling reversed a 3-8 record from 2006, but finished on a month-long swoon that included losses to ULM, Southern and then Jackson State in the SWAC title match.

Banks said he felt a rebuilt line could help GSU finish turning the corner.

"I see that they are heading in a great direction," Banks said. "That's another reason I chose them. The only way they can go is up. Grambling had a great season, but they can do better. It will be up to us newcomers to help the upper classmen bring that championship home."

CATCHING UP WITH VAN
Alabama signee Van Phillips Jr., the tallest receiver in this signing class, has the size Grambling has so often lacked over the past few years.

His dad, Van Phillips Sr., said he was also impressed with how Grambling's towering legacy continues to play out.

Phillips Sr. said his son was impressed by "the tradition of Coach Eddie Robinson, the growth of the university, the wholesomeness of the recruiting process, the spirit of unity between head coach Broadway and his assistants, how he was recruited by linebackers coach Andre Robinson (a Birmingham-area native) and receivers coach Sammy White — and the way the president of the university remained with the recruits after his presentation. All of that was very impressive. Finally, GSU talked more about life after football — the importance of a college degree."

A one-star recruit, Phillips said he also drew interest from Auburn, Middle Tennessee State, Memphis and Arkansas State, among others. Phillips Sr. said his son had five scholarship offers from other Division I programs.


Here is an updated list, with biographical information, from National Signing Day at Grambling State:
OL Sanford Banks, 6-5, 303, Carver (Columbus, Ga.) HS: One-star recruit, listed at 5:93 in the 40-yard dash by Scout.com. Rivals called Banks the No. 68 recruit in Georgia.
OT Chris Beardon, 6-8, 300, Towers (Stone Mountain, Ga.) HS: A one-star Scout.com prospect. Earned a spot in the 2008 DeKalb County Football Coaches Association All-Star Showcase.
WR/DB Nico Brown, 6-0, 160, Jonesboro-Hodge (La.) HS: Named Honorable Mention All-State by the LSWA; caught 48 receptions for 479 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior.
QB Brendan Crawford, 6-5, 205, Chapin (El Paso, Texas) HS: Named to both the APSE and the TSWA Class 4A all-state team as an honorable mention. Lifted Chapin to second place in 1-4A after passing for 2,207 yards, 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions, while also rushing for 466 yards and nine more scores.
LB Maurice Crawford, 6-2, 245, Glenwood (Smiths, AL) HS: Selected to the Alabama Sports Writers Association All-State First team; participated in the AISA All-Star Game. A finalist for the ASWA Mr. Football honor; also a member of Glenwood's basketball team.
WR Elijah Dauzart, 6-1, 195, Peabody (Alexandria) HS: Earned consecutive honorable-mention state Class 4A honors. Had 38 catches for 500 yards and nine touchdowns; also plays basketball. Dauzart added 24 receptions for 372 yards and five touchdowns as a junior. PelicanPreps lists him at 4.74 in the 40-yard dash.
DE Michael Harris, 6-2, 240, Bastrop (La.) HS: Made 72 tackles with three sacks as a senior; helped his team capture three consecutive Class 4A Louisiana state championships.
DL Devin Herd, 6-2, 260, Pineville (La.) HS: Named a 2006 Class 4A LSWA All-State honorable mention; earned special mention honors on Jim Stefani's Class of 2007 Underclassmen Recruiting Blog.
QB Justin Higgins, 6-1, 190, Rayville (La.) HS: Former Louisiana Class 3A MVP, is a duel-threat who threw for 2,109 passing yards and 21 touchdowns, while running for another 967 yards.
WR Myron Hobbs, 6-3, 185, John Ehret (Marrero) HS: One-star recruit, was an honorable mention Class 5A all-state selection. Hobbs averaged 17.4 yards per catch, with 732 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns last season. Max Emfinger, the respected scout, ranked Hobbs No. 13 in his Louisiana Super 75. Rivals.com reports a 4.52 time in the 40-yard dash
DT Sirderrick "Big Bear" Landreth, 6-2, 310, Huntington (Shreveport) HS: Scout.com, which gave the 6-2, 310-pound Landreth a one-star rating, had him at 5.0 in the 40-yard dash. Helped lead his team to the LHSAA Class 5A playoffs.
DB Stephan McCord, 6-2, 180, McGill-Toolen (Mobile, Ala.) HS: Starter on the state's top-ranked defense; earned honorable mention all-region honors last season in which he returned two interceptions for touchdowns in a single game. Also ran track and played prep basketball. Brother of T.J. McCord, a Grambling defensive back.
OT Greg McGrue, 6-8, 260, Huffman (Birmingham, Ala) HS: A two-star Scout.com prospect, and ranked No. 34 overall in Alabama by Rivals -- which called McGrue a "massive offensive lineman with superior strength." Euns a 5.4 in the 40-yard dash and, with an 18 on his ACT and a 3.2 GPA, is eligible to play.
TE Donovan Moss, 6-4, 240, Shades Valley (Irondale, Ala.) HS: Targeted as a first-year project recruit; teammate of fellow signee Van Phillips. A key member of his school's basketball team.
WR Van Phillips Jr., 6-2, 205, Shades Valley (Irondale, Ala.) HS: Lettered in four sports, while maintaining a 3.2 GPA. A tight end as a sophomore, he switched to receiver and began bulking up from about 167 pounds.
ATH Rodale Pippen, 6-0, 185, Halifax County (South Boston, Va.) HS: Mulitple All-Western Valley District honoree. Had 2,000 passing yards and 25 scores to go 500 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns last year. Rivals reports a 4.5 in the 40-yard dash.
OL Demetrius Porter, 6-5, 280, Marksville (La.) HS: Named to the 2007 Class 3A LSWA All-State Team; participated in the 2007 Baton Rouge NIKE Rivals.com Combine. Ranked as the 37th best prospect in Louisiana by Dandy Don's Football Recruiting Web site.
OL Quint Roberts, 6-6, 325, Anniston (Ala.) HS: Member of one of the top Alabama prep lines; participated in the 2007 Atlanta NIKE Rivals.com Combine.
OT Darius Rose, 6-6, 250, Captain Shreve (Shreveport) HS: Honorable mention All-District. Had previously committed Division II.
SS/LB Naquan Smith, 6-1, 185, Mays (Atlanta, Ga.) HS: Second-team all-city and defensive player of the week by The Atlanta Journal Constitution as a junior, then honorable mention all-state last season. Reports a 4.53 in the 40-yard dash, with 77 tackles last season. MaxPreps also lists two interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
OL Julian Wyndon, 6-3, 315, Captain Shreve (Shreveport) HS: An all-district performer last year for the 5A Louisiana school; helped lead his team to the LHSAA Class 5A playoffs.