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National Signing Day 2016: Ranking, grading every Big 12 football recruiting class

By Nicholas Ian Allen

Dec 5, 2015; Waco, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Charlie Strong celebrates the win over the Baylor Bears at McLane Stadium. The Longhorns defeat the Bears 23-17. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 5, 2015; Waco, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Charlie Strong celebrates the win over the Baylor Bears at McLane Stadium. The Longhorns defeat the Bears 23-17. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 27, 2014; Lawrence, KS, USA; An exterior view of Memorial Stadium before the game between the Kansas Jayhawks and Texas Longhorns. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 27, 2014; Lawrence, KS, USA; An exterior view of Memorial Stadium before the game between the Kansas Jayhawks and Texas Longhorns. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports /

Surprise, surprise. The 0-12 Kansas Jayhawks landed the worst recruiting class in the Big 12. But, interestingly enough, there is a silver lining to discuss.

Of the 17 players that signed with Kansas Wednesday, 13 were three-star prospects and nine players hail from the state of Texas. Add that to the 13 three-stars and 19 Texans head coach David Beaty brought to Lawrence in his first class following his jump from Texas A&M, and the Jayhawks have injected the roster with talent. The coaching staff has also laid the groundwork in one of the nation’s most fertile recruiting areas, not to mention in the Big 12’s fiercest battleground.

Sure, a recruiting class ranked No. 88 nationally – behind programs like Vanderbilt, Washington State, Temple, Wake Forest, UCF, USF, Western Michigan, Colorado State and SMU – won’t impress anyone. But, Beaty’s pointed, patient approach is a nice starting point.

Instant Impact Performers: DT Isi Holani and DT DeeIsaac Davis

The defensive line was hit hard by graduation, and just one full-time starter returns up front for the Jayhawks. That means three-star junior college signees Isi Holani and DeeIsaac Davis – both of whom rank among the top 25 JUCO defensive linemen in the 2016 class – should see the field early next season.

Underrated Signee: DE Isaiah Bean

The best chance for a program like Kansas to climb out of the cellar in a Power Five conference is to find a few underrated prospects that more prestigious programs passed on, develop them into contributors, and eventually into big-time performers. Isaiah Bean could be such a player.

Ranked as the No. 1,733 overall player in the nation, the No. 207 player in the state of Texas and the No. 103 weak-side defensive end prospect in the country, it’s fair to say Bean flew under the radar at Summer Creek High School in Humble, Texas. He weighs just 210 pounds, but has a 6-foot-4 frame that attracted interest from schools like Baylor, TCU and Texas A&M, and earned offers from Cal, Illinois, Iowa State and others. With a redshirt year, a steady strength and conditioning regimen and access to lots of carbohydrates at the campus dining halls, Bean – and other projects like him – can fill out nicely and develop into great players.

Complete 2016 Kansas Recruiting Class:

Final Thoughts: Beaty currently has one of the toughest recruiting jobs in America, and Kansas’ 2016 recruiting class wasn’t good. Fixing an 0-12 roster that finished dead last in the conference in both total offense and total defense last season won’t be easy.

Luckily for Kansas fans, however, Beatty has a reputation as an ace recruiter with deep roots in Texas. If the Jayhawks can continue to pull in talent from the Lone Star State more consistently than conference rivals Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Iowa State and Kansas State, there should be brighter days ahead for the program.

Next: Kansas State

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