Top 5 Recruiting Classes by New FBS Coaching Staffs in 2017
By Zach Bigalke
Four days after losing the 2017 Cotton Bowl against Wisconsin, Western Michigan head coach P.J. Fleck took charge at the Badgers’ Big Ten rivals. With less than a month before National Signing Day, Fleck managed to shore up a recruiting class that ranked 58th nationally in the 247Sports composite rankings. The class averaged higher than Minnesota’s five-year recruiting average prior to Fleck’s arrival in the Twin Cities.
Fleck landed a diverse 2017 class that included both local and national talent. The new Golden Gophers coach landed Blaise Andries, the top-rated recruit in Minnesota, to play on the offensive line. He also grabbed three-star defensive backs from Alabama, Oregon, Texas, and Georgia. Three players had already enrolled for spring term, including pro-style quarterback Tanner Morgan and dual-threat junior college transfer Neil McLaurin.