Rutgers’ ‘breakout’ highlights four 2022 surprise recruiting classes

Every recruiting cycle, fans are accustomed to seeing Alabama, Ohio State, LSU, Clemson and other college football powers at the top of the class rankings. But each year there are programs that breakthrough with efforts that can change the trajectory of their programs.

With a little more than four months to the start of the early signing period, here’s a look at four teams that have assembled surprise recruiting classes.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Everyone knew Rutgers coach Greg Schiano could recruit, especially with the way he turned around the Scarlet Knights’ program during his first tenure on the Banks.

But the best recruiting class in Rutgers’ history came in 2012, when the Knights finished 23^rd nationally. There also were notable misses by the Knights in their own backyard, including former No. 1 recruit Rashan Gary.

Yet all of that can be erased if Rutgers can hold on to a class that is shaping up to be the most historic in its modern recruiting history and definitely ranks among the top surprise classes in the county.

The Scarlett Knights are in most analysts’ top 20, and the class features two recruits – quarterback Gavin Wimsatt of Owensboro (Ky.) High and Rashad Rochelle of Springfield (Ill.) High – who rank in the On300.

Rutgers has done well locally, with seven quality commitments from New Jersey players, and also has pledges from top prospects in New York and Pennsylvania. The Knights are filling their needs with quality players and not just bodies.

“If Schiano can keep the momentum up to signing day, then this could be the breakout class Rutgers fans have been craving for decades,” a Big Ten recruiting coordinator said.

Indiana Hoosiers

Staying in the Big Ten, Indiana also is in line for a surprise class. The Hoosiers have commitments from three players in the On300, including four-star athlete Dasan McCullough at No. 99, and the group is in most analysts’ top 20. McCullough, from Bloomington (Ind.) South, originally committed to Ohio State before flipping to the hometown Hoosiers.

IU signed two On300 prospects in the 2021 class, but there’s a sense of recruiting momentum in Bloomington that hasn’t been seen since, well, maybe ever.

Indiana is holding its own in the Midwest – see the commitment from On300 running back Gi’Bran Payne from Cincinnati LaSalle and pledges from five other quality players from Indiana and Ohio – and the Hoosiers also are dipping into south Florida and central Texas for talent.

At this point, if IU didn’t gain another commitment in the class, it still would rank as the second-best in Indiana history, just behind the 2019 class that had 23 commitments.

Missouri Tigers

Many observers thought second-year Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz won SEC Media Days with his one-liners and punchlines at the podium. But that’s not the only place Drinkwitz is getting it done.

The Tigers quietly have put together one of the best surprise classes in the country. Yes, they’re still behind conference rivals Alabama, LSU, Georgia, LSU, Texas A&M, South Carolina and Arkansas, but Mizzou has done what it can to close the gap with a 2022 class that ranks in the top 25 nationally.

The class headliner is four-star IOL Deshawn Woods of Omaha (Neb.) Central, who is the No. 144 player in the On300. That was a significant recruiting win in Nebraska’s backyard for Mizzou.

Only once since 2010 has Missouri finished with a top-25 recruiting class. That’s about to change.

Deshawn Woods is Mizzou’s second four-star commitment in the last two days and the sixth total four-star commit for the Tigers’ 2022 recruiting class.

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) July 3, 2021

Mizzou also has racked up major recruiting victories in Kansas City and St. Louis, victories that were few and far between under previous coach Barry Odom.

“With recruiting, we are continually chasing that close-the-gap mentality,” Drinkwitz said. “How do we close the gap amongst the upper-echelon teams of the SEC? It’s going to be a process.”

It’s a process that appears to have started, though.

SMU Mustangs

It’s easy to overlook programs outside the Power 5, but one Big 12 recruiting coordinator said, “SMU is putting together the best class that nobody is talking about.”

The Mustangs have commitments from four – yes, that’s right, four – players ranked in the On300, including coveted receiver Jordan Hudson of Garland (Texas) High. Hudson ranks No. 29 in the country and would be the highest-ranked recruit signed by SMU in modern recruiting history.

BREAKING: Five-Star WR Jordan Hudson has just Committed to SMU, he tells @On3Recruits

The #12 Player Nationally (per ESPN300) and former Oklahoma commit chose the Mustangs over Texas and Alabama.

Hudson is the highest-ranked commit in SMU history. pic.twitter.com/TVfcbbjdX6

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) July 4, 2021

But there’s more meat on the bone than Hudson, as Chace Biddle of Garland High, Pierre Goree of Duncanville High and Micheal Ibukun-Okeyode of Rowlett High also were big in-state recruiting victories.

Plus, there’s room for this SMU class to grow with only 10 commitments and momentum in Texas that hasn’t been seen since the Pony Express days.

(Top photo of Schiano: Steven King/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)