CCU football signs what analysts say is the best recruiting class in program history

Coastal Carolina’s rise to national prominence in football has paid dividends in recruiting.

CCU announced the signing of 15 football players on Wednesday, making up the bulk of what recruiting analysts say will be the best signing class in school history.

“We’re not finished with it by any means, but our staff worked really hard from last January identifying our needs and the type of quality people that we want in our program to continue to build what we’re doing,” Chanticleers head coach Jamey Chadwell said. “. . . From a talent standpoint, from a physical standpoint, from an academic standpoint, it’s our best class that we’ve brought in up to this point.”

247Sports had CCU’s class ranked 68th in the country entering Wednesday, the first day of the 2022 three-day early signing period, with 12 of the 15 verbal commitments it has confirmed being 3-star athletes.

That places the Chants ahead of — for now — several Power 5 programs including Syracuse, Florida, Miami, Virginia, Washington and Washington State with the second-best class in the Sun Belt Conference, one spot behind Arkansas State.

Rivals ranks the Chants 75th in the country with six of 13 commitments garnering 3 stars, which places the Chants second in the Sun Belt and ahead of numerous Power 5s including Southern California and Arizona State.

Who is coming to Conway?

None of CCU’s signees are from the Carolinas. Six are from Florida, three from Georgia, two each from Pennsylvania and Alabama, one from Illinois and one from Arkansas via a junior college.

“I think what that shows is the brand, that Chanticleer on the side of the helmet, what Coastal people recognize, that’s growing nationally,” Chadwell said of his class, “and that brand is important and people recognize it as a high qualify of play, but it’s also a place where you can grow into becoming a man God has called you to be.”

Coastal’s 2020 class was ranked No. 100 by 247Sports, and the Chants moved up to 81st this year with some late commitments who were seeing CCU’s rise to national prominence during the 2020 season.

“I think you are seeing an improved level of athlete going to Coastal,” said Bud Elliott, national recruiting analyst for 247Sports who is based in the Southeast, in September. “I think it’s based on the success they’ve had and I think the way they pitch their program as a really fun atmosphere but also a family atmosphere.”

CCU has developed its players, who were all considered 3 stars or less out of five stars when they signed with the Chants. Defensive end Tarron Jackson was drafted by and is playing for the Philadelphia Eagles this year, running back C.J. Marable signed a contract with the Chicago Bears earlier this year, and tight end Isaiah Likely and possibly others off the 2021 team will have opportunities with NFL teams.

“They’re a pretty good developmental program so they don’t necessarily have to have a bunch of guys come in and play super early,” Elliott said.

The signees include a pair of quarterbacks, two wide receivers, two offensive linemen, three cornerbacks, two linebackers, two defensive linemen, a safety and a punter.

QB Dontrell Jackson Jr. (6 feet, 190 pounds) of Marist High School outside Chicago completed 131 of 218 passes (60%) for 2,310 yards and 27 touchdowns with seven interceptions in 13 games, and rushed for 473 yards on 95 carries this year, according to MaxPreps.

Bryce Archie (6-3, 205) of McEachern High in Powder Springs, Georgia, completed 146 of 255 passes (57.3%) for 2,225 yards and 24 TDs with six interceptions and gained 470 yards on 91 carries in 2021, according to MaxPreps.

The junior college transfer is Allen Henry, a defensive lineman from Coffeyville Community College in Kansas, who will be a senior.

Seven signees will enroll in January and others will join the program in the summer. The Chants will likely add more players over the next two days, through the portal or during the second signing period in February. Chadwell has at least 20 scholarships to give to the class of 2022.

Chadwell said his current players had a role in securing commitments from some of Wednesday’s signees.

“Our current group of people have been a great resource because they’ve helped us recruit them, they’ve got to know them and they know they’re the type of people who will fit in our program,” Chadwell said. “All of the young men coming in are from quality families, quality programs, and they fit some needs that we have. Some will be immediate, some will be guys that will have to learn and grow.”

Coastal has dipped into the NCAA Transfer Portal to add linebacker Adrian Hope from Furman, who was named a 2019 HERO Sports FCS Freshman First Team All-American. Transfers don’t sign during the signing period, but Hope announced on Twitter that he was headed to CCU.

“You’re trying to see who’s in there that might fit what you need at certain positions, so you’re constantly monitoring that,” Chadwell said. “You’re seeing who’s going in and who you might have a prior connection to that fits some areas of immediate need.”

CCU’s transfer portal losses

While Chadwell will add at least one player through the transfer portal, the Chants are also losing a few players who are seeking another opportunity.

They include a pair of safeties in redshirt sophomore Mateo Sudipo and redshirt junior Tre Douglas, who transferred to CCU prior to this season from Vanderbilt. Sudipo gained praise last year when he tackled a BYU receiver inside the 2-yard line as time expired to preserve a win over the eighth-ranked Cougars. He had 14 tackles and two pass breakups this season, and Douglas did not record any statistics.

Australian kicker Kieran Colahan, CCU’s kickoff specialist who this season made his only field goal attempt from 38 yards and kicked seven extra points when Massimo Biscardi was out with an injury, is in the portal as a grad transfer.

“I do expect you’ll see over the next few days some guys from our program go into the portal,” Chadwell said last week. “That’s just part of it, whether that’s seeking more playing time or seeking a better fit or whatever it may be . . . You sort of plan for that. There might be some surprises with that. Usually you have a good idea throughout the season who’s leaning that way.”

CCU’s current 2022 class

This story was originally published December 15, 2021 at 5:34 PM.

Alan Blondin

The Sun News

Alan Blondin covers golf, Coastal Carolina University athletics, business, and numerous other sports-related topics that warrant coverage. Well-versed in all things Myrtle Beach, Horry County and the Grand Strand, the 1992 Northeastern University journalism school valedictorian has been a reporter at The Sun News since 1993 after working at papers in Texas and Massachusetts. He has earned eight top-10 Associated Press Sports Editors national writing awards and more than 20 top-three S.C. Press Association writing awards since 2007.