2007 recruiting report card

BYU A-

The Cougars had a full allotment of scholarships to give out and made the most of them by landing the top class in the MWC this year. It's a balanced class with depth at every position and some very nice star power at the top of the board.

The headliner looks like Upland (Calif.) tight end Devin Mahina, who chose the Cougs over offers from UCLA, Oregon and Colorado, among others. At 6-foot-6, 225 pounds, Mahina has a great frame and tremendous upside. He's a skilled pass catcher who can run and will develop into a fine blocker as he fills out in a few years.

Staying with the California theme, we love the signing of all-state running back J.J. DiLuigi, who led his Canyon (Calif.) squad to an upset win over De La Salle, Concord, in the Div. I state title game. DiLuigi has incredible quickness, catches the ball well out of the backfield and could fill a number of roles for the Cougs.

Another player to watch out for is San Jacinto (Calif.) wide receiver Ryan Kessman. Kessman has been one of the state's best pass catchers since his freshman year and could be the biggest sleeper in the state. He has great hands, runs extremely well after the catch and could have an immediate impact as soon as next year.

UTAH B

The Utes signed a solid class that finished right behind BYU as the No. 2 class in the MWC. While this class may lack that one big-time recruit that makes you step back and say "Wow," there are several players that we feel have a chance to make an early impact.

Quarterback is always the glamour position in every class, and the Utes signed a good one in Spanish Fork standout Griff Robles. Robles, 6-4, 210 pounds, has a great frame, a big arm and was one of the top signal-callers we saw at the NIKE Camp at USC last spring. He's a pure pocket passer with better-than-average mobility for a QB his size.

No player in Nevada had a better season this past year than Las Vegas Cimarron-Memorial athlete Eddie Wide. Wide was the Gatorade Player of the Year after rushing for 1,743 yards and 23 touchdowns. He could play running back or corner for the Utes and chose Utah after also visiting Washington.

If you're looking for a sleeper in the class, watch out for Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.) defensive lineman Lei Talamaivao. The big 6-3, 265-pound tackle earned all-CIF honors after racking up 145 tackles and 12 sacks this past season. He has size, is very quick off the ball and plays with a mean streak.

UTAH STATE C