BYU football: Analyzing BYU's 2013 signing class

Indeed, BYU doesn’t recruit like other programs simply because it can’t. It takes a unique set of criteria for a prospect to receive a BYU offer, with those criteria differing greatly from other Division I programs.

2013 provides a stark example of Mendenhall’s disregard of offers and star rankings, with just six of his commits holding star rankings higher than two, according to rivals.com, and just three of them holding three or more, according to scout.com. Eight of the 19 have yet even to be evaluated by scout.com. Brayden Kearsley (6-4, 270 OL) from Portland, Ore., stands as BYU’s lone four-star commit.

A lot of the 19 commits were only offered by BYU when they pledged, making it hazy whether other offers would have come their way. Quality of offers is often regarded as the best evaluation tool for those unable to get or incapable of having independent evaluations.

With only three scholarships available, BYU won’t be competing for a lot of the top national talent this coming January and will likely receive one of its lowest cumulative rankings for a recruiting class. Mendenhall surely doesn’t care how national pundits will rank his class, but should fans?

Given Mendenhall’s track record at BYU, fans should be content that he’ll be bringing in players who can thrive in BYU’s culture while providing winning seasons. Whether those same players can help provide a BCS bowl berth is certainly up for debate.

2013 commits:

Brayden Kearsley, 6-4, 300 OL Beaverton, Ore.

Trajan Pili, 6-2, 220 LB Las Vegas, Nev.

Dallin Leavitt, 5-11, 210 DB Portland, Ore.

Moroni Laulu-Pututau, 6-4, 190 TE Hyrum

Keegan Hicks, 6-2, 270 OL South Jordan

Talon Shumway, 6-3, 190 WR Highland

Nathan DeBeikes, 6-2, 210 LB Thousand Oaks, Calif.

Kalolo Manumaleuga Utu, 6-2, 250 LB Compton, Calif.

Maatua Brown, 6-6, 360 DT Cerritos College

Jonryheem Peoples, 6-6, 300 DL Rigby, Idaho

Merrill Taliauli, 6-2, 305 DL Salt Lake City

Addison Pulsipher, 6-5, 250 OL Temecula, Calif.

Kuj Tapusoa, 5-11, 200 DB Kahuku, Hawaii

Billy Green, 6-2, 196 QB Seattle, Wash.

Hayden Weichers, 6-0, 175 WR South Jordan

Kai Nacua, 6-2, 200 DB Henderson, Nev.

Patrick Palau, 5-11, 240 RB Salt Lake City

Tanner Shipley, 6-2, 185 WR Wilsonville, Ore.

Garrett England, 6-3, 185 WR Salt Lake City

Email: bgurney@desnews.com Twitter: @BrandonCGurney