There were times over the past eight months when Jacob Atnip wondered why he was Arkansas State's lone in-state commitment.
Atnip, a 6-5, 300-pound offensive guard from Sheridan, will make what might have been ASU's easiest recruiting job official at a ceremony at 11 a.m. today at his high school, as one of 22 players expected to sign to an ASU class that is highly regarded, at its level, by many of the recruiting services.
Arkansas State commitments
PLAYER;POS.;HT.;WT.;SCHOOL
Jacob Atnip;OL;6-5;300;Sheridan
Logan Bonner;QB;6-0;200;Rowlett, Texas
Chris Booker;WR;5-11;185;Dodge City (Kan.) CC
Brandon Bowling;WR;McKinney, Texas
William Bradley-King;DL;6-4;235;Kansas City, Mo.
Cameron Echols-Luper;WR/QB;6-0;190;TCU*
B.J. Edmonds;DB;6-0;202;Mobile, Ala.
Troy Elliott;OL;6-4;302;Flower Mound, Texas
Jamal Fontenot;OL;6-5;300;Kilgore (Texas) JC*
Justice Hansen;QB;6-4;215;Butler County (Kan.) CC*
Javonis Isaac;TE;6-2;214;Lafayette (La.) Acadania
Landon James-Wilson;DB;6-0;180;Fort Scott (Kan.) CC
Dee Liner;DL;6-3;295;Alabama*
Torrance Marable;RB;5-9;180;Decatur (Ga.) Towers
Justin McInnis;WR;6-5;195;Dodge City (Kan.) CC*
Joe Sanders;DL;6-5;260;Highlands (Kan.)
Kendal Sanders;WR;6-1;175;Texas*
Jeremy Smith;DB;5-11;161;Atlanta, Texas
Jacob Still;OL;6-1;295;Collierville (Tenn.) St. George’s
Ben Sukut;ATH;6-1;185;Capistrano Valley Christian (Calif.)
Kyle Wilson;LB;5-10;224;Hutchinson (Kan.) CC*
Armond Weh-Weh;RB;Scottsdale (Ariz.) CC
*mid-year transfers
Blake Anderson's second full recruiting class is ranked No. 1 in the Sun Belt Conference by Rivals.com (82nd overall), No. 2 by Scout.com (89th overall) and No. 3 by 247sports.com (86th overall).
It's a class that is highlighted by an array of transfers with impressive credentials.
There is quarterback Justice Hansen, who is already enrolled at ASU after beginning his career at Oklahoma and playing last season at Butler County (Kan.) Community College.
Cameron Echols-Luper, a wide receiver/quarterback from TCU is already enrolled, as is Dee Liner, a defensive tackle from Alabama and Kendal Sanders, a wide receiver from Texas.
There isn't a long list of in-state talent.
Atnip is the only player from Arkansas expected to sign with the Red Wolves today, making this ASU's lightest in-state haul in years. Anderson signed five in-state players last year and 3 in 2014. Former Coach Bryan Harsin brought in 4 Arkansans in his 2013 class, after Gus Malzahn had 10 in 2012 and Hugh Freeze 5 in 2011.
Atnip said "it's pretty cool" to be ASU's lone in-state representative, but he'd like to see more.
"The fact is, I don't see why people from Arkansas don't want to be a part of it," Atnip said. "Because the program is just growing and growing and growing."
Atnip's coach, Louis Campbell, has perspective from both sides. He spent more than two decades as an assistant coach at Arkansas, Alabama, SMU, Oklahoma State and Mississippi State before getting to Sheridan in 2010. He's tried to recruit players to college programs, and has tried to pitch his high school kids to college suitors.
Campbell said he was surprised that Atnip is the lone in-state player, but also understands the thought process of a college staff putting together a class.
"I'm sure they're not turning down better players here to go get other players somewhere else," Campbell said.
Atnip was a freshman at Sheridan in 2012 when he first took notice of Jonesboro, during Malzahn's lone season at ASU, when the Red Wolves won their second consecutive Sun Belt title and prevailed in the GoDaddy Bowl.
Since, ASU has won two more Sun Belt titles and Atnip has remained interested. Atnip's interest increased when Sheridan's offensive line coach Randy Barnhill, a former ASU all-American, took Atnip to a camp in Jonesboro. And when ASU offered him a scholarship after an unofficial visit last June, Atnip called back to accept the offer before the three-hour drive home to Sheridan had ended.
Neither the results of December's New Orleans Bowl -- a 47-28 Louisiana Tech victory over ASU -- nor the departure of offensive line coach Glen Elarbee to Missouri last month could get Atnip to listen to voices outside of Jonesboro.
"In college ball, if you don't have any other coaches looking at your coaches and wanting to come get them, then I feel like your program isn't going anywhere," Atnip said. "If the SEC is looking at a guy that was coaching in the Sun Belt, and that guy was looking at me, I'm thinking well 'Hey, I'm worth something.'"
What ASU's class lacks in local talent is compensated by a group that fills its needs in offensive skill positions and in the defensive backfield.
The Red Wolves are expecting two running backs, including Armond Weh-Weh from Scottsdale (Ariz.) Community College; and three receivers, including Chris Booker and Justin McInnis, both of whom played at Dodge City (Kan.) Community College.
Atnip, one of four offensive linemen expected to sign, said he likes the look of ASU's class, no matter where they're coming from.
"From what I've been told, it's one of the biggest recruiting classes as far as linemen," he said. "I don't mind [the competition] at all. It'll keep me going, keep me working, trying to get better to get a starting position."
Sports on 02/03/2016