2024 SMU Recruiting Class Predictions 2.0
SMU Football wrapped up its June official visits and the Mustangs are heating up in the 2024 recruiting class. We take a stab at predicting who the Mustangs land as June comes to a close.
Quarterback
The Mustangs reeled in Aronson out of the Sunshine State last summer and he hasn’t looked back. Aronson enters his senior season at Vero Beach (Fla.) looking to put up big numbers. SMU’s staff recruited Aronson, who will enroll in January, all the way back during their time at Miami. Those ties, the offense and more is why he’s stayed firm in his commitment. He was on campus for his official visit in June and helped land a pair of offensive linemen from the weekend to protect him.
Prediction: Tyler Aronson
Running back
We tabbed Allen (Tex.) running back Kayvion Sibley as our pick in the first round of predictions, but things have shifted quickly. Conroe (Tex.) Oak Ridge running back Frankie Arthur came in for an official visit and sources have SMU as the team to beat now.
Running backs coach Khenon Hall has ties to Arthur, the brother of future NFL Hall of Famer and former Oklahoma star Adrian Peterson. The comfort around the program sticks out in a big way to Arthur, who keeps a tight lid on his recruitment. According to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies, the is the No. 210 overall prospect in the nation No. 17 overall running back in the country and No. 40 prospect in Texas. SMU leads the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine over Houston, Kansas and others. If the Mustangs win out, Hall once again will show why he’s one of the top recruiters on staff.
Running back: Frankie Arthur
Wide receiver
One of the biggest prospects SMU could land in 2024 was Dallas (Tex.) South Oak Cliff athlete Jamyri Cauley, who is expected to start out at wide receiver. The big-bodied athlete committed earlier this year over numerous high-profile offers. SMU’s wide receiver board doesn’t have many offers out that haven’t committed elsewhere. After a strong wide receiver haul in 2023 and the addition of Jordan Hudson, this isn’t a huge need anymore and it looks like SMU could stick with Cauley as its lone pledge.
Prediction: Jamyri Cauley
Tight end
Right now, SMU has one offer out there to Richardson (Tex.) Pearce tight end Jewlyen Thomas-Roberts, who the staff didn’t bring in for an official visit. The SMU legacy didn’t officially visit Texas Tech this summer and it looks like Casey Woods is going to watch him more this fall. He could very well end up in the class and could take an official visit this fall, but without one for SMU, we’re going to hold off on putting him in the class. It seems like programs want to see more out of him.
Prediction: TBD
Offensive line
Daphne (Ala.) Bayside Academy offensive lineman Graham Uter committed this month on his official visit, becoming the first pledge for Justice. SMU hosted twin brothers Brent Helton and Wade Helton this month and there’s still a chance the Mustangs pull it off, but they’re working from just behind Iowa State. What SMU did do was get a big commitment on board out of Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco offensive lineman King Large. He’s a versatile piece that has some nice tools that SMU can use across the line. Right now, these two are the lone prospects we have in the class.
Predictions: Graham Uter, King Large
Defensive line
Calvin Thibodeaux hosted a trio of prospects on the defensive line, but we feel at this point that North Crowley (Tex.) defensive lineman Sterlin Brooks heads to TCU while Ft. Worth (Tex.) Boswell defensive lineman Jaedon Langley committed to Arizona. That leaves the EDGE spot that Thibodeaux is buckling down for. SMU has some nice depth at defensive tackle and doesn’t want to reach on a high school defensive lineman. What they do have is two quality options at the EDGE spot.
I’ll peg both Katy (Tex.) EDGE Dakyus Brinkley and Beaumont (Tex.) West Brook EDGE Jaylin Jones in the class for now. Neither one seems to be in a rush to decide, but SMU did grab the momentum for Brinkley while Jones is down to SMU and Purdue, it appears. There’s some confidence out of SMU that the Mustangs can get both, but it seems like they’ll only take one. I’ll split the difference and just bet that one of these two jumps on board. SMU can address the defensive line in the transfer portal along the interior, but I expect one of these prospects to pick the Mustangs, at this point.
Predictions: Dakyus Brinkley, Jaylin Jones
Linebacker
Red Oak (Tex.) linebacker Zach Smith makes his announcement on Friday at 4:30 p.m. CT on our YouTube channel. The On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine gives the Mustangs a healthy lead and his actions on social media are quite obvious. Smith will be a Mustang and the likely only linebacker take. Smith is a former safety turned linebacker who brings the edge tackling.
Predictions: Zach Smith
Cornerback
Rickey Hunley kept his cornerback board fairly tight and he could very well get exactly who he was looking for. Cedar Hill (Tex.) cornerback Alexander Rodgers committed this week, giving SMU a win over Kansas State. He’s got a nickel body and after landing multiple young, outside corners, it makes sense to push for the local prospect. SMU did that and got him on board.
Dallas (Tex.) Christian defensive back William “Speedy” Nettles has long been on SMU’s radar. The Mustangs got the last official visit and pushed to get him on board. If SMU can beat out the likes of Nebraska, Purdue and others, it’d be a massive recruiting win for the Mustangs. My On3 RPM pick is on SMU and I haven’t heard any reasons to move it, at this stage. There’s some buzz around Purdue, but I just get the feeling Hunley’s relationship will win out here. Plus, there are other close friends of his joining the class.
Predictions: Alexander Rodgers, William Nettles
Safety
Last predictions, we had Oklahoma safety Dax Collins in the predictions, but we swapped him out for a local prospect. Carrollton (Tex.) Newman Smith safety Jaylen Moses was at SMU earlier in June for a visit and the Mustangs have grabbed the momentum. We expect him to commit to the Mustangs at some point this summer and give SMU quite the tandem at safety in 2024.
Duncanville (Tex.) defensive back Ka’Davion Dotson-Walker could announce in early July, we’re hearing. The four-star prospect had an SMU official visit this month and we expect the Mustangs to win out. He’s even been doing some recruiting on social media. It’d be a massive recruiting win for many reasons. His official visit was the final piece for SMU to roll out all the stops to get him on board.
Predictions: Ka’Davion Dotson-Walker, Jaylen Moses
ICYMI: Class Predictions 1.0
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