Rise & Sign: 2015 KU football class ready to make it official on National Signing Day

New KU QB Carter Stanley rockin' his KU gear on his big day…

New KU QB Carter Stanley rockin' his KU gear on his big day…

12:29 p.m. Update:

One more comprehensive look at the Class of 2015, with quotes from several KU coaches…

DE Dorance Armstrong – 6-4, 225, 3 stars, North Shore High, Galena Park, Texas – Powerful pass rusher chose Kansas over offers from nine other Power 5 Conference programs, including Cal, Texas Tech, Iowa State, Michigan State and Northwestern.

“Dorance is a young man who we are
excited about in terms of what he
brings, especially for our needs on
our defense. He is a true athletic
defensive end with a good pass rush
and range. He will be a young man who
can have a huge impact on the program
once he reaches his full potential.” — Defensive Coordinator Clint Bowen

DB Shola Ayinde – 6-0, 168, 2 stars, George Ranch High, Richmond, Texas – Relatively new to the secondary, former WR chose Kansas after previously having been committed to Tulsa.

“I had him in camp and had him on my
radar. He is a great kid and very
explosive. I think his upside is years
to come. I think he is still learning
how to play cornerback and is raw. He
is real fast, a 4.4 40-yard dash kid.” — DBs coach Kenny Perry

WR Jeremiah Booker – 6-3, 187, 2 stars, College Station (Texas) High – The College Station connection for David Beaty and Klint Kubiak came through here, as the two-star receiver picked KU over Nevada, New Mexico and interest from Oklahoma State.

“Jeremiah Booker has great size. He
runs very well for a 6-foot-3 player.
He has excellent ball skills and more
than anything he is under the radar.
He is from College Station,
Texas–which doesn’t get recruited a
whole lot. He has competed against the
best in the state of Texas and
succeeded against the best. We are
very lucky to have him.” — WR coach Klint Kubiak

DB Denzel Feaster – 6-3, 195, 2 stars, Manor High, Austin, Texas – Late pick-up chose Kansas over offers from Miami (Ohio), North Texas and New Mexico.

“Denzel Feaster is a tall, rangy guy.
He is one of those full-speed strike
guys. When he comes downhill to tackle
he doesn’t hit the brakes at all, he
sticks his nose in there. He is new to
the position, but shows a lot of
potential to be one of the better
safeties in the Big 12.” — D.C. Clint Bowen

OL Aaron Garza – 6-2, 287, 3 stars, Sherman (Texas) High – Previous Texas Longhorns commitment was one of the first in the class to commit to KU. He held offers from Arizona State, Auburn, USC, Baylor, Oklahoma State and others.

“He is a tough-nosed kid. He is a
road-grader type of guy. He is big and
strong. He loves the game. He has
completely changed his body. He has
lost a bunch of weight because it
means something to him. He is smart,
tough kid who just wants to get
better. He is everything you look for
in an offensive lineman.” — O-Line coach Zach Yenser

WR Chase Harrell – 6-4, 205, 2 stars, Hargrave High, Huffman, Texas – Signed this week after graduating early from high school and will be in town for spring practices. Picked KU over Houston and Kentucky.

“Chase is an extremely large human. He
is imposing and has great length. He
is a very physical, tough blocker
which is something that is very hard
to find at that position. He has great
ball skills. He was one of the better
players in Houston and in my opinion
we got a steal.” — WRs coach Klint Kubiak

RB Taylor Martin – 5-10, 180, 2 stars, Dunbar High, Fort Worth, Texas – Picked Kansas over offer from Colorado State.

“Taylor stands out because he has
great breakaway speed. He has good
vision and a lot of natural running
ability. We are really looking forward
to him joining our program.” — Running backs coach Reggie Mitchell

OL Clyde McCauley – 6-5, 275, 2 stars, Bowie High, Arlington, Texas – Committed to Fresno State back in August, but KU cornerbacks coach Kenny Perry lured the big tackle to Lawrence. Also had offers from Louisiana-Monroe and San Diego State.

“Clyde’s ceiling is so high. He is
long and athletic. He has more of a
tackle body. He is a tough kid and
that is what we are looking for to
play on the edge. We think he can do
that with his athletic ability and
physicality. He is tough and can get
out and play in space.” — O-Line coach
Zach Yenser

DB Tyrone Miller – 6-0, 178, 2 stars, Saline (Michigan) High — Fast and physical safety initially drew interest from Michigan and Michigan State and chose Kansas because of bond with Michigan native and KU recruiting coordinator Reggie Mitchell.

“Tyrone is a very versatile athlete.
He can play corner or safety. He has
good cover skills and is an
outstanding performer on special
teams.” — Running backs coach Reggie Mitchell

WR Emmanuel Moore – 6-0, 190, 2 stars, Northwest High, Justin, Texas — First player to commit to Beaty chose KU over North Texas, SMU and Minnesota.

“He is a 6-foot-0, 200-pound wide
receiver who runs like a running back
after he catches the ball. He is a
slot receiver who also does kick
returns. He has the most strength of
anyone in our class as far as the
skill positions go. He is a very
powerful guy and we are lucky to have
him.” — WR coach Klint Kubiak

LB Osaze Ogbebor — 6-1, 210, 2 stars, Heritage High, Frisco, Texas — Lone linebacker in 2015 class — pronounced Oh-saws — picked KU over New Mexico State, Tulsa and UTEP.

“Osaze is a 210-pound kid who runs the
100-meter dash in track. He doesn’t
only run it, but he runs it well. He
has great speed and plays with a
physical toughness about him. He is a
good tackler and a smart young man
that has great upside to him. He is a
perfect fit for the Big 12.” — D-Line coach Calvin Thibodeaux

DB Marnez Ogletree – 5-10, 190, 2 stars, Fullerton College – Chose KU the night before signing day and picked the Jayhawks over offers from Boise State, Indiana and others.

“He is going to be the total package
from a return guy to a defensive back.
He was a junior college kid and
already has a leg up on a lot of these
guys and has played against a lot of
athletic kids out in California. He
has great speed and comes from a
program in Atlanta that has put out
some real good corners. He is a
physical kid and knows how to tackle.
He is already at 200-lbs and is real
fast.” — DBs coach Kenny Perry

DB Shaq Richmond – 6-0, 180, 3 stars, Timberview High, Arlington, Texas — Committed to KU without making a campus visit after being wooed to town by Mitchell. Picked Kansas over Louisville, New Mexico, SMU and UTEP.

“He comes from a good program in
Mansfield Timberview. He is a rangy
corner and his upside is unbelievable.
Right now he is about six-foot tall
and 185-lbs. He is a physical kid with
good ball-playing skills. I think he
is going to be a contributor early for
us on defense.” — DBs coach Kenny
Perry

WR Steven Sims – 5-10, 165, 2 stars, Travis High, Richmond, Texas — Known as a nifty play-maker in space, Sims picked KU over offers from McNeese State, Southeast Louisiana and Stephen F. Austin.

“Steven Sims is a slot receiver who
has probably the best shiftiness of
any of the players in the city of
Houston. He was a runner up for
offensive player of the year in the
city and there is a reason for that.
He has great athletic ability and ball
skills and you can’t tackle him in a
phone booth.” — WRs coach Klint Kubiak

QB Carter Stanley – 6-2, 188, 2 stars, Vero Beach (Florida) High — Dual-threat prospect who committed to KU in mid-January chose the Jayhawks over UConn and late interest from Penn State, Miami (Florida) and Texas Tech.

“Carter is a great kid, who comes from
a great family. He is very competitive
and is kind of a late bloomer of sorts
in terms of the starting quarterback
role. He paid his dues and when he got
the reins, he took it. We are very
excited for what he can do to our
offense. He is a big, tall kid, thick,
and can run. He throws the ball well
and will be able to create a lot of
mismatches for defenses.” —
Linebackers coach Kevin Kane

TE Jace Sternberger – 6-4, 225, 2 stars, Kingfisher (Oklahoma) High — Two-way player who is versatile enough to play in the H-Back role chose KU over offers from New Mexico, Sam Houston State and South Dakota.

“He is 6-4, 220 pounds and very
athletic. We want to get him the ball
in space so that when he is flexed out
away from the formation he creates a
very tough match up for defenses in
that he is bigger and more physical
than a secondary player and he faster
and more athletic than an outside
backer. That, offensively, is very
intriguing and we are excited to find
ways to get him the ball. He is very
physical so in the backfield when he
is attached to the formation he is
physical enough to kick out or seal in
the run game which again creates an
advantage for the offense.” — Special Teams coach Gary Hyman

QB Ryan Willis – 6-4, 201, 3 stars, Bishop Miege High — First player to commit in KU’s 2015 Class, the No. 3-rated pro style QB in Kansas chose KU over Illinois, Kansas State, Tulsa and Wyoming.

“Ryan is a very smart quarterback. I
love the way he manages a game. I love
the way he gets the ball out of his
hand. He finds his matchups down the
field and finds his open receivers. He
knows where he is going to go with the
ball before the ball is snapped. He is
a good enough athlete to get himself
out of trouble with his feet. I was
very impressed with his ability to get
the ball out of his hand to his best
players as fast as possible.” — Offensive Coordinator Rob Likens

10:36 a.m. Update:

All right, well that was fast. I’ve never seen a recruiting class wrap up so quickly and easily like the 2015 crew at KU.

As I mentioned earlier, I think that’s a great sign about this coaching staff’s ability to not only get these guys to commit to Kansas but also to get them excited about signing and keep them from looking around elsewhere at the last minute.

Signing Day can be an incredibly stressful day for a coaching staff but I’m guessing it was all smiles in the KU football offices this morning. It does not seem like those guys had to worry about a single player.

Now, that’s not to say they got every guy they targeted or that this is a can’t-miss class. But it speaks a great deal to the bond these guys were able to create with the new Jayhawks and, when you consider that they had less than two months to establish those bonds, that’s pretty impressive.

OK, enough patting the staff on the back. Let’s get into the nuts and bolts of this class and break things down a little bit.

Here’s my very early, very raw look at a few categories that people always find interesting and find themselves asking around signing day. Take it with a grain of salt and remember that it’s all based on watching some film and making a few phone calls.

Top 5 Juco Prospects in KU’s 2015 Class

1. Brandon Stewart – CB – Advanced cover skills and the size to handle any type of wide receiver.

2. Bazie Bates IV – S – Solid player who played both corner and safety and could handle any number of roles in the secondary. He’ll play.

3. Marnez Ogletree – CB – Late pick-up has KU coaches pretty excited. Like Stewart, he could easily emerge as a starting cornerback and also may factor into the kick return game.

4. Jayson Rhodes – OL – KU’s need at tackle is significant and the 6-foot-4, 310-pound Rhodes has played there his entire life.

5. Ke’aun Kinner – RB – With Avery, Mann and Cox already back there, the need for another running back to emerge is not necessarily that great. But Kinner has wheels, is shifty and is hard to bring down. Red-shirting him wouldn’t be the worst thing for the program.

Top 5 High School Prospects in KU’s 2015 Class

1. Dorance Armstrong – DE – Three-star pass rush specialist already seems physical enough to play college ball. Now just needs to show he can handle the mental demands of playing defense in the Big 12.

2. Aaron Garza – OL – Former Texas commitment has solid written all over him. With time to develop, could easily become a 3- or 4-year starter.

3. Carter Stanley – QB – Stanley didn’t get a ton of interest early on, but some bigger schools came calling late. Mobility sets him apart and he appears to have supreme confidence in his game. Could easily see him pushing for starting job right away.

4. Tyrone Miller – S – Good mix of fast and physical, Miller has played safety and cornerback and has the size to adjust quickly.

5. Steven Sims – WR – A couple of recruiting analysts I talked to who specialize in scouting Texas said this kid is ready to play in the Big 12 right now.

5 Players who I see playing right away

1. Brandon Stewart – CB – KU lost two quality corners to graduation and a third if you count the often-hyped Kevin Short. Starting spots are available.

2. Marnez Ogletree – CB – KU lost two quality corners to graduation and a third if you count the often-hyped Kevin Short. Starting spots are available.

3. Chase Harrell – WR – KU is looking for receivers to emerge and his frame (6-4, 205) and early enrollment should give him a chance to get out there quickly.

4. Bazie Bates – DB – Too talented to keep off the field. He came to KU for the chance to play right away and he’ll find it.

5. Dorance Armstrong – DE – Questions remain at the edge rusher spots and even though KU has options here, very few of them are proven, which gives Armstrong a shot to compete on an even playing field.

5 Players who need time but have solid potential

1. Cam Durley – OL – Has limited experience as a football player but the kind of raw tools that make coaches salivate. 6-6, 285, 78-inch wing span and good feet.

2. Clyde McCauley – OL – Clyde “The Glide” as he calls himself has a huge frame, good feet and comes from a big time prep program. If he’s allowed to spend his first year in Lawrence getting stronger and adjusting to college ball, he could be a beast during his red-shirt freshman season and beyond.

3. Jeremiah Booker – WR – At 6-foot-3, Booker is one of the rare receivers in the program with that kind of height. Given that Beaty & Company are going with the Air Raid attack, there’s a place for a guy like this once he gets a little stronger.

4. Taylor Martin – RB – Drew interest from TCU, Illinois and K-State. That should tell you what kind of player we’re talking about. Now he just needs to adjust to the college grind and wait for his turn.

5. Jace Sternberger – TE – Classic Oklahoma kid who was tough enough to play defensive end in high school. There are a couple of players on the depth chart ahead of him, so time will help, but Sternberger’s a great athlete with good size who might remind some of Derek Fine, another Okie.

Position this class helped the most: DEFENSIVE BACK – There’s enough talent in this class alone to field a starting secondary. However, with safeties Isaiah Johnson and Fish Smithson back, and young cornerback Matthew Boateng still emerging, the added help in the defensive backfield could make the loss of JaCorey Shepherd, Dexter McDonald and Cassius Sendish easier to swallow.

Position this class helped the least: DEFENSIVE LINE – Armstrong looks like a nice player in the making and juco transfer Jacky Dezir might be able to get onto the field quickly since he’ll be here in time for spring ball, but there’s not another D-Lineman in the class and the limited number is the issue.

The Beat Goes On: RUNNING BACK – Reggie Mitchell did his thing once again and landed two pretty quality running backs in this class. When you look at DeAndre Mann, Corey Avery and Taylor Cox all in the mix this fall and the possibility of Traevohn Wrench coming back to KU next year, the future of the running back position continues to be bright and should be a strength of future KU teams.

How ’bout those names: The KU coaches were not shy about adding some interesting names to the roster. Whether you’re talking about Nigerian-rooted names like Shola Ayinde and Osaze Ogbebor or funky first names like Dorance, Bazie and another Ke’aun (following in the footsteps of Keon Stowers and Keyon Haughton), this crew has plenty of names that’ll keep broadcasters on their toes.

8:51 a.m. Update:

Here’s the scoop on OL Cam Durley. He told me last night that he didn’t think he would sign this morning because his school wanted to do something for him later in the week. Sounds like it’ll be official on Thursday or Friday.

From what I’ve been able to gather, that’s just fine with the KU coaching staff and the only thing it will delay is their ability to talk about him at today’s press conference and tonight’s signing day party at Abe & Jake’s. But that’s small potatoes compared to the opportunity to land a guy with the kind of potential that Durley has.

They are over the limit of 24 by one and I can only assume that that means one of these guys is going to be a gray shirt, which is a player who reports to campus with everyone else but pays his own way that first semester and does not get to have anything official to do with the program until the spring semester. It basically gives you a chance to get a kid one semester early and, in this case, is the equivalent of a 2016 recruit graduating high school early and getting to campus in time for next spring the way Chase Harrell has for this spring.

So that’s it for this morning. Everyone who was expected to sign and send their letters to KU has done so. Again, just an impressive feat to get all of those letters by 8 a.m. or so.

Stay right here throughout the morning for more feedback on this class as well as any photos and reaction from recruits that might trickle in. I’m expecting to get several and will definitely jump back in here with some more thoughts on the crew KU just locked up.

As for the hard part, though, that’s a wrap. Now the fun begins of analyzing these guys and sharing some of the nuggets I was able to get from them during the past couple weeks.

Signed, Sealed & Delivered:

QB Carter Stanley
DB Tyrone Miller
WR Chase Harrell
DB Marnez Ogletree
DB Denzel Feaster
WR Steven Sims
WR Jeremiah Booker
DB Shola Ayinde
LB Osaze Ogbebor
DE Dorance Amstrong
OL Aaron Garza
QB Ryan Willis
DB Shaq Richmond
TE Jace Sternberger
RB Taylor Martin
OL Clyde McCauley
WR Emmanuel Moore

8:41 a.m. Update:

Just ran across this photo of Denzel Feaster on a KU Football account. Good look at the young man’s size. Beaty’s not the biggest dude, but he’s not tiny either. Feaster was a big-time pick up.

New KU safety Denzel Feaster with head coach David Beaty during a recent visit.

8:21 a.m. Update:

Here’s the official announcement from Marnez Ogletree, which came about 25 minutes ago… He’s back home in Lawrenceville, Georgia, which is why he was able to sign and send so early despite having played his juco ball out in California.

http://twitter.com/NEZforPres/status/562972036847661056

8:13 a.m. Update:

KU has added WR Emmanuel Moore to its list — he was one I couldn’t track down — so that brings us to 17 and I’ve got a call in to O-lineman Cam Durley, who just freakin’ committed yesterday, but it looks like his letter has been sent too. When I talked to him yesterday, he said he was planning on sending it as early as he could but still had to talk to his coaches and everything to make sure of all of the plans and details. Can’t blame him. Things moved pretty fast for that guy in the past day or two, but he should wind up being a pretty nice pick-up.

I think the linemen they got in this class are really impressive. They might not be guys that come in and wow you right away, but if they’re able to red-shirt and develop at the proper pace, you could be looking at multiple 3- or 4-year starters in this group, with Garza, McCauley and Durley all having tremendous potential. The best part about that is a couple of them are tackles, which KU desperately needs.

I also like all three of the juco O-linemen who signed in December and think D’Andre Banks, Will Smith and Jayson Rhodes could all factor in right away. But, as so many people have pointed out so often — none more often than our own Tom Keegan — the best way to improve an offensive line is by signing high school kids and letting them develop. KU has taken a nice step forward in that department with this class.

7:59 a.m. Update:

Just got a text from Clyde “The Glide” McCauley, KU’s new 6-5, 275-pound offensive lineman who has a killer nickname (especially for a man that big). His letter is in. That leaves just one I have yet to confirm, but I think it’s in. Gonna do some searching around real quick to make sure.

What an unreal morning.

Clyde McCauley film:
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/1724177/clyde-mccauley

7:54 a.m. Update:

This truly is insane. Not even 8 a.m. and all of the letters are just about in. Credit KU coach David Beaty and his staff for locking these kids up and making them feel so good about their commitments that they wanted to sign ASAP.

In years past, we’ve often been waiting on letters to arrive at 11 a.m. or even later. Sometimes it has gone into the next day with a couple of guys. Not today, though. Wake up, sign, send it in and then go party with your friends and family. That’s been the M.O. for this year’s class, and, although that does not really translate to football or the playing field, it shows you, ever so slightly, that these guys are reliable and determined. Good sign. I’m in awe. Haven’t even had time to fire up my power breakfast yet.

Here’s some more film and the updated list…

7:46 a.m. Update:

I’ve heard from a lot of these guys via text message this morning and almost all of them got up early to sign their letters as soon as they could and will have some sort of ceremony at their school later in the day.

That’s when their friends, family members, coaches and teachers will be there with the balloons and cake and all the cameras. A bunch of these dudes said they’d send me photos from their signing celebrations when they take them. Some of them are schedule for 10:30 or 11 a.m. and others won’t be until the end of the school day. Either way, you can bet these guys are feeling pretty good walking around the halls of their schools rockin’ their KU gear and big smiles.

KU added a couple more names to the official list, so here’s an update and some more film…

Signed, Sealed & Delivered:

QB Carter Stanley
DB Tyrone Miller
DB Marnez Ogletree
DB Denzel Feaster
WR Steven Sims
WR Jeremiah Booker
DB Shola Ayinde
LB Osaze Ogbebor
DE Dorance Amstrong
OL Aaron Garza
QB Ryan Willis
DB Shaq Richmond
TE Jace Sternberger

Shaq Richmond:
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4693296/highlights/182023377

7:39 a.m. Update:

Add another QB to KU’s official list of signees… Nearby prospect Ryan Willis, from Bishop Miege High, who was the first player to commit to KU in this recruiting class way back last summer has made it official and sent his letter to Kansas.

Feels good to officially be a Jayhawk!!! #RCJH

— Ryan Willis (@RyanWillis14) February 4, 2015

Willis had a monster season last fall and has the size and arm strength to play in the Big 12. He and Carter Stanley spent some time together during last weekend’s visits and it’ll be very interesting to see how those guys push each other and develop together in the program. Stanley’s more mobile than Willis, but Willis has the bigger frame coming in.

Here’s a quick look at some film on Willis…

7:31 a.m. Update:

Just got confirmation that Osaze Ogbebor (pronounced Oh-saws) and Dorance Armstrong have sent their letters to KU, as well.

So far, it’s been pretty smooth sailing for KU, which has received letters of intent from more than half of the expected signees. That’s a pretty good success rate for any program 30 minutes into signing day.

Here’s a quick look at some Ogbebor and Armstrong film as well as the updated list of confirmed letters.

Osaze Ogbebor:

http://www.hudl.com/athlete/838159/highlights/210146407

7:25 a.m. Update:

As expected, the letters are starting to come in one after the next right now. Always a good sign for a program when the kids are so fired up to sign that they do it within the first 15 or 20 minutes they’re allowed to. Takes a lot of the drama and stress out of what can be a crazy day.

Signed, Sealed & Delivered:

QB Carter Stanley
DB Tyrone Miller
DB Marnez Ogletree
DB Denzel Feaster
WR Steven Sims
WR Jeremiah Booker
DB Shola Ayinde

Here’s some more film from three of the latest confirmed signees…

Steven Sims:

Shola Ayinde:
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/1370714/highlights/170830377

Jeremiah Booker:
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/1379408/highlights/166593375

7:17 a.m. Update:

KU has really stepped up its game this year… Usually, the university and football offices are the last to announce the commitments because they have to get verification from so many places on campus, but KU’s keeping up with the rest of us so far this year.

Here’s another from the KU Twitter account, as hard-hitting safety Denzel Feaster (what a great name, right?!?) is now official, as well.

Denzel Feaster is on the board.

WATCH: http://t.co/BeaaY1YISS #EarnedIt #RockChalk #NSD2015 pic.twitter.com/t3tuwYrJXZ

— Kansas Football (@KU_Football) February 4, 2015

Here’s a look at some of Feaster’s highlights. No doubt in my mind that this guy could step in and play right away.

Signed, Sealed & Delivered:

QB Carter Stanley
DB Tyrone Miller
DB Marnez Ogletree
DB Denzel Feaster

7:08 a.m. Update:

Still nothing on Ogletree’s Twitter page, but the official Kansas Football Twitter account just Tweeted out his name and film. Doesn’t get more official than that, so I’m adding him to the list…. Again, this guy sounds like a very nice pick-up. Looking forward to learning more about how he got into the class from Coach Beaty later today.

Marnez Ogletree is signed, sealed and delivered. Welcome to the Jayhawk family!#EarnedIt #RockChalk #NSD2015 pic.twitter.com/9gQileBTLb

— Kansas Football (@KU_Football) February 4, 2015

Signed, Sealed & Delivered:

QB Carter Stanley
DB Tyrone Miller
DB Marnez Ogletree
DB Denzel Feaster

7:01 a.m. Update:

While we’re waiting for more letters to roll in, I wanted to make sure you all saw this photo of WR Chase Harrell, who, somewhat unexpectedly signed with the 2015 class early and is enrolled at KU this semester and will participate in spring practices.

It’s just one photo, but I think you can see how good the 6-4, 205-pound wideout’s frame looks in this photo. With that raw build and his early arrival, Harrell has positioned himself very nicely to be a factor in a wide-open receiving corps that will need more than a couple of guys to step up.

Class of 2015 WR Chase Harrell, who graduated high school early and will participate in spring practices at KU.

6:53 a.m. Update:

Now’s where it gets interesting. With so many kids signing in the Central Time Zone, things could get going fast and furious here once we get into the 7 o’clock hour in the Midwest.

Consider it the first sign of competition out of a group of players who seem to be very competitive and interested in nothing more than showing up, working hard and having a lot of fun.

This class is not the most impressive class you’ll ever see on paper, but I’ve been pretty impressed with the attitude of the guys I’ve talked to (probably 10 or 12 of the 17 expected to sign today). They all seem fired up for the opportunity and focused on proving themselves. To me, it’s exactly the kind of class that KU should be getting right now and exactly the kind of class that KU fans are going to have to get used to seeing until the wins start coming on a more regular basis.

Again, it’s a lot of 2 & 3 star guys — mostly 2-stars, actually — but that’s hardly the end all, be all of these guys as college football players.

From here, it’ll be on the coaching staff to coach ’em up and develop them and the players themselves to buy in and put the work in to become legit Big 12 players. Not all of them will succeed. But, like I said, I’ve been pretty impressed with how determined these guys sound.

Get ready for the next wave… Tick, tick, tick, tick…

6:43 a.m. Update:

Just received this photo from Carter Stanley, decked out in his KU gear for the big signing…

New KU QB Carter Stanley rockin' his KU gear on his big day…

6:31 a.m. Update:

Things have officially gotten under way. I’ve heard from Stanley and Miller and things seem to be looking good for Ogletree, who definitely would qualify as a bit of a signing day surprise.

That would be a pretty big pick up for a guy with some pretty good film.

New KU cornerback Marnez Ogletree during his official visit to campus. (Twitter photo)

Signed, Sealed & Delivered:

QB Carter Stanley
DB Tyrone Miller

6:11 a.m. Update:

We’re officially in the 7 o’clock hour on the east coast and just waiting for confirmation from Carter Stanley and Tyrone Miller about their letters.

While we wait, here’s a quick look at their highlight films for those who haven’t taken a minute to check them out.

TYRONE MILLER, 6-0, 178, 2-star Safety:

CARTER STANLEY, 6-2, 188, 2-start Quarterback
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/2139724/highlights/196298375

I talked to Stanley last night and he said the amount of support and love he had received from KU fans since the day he committed had been overwhelming. His plan was to sport his Kansas Jayhawks hat and a Jayhawk tie he picked up during his official visit while signing his letter of intent this morning.

5:47 a.m. Update:

One of the more interesting things that will be worth tracking this morning is the status of junior-college cornerback Marnez Ogletree.

The 5-10, 190-pound DB from Fullerton C.C. in California has not officially committed to KU but has hinted that he might wind up signing with the Jayhawks today. Jon Kirby of JayhawkSlant.com reported late Tuesday night that Ogletree was expected to ink with Kansas today but added that he could not confirm that 100 percent.

Definitely worth keeping an eye on, given the fact that the 2015 class already appears to be full. Should Ogletree sign with Kansas, it could either bump someone else from the list (unlikely) or be a gray shirt situation (more likely).

Like I said, definitely worth tracking because Ogletree, who also had offers Boise State, Fresno State, Indiana, Utah State and others, is a guy who could make an immediate impact at a position of need.

Carter Stanley, one of KU football's newest quarterbacks out of Vero Beach, Florida, figures to be one of the first to make his commitment official on national signing day. (Photo courtesy Hobie Hiler/Special to Treasure Coast newspapers)

Original Post 5:33 a.m.

With 13 of the commitments expected to sign with the Kansas University football program this morning calling Texas home, the KU fax machines figure to be working overtime and could run the risk of getting jammed.

OK, maybe that whole doomsday jammed-up scenario is a bit of a reach. After all it is 2015 and technology — along with the common sense of having guys send their letters to multiple fax machines — have come a long way, but it still baffles me and just about anybody else who covers recruiting that the fax machine still plays such a prominent role in one of college football’s biggest days.

Anyway, getting back to the KU commitments, with all of those Texans sending their letters from the Central time zone, this thing, provided it all goes smoothly and there are no surprises, could wind up being one of the quickest recruiting mornings in recent memory.

Remember, in the recent past, with former KU coach Charlie Weis’ classes, the letters of intent came from all over the map, sometimes even as far away as Hawaii. Today, even with the non-Texas prospects who are signing, you’re only looking at two athletes who will be signing outside of the Central Time Zone — Vero Beach, Florida quarterback Carter Stanley and Saline, Michigan defensive back Tyrone Miller.

I talked with Stanley Tuesday night and he said he was planning on signing and sending his letter of intent at 7 a.m., his time, 7:15 a.m. at the latest. That’s 6:00-6:15 a.m. here, so it seems likely that Stanley’s will be the first letter KU receives.

It could be a race between Stanley and Miller, though, because the Michigan prospect also said he thought he would sign his letter as early as possible. Both athletes will have separate ceremonies at their respective schools later in the day, with Miller’s planned for 1:30 p.m. (12:30, Lawrence time) in the auditorium and Stanley’s at 11 a.m. (10, Lawrence time).

Stay logged in throughout the morning right here for feedback, reaction, highlights and photos from KU’s latest recruiting class.

It’s been one of the tougher classes to track down, but I think I got to 10 or so of the 16 guys signing today so the morning should be filled with interesting tidbits and great visuals.

For those of you who might have missed it — or just not come across it yet — here’s a look at the latest action in the class, as Huffman High wide receiver Chase Harrell graduated early and enrolled at KU in time for the spring semester and mid-year transfer M.J. Mathis, who signed back in December, no longer appears to be headed to Lawrence. In his place, KU secured a commitment from 6-foot-6, 275-pound Houston Christian offensive lineman Cam Durley, who also told me he was expected to sign bright and early this morning.

Here’s our player-by-player look at KU’s current recruiting class, which includes the seven mid-year guys (remember, no Mathis) who signed letters of intent back in December:

And here’s a neat new feature from 24/7 Sports that tracks the national landscape of this year’s recruiting classes. Keep an eye on it all day, as it figures to change with any late-breaking news or surprises that are bound to happen, maybe not at KU, but you know it’ll happen somewhere.

Rise & Sign: 2015 KU football class ready to make it official on National Signing Day

Top 5 Juco Prospects in KU’s 2015 Class

Top 5 High School Prospects in KU’s 2015 Class

5 Players who I see playing right away

5 Players who need time but have solid potential

Tale of the Tait