National signing day is now just a week away. The annual event isn't quite as interesting as it used to be with the advent of the early signing period.
There is still plenty of drama late, though, both for North Texas and for Conference USA.
The good news for UNT is that it is in good shape heading into signing day. The Mean Green have the second-ranked class in C-USA, according to 247Sports. Only Louisiana Tech has a higher-rated class.
UNT has 19 players committed and has been holding steady ever since Snow College tight end Ron Tiavaasue committed to the Mean Green just after national signing day.
UNT coach Seth Littrell said at his signing day press conference that the Mean Green had up to four spots left. UNT has been working to add a couple of players late, including Las Vegas defensive end Jonathan Pickett and Dallas Carter defensive tackle Branard Wright.
Wright confirmed in a text message that he visited UNT over the weekend, while Pickett confirmed that he has visited with the Mean Green's coaching staff.
Picket said that his visit with UNT's coaches went well and that he is very close to a decision. He will announce his choice on signing day.
Wright didn't offer any insight into where he is in the process of deciding where he will continue his career.Â
Both are highly regarded prospects. Wright had offers from elite programs, including Clemson and LSU early in the process. He has seen those opportunities dry up late.
Wright is the type of player C-USA programs will take a flier on late in the hope he will qualify and make it to campus. UNT went that route several times early in Seth Littrell's tenure with the Mean Green.
UNT had William Johnson, Cody Hayes and Raveon Hoston in its class at one point or another heading into Littrell's debut season in 2016. None of those highly regarded players made it to campus.
The Mean Green have gone away from that strategy over the past few years but could take a flier on Wright.
Pickett is also a highly regarded prospect and had offers from Vanderbilt and Arizona State. He is the type of prospect UNT has landed in the past.
UNT's staff often combs back through the lists of the top prospects who see their offers dry up late. The Mean Green landed safety Alex Morris in 2018 when their staff found him on the market late.
Adding Pickett or Wright would vault UNT to the top of the C-USA recruiting rankings.
There is also the possibility that UNT could pick up a surprise commit. The Mean Green added cornerback Upton Stout right before they announced their early signing class.
The C-USA race should also be interesting in the next few days. Louisiana Tech has 22 players committed in a really good class.Â
The question is if the Bulldogs will add any players before solidifying their haul. Louisiana Tech was expected to have a few key prospects in on official visits in the final two weekends before signing day.
The other teams to watch out for when it comes to adding a host of talented players late are Florida Atlantic and Florida International. That's always the case.
FIU added highly regarded linebacker A.J. Mathis this week and has vaulted to third in the recruiting rankings. The Panthers have 20 players in their class.Â
FIU is expected to land highly regarded conerback Jamal Potts. Adding Potts would vault the Panthers all the way to No. 1.
Another interesting team to watch over the next week will be Florida Atlantic, the defending C-USA champion. The Owls are set to bring most of their team back and have gone all in on the SMU model of filling their class with a combination of top high school players, junior college transfers and four-year college transfers.
FAU is sitting fifth in the C-USA recruiting rankings that don't take transfers into account after landing Ja'Marquis Johnson, a highly recruited wide receiver from Georgia.Â
The Owls batch of transfers includes former Duke wide receiver Aaron Young.
Young is a graduate transfer and contribute immediately. FAU could end up having the best overall talent haul without having the top-rated class.Â
The question is if FAU will hang on to all of those players. Chuck King of FAU Owl Access is reporting that the Owls are trying to convince three-star defensive tackle Jaden Wheeler to grayshirt due to a lack of space in their class. Wheeler is visiting Syracuse this weekend.Â
Southern Miss also has a good class with 21 players thus far.
If one looks at the 247Sports rankings -- which are generally the accepted as the industry standard -- the race for the top class in C-USA is pretty tight. Five teams have between 150 and 159 points.
Any one of them, including UNT, could end up with the top class. And no matter how it turns out, FAU will have a case that it had the best group based on the transfers it had added.Â
It should be an interesting week heading into national signing day.
Stay tuned.
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