Breaking down: The first five

While it may not go down in the record books as the start of the class that shot Middle Tennessee up the rankings list, it will go down as the start of the class that addressed and filled immediate holes for the Blue Raiders moving forward.

And that just might keep more notches in the win column for Rick Stockstill and his staff.

The 11 signees brought a bit of everything to the table Wednesday during the first open enrollment period that included prospects from not just the junior college ranks, but also the high school ranks as well.

You have some star power with QB Luke Shiflett and OL Marcus Greer.

You have depth concerns addressed with DB's Chris Stamps, Kendricks Gladney and the four other offensive linemen that signed.

You have a potential game changing arm on your roster with QB Chance Nolan.

And to wrap it up, you have unknowns like WR Devon Jackson and LB Avery Jones, who weren't recruited by many others outside of MT. Those are always the interesting ones, aren't they?

I've been at this a long time here at GoMiddle.com, and through the years I've watched film and reels on countless prospects. Probably in the thousands at this point. Sometimes I'll break down a prospect and find something on tape that I like and think will translate well into the next level.

Sometimes I can't find anything at all.

With these 11 signees, it's more of the former than the latter - and that's good news if you like my analysis!

Over the next few days we'll break down and dissect all of the signees. To start things off, we're going to begin with the first five who pledged to MT this year. Without further adieu, let's break down some prospects, shall we?

Luke Shiflett was the first commit of the 2018 for the Blue Raiders, and what a way to get a class going, right?

The dual threat standout was having a stellar senior season before an ankle injury ended things. That was unfortunate for Shiflett, but since he already had his mind made up on where he was going to be at the next level, he got an early start on shifting his focus that way.

Now, people love Shiflett for his running prowess - and for good reason. He does a phenomenal job of running the read option. That being said, this kid can sling the rock.

You can learn a lot about QB's from their game tape, but I love it when a QB has some 7-on-7 tape available, because it's all arm display at that point. And guess what, Luke has a good three minutes of tape available of just that. It's there that you can really see his arm strength (50-yard ropes), accuracy and touch.

People should be excited about Shiflett. He checks all the boxes.

If people think that Luke Shiflett is going to waltz in to Murfreesboro and take over the starting QB job after next season, they may want to back up on that because Chance Nolan might just be the "real deal Holyfield."

What attracted Nolan to MT and vice versa was that Nolan's high school team runs the - you guessed it - Tony Franklin offense. How about that, huh?

So, you've got a QB who is already familiar with the offense, and oh yeah - he's got a canon for an arm and is accurate to top it off. I call that a great recipe.

Something can be said about his loyalty, too. Nolan committed to MT in June, and let it be known that he was done at that point. UMASS offered him days later, and he thanked them publicly before stating that he was still true blue. From there, over 20 schools visited Nolan to watch him throw, practice and play. He said "thanks, but no thanks" to them all. You just don't see that very often this day and age.

The word toughness gets thrown around a lot when talking about Marcus Greer. I don't want to sound like a broken record, but this kid is tough.

You see it right away when you watch him. And, you see it throughout. It never lets up, and neither does he.

But that's not all that Greer brings to the table, though. There were reasons why he landed P5 offers through the recruiting process. Greer has the things college programs are looking for. From a measurable perspective, he's got the size, hand size, reach and lower body strength that are needed at the next level. Aside from that, he's pretty polished in his technique. The thing that stands out about him is his footwork and the drive he gets off the snap.

Greer is versatile, too. The guard position suits him, but he has seen action at the tackle position. He may find himself at that spot as he continues to develop, but for now, he's most definitely considered a run blocker.

Speaking of tough and nasty, Jahlil Ryles fits that bill and then some as well.

If you give him a chance, he will put you down and he will put you down hard. Ryles is the type of player that relishes that contact aspect of the sport/position. That kind of grind is what made him a commodity for Middle Tennessee, and it's the type of mentality that will have him on the field sooner rather than later.

Ryles is another kid that projects as a guard at the next level, but has seen action at the tackle position and could very well develop into that type of player for Middle Tennessee. At 305 pounds, he's already filled out pretty well. Give him a year with Jason Spray in the weight room to tighen up, and MT could have a superb OL athlete on their hands.

The biggest commit of the offensive line, Falvey's size is what immediately drew the attention of the Blue Raider coaching staff.

That's what caught their eye - it was his play that sold them on him. Specifically, it was Falvey's attentive style of play and cerebral approach to his position. He's a smart kid off the field, and he brings his brains to the gridiron as well. Doesn't mean he's the best player ever, but he's the type of player that is extremely coachable and learns from his mistakes.

And that's what makes him an appealing prospect. But, did I mention his size? A frame like that definitely makes life easier when you're trying to protect your QB from other like-minded 300+ pound individuals. The staff expects to see Falvey compete for time right away, so he's definitely a player to watch as next season approaches.