MT completes 2018 class

Middle Tennessee wrapped up its 2018 recruiting class with 19 recruits overall. The Blue Raiders snagged commitments from four three-star recruits, headlined by quarterback Luke Shiflett, offensive lineman Marcus Greer, athlete Jarek Campbell and defensive back Greg Grate.

Here is a breakdown of MTSU’s new crop of recruits, examining which position group was improved the most, potential sleepers and the best overall recruit.

The Blue Raider offensive line had its fair share of issues during the 2017 season. MTSU has seven junior lineman who are about to be seniors, including stalwarts Chandler Brewer and Robert Behanan. To try and combat the struggles of the unit from last season, Rick Stockstill went out and added six more to the stable.

Marcus Greer is the lone three-star, but everyone else has size. White House’s Dawson Bragg is the largest of the group at 6-foot-5, with the rest averaging around 6-foot-3. I’m still not sure if this is a case of quantity over quality or not, but given the size and athleticism of this group, the line is easily the most improved unit from a depth standpoint alone.

Jarek Campbell, a three-star receiver and defensive back from Riverdale High School, was originally a Louisville commit. The 6-foot Murfreesboro native stated that he chose MTSU because it presented a better opportunity for him, presumably in terms of playing time. With a strong emphasis on defense and a coordinator the caliber of Scott Shafer, Campbell could compete for playing time at linebacker or at the nickel position sooner rather than later. For those reasons, we're pegging him as the star of the class. Time will ultimately tell with Campbell, but his speed and athleticism are undeniable.

Luke Shiflett:

Incumbent starter Brent Stockstill is heading into his senior season and Shiflett could spend his freshman year learning the ins and outs from MTSU's best statistical signal caller. The 6-foot-3 pro-style quarterback had interest from Georgia Tech, Western Kentucky and Jacksonville State, but chose MTSU after an official visit in May last year. While it's hard to call a three-star player a sleeper, given the newfound depth of the Blue Raider depth chart, Shiflett will have plenty of battles ahead of him to see the field.

Chris Stamps:

Stamps’ decision came down to three Conference USA schools. Luckily for MTSU, the former Mississippi State cornerback chose the Blue Raiders over FAU and North Texas. Stamps left Mississippi State in search of more playing time and with Mike Minter set to graduate, the 12th-ranked JUCO prospect could compete right away for playing time this coming year.

Jorden Starling:

At 6-foot-6, Starling is a big, athletic defensive end. He recorded 42 tackles with 15 tackles for loss this season for McCallie, reaching the semifinals of the TSSAA state playoffs. A two-sport athlete, having played basketball as well, Starling could be the type of athlete that can prevent matchup problems with any offensive lineman he goes up against. He's a bit raw, but the upside is huge.

Dawson Bragg:

Bragg has excellent size at 6-foot-5 and 286 pounds. At nearby White House High School, Bragg was named to the Region 5 All-Region team, the TSSAA All-State team and several all-county teams. He was the catalyst for the offensive line of a team that went from 0-10 to 10-0 in just one year, the only time that has ever been done in Tennessee high school football history.

“It was really cool this year to go through what I went through with my teammates for the turnaround,” Bragg told the Connection after signing with MTSU. “Making all-state was just icing on the cake. I couldn’t have asked for better options, I know that whatever decision I made would be a great decision, but I made the decision that was best for me.”

Considering he only played football this past year, Bragg will have to overcome the learning curve from high school to college while battling to move up the depth chart. The coaching staff loves his style of play, though, which bodes well for him in the future.