ASU's Graham touts first recruiting class

It also could be considered a hurdle if the ensuing coaching search takes another 17 days.

That's exactly what Todd Graham and his staff were facing after the former Pittsburgh coach was hired to replace Dennis Erickson on December 14. Yet, most experts agree that Graham and the Sun Devils came out of their first recruiting foray looking pretty good.

The ASU class consists of 23 players, including 14 high school seniors and 9 junior college transfers.

Graham was very pleased when all the smoke had cleared. "In any year, I'd be happy with the group of guys we signed," he said.

Highlighting the class is Saguaro High running back D.J. Foster, who put up video game-like numbers; over 3,000 rushing yards and 54 touchdowns for the Division 3 state champs. Foster announced his intentions last Friday, but faxed in his letter of intent on Wednesday to make it all official.

"He's obviously a dynamic player, D.J. Foster, he's the so-called 'jewel' of our class," Graham said. "But the thing that makes him special as I sat down to meet him for the first time at his school, I don't know that I've ever met a more dynamic player that was so impressive to talk to. "

Foster wasn't the only local product to sign on the dotted line with ASU on Wednesday. Hamilton High's Jaxon Hood, a 6-1, 290-pound defensive tackle (and the son of former Cardinal Eric Swann) switched his commitment from Boston College late in the process and opted to stay home. And it didn't take long for Hood to get into the business of "speaking victory" -- an oft-used Graham saying. At a gathering Wednesday morning in Chandler for athletes who signed letters of intent, Hood flashed the trademark pitchfork with his fingers while saying "I can smell roses already."

The other two local products that are now part of the program are Mesquite High School's Kody Kohl, a 6-3 220-pound tight end, and younger brother of former Sun Devil Trevor Kohl, and long snapper Easton Wahlstrom of Scottsdale Desert Mountain.

One prized recruit who held true to his original commitment to the maroon and gold is Evan Goodman, a 4-star offensive tackle from Lakeland, Florida whom Graham described as "one of the most explosive offensive tackles in the country."

The Devils also landed Marion Grice, the nation's top junior college running back. Grice ran for over 2,200 yards and scored 33 touchdowns in two seasons at Blinn College (Texas). Yes, that's the same school that had Cam Newton calling signals for them before he had a Heisman Trophy, a BCS championship and a record-setting rookie NFL season on his résumé.

Scout.com had the Sun Devils' class ranked 43rd in the country, and 9th in the Pac-12, but Graham isn't too worried about that.

"Don't put much stock in recruiting rankings. I don't know exactly where we came out but I can tell you that we were very excited," he said. "We didn't win every single battle but we won a majority of them."

And he's right. There's no way to grade the efforts of Graham and his newly-formed staff until we see the product on the field. But considering where this program was six weeks ago, I'd say assembling this class is a victory of sorts.