Defensive end Mains latest to commit

First things first: Anthony Mains is skinny, but not that skinny.

ESPN.com's recruiting update had USF's latest commitment, a defensive end from Naples Golden Gate, as being 6-foot-7, 193 pounds, which makes McHugh Mattis look like Louie Anderson. A more accurate weight? He checked in today at 222 pounds, and refreshingly, corrected his height to 6-foot-6.

"I love it. It felt like home," said Mains, who visited USF's campus Monday and committed to coach Jim Leavitt and defensive line coach Dan McCarney. He had been to USF home games before the Bulls started recruiting him this spring, and had all kinds of big programs after him: he visited Wisconsin, turned down an offer from Colorado, and had West Virginia and Florida ramping up their efforts.

He's tied as the highest-rated of USF's 12 verbal commitments, drawing three stars from both Rivals.com and Scout.com, something only receiver Anthony Jones can boast from the current class. Mains had nine sacks last year and is close to that in half a season so far as a senior. He's athletic enough that he's played tight end and quarterback before settling in at defensive end. Golden Gate runs an unconventional 3-5 defense, so he's often dealing with tight ends and double teams that show he has some strength to go with his athleticism. His high school coach, David Tanner, said he could put 270 pounds on his frame, given a couple of years.

And I think this is purely coincidental, but in light of Nick Saban's comments last week, it's amusing that USF's last two commitments are academic studs. We'd told you that Lake Wales kicker Maikon Bonani is his class valedictorian, and Mains carries a 4.1 grade-point average. He visited Stanford and considered playing at Vanderbilt, two schools that practically turn away valedictorians.

USF has only 16 seniors on roster, so I've heard a little bit of concern that the Bulls are close to maxing out their available scholarships without allowing for bigger recruits that would jump in if the Bulls can do something really big, like winning the Big East. By my count, the team's only at 81 scholarships, which would mean at least 20 are available, and recruiting coordinator Carl Franks said he's confident by the time February rolls around, the Bulls will be able to sign very close to the maximum of 25. Remember, too, that a handful of nonqualifiers from the 2007 class could be enrolling in January.

Comments

[keith]

damn, they are getting some players now...it's so funny how easily these kids are influenced by winners, good pickup for USF, we've got a kid now at www.recruitcity.com who recently visited USF, we'll see...

[Tom]

Any chance that these new academic studs can get an academic scholarship instead? I think it could help us save a few athletic scholarships if we want to add a player in february.

[Tampaboi]

Sorry 4 last year.

[Tampaboi]

`Were getting there.We brought in 3 last year.This year we have 1 commit and a couple of more DTs on the board.

I agree!

[Dave]

Tampaboi- I agree that McClain will be good, but that's a position you can never have enough depth at. Really, we should bring 2 in every year.

[Tampaboi]

I think well be fine at DT next year.Aaron Harris will return and McClain has been a solid back up.Add the other two FR we brought in last year and well be ok.Losing Clebert will hurt but Clain will be a good one.

[Brian]

The OT position worries me for next year. We are going to be solid on OGs and likely Center but our depth looks lean on the big boys. The DT position is also a question mark Clebert and Cray are going to live some "big" holes when they leave.

[Steve]

Do you think they will offer any more walk ons scholarships?

[Sanjay]

There are other DTs who are being recruited. We do need CBs, but we got Quenton Washington from North Ft. Myers last year and hopefully combined with Tyler Roberts and Jerome Murphy would give us a decent rotation next year.

As for TEs, our staff will move a kid around until they find a position to be productive. With TEs you can move them on the O-line (see Mike McGowan this year moving to Guard and then back out to TE) and also the D-line (I believe Josh Julmiste was a TE in HS).

[Upstart Bull]

I second what Dave said.

[Dave]

270 given a couple years or a couple of flaxseed oils? Anyways, I'm glad that the size is there- if he gets up to about 250 he should be fine. He seems like a great developmental player, kind of like that other guy that Stuart Mandel is giving some Heisman hype to.

DT (I saw we had one, but I think we need 3 this year), OT (get 2), QB, and CB (again, 2 would be nice) are now the positions I'm worried about.

And no more TEs. We don't even use them frequently and it seems like they're stocking up on them.