UMass recruits 16 on national signing day

National signing day in college football created massive hoopla yesterday. ESPN and ESPN.com provided hours of coverage of the event, ranking the players, the teams and the recruiting classes.

That kind of attention wasn’t allocated to Football Championship Subdivision schools, such as Massachusetts, but coach Don Brown is excited about this year’s signing class.

“We’re very happy with the group that we’ve signed,” Brown the UMass athletics Web site. “We used all recruiting streams at our disposal: I-A transfers, the junior college group and the 11 guys that are coming to us from high school and prep schools.”

UMass signed 16 players, focusing on bringing in players with size to play on the offensive and defensive lines and the linebacking corps. Of the 16 players, 12 of them play at those positions. The other four players include two wide receivers, a tailback and a cornerback.

Although they didn’t sign a safety, tight end, special teamer or quarterback, Brown pointed out that the recruiting process is far from over.

“We’re very happy with everybody that signed, but we still have some work to do. I’ve always looked at signing day as the first day you can sign players, not the last,” he said.

Some players of note are Boston College transfers Warren Wilson (wide receiver, runs a 4.4-second 40-yard dash) and defensive lineman Cory Eason. Brown referred to Eason as “probably the highlight guy,” and a player with “tremendous potential.”

Also of note is offensive lineman Quinton Sales, who is rated as one of the 15 best centers in the country to sign on with a school by Rivals.com.

Five players to sign went to high school in Massachusetts, including both Eason and Wilson. The Minutemen also brought in a transfer from a team within the Colonial Athletic Association (Delaware) – Raymond Jones, a defensive lineman. He will have to sit out one year.

PlayerPos.Yr.Ht.Wt.Hometown/H.S./Prev. School

Adedaji AdeobaLBFr.6-0205Hollywood, Fla./Hollywood Hills H.S.

Chris ChamberlinLBFr.6-2240South Easton, Mass./Oliver Ames H.S./Canterbury School (Conn.)

Julian ColarussoWRFr.6-4200Quincy, Mass./Catholic Memorial H.S.

Korrey DavisTBFr.5-10185Lynchburg, Va./Heritage H.S.

Corey Eason*DLRFr.6-5280Mansfield, Mass./Mansfield H.S./Boston College

Terrance FarrisLBJr.6-0195Mapleton, Ga./South Cobb H.S./Dean College (Mass.)

Kurt FillerLBJr.6-3210Oakley, Calif./Freedom H.S./College of San Mateo

Tyler HolmesLBFr.6-0195Blacksburg, Va./Blacksburg H.S.

Raymond JonesDLRSo.6-4275Sicklerville, N.J./Woodrow Wilson H.S./Delaware

Stephane MilhimOLFr.6-4300Pembroke Pines, Fla./Charles Flanagan H.S.

Sean O’ConnorOLFr.6-6275Valhalla, N.Y./Iona Prep