ASU Football Recruiting: Weekend Visit Preview

As the countdown to National Signing Day reaches just over a week, Coach Todd Graham and his staff host their final wave of recruits this weekend. The last two weeks have yielded commitments from wideout Eric Lauderdale and linebacker Santana Sterling, but also the losses of linemen Alex Anderson, Ty Barrett and Casey Tucker to other programs.

With players’ decisions expected to come down like a storm in the next week, this weekend is the final opportunity for ASU to pitch its program and campus to the following recruits:

Deondre Clark, DE: The former LSU commit was mentioned in our Top Remaining Targets article last week and his status remains up in the air, despite maintaining his soft verbal commitment to the Tigers. With the Devils losing their entire starting defensive line this offseason, it is crucial for the coaching staff to bring in top talent who can contribute right away and Clark appears to have the talent to do just that. A gifted athlete with top-end speed and agility, the Oklahoma City native appears to have the versatility to play either defensive end or devilbacker positions. Oklahoma and Mississippi are also in the mix for Clark, who visited Norman two weeks ago, with no apparent front-runner having emerged. It could come down to the wire for the coveted pass-rusher, but the Devils will have last crack at swaying his decision.

Dalvon Stuckey, DT: A one-time Florida State commit, Stuckey is ranked the top JUCO defensive lineman in the country and is a late addition to this weekend’s slate of visitors after de-committing from Auburn earlier this week. The Florida native has prototypical Division 1 size at 6-3, 325 lbs and could be capable of playing end or nose tackle at the next level. Like Clark, Stuckey has the skills to start right away and, with so many positions up for grabs on the defensive front, Tempe appears to be the perfect fit for him to bring his talents.

DeAndre Scott, S: The lone verbal commit of the weekend, Scott pledged to the Devils back in November. A talented high school running back in Philadelphia, Scott also played safety, corner and returned punts for Imhotep Institute. At 5-8, 180 lbs, he projects as a nickel corner, who could also contribute on special teams for the Maroon & Gold. With the ball in his hands, Scott showed himself to be a shifty speedster who is tough to catch in the open field, as well as lay a big hit in coverage. One thing ASU lacked in 2013 was a playmaker on special teams, though Scott looks to have the skills to fill that role.

Austin Maloata, DE: Corona Centennial High School has been a major pipeline to ASU over the last six years, producing cornerstone players like Vontaze Burfict, Brandon Magee and Will Sutton. The staff will be going to that well of talent once more in recruiting Maloata, a 6-3, 248 lbs defensive end who de-committed from USC about a week ago and is considering UCLA and Washington State in addition to the Devils. Spending just one year in Corona after moving from his native Samoa, Maloata is a gifted lineman with great hands and a high motor. With equal skill in rushing the passer and playing the run, Maloata has coaches salivating at his potential. While he is somewhat of a project, Maloata has all the physical skills to be a force in the years to come.

UPDATE: A late addition to the weekend docket is another JUCO defensive lineman, Mississippi State commit Will Coleman. The Texas native’s pledge to the Bulldogs became less solid when offensive coordinator Les Koenning left to take the same job at Texas. Coleman becomes the fifth defensive lineman that will visit Tempe this weekend; making it clear the coaching staff’s urgency to replenish the position’s depleted talent pool.