Early signing day kicked off this Wednesday, ushering in a new period of college football recruiting, as the early signing period has never come this early. Arizona State was busy practicing ahead of their Big 12 title game as their 21 new recruits signed their letters of intent. Other programs were announcing their newest players while still conducting head coaching interviews.
The Sun Devils began the morning with 21 players already verbally committed, and unlike other schools out there, they had no surprises. All 21 players signed their letter of intent, finalizing a recruiting class that currently ranks 45th in the nation and sixth in the Big 12, per 247 Sports.
QB Butter Tollefson - Tustin, CA
Stars: 3
Position Rank: 54
State Rank: 91
Michael Tollefson, who goes by the nickname "Butter", is the first high school quarterback to commit to Arizona State in the Kenny Dillingham era. A 4-star prospect when he committed to the Sun Devils back in June of last year, before Dillingham had even coached a game in Tempe, Tollefson saw his rating drop a little during a tough senior year. Still, the dual threat quarterback has a quick release and throws with plenty of power, making him an ideal fit for Dillingham.
RB Demarius Robinson - Edmond, OK
Stars: 3
Position Rank: 80
State Rank: 21
The first Oklahoma commit for the Dillingham era is Demarius Robinson from Edmond. A top 25 prospect in the talent-rich state, Robinson was a star for his high school team, averaging a little over 140 rushing yards a game. At just 5'10" and 175 pounds, he's got a slight frame to go along with his lightning fast open field ability. He'll need to fill out his frame, but Robinson could be the next in a long line of hits from running backs coach Shaun Aguano.
QB/WR Cameron Dyer - Albuquerque, NM
Stars: 4
Position Rank: 7
State Rank: 1
The highest rated player in this year's class for Arizona State is Cameron Dyer, a quarterback at La Cueva High School in Albuquerque and the top prospect in the state of New Mexico. Interestingly enough, the Sun Devils recruited him as a receiver, believing he has the athletic traits to excel there, and Dyer committed to them with that in mind. That said, Dyer's phenomenal senior year throwing the ball may convince the coaches to at least give him a shot under center too.
WR Cory Butler - Corona, CA
Stars: 3
Position Rank: 90
State Rank: 54
If we're placing bets on which of these freshmen could see playing time right away, Cory Butler is probably the answer. Not only is there potential with the state of this receiver room outside of Jordyn Tyson, but Butler has blazing speed and short area quickness. The high school track star posted the fastest GPS time of anyone on his very talented Centennial team, and his cutting ability projects Butler as an ideal slot receiver. He was right on the cusp of being bumped up to a 4-star prospect, and is probably one of the most underrated prospects in this entire class.
WR Chance Ables - Plano, TX
Stars: 3
Position Rank: 137
State Rank:142
Chance Ables represents another piece of the #TexastoTempe pipeline the Sun Devils are laying under Dillingham. The Plano East receiver was originally committed to TCU, but he flipped to Arizona State in early November. Ables' senior season was hampered by injuries, but the 6'3" prospect offers a large catch radius and tons of potential as a downfield threat. He's a bit of a project but Ables is teeming with upside.
WR Harry Hassmann - Coppell, TX
Stars: 3
Position Rank: 160
State Rank: 168
Another Texas transplant receiver, Harry Hassmann was a star for the Coppell Cowboys. He led his team in receiving en route to a 12-1 finish, piling up over 1,300 yards and 18 touchdown catches. His play style will inevitably draw comparisons to former Arizona State receiver Ricky Pearsall, but Hassmann probably has a ways to go before he truly earns that status. Still, Hassmann may turn out to be a diamond in the rough for the Sun Devils.
WR Uriah Neloms - Gilbert, AZ
Stars: 3
Position Rank: 226
State Rank:19
One of Dillingham's first initiatives when coming to Tempe was to keep top in-state talent at home, and he's doing that with Uriah Neloms. The 6'4" receiver has great size and explosiveness, but went somewhat overlooked playing at San Tan Charter High School. Even so, Neloms is a top 20 player in the state and the fourth highest ranked receiver in the state.
TE AJ Ia - Orange, CA
Stars: 4
Position Rank: 19
State Rank: 31
Last year's class featured another tight end commit in Jayden Fortier, who got bumped up to a 4-star recruit from the time he committed to Arizona State to when he actually signed. Dillingham and tight ends coach Jason Mohns struck gold again with AJ Ia, an all around tight end prospect who committed as a 3-star but has since been bumped up thanks to a strong senior season. The Sun Devils are expected to welcome back current starting tight end Chamon Metayer next year, but the future at the position is bright with Fortier and Ia.
OT Desean Bryant - Duncanville, TX
Stars: 3
Position Rank: 100
State Rank: 207
A big part of the #TexastoTempe pipeline has centered around the talent-rich Duncanville High School, and Desean Bryant keeps that specific pipeline alive. At 6'4" and just 205 pounds, Bryant is a bit of a project and needs to fill out his frame first, but Arizona State is banking on his upside and athleticism.
OT Rob Lapuaho - Salt Lake City, UT
Stars: 3
Position Rank: 113
State Rank: 16
Another pipeline the Sun Devils have established, largely thanks to offensive line coach Saga Tuitele, is with the Polynesian population. Programs like BYU and Utah have found incredibly players from the Polynesian pipeline, and so too have the Sun Devils. Rob Lapuaho could be the next, as his massive frame - 6'6" and 330 pounds - make him a perfect fit for the run-heavy offense that coordinator Marcus Arroyo is utilizing.
OT Alema Iosua - Las Vegas, NV
Stars: 3
Position Rank: 123
State Rank: 14
Alema Iosua is another offensive line prospect where the Sun Devils are banking on upside and physical growth. At 6'7" but just 292 pounds, Iosua is still a bit lanky for the trenches, but his technique is sound. Getting him into a college weight room and teamed up with dieticians could be good for Iosua, who committed to Arizona State back in March and held firm in his commitment despite a late push from Boise State.
OT Manamo'ui Muti - Wahiawa, HI
Stars: 3
Position Rank: 52
State Rank: 5
The Sun Devils' highest rated offensive line commit in this class is Manamo'ui Muti from Hawaii, deepening that Poly pipeline. A borderline top 50 positional player, Muti has an NFL pedigree: his brother, Netane Muti, was drafted by the Broncos in 2020 and currently plays for the Lions. Some believe Manamo'ui is even better, and at 6'7" and 320 pounds he can become another huge road grader for Arizona State.
IOL Matai Jefferson - Downey, CA
Stars: 3
Position Rank: 141
State Rank: 152
Matai Jefferson is yet another offensive line commit for the Sun Devils that tells you what Dillingham and Tuitele want the trenches to look like: big. Jefferson is 6'4" and listed at a whopping 350 pounds. Jefferson needs some work with the nuances of the position, but his size offers intriguing potential.
IOL Maki Stewart - Long Beach, CA
Stars: 3
Position Rank: 72
State Rank: 87
Maki Stewart fits the mold of what Arizona State is looking for along the offensive line, as he has tremendous size, length, and physicality. He lacks the athleticism of some of the other linemen in this class, but his frame suggests Stewart might have the most upside. He played both tackle spots in high school, but many believe he'll move inside at the next level - at least to start - due to his athletic limitations.
DL Daeshon Morgan - Austin, TX
Stars: 3
Position Rank: 140
State Rank: 219
Arizona State's only commit on the defensive line in this class is Daeshon Morgan, an undersized defensive tacklle whose pass rushing prowess ignited a bidding war this past summer. Arizona State had to fight off the likes of Texas Tech, Cal, and UNLV to secure his commitment.
LB Isaiah Iosefa - Mililani, HI
Stars: 3
Position Rank: 83
State Rank: 6
Isaiah Iosefa is the highest rated defensive commit for this year's class in Tempe. Hailing from Hawaii, Iosefa was part of this year's Polynesian Bowl, and his rangy, physical style of play earned him offers from five Power 4 schools. The Sun Devils were able to stave off a late push from Fresno State and ensure Iosefa signed with them today.
LB Tristan Bacon - Glendale, AZ
Stars: 3
Position Rank: 180
State Rank: 22
The Sun Devils' lowest rated commit is Tristan Bacon, a local product from Raymond S. Kellis High School. Arizona State was the only FBS offer he received, and Bacon committed just one day later. He's a legacy player too, as his father was a backup running back in the 90's, playing alongside Jake Plummer.
LB Lee Fuimaono - San Clemente, CA
Stars: 3
Position Rank: 149
State Rank: 154
Another member of the Poly pipeline, Lee Fuimaono is an athlete from San Clemente High School in California, though he's been recruited to play linebacker at Arizona State. Fuimaono has a slender build and is fairly underrated compared to the rest of this class, but linebackers coach AJ Cooper has a history of hitting on his evaluations dating back to his days at Wyoming.
CB Joseph Smith - Spring, TX
Stars: 3
Position Rank: 86
State Rank: 137
The only cornerback commit for this class, Joseph Smith caught some ironic attention two weeks ago when he was in attendance for the Sun Devils' game against BYU. Jokes aside, Smith is a rangy but undersized cornerback who also contributed as a return specialist. He fielded offers from SMU, Houston, Purdue, Kansas and others before committing to Arizona State early in August of last year. After a strong senior season, Smith was pursued by Michigan State and Duke, but he remained firm in his commitment to the Sun Devils.
S Benjamin Alefaio - Orange, CA
Stars: 3
Position Rank: 53
State Rank: 59
Benjamin Alefaio is one player whose rating hasn't quite matched up with the hype surrounding him, in a good way. Alefaio played cornerback in high school but his all around talent has many believing he'll be a hybrid piece in the secondary. Arizona State is primarily recruiting him as a safety, but coordinator Brian Ward's scheme thrives on versatility. The Polynesian Bowl participant should be a key piece of the plan moving forward in Tempe.
S Xavier Skowron - Texas City, TX
Stars: 3
Position Rank: 59
State Rank: 102
Xavier Skowron may have the most upside of any defensive player in this class for the Sun Devils. The Houston-area native was a star safety whose athleticism was so great that Texas City High School manufactured touches for him on offense and as a return specialist. However, Skowron wanted to stay at safety at the next level, a testament to his physical nature and aggressive mindset. The Sun Devils landed him over programs like Houston, Ole Miss, and Arkansas.