The Frogs picked up a JUCO commit for 2017, and a WR for the class of 2020.
TCU football added immediate depth along the defensive line, while also landing a player who won’t be on campus for a few more years.
Tyler Junior College defensive end Michael Epley committed to the Frogs on Friday evening.
A post shared by Michael Epley (@michael_epley) on
He has two years of eligibility remaining, and can play immediately, meaning he’ll be able to step in for the departed Josh Carraway and James McFarland, adding some much needed depth along the outside of the defensive line.
Standing at 6’3”, 255 pounds, Epley has an outstanding motor and great hands, something that allows him to dominate on the edge. He should come in and have an immediate impact for the Frogs.
Epley was also being pursued by Arkansas, Texas Tech, and a handful of other schools.
While Epley will be an immediate addition to the team, TCU got another commitment that they’ll have to wait on a while.
Wide receiver Jacobi Bellazin, the No. 1 receiver in the state of Louisiana, gave his pledge to the Horned Frogs. It’s a big commitment, but the Frogs will need to be patient, as Bellazin is just a freshman; part of the recruiting class of 2020.
Thank everyone who help me get to this point #hornfrogs 20′ pic.twitter.com/7xA89T40Io
— 1️⃣ (@c1_era) April 1, 2017
While the Frogs have to wait three years for Bellazin to get to campus, he’ll be worth the wait, according to SB Nation recruiting expert Bud Elliott.
Speaking of running real football routes, best I saw today was a c/o 2020 Jacobi Bellazin @c1_era. Tempo, speed cuts, no cheating, nice.
— SB Nation Recruiting (@SBNRecruiting) March 20, 2017
247 Sports’ Barton Simmons also had good things to say about Bellazin, while the receiver participated in the The Opening New Orleans, saying he was arguably the “best route-runner” at the event. That even included the No. 1 receiver for the 2018 class, Terrace Marshall (another TCU target), as well as a bevy of other elite receivers.
Bellazin currently holds offers from Georgia, Utah, Purdue, Kansas, and a few others, but he’ll likely start seeing more offers come in after his performance at The Opening.