SMU Mustangs 2021 College Football Recruiting Class Overview
Written by Charlie Beuttel
Twitter: @charlie_cds3
The Mustangs had a successful year in their fourth season under Sonny Dykes as they finished 7-3 overall in the American Athletic Conference. Unfortunately, their bowl game against Texas-San Antonio was canceled due to COVID-19. SMU started the season 5-0, including a victory over Memphis, and they rose in the rankings all the way to No. 17 in the college football rankings. Their first loss against Cincinnati on Oct. 24 started a run of losing three of their final five games including their final two against Tulsa and East Carolina.
After a 10-3 record in 2019 and contending for a conference crown, Coach Dykes and his staff want to get back into conference contention in 2021 and the first step is building a solid recruiting class.
Currently, the Mustangs’ class ranks third in the AAC behind only Cincinnati and Memphis. The coaching staff secured 16 recruits during the early signing period. The highest-ranked recruit is four-star dual-threat quarterback Preston Stone from Dallas and is one of three prospects who have already enrolled at SMU.
All 16 recruits are from various areas of the Lone Star State and each has the same goals of making an impact and bringing home a conference championship for SMU. The Mustangs also have two transfers from Oklahoma, quarterback Tanner Mordecai, and tight end Grant Calcaterra, who will make an immediate impact on the gridiron. The recruiting class ranks 51st in the nation ahead of other top programs like Iowa State, Kansas State, and Stanford.
It will be exciting to watch the Mustangs make waves in 2021 and potentially contend for their first conference championship since 1984 and reach their third bowl game in five years under Coach Dykes.
SMU Early Signees
QB Preston Stone, 6-2, 205, Parish Episcopal School-Dallas, TX
WR Dylan Goffney, 6-1, 195, Bridgeland HS-Cypress, TX
S Bryce McMorris, 6-0, 175, Bridgeland HS-Cypress, TX
S Isaiah Nwokobia, 6-0, 190, Skyline HS-Dallas, TX
DE Je’lin Samuels, 6-7, 225, Sam Rayburn HS-Pasadena, TX
APB Montaye Dawson, 5-7, 165, All Saints Episcopal-Fort Worth, TX
WR Roderick Daniels, 5-9, 160, Duncanville HS-Duncanville, TX
RB Brandon Epton Jr, 5-11, 181, Kimball HS-Dallas, TX
S Jadarius Thursby, 5-10, 186, Duncanville HS-Duncanville, TX
DE Jayden Jones, 6-4, 225, Parish Episcopal School-Dallas, TX
LB Izaiah Kelley, 6-2, 175, Coronado HS-Lubbock, TX
DE Stone Eby, 6-4, 240, Flower Mound HS-Flower Mound, TX
LB Trevion Sneed, 6-0, 220, Mineola HS-Mineola, TX
WR Jayleen Record, 5-8, 160, James Madison HS-Dallas, TX
LB Mason Jolley, 6-2, 208, Prosper HS-Prosper, TX
K Brendan Hall, 6-7, 216, Springtown HS-Springtown, TX
Photo credit: Dallas Morning News; SMU Head Coach Sonny Dykes