TCU emphasized size and strength across board for their 2017 recruiting class.
Patterson felt the emphasis for this recruiting class was bringing physicality back to football in Fort Worth.

“We wanted to get back to being more physical as a football team,” TCU head coach Gary Patterson said. “What Gary Patterson TCU teams are like.”

TCU’s 2017 recruiting class includes seven four-star signees: defensive lineman Dennis Collins (West Monroe, La.), offensive lineman Wes Harris (Aledo), wide receiver Omar Manning (Lancaster), wide receiver Jalen Reagor (Waxahachie), quarterback Shawn Robinson (DeSoto), running back Kenedy Snell (Waxahachie) and defensive back La’Kendrick Van Zandt (Henderson).

The 2017 class is ranked 30th nationally in the 247Sports.com composite rankings that include 247Sports, Rivals, Scout and ESPN. Five Horned Frogs are in the ESPN 300: Reagor (43), Harris (145), Robinson (159), Manning (206) and defensive lineman Corey Bethley (271) from Katy.

“If you look at the numbers, you might not think we’re that high because we’re not in the top 10, but we’re going to make noise and shock the Big 12,” Reagor said.

For Patterson football teams, setting the tone starts with the defense.

“I went back to guys, not demeaning previous classes, to add toughness,” Patterson said. “Alex Bush being one who’s throwback linebacker type.”

Coming out of Cerritos College, Bush was ranked as the top junior college linebacker in California and the 11th-best in the nation.

Patterson said to expect Ni’Jeel Meeking to play as a linebacker or defensive end.

“He was guy that everyone listed as wide out, and we’ll actually start out here as linebacker/defensive end,” Patterson said. “At 6-foot-three, 205 pounds, unbelievable athlete, who’s a typical end of the recruiting class guy who has the flexibility to do a number of things.”

Patterson has made a living by turning players who came to Fort Worth to score points into players who prevent points from being scored. Buffalo Bills Pro Bowl defensive end Jerry Hughes is just one example of the many Patterson has flipped over the years. Read More