There's still a ways to go before matching Alabama's FBS recruiting dominance, but the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga followed up last year's top-ranked national signing class among FCS programs with the No. 2 class according to 247Sports.
Read more
Complete coverage of Signing Day
The Mocs class ranked 129th overall in NCAA Division I, which was one spot behind four-time defending national champion North Dakota State among FCS teams and one place ahead of Illinois State, the 2014 national runner-up.
"I'll let you know if it's the No. 2 class or not when they show up in August," UTC coach Russ Huesman joked. "We identified players that can help us and we know we got some good players. After that, who knows?
"I'm sure all our coaches, especially (recruiting coordinator) Will Healy, think it's pretty cool, and it is, but right now you just don't know for sure. I look at last year's class, and those kids turned out to be real good football players. This year I think we got a good group and filled our needs, but we'll have to wait to see just how good a class it is."
Half of the Mocs' 16 signees were rated as at least two-star prospects by 247Sports, and two were rated even higher. Those were receiver Drae Bowles, a Tennessee transfer and former four-star prep recruit, and Memphis Melrose athlete Ke'Von Hall, a three-star prospect who chose UTC over offers from Southern Miss, Middle Tennessee State, Marshall and Southeast Missouri, among others.
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293.