Wildcat’s 2012 football recruiting class announced

Bill Snyder addressed the media Wednesday on National Signing Day to discuss the K-State football team's 2012 recruiting class, which includes 26 players in total.

The Wildcats' class includes 20 players coming out of high school and six players from the junior college ranks. Nine players in the group are currently enrolled at K-State and will participate in the upcoming spring practices.

"As we've maintained, it takes several years to accurately assess the quality of recruiting class and the young men who represent it," Snyder said in a press release.

"The variety," Snyder said when asked for the most significant thing about this class. "We have people every single position on the board. So we were able to be diversified in that respect."

The class comes from 12 different states across the country including Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas.

Texas holds the majority of the class with nine players coming from the Lone Star State. Kansas holds the next closest amount with five in-state recruits.

The Wildcats added weapons as well as depth to the offensive unit through this year's class.

Overall on the offensive side of the ball, the 2012 class is composed of one quarterback, five wide receivers, two running backs, one full back, one tight end and three offensive linemen.

Wide receiver Marquez Clark out of Navarro Junior College, the Wildcats' highest rated recruit, was honored as a 2011 First Team All-American after he set NJCAA individual season records for receptions (98) and yardage (1,639).

Clark broke many more records at Navarro and proved to be a threat on special teams as well with his career average of 26.1 yards per kickoff return and 20.3 yards per punt.

"Certainly the numbers tell you something," Snyder said of Clark. "He runs pretty well, has good hands from what we've seen and has a pretty good knowledge of the game."

Snyder commented on more than just the numbers, focusing on Clark's attitude as well.

"He seems to have a humble commitment towards becoming the best that he can become," he said.

Tavarius Bender, the dual-threat quarterback out of Lincoln, Neb., is one of the nine recruits currently enrolled at K-State after he graduated early from Southwest High School.

Rated the No. 1 overall player in the state of Nebraska and No. 20 dual-threat quarterback in the country by rivals.com, Bender has already made a positive impression on Snyder.

"I like the kind of person he is," Snyder said. "I like his dedication and commitment. I like his willingness to learn and wanting to be a sponge about the knowledge that it takes to play the position that he plays."

The class addresses the defensive side of the ball with six defensive lineman, two linebackers and three defensive backs.

Wesley Hollingshed, the No. 47 rated junior college player in the nation by rivals.com, played at Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas, and is one of the two defensive linemen coming in from a junior college for the Wildcats.

Chaquil Reed, the other incoming junior college recruit coming to play on the defensive line, is out of Butler County Community College, and tallied 43 tackles and five sacks at Butler that earned him all-conference honors.

Snyder said Reed and Hollingshed were attractive to the Wildcats because of the two recruits' "physical presence," and "success at a higher level," that gives them the capabilities to contribute right away.

"That's certainly up to them and how well they perform," Snyder said of Reed and Hollingshed having an immediate impact. "We hope that is indeed the case."

One of Snyder's specialties with recruits is the ability to move them from position to position. Two players in the Wildcats' class, Matt Seiwert and Dante Barnett, are labeled as "athletes" and will be placed in a position by the Wildcat coaching staff.

Two players who were a part of the program this past fall, Nick Puetz and John Sua, were awarded scholarships from the 2012 class.

Puetz, a walk on who transferred from Wyoming, started at left guard for the Wildcats' final 11 games last season.

Sua, a walk on who transferred from Allan Hancock College, was a backup on the defensive line last season and saw action in only two games.

Wildcat fans will get a chance to catch a glimpse of the nine recruits enrolled at K-State this semester at the K-State Spring Game that is usually played on a Saturday in late April. The exact date and time of this year's spring game has yet to be announced.