2026 Recruiting Breakdown: Fresno State

Welcome to the fifth post in our twelve-part recruiting breakdown series. Today will look at the #5 team in our rankings, Fresno State. The Bulldogs quietly put together a solid class, led by one of the best signees in the conference this past season. To learn more about it, read below.

The Skinny:

• Recruits signed: 43
  • High school: 25
  • JUCO: 5
  • Transfers: 13
  • Offensive: 24
  • Defensive: 16
  • Athlete: 1
  • Special Teams: 2
• Number of 3-stars per 247 rankings: 22
  • Players with a rating over 88: 1
  • Players with a rating over 85: 8
  • Players with a rating over 82: 13
• Breakdown by state (excluding transfers):
  • California: 18
  • Nebraska: 3
  • Missouri: 2
  • Hawaii: 1
  • New Mexico: 1
  • Utah: 1
• 247 Rankings (subject to change)
  • Recruiting: 75
  • Transfer: 119
  • Overall: 81

The Players:

QB Jacob Chambers 

Stand out skills:

• Accurate throws along the sidelines
• Comfortable throwing off his back foot while under pressure
• Excels at escaping pressure in the backfield
• Makes quick reads and is able to get the ball out quickly

QB Deagan Rose 

Stand out skills:

• Displays a quick release on his passes
• Solid football moving around the pocket
• Pinpoint accuracy throwing into tight windows
• Shows the ability to make throws all over the field

RB Maddox Merrill 

Stand out skills:

• Superb acceleration as he hits the hole at the line of scrimmage
• Shows the ability to catch out of the backfield
• Low center of gravity aids him in maintaining balance when hit
• Easy change of direction to evade the defense

RB Jhadis Luckey 

Stand out skills:

• Impressive burst of speed after the catch to blow by defenders
• The defense has a hard time tackling him as he is constantly keeping his legs moving
• Navigates traffic in the trenches and continues to pick up yards after contact
• Dynamic returner on special teams

WR Xavier Owens 

Stand-out skills:

• Ability to adjust his route to catch the ball in stride
• Hard to bring down after the catch, breaking tackles with ease
• Tremendous hands, coming down with balls in tight windows and featuring one-handed catches
• Great body control and footwork along the sidelines

WR Franklin Lockard 

Stand-out skills:

• Long strides allow him to get downfield in a hurry
• Impressive leaping ability to high-point jump balls
• Gives max effort on every route he runs
• Physical receiver who isn’t afraid of contact

WR Maxwell Young 

Stand-out skills:

• Blazing speed with the ball in his hands as a rusher, receiver, or returner
• Skilled at breaking tackles, bouncing off defenders, and keeping his balance
• Turns upfield as soon as he completes a catch to fight for extra yards
• Strong hands to win 50/50 balls with defensive backs and pull the ball into his chest

TE Bryce McDaniel 

Stand-out skills:

• Is a matchup nightmare for opposing secondaries on the outside or in the slot
• Long arms provide a wide catch radius to help quarterbacks
• Long strides help him create separation after the catch
• Great football along the sideline

TE Dallas Gaius-Anyaegbu 

Stand-out skills:

• Willing blocker who helps running backs get open
• Physical receiver who works hard to get open
• Plus hands to pull down difficult catches while absorbing hits
• Skilled at slipping off the line, fooling the defense as he runs a route

TE Zane Gerbo

Stand-out skills:

• A two-way athlete who brings a high motor to every snap
• Nice footwork when making catches, and not going out of bounds
• A big target who does not go down easily after the catch
• Impactful blocker in the run game neutralizes the defense
  

TE Brayden Ford

Stand-out skills:

• Developed route-runner who knows how to find the soft spots in the zone to get open
• Great at tracking the ball and securing the catch while on the run
• Able to catch passes in the general vicinity due to his long arms
• Hard-nosed blocker who takes linebackers completely out of plays

 
TE Sylas Austin 

Stand-out skills:

• Towering target who presents matchup issues for defenses
• Flies down the field with long strides and straight-line speed
• Go-to target in the red zone due to his height advantage
• Solid blocker on the outside

OL Alex Rivera 

Stand-out skills:

• Athletic blocker who sets the pace for running backs out in front of plays
• Has an explosive first step after the snap, which gives him an advantage over defensive linemen
• Agility and power make him ideal to pull on run plays
• Sound footwork in pass protection as he maintains the pocket for the quarterback

OL Efren Siuloa 

Stand-out skills:

• Starts low in his stance to explode into his blocks
• Aggressive blocker who plays through the whistle
• Picks up blitzes and defensive schemes well and reacts accordingly
• Moves well laterally in pass protection to keep pace with edge rushers

DL Jake Plummer 

Stand-out skills:

• Lots of length off the edge, making him tough to block
• Remains active through the play, getting his hands on quarterbacks or knocking down passes
• Takes good angles on his first few steps, making it hard for tackles to recover
• Athletic enough to play wide receiver on offense as well
  

DL Brendan Huddleston 

Stand-out skills:

• Violent tackler who hunts down quarterbacks in the backfield
• Powerful rusher who can neutralize the strength of offensive tackles
• Features an array of pass moves to win his battles
• Gets into the backfield quickly to cause havoc

EDGE Solomon Baker 

Stand-out skills:

• Drives tackles back into the quarterback to disrupt the play
• Strong in run support, keeping contain on the outside
• Able to generate a steady pass-rush by winning his one-on-ones
• Ability to engulf ball-carriers with long arms and brings them down to the ground

EDGE Cooper Willoughby 

Stand-out skills:

• Tackles very well on the move, bringing players down as they try to escape
• Skilled at finding the holes in the line to get into the backfield
• Fights through double teams and holding penalties to generate pressure on the QB
• Frequently gets tackles for loss in the backfield in run defense

LB Zephaniah Sesay 

Stand-out skills:

• Excels at run fits, closing holes at the line of scrimmage to stop running backs in their tracks
• Hard hitter displaying textbook technique
• Great play recognition, getting into position quickly
• Noticeable game speed as he flies around the field, making plays

LB Jaydon Sutko 

Stand-out skills:

• Blows up screens as he fights through blocks to make plays
• Plays well in zone coverage, reading the quarterback, and shading over to where the ball will be thrown
• Good speed while changing directions, thanks to his time at running back
• Nice vision as he reacts to the developing play and gets into the proper position
  

LB Bo Ausmus 

Stand-out skills:

• Strong coverage skills thanks to play awareness and mobility
• Big hitter in space, bringing backs down behind the line
• Noticeable speed and change of direction from his time at running back
• Great in the box or in the flat defending the run

DB Chase Perino 

Stand-out skills:

• Diagnoses plays well, closing in on the pass to make an impact
• Excellent blitzer, flying into the backfield before the offense can react
• Tracks passes in the air easily from his time as a receiver
• Keeps his hands active, snagging interceptions or knocking down throws

DB Truly Bell III 

Stand-out skills:

• Does a good job stepping into the passing lane to take the ball away in coverage
• Doesn’t bite on fakes or jukes, keeping his eyes on the receiver’s midsection
• Violent hitter in the open field, bringing WRs down with force
• Able to play man or zone coverage, constantly in the right position

DB Isaiah Lucero 

Stand-out skills:

• Ballhawk, who is able to get to a lot of balls thanks to his long arms
• Tracks the ball well in the air and consistently out-jumps wide receivers on passes
• Big-play potential due to his athleticism moving around the field
• Beats WRs to the ball thanks to play recognition and long strides

ATH Robert Lucero 

Stand-out skills:

• Sees the field well, even when going all-out on a play
• At his best when the ball is in his hands in space
• Versatile player who can make an impact at any spot
• Able to outrun players and make them miss when running

Team Writer Thoughts:

It is no secret that under Matt Entz the Bulldogs want to run the football and play exceptional defense, and this class delivers on both.

Jhadis Luckey is the kind of quick running back that Entz loves. He gives off Bryson Donelson vibes. Very tough to bring down like Donelson and will provide a nice thunder in the backfield to pair with some lightning.

The quarterback position is one that the Bulldogs would like to grow and get back to having pro prospects. Deagan Rose gives the Bulldogs an opportunity to turn another player into a pro. He was offered by both Virginia Tech, Oregon, and many predicted he would go to Oregon State, Rose stunned many and picked Fresno State. Depending on how long he wants to stay in the Valley will be predicated on good talent around him. The Bulldogs do add Xavier Owens, a tall and fast three-star recruit who, dare I say, might be giving some fans a flashback to Davante Adams.

On defense, Isaiah Lucero is the kind of defensive back that Entz and his defense love. His versatility, size, and speed will allow him to play any receiver, which will be huge in the Pac-12. While the players on the offensive side might get all the glory with this class, Lucero might be the the steal of this class.

Quick Hits:

(High school players only)

Headliner(s):

Mike: Owens, Rose, Plummer

Adam: Rose, Owens, Luckey

Prominent talent:

Mike: Lucero, Sutko, Chambers

Adam: Sutko, Robert Lucero, Isaiah Lucero

Favorite Recruit(s):

Mike: Plummer, Sutko

Adam: R. Lucero, Sutko, I.Lucero

Sleeper Recruit(s):

Mike: Rivera, Lockard

Adam: I. Lucero, Baker

Best unit(s):

Mike: Quarterback, Linebacker

Adam: Quarterback, running back

Transfer Players:

Here is the list of transfer players Fresno State signed. We are moving away from commenting on their film, as it’s often many years outdated by this point, and frankly, it’s become too time-consuming. Jack is doing a tremendous job commenting on transfer players in his transfer tracker. Instead, this section will comment on the class as a whole in terms of attempting to address needs and overall philosophy.

QB Khristian Martin 
RB Jalen Harris 
RB Andrew Chavez 
RB Tariq Thomas 
WR Tyler Becker 
WR Darrian Anderson 
TE Jake Appleget 
OL Bode Stoddard 
OL Patrick Barnett 
OL Oscar Weigel 
DL Dylan Hampsten 
DL Micah Mosley 
DL Maverick Noonan 
DB Preston Okafor 
DB Taylor Powell 
DB Croix Stewart 
K Manaki Watanabe 
LS Ethan Rossetti 

Fresno State was relatively light on transfer players this cycle, at least compared to the other eleven teams in this series. With the transfers they did add, they were able to address nine different positions, with only edge rusher, linebacker, and punter the only spots not filled in this cycle. Adding a quarterback was a top priority, and restocking the running back room will help their scheme. Taking some wide receivers will hopefully make the passing game more dynamic. Defensive line and defensive back were a clear focus in the portal and will hopefully pay dividends. It’s quite the accomplishment for the Bulldogs that after only one season, they can use the transfer portal to make specific additions rather than casting a wide net to merely fill spots.

Summary:

There it is for the Bulldogs. It’s a class with one bona fide star and plenty of talent surrounding him. With both the high school recruits and the transfer signees, the coaching staff focused on addressing specific needs and position upgrades rather than attempting to fill roster spots by casting a wide net. Fresno State recruited in the second tier of the west coast conferences, securing a very good class, even if it’s not great enough to be mentioned among the best. That being said, it’s a huge accomplishment considering this is the first full class by Coach Entz and company and hopefully a sign of more good things to come in the recruiting department.

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