The University of Idaho announced the signing of a trio of three-star athletes amid a talented 2016 football recruiting class.
The Vandal football program received a total of 18 national letters of intent during the official NCAA signing period Wednesday.
“I wanted to go out and sign guys that were physical, hard-nosed players and I think we did just that,” Idaho head coach Paul Petrino said.
In an effort to boost the team’s defensive line presence, Petrino and the Idaho coaching staff inked 11 defensive players, including six defensive linemen.
Charles Akanno emerged as one of the key pickups for the Idaho defensive line.
Akanno boasts a 40-yard dash time of 5.05 seconds and recorded 126 tackles and 8 sacks during his senior season at Morningside High School in California. The defensive end was listed as a three-star recruit on Scout.com.
“(Cornerbacks coach) Aric Williams did a great job in recruiting him,” Petrino said. “He’s big, he’s physical and he can really run.”
On the offensive side of the ball, the Vandals recruiting class will be led by wide receiver J.J. Wills of Clovis, California.
Wills contributed to the aerial passing attack of Clovis High School with 1,161 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. The senior averaged 16.4 yards per catch and 89.3 receiving yards per game.
“His dad played at UCLA,” Petrino said. “He came to our camp last year. Just a great kid.”
The Vandals will also receive a boost in the running game from newly signed recruit Dylan Thigpen.
The running back collected 1,855 yards on the ground and found the end zone 18 times as a senior at Damien High School in La Verne, California.
Thigpen was listed as the No. 80 overall prospect at running back, according to Scout.com.
“He can really cut and has great vision and make that cut in the hole and come to balance,” Petrino said.
The Vandals also signed several notable regional recruits.
Pullman High School quarterback Mason Petrino and Clarkston High School tight end Dylan Beeler will join the Vandals this upcoming season.
“Really excited about Dylan … just a really good football player,” Petrino said. “Possibly could end up playing our Buck (linebacker) or going into fullback.”
Mason Petrino threw for 1,992 yards and 18 touchdowns his senior year with the Greyhounds, while Beeler accumulated 440 receiving yards and four touchdowns in 11 games for the Bantams.
Petrino said that he expects the recruiting class to come in and make an immediate impact with the program.
“I want them all thinking that they are going to play this first year, and then if they are not physically or mentally ready then we redshirt them,” Idaho head coach Paul Petrino said. “But if they are, then we are going to play them.”
According to CBS, the Vandal 2016 recruiting class ranks 121st nationally and eighth in the Sun Belt Conference. The Vandals posted a better recruiting class than conference opponents Louisiana-Monroe, Georgia State and New Mexico State.
“I think this is the best class that I’ve signed since I’ve been here,” Petrino said.
The Vandals are scheduled to kick off the 2016 season on Sept. 1 when the team hosts Montana State at the Kibbie Dome.
Josh Grissom can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @GoshJrissom