The FCS recruiting picture is going from foggy to a tad bit more in focus, and we at HERO Sports figured we'd begin taking a look at the classes around the leagues. Most of the Ohio Valley Conference schools receive their high school commitments later, as a collective, but many have already been very active. Every program is different in its recruiting philosophy. Below, we have team rankings based on we've seen as of Oct. 30, and a Top 30 ranking of the OVC recruits. Next up? Other conferences, and then the national rankings before/around Nov. 10 … oh, and the four conferences we've already published? They're below, too!
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Ah yes, the team rankings. So what is this "top half of the OVC" based on so far? First, numbers of recruits on board, plus what other offers did these recruits have before they committed? Now … this is still early in the process, and there are several programs that recruit "later" in the cycle because their hotbeds are a bit different. Prospects can sign for the first time in December during the early period, or they can wait until February. Every program is different in its approach.
As of right now? Eastern Kentucky is running away with the OVC with 15 commitments, many coveted by multiple programs — and EKU will figure prominently into the November national rankings. But EKU isn't the only strong OVC class.
OVC TEAM TOP 5 RANKING (as of OCT. 30)
1. Eastern Kentucky
2. Jacksonville St.
3. Tenn-Martin
4. Tenn. Tech.
5. East. Illinois[divider]
OVC TOP 30 COMMITMENTS (as of Oct. 30)
NOTE: These high school recruits are ranked by how many other college options these commitments had, and who those offers came from. This is NOT using the star system from any of the recruiting services (never will).
| RK | FCS TEAM | POS | PROSPECT | HOMETOWN | OTHER D-1 OPTIONS |
| 1 | JACKSONVILLE STATE | WR | Jayson Jones | Birmingham, AL | 6 P5s, 6 G5s |
| 2 | TENN-MARTIN | RB | Patrick Bowen | Fort Lauderdale, FL | BostColl, Maryl., 8 FBS, 5 FCS |
| 3 | TENN-MARTIN | RB | Andrew Henley | Hallandale, FL | Virginia, NC State, 3 FCS |
| 4 | TENNESSEE STATE | QB | Edwin Rhodes | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Vandy, 3 FBS, 5 FCS |
| 5 | EASTERN KENTUCKY | DT | Ryan Jackson | Lebanon, TN | 2 FBS, 13 FCS |
| 6 | TENNESSEE TECH | WR | Jacob Jarrett | Roswell, GA | 4 FBS offers, 7 FCS |
| 7 | SEMO | OL | Khalyl Warren | Chicago, IL | 3 FBS, 5 FCS offers |
| 8 | EASTERN ILLINOIS | WR | Aaron Foulkes | Southfield, MI | 2 FBS offers, 7 FCS |
| 9 | EASTERN KENTUCKY | LB | Nick Carozza | Alpharetta, GA | 2 FBS, 7 FCS |
| 10 | JACKSONVILLE STATE | QB | Kole Williams | Montgomery, AL | So. Alab., CMU, Lib., Alab St., AA&M |
| 11 | AUSTIN PEAY | QB | Draylen Ellis | Memphis, TN | 8 FCS offers |
| 12 | EASTERN KENTUCKY | DB | Tre Goodin | Campbellsville, KY | Western Michigan, Akron, APSU |
| 13 | EASTERN KENTUCKY | WR | Chris Scott | Dacula, GA | 7 FCS offers |
| 14 | EASTERN KENTUCKY | TE | Jake Sloan | Somerset, KY | 7 FCS offers |
| 15 | EASTERN KENTUCKY | TE | Mason Gilbert | DeWitt, MI | 7 FCS offers |
| 16 | AUSTIN PEAY | DB | Elijah Culp | Charlotte, NC | Army, Tenn. St., Wofford |
| 17 | EASTERN ILLINOIS | DB | Lester Shaw | Nashville, TN | UNA, Alab. A&M, UT Martin, APSU |
| 18 | EASTERN KENTUCKY | LB | C.J. Ford | Alpharetta, GA | Wofford, UNH, GWU, Ill. St., Elon |
| 19 | EASTERN KENTUCKY | LB | Jaylyn Allen | Paintsville, KY | 5 FCS offers |
| 20 | TENNESSEE STATE | LB | Micaiah Joseph | Delray Beach, FL | FAU, Southern Miss |
| 21 | TENNESSEE TECH | LB | Jashawun Thornton | Thomasville, GA | Akron, Kennesaw, Stetson |
| 22 | TENNESSEE TECH | DB | Jyron Gilmore | Citra, FL | Troy, Mercer |
| 23 | SEMO | WR | Vincent Hamer | Nashville, TN | UT Martin, TSU, EKU, |
| 24 | EASTERN KENTUCKY | QB | Khalil Arnold | Hampton, GA | Jackson St., UT Martin, Grambling |
| 25 | AUSTIN PEAY | DL | Jaylen Swain | Oxford, AL | Lamar, Navy |
| 26 | EASTERN KENTUCKY | OL | Jacob Dennison | Mansfield, OH | Toledo, Valpo |
| 27 | TENNESSEE TECH | OL | Nathan Hodnett | Auburn, GA | Navy, Chattanooga |
| 28 | TENN-MARTIN | DL | Larry Johnson | Hollywood, FL | Holy Cross, Bryant, Lehigh |
| 29 | TENN-MARTIN | QB | Gerard Nesbitt | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Tenn. State, Ark-PB |
| 30t | EASTERN ILLINOIS | LB | Colin Bohanek | Chicago, IL | UT Martin, Holy Cross |
| 30t | JACKSONVILLE STATE | OL | Bryce Nicely | Knoxville, TN | Western Illinois, Austin Peay |
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- RANKINGS: MVFC Recruiting Rankings (Sept. 2019)
- RANKINGS: CAA Recruiing Rankings (Sept. 2019)
- RANKINGS: Big Sky Recruiing Rankings (Oct. 2019)
- RANKINGS: SoCon Recruiting Rankings (Oct. 2019)
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