What do Blake Corum, Erick All, Tommy Eichenberg, Ruke Orhorhoro, DeWayne Carter, and Javon Foster have in common?
Answer: Their first scholarship offers were from the University of Toledo. (Another answer: All six were NFL draft picks.)
Toledo’s recruiting is constantly under the microscope, and for good reason — the Rockets have displayed a keen sense of who can help their program and how to develop them into contributors, routinely ranking No. 1 in the Mid-American Conference.
The evaluation skills of former recruiting guru Ricky Ciccone, current recruiting director Bryan Gasser, and head coach Jason Candle have been nearly flawless, whether it’s assessing a high school freshman who evolved into a four-star at Michigan or Ohio State or an unheralded player from Florida who became one of the best players in Toledo history.