ASU football coach Dennis Erickson reeled in a big one in his third recruiting campaign.
Vontaze Burfict, the nation’s top-ranked linebacker and ninth-rated player overall, according to Rivals.com, was the headliner of a 2009 class that signed letters of intent to play for the Sun Devils on National Signing Day on Wednesday.
National Signing Day is the first day that high-school seniors can sign a letter of intent to play for the school of their choice.
Burfict, a product of Centennial High School in Corona, Calif., is the highest-ranked recruit the Sun Devils have ever signed.
“I’ve been recruiting a long time, and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a better high-school player than him,” Erickson said of Burfict in a press conference on Wednesday. “He’s a guy that could have an impact next year, we would think.”
Burfict is the latest player to come to ASU by way of the Centennial pipeline.
Running back Ryan Bass and linebackers Brandon Magee and Shelly Lyons — three of the school-record 10 true freshman to see action for the Sun Devils last season — are also products of the Los Angeles-area high school.
Defensive tackle William Sutton from Centennial was also one of the 21 players to sign letters of intent on Wednesday.
ASU now has five players from Centennial on its roster, the most from an out-of-state school to ever be on a Sun Devil roster at the same time.
Burfict gave a verbal commitment to USC close to a year ago, but rumors of the linebacker’s desire to jump ship had been rumbling in the past few weeks.
On Wednesday, the linebacker’s choice to spurn the Trojans in favor of ASU had instant ramifications on the perception of Erickson’s third recruiting class as the Sun Devils’ coach.
Rivals.com had ASU’s 2009 recruiting class ranked at No. 43 in the nation before signing day, but the addition of Burfict immediately jumped the Sun Devils up to No. 30.
“Every time he plays, he dominates,” Erickson said. “When he hits you, it hurts.”
Last week, before the winds of change blew Burfict to ASU, defensive tackle Corey Adams was considered the gem of this year’s recruiting class.
The 6-foot-3-inch, 292-pound defensive tackle is a local product who helped lead Scottsdale’s Saguaro High School to a third consecutive state championship this season.
“He’s one of the better defensive linemen in the country,” Erickson said of Adams. “He has the opportunity to come in and play.”
The Sun Devils also signed Saguaro players Max Smith (tight end) and Kody Koebensky (offensive lineman).
In all, ASU landed nine in-state recruits. Erickson said that winning the battle for Arizona players will be a key to consistent winning in the Pac-10.
“If we can keep the majority of the players [from Arizona] here, then we’re going to win and we’re going to be successful,” Erickson said.
Other top recruits from Arizona include running back Jamal Miles, a four-star recruit from Peoria High School, and wide receiver J.J. Holiday from Santa Rita High School in Tucson.
Four of ASU’s recruits have already arrived in Tempe and will be eligible to participate in spring practice.
Most notable is 6-foot-8-inch quarterback Brock Osweiler, who graduated early from Flathead High School in Kalispell, Mont., in order to come to ASU and get a head start on the quarterback battle for next season.
“He has huge potential,” Erickson said. “You would not know he is 6-foot-8, he has a lot of talent.”
Matthew Tucker, a safety from Grandview High School in Aurora, Colo., also enrolled at ASU in January and will participate in spring drills.
The Sun Devils also added two junior college transfers to their roster on Wednesday.
Cornerback LeQuan Lewis, a transfer from Cerritos College in Norwalk, Calif., will add speed to the ASU secondary next season.
“I’ve been told he’s the fastest guy we’ve got on our team,” Erickson said.
The Sun Devils also added Dean Deleone, a 6-foot-3-inch defensive end from Orange Coast Community College in Park City, Utah.
Erickson said he was also excited about Osahon Irabor out of Upland High School in Upland, Calif., the No. 28 cornerback in the country, according to Rivals.com.
“He’s another guy that might have a chance to come in and play next year,” Erickson said. “He was number one on our board at corner.”
Reach the reporter at nkosmide@asu.edu.
