So how’s Tiger football recruiting going?

That’s the question being asked among the U of M faithful in advance of Wednesday’s start of the national signing period.

If you’re looking for a barometer, Rivals.com lists four Tiger recruits/junior college signees as being 3-star caliber (on a scale of mostly 2-to-5). By comparision, last year’s class listed Duke Calhoun and Matt Malouf as 3-star players.

It’s the first time Memphis has had as many as four 3-star players in its class since 2003, a year in which Jamaal Rufus, Bobby Robison and Chris Kelley were among five players dubbed with the honor.

The only Memphis recruits to earn Rivals.com’s 4-star rating since 2002 have been DeAngelo Williams and Willie Henderson (in 2002), Quinton McCrary (in 2003) and Greg Hinds (in 2004). Of those 4-star players, only Williams has clearly earned the rating.

The best of the 3-star talent since 2002? Maurice Avery (in 2002) was a special player and an outstanding competitor whose conversion to quarterback during an injury plagued 2005 season helped the Tigers to the postseason. Joseph Doss (in 2004) has been a solid running back and receiver Duke Calhoun (in 2006) may have been shorted a star by Rivals.com. Calhoun is as gifted an athlete, behind DeAngelo Williams, that West’s staff has signed.

Hard to tell the impact this year’s group of 3-star players will have, although junior college defensive lineman Freddie Barnett (the ex-Arkansas signee) and junior college receiver Steven Black (the ex-Louisville signee) are projected to be key contributors early.