A quick review for those awaiting Wednesday’s start of the national signing period:

*** The 2007 class will include five mid-year signees previously announced.
They are:
OL Cody Stubblefield (6-4, 305) Itawamba (Miss.) Community College
OL Terrence Echols (6-3, 325) Northwest (Miss.) Community College
WR Steven Black (6-3, 208) East Mississippi Community College
LB Tommy Phelps (6-3, 240) Butler County (Kan.) Community College
P Brent Sutherland (6-4, 200) Hinds (Miss.) Community College

SUMMARY: Black, the former Louisville signee, is the marquee player in the mid-year group, but Phelps is a key pickup, too, and a former Kansas signee. Black joins a receiving corps that lost troubled departing seniors Mario Pratcher and Ryan Scott and may lose Maurice Jones. Black and Duke Calhoun could give Martin Hankins two dependable targets. Phelps is needed to shore up a position that has been wanting.

*** Highly touted running back Robert Elliott (Okolona, Miss) and quarterback Larry Smith (Prattville, Ala.) visited the U of M in early January, but are expected to sign with Southeastern Conference programs. Elliott, an Ole Miss commitment, may end up at Mississippi State and Smith is expected to honor his commitment to Vanderbilt. Elliott was one of the top 15 running backs in the nation and Smith one of the top 25 dual-threat quarterbacks.

*** Expect at least six offensive lineman (counting the mid-year signees) to be part of the ‘07 class. Brent Todd (6-4, 295) is biggest (and most mature) of the group. Ronald Leary of Baton Rouge’s Southern Lab isn’t far behnd at 6-2 and 325 pounds. Leary attracted interest from Southern Miss and Clemson, in addition to Ole Miss.

*** There also will be an emphasis on defensive linemen. Four are expected to sign, including Munford’s Tommy Walker (6-2, 270) who chose Memphis over Ole Miss and Lionel Henderson (6-4, 270) of Mobile Davidson. But the key pickup at that position is former Arkansas signee Freddie Barnett (6-1, 290), who comes to Memphis via Trinity Valley (Texas) JC. Barnett enrolled at the U of M last month.

*** The top local signee looks as if it will be Ridgeway defensive end Dasmine Cathey (6-3, 195), who was the Class 5A Lineman of the Year.