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South Dakota targeted specific needs during the second phase of the 2018 football recruiting season, efforts that were rewarded Wednesday (Feb. 6) with the signatures of 11 new student-athletes. 

The makeup of this group is quite different than the one the Coyotes signed in December. That list was loaded with interior players, specifically on the offensive and defensive lines.

This time the main focus was on the perimeter.

"Becoming more athletic in the back end of our defense was an area that we felt we had to address and we were able to do that, bringing in some young men that we think will fit that mold," South Dakota head coach Bob Nielson said. "We graduated three senior receivers so, again, building depth at that position is a very important part of our offense. That was a priority throughout this recruiting class as well."

Nielson is pleased with the personnel that the Coyotes were able to attract, but he was also left with a favorable impression of college football's new recruiting process.

Overall, he thinks the split schedule accomplished what it was designed to do, which was to limit rescinded commitments on both sides of the recruiting equation.

Nielson believes, over time, more players will take advantage of the early signing option, but he also noticed a significant difference with this year's February period. 

"When young men made a commitment in January, throughout the country, I think those commitments, in general, held stronger," Nielson said. 

Class Breakdown

Here's a look at South Dakota's entire 2018 recruiting class.