RB Demarius Robinson latest addition to strong Arizona State football recruiting class

Kenny Dillingham isn't resting on the success he has had on the recruiting trail. He and his Arizona State football staff keep adding pieces to what is shaping up as the best class the school has had in quite some time.

The latest pledge came Wednesday from running back Demarius Robinson of Sante Fe High in Edmond, Oklahoma. It was the sixth commitment of the month and came just days after the Sun Devils landed a local product, 6-foot-4 wide receiver Uriah Neloms of San Tan Charter.

Robinson, a 5-foot-10, 175-pounder, has posted some impressive numbers, running for 4,271 yards (8.4 ypc) and 47 rushing touchdowns. Last season as a junior he totaled 2,139 yards and 28 touchdowns, averaging 10 yards per carry for a team that made the playoffs. He has run for 100 yards or more in 21 of his 25 varsity games.

The addition of Robinson has ASU at No. 14 overall in the 247Sports recruiting rankings, just behind future Big 12 conference foe TCU. That metric is ever-changing as schools add pledges and some flip to a different one. ASU was at No. 1 earlier this spring and has been as high as No. 12 in the national team tally. Rivals also has ASU at No. 14 but has the Sun Devils pegged No. 1 in the conference with TCU at No. 20.

Both recruiting services have ASU ahead of name brand programs USC, Michigan, Texas and Oregon.

This comes despite ASU being slowed by sanctions courtesy of the previous coaching regime, which was guilty of multiple recruiting violations during the COVID pandemic season. The staff is dealing with limitations that include the amount of time they can communicate with recruits, having to curtail their efforts for four weeks between April and August.

So the success is all the more noteworthy. ASU has 19 pledges in the 2025 recruiting class with those coming from nine states. Seven hail from California with four from Texas, a state to which ASU has shifted its focus because of the move to the new conference.

The class includes four wide receivers and five offensive linemen, with Robinson the only running back thus far.

No doubt the haul of wide receivers is the result of the addition of former Pittsburgh Steelers great and Super Bowl MVP Hines Ward as position group coach. All of the commitments from wide receivers have come since his appointment, which came midway through spring practices.

Mikey Scott, a three-star prospect out of Dallastown High in Pennsylvania, said Ward was a key factor in his decision. He had drawn some interest from ASU but hadn't received an offer until Ward joined the staff. Scott confesses he didn't know all of Ward's accolades but educated himself once the coach reached out.

He made an official visit May 31 and committed days later.

"He (Ward) has been where we want to go. I think he's the guy that can help me get bigger, faster and stronger," said Scott, who added he plans to enroll in January. "I really liked my visit. I could see that being the place I play three, four or five years.

"It seemed like a great family atmosphere and I liked that. I think it will help me get better not just as a football player, but as a person."

Here is a quick look at the pledges ASU has in the next recruiting class:

S Benjamin Alefaio (6-1, 190), Orange Lutheran HS, Orange, Calif.: No. 49 at his position nationally and No. 56 in California by 247Sports. Visited ASU April 19 and has 13 offers with BYU, Florida, Penn State and Washington among them.

OT Desean Bryant (6-4, 250), Duncanville HS, Texas: Visited ASU May 31 and selected the school from 10 offers that included Baylor, Houston, Memphis and TCU. Ranked No. 86 at his position nationally, No. 186 in Texas.

WR Cory Butler (5-9, 170), Centennial HS, Corona, Calif.: A speedster out of one of the state's premier programs. Ranked No. 48 in the talent-rich state by 247Sports. Other offers included Oregon, as well as Big 12 foes Utah, Colorado, Kansas and BYU.

QB Cameron Dyer (6-4, 202), La Cueva HS, Albuquerque, N.M.: One of the more recent commitments, picking ASU from nine offers including Utah and Texas Tech. Ranked as the No. 2 prospect out of his state and the No. 55 athlete nationally by 247Sports.

LB Lee Fuimaono (6-1, 215), San Clemente HS, San Clemente, Calif.: Committed to ASU June 1 after an official visit. Also took a trip to San Jose State with offers from San Diego State, BYU and Colorado State. Recorded 93 tackles and an interception last season as a junior.

CB Dajon Hinton (5-10, 175), Hamilton, Chandler: Ranked No. 6 in the state and No. 70 nationally by 247Sports. Can also be impact player on special teams. Has 15 offers with Iowa State, Oregon, Washington and Tennessee among them.

TE Aaron Ia (6-5, 240), Orange Lutheran HS, Orange, Calif.: Ranked 36th in the state, No. 22 nationally at his position by 247Sports. Has 28 offers including Notre Dame, Miami and Florida State. Visited ASU April 30.

LB Isaiah Iosefa (6-1, 190), Waipahu HS, Waipahu, Hawaii: No. 10 recruit in the state and No. 103 nationally by 247Sports. Visited ASU April 19 and picked the Sun Devils from six offers including Washington, Oregon State and Fresno State.

OT Alema Iosua (6-7, 292), Bishop Gorman HS, Las Vegas: No. 11 player in the state and No. 104 nationally by 247Sports. Other offers include Arizona, Washington and Hawaii.

OL Matai Jefferson (6-4, 350), St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif.: Ranked No. 119 in California and a product of one of the nation's premier high school programs. Visited ASU April 19. Other offers included Texas and UNLV.

OT Rob Lapuaho (6-6, 330), West HS, Salt Lake City, Utah: Ranked No. 18 in state and 1207 nationally by 247Sports. Offers included Oklahoma State, Utah and Iowa State. Visited ASU April 26.

WRUriah Neloms (6-4, 196), San Tan Charter HS: A three-star prospect ranked No. 16 in Arizona. He led the 2A team to the semifinals last season, catching 53 passes for 1,118 yards and 13 touchdowns.

RB Demarius Robinson (5-10, 175), Sante Fe HS, Edmond, Okla.: Ranked the No. 16 prospect in the state and No. 71 running back nationally by 247Sports. Among other offers were Big 12 foes Kansas State and Houston.

WR Michael Scott (5-8, 155), Dallastown Area HS, Dallastown, Penn.: One of the receivers recruited by Hines Ward. Had 13 offers with Cincinnati, Kentucky, Maryland, Pitt and West Virginia among them. Ranked the No. 30 player from his state.

S Xavier Skowron (5-10, 180), Texas City HS, Texas City, Texas: Ranked No. 58 at safety and No. 118 in Texas by 247Sports. Visited ASU April 11. Has 12 offers including Arkansas and Mississippi.

CB Joseph Smith (5-11, 170), Legacy the School of Sport Sciences, Spring, Texas: No. 71 at his position and 130 in the state by 247Sports. Was early commit, doing so last August. Has 15 offers with Utah, Michigan State and Purdue among them.

IOL Maki Stewart (6-6, 290), Millikan HS, Long Beach, Calif.: The No. 79 recruit in California and No. 53 nationally at his position. Totaled 17 offers, with USC, Florida State, Texas A&M and South Carolina among them.

QB Michael Tollefson (6-1, 195), Tustin HS, Tustin, Calif.: Was the first pledge in the group and a four-star prospect. No. 37 recruit in California and No. 29 at quarterback by 247Sports' Composite. Picked ASU from 23 offers which also included Georgia, Florida State, Washington and Oregon.

WR Adrian Wilson (6-0, 170), Weiss HS, Pflugerville, Texas: Four-star by 247Sports and Rivals. No. 32 at his position nationally, 36 in state by 247Sports. Has 24 offers — Oregon, Oklahoma, Penn State among them. Visited ASU April 19.