First-year CMU football coach Dan Enos looks for three qualities in perspective recruits.

First, they must qualify physically.

Second, an athlete has to show good character. Enos says he is more interested in a player being a good person than a good athlete.

And third, a recruit must cut it academically.

Enos announced his first recruiting class at Central on National Signing Day at CMU's Indoor Athletic Facility. He outlined what he looks for on the recruiting trail during a press conference on Wednesday.

"If a guy can do it physically on the tape, but there's a question to his character, we're not going to recruit him," Enos said. "If a guy can't make it academically, or doesn't take his academics serious we're not interested in having that young man here."

FOR VIDEO OF COACH ENOS' PRESS CONFERENCE AND CAPSULES OF CMU SIGNEE'S CLICK HERE

Enos earned praise during his previous coaching stint, as an assistant coach at Michigan State University, for recruiting big-name athletes from the Detroit area. And his initial class at Central definitely has a Detroit flavor.

Ten of the 20 recruits are from Detroit or the surrounding area, including three defensive players who earned three-star status from respected recruiting website Rivals.com.

Nores Fradi (Dearborn Heights, Mich./Dearborn HS), Kevin Henry (Morris, Ill./Morris HS) and Anthony Hollis (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids CC) highlight the 2010 Chippewa defensive recruits.

Fradi is a 6-foot, 210-pound linebacker who was ranked No. 16 on the Detroit Free Press Fab 50. Fradi was an Associated Press Division 1-2 first-team all-state selection. He also made the Detroit News and Detroit Free Press Dream Teams.

"When you're around (Fradi) he's electric, people gravitate towards him because he's got a lot of energy," Enos said. "He's a worker, he's tough, he can run. And he's gonna be a guy that's going to fill out to be a 220-pound outside linebacker."

A three-sport star who also played basketball and baseball, the 6-foot-5, 265-pound Henry earned Illinois High School Football Coaches' Association Class 4A all-state honors from his defensive lineman position.

"He plays both sides of the ball very well but we see him as a D-lineman," Enos said. "He can really run and he uses his hands well."

Hollis is Central's lone community college recruit. The 5-foot-10, 185 pound defensive back played the 2009 season at Grand Rapids CC but Enos was familiar with Hollis from his high school days at Detroit Northwestern. Hollis is valuable because he has the size and strength to play safety and the quickness to cover opposing receivers at cornerback.

"Anthony Hollis is a guy that's mature. He's played college football for a couple of years," Enos said. "He'll get a chance to come and get in the mix a little bit."

Other Chippewa defensive recruits include: Avery Cunningham (Cincinnati, Ohio/Winton Woods HS), a 6-foot, 195-pound defensive back, Mike Kinville (Northville, Mich./Detroit Catholic Central), a 6-foot-3, 215 pound linebacker, 6-foot-2, 235 pound defensive end from St. Louis, Mo./De Smet Jesuit HS, Kenny McLendon, Andy Phillips (Lansing, Mich./Waverly HS), a 6-foot-3, 270 pound defensive line man, 6-foot-6, 285 pound Clinton Township Mich./Clintondale HS product Leterius Walton who was a standout lineman on both sides of the ball and 6-foot-4, 227 pound defensive end Joe Wirth (Shelby Township, Mich./Utica Eisenhower).

Enos says he would prefer to redshirt each of his new recruits so they can be fifth-year seniors someday. But he acknowledges that's not always possible.

"If we've got a defensive line, or a defensive end, you know a Kenny McLendon, a L.T. (Walton), a Kevin Henry, you know, one of those guys that can come in and physically get themselves ready from the summer to August to compete, they may have a chance," Enos said.

Although Enos' first class has yet to step foot on the football field as a member of CMU, he is confident that his group has what it takes to make an imprint on Chippewa football.

"We want a guy with character, we want a guy with toughness, we want a guy who is going to go to class and take it very seriously," Enos said. "And we feel we accomplished all those goals with this recruiting class. And we are very excited about it."

By John Schneider