Breaking down Swains commitment

TCU nabbed a big commit Friday afternoon in Kansas City-area linebacker Jimmie Swain. The four-star becomes the Horned Frogs' ninth 2014 commit and the first linebacker of the class.

A quick breakdown:

Who TCU beat out: Michigan, Michigan State and Oregon were Swain's other finalists. He also held offers from Stanford, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Missouri and others.

What it means for TCU: Gary Patterson loves his linebackers and the Frogs have been thin at the position the past couple of seasons. After bringing in two at the position in the 2013 class (a third, Dac Shaw, didn't qualify), Swain's commitment only bolsters a key position in Patterson's defense. At 6-foot-2, 225 pounds, he's physical enough to stop the run yet athletic enough to be versatile in pass coverage. Swain came onto the scene late, starting out as a three-star before being bumped up to a four-star. His stock should only rise more once the high school season begins.

Who Swain compares to: Think of a more athletic Marcus Mallet. Swain is bigger than Paul Whitmill and Sammy Douglas, but he has comparable coverage and speed skills.

Why it's important now: For starters, Swain's pledge fills a need in the 2014 class in an impactful way. Secondly, with Ty Barrett's announcement coming Saturday, this could be the beginning of a momentum period for the Frogs, recruiting-wise, heading into the regular season. Needless to say, a Swain-Barrett combo snag would make for one heck of a recruiting weekend.