Western Kentucky laid the groundwork of its 2018 signing class in December, announcing 13 prospects who had signed national letters of intent.

That early work means Wednesday – the traditional National Signing Day – has been about filling in gaps and rounding out the class.

The Hilltoppers announced 10 more prospects as of 11 a.m. Wednesday, with more expected to sign later in the morning.

The program announced its new signees on Twitter as NLIs rolled in. Coach Mike Sanford is scheduled to speak about WKU’s new signees at a 2 p.m. news conference.

WKU’s Class of 2018 ranked No. 3 in Conference USA as of 11 a.m., per 247 Sports Composite, behind No. 1 Florida International and No. 2 Louisiana Tech.

This is the second recruiting class for Sanford, who was hired in December 2016. He and his staff had less than two months to build their 2017 recruiting class but have had a whole year to construct this group of recruits.

“I think we’re going to be ecstatic,” Nate Dennison, WKU’s director of recruiting, told the Daily News on Monday. “… Obviously it’ll tell the tale as the years go by and you can kind of look back on it and see. There are always going to be some unknowns and uncertainties.

“We feel really, really good about it, really do. We feel like this could be one of the better classes we’ve signed at WKU.”

College football’s first December signing period made the picture clearer for Sanford and his staff heading into January. The Toppers announced 13 prospects Dec. 20, highlighted by quarterback Kevaris Thomas (Lakeland High School, Lakeland, Fla.), who 247 Sports upgraded Tuesday to a four-star prospect.

Other notable December signees included safety Arthur Brathwaite (Miami Central HS, Miami), defensive tackle Lichon Terrell (Callaway HS, Hogansville, Ga.) and wide receiver Spencer Gaddis (Alpharetta HS, Alpharetta, Ga.) – all three-star recruits.

Offensive tackle Gunner Britton (Conway HS, Conway S.C.) and safety Malik Occuir (Northeast HS, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) both signed in December and enrolled at WKU last month for the start of the spring semester. They’ve been working out with the team and can participate in spring practice, which starts next month.

“In certain positions it restarted the process a little bit because it gave us time to… build our board,” Dennison said of the new recruiting calendar. “I think it made it easier for us because we could hone in on certain positions we didn’t really take care of in December.”

Offensive tackle Mason Brooks (Cedar Park HS, Cedar Park, Texas), tight end Jay Gibson (McCallie School, Chattanooga, Tenn.), running back Garland LaFrance (St. Augustine HS, New Orleans) and wide receiver Anthony Spurlock (Edna Karr HS, New Orleans) all committed to WKU over the last two weeks.

The Hilltoppers then picked up a signature Wednesday morning from defensive back B.J. Crim (Vanguard HS, Ocala, Fla.) He didn’t announce his pledge to WKU until signing with the Toppers.

Crim is rated by 247 Sports Composite as a three-star prospect ranked No. 1,181 overall in the Class of 2018, No. 94 among safeties in the class and No. 180 among Florida natives in the class.

Crim’s other reported offers include Bowling Green, Central Florida, Florida Atlantic, Georgia State, Iowa State, Louisville, Marshall, Notre Dame, Ohio, Rutgers, Southern Mississippi, Troy, Wake Forest and FCS school Florida A&M.

WKU Class of 2018 signees announced in December

Gino Appleberry, RB, Creekside HS, Fairburn, Ga.

Devin Bell, DE, Goshen HS, Goshen, Ala.

Arthur Brathwaite, S, Miami Central HS, Miami

Gunner Britton, OT, Conway HS, Conway, S.C.

Russell Brown, WR, Lehigh Senior HS, Lehigh Acres, Fla.

Spencer Gaddis, WR, Alpharetta HS, Alpharetta, Ga.

Cardavion Myers, CB, Piedmont HS, Piedmont, Ala.

Malik Occuir, S, Northeast HS, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Jayden Patterson, CB, Mountain View HS, Lawrenceville, Ga.

Lichon Terrell, DT, Callaway HS, Hogansville, Ga.

Kevaris Thomas, QB, Lakeland HS, Lakeland, Fla.

Trey Urquhart, LB, North Cobb HS, Kennesaw, Ga.

Mario Wright, LB, Homewood-Flossmoor HS, Flossmoor, Ill.

Signees announced Wednesday (as of 10 a.m.)

Shannon Bishop, CB, Pleasure Ridge Park HS, Louisville

Mason Brooks, OT, Cedar Park HS, Cedar Park, Texas

B.J. Crim, DB, Vanguard HS, Ocala, Fla.

Jay Gibson, TE, McCallie School, Chattanooga, Tenn.

Garland LaFrance, RB, St. Augustine HS, New Orleans

Tre Leslie, LB, Tucker HS, Tucker, Ga.

Deporess Schletty, DT, Alpharetta HS, Alpharetta, Ga.

Anthony Spurlock, WR, Edna Karr HS, New Orleans

Nazir Sy, DT, Norcross HS, Norcross, Ga.

Kawan Williams, WR, Beach HS, Savannah, Ga.

Other Class of 2018 commitments

Terez Traynor, WR, Doss HS, Louisville