Getty ImagesOkay, now the college football season is feeling closer (though it’s still 99 days away).
The Football Bowl Association released the 2012-13 bowl schedule today, with all 35 games being played over 17 days. So mark your calendars, and when the time comes, grab your favorite beverage and tune out all your in-laws that came in during the holiday season even though you told your husband/wife you didn’t have room for them.
Getty Images(Below are the bios released by Washington State on the new members of its 2013 recruiting class.)
The following student-athletes signed Financial Aid Agreements or a National Letter of Intent and enrolled at WSU in January and are attending classes:
LYMAN FAOLIU
Defensive End
6-2 / 275
Vallejo, Calif. / Vallejo HS / College of San Mateo ‘12
FAOLIU’S JUNIOR COLLEGE CAREER
Attended College of San Mateo…as a FRESHMAN, tallied 36 tackles with 6.5 tackles-for-loss including two sacks…also intercepted one pass and forced one fumble…as a SOPHOMORE, named to the All-NorCal Conference team…recorded 46 tackles including 3.5 tackles-for-loss and two sacks…also recovered a fumble…rated three stars by Rivals.com and member of ESPN’s Top-100 Junior College players…enrolled in January and have three years to play two.
FAOLIU’S HIGH SCHOOL CAREER
Attended Vallejo High School…as a JUNIOR, earned all-league second team honors as a defensive lineman…as a SENIOR, named all-league first team as both an offensive and defensive lineman…also threw shotput and discus.
IVAN McLENNAN
Linebacker
6-3 / 220
Hawthorne, Calif. / Leuzinger HS ‘11 / El Camino College ‘12
MCLENNAN’S JUNIOR COLLEGE CAREER
Attended …as a FRESHMAN, earned All-Central Conference honors after making 77 tackles, 10.5 tackles-for-loss and three sacks…intercepted one pass and recovered three fumbles…as a SOPHOMORE earned Junior College All-American honors and First Team All-Central Conference honors after making 79 stops including 9.5 tackles-for-loss and 1.5 sacks…had one interception he returned of a touchdown…also forced a fumble and recovered one…rated three stars by Rivals.com…rated the No. 24 junior college prospect and No. 2 outside linebacker prospect by 247Sports.com.
MCLENNAN’S HIGH SCHOOL CAREER
Attended Leuzinger High School…as a SENIOR, named All-Bay League i rst team and defensive MVP of 2011 Lions All-Star game.
AP(Below is Syracuse’s press release on the players added as part of its 2013 recruiting class.)
First-year Orange head coach Scott Shafer and his staff hit the recruiting trail like the experienced, veteran coaches they are and added 19 student-athletes to football program on Wednesday. Named head coach on January 9, Shafer quickly and efficiently assembled a staff with outstanding football pedigrees. The group spent the last four weeks building the recruiting class that will strengthen the program as it moves to the Atlantic Coast Conference.
“We spent the last few weeks doing a good job of putting together a great class of young men who we think can help us win games here at Syracuse,” Shafer said. “I’m really excited about this class because it represents high character men who really love that game of football and treat it with respect. I was proud of the way they operated on the signing date. I think you guys will be excited to meet these kids when they get on campus.”
The offensive line added four players, while the receiving corps, defensive line and linebacker unit are three stronger. SU also added a pair of defensive backs, tight ends and quarterbacks.
The class includes four players from Florida, two each from New York, California and Illinois, and one from nine other states, including Arizona, Delaware, Georgia, Kansas, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
Reuters(Below is Stanford’s press release on the players added as part of its 2013 recruiting class.)
STANFORD, Calif. – Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football David Shaw announced today the members of the 12-man 2013 recruiting class who have officially signed their National Letter of Intent and Financial Aid Agreement to play football at Stanford University.
“When you look at our 2013 class, you will see size. You will see athleticism. You will see toughness,” said Shaw, the two-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year. “We made it a point in this class to find tight ends and linebackers who can physically do what we need, and we’re excited about the guys we found.”
A class mirroring Stanford’s on-field prowess built upon big athletes, today’s signees average 6’4” and 235 pounds. That comes in a class with no defensive linemen and just two offensive linemen.
The 12 newest Cardinal hail from eight different states. Five come from California, plus one each from Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Utah and Virginia.
While the number of available scholarships due to a small graduating senior class limited the size of Stanford’s recruiting class, the quality stands strong. As of the completion of today’s final signing, the 2013 Cardinal class ranked 16th in the nation for average player rating and 17th by 247Sports.com.
Among Stanford’s 12 signees, five were named PrepStar All-Americans and five were members of the ESPN 300. Nine of the 12 members of Stanford’s 2013 signing class were rated at least four stars by various recruiting services, including two five-star selections. Nine signees were also selected to play in an All-American game, while 10 were ranked top-25 in the nation at their respective positions by various services.
Seven of these signees are slated for offense – three tight ends, two offensive linemen, a quarterback and a wide receiver – with a quartet on defense – two each at outside linebacker and inside linebacker. One player is listed on both sides of the ball at wide receiver / cornerback. Following several successful recruiting classes at the positions, Stanford passed on signing a running back or defensive lineman for 2013.
“Offensively, we believe that we’ve added exciting firepower,” said Shaw. “Ryan Burns is a big, athletic, strong-armed quarterback, and he is joined by Francis Owusu, who is one of the most explosive wide receivers in the nation. Up front, we have added two physical, aggressive and versatile offensive linemen who fit our style and temperament of play.
“People have asked me the last few years, ‘Where do you find those tight ends?’ We believe that we have three guys in this class who can be as productive in the running game and passing game as Coby Fleener, Zach Ertz and Levine Toilolo were for us.”
Stanford’s three-man tight end haul is a leading strength of the 2013 signing class. Austin Hooper (San Ramon, Calif./De La Salle HS) is a First-Team All-State two-way standout, captain of the CIF Open Division State Champions and No. 1 ranked team in the nation. Greg Taboada (Atlanta, Ga./Marist HS) also earned First-Team All-State honors and was ranked the 167th overall prospect in the nation and 18th overall player in Georgia by ESPN.com. A talented receiving threat and athlete in the mold of Ertz, Eric Cotton (Nampa, Idaho/Columbia HS) may be a sleeper in this class, unranked in any category by Rivals.com and holding one other Pac-12 scholarship offer, though ranked 227th overall in the nation and first overall in Idaho by 247Sports.com.
The Cardinal signed one of the nation’s top quarterbacks in Ryan Burns (Leesburg, Va./Stone Bridge HS), a PrepStar Dream Team selection and U.S. Army All-American who can throw and run at 6’5” and 225 pounds. Burns came to the forefront of Stanford’s recruiting in the summer of 2011, when he thrilled at the Cardinal’s Quarterback Academy camp. He ranked top-six in the nation among pro-style quarterbacks in the 2013 class by PrepStar, ESPN.com and Rivals.com.
A familiar name to Stanford, wide receiver Francis Owusu (Oxnard, Calif./Oaks Christian School) is the younger brother of former Cardinal wideout Chris Owusu (2008-11), now playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The younger Owusu is a taller version at 6’3” who broke his high school’s receiving records and ranked among the top 20 wide receivers in the nation by PrepStar and Rivals.com.
A year after signing what was hailed as the top offensive line recruiting class in the history of college football, Stanford selectively and patiently targeted versatile and athletic linemen to fit the Cardinal’s culture. Both were found in Southern California, after standout performances at Stanford’s summer camps. David Bright (Yorba Linda, Calif./Mater Dei HS) can play tackle or guard and rated as a PrepStar All-American. Thomas Oser (Los Angeles, Calif./Harvard-Westlake School) is an experienced center ranked 11th in the nation by 247Sports.com who can also play offensive guard.
“Defensively, with the depth of young talent in the defensive backfield and the returning strength of our defensive line, we’ve added four linebackers in this class who can run and hit and play the aggressive style of defense for which Stanford has come to be known,” said Shaw. “Each of these linebackers has unique abilities in pass rush and in coverage, and they will add to the strength and depth of our front seven.”
Outside linebacker Peter Kalambayi (Matthews, N.C./Butler HS) is one of the most decorated players in the nation, earning First-Team All-American honors by USA Today, selected to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and one of five finalists for the high school Butkus Award. Kalambayi is ranked top-100 among all players in the nation by PrepStar and Rivals.com and consensus top-10 nationally at various linebacker positions. He is joined by Mike Tyler (Brecksville, Ohio/Brecksville-Broadview Heights HS), an All-Ohio performer who recorded 18 sacks his senior season.
Kevin Palma (Pixley, Calif./Mission Oak HS) is ranked the 10th best middle linebacker in the nation and 196th overall player by Scout.com. He earned First-Team All-State honors following a senior season that saw him record 19 tackles for loss including a school-record eight in one game. Paired at inside linebacker in this class is Sean Barton (North Salt Lake, Utah/Woods Cross HS), a PrepStar All-American and consensus top-three player in Utah who played myriad positions on both sides of the ball. Barton totaled 43 touchdowns and nearly 4,000 receiving yards on offense plus more than 200 tackles and 36 tackles for loss on defense in his career but will wait until 2015 to enroll at Stanford University, following his two-year LDS church mission in Africa.
Three-way threat Taijuan Thomas (Monroe, La./Ouachita Parish HS) has prospects at both wide receiver and cornerback plus special teams for Stanford, with demonstrated track speed and playmaking football ability that earned him top-35 prospect rankings in Louisiana by ESPN.com and Rivals.com and Honorable Mention All-State honors.
“Taijuan Thomas is one of those explosive athletes who could help us on offense, defense and special teams,” said Shaw. “We can’t wait for his playmaking ability to impact our team.”
For detailed bios and highlight videos on all 12 Stanford Class of 2013 signees, visit SigningDay Central.
The Cardinal kicks off spring practices in less than three weeks on Feb. 25, with the Cardinal & White Spring Game returning to Stanford Stadium – for the first time since 2009 – on April 13 at 3pm.
2013 Stanford National Letter of Intent Signing Class
* PrepStar All-Americans (5): ILB Sean Barton, OG/OT David Bright, QB Ryan Burns, OLB Peter Kalambayi, WR Francis Owusu
* USA Today All-American (1): OLB Peter Kalambayi
* ESPN 300 (5): QB Ryan Burns, TE Austin Hooper, OLB Peter Kalambayi, WR Francis Owusu, TE Greg Taboada
* Scout 300 (3): OLB Peter Kalambayi, WR Francis Owusu, ILB Kevin Palma
* Rivals 250 (3): QB Ryan Burns, OLB Peter Kalambayi, WR Francis Owusu
* 247Sports 247 (4): QB Ryan Burns, TE Eric Cotton, OLB Peter Kalambayi, ILB Kevin Palma
* Tacoma News Tribune Western 100: ILB Sean Barton, TE Eric Cotton, TE Austin Hooper, WR Francis Owusu, ILB Kevin Palma
* U.S. Army All-American Bowl selections (2): QB Ryan Burns, OLB Peter Kalambayi
* Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl selections (4): ILB Sean Barton, TE Austin Hooper, OG/C Thomas Oser, WR Francis Owusu
* Offense-Defense All-American Bowl selections (3): ILB Sean Barton, ILB Kevin Palma, TE Greg Taboada
* International Bowl selection by Team USA (1): TE Eric Cotton
Barton, Sean … ILB … 6-3 … 220 … North Salt Lake, Utah … Woods Cross HS
Bright, David … OT/OG … 6-5 … 290 … Yorba Linda, Calif. … Mater Dei HS
Burns, Ryan … QB … 6-5 … 225 … Leesburg, Va. … Stone Bridge HS
Cotton, Eric … TE … 6-6 … 235 … Nampa, Idaho … Columbia HS
Hooper, Austin … TE … 6-4 … 245 … San Ramon, Calif. … De La Salle HS
Kalambayi, Peter … OLB … 6-3 … 240 … Matthews, N.C. … Butler HS
Oser, Thomas … OG/C … 6-5 290 … Los Angeles, Calif. … Harvard-Westlake School
Owusu, Francis … WR … 6-3 … 193 … Oxnard, Calif. … Oaks Christian School
Palma, Kevin … ILB … 6-2 240 … Pixley, Calif. … Mission Oak HS
Taboada, Greg … TE … 6-5 … 235 … Atlanta, Ga. … Marist HS
Thomas, Taijuan … WR/CB … 5-10 … 185 … Monroe, La. … Ouachita Parish HS
Tyler, Mike … OLB … 6-5 … 225 … Brecksville, Ohio … Brecksville-Broadview Heights HS
AP(Below is Wake Forest’s press release on the players added as part of its 2013 recruiting class.)
WINSTON-SALEM, NC – Wake Forest head football coach Jim Grobe on Wednesday announced the addition of 25 newcomers to the Demon Deacon football squad. Grobe announced the signing of 22 prospective student-athletes to National Letters of Intent and also released the names of three newcomers who enrolled at Wake Forest in January.
The signing class consists of players from 12 states including five from Florida and four each from Georgia, North Carolina and Texas. In addition, the Deacons received commitments from players in Alabama, California, Massachusetts, Maryland, New York, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
The class is evenly distributed on both sides of the ball. Wake Forest is adding 14 defensive players, 10 on offense, and one kicker.
The 25 signees mark the most since Grobe became head coach prior to the 2001 season. The previous largest class was 23 in 2003.
The Deacons will welcome four new offensive linemen including center Cory Helms (6-4, 290) from Milton High School near Atlanta and his high school teammate Josh Harris (6-4, 290). Wake Forest will also add linemen Cameron Gardner (6-5, 275) from Bailey, NC (Southern Nash) and Taylor Chambers (6-8, 300) from Columbia, SC (Irmo).
Three receivers will join Wake Forest next fall including wideout Tyree Harris (6-2, 180) of Marietta, GA (Marietta). The Deacons also signed a pair of tight ends/H-backs in Cam Serigne (6-3, 215) of Ashburn, VA (Briar Woods), and Brendan O’Neil (6-4, 220) of Burlington, MA (Buckingham Browne and Nichols).
Wake Forest added a quarterback in 6-3, 195-pound Michael Radford of Charlotte, NC (Country Day). Two running backs also inked with the Deacons. Dez Wortham (6-0, 205) of Frisco, TX (Hebron) is coming off ACL surgery last fall and John Armstrong (5-9, 165) of Orlando, FL (Olympia) has all the tools to become a slot receiver.
On defense, Wake Forest added five outside linebackers to fit its 3-4 scheme. The quintet includes Julian Thomas-Jackson (6-4, 210) of Dothan, AL (Dothan), Wendell Dunn (6-3, 210) of Miami, FL (Palmetto), Lance Virgile (6-2, 220) of Fort Lauderdale, FL (St. Thomas), Ali Lamot (6-2, 200) of Mebane, NC (Eastern Alamance) and Duke Ejiofor (6-4, 220) of Houston, TX (Alief Taylor).
Both of Wake Forest’s new inside linebackers are already enrolled and will participate in spring drills. They include Marquell Lee (6-3, 220) of Pomfret, MD (Westlake) and Ford Howell (6-1, 225) from Memphis, TN (University School).
The Deacons will add five newcomers in the secondary including cornerbacks Deonte Davis (5-10, 170) of Snellville, GA (South Gwinnett), Josh Okonye (6-0, 185) of Sugar Land, TX (George Ranch), Brad Watson (6-0, 170) of Round Rock, TX (Round Rock), and Jalen Latter (6-0, 185) of Charlotte, NC (Vance) as well as safety Michael Stevenson (6-0, 175) of Clearwater, FL (Central Catholic).
Along the defensive front, Wake Forest signed Andrew Hauser (6-2, 235) of Covina, CA (Charter Oak). The Deacons have James Looney (6-3, 275) of Lake Worth, FL (Lake Worth) on campus as an early enrollee. Looney, a projected nose guard, is the younger brother of former Wake Forest All-ACC guard Joe Looney, now with the San Francisco 49ers.
Wake Forest also added a kicker/punter in Mike Weaver (6-1, 180) of Pine City, NY (Elmira Southside). Weaver has been out of high school for two years while pursuing college football opportunities after a stellar amateur soccer career.
Notes
• Lance Virgile, from St. Thomas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is from the same high school that produced Wake Forest great Brian Piccolo. The stadium at St. Thomas is named after Piccolo. At the time Piccolo attended the school, it was known as Central Catholic.
• With the addition of OL Josh Harris, Wake Forest will have three players named Josh Harris on next year’s squad. The senior Harris is a running back from Duncanville, Texas who has rushed for 1,760 career yards. He will be a senior in 2013. Another Josh Harris is a walk-on defensive back from Raeford, NC who did not see any game action last fall. The newest Josh Harris is an offensive lineman.
• The largest signing classes in the Grobe Era include this year’s group of 25, followed by 23 in 2003, and 22 in 2005 and 2000.
• Quarterback Michael Radford’s father, Michael, Sr., was a guard at Marshall when Jim Grobe was an assistant coach with the Thundering Herd (1979-83).
(Writer’s note: below the jump are the complete bios of all 25 members of Wake Forest’s 2013 recruiting class.)
AP(Below is Iowa State’s press release on the players added as part of its 2013 recruiting class.)
AMES, Iowa – They come from eight states, covering every position on the football field. For Iowa State head coach Paul Rhoads, this group of 25 student-athletes who signed national letters of intent to join the Cyclones’ upward-bound program Wednesday, they are family. All the dust of signing day has cleared and Rhoads couldn’t be happier.
“I’m very pleased with our 2013 recruiting class and the decisions that came together for all of us today,” Rhoads said. “A class like this comes together through relationship-building that our coaches accomplished with these young men who are here now and will be coming to Iowa State University. The foundation of recruiting is still the strength of the relationships built by our coaches with these new members of the Cyclone family and their parents.”
Iowa State’s newest Cyclones include four individuals who are already enrolled and participating in strength and conditioning work outs. Tight end Emmanuel Bibbs, Jr. chose Iowa State after earning junior college All-America honors at Arizona Western. He caught 22 passes last season for 230 yards and six touchdowns. As a freshman, his team played for the 2011 junior college national championship. His new Cyclone teammate, Aaron Wimberly, played with his Iowa Western team in the 2012 junior college title game. He also earned All-America honors after rushing for 1,125 yards and 13 touchdowns at Iowa Western. Freshmen offensive lineman Shawn Curtis and linebacker Alton Meeks started college at Iowa State with the start of the second semester. All four Cyclones were offered scholarships by a variety of the nation’s top college football programs. They all chose Iowa State.
“We addressed every single position group,” Rhoads said. “We had dropped down in some numbers in the quarterback position and offensive line position and we were able to bring those numbers up to a level where we are comfortable. Maintaining a balance in those numbers is crucial to the future of any college football program.”
The 2013 Iowa State football recruiting class is the fifth of the Paul Rhoads era. By taking the Cyclones to three bowl games in his first four seasons, his previous signing classes have made a statement on the field. Now it is the turn of the newest Iowa Staters to make their own indelible mark in Cardinal and Gold.
AP(Below are the bios released by Wisconsin on the new members of its 2013 recruiting class.)
Hayden Biegel
Freshman
Offensive Line
6-7 / 275
Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. (Wisconsin Rapids)
High School: Three-star recruit according to ESPN, Rivals and Scout … ranked as the No. 82 offensive tackle by Scout, No. 105 by ESPN … rated as the No. 6 recruit in the state of Wisconsin by ESPN, No. 12 by Rivals … won the 2012 Joe Thomas Award as the most outstanding senior offensive lineman in Wisconsin … first-team all-state by Wisconsin Football Coaches Association as a junior and senior … two-time first-team all-conference selection as a junior and senior … conference offensive lineman of the year as a senior … team captain as a senior … also lettered in track and field … three-year honor roll student … head coach was Tony Biolo
Personal: Parents are Jamie and Rocky Biegel … brother of Badgers linebacker Vince Biegel … father played linebacker at BYU from 1988-92 and also wrestled at BYU … uncle, T.D. Biegel, played fullback at BYU from 1989-93 … grandfather, Ken Biegel, played linebacker and offensive line at UW-Eau Claire … enjoys skiing, hunting and fishing
Keelon Brookins
Freshman
Defensive Back
5-11 / 185
St. Paul, Minn. (Tartan)
High School: Four-star recruit by Rivals … rated as three-star recruit by ESPN and Scout … ranked No. 32 cornerback in the nation by Rivals, No. 58 by Scout and No. 74 by ESPN … rated the No. 2 recruit in state of Minnesota by Rivals … despite playing in only 12 games due to injury, finished career with nine interceptions as a defensive back and scored seven touchdowns as a wide receiver… as a senior, tallied two interceptions and a forced fumble in three games before missing rest of season with knee injury … had an interception, blocked punt and eight solo tackles in lone game of junior season … as a sophomore, recorded six interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown … also returned a kickoff for a touchdown and scored four offensive TDs on way to All-Classic Suburban Conference honors … claimed 2012 Minnesota Class AA state title in 200 meters as a junior, running a wind-aided 21.90 … Tartan High School’s recipient of 2012 Wendy’s High School Heisman Athletic Award … three-time All-Academic selection … three-year honor roll member … head coach was Tim Murtha
Personal: Parents are Tyrone and Dorene Brookins… active in DECA and Link Crew leadership program … volunteered as elementary school mentor and in children’s ministries at church
AP(Below is Cincinnati’s press release on the players added as part of its 2013 recruiting class.)
CINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati football added 22 student-athletes to its roster, including five who enrolled in January 2013 and will participate in spring football, head coach Tommy Tuberville announced Wednesday, the beginning of the NCAA initial signing period for football.
“Our coaches did an outstanding job of catching up,” Tuberville said. “We are bringing guys in who can help the team win. I don’t want to give offers and scholarships out just to give them out. We have immediate needs at starters and backups so there is no better way than doing that than bringing in some junior college players. The players we have signed will be able to help the team in the near future and we are looking forward to getting started this spring.”
One need Tuberville and his staff were able to address was speed.
“I feel good about the qualities for the players we signed,” Tubervile said. “Speed is one of the main ingredients of the class. We felt it was something that needed to improve as a whole. I don’t look at size as much as much speed and quickness of the players.”
DB Darren Doston (Daytona Beach, Fla./Seabreeze/College of the Sequoias), DB Zach Edwards (Middletown, Ohio/Middletown), ATH Javon Harrison (Dayton, Ohio/Huber Hts. Wayne), DL Jerrell Jordan (Alta Vista, Va./Alta Vista/Copiah-Lincoln CC) and OL Kyle Williamson (Madiera, Ohio/Madiera) made up the early enrollees. Edwards, Harrison and Williamson have freshman eligibility while Doston and Jordan enter with junior eligibility and two seasons to play.
The class is comprised of five defensive backs, three tight ends, four defensive linemen, three athletes, two offensive linemen, two running backs, a pair of wide receivers and a quarterback. Seven junior-college players dot the ranks along with 15 high school student-athletes.
Five are Ohio natives with four, Edwards, OL Ben Flick (Hamilton, Ohio/Hamilton), LB Rasheen Jones (Cincinnati, Ohio/Northwest) and Williamson coming from the greater Cincinnati area.
TE Travis Johnson (Tampa, Fla./Jesuit) is the No. 162 player in the ESPN 300 and he is listed as the nation’s sixth-best tight end and the No. 33 player in the State of Florida.
RB Rodriguez Moore was ranked as the No. 1 junior college running back by 247Sports.com and RB Hosey Williams (Miami, Fla./Southridge/ASA College) was an NJCAA First-Team All-American in 2012. Totaling their individual statistics, the pair combined to rush for 3,687 yards and score 36 touchdowns at the junior college level.
QB Brent Stockstill (Murfreesboro, Tenn./Siegel), a left hander, threw for 2,690 yards and 32 touchdowns while rushing for 653 yards and 10 scores as a senior. His father Rick is the head coach at Middle Tennessee State University and a former All-American QB at Florida State.
DL Terrell Hartsfield (Wake Forest, N.C./Rolesville/Copiah-Lincoln CC) a four-star recruit, was a teammate of Jordan at Copiah-Lincoln CC. The duo combined for 105 tackles and 12.5 sacks as freshmen. They were part of a Wolfpack team that won their first MACJC State Championship since 1985 this past season.
Tshumbi Johnson (Immokalee, Fla./Immokalee) totaled 6,468 yards passing for 57 touchdowns and 2,111 yards rushing for 41 TDs as a prep. Immokalee was the 2012 Class 5A State Runner-up, Region 3 Champions and District 5A-12 Champions with Johnson earned Associated Press Honorable Mention Class 5A All-State honors.
AP(Below are the bios released by Kentucky on the new members of its 2013 recruiting class.)
Jeff Badet, Wide Receiver, 6-0, 170, Fr-HS, Orlando, Fla. (Freedom) – Possesses great quickness and a
sudden burst that help him project as an ideal receiver … Has displayed great hands, body control and the awareness
that make him great at making tough catches in traffic … Caught 63 passes for 881 yards, 10 receiving touchdowns and
six rushing scores as a senior … Played for Coach Andy Johnson, helping Freedom HS to a 7-4 record and state playoff
berth as a senior … Junior stats featured 46 catches for 718 yards and 11 TDs … Ranked No. 13 on the Orlando Sentinel
Central Florida “Super 60” … Finished fifth in the long jump at the Florida state track and field championships … Last name
pronounced “bah-DETT.”
Alvonte Bell, Defensive End, 6-5, 255, Fr-HS, Miramar, Fla. (Everglades) – Explosive defensive end at
Everglades High School in Miramar, Fla., where he was coached by Rodney Rumph … The nation’s No. 24 weakside
defensive end by Rivals.com … The No. 34 overall defensive end according to Scout.com … “Bell is a raw athlete with
speed, length, and quickness that attracts attention his way. He has long arms to get into passing lanes, he can move well
in space, and he really pursues the ball well,” according to Scout analyst Chad Simmons … Was timed at 4.88 in the 40
with a 27-inch vertical … Made 40 tackles as a junior, with his 18 total tackles for loss including 11 quarterback sacks …
Helped led the team to the Florida Class 6A regional quarterfinals his freshman and sophomore seasons … Missed much of
his senior season because of injury … Began high school career as a basketball star before making the move to football …
Name is pronounced “al-VON-tay.”
AP(Below is Missouri’s press release on the players added as part of its 2013 recruiting class.)
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Twenty standout student-athletes have signed a National Letter of Intent (NLI) to attend the University of Missouri and play football for Head Coach Gary Pinkel, as announced today.
“We are very pleased and excited to welcome a very talented group of young men to join our program at Mizzou,” said Head Coach Gary Pinkel. “We feel that this is a high-quality group of players who are good fits for areas of need. This is a versatile group that is excited to be part of our family, and help us compete for championships,” he said.
As of the early afternoon, the new Tiger group was ranked 28th in the country according to its average star rating by Rivals. Overall, the class of newest Tigers has been rated as the 37th-best nationally, according to ESPN, and as the country’s No. 48 class by Rivals.
The winning tradition and academic reputation of the Tiger program under Head Coach Gary Pinkel was surely an attraction for a skilled class of student-athletes. Mizzou continues to excel in the classroom, as it has graduated more than 90 percent of its seniors since 2007. The Tigers played in sevenstraight bowl games from 2005-2011.
In all, 11 of the state of Missouri’s top football talents signed to play for their home state school. Mizzou brought in five of the state’s overall top 10, according to ESPN. The Tiger coaching staff additionally sought out talent from around the Southeastern Conference’s footprint, bringing in student-athletes from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas.
Mizzou’s previous eight classes rated, according to Rivals: 29th in 2002, 28th in 2003, 29th in 2004, 39th in 2005, 47th in 2006, 33rd in 2007, 24th in 2008, 35th in 2009, 21st in 2010, 48th in 2011 and 48th in 2012.
AP(Below are the bios released by Georgia on the new members of its 2013 recruiting class.)
JOHNATHAN ATKINS
DL, 6-4, 305
Thomson, Ga., Thomson HS
Hargrave Military Academy (Va.)
JOHNATHAN ATKINS…Born: December 21, 1992…Enrolled at UGA in January, 2013…Fox Sports NEXT three-star prospect, #23 DT in the country…DawgPost #23 overall prospect in Georgia…Enrolled at UGA in January, 2013…Prep School: Hargrave Military Academy…Finished the 2012 season with 42 total tackles, 2 sacks, 5 tackles for loss and one blocked kick…Hargrave Military Academy Head Coach: Troy Davis.
High School: Thomson…SuperPrep All-Dixie Team…Scout.com three-star player, #23 DT nationally, #23 overall prospect in Georgia…Rivals.com three-star player, #40 DT nationally, #52 overall prospect in Georgia…ESPNU four-star player, #11 DT nationally, #119 overall prospect nationally, #55 overall prospect regionally, #12 overall prospect in Georgia…#122 in the ESPNU Top 150…247sports.com four-star player, #17 DT nationally, #16 overall prospect in Georgia…Participated in the 2012 Under Armour All-American game…High School Coach: Milan Turner.
DAVIN BELLAMY
DL, 6-5, 235
Chamblee, Ga., Chamblee HS
DAVIN BELLAMY… Born: Dec. 27, 1994….High School: Chamblee… PrepStar All-Southeast Region….Fox Sports NEXT four-star prospect, #27 defensive end, #233 overall prospect nationally… Dawg Post rates Bellamy the #4 DE and #20 overall prospect in Georgia… Rivals.com three-star prospect, #25 defensive end in the country and #54 overall in Georgia… ESPN.com four-star recruit, #25 defensive end, #30 overall in Georgia and #299 overall nationally… 247Sports.com three-star recruit, #21 defensive end in the country, #31 overall player in Georgia… As a junior Bellamy recorded 10 tackles for loss and five sacks… Played injured through much of his senior season but managed to post five sacks…High School Coach: Allen Johnson.
AP(Below is Illinois’ press release on the players added as part of its 2013 recruiting class.)
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – University of Illinois head football coach Tim Beckman announced Wednesday the signing of 15 student-athletes to National Letters of Intent to play football for the Fighting Illini in 2013. The 15 newest Illini join 10 other newcomers who are already on campus taking classes – five early enrollees and five junior college transfers – in the 25-man 2013 recruiting class.
“The members of the 2013 Fighting Illini recruiting class are an excellent addition to our program,” Beckman said. “We were able to add quality depth at several positions and upgraded the total athleticism of the team across the board. These are young men from the state of Illinois and across the country who are committed to building the Illini football team into a championship program. Ten of them are already on campus and will be working with the team through the spring, while the additional 15 will be coming to campus in the summer in preparation for the 2013 season.”
The class is ranked in the 39th nationally and fifth in the Big Ten by Scout, and 46th nationally and eighth in the Big Ten by Rivals. It includes 15 skill players and 10 lineman, and features eight players from the state of Illinois, tied for the most since 2008, five from Ohio, three each from California and Florida, two from Michigan and one each from Iowa, Maryland, Texas and Washington, D.C. As a whole, the class includes six state champions, four national champions, and boasts a 2.99 grade point average.
“Each of these young men will have the opportunity to compete for immediate playing time, and I’m sure several will be able to contribute very early in their careers,” Beckman continued. “This class of recruits are outstanding young men, excellent students and come from very successful programs at the high school and junior college level, and will be great additions to our current football players.”
AP(Below is Texas Tech’s press release on the players added as part of its 2013 recruiting class.)
LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech Football Coach Kliff Kingsbury announced the signing of 23 student- athletes as part of his first signing class as head coach of the Red Raiders.
“We are really excited about this 2013 class,” Kingsbury said. “I thought the assistant coaches did an outstanding job on the recruiting trail by helping us fill some immediate needs here. I can’t wait to get these guys in and get going.”
Texas Tech’s 2013 signing class breaks down with 14 players hailing from Texas, five from Georgia, two from California and one from both Michigan and Missouri.
(Writer’s note: below the jump are the complete bios of all 23 members of Texas Tech’s 2013 recruiting class.)
Getty Images(Below is Arizona State’s press release on the players added as part of its 2013 recruiting class.)
TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona State University has signed 27 student-athletes to national letters of intent Wednesday to study and participate in football, head coach Todd Graham announced.
Coach Graham’s second signing class at ASU provides the Sun Devils with excellent talent on offense, defense and special teams and includes players from multiple states across the country.
The class consists of 16 freshmen, five sophomores and six juniors. Four of the student-athletes are midyear transfers already on campus that will participate in spring practice.
ASU’S 2013 Signing Class Includes:
• Student-athletes from nine different home states (Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, Texas).
• Nine players rated in the top-40 at their position as high school recruits: Chans Cox, No. 1 Fullback, Scout.com; Christian Westerman, No. 2 Offensive Tackle, ESPN (2011); Viliami Latu, No. 13 Inside Linebacker, Rivals.com; Matt Haack, No. 15 Kicker, Rivals.com; Marcus Ball, No. 24 Athlete, Rivals.com; James Johnson, No. 24 Safety, ESPN; Corey Smith, No. 33 Weakside Defensive End, Rivals.com; Jayme Otomewo, No. 34 Safety, ESPN; William Earley, No. 37 Cornerback, Scout.com.
• Six transfers rated in the nation’s top-100 overall junior college prospects: DL Marcus Hardison (No. 5, ESPN), WR Jaelen Strong (No. 17, ESPN), LB Antonio Longino (No. 32, Rivals.com), WR Joseph Morris (No. 61, ESPN), TE De’Marieya Nelson (No. 78, ESPN), OL Nick Kelly (No. 95, Rivals.com).
• Four Arizona natives: Cox, DL Kisima Jagne, TE Grant Martinez, Westerman; including the most highly-rated offensive recruit from Arizona in over a decade (Westerman, Scout.com).
• Four junior college transfers with three years of playing eligibility: Kelly, Longino, DB Solomon Means, Strong.
• Sixteen defensive players, 10 offensive players and one specialist.
• Six defensive backs, five defensive linemen, five linebackers, five wide receivers, three offensive linemen, two tight ends and one punter.
• Four midyear transfers: Cox, Jagne, Kelly, Westerman.
(Writer’s note: below the jump are the complete bios of all 27 members of Arizona State’s 2013 recruiting class.)
Reuters(Below is Kansas State’s press release on the players added as part of its 2013 recruiting class.)
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Head football coach Bill Snyder released Kansas State’s 2013 recruiting class Wednesday with the announcement of 32 student-athletes who plan on joining or already are a part of the Wildcat program.
Kansas State’s class of 2013 includes 26 players from the high school ranks and six community-college players. Of the group, nine are currently enrolled at Kansas State and will participate in spring practice.
“As we’ve always maintained, it takes several years to accurately assess the quality of a recruiting class and the young men who represent it,” said Snyder. “Hopefully we have assessed the skills, capabilities and intrinsic values of these young people accurately. As always, time will tell. Part of the value of this class lies in the fact that nine of these student-athletes either have been or will be in classes and participate in our out-of-season program and spring practice. We are impressed by the desire of each of these young men to become the best person, best student and best athlete possible as they seem committed to work hard toward that end.
As always, we greatly appreciate the high school and community college coaches, faculty members and administrators throughout the state of Kansas and the United States who have received our coaches and our program so very graciously, and I am especially proud of the Kansas State faculty for their assistance in conveying the great support services and equally great education provided by this University.”
The defensive side of the ball boasts 18 players, including seven linebackers, six defensive linemen and five defensive backs. K-State’s offensive recruiting haul also includes three offensive linemen, tight ends and wide receivers as well as a pair of quarterbacks. Also included are a place kicker and long snapper, as well as one player listed as an “athlete” who could play on either side of the ball.
As is the case in past years, Kansas State’s class of 2013 also continues to show how broad and thorough Snyder and his staff were on the recruiting trail as 10 different states are represented, including 12 players from the state of Kansas, eight from the state of Texas, three from Iowa, two from the states of Missouri and Nebraska, and one each from the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Louisiana and Oklahoma.
(Writer’s note: below the jump are the complete bios of all 32 members of Kansas State’s 2013 recruiting class.)
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