National Signing Day Thread - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

Drbio · 02-01-2006, 10:27 PM

I can't believe you guys haven't started this yet.....

Talk it up folks...there are some good classes out there.....

Drbio · 02-01-2006, 10:34 PM

I'm really high on David Gettis. He was the fastest quarter miler in the nation last year.

WACO, Texas -- Baylor University football head coach Guy Morriss announced Wednesday the signing of 29 players to National Letters of Intent for the 2006-07 academic year. Included in Morriss' fourth Baylor recruiting class are 24 high school standouts, four junior college transfers and one Division I-A transfer.

"I believe that this is arguably the best of the four classes we've signed so far," said Morriss. "We've added size, speed and athleticism to our roster. There are some players who I expect to come in and contribute early in their careers.

"There is no question that our improvement last year on the field helped us get in on a higher level player than in past years. Now, we've got to start working on next year's class and continue to make improvement on the field. If each class we bring in is better than the previous year's, we'll get where we want to go."

Three of the four-year junior college transfers (Connor Redfearn, Brandon Stiggers and Paul Tolbert) are currently enrolled at Baylor and will go through spring practice, which begins March 6. Adam Geib, a transfer from the United States Air Force Academy, has also joined the program and will be eligible in 2007 after sitting out a year per NCAA rules. Two others, Jameon Hardeman and Roman James, also enrolled mid-year at Baylor and will be eligible for spring practice and the 2006 season.

The Bears' 2006 newcomers include:

Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown (Previous School)
Tim Atchison S 6-2 180 Copperas Cove, Texas (Copperas Cove)
Tyler Beatty QB 6-3 195 Pflugerville, Texas (Pflugerville)
Antareis Bryan CB 6-1 175 Dallas, Texas (Carter)
Chris Buford DE 6-4 255 Arlington, Texas (Bowie)
Greg Carlson LB 6-3 200 Spring, Texas (Klein Oak)
Dominique Criss CB 5-9 175 Arlington, Texas (Bowie)
Justin Fenty WR 5-10 160 Denton, Texas (Ryan)
--> Jay Finley RB 5-11 180 Corsicana, Texas (Corsicana)
Adam Geib DE 6-5 220 Waco, Texas (Midway/U.S. Air Force Academy)
David Gettis WR 6-4 198 Los Angeles, Calif. (Dorsey)
Dylan Hagens OL 6-7 260 Shiner, Texas (Shiner)
Jameon Hardeman DE 6-1 240 Dallas, Texas (Justin F. Kimball)
Garfield Hicks WR 6-2 172 Waco, Texas (Midway)
Roman James S 6-1 180 Sharon, Mass. (Sharon)
Adrian Johnson OL 6-2 280 Tyler, Texas (John Tyler)
Jeremy Michel OL 6-5 280 Bradenton, Fla. (Manatee)
Chris Mitchell LB 6-3 260 Lancaster, Texas (Lancaster)
Anthony Norice QB 6-1 175 Dallas, Texas (Skyline)
Andre Pierce RB 5-10 185 Mesquite, Texas (Rowlett)
Reid Prince OL 6-4 255 Frisco, Texas (Highland Park)
Ben Randle WR 6-5 200 Plano, Texas (West)
Connor Redfearn DT 6-2 280 Mt. Pleasant, Texas (Mt. Pleasant/Santa Monica College)
Calvin Rubles CB 6-3 186 Richardson, Texas (L.V. Berkner)
Jeremy Sanders QB 6-2 210 Marlin, Texas (Marlin)
Ernest Smith WR 6-3 200 New Orleans, La. (Edna Karr Magnet School/Tyler John Tyler)
Brandon Stiggers S 6-0 185 Houston, Texas (Alief Hastings/Compton Community College)
Brad Taylor Ath 6-3 210 Madisonville, Texas (Madisonville)
Paul Tolbert LB 6-1 230 Decatur, Miss. (Clinch County/East Central Community College)
Jwaun Ward S 6-1 208 Perkinston, Miss. (Hartselle/Mississippi Gulf Coast)
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2006 Baylor Football Class Breakdown:

By State:

Texas (23): Atchison, Beatty, Bryan, Buford, Carlson, Criss, Fenty, Finley, Geib, Hagens, Hardeman, Hicks, Johnson, Mitchell, Norice, Pierce, Prince, Randle, Redfearn, Rubles, Sanders, Stiggers, Taylor.

Mississippi (2): Tolbert, Ward.

California (1): Gettis.

Florida (1): Michel.

Louisiana (1): Smith.

Massachusetts (1): James

By Position (First Position Listed):

Offense (14): Beatty, QB; Fenty, WR; Finley, RB; Gettis, WR; Hagens, OL; Hicks, WR; Johnson, OL; Michel, OL; Norice, QB; Pierce, RB; Prince, OL; Randle, WR; Sanders, QB; Smith, WR;
Defense (14): Atchison, S; Bryan, CB; Buford, DE; Carlson, LB; Criss, CB; Geib, DE; Hardeman, DE; James, S; Mitchell, LB; Redfearn, DT; Rubles, CB; Stiggers, S; Tolbert, LB; Ward, S.
Athlete (1): Taylor.

Player Bios

Tim Atchison
S • 6-2 • 100 • Copperas Cove, Texas (Copperas Cove)
Ranked as nation's 42nd-best safety by Rivals.com and No. 90 on Rivals.com's Texas Top 100 list ... No. 5 on Waco Tribune-Herald's Central Texas Top 25 list ... The defensive MVP of 2005 Waco Tribune-Herald Super Centex team also earned first-team Class 5A all-state honors from both The Associated Press and 5ATexasFootball.com as well as second-team recognition from the Texas Sports Writers Association ... 3-star ranking from Rivals.com ... Registered 147 tackles, six interceptions, three blocked kicks and a fumble recovery as a prep senior en route to District 13-5A defensive player of the year honors ... Returned two of his six interceptions for touchdowns and also took a blocked kick into the end zone for another score ... 2005 Dave Campbell's Texas Football Texas Top 300 selection ... Helped 2005 Bulldawgs to a 12-1 record, a district title, the quarterfinals of the 5A Division II playoffs and a final state ranking of No. 9 ... Had 88 tackles and two interceptions as a junior en route to first-team all-district and honorable mention Tribune-Herald Super Centex honors ... In final two prep seasons led the Cove to back-to-back district titles, a pair of playoff appearances and a 22-3 record ... Coached by Jack Welch at the District 5A-13 school ... Began prep career as a running back and also played wide receiver before settling into the defensive backfield ... "Tim is exactly what you look for in a free safety," Welch said. "He could get his hips turned toward the ball carrier so fast, and when he'd hit you, it was like watching a bullet come out of a gun." ... Runs 4.52 40 ... Also considered Georgia Tech, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Purdue, TCU and UTEP ... The son of Stacey Atchison, Tim was born Sept. 27, 1987.

Guy Morriss on Tim Atchison: "Tim has tremendous size. He is an exceptional center fielder on defense who runs and tackles better than any high school safety I've seen in recent years. With his body and athletic ability, he has a chance to play early in his career at Baylor."

Tyler Beatty
QB • 6-3 • 195 • Pflugerville, Texas (Pflugerville)
In lone season as Pflugerville's starting signal caller, Tyler Beatty completed 84 of 184 passes for 1,688 yards and 13 touchdowns with five interceptions ... Also rushed 66 times for 133 yards and two touchdowns ... Earned first-team District 15-5A honors in final prep campaign ... 2005 team co-captain earned a 2-star rating from Rivals.com ... Threw for a season-high 205 yards and three touchdowns against Austin Westlake in opening round of playoffs, then came back with a 192-yard effort vs. A&M Consolidated ... Led Panthers to a 7-5 record, a district runner-up finish and the second-round of the 2005 Class 5A Division II playoffs ... 2005 Waco Tribune-Herald and Port Arthur News Top 100 member ... 2005 Dave Campbell's Texas Football Texas Top 300 selection despite seeing limited action as a junior behind Texas Tech signee Todd Walker ... Threw for 323 yards (15-of-35) with five touchdowns and three interceptions as a junior ... Made one start as a junior ... Runs a 4.65 40 ... Coached by George Hermann at the District 15-5A school ... "I think Baylor's a great program," Beatty said. "I want to be a part of building something great and putting them in a bowl game." ... Also considered Texas Tech, Purdue, Houston and UTEP ... The son of Mark and Robin Beatty, Tyler was born Sept. 11, 1987.
Guy Morriss on Tyler Beatty: "Tyler has good size and a very good arm. I was very impressed with what I saw from him in camp last summer and believe he'll be a great fit for our new spread offense."

Antareis Bryan
CB • 6-1 • 175 • Dallas, Texas (Carter)
The fifth Dallas Carter Cowboy to sign with the Bears since coach Guy Morriss' arrival in Waco ... Committed to Baylor during his senior season ... 2-star ranking from Rivals.com ... Started all 12 games for the 11-1 Cowboys, who claimed the 2005 district title and advanced to the second round of the playoffs ... Totaled 45 tackles, six pass breakups and three interceptions as a senior ... Runs a 4.4 40 ... Also considered Colorado ... Coached by Allen Wilson at the District 9-5A school ... The son of Roderick and Shawanda Davis, Antareis was born May 20, 1988.
Guy Morriss on Antareis Bryan: "Antareis has tremendous size and speed. I was very impressed with how he plays press coverage - he just smothers the receiver."

Chris Buford
DE • 6-4 • 255 • Arlington, Texas (Bowie)
One of two Fort Worth Star Telegram Top 50 area recruits from Arlington Bowie in Baylor's 2006 recruiting class, joining teammate Dominique Criss ... 2-star Rivals.com ranking ... Credited with 50 tackles in five games as a senior with 12 sacks and five tackles for loss ... Also spent some time at tight end, where he recorded four receptions and 12 pancake blocks ... Earned honorable mention all-district honors as a senior and was a second-team pick as a junior ... Runs a 4.85 40 ... Also considered Missouri and Central Florida ... Coached by Anthony Criss at the District 7-5A school ... The son of Michael and Lavette Buford, Chris was born March 3, 1988.
Guy Morriss on Chris Buford : "Chris is an athletic defensive end who will add size and strength to our defensive line."

Greg Carlson
LB • 6-3 • 200 • Spring, Texas (Klein Oak)
Middle linebacker was a Houston Chronicle Texas Top 100 and Waco Tribune-Herald Top 100 selection ... Also named to Port Arthur News Texas Top 100 ... Earned 2005 preseason third-team Super Team defensive honors from Dave Campbell's Texas Football magazine and was a Texas Top 300 pick ... Led a 2005 Panther defense which yielded 19.7 points per game and produced a pair of shutouts ... First-team all-area selection and two-time first-team all-district performer ... 2005 co-District 18-4A defensive MVP ... Helped team to a 9-2 record and a playoff bid as a senior ... Registered 165 total tackles, including 103 solos, in final prep campaign ... Also had an interception which he returned for a touchdown and 10 tackles for loss ... Had 23 tackles (9 solos) in 2005 season-opening victory over Klein Collins and had 19 stops (9 solos) in win over Oak Ridge to earn team's defensive game MVP honor the following week ... Two-time team defensive MVP pick ... Started at defensive tackle as a junior ... Selected Baylor over Iowa State, Missouri, TCU, Indiana, Duke, New Mexico and UTEP ... Runs a 4.7 40 ... 2-star ranking from Rivals.com ... Enjoys fishing, duck hunting and horseback riding ... Coached by David Smith at the District 18-4A school ... "Greg's an uncanny player," Smith said. "He has tremendous leverage and has a desire to play on Sundays. Greg is a great effort guy--you teach him and let him play. We call him 'Gumby' because he is so hard to knock off his feet." ... The son of Mark and Nancy Carlson, Greg was born May 11, 1987.
Guy Morriss on Greg Carlson: "Greg has a great personality. He's an aggressive linebacker with size who is always around the football."

Dominique Criss
CB • 5-9 • 175 • Arlington, Texas (Bowie)
One of two Arlington Bowie products in Baylor's 2006 recruiting class, joining teammate Chris Buford ... Rated among nation's top 50 prep cornerbacks by scout.com and is ranked as nation's 60th-best prep corner by Rivals.com ... Ranked No. 63 on The Dallas Morning News' 2006 Top 100 area list ... Member of Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Top 50 area list ... Waco Tribune-Herald Top 100 pick ... Dave Campbell's Texas Football magazine Texas Top 300 selection ... Two-way standout earned a 3-star Rivals.com rating ... Three-time all-district performer (twice at defensive back and once at running back) ... Second-team 2005 all-district selection at running back ... Rushed 107 times for a team-high 423 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior in six games ... Also caught 13 passes for 132 yards and one TD ... Led Volunteers in scoring with 54 points ... Totaled 70 tackles, eight pass break-ups, one interception and three forced fumbles in 2005 ... Had 115 tackles and nine sacks as a junior in 2004 ... Runs a 4.5 40 ... Had 18 scholarship offers and selected Baylor from a list that included Texas, LSU, Minnesota, Boston College, Oklahoma State and Tulsa ... Coached by his father, Anthony Criss, at the District 7-5A school ... "I think Baylor's getting a pretty good football player," the elder Criss said. "He's a smart football player, a coach's son. He does a tremendous job studying the game, a tremendous job in the film room and the weight room." ... The son of Anthony and Patra Criss, Dominique was born Oct. 13, 1987.
Guy Morriss on Dominique Criss: "Dominique has outstanding technique, perhaps the best I've seen out of a cornerback in recent years. He can play anywhere in the back half of our secondary. He's a fast kid who I believe could step on the field right early in his career."

Justin Fenty

WR • 5-10 • 160 • Denton, Texas (Ryan)
A three-year starter and all-district wide receiver at 5A power Denton Ryan ... Ranked No. 100 on The Dallas Morning News 2006 Top 100 area list ... 2-star ranking from Rivals.com ... Caught 60 passes for 866 yards and 10 touchdowns in final prep season en route to first-team all-district honors ... 10th among all 2005 5A Metroplex performers in receiving yards ... Helped Raiders to a 7-4 record and the first-round of the 2005 Class 5A playoffs ... As a junior, caught 84 balls for 1,397 yards and 17 touchdowns ... Second-leading receiver among Class 5A Metroplex performers as a junior ... Earned first-team Texas Sports Writers Association Class 5A all-state honors and honorable mention recognition from The Associated Press ... Holds Raider single-game records for receptions (12), receiving yards (225) and longest reception (94 yards), as well as the school's single-season mark for receptions (84) ... Runs a 4.4 40 ... Coached by Joey Florence at the District 5-5A school ... "He's a great speed receiver," Florence said. "He's got tremendous explosion. In 17 years of coaching, he's probably the fastest guy I've ever coached." ... Also considered UTEP ... The son of Pamela Sheppeard, Justin was born Nov. 2, 1987.
Guy Morriss on Justin Fenty: "He's an exceptional play-maker with tremendous speed. He makes the defender miss in the passing game and then he takes it the distance. He'll likely play at inside receiver and I believe he also can help us as a return specialist."

-->

Jay Finley

RB • 5-11 • 180 • Corsicana, Texas (Corsicana)
Committed to Baylor prior to the start of his senior year at Corsicana High School ... Rated as the nation's 49th-best running back by Rivals.com ... No. 82 on the 2005 Dallas Morning News All-Area list ... 3-star ranking from Rivals.com ... Honorable mention all-state by Texas Sports Writers Association ... In two seasons at Corsicana, he rushed for 2,148 yards and 18 touchdowns while averaging 7.2 yards per carry ... Carried 206 times for 1,404 yards and 12 touchdowns in senior season while helping Tigers to an 8-3 record, a district runner-up finish and the second-round of the Class 4A playoffs ... Averaged 6.8 yards per tote in final prep season to garner unanimous first-team all-district honors ... 11th-leading Class 4A rusher among 2005 DFW Metroplex preps ... Registered seven 100-yard rushing performances as a senior, one of which was a career-high 220-yard effort on 19 carries against Willis ... Rushed for 201 yards and one TD against Waco's University High ... Recorded double-digit carries in every 2005 contest ... Also threw a touchdown pass and caught 14 passes for 119 yards and one touchdown ... Led team in scoring with 78 points ... Rushed for 744 yards and six touchdowns on just 94 carries as a junior despite missing Tigers' first three games ... Produced three 100-yard efforts as a junior when he helped the Tigers capture a district title, advance to the Class 4A Division II regional semifinals and post an 11-4 record ... Runs a 4.5 40 ... Also considered Oklahoma State, Utah, Louisiana-Monroe and UTEP ... Coached by Dave Henigan at the District 14-4A school ... "He's got as good lateral movements as anybody I've seen in high school, as far as making people miss," Henigan said. "If you watch him, he runs like Roger Craig or O.J. Simpson. He's real lanky, and he's got a real high running style. He's just a playmaker." ... The son of Willie Mae Curry, Jay was born May 15, 1988.
Guy Morriss on Jay Finley: "We believe Jay is a real sleeper in this class. He's a big back with speed to close at the second level and the size to run between the tackles."

David Gettis

WR • 6-4 • 198 • Los Angeles, Calif. (Dorsey)
Standout two-sport athlete will play football and run track for the Bears ... Signed with Baylor in 2004 but did not enroll and is slated to join the program in June 2006 after inking again today ... Committed to Baylor during the 2005 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, the first time the Bears landed a participant from the prestigious prep event ... Caught a 39-yard touchdown pass in the All-American Bowl ... Rivals.com ranked Gettis as California's 50th-best prep, while he was the nation's 26th-best receiver in 2004 ... SuperPrep rated Gettis as the Golden State's 38th-best player ... Caught 31 passes for 600 yards and nine touchdowns in final prep season en route to All-City honors ... Also played free safety for the Dons' defense totaling 40 tackles, three interceptions and six pass breakups ... Had 23 receptions for 496 yards and seven scores as a junior ... Played for coach Ralph Caldwell ... California's first prep ever to capture three consecutive state 400 meter titles he also won Los Angeles City 400 crowns as a junior and senior ... Won state 400 title in 47.1 seconds as a sophomore, then ran a 46.3 to claim his second state 400 gold medal in 2004 and smoked the field by nearly two seconds to win in 45.84 as a senior in 2005 ... His 45.84 400 in 2005 was nation's fastest by a prep ... Also anchored Dorsey's victorious 4 x 400-meter relay team and ran second leg of its gold-medal 4 x 100-meter relay team at 2005 state meet ... Selected as The Los Angeles Times' 2005 Boys' Track & Field Athlete of the Year ... Owns a 4.35 40-yard dash best ... Had football scholarship offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Washington and San Diego State, as well as a track offer from Southern California ... The son of Dale and Valeri Gettis, David Alexander Gettis was born Aug. 27, 1987, in Cherry Point, N.C.
Guy Morriss on David Gettis: "David can absolutely fly; he's got great speed and athletic ability. I believe the sky is the limit for him. He's a world-class quarter-miler, but his first love is football. We were sorry that he couldn't be here last year, but we are glad that he still wants to be a Baylor Bear and we look forward to getting him on the field in 2006."

Adam Geib

DE • 6-5 • 220 • Waco, Texas (Midway/United States Air Force Academy)
Transferred into the Baylor program in January from the United States Air Force Academy and will sit out the 2006 season per NCAA rules, then have two seasons of eligibility remaining ... Expected to play at defensive end for the Bears ... Spent first season at Air Force Prep School, one year on the Air Force freshman team before leaving the program at the end of the 2005 fall term ... First-team all-district and honorable mention all-state as a senior at Midway High School ... Totaled 143 tackles as the Panthers' starting middle linebacker in just 10 games as a senior ... High school teammate of Baylor senior defensive end Marcus Foreman ... "I thought it (Baylor) was a good opportunity to come into the program when it's kind of on the upswing," said Geib. "The coaches are definitely turning the program around, and I saw this as an opportunity to be a part of that." ... Coached by Kent Bachtel at the District 16-4A school ... The son of Harry and Judy Geib, Adam was born June 25, 1984.
Guy Morriss on Adam Geib: "We are excited to have Adam in our program. The opportunity to use the redshirt year to gain some strength will benefit our defensive line when he's eligible in 2007."

Dylan Hagens

OL • 6-7 • 260 • Shiner, Texas (Shiner)
The tallest player in Baylor's 2006 recruiting class committed to Baylor in June 2005 ... Rivals.com 2-star rating ... Earned first-team 2005 Class A all-state honors from The Associated Press and second-team recognition from the Texas Sports Writers Association as an offensive guard ... Unanimous first-team all-district pick as a senior ... First-team Victoria Advocate all-area pick ... Member of Dave Campbell's Texas Football 2005 Texas Top 300 ... Also played defensive tackle in final prep campaign ... Led 2005 Comanches to a 10-3 record and the Region IV area title ... Helped pave the way for Shiner's 2004 Class A state championship team which finished 16-0 ... First-team all-district pick at offensive guard as a junior when he also saw time at defensive end and defensive tackle ... Also drew interest from Texas A&M, Northwestern, Duke, Rice and SMU ... Played for coach Steve Cerny at the District 31-A school ... The son of Mark and Gloria Hagens, Dylan was born March 10, 1988.
Guy Morriss on Dylan Hagens: "Dylan will add size and strength to our offensive line. He has a tremendous frame, and once he gains some weight, I expect him to be a force in the trenches. He's very athletic for his size."

Jameon Hardeman

DE • 6-1 • 240 • Dallas, Texas (Justin F. Kimball)
One of seven players to join coach Guy Morriss' program in January 2006, Hardeman originally signed a National Letter of Intent with Arizona State in 2005 but never joined the Sun Devil program ... Selected to The Dallas Morning News' second-team 2004 all-area squad and was a first-team all-district pick by the same publication ... Member of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram's State 100 ... Ranked 47th on The Dallas Morning News' Top 100 area list ... Rated among the nation's top 50 defensive linemen by Fab 50 Recruiting ... 2004 first-team all-district performer after earning second-team recognition as a junior ... Collected 70 tackles, six quarterback sacks, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery as a senior en route to honorable mention all-state honors ... Played in the Coca-Cola Bowl All-Star game ... Helped Knights to back-to-back district titles with perfect 5-0 marks each season ... Coached by Darrell Jordan at the District 13-4A school ... Cousin of Baylor redshirt freshman Jeremy Williams ... The son of Juan Hernandez and Gloria Hardeman, Jameon was born Jan. 19, 1987.
Guy Morriss on Jameon Hardeman: "Jameon is a little undersized, but his speed and athletic ability make up for that. He has a great motor, and I believe having the opportunity to shake off the rust this spring will give him an opportunity to be a factor in 2006."

Garfield Hicks

WR • 6-2 • 175 • Waco, Texas (Midway)
Gifted wide receiver is three-sport standout at Midway High School ... Ranked No. 7 on Waco Tribune-Herald's 2005 Central Texas Top 25 list ... Earned second-team 2005 all-state honors from the Texas Sports Writers Association and honorable mention from The Associated Press ... 2005 Waco Tribune-Herald Super Centex honoree after leading region in receiving ... 3-star recruit by Rivals.com owns a 4.45 40-yard dash ... 2005 District 16-4A co-Offensive MVP after hauling in 77 passes for 1,306 yards and 14 touchdowns ... Helped 2005 Panthers to an 8-4 record and a bi-district title ... 2004 honorable mention Tribune-Herald Super Centex and first-team all-district selection after catching 46 passes for 867 yards and nine touchdowns ... 2005 Tribune-Herald Super Centex Soccer Player of the Year ... As a junior, he scored 28 goals and assisted on 18 others in leading 2005 Panthers to a 25-3-1 record and within one goal of the state tournament ... Began playing soccer at age 8 ... Also ran on Midway's 2005 regional-qualifying 4x100- and 4x200-meter relay teams ... Played for coach Kent Bachtel at the District 16-4A school ... Also considered Texas A&M, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and SMU ... "He takes care of his business in the classroom and is a class young man," Bachtel said. "He really came into his own this season." ... The son of James and Debra Hicks, James Garfield Hicks was born Nov. 5, 1987.
Guy Morriss on Garfield Hicks: "Garfield is an exceptional athlete. He has very good size and athletic ability. Garfield can play anywhere on the perimeter and will add speed to our team."

Roman James

S • 6-1 • 180 • Sharon, Mass. (Sharon)
Roman James first signed a national letter of intent with Baylor in February 2004, but did not enroll in school until January 2006 ... The son of former New England Patriots standout strong safety Roland James, the younger James was a star running back, wide receiver and defensive back for his father at Sharon (Mass.) High School ... As a senior in 2003, he racked up 782 rushing yards and 527 receiving yards while scoring 10 touchdowns (four rush, six receiving) ... Averaged 23.5 yards per kickoff return and 18.0 yards per punt return in final prep season ... Ranked as the Eagles' No. 2 tackler in 2003 with 75 stops to go with six interceptions ... Had 18 interceptions in three-year varsity career ... Earned All-Scholastic honors from the Boston Globe and the Boston Herald as a senior ... Named all-Hockomock Conference as a junior (wide receiver) senior (defensive back) ... Selected as the Boston Globe's MVP of the 2003 Thanksgiving Day clash between Sharon and Easton's Oliver Ames as he recovered a fumble for a touchdown and caught a touchdown pass in the Eagles' 28-7 win over their longtime rivals-the school's first Thanksgiving Day victory since 1990 ... "Roman has good knowledge of the game," his father and high school coach said. "He runs well, is a hard hitter and covers a lot of ground." ... Played four seasons of varsity basketball at Sharon ... His father, Roland, was a first-round draft choice by the New England Patriots and spent 10 seasons (1980-90) with the organization, including four years (1984-87) where one of his teammates was current Baylor coach Guy Morriss ... The elder James ranks third on the Patriots' all-time interceptions list with 29 picks and is 10th all-time in punt returns ... The son of Roland and Carmelle James, Roman was born Dec. 5, 1985.
Guy Morriss on Roman James: "Roman is a tremendous all-around athlete and the son of an NFL standout. Having him in our system now may give him the opportunity to contribute this fall. He has good size and speed."

Adrian Johnson

OL • 6-2 • 280 • Tyler, Texas (John Tyler)
Committed to Baylor prior to start of his senior season at John Tyler High School and joins Lion teammate Ernest Smith in Baylor's 2006 recruiting class ... Ranked as the nation's 59th-best prep defensive tackle by Rivals.com but is expected to play along the offensive line for the Bears ... 3-star recruit by Rivals.com ... Waco Tribune-Herald Top 100 selection ... Ranked 96th on San Antonio Express-News Top 100 list ... Played in Max Emfinger's 2006 All-American Bowl Game Classic ... Earned first-team Class 5A all-state honors as an offensive guard from the Texas Sports Writers Association ... Unanimous first-team all-district selection as an o-lineman (center) in final prep season ... Averaged five pancake blocks per game as a senior ... Helped 2005 Lions to an 8-3 record and a playoff berth after 2004 team fashioned a 2-8 mark ... Also drew interest from Oklahoma State and Kansas State ... Runs a 5.00 40 ... Also a standout track and field performer, he placed fifth in the shot put and 23rd in the discus at the 2005 USTAF Junior Olympics which came on the heels of a sixth-place state meet performance in the shot ... Coached by Thomas Brooks at the District 12-5A school ... The son of Angela Pulley, Adrian was born Nov. 26, 1987.
Guy Morriss on Adrian Johnson: "Adrain is a very aggressive lineman on both sides of the ball. We believe he has the attitude to play along the offensive line. He sustains his blocks very well and is always around the football at the end of the play."

Jeremy Michel

OL • 6-5 • 280 • Bradenton, Fla. (Manatee)
As a senior, he started at right guard for a Manatee High School team that won its first regional title since 1994 and boasted the area's leading rusher in Chris McNear ... 2-star rating by Rivals.com ... Selected to participate in the PAL Bowl and the Florida Athletic Coaches Association North-South Football All-Star Classic ... Captained the South squad at the coaches association all-star game ... Earned Class 5A second-team all-state honors ... All-area and all-district pick as a senior ... Also served as the Hurricanes' deep snapper ... Runs a 5.2 40 and owns a 380-pound bench press and a 470-pound squat ... Plans on majoring in pre-med ... "All the coaches are great, they have really nice facilities and the people are fantastic," Michel said. "I was really impressed with Guy Morriss. They're an up-and-coming program, and he's been the coach there for three years, and they've risen every year he's been there." ... Played for coach Joe Kinnan at the Class 5A school ... "He's got a great work ethic, and he's not afraid of the work," Kinnan said. "He's got a good comprehension of the game." ... Selected Baylor over offers from Louisville, Vanderbilt and Cincinnati ... The son of Vince and Laura Caruso, Jeremy was born Feb. 24, 1988.
Guy Morriss on Jeremy Michel: "He has tremendous size and is an excellent pass blocker. Once he adds some muscle to his frame, he'll become a dominant force along the line."

Chris Mitchell

LB • 6-3 • 260 • Lancaster, Texas (Lancaster)
Two-way standout defensive lineman and tight end at Lancaster High School, but will move to linebacker for the Bears ... Rivals.com 2-star recruit ... Credited with 112 tackles (43 solos), seven sacks and three fumbles caused as a senior ... Earned unanimous first-team all-district honors as a d-lineman ... Also picked up an all-district award as a tight end ... Began his prep career as an offensive lineman ... Coached by Andrew Jackson at the District 14-4A school ... The son of Shon Hayes, Chris was born Jan. 17, 1988.
Guy Morriss on Chris Mitchell: "Chris has exceptional size for a linebacker. He's a very aggressive player and is always around the ball."

Anthony Norice

QB • 6-1 • 175 • Dallas, Texas (Skyline)
One of four Dallas Skyline products to have signed with the Bears since Guy Morriss' arrival in Waco, following in the footsteps of Josh Bell, Corey Ford and Mikail Baker, Anthony Norice is ranked No. 92 on The Dallas Morning News' Top 100 area list ... 2-star ranking by Rivals.com ... 2005 Dave Campbell's Texas Football Texas Top 300 member ... 2005 second-team all-district pick ... Completed 61 of 135 passes as a senior for 1,311 yards with 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions ...Led District 9-5A in both passing yards and touchdown passes as a senior ... Also rushed 102 times for 241 yards and four touchdowns in senior season ... As a junior, threw for 498 yards in three starts before being sidelined for the remainder of the year with a broken collarbone ... Runs a 4.52 40-yard dash ... Also considered Wyoming and UTEP ... Coached by Reginald Samples at the District 9-5A school ... The son of Lashonda Sample, Anthony was born May 11, 1988.
Guy Morriss on Anthony Norice: "Anthony is an exceptional athlete. He has a strong arm and is a dual-threat play-maker. His athletic ability sets him apart from traditional drop-back quarterbacks."

Andre Pierce

RB • 5-10 • 185 • Mesquite, Texas (Rowlett)
Enjoyed an outstanding all-around senior season at Rowlett High School, helping Eagles to a 9-3 record and the 10-year-old program's first-ever playoff berth ... Rivals.com 2-star recruit ... Metroplex's second-leading rusher among all classes (and in 5A) in 2005 totaled 2,301 yards on 312 carries with 24 touchdowns en route to first-team all-state honors from the Texas Sports Writers Association and second-team Associated Press recognition ... Averaged 7.4 yards per rush as a senior, 6.7 yards over final two varsity seasons ... Also had 16 receptions for 227 yards and two touchdowns ... Rushed 30 times for a career-high 332 yards and three touchdowns in 24-6 homecoming victory over Garland Sachse ... Had scoring runs of 66 and 58 yards against Sachse ... Named The Dallas Morning News player of the week after rushing 40 times for a then-career-high 295 yards and four touchdowns, the last of which was a game-clinching 80-yard run, in a 45-41 victory over No. 16 Plano West ... Earned Dallas Morning News 11-5A offensive player of the year honors and was an all-area pick by the same publication after posting five rushing efforts of 250-plus yards as a senior and topping the century mark 10 times ... Sustained a knee injury as a junior, but still rushed 163 times for 896 yards and seven touchdowns ... Owns a 37-inch vertical jump ... Working on a Harry Potter book ... Runs sprints for Rowlett track team ... Coached by former Gatesville head coach Kiff Hardin at the District 11-5A school ... "I think he'll be a tremendous college back," Hardin said. "He's a versatile kid who catches the ball real well. He'll be somebody's really good running back/utility back." ... Selected Baylor over Iowa and UTEP ... Runs a 4.78 40 ... The son of Adrienne Pierce, Andre was born Feb. 18, 1988.
Guy Morriss on Andre Pierce: "Don't let Andre's size fool you. He's a very versatile back. Andre is a power runner with speed. He has the speed to score anywhere on the field at any given time."

Reid Prince

OL • 6-4 • 255 • Frisco, Texas (Highland Park)
Baylor's third commitment in the class of 2006, he pledged to the Bears in June 2005 ... Rated as nation's 58th-best prep offensive guard by Rivals.com ... 3-star ranking from Rivals.com ... Port Arthur News Texas Top 100 member ... Earned third-team Class 4A All-State honors from the Texas Sports Writers Association and honorable mention recognition from The Associated Press ... First-team all-district and all-area selection by The Dallas Morning News ... Helped pave the way for Highland Park's 15-0 Class 4A Division I state championship team which averaged 490.5 yards and 48.1 points in 2005 ... Allowed only one quarterback sack in final two prep seasons ... Also earned all-district honors for the Scots as a junior ... 2004 Ray Guy Award winner and two-time All-American punter Daniel Sepulveda, also a Highland Park alum, hosted Prince during his official visit to Baylor ... Selected Baylor over TCU and SMU ... Coached by Randy Allen at the District 11-4A school ... The son of Jarrell and Connie Prince, Reid was born Feb. 18, 1988.
Guy Morriss on Reid Prince: "Reid is a smart offensive lineman with exceptional pass protection skills. Once he adds some upper body strength, he'll be a very good player for us."

Ben Randle

WR • 6-5 • 200 • Plano, Texas (West)
The son of former Baylor and NFL standout Ervin Randle, the younger Randle is ranked No. 89 on The Dallas Morning News' Top 100 area list ...2-star Rivals.com rating ... Caught a team-high 29 passes for 732 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior for the 6-4 Wolves ... One of nine Class 5A receivers in the DFW Metroplex to catch at least 10 touchdown passes in 2005 ... Had five grabs for 124 yards and four touchdowns in 45-41 loss to Rowlett ... Averaged 25.2 yards per reception en route to second-team all-district honors as a senior ... As a junior, helped Plano West to a 10-2 record, a district championship and the 5A Division II area championship game ... Father, Ervin, lettered four seasons for the Bears (1981-84), twice earned All-Southwest Conference honors (1983-84) and spent eight seasons in the NFL, six with Tampa Bay (1985-90) and two with Kansas City (1991-92) ... Runs a 4.60 40 ... Also considered Iowa State, TCU, Utah, Houston and Tulane ... Coached by Mike Hughes at the District 8-5A school ... The son of Ervin Randle and Cindy Stephenson, Ben was born Oct. 1, 1987.
Guy Morriss on Ben Randle: "Ben has tremendous size for a wide receiver and is very athletic. He has great hands and runs good routes. He's a playmaker who knows how to get open."

Connor Redfearn

DT • 6-2 • 280 • Mt. Pleasant, Texas (Mt. Pleasant/Santa Monica CC)
One of four junior college transfers to join the Baylor program at mid-year, Redfearn has two seasons of eligibility remaining ... 2-star ranking from Rivals.com ... Spent the 2005 season at Santa Monica (Calif.) Community College where he drew eight starts at defensive tackle in his lone season of play for coach Robert Taylor's Corsair ... Earned honorable mention 2005 All-Western State Conference honors ... Spent the 2003-04 academic year as well as the 2004 fall semester as an invited walk-on at the University of Mississippi, but did not play in a game for the Rebels ... A two-time all-district defensive tackle at Mt. Pleasant (Texas) High School, he earned the Tigers' defensive MVP and team spirit awards as a senior ... Helped Tigers to a district title as a junior in 2001 ... Captured district title and advanced to the regional finals in the shot put as a senior ... Coached by Marc McDaniel at the District 14-4A school ... Also considered SMU, his father's alma mater ... The son of Joe Redfearn and Pam Hollingsworth, Joseph Connor Redfearn was born Jan. 14, 1985.
Guy Morriss on Connor Redfearn: "We believe Connor will give us some much-needed help at defensive tackle this year. His strength and experience should give the d-line a shot in the arm. He's a sure run-stopper."

Calvin Rubles

CB • 6-3 • 186 • Dallas, Texas (L.V. Berkner)
The third Berkner player to join the Baylor program following Jason Lamb and Trey Bryant ... 2-star ranking by Rivals.com ... Three-sport prep standout (football, basketball, track) ... Earned 2005 first-team all-district and second-team all-area honors as a cover corner from The Dallas Morning News ... Texas Sports Writers Association honorable mention all-state ... Totaled 44 tackles, 11 pass breakups, six interceptions, a fumble recovery and a fumble caused in final prep season ... Led 2005 Rams to a 12-1 record, a district title and the Class 5A Division I Region II championship game ... Also considered Oklahoma State, Kansas and Minnesota ... Coached by Jim Ledford at the District 10-5A school ... "He was our shut-down corner," Ledford said. "We put Calvin on the other team's best receiver, and he basically shut them down. Not only is he quick, he's extremely long. With his reach, he's got the length of a 6-5 player. He could probably have gone somewhere in basketball, but I think he realized that maybe football was his ticket." ... The son of Hosie Perkins, Calvin was born Sept. 29, 1987.
Guy Morriss on Calvin Rubles: "Calvin has tremendous size for a corner. He plays with a lot of confidence and is a great playmaker. His leaping ability gives him a big edge in the secondary."

Jeremy Sanders

QB • 6-2 • 210 • Marlin, Texas (Marlin)
A three-year starter at quarterback for Marlin High School, Jeremy Sanders earned first-team 2005 Waco Tribune-Herald Super Centex honors ... 3-star Rivals.com ranking was rated one of the state's top 15 signal callers in Dave Campbell's 2005 Texas Football Texas Top 300 ... Completed 148 of 217 passes for 2,540 yards and 27 touchdowns with only one interception as a senior while leading the Bulldogs to an 8-2-1 record and the playoffs ... Also rushed 126 times for 882 yards and 16 touchdowns ... Earned 2005 District 18-3A offensive MVP honors ... Honorable mention 2005 all-state selection by the Texas Sports Writers Association ... As a junior, he received first-team Tribune-Herald Super Centex honors after totaling more than 3,000 total-offense yards ... He rushed for 1,391 yards and 21 touchdowns while throwing for 1,954 yards and 14 more scores ... Runs a 4.6 40 ... Played for coach Jerry Malone at the District 18-3A school ... "He's got the athletic ability to go in there and play this fall," Malone said. "I think you'll see him playing in the NFL one day. He's got that kind of ability." ... Also considered Missouri, Houston, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and SMU ... The son of Genail Sanders, Marvin was born Nov. 30, 1987.
Guy Morriss on Jeremy Sanders: I can't say enough about Jeremy. He's a complete, big-time football. He can beat you with his feet, but he also throws a nice ball. He's an exceptional leader."

Ernest Smith

WR • 6-3 • 200 • New Orleans, La. (Edna Karr Magnet School/Tyler John Tyler)
One of two Tyler John Tyler High School products in Baylor's 2006 recruiting class, joining Adrian Johnson, Smith is ranked No. 48 on the 2006 Rivals.com/Dallas Morning News Top 100 state list ... Rivals.com ranks Smith as the nation's 40th-best prep wide out ... 3-star ranking from Rivals.com ... Had a team-high 21 receptions for 283 yards and three scores in lone season with Lions ... Earned second-team all-district honors after helping Lions to an 8-3 record and a playoff berth ... Joined John Tyler program in aftermath of Hurricane Katrina... Attended Edna Karr Magnet School in New Orleans and has since resumed his education there ... Coached by Thomas Brooks at the District 12-5A school ... The son of Ernest Smith, Sr., Ernest was born March 18, 1988.
Guy Morriss on Ernest Smith: "He's a big target who uses his body well in the passing game. Ernest has the ability and speed to beat you anywhere on the field."

Brandon Stiggers

S • 6-0 • 185 • Houston, Texas (Alief/Compton Community College)
Re-enrolled at Baylor in January 2006 and will have two years of eligibility remaining ... Spent the 2005 campaign at Compton (Calif.) Community College, the school where he began his collegiate career in 2003 ... Earned 3-star Rivals.com ranking ... He had 121 tackles, including eight for loss, nine forced fumbles and three interceptions en route to second-team 2005 All-Western State Conference honors ... Spent the 2004-05 academic year in the Baylor program as a walk-on redshirt sophomore but did not play in any games ... Registered 59 tackles and four interceptions in his first year with the Tartars ... Three-year letterwinner at Alief Hastings High School in Alief, Texas ... Recorded 13 career interceptions as a prep ... He totaled 65 tackles and four interceptions as a senior cornerback en route to all-district honors, helping the Fighting Bears to an 11-3 record, a district title and the state quarterfinals ... Averaged 23.3 yards per punt return in his final prep campaign ... Had 45 tackles and two interceptions as a junior when the Bears finished 10-3, second in the district and earned a playoff bid ... Recorded nine picks as a sophomore ... Received scholarship offers the second time out of Compton from Nebraska, Washington, Washington State and Central Florida ... Coached by Bobby Stewart at the District 19-5A school ... The son of Dante' and Stacie Stiggers, Brandon Deshawn Stiggers was born June 5, 1985 in Houston.
Guy Morriss on Brandon Stiggers: "We are glad that Brandon has returned to our program because he really impressed us in the spring of 2005. He has great speed. Brandon will make an immediate impact in our secondary next fall."

Brad Taylor

Ath • 6-3 • 210 • Madisonville, Texas (Madisonville)
Dual-threat quarterback was a three-year starter at Madisonville High School ... Earned first-team all-district honors as a senior ... 2-star ranking by Rivals.com ... Was 55-of-116 for 1,010 yards and nine touchdowns as a senior in Mustangs' run-oriented option attack ... Also rushed 113 times for 661 yards and eight touchdowns ... Averaged 5.8 yards per rush ... Tossed three touchdown passes in bi-district playoff loss to Robinson ... Selected among the top 15 signal callers on Dave Campbell's Texas Football magazine's 2005 Texas Top 300 ... Was a second-team all-district honoree as a junior after throwing for 709 yards and seven touchdowns and rushing for 416 yards and two touchdowns ... Mustangs finished 7-7 in Taylor's junior season ... Also considered Texas A&M, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, TCU and SMU ... Coached by Greg Morgan at the District 18-3A school ... "We've really been option-oriented, so that's why his passing numbers aren't up there with the elite in the state," Morgan said. "But his passing really improved dramatically this year. He worked on his accuracy a bit more. He was throwing right at 50 percent, and it could have been closer to 65 (percent), because he had several dropped." ... The son of Shana and Brady Taylor, Brad was born Nov. 10, 1987 ... Mother, Shana, coaches the girls' track team at Madisonville; his uncle, Terrence McCloud is the head boys' basketball coach and his father, Brady, heads up the Little Dribblers' program.
Guy Morriss on Brad Taylor: "He can play anywhere on the field, but we are going to put him at quarterback to start with next fall. He has the athleticism, speed and size to make an impact."

Paul Tolbert

LB • 6-1 • 230 • Decatur, Miss. (Clinch County/East Central Community College)
Another signee who joined the Baylor program at mid-year, Paul Tolbert is expected to contend for one of the Bears' starting linebacker spots in 2006 ... Spent the previous two seasons at East Central (Miss.) Community College ... He registered a team-high 76 total tackles, including 51 solos, in seven games en route to first-team all-conference and all-state honors as a sophomore in 2005 ... Also tallied 15 tackles for loss, four of which were sacks, for coach Terry Underwood's 2005 Warriors ... A member of the Clarion-Ledger's 2005 Mississippi JUCO Top 25, Tolbert earned honorable mention 2005 preseason All-America honors from the National Junior College Athletic Association after leading the 2004 Warriors in tackles ... A three-year starter as a prep at Clinch County (Ga.) High School, he was a two-time first-team all-state selection who earned Class A defensive player of the year honors as a senior ... Credited with 163 total tackles in his final prep season and was also tabbed the all-class area player of the year following his senior campaign after leading the Panthers to the state title ... Also had 15 sacks and three interceptions as a senior ... Had 156 tackles, 10 sacks and two interceptions as a junior ... Three-time all-region selection for coach Barber at the Region I-A school ... Enjoys reading and would like to own a chain of restaurants one day ... Cousin of the Buffalo Bills' Jonathan Smith ... Attracted recruiting interest from Texas A&M, Oklahoma State and Iowa State ... The son of Joe and Barbara Mingo, Paul Jermaine Tolbert was born April 29, 1984, in Homerville, Ga.
Guy Morriss on Paul Tolbert: "Paul is one of the strongest linebacker we have ever recruited. He bench pressed 225 pounds 29 times and maxed out at 430 pounds the other day. He's physical, runs sideline to sideline and is not afraid to make bone crushing tackles."

Jwaun Ward

S • 6-1 • 208 • Perkinston, Miss. (Hartselle/Mississippi Gulf Coast)
Another selection to the Clarion-Ledger's 2005 Mississippi JUCO Top 25, Ward will join the Baylor program in the fall after inking with the Bears in December ... He earned second-team all-conference honors as a sophomore at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in 2005 ... Helped coach Steven Campbell's Bulldogs finish 2005 ranked 13th in the season-ending National Junior College Athletic Association top 20 with an 8-3 record ... Mississippi Gulf Coast earned its first postseason appearance since 1984, but dropped a 21-19 decision to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in the 2005 Defenders Bowl ... Credited with 81 tackles as a sophomore, with 43 solos, to go along with two tackles for loss, a sack, seven quarterback pressures and a safety ... Voted team captain ... Did not play football in 2004, but as a true freshman at Tennessee-Chattanooga he played in 11 games for the 2003 Mocs and finished 10th on the squad in tackles with 35 stops (20 solos), with three tackles for loss, two pass breakups and a fumble recovery ... Played just two seasons of football as a prep at Hartselle (Ala.) High School, but earned first-team all-state honors as a senior ... Totaling 172 career tackles, 14 sacks and five interceptions ... A two-time all-area and all-region pick, he captained the team as a senior and played in the Alabama High School Athletic Association All-Star game ... Coached by Mike Smith at the Region 8, Class 5A school ... Enjoys fishing, reading and watching movies ... The son of Senra Ward, Jwuan Ward was born April 5, 1985 in Hartselle, Ala.
Guy Morriss on Jwaun Ward: "Jwaun has tremendous speed and is a play-maker. He has the talent to come in and play immediately."

Drbio · 02-01-2006, 11:51 PM

I can't believe you guys aren't raving about your signing classes....there are some really good ones this year.

Male30Dan · 02-01-2006, 11:52 PM

[COCKY LONGHORN FAN] It is expected... I would only spend time talking about this if we DIDN'T have a top 5 recruiting class...

[/COCKY LONGHORN FAN]

Drbio · 02-01-2006, 11:55 PM

The Longhorns, although they will be good....will lose at least three games next year.

Male30Dan · 02-01-2006, 11:58 PM

They won't win the National Championship again, but that is one cocky prediction Doc... Please know that I am bookmarking this thread for your crow meal next year...

Drbio · 02-02-2006, 12:01 AM

Feel free to bookmark that excellent accurate op-ed piece.

Male30Dan · 02-02-2006, 12:05 AM

Question...

Over/Under on Bears Wins for the year including any potential bowl game: 6

Drbio · 02-02-2006, 01:06 AM

That's tough. I'd say even six. That would mean a bowl invite and loss I guess. I still think the team is up and coming. They haven't gotten to the point where they will win 4 conference games. At least it doesn't seem so. I hope I am wrong though. It would be nice to see them have success again.

Here is the schedule...

vs. TCU
vs. Northwestern State
at Washington State
vs. Army
vs. Kansas State
at Colorado
at Texas
vs. Kansas
vs. Texas A&M
at Texas Tech
at Oklahoma State
vs. Oklahoma

Male30Dan · 02-02-2006, 01:20 AM

This is what I see:

5-6

L
W
W
W
W
L
L
W
L
L
L

But you could really provide an upset to a FEW other teams on that list if the Bears come to play. Good luck next year... BU gets better and better every year!

Drbio · 02-02-2006, 01:27 AM

I made a msitake on the schedule. I left off A&M. I editted the schedule and it is correct now.

Male30Dan · 02-02-2006, 01:30 AM

6-6 then... A&M really played poor last year and I can see Baylor actually winning that game since it is away from Kyle Field!

Drbio · 02-02-2006, 01:37 AM

Baylor beat A&M badly everywhere but the scoreboard last year at Kyle Field. There was no cheering after teh game as they left. It was eerie.

mavs413 · 02-02-2006, 02:14 AM

http://thesundevils.collegesports.co...020106aaa.html
I'm very excited with Arizona State's class this year especially on the defesive side of the ball. We scored especially big at linebacker getting 5 good ones, 3 of them ranked in the top 25 nationally.
I like that we landed 4 players (TE, RB, LB, WR) that USC really wanted. The way USC is recruiting these days, if they really want you, you are good.

Also, two players from Euless Trinity HS in Texas signed with ASU today. They are Running back Dimitri Nance and O-Lineman Saia Falahola. Both were named 5A first-team All-State and Nance was named first-team All-American by EA Sports.
I read somewhere about Nance that only he and Cedric Benson have rushed for over 3,000 yards in a season among 5A players in Texas HS football history.
Has anybody here seen Nance play?

Drbio · 02-02-2006, 02:48 AM

I don't know anything about Falahola, but you will really like Nance.

endtroducing MASKED · 02-02-2006, 10:07 AM

Mike Berry, G - Nashville, TN - **** - 6'4, 296 lbs, 5.1 - Rivals 250
Mike Blanc, DT - Fort Lauderdale, FL *** - 6'4, 265 lbs, 4.9
Neil Caudle, QB - Hoover, AL - **** - 6'1, 191 lbs, 4.7 - Rivals 250
Zach Clayton, DT - Opelika, AL - ** (coach's kid) - 6'3, 250 lbs, 4.8
Bart Eddins, DT - Montgomery, AL - **** - 6'4, 262 lbs, 4.9 - Rivals 250
Steven Ensminger, QB - West Monroe, LA - ** (coach's kid) - 6'2, 182 lbs, 5.1
Zaccheus Etheridge, DB - Troy, AL - *** - 6'0, 174 lbs, 4.4
Mario Fannin, RB - Lovejoy, GA - **** - 5'10, 204 lbs, 4.4 - Rivals 250
Michael Goggans, TE - Alexander City, AL - **** - 6'2, 247 lbs, 4.6 - Rivals 250
Raven Gray, DE - Enterprise, AL - **** - 6'3, 235 lbs, 4.6 - Rivals 250
Bo Harris, LB - Conyers, GA - *** - 6'2, 213 lbs, 4.6
Tim Hawthorne, WR - Homewood, AL - **** - 6'2, 199 lbs, 4.5 - Rivals 100 (#49)
Byron Isom, DT - Lovejoy, GA - *** - 6'2, 253 lbs, 5.1
Hendrick Leverette, LB - Hattiesburg, MS - *** - 6'0, 205 lbs, 4.6
Bryant Miller, DE - Miami, FL - **** - 6'3, 233 lbs, 4.7 - Rivals 250
Jermarcus Ricks, DT - Leighton, AL - **** - 6'3, 288 lbs, 5.1 - Rivals 250
Alex Rose, WR - Jacksonville, FL - *** - 6'2, 177 lbs, 4.4
Darrell Roseman, DE - Clearwater, FL - *** - 6'3, 235 lbs
Ryan Shoemaker, K - Mountain Brook, AL - ** - 6'0, 190 lbs, 4.9
Chris Slaughter, WR - Fort Valley, GA - **** - 6'3, 170 lbs, 4.5 - Rivals 250
Greg Smith, DT - Booneville, MS - ***** - 6'3, 315 lbs, 5.1 - JUCO Rivals 100 (#5)
Craig Stevens, LB - Tallahassee, FL - **** - 6'3, 210 lbs, 4.5 - Rivals 250
Benjamin Tate, RB - Newark, MD - **** - 5'10, 204 lbs, 4.4 - Rivals 100 (#41)
Lee Tilley, OT - Columbus, OH - **** - 6'5, 317 lbs, 5.0
Terrell Zachery, WR - Wadley, AL - **** - 6'1, 185 lbs, 4.4 - Rivals 250

ranked #10 nationally, Auburn's best class ever. Tate is now up to 214, kid is 16 and already in school

Male30Dan · 02-02-2006, 11:19 AM

In Mitch we trust, eh Ocelot?

Drbio · 02-02-2006, 11:21 AM

A 16 year old is going to play college football? I'm not sure I like that. The kid could use some more maturity before getting thrown into college ball. Did I read that right? I'm sure he is talented, but I worry for him if this correct.

endtroducing MASKED · 02-02-2006, 11:56 AM

he'll be 17 when the season starts. he's a really mature guy-- had a 4.0 GPA and an ACT in the high 20s, no behavorial problems, no ego, and he comes from a really good Christian family. plus, he's rooming with a junior, I believe. he'll look out for him.

Drbio · 02-02-2006, 12:13 PM

I hope so. I am more concerned with his mental and sociological ability than his physical ability as you probably quickly caught on to. Best wishes to this kid, but it would probably be better for him to wait a year. Who knows?

Five-ofan · 02-02-2006, 01:26 PM

Dr i played touch football with Jay finley about once a week during the christmas break. he is a good kid and he is big for a running back. (I went to corsicana and I played with him in high school for a year but being 2 years older not alot) I can tell you one thing though, he is bigger than 5 11 180. He is about 6 0 205 but hes got some skills. Great kid, dont completely know how he will do at the D1 level but he is a great guy that the team will benefit from having on its roster.

Drbio · 02-02-2006, 01:46 PM

Sounds good 5-0. I'm looking forward to meeting him.

Murphy3 · 02-02-2006, 03:51 PM

Has anyone heard about the A&M recruit saying that he signed with them because his brother says that they keep your pockets full of cash while you're there?

Male30Dan · 02-02-2006, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Murphy3

Has anyone heard about the A&M recruit saying that he signed with them because his brother says that they keep your pockets full of cash while you're there?

WHAT???

Do you have a link?

ocelot_ark · 02-02-2006, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Male23Dan

In Mitch we trust, eh Ocelot?

LOL...nice catch.

He's probably the most heralded player Arkansas has EVER got coming out of high school. Gatorade player of the year. Parade player of the year...just and awesome prospect.

But I actually think Damian Williams, the WR that we got to switch from Florida who played with Mitch in high school, might be a better player. I only got to see Williams play 3 times but each time he was the best player on the field. He could probably start at CB or WR next season.

The best thing about getting Mitch was that it actually salvaged the offensive recruiting for Arkansas. He was able to convince some solid (2 REALLY good) receivers to switch over to Arkansas and generally...just create SOMEWHAT of a buzz that UofA wasn't getting.

The sad thing about the whole chain of events, however, is that it took Arkansas hiring Mustain's coach for him to recommit. That's just pathetic.

One thing I'm looking forward to next season is more of a balanced attack. Most people think Mustain will start from day 1 (we haven't recruited a decent QB in a while...although Dick showed promise last year), along with returning backs Darren McFadden and Felix Jones and do-everything Peyton Hillis. I'd put Mustain (should he live up to the hype), McFadden, and Hillis as a backfield up against any in the country in feel comfortable.

The thing that is absolutely going to KILL arkansas is their continued refusal to devote any time or effort into recruiting offensive linemen. They might sign 2-4 every year when they should be signing 4-6. They don't recruit based on skill. They recruit based on size. One of the reasons Arkansas has such an anemic passing game is their strategy from OLine recruiting. None of the guys have quick feet (which I know is rare)...but still.

There is SUPPOSEDLY an offensive revolution in the works. Gus Malzahn, the new OC, is very much in the Mike Leach mold. Arkansas, of course, has been a predominant running team since...forever. I guess...if nothing else, games will be a lot more exciting just from the fact that we might throw the ball greater than 10 times a game.

Drbio · 02-02-2006, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Murphy3

Has anyone heard about the A&M recruit saying that he signed with them because his brother says that they keep your pockets full of cash while you're there?

I am very interested to read more if this not a gag.

Murphy3 · 02-02-2006, 11:25 PM

I heard it on the radio a couple of times, but I haven't heard anything else since.

capitalcity · 02-03-2006, 12:33 AM

From my TT buddy - this was in my inbox this morning...
http://www.mywesttexas.com/site/news...d=475011&rfi=6
2-2 Lee signing day story (LH READ)
Jack Marrion
Sports Writer
Midland Reporter-Telegram
02/02/2006

One year ago the Lee football team achieved a rare feat by having two players sign letters of intent with the same NCAA Division I university. On Wednesday at the Lee High School library that occurrence was turned into a trend.

Rebels seniors Terrence McCoy and Leslie Ray signed with Texas A&M University on Wednesday, becoming the third and fourth Lee players to ink with the Aggies in the last two years. The duo joined Chevar Bryson and Jamie McCoy, Terrence's older brother, as A&M signees, both of whom were redshirt freshmen with the Aggies this past fall.

Whether the latest signing finished a rush or opened a pipeline from Midland to College Station the last two signing days at Lee have produced something that isn't often seen in college recruiting.

"I told them it's a good thing we wear maroon," said Lee coach Randy Quisenberry. "I guess you can just call us A&M West or something. I think that was kind of a unique deal. These guys were juniors last year when (Aggies cornerbacks coach Chris Thurmond) was recruiting the other two. He came down to see (Bryson and Jamie McCoy) and he saw those guys and they jumped out at them."

Bryson, a defensive back at Lee, and the elder McCoy, the Rebels' quarterback during his senior season, verbally committed to play for A&M during the 2004 football season, announcing their intentions within a month of each other.

Gaining two of the best athletes on the Rebels' squad at the time drew the interest of A&M's recruiting staff to other Lee players. Ray, an imposing defensive tackle, made his verbal commitment to the Aggies the following spring. The younger McCoy, a skilled and tall, physical receiver, joined the movement to A&M during this past football season.

"Our coaches are real good friends with the A&M coaches," Terrence McCoy said. "They tell them basically who our best players are. Then A&M starts looking at our players and if they like them they'll accept them."

Ray and McCoy were recruited by other colleges and universities but settled on A&M. Both said the opportunity to reunite with friends and relatives as Aggies teammates was a deciding factor.

"I kind of followed, but then I kind of went," Ray said. "My best friend, Terrence, is going. Jamie, I grew up with him and Chevar's my cousin. It'll be one big family again."

The Lee seniors were also able to use the advice of their former teammates in making their decision. McCoy, who said he's been looking forward to Wednesday since he watched Jaime sign his letter of intent a year ago, has received positive reports from his brother about A&M and the football program.

"They take care of you down there," McCoy said. "I know from my brother they keep your pockets full, give you plenty of money, keep feeding you meals. Besides that all the help they give you with football. They keep you on your grades with private tutoring. Just good all-around."

McCoy and Ray won't have any trouble finding friends in College Station during their first semester. In fact McCoy said they plan on rooming together at A&M their freshman year.

The easier transition from high school to college should assist in their development during their freshman year, including athletically.

"I think the sky's the limit," Quisenberry said. "That's what I told them. It's up to them at this point. They've got to decide what they want to do. As I told them at the football banquet, 'Don't let anybody tell you what you can and can't do and don't let anybody hold you back.' Those guys have got all the potential in the world."

And they might serve as inspiration for other Lee players to don a different maroon jersey.

Drbio · 02-03-2006, 12:42 AM

That's odd to me since Lee's coach was once Spike Dykes (during my days) who ended up at Tech. I always thought the Midland Lee/Texas Tech bond was strong. I guess those days are past.

ocelot_ark · 02-03-2006, 10:12 AM

Could he be referring to the $800 (i think that's about right) per diem players receive each month? For a lot of youngsters that's a lot of money.

Murphy3 · 02-03-2006, 11:26 AM

Definitely doesn't sound like it......

Drbio · 02-03-2006, 11:32 AM

"keeping your pockets full" and "give you plenty of money" sounds bad.

Not sure I would couch that in a per diem. I wonder if anyone is looking into this?

Drbio · 02-03-2006, 11:44 AM

I just sent this as a set of questions to the Waco Trib Sports editor.

endtroducing MASKED · 02-03-2006, 03:19 PM

More info on the recruits. btw, sorry for the misprint- Tate has turned 17.

Mike Berry
L, 6-3, 296
Antioch, TN (Brentwood Academy)
High School Coach: Carlton Flatt

HIGH SCHOOL: As a senior, did not allow a sack and had 85 pancake blocks ... Had 235 pancakes during his four-year career ... Named to the Rivals.com Rivals 250 ... Ranked as the No. 15 offensive guard in the country and the No. 3 player in the state of Tennessee by Rivals.com ... Named to the Rivals.com Preseason Tennessee Top 20 (No. 12) ... Ranked 30th among offensive guards by ESPN.com ... Attended the same high school as former Auburn fullback Jake Slaughter and current OL King Dunlap, K John Vaughn, P Kody Bliss and DS Pete Compton. PERSONAL: Born Aug. 9, 1988 ... Son of George Berry and Kathy Douglas.

Mike Blanc
L, 6-4, 265
Pompano Beach, FL (Deerfield Beach)
High School Coach: Greg Minnus

HIGH SCHOOL: Was a two-way standout and four-year starter for Deerfield Beach ... Led Deerfield Beach to a spot in the Florida Class 6A state championship game ... Selected to play in the Florida North-South and Dade-Broward All-Star Games ... Ranked as the No. 60 defensive tackle in the country and the No. 89 player in the state of Florida by Rivals.com. PERSONAL: Born April 13, 1987 ... Son of Moname Blanc and Mary Bonnet.

Neil Caudle
QB, 6-3, 204
Hoover, AL (Spain Park)
High School Coach: Vince DiLorenzo

HIGH SCHOOL: Ranked as the nation's No. 7 pro-style quarterback and the No. 8 player in the state of Alabama by Rivals.com ... Rivals.com Rivals 250 ... Ranked as the No. 163 overall player in the country (No. 18 QB) and No. 44 in the Southeast by Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report ... Ranked No. 122 on ESPN.com's ESPN 150 and as its No. 10 quarterback ... Ranked as the No. 10 quarterback nationally by Scout.com ... Ranked No. 63 on collegefootballnews.com's CFN Top 150 ... Ranked eighth on CFN's Top 30 quarterbacks ... Ranked No. 15 nationally among quarterbacks by PrepStar ... Ranks 40th on the Mobile Register's Super Southeast 120 list of prospects ... Selected to the EA Sports 2005 Elite 11 ... Rated No. 4 on the Birmingham News Super Senior 2006 ... Named to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super Southern 100 ... Injured during the third play of the second game of his senior year but he accounted for over 250 yards and four touchdowns in a victory over Auburn High in the season opener ... Before his injury, had passed for 224 yards, two touchdowns and one interception on 14 of 26 attempts, and added 51 yards rushing on six attempts ... Missed five games as a junior but still had 129 completions, 1,634 passing yards and 15 touchdowns, while rushing for 424 yards on 43 carries with five scores ... Named Spain Park's Offensive Back of the Year as a junior. PERSONAL: Born May 19, 1988 ... Son of Keith and Teresa Caudle.

Zach Clayton
L, 6-3, 250
Opelika, AL (Opelika)
High School Coach: Spence McCracken

HIGH SCHOOL: Selected to the Alabama Sports Writers Association Class 6A All-State team ... Finished his senior season with 46 tackles, six sacks and five pass breakups ... Named the Opelika-Auburn News' 2005 Defensive Player of the Year ... Helped lead Opelika to the Class 6A state semifinals his senior year ... Also a track and field standout ... Won the 2005 Alabama Class 6A state discus and shot put championships ... Holds the Class 6A AHSAA state meet discus record. PERSONAL: Born Jan. 1, 1988 ... Son of Auburn assistant track and field coach Jerry Clayton and Becky Clayton.

Bart Eddins
L, 6-4, 260
Montgomery, AL (Trinity Presbyterian)
High School Coach: Randy Ragsdale

HIGH SCHOOL: Selected to play in the 2006 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, serving as an East team captain ... A Class 4A Mr. Football finalist as a senior ... Had 94 tackles his senior season ... Totaled six tackles and two tackles for loss in the 2005 state championship game ... Selected to the 2005 Alabama Sports Writers Association Super 12 team and the Class 4A All-State team ... Ranked No. 5 on the Birmingham News Super Senior 2006 ... Named to the Orlando Sentinel's All-Southern Team for 2005 ... Selected to play in the Alabama North-South Game as a senior ... Recorded 111 tackles including 20 tackles for loss in his junior season ... Helped Trinity Presbyterian to the Class 4A state title his sophomore year ... A five-star recruit who ranks as the No. 7 defensive tackle by Scout.com ... Ranked No. 47 in the Scout.com South Hot 100 ... Ranked No. 17 among defensive tackles and as the No. 11 player in the state of Alabama by Rivals.com ... Rivals.com Rivals250 ... Ranked as the No. 62 player in the Southeast by Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report ... Ranks 45th on the Mobile Register's Super Southeast 120 list of prospects ... Named to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super Southern 100 ... Ranked fifth among collegefootballnews.com's Top 40 defensive tackles. PERSONAL: Born Sept. 4, 1987 ... Son of former Auburn standout Liston Eddins (1973-75) and Nancy Eddins ... Brother Bret was a defensive end for the Auburn Tigers from 2001-04.

Steven Ensminger
QB, 6-2, 210
West Monroe, LA (West Monroe)
High School Coach: Don Shows

HIGH SCHOOL: Threw for 1,770 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior and 1,213 yards and seven scores as a junior ... Led his team to the 2005 Louisiana Class 5A state title his senior year ... Named to the 2005 Louisiana Sports Writers Association All-State team ... Named All-District 1-5A by the Shreveport Times ... An honorable mention selection to the Times-Picayune Top 16 Blue-Chip List ... Ranked as the No. 15 quarterback nationally by ESPN.com ... Ranked No. 26 in the Rivals.com Preseason Louisiana Top 40. PERSONAL: Born July 24, 1987 ... Son of Auburn tight ends coach Steve Ensminger and Amy Ensminger.

Zaccheus Etheridge
DB, 5-11, 175
Troy, AL (Charles Henderson)
High School Coach: Hugh Fountain

HIGH SCHOOL: As a senior, totaled 89 tackles, including 65 solo stops, and 14 pass breakups, three interceptions, six forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries ... Also had 325 rushing yards and five touchdowns, 225 receiving yards with three scores and 175 total return yards ... Named All-State and a member of the 2006 Super 12 by the Dothan Eagle as a senior ... As a junior, tallied 65 tackles and seven interceptions, returning one for a touchdown while also hauling in a 30-yard touchdown ... Ranked No. 31 nationally among cornerbacks and as the No. 15 player in the state of Alabama by Rivals.com ... Ranked No. 27 in Rivals.com Preseason Alabama Top 40 ...Ranked No. 49 nationally at the safety position by ESPN.com. PERSONAL: Born July 6, 1988 ... Son of Donald and Cassandra Kelly.

Mario Fannin
RB, 5-11, 207
Hampton, GA (Lovejoy)
High School Coach: Al Hughes

HIGH SCHOOL: Threw for more than 1,000 yards and 20 touchdowns as a senior while rushing for 1,200 yards and 12 TD's ... Accounted for 32 touchdowns as a junior, rushing for 1,210 yards and passing for 1,020 ... Named All-Region Player of the Year as a junior ... Ranked No. 10 at the athlete position by PrepStar ... Ranked as the No. 23 athlete nationally and the No. 12 player from Georgia by Rivals.com ... Ranked No. 13 in Rivals Preseason Georgia Top 75 ... Rivals.com Rivals250 ... Ranked as the No. 15 safety by Scout.com ... Ranked as the No. 54 player in the Southeast by Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report ... Ranked No. 128 on collegefootballnews.com CFN Top 150 and the No. 17 running back ... Ranked No. 20 nationally by ESPN.com at the running back position and No. 143 on ESPN.com's ESPN 150 ... Ranked 80th on the Mobile Register's Super Southeast 120 list of prospects ... Named to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super Southern 100 ... Ranked as the No. 11 player from the state of Georgia by Georgia Sports Monthly ... Class AAAAA All-State football team honorable mention. PERSONAL: Born Dec. 4, 1987 ... Son of Mario and Amika Fannin.

Michael Goggans
TE, 6-3, 246
Alexander City, AL (Benjamin Russell)
High School Coach: Carl Martin

HIGH SCHOOL: Named to the Alabama Sports Writers Association Class 5A All-State Defense as a senior ... Ranked as the nation's No. 9 tight end and as the 10th-best player from the state of Alabama by Rivals.com ... Ranked No. 11 in the Rivals Preseason Alabama Top 40 ... Rivals.com Rivals 250 ... Ranked as the ninth-best tight end by PrepStar ... Ranked No. 10 at tight end by collegefootballnews.com ... Ranked No. 14 at tight end by ESPN.com ... Ranked No. 24 at his position by Scout.com ... Ranked No. 69 on the Mobile Register's Super Southeast 120 list of prospects. PERSONAL: Born August 6, 1988 ... Son of Michael and April Goggans.

Raven Gray
L, 6-3, 245
Enterprise, AL (Enterprise)
High School Coach: Kevin Collins

HIGH SCHOOL: Totaled 62 tackles, 10 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, five fumble recoveries and 20 quarterback hurries as a senior ... Caught 12 passes for 156 yards and 3 touchdowns ... Selected to the Class 6A All-State Team by the Alabama Sports Writers Association as a senior, and honorable mention as a junior ... Registered 71 tackles and 10.5 sacks his junior season and returned a fumble 40 yards for a touchdown ... As a junior, played in the Alabama High School Athletic Association North-South All-Star Game ... Ranked as the No. 51 overall player in the country and No. 13 in the Southeast (No. 2 DE) by Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report ... Ranked 13th nationally among strongside defensive ends and the No. 7 player in the state of Alabama by Rivals.com ... Ranked No. 6 in the Rivals Preseason Alabama Top 40 ... Rivals.com Rivals250 ... Ranked No. 41 nationally at the defensive end position by ESPN.com ... Ranked No. 146 on collegefootballnews.com's CFN Top 150 and No. 16 among defensive ends ... Ranted as the No. 22 defensive end nationally by Scout.com ... Rated No. 4 on the Birmingham News Super Senior 2006 ... Ranked 86th on the Mobile Register's Super Southeast 120 list of prospects ... Named to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super Southern 100. PERSONAL: Born Nov. 4, 1986 ... Son of Tracie Myhand.

Bo Harris
ATH, 6-2, 210
Conyers, GA (Heritage)
High School Coach: Al Pellegrino

HIGH SCHOOL: Starred as a quarterback, running back and linebacker in high school ... Rushed for 1,128 yards and 19 touchdowns with a 9.6 yards per carry average as a senior ... Returned three punts and a kickoff for touchdowns his senior year ... Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super 11 running back ... Class AAAA honorable mention all-state defensive team as a senior ... Named the Rockdale Citizen's Co-Offensive Player of the Year ... As a junior, had 34 tackles, nine sacks, three forced fumbles and one blocked punt while rushing for 859 yards and 12 touchdowns on 153 carries ... Ranked No. 21 at his position by Scout.com ... Ranked No. 29 nationally at outside linebacker by ESPN.com ... Ranked as the No. 56 outside linebacker by Rivals.com ... Ranked No. 19 in the Rivals Preseason Georgia Top 75 ... Ranks 91st on the Mobile Register's Super Southeast 120 list of prospects ... Named to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super Southern 100 ... Ranked as the No. 16 player from the state of Georgia by Georgia Sports Monthly ... Enrolled at Milford Academy and plans to enroll at Auburn in 2007. PERSONAL: Born August 13, 1987 ... Son of Phyllis Harris.

Tim Hawthorne
WR, 6-3, 205
Homewood, Al (Homewood)
High School Coach: Bob Newton

HIGH SCHOOL: As a senior, caught 72 passes for 996 yards and eight scores as a senior ... Named to the Alabama Sports Writers Association Super 12 and the Class 5A all-state team ... As a junior, had 84 receptions for 1,360 yards with 14 touchdowns en route to first-team all-state honors ... Set season and career receiving records at Homewood ... Ranked No. 4 nationally at wide receiver and as the No. 2 player in the state of Alabama by Rivals.com ... Ranked 49th in the Rivals 100 ... Ranked No. 2 in the Rivals Preseason Alabama Top 40 ... Rivals.com Rivals 250 ... Ranked No. 5 nationally among wide receivers by PrepStar ... Ranked as the No. 7 wide receiver by Scout.com and is No. 72 on the Scout.com National Hot 100 ... Ranked 23rd at WR by ESPN.com ... Ranked as the No. 138 overall player in the country and No. 38 in the Southeast by Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report ... Rated No. 2 on the Birmingham News Super Senior 2006 ... An Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super Southern 100 receiver ... Ranked fifth on the Mobile Register's Super Southeast 120 list of prospects ... Named to The Tampa Tribune's fourth annual Best of the South team as an honorable mention selection. PERSONAL: Born Oct. 23, 1987 ... Son of Theo and Donna Hawthorne.

Lee Isom
L, 6-3, 265
Jonesboro, GA (Lovejoy)
High School Coach: Al Hughes

HIGH SCHOOL: Started both ways for Lovejoy his senior season at offensive and defensive tackle, finishing with 30 pancake blocks, 89 tackles and 12 sacks and returning two fumbles for touchdowns ... Finished his career with 219 tackles and 31 sacks ... Ranked No. 56 among defensive linemen by Rivals.com ... Ranked No. 48 in the Rivals Postseason Georgia Top 50 ... Ranked No. 58 at his position by Scout.com ... Ranked as the No. 43 player from the state of Georgia by Georgia Sports Monthly ... All-Region as a junior. PERSONAL: Born June 10, 1988 ... Son of Lee and Cynthia Isom.

Hendrick Leverette
LB, 6-0, 200
Hattiesburg, MS (Oak Grove Attendance Center)
High School Coach: Nevill Barr

HIGH SCHOOL: Helped his team reach the Class 5A semifinals as a senior by totaling 152 tackles, including 94 solo stops, with 14 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries ... First-team all-state by the Clarion-Ledger ... Named 1st Team All-Area by the Hattiesburg American ... Three-year starter ... As a junior, was the leading tackler in the state with 203 tackles, four sacks, two interceptions and five forced fumbles and scored five touchdowns at running back ... Ranked No. 20 among outside linebackers and the No. 12 player in the state of Mississippi by Rivals.com ... Ranked No. 18 in the Rivals Preseason Mississippi Top 30 ... Ranked No. 49 nationally at outside linebacker by ESPN.com ... Named to the Clarion-Ledger's list of the top 40 high school prospects ... Rated as the No. 2 area prospect by the Sun Herald. PERSONAL: Born Feb. 24, 1988 ... Son of Arnold and Natalie Leverette.

Bryant Miller
L, 6-4, 240
Miami, FL (Miami Central)
High School Coach: Anthony Saunders

HIGH SCHOOL: Ranked as the No. 6 weakside defensive end nationally by Rivals.com ... Ranked No. 30 in the Rivals Preseason Florida Top 100 ... Ranked No. 39 in the Rivals Postseason Florida Top 100 ... Rivals.com Rivals 250 ... Ranked No. 53 at defensive end by ESPN.com ... Named to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super Southern 100 ... Ranked as the No. 57 player in the Southeast by Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report ... Played in the prestigious CaliFlorida All-Star game following his senior season ... Named second team All-Dade County ... Also excelled in track and field, finishing second in the shot put and seventh in the discus at the 2005 state meet. PERSONAL: Born April 22, 1988 ... Son of Alex Miller.

Jermarcus Ricks
L, 6-4, 285
Muscle Shoals, AL (Colbert County)
High School Coach: Steve Mask

HIGH SCHOOL: Alabama Sports Writers Association Alabama Class 3A Lineman of the Year and first team all-state as a senior ... Was the Florence TimesDaily Class 1A-3A Player of the Year (2005) ... Ranked No. 13 among offensive tackles and the No. 6 player in the state of Alabama by Rivals.com ... Rivals.com Rivals 250 ... Ranked No. 13 in the Preseason Alabama Top 40 by Rivals.com ... Ranked No. 37 as an offensive lineman by Scout.com ... Ranked No. 45 nationally at the offensive tackle position by ESPN.com ... Ranked as the No. 70 player in the Southeast by Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report ... Rated No. 11 on the Birmingham News Super Senior 2006 ... Named to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super Southern 100 ... Named to the Orlando Sentinel All-Southern team for the state of Alabama ... Ranks 70th on the Mobile Register's Super Southeast 120 list of prospects. PERSONAL: Born June 6, 1987 ... Son of Coreg and Aretha Wilson ... Is the brother of Auburn sophomore linebacker Courtney Harden.

Alex Rose
WR, 6-2, 177
Jacksonville, FL (First Coast)
High School Coach: Marty Lee

HIGH SCHOOL: Had five touchdown receptions and more than 500 receiving yards as a senior ... Totaled 43 receptions for 940 yards and 11 touchdowns in his junior season ... Ranked as the No. 47 wide receiver and the No. 59 player from the state of Florida by Rivals.com ... Ranked No. 64 by Rivals.com in the Preseason Florida Top 100 ... Ranked No. 81 nationally at wide receiver by ESPN.com ... Ranked 54th in the Sunshine 75 by the Tallahassee Democrat ... Ranked as the ninth-best receiver in the state of Florida by the Orlando Sentinel before the 2005 season. PERSONAL: Born Sept. 6, 1987 ... Son of Dishone Rose.

Darrell Roseman
L, 6-4, 235
Dunedin, FL (Dunedin)
High School Coach: Mark Everett

HIGH SCHOOL: Finished his senior season with 72 tackles, including 59 solo stops, 17 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and four pass breakups ... Florida Sports Writers Association Class 5A second-team all-state as a senior ... A three-year starter on both sides of the ball for Dunedin, playing defensive end, defensive tackle and offensive tackle ... Played in the Florida North-South Game ... Played for the North team in the 2005 Pinellas County All-Star Classic (selected by county coaches) ... Named to the All-SunCoast first team defense by the St. Petersburg Times ... Named the St. Petersburg Times Defensive Player of the Week for Sept. 14, 2005 ... Ranked No. 50 by Scout.com at the DT position ... Ranked No. 60 nationally among defensive tackles and the No. 99 player from the state of Florida by Rivals.com ... Ranked No. 38 in Sunshinepreps.net Pre-Spring 2006 Top 275 ... Averages 12 points and 10 rebounds a game playing center and power forward for his high school basketball team. PERSONAL: Born Sept. 27, 1987 ... Son of Lydia Lang Royal.

Ryan Shoemaker
P, 6-0, 192
Birmingham, AL (Oak Mountain)
High School Coach: Jerry Hood

HIGH SCHOOL: Selected to the 2005 Alabama Sports Writers Class 6A All-State First Team ... Averaged 39.5 yards per punt as a senior and 42.5 yards as a junior ... Was 12-18 on FG with a long of 48 and 38-39 on PAT his senior year ... Helped Oak Mountain to its best season ever in 2005 with a 10-4 record and a trip to the state semifinals ... Three-year starter at Oak Mountain ... Shelby County Reporter All-County Team as a senior. PERSONAL: Born Jan. 22, 1988 ... Son of Jim and Paula Shoemaker.

Chris Slaughter
WR, 6-3, 165
Fort Valley, GA (Peach County)
High School Coach: Rance Gillespie

HIGH SCHOOL: Totaled 1,350 receiving yards and a state record 23 touchdown catches as a senior, helping Peach County win the GHSA Class AAA state championship ... Totaled 42 catches for 1,016 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns as a junior ... Georgia Sports Writers Association All-State Class AAA Offensive Player of the Year as a senior ... All-State as a junior by the GSWA, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Georgia Athletic Coaches Association ... Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super 11 as a senior ... Named to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Super Southern 100 list ... Named to the 2005 GAsports.com All-State Offensive Team ... Selected for the GACA All-Star football game ... Ranked No. 13 nationally among wide receivers and No. 7 among players from Georgia by Rivals.com ... Ranked No. 10 in the Rivals Preseason Georgia Top 75 ... Rivals.com Rivals250 ... Ranked No. 15 nationally among wide receivers by PrepStar ... Ranked as the No. 18 wide receiver by Scout.com ... Ranked No. 24 in collegefootballnews.com's top 45 wide receivers ... Ranked No. 65 nationally by ESPN.com at the wide receiver position ... Named to fab50recruiting.com's Top Wide Receivers list ... Ranked as the No. 82 player in the Southeast by Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report ... Ranks 53rd on the Mobile Register's Super Southeast 120 list of prospects ... Ranked as the No. 10 player from the state of Georgia by Georgia Sports Monthly ... Also a basketball standout who averaged 18 points and five rebounds a game as a junior. PERSONAL: Born Dec. 19, 1986 ... Son of Calvin and Glenda Slaughter.

Greg Smith
L, 6-3, 315
Chattanooga, TN (Tyner/NE Mississippi)
High School Coach: Wayne Turner
Junior College Coach: Andy Greening

JC/HIGH SCHOOL: Originally signed with the Tigers as a high school senior out of Tyner High in Chattanooga ... Ranked No. 5 on the Rivals.com Junior College Top 100 list as a five-star prospect and the nation's top defensive tackle ... Helped Northeast Mississippi rank fourth in the nation in 2005 in total defense (186.9) and rushing defense (59.0) and 11th in pass defense (127.9) ... Made the All-State Juco team as a freshman after recording 37 tackles for loss ... Was the Tennessee Division II Lineman of the Year after making 164 tackles with 37 tackles for loss, 11 forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries as a senior for Tyner High School, which went 12-2 and advanced to the state playoffs ... Was a three-year starter on both sides of the ball in high school ... Listed as a player to watch on the 2005 JC Grid-Wire Pre-Season All-American team ... Team played in the 2005 Pilgrim's Pride Bowl Classic and finished 7-2. PERSONAL: Born Sept. 18, 1985 ... Son of Greg Smith and Dewanda Taylor.

Craig Stevens
LB, 6-2, 215
Tallahassee, FL (Lincoln)
High School Coach: Kyle Rice

HIGH SCHOOL: Finished with 120 tackles, five sacks and three fumble recoveries as a senior ... Had 22 tackles in his final game in the state playoffs ... Had 140 tackles as a junior including a career-high 25 tackles vs. Madison ... Florida Sports Writers Association Class 4A second-team All-State as a senior ... Helped team to the second round of the 2005 Class 4A playoffs ... Selected to play in the CaliFlorida Bowl, representing the state of Florida ... U.S. Army All-American nomination ... Ranked 18th nationally among linebackers and the No. 41 player from the state of Florida by Rivals.com ... No. 36 in the Rivals Preseason Florida Top 100 and No. 41 in the Postseason Florida Top 100 ... Rivals.com Rivals 250 ... Ranked No. 74 at linebacker by Scout.com ... Ranked as the 35th-best prospect in Florida by the Orlando Sentinel. PERSONAL: Born Jan. 19, 1988 ... Son of Doug and Elizabeth Jones.

Ben Tate
RB, 5-11, 208
Newark, MD (Snow Hill)
High School Coach: Stan Griffin

HIGH SCHOOL: Set Maryland state records for yards rushing in a career (5,920) and a season (2,886) ... In 37 career games played, rushed 542 times for 5,920 yards and 78 touchdowns, averaging 10.9 yards per carry and 160 yards per game ... Also added 210 career receiving yards ... Set the state single-season rushing record as a junior, totaling 2,886 yards and 41 touchdowns, averaging 221.4 yards per game ... Ran for 2,069 yards and 21 touchdowns as a senior, averaging 12.9 yards per carry, while leading his team to a state runner-up finish ... Also set the Maryland record for total offensive yards in a career with 6,123 ... Gatorade State Player of the Year as a senior and a consensus all-state pick ... Also earned first-team all-state honors as a junior ... Baystate Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2005 ... Ranked No. 6 nationally among running backs and the No. 5 player from the state of Maryland by Rivals.com ... Ranked No. 41 in the Rivals.com Rivals 100 ... Rivals.com Rivals 250 ... Ranked No. 9 nationally among running backs by PrepStar ... Ranked No. 12 nationally at the running back position by ESPN.com ... Ranked No. 78 overall on ESPN.com's ESPN 150 ... Ranked as the No. 22 running back nationally by Scout.com ... Ranked as the No. 57 overall player in the country and No. 8 in the Mid-Atlantic Coast by Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report ... Ranked No. 98 on collegefootballnews.com's CFN Top 150 ... Ranked 15th on CFN's Top 30 Running Backs list ... Graduated high school a semester early and is currently enrolled at Auburn. PERSONAL: Born Aug. 21, 1988 ... Son of Ben Tate, Jr., and Charlotte Green

Lee Tilley
L, 6-7, 310
Columbus, OH (Franklin Heights)
High School Coach: Eric Gillespie

HIGH SCHOOL: Named first team All-State in his junior and senior seasons ... Earned first team All-Southwest Ohio honors and was an all-county and all-conference selection as a junior and senior ... Did not allow a sack during his junior season ... Ranked as the No. 23 offensive line prospect in the country by Scout.com ... Ranked No. 24 at his position and No.13 in the state of Ohio by Rivals.com ... Ranked 25th at the offensive tackle position by ESPN.com ... Ranked No. 27 in collegefootballnews.com's Top 50 Offensive Lineman list ... Ranked as the No. 168 overall player in the country and No. 25 in the Midwest by Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report. PERSONAL: Born Aug. 2, 1986 ... Son of Larnell Tilley.

Terrell Zachery
WR, 6-1, 189
Wadley, AL (Wadley)
High School Coach: Randy Sparks

HIGH SCHOOL: Set an Alabama high school record for career receiving yards with 4,672 on 190 catches with 53 touchdowns ... Totaled 1,477 yards receiving on 66 catches and 17 touchdowns as a senior ... Had 1,410 yards receiving and 18 scores on 53 catches as a junior ... Also added 422 yards rushing with eight touchdowns and 650 return yards with five scores as a junior, giving him 2,482 all-purpose yards and 31 touchdowns ... Played running back, wide receiver and defensive back at Wadley ... Had a 91-yard touchdown reception and a 70-yard interception return for a score in a second-round playoff game against Addison during his junior season ... Named to the Alabama Sports Writers Association Super 12 team and first team Class 1A all-state as a senior ... Selected as a "Super Senior" by the Birmingham News (No. 12) ... Named to the Orlando Sentinel's 2005 All-Southern team ... First-team all-state and all-area Player of the Year as a junior ... Ranked No. 20 nationally among wide receivers by PrepStar ... Ranked No. 21 nationally among wide receivers and the No. 12 player in the state of Alabama by Rivals.com ... Ranked 10th in the Rivals Preseason Alabama Top 40 ... Rivals.com Rivals250 ... Ranked No. 29 in collegefootballnews.com's Top 45 Wide Receivers list ... Ranked 51st nationally at the wide receiver position by ESPN.com ... Ranked as the No. 170 overall player in the country and No. 47 in the Southeast by Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report ... Rated No. 11 on the Birmingham News Super Senior 2006 ... Ranked 52nd on the Mobile Register's Super Southeast 120 list of prospects. PERSONAL: Born Aug. 2, 1987 ... Son of Tommy Staples and Nan Zachery.

Drbio · 02-03-2006, 03:24 PM

Glad to hear that Tate is older. Looks like a decent class ET.

dalmations202 · 02-03-2006, 05:36 PM

The guy Baylor should be holding a spot for - and they are trying to convince to come there - is a RB named Kelvin Thompson. He is flat strong, fast, and moves. I watched him put 200 on Stephenvilles vaunted defense.

Ht: 6-0 Wt: 188 40: 4.5
Position: RB, S
Projected as: RB, S
Position Rank: 81
Year: Class of 2006

2005 STATS: (Ten Games) - Rushed for 1,898 yards and 25 touchdowns on 182 carries (10.4 yards/carry). Has scored a total of 170 points.

Drbio · 02-03-2006, 05:46 PM

What school did he play for dalm?

dalmations202 · 02-03-2006, 05:53 PM

Mineral Wells.

Drbio · 02-03-2006, 06:02 PM

Any word on who else is recruiting him or his academic status?

dalmations202 · 02-04-2006, 09:21 AM

He turned down Iowa and Iowa State.

"TCU, Baylor, SMU, the University of Texas and the University of Houston are among the schools that have shown interest in signing the Rams’ star halfback."

I know his family, and I am guessing that Baylor and TCU have the best shots. He is a Tyson Thompson (from the Cowboys) type RB. His uncle told me that he was going to go to make all the visits and then figure out which one he thought was best, and that he could be starting the fastest at. I am just worried that his delay in signing will start slowing down some of his options soon. Right now it hasn't been though.

From what I have heard, his academic status is fine. I didn't really ask though.