Western Michigan University Athletic Media Relations

Transcription

1 Football Contact: Adam Bodnar For Immediate Release Feb. 4, 2015 WMU Football Signs 25 Elite Student-Athletes It takes two to build a dynasty KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- The Western Michigan football program announced a class of 25 signees on National Signing day, bringing in student-athletes of both elite athletic ability and quality people that are now officially Broncos. For the second-straight season WMU has brought in the highest ranked class in the Mid-American Conference. This season s class ranks in at 57th in the nation by Scout.com and boasts one four-star prospect and 14 three-star prospects. The Broncos are one of only two MAC teams to bring in a four-star prospect this season in Justin Tranquill, a defensive back from Huntertown, Ind. The overall class is ranked ahead of notable Power Five Conference teams Indiana, Cincinnati, Kansas, Kansas State, Purdue, Oregon State and others. Nineteen members of the class come from a six-hour recruiting radius that head coach P.J. Fleck and his staff concentrate on. A total of 12 recruits hail from the state of Michigan, three from Illinois, two from Indiana and two from Ohio. Nine of Western Michigan s signees from Michigan appear on the Detroit News Blue Chip Top 60 Recruit List, including two in the top 13. Michigan native s Alex Grace (Saginaw/Swan Valley) and Jon Wassink were both 2014 Michigan High School Player of the Year finalists. The Broncos also pulled in elite talent from Florida, New Jersey and Texas. On the defensive side WMU brings in five defensive linemen, four defensive backs and two linebackers. Offensively Western Michigan brings in six wide receivers, three offensive linemen, two quarterbacks, one tight end and one running back. Offensive lineman Wesley French crossed the finish line first, sending his National Letter of Intent at exactly 7 a.m. ET. The entire class was signed, sealed and delivered by 8:24 a.m.

2 2015 WMU Football Signing Class Roster NAME POS HT WT YR HOMETOWN LAST SCHOOL Eric Assoua DE Fr. Silver Springs, Md. St. John s Antonio Balabani DE Fr. Macomb, Mich. Dakota Samuel Beal DB Fr. Grand Rapids, Mich. Ottawa Hills LeVante Bellamy WR Fr. Indianapolis, Ind. Pike Anton Curtis WR Fr. Grosse Point, Mich. East English Village Prep Paul Engram LB Fr. Detroit, Mich. Loyola Ken Finley, Jr. DT Fr. Muskegon, Mich. Muskegon Tom Flacco QB Fr. Voorhees, N.J. Eastern Wesley French OL Fr. Benton Harbor, Mich. St. Joseph Davontae Ginwright DB Fr. Southfield, Mich. Southfield Kadeem Goulbourne WR Fr. Weston, Fla. Cypress Bay Alex Grace LB Fr. Saginaw, Mich. Swan Valley Donte Horton DE Fr. West Chester, Ohio Lakota West Luke Juriga OL Fr. Aurora, Ill. Marmion Academy John Keenoy OL Fr. Kentwood, Mich. East Kentwood Giovanni Ricci WR Fr. Loveland, Ohio Loveland Daniel Jackson DT Fr, Romeoville, Ill. Plainfield East Obbie Jackson DB Fr. West Bloomfield, Mich. West Bloombield Justin Spencer DB Fr. Oviedo, Fla. Oviedo Carrington Thompson WR Jr. Houston, Texas Northwood Univ, Justin Tranquill DB Fr. Huntertown, Ind. Carroll Davon Tucker RB Fr. Somerdale, N.J. Sterling Parker Underwood TE Fr. Lansing, Mich. East Lansing Jon Wassink QB Fr. Grand Rapids, Mich. South Christian Keishawn Watson WR Fr. Wheaton, Ill. Wheaton Warrenville South

3 Eric Assoua (AH-soo-uh) 6-2 / 230 Silver Springs, MD / St. Johns Anton Curtis 6-3 / 185 Grosse Point, Mich. / East English Village Prep Rated 3-star prospect by Rivals.com and SCOUT.com Washington Post Fall All-Met First Team Defense DMVelite Third Team Defense WCAC First Team All-Conference. Tony Balabani (bal - uh -bahn - ee) 6-3 / 235 Macomb, Mich. / Dakota Rated 3-star prospect by SCOUT.com and Rivals.com... No. 27 on Detroit News Blue Chip Recruits list... First Team All-Metro East... First Team All-State... First Team All-Conference... holds single-season sack record with total tackles and 21 sacks. Sam Beal 6-2 / 195 Grand Rapids, Mich. / Ottawa Hills Rated 2-star prospect by SCOUT.com... track and football star at Ottawa Hills High School... placed third in both 100-meter and 200-meter dashes at the State Championship in scored eight total touchdowns and racked up 29 tackles. LeVante Bellamy 5-11 / 185 Indianapolis, Ind. / Pike Rushed for over 3,297 yards in his career and recorded 50 rushing touchdowns... rated a 3-star prospect by Rivals.com and SCOUT.com... rushed for 2,360 yards and 35 touchdowns during junior season... Class 3A IHSAA State Finalist... Recipient of McAlister s SPUDtacular Play of the Week Award (Oct. 10). Rated a 3-star prospect by SCOUT.com... ranked no. 36 in Detroit News Blue Chip Recruits list... played quarterback in high school at East English Village Prep. Paul Engram Linebacker 6-1 / 235 Detroit, Mich. / Loyola No. 47 on Detroit News Blue Chip Prospect List... racked up 228 total tackles in his career, including 13.5 sacks MHSAA Division 7 State Champion Class D Catholic League Prep Bowl Champion. Ken Finley, Jr. Defensive Tackle 6-3 / 283 Muskegon, Mich./ Muskegon Rated 3-star prospect... was ranked 33rd best recruit in Michigian in ranked by Detroit News Top 60 Blue Chip List Detroit Free Press Top 50 Recruiting List as 33rd best recruit in Michgian All-Sate. Tom Flacco Quarterback 6-1 / 185 Vorhees, N.J. / Eastern Rated 2-star prospect... multi-sport athlete who played basketball and baseball.. passed for over 4,500 yards and accounted for 40 touchdowns... dual threat quarterback... drafted in 32nd round of 2014 MLB Draft by the Philadelphia Phillies. Wesley French 6-5 / 300 Benton Harbor, Mich. / St. Joseph Rated 3-star offensive lineman... ranked No. 30 in Detroit News blue Chip Recruits list... named No. 43 in Detroit Free Press Fab th best prospect in the state of Michigan according to Rivals.com AP First Team All-State.

4 Davontae Ginwright (JIN - right) 6-3 / 195 Southfield, Mich. / Southfield John Keenoy 6-3 / 285 Kentwood, Mich. / East Kentwood Rated 3-star prospect by ESPN and SCOUT.com... ranked No. 58 in Detroit News Blue Chips Recruits list... has 100 career tackles, one interception and one touchdown... brings size and speed to the defensive backfield. Kadeem Goulburne 6-4 / 200 Weston, Fla. / Cypress Bay Rated 3-star prospect... chose WMU over Michigan State, Missouri, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Rutgers, Wisconsin, N.C. State and the rest of the MAC... had 803 yards receiving during senior season and 14 touchdowns. Alex Grace Linebacker 6-2 / 200 Saginaw, Mich. / Swan Valley Rated 3-star prospect... two-time Michigan High School Football Player of the Year finalist (2013, 2014)... No. 12 in Detroit News Blue Chip Recruits list... No. 26 in Detroit Free Press Fab holds state single-season rushing record with 2,962 yards and 36 touchdowns in 2013, including a state record eight consecutive games with at least 200 yards rushing AP Division 3 Player of the Year... two time AP First Team All-State. Donte Horton 6-4 / 205 West Chester, Ohio / Lakota West Rated 3-star prospect by ESPN, SCOUT.com and Rivals.com... recorded over seven sacks in his career... named to Massillon NFSC All-Combine Defense Team... older brother Mikel plays running back at Kentucky. Luke Juriga (jer - ee - guh 6-4 / 270 Aurora, Ill. / Marmion Academy Rated 2-star prospect Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Class 6A All-State team member... Co-Offensive Player of the Year in Chicago Catholic League... son of former NFL offensive lineman Jim Juriga. Rated 3-star prospect by ESPN, SCOUT.com, Rivals.com... No. 13 in Detroit News Blue Chip Recruits list... No. 12 on Detroit Free Press Fab 50 list... two-time First Team All-Conference... All-State Honorable Mention... Detroit Free Press First Team All-State... ranked No. 1 center in the state of Michigan... named Top Ten Best of the Best offensive lineman at Rivals.com Big Man Elite camp. Giovanni Ricci 6-4 / 200 Loveland, Ohio / Loveland Rated a 2-star prospect by SCOUT.com... multi-sport athlete State Champion and part of a Loveland High School team that went undefeated. Daniel Jackson Defensive Tackle 6-3 / 250 Romeoville, Ill. / Plainfield East Rated 2-star prospect... starred at Plainfield East High School earning a spot on the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Class 7A All-State Team... brings size and athleticism to the defensive line. Obbie Jackson (oh - bee) 5-11 / 180 West Bloomfield, Mich. / West Bloomfield Ranked No. 40 in Detroit Free Press Fab 50 list... ranked No. 42 in Detroit News Blue Chip list... rated 2-star recruit by SCOUT.com... earned Best Defensive Back Award at Core 6 Showcase camp... named Mr. Explosive (short shuttle winner) for receivers/defensive backs at Adidas Winter Showcase. Justin Jett Spencer 5-10 / 190 Oviedo, Fla. / Oviedo Goes by the name Jett... rated 3-star prospect by SCOUT.com... racked up 79 career tackles and five interceptions... chose Western Michigan over Cincinnati, UCONN and Mississippi State.

5 Carrington Thompson 6-3 / 170 Junior Houston, Texas / Northwood Played in 20 games in two seasons at Northwood... recorded 89 receptions for 1,210 yards and 10 touchdown receptions... averaged 60.5 yards per game and 13.6 yards per catch. Justin Tranquill 5-11 / 185 Huntertown, Ind. / Carroll Rated 4-star prospect by SCOUT.com... highest rated recruit in program history... No. 3 defensive back in the state of Indiana... held offers from Power Five Conference programs like Cincinnati, Indiana, Illinois... starred on offense and defense at running back and defensive back, racking up over 1,400 yards rushing, 17 tackles, three interceptions and 11 pass breakups during junior season... missed senior season due to injury... earned MVP Award at Core 6 Showcase in both Cincinnati and Chicago. Davon Tucker (DAY-vaughn) Running Back 5-10 / 205 Somerdale, N.J. / Sterling Rated a 3-star prospect by ESPN, SCOUT.com and Rivals.com New Jersey Offensive Back of the Year rushed for 1,085 yards and 13 touchdowns during junior season First Team Liberty Division/Colonial Conference selection. Parker Underwood Tight End 6-4 / 240 Lansing, Mich. / East Lansing Rated a 2-star prospect by both ESPN, SCOUT.com and Rivals.com... recorded 254 yards and three touchdowns in 16 receptions with East Lansing High School... three-sport athlete. Jon Wassink (wah - sink) Quarterback 6-3 / 195 Grand Rapids, Mich. / South Christian Rated a 3-star prospect by SCOUT.com... ranked no. 33 in Detroit News Blue Chip Recruits list...ranked No. 33 in Detroit Free Press Fab racked up 34 total touchdowns with 2,178 yards passing and 900 yards rushing during senior season... passed for 24 touchdowns and 2,781 yards and rushed for 22 touchdowns and 1,074 yards during junior season... was a 2014 Michigan High School Player of the Year finalist... two-time MHSAA Division 4 State Champion... multi-sport athlete excelling in basketball and football. Keishawn Watson (KEE- shawn) 6-0 / 185 Wheaton, Ill. / Warrenville South Rated 2-star prospect by SCOUT.com... attends Wheaton Warrenville South High School, the same school as current Bronco Corey Davis... racked up 510 receiving yards and four touchdowns on just 23 receptions, also averaginging 16.5 yards per punt return.