Tennessee's 2017 Football Signees

  • Wednesday, February 1, 2017
  • special to The Chattanoogan.com

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee football program introduced 22 newcomers and officially welcomed five early enrollees during National Signing Day on Wednesday, ultimately unveiling 27 members of its 2017 signing class.

Of the players officially introduced on Wednesday, 13 are offensive players (including kicker Brent Cimaglia) and 14 play on the defensive side of the ball.

Ten states are represented in the signing class, including seven newcomers from the state of Tennessee. Florida yielded six new Vols while Georgia (3), Louisiana (3) and Virginia (2) each produced multiple newcomers. Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina and Texas were also represented.

According to 247sports composite ratings, Tennessee's 2017 class ranks 17th nationally. Six other SEC schools are rated higher than the Vols: Alabama (1), Georgia (3), LSU (7), Auburn (9), Florida (10) and Texas A&M (12).

Here are the Vols' 2017 football signees:

Deandre Johnson

Freshman • DE • 6-4 • 235
Miami, Fla. • Miami Southridge Senior High School

Prospect Rankings

·         ESPN: 3-star (79 grade, No. 41 defensive end, No. 222 prospect in Southeast region, No. 78 prospect in Florida)

·         247 Sports: 3-star (No. 44 weakside defensive end, No. 102 prospect in Florida)

·         Scout: 3-star (No. 81 defensive end, No. 29 defensive end in South region, No. 13 defensive end in Florida)

·         Rivals: 3-star weakside defensive end

High School

·         Attended Miami Southridge Senior High School, Fla., playing for coach Billy Rolle, serving as a team captain for one year

·         Johnson had 15 sacks, helping lead Southridge to the 8A state championship with a 12-2 record in 2016

·         Participated in Nike's The Opening 2015

Personal

·         Chose Tennessee over Mississippi State, Georgia Tech, California

·         Full Name: Deandre Hugh Johnson

·         Born on May 27, 1999

·         Son of Andre Johnson and Michelle Williams

·         Majoring in Communications

Riley Locklear

Freshman • OL • 6-5 • 295
Huntington, W. Va. • Spring Valley High School

Prospect Rankings

·         ESPN: 3-star (79 grade, No. 38 offensive guard, No. 69 overall prospect in East Region, No. 2 prospect in West Virginia)

·         247 Sports: 3-star (No. 62 offensive tackle, No. 3 prospect in West Virginia)

·         Scout: 3-star (No. 31 offensive guard, No. 4 offensive guard in East Region, No. 1 offensive guard in West Virginia)

·         Rivals: 4-star (No. 33 offensive tackle, No. 2 prospect in West Virginia)

High School

·         Was a two-year letterwinner and two-year captain at Spring Valley High School in Huntington, W. Va., playing for coach Brad Dingess

·         Competitive player for Spring Valley, playing both offensive and defensive tackle

·         lettered one year for basketball and was a member of the bass fishing club

·         Recipient of the 2016 Stydahar Award, given to the state's top interior lineman by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association

·         2016 Blue-Grey All-American

·         2016 All-State Football, First Team Offensive Line

·         Two-time first-team all-state and first team all-conference

·         2016 Adidas Georgia Showcase, Offensive Line Most Valuable Player award and also received the honor as overall MVP

·         Spring Valley Timberwolves won Mountain State Athletic Conference Championship with a 12-1 record

·         Set Spring Valley record for most knock downs in school history

Personal

·         Full Name: Riley Andrew Locklear

·         Born on October 21, 1997

·         Son of Madea McGuire

·         Younger brother of Alex Locklear

·         Majoring in Kinesiology

Will McBride

Freshman • QB • 6-1 • 195
League City, Texas • Clear Springs High School

Prospect Rankings

·         ESPN: 3-star (71 grade, No. 45 quarterback, No. 256 prospect in Midlands region, No. 198 prospect in Texas)

·         247 Sports: 3-star (No. 28 dual-threat quarterback, No. 183 prospect in Texas)

·         Scout: 3-star (No. 32 quarterback, No. 5 quarterback in Texas)

·         Rivals: 3-star dual-threat quarterback

High School

·         Attended Clear Springs High School playing for coach Craig Dailey

·         Was a three-year letterwinner and one-year captain at Clear Spring

·         Accounted for 5,714 yards of total offense and 69 total touchdowns in three varsity seasons at Clear Springs

·         Led Clear Springs to a 15-8 record as a starter in both his junior and senior year, while also reaching the Texas Class 6A playoffs both seasons

·         Led Clear Springs to the 2016 district title and 9-2 record and earned first-team all-county honors

·         Speedy dual-threat quarterback has been clocked with a 4.59 in the 40-yard dash

·         Member of National Honor Society

Personal

·         Full Name: William James McBride

·         Born on Oct. 9, 1998

·         Son of Stephanie and Jere McBride

·         Older brother of Michael McBride

·         Majoring in Business

Shanon Reid

Freshman • LB • 6-0 • 205
Lehigh Acres, Fla. • Dunbar High School

Prospect Rankings

·         ESPN: 3-star (78 grade, No. 41 outside linebacker, No. 300 prospect in Southeast region, No. 107 prospect in Florida)

·         247 Sports: 4-star (No. 42 outside linebacker, No. 81 prospect in Florida)

·         Scout: 3-star (No. 27 inside linebacker, No. 12 inside linebacker in South, No. 2 inside linebacker in Florida)

·         Rivals: 3-star

High School

·         Attended Dunbar High School, Fla., playing for coach Sammy Brown

·         Four-year letterwinner for Dunbar and served as captain for one year

·         MVP at FBU Combine at Community School of Naples

·         Attended U.S. Army National Combine All-Combine team

·         Was also a three-year letterwinner on the baseball team and a two-year letterwinner for basketball

Personal

·         Chose Tennessee over LSU and Michigan

·         Full Name: Shanon Raymon Reid

·         Born on Dec. 3, 1997

·         Son of Shanon Reid Sr. and Lindell Anderson

·         Younger brother of Alexis Reid

·         Majoring in Sports Medicine

Trey Smith

Freshman • OL • 6-6 • 315
Humboldt, Tenn. • University School of Jackson

Prospect Rankings

·         ESPN: 5-star (93 grade, No. 1 overall prospect, No. 1 offensive tackle, No. 1 prospect in Southeast Region, No. 1 prospect in Tennessee)

·         247 Sports: 5-star (No. 14 overall prospect, No. 4 offensive tackle, No. 1 prospect in Tennessee)

·         Scout: 5-star (No. 29 overall prospect, No. 4 offensive tackle, No. 1 offensive tackle in South, No. 1 offensive tackle in Tennessee)

·         Rivals: 4-star (No. 49 overall prospect, No. 8 offensive tackle, No. 4 prospect in Tennessee)

High School

·         Four-year letterwinner and one-year captain at the University School of Jackson in Jackson, Tenn., playing for coach Rusty Bradley

·         Earned all-state honors from 2015-17

·         Winner of the 2016 Bobby Dodd Award by the Touchdown Club of Atlanta

·         Two-time Tennessee Mr. Football, two-time District OL of the Year, two-time Player of the Year, two-time Offensive Lineman of the Year

·         Selected as Mr. Football in Division II-A in Tennessee, Smith did not allow a sack during the 2016 season

·         Anchored an offensive line that averaged 300 yards rushing per game

·         2017 2017 Under Armour All-American and 2016 USA TODAY/American Family Insurance All-USA First Team

·         2016 MaxPreps Football All-American First Team Offense

·         2015-2016 Nike+ The Opening

·         Member of ESPN 300

·         Bruins finished 9-4 in 2016, reaching the semi-finals of the playoffs

·         Lineman of the Year in 2015

·         Had 140 pancake blocks as a junior in 2015

Personal

·         Full Name: Henry Louis Smith

·         Born on June 16, 1999

·         Son of Henry and the late Dorsetta Smith

·         Younger brother of Tennessee Football Executive Assistant to the Head Coach Ashley Smith

·         Majoring in Sport Management with a minor in Business

Terrell Bailey

Freshman • CB • 5-11 • 180
Harvey, La. • John Ehret High School

Prospect Rankings

·         ESPN: 3-star (78 grade, No. 60 cornerback, No. 330 in Southeast region, No. 31 prospect in Louisiana)

·         247 Sports: 3-star (No. 492 overall prospect, No. 49 cornerback, No. 19 prospect in Louisiana)

·         Rivals: 4-star (No. 26 cornerback, No. 12 prospect in Louisiana)

·         Scout: 3-star (No. 58 cornerback, No. 19 cornerback in South region, No. 5 cornerback in Louisiana)

High School

·         Attended John Ehret High School in Harvey, LA., playing for coach Corey Lambert

·         Was named to 2016 LSWA All-State Class 5A Football Honorable Mention

·         Was named to The Advocate's Super Dozen Second Dozen for top recruits in Class of 2017

·         As a junior in 2015, helped lead John Ehret to Louisiana 5A State Championship Game

Personal

·         Full Name: Terrell Bailey

·         Son of Felicia Bailey and Marlon Winchester

Marquez Bembry

Freshman • DE • 6-2 • 215
Stone Mountain, Ga. • Mount Vernon Presbyterian High School

Prospect Rankings

·         ESPN: 3-star (79 grade, No. 31 outside linebacker, No. 212 in Southeast region, No. 52 prospect in Georgia)

·         247 Sports: 3-star (No. 548 overall prospect, No. 39 athlete, No. 54 prospect in Georgia)

·         Rivals: 3-star (No. 44 weakside defensive end, No. 71 prospect in Georgia)

·         Scout: 4-star (No. 35 outside linebacker, No. 15 outside linebacker in South region, No. 8 defensive end in Georgia)

High School

·         Attended Mt. Vernon Presbyterian HS in Atlanta, Ga., playing for coach Wayne Dabbs

·         Suffered a knee injury early in his 2016 senior season

·         Posted a 36.5" vertical at 2015 Nike The Opening combine

·         Played both on offense and defense for the Mustangs as a junior in 2015, making 31 catches for 397 yards on offense and recording 110 tackles and 20 sacks on defense

·         Also participated in track and field, and ran a 10.68 100-meter dash in 2015 to finish second in the state of Georgia

Personal

·         Full Name: Marquez Bembry

·         Born on June 5, 1998

·         Son of Leticia Bembry and Danny Sirmans

·         Grandmother: Meta Lanier-Alexander

Kivon Bennett

Freshman • DT • 6-2 • 285
Hollywood, Fla. • St. Thomas Aquinas High School

Prospect Rankings

·         ESPN: 4-star (80 grade, No. 35 defensive tackle, No. 197 in Southeast region, No. 67 prospect in Florida)

·         247 Sports: 3-star (No. 480 overall prospect, No. 40 defensive tackle, No. 65 prospect in Florida)

·         Rivals: 4-star (No. 16 defensive tackle, No. 53 prospect in Florida)

·         Scout: 3-star (No. 37 defensive tackle, No. 12 defensive tackle in South region, No. 4 defensive tackle in Florida)

High School

·         Attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., playing for coach Roger Harriott

·         Bennett helped St. Thomas Aquinas win its third consecutive state title in Florida this season

·         As a senior in 2016, recorded 31 tackles, three sacks and eight hurries

·         As a junior in 2015, had 31 tackles and five sacks

·         Was named MVP honors in the GEICO State Champions Bowl Series while helping St. Thomas Aquinas defeat Bingham (Utah), 33-25, at the Ford Center in Frisco, Texas. Recorded two forced fumbles, three tackles for loss and one sack.

Personal

·         Full Name: Kivon Bennett

·         Born on Jan. 28, 1999

·         Son of Cornelius and Kimberly Bennett

·         Father Cornelius Bennett was the No. 2 overall pick in the 1987 NFL Draft by the 

·         Indianapolis Colts and starred at linebacker in the NFL from 1987-2000. He was a five-time Pro Bowl selection, three-time All-Pro, four-time AFC Champion (1990-93 wih the Buffalo Bills) and 1998 NFC Champion with the Atlanta Falcons and was named to the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team.

James Brown

Freshman • TE • 6-4• 220
Orlando, Fla. • Jones High School

Prospect Rankings

·         ESPN: 3-star (74 grade, No. 22 tight end, No. 507 in Southeast region, No. 190 prospect in Florida)

·         247 Sports: 3-star (No. 1429 overall prospect, No. 72 tight end, No. 206 prospect in Florida)

·         Rivals: 3-star (No. 90 prospect in Florida)

·         Scout: 3-star (No. 50 tight end, No. 12 tight end in South region, No. 4 tight end in Florida)

High School

·         Attended Jones High School in Orlando, Fla., playing for coach Elijah Williams

·         Is a former quarterback who changed position to tight end

·         As a senior in 2016, had 11 catches for 201 yards and four touchdowns, rushed for 170 yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries and threw for 135 yards and three touchdowns on 16-of-19 passing

·         Helped lead the Tigers to a 10-2 season in 2016 and the second round of the state playoffs

Personal

·         Full Name: James Brown

·         Son of James Brown III and Phedre Brown

LaTrell Bumphus

Freshman • TE • 6-4• 245
Savannah, Tenn. • Hardin County High School

Prospect Rankings

·         SPN: 4-star (81 grade, No. 263 overall prospect, No. 18 athlete, No. 120 in Southeast region, No. 10 prospect in Tennessee)

·         247 Sports: 3-star (No. 464 overall prospect, No. 26 weakside defensive end, No. 12 prospect in Tennessee)

·         Rivals: 4-star (No. 14 weakside defensive end, No. 10 prospect in Tennessee)

·         Scout: 3-star (No. 20 tight end, No. 3 tight end in South region, No. 1 tight end in Tennessee)

High School

·         Attended Hardin County High School in Savannah, Tenn., playing for coach Matt Smith

·         The Opening Regionals 2016

Personal

·         Full Name: LaTrell Bumphus

·         Born on Sept. 30, 1999

·         Son of Keith and Melissa Bumphus

·         Siblings: Nick Porter

Matthew Butler

Freshman • DT • 6-4• 285
Raleigh, N.C. • Garner Senior High School

Prospect Rankings

·         ESPN: 3-star (77 grade, No. 61 defensive tackle, No. 347 in Southeast region, No. 23 prospect in North Carolina)

·         247 Sports: 4-star (No. 455 overall prospect, No. 36 strongside defensive end, No. 12 prospect in North Carolina)

·         Rivals: 3-star (No. 14 strongside defensive end, No. 12 prospect in North Carolina)

·         Scout: 3-star (No. 33 defensive tackle, No. 10 defensive tackle in the South region, No. 1 defensive tackle in North Carolina)

High School

·         Attended Garner Senior High School in Garner, N.C., playing for coach Thurman Leach

·         As a senior in 2016, helped lead Trojans to a 12-2 record and the 4AA East Regional Semifinals and had 96 tackles, including 44 for loss, 26 sacks and 36 hurries

·         Was named to 2016 N.C. Associated Press All-State 4A Team

·         Starred in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas

·         The Opening Regionals 2016

·         As a junior in 2015, posted 65 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, and caught 10 passes for 175 yards and four touchdowns

Personal

·         Full Name: Matthew Butler

·         Son of Phillip and Madelyn Butler

·         Siblings: Phylicia and Theo

K'Rojhn Calbert

Freshman • OT • 6-5 • 300
McMinnville, Tenn • Warren County Senior High School

Prospect Rankings

·         ESPN: 3-star (79 grade, No. 45 offensive tackle, No. 226 in Southeast Region, No. 12 prospect in Tennessee)

·         247 Sports: 3-star (No. 619 overall prospect, No. 62 offensive tackle, No. 20 prospect in Tennessee)

·         Rivals: 3-star (No. 75 offensive tackle, No. 23 prospect in Tennessee)

·         Scout: 3-star (No. 57 offensive tackle, No. 20 offensive tackle in South region, No. 3 offensive tackle in Tennessee)

High School

·         Attended Warren County High School in McMinnville, Tenn., playing for coach Tom Moore

·         Named to 2016 TSWA Class 6A All-State team

·         Played both football and basketball

·         Due to knee injuries, hardly played any football his first three years of high school

·         Gained attention in recruiting from various schools with his standout play at camps

·         Ran a 4.9 40-yard dash

Personal

·         Full Name: K'Rojhn Calbert

·         Grandmother: Wille Mae Martin

Ty Chandler

Freshman • RB • 5-11• 190
Nashville, Tenn. • Montgomery Bell Academy

Prospect Rankings

·         ESPN: 4-star (84 grade, No. 101 overall prospect, No. 9 running back, No. 50 in Southeast region, No. 6 prospect in Tennessee)

·         247 Sports: 4-star (No. 68 overall prospect, No. 5 running back, No. 5 prospect in Tennessee)

·         Rivals: 4-star (No. 80 overall prospect, No. 6 running back, No. 5 prospect in Tennessee)

·         Scout: 4-star (No. 81 overall prospect, No. 7 running back, No. 2 runnking back in South region, No. 1 running back in Tennessee)

High School

·         Attended Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, TN., playing for coach Marty Euverard

·         Two-time Division II-AA Tennessee Mr. Football Award winner

·         MaxPreps 2016 Football All-American Team

·         Member of ESPN 300

·         2017 U.S. Army All-American Bowl Nomination

·         Candidate for the 2016 All-USA Offensive Player of the Year award

·         Rushed for 2,252 yards and 39 touchdowns as a senior in 2016

·         Helped led the Big Red to an 8-2 regular-season record in 2016, as well as Division II-AA East/Middle Region title

·         Ranks seventh in TSSAA history in career rushing yards (6,158) and third in career touchdowns (92)

·         The Tennessean's 2015 football player of the year

·         Rushed for 2,558 yards and 31 touchdowns as a junior in 2015

Personal

·         Full Name: Tykevious Chandler

·         Born on May 12, 1998

·         Son of Chico and Katrina Chandler

·         Siblings: Madisyn and Jonah

Brent Cimaglia

Freshman • K • 6-0• 215
Franklin, Tenn. • Fred J Page High School

Prospect Rankings

·         ESPN: 3-star (76 grade, No. 13 kicker, No. 446 in Southeast region, No. 27 prospect in Tennessee)

·         247 Sports: 2-star (No. 1341 overall prospect, No. 3 kicker, No. 34 prospect in Tennessee)

·         Rivals: 3-star (No. 5 kicker, No. 35 prospect in Tennessee)

·         Scout: 3-star (No. 8 kicker, No. 3 kicker in South region, No. 1 kicker in Tennessee)

High School

·         Attended Fred J Page High School in Franklin, Tenn., playing for coach Charles Rathbone

·         Attended the National Invitational Scholarship Camp in July of 2016

·         Southern Showcase Camp 2014-2016

·         Kicking and Punting Kohl's Professional Camps, KO's are consistent between 65-75 yards with around 4 seconds of hanging time

·         5-star Kohl's kicker rating, 4.5-star punter rating

·         Ranked by Kohl's as the sixth-best kicker in the Class of 2017 and the 45th-best punter

·         Career long field-goal is 47 yards

·         As a senior in 2016, was 6-of-11 on field goals and 31-for-31 on extra points. He also had 33 touchbacks on 47 kickoffs.

·         As a junior in 2015, was 3-of-6 on field goals, 30-for-30 on extra points and averaged 42.1 yards on 23 punts. He also had 29 touchbacks on 40 kickoffs.

Personal

·         Full Name: Brent Cimaglia

·         Born on June 26, 1998

·         Son of Keri Cimaglia

·         Siblings: Jennifer

Trey Coleman

Freshman • RB • 5-11• 215
West Monroe, La. • West Monroe High School

Prospect Rankings

·         ESPN: 3-star (78 grade, No. 47 running back, No. 327 in Southeast region, No. 30 prospect in Louisiana)

·         247 Sports: 3-star (No. 605 overall prospect, No. 44 running back, No. 23 prospect in Louisiana)

·         Rivals: 3-star (No. 32 prospect in Louisiana)

·         Scout: 3-star (No. 53 running back, No. 25 running back in South region, No. 4 running back in Louisiana)

High School

·         Attended West Monroe High School in West Monroe, La., playing for coach Jerry Arledge

·         As a senior in 2016, helped West Monroe win the District 2-5A title and Class 5A State runner-up finish

·         In 2016, led team with 187 carries for 1,369 yards and 12 touchdowns and posted six 100-yard rushing games. He also had 10 catches for 171 yards and three touchdowns.

·         Earned 2016 Central Louisiana All-District 2-5A First Team honors and All-Northeast Louisiana Big Schools First Team honors

·         In 2015, was named Honorable Mention All-State, All-Northeast Louisiana, Second Team All-Parish, First Team All-District

·         As a junior in 2015, rushed for over 1,400 yards and scored 12 touchdowns

·         Also played basketball at West Monroe

Personal

·         Full Name: Trey Coleman

·         Born on Sept. 17, 1997

·         Son of John Coleman Jr.

Eric Crosby

Freshman • DT • 6-1• 325
Virginia Beach, Va. • Ocean Lakes High School

Prospect Rankings

·         ESPN: 4-star (81 grade, No. 226 overall prospect, No. 18 defensive tackle, No. 26 in East region, No. 6 prospect in Virginia)

·         247 Sports: 4-star (No. 218 overall prospect, No. 12 defensive tackle, No. 7 prospect in Virginia)

·         Rivals: 3-star (No. 27 defensive tackle, No. 16 prospect in Virginia)

·         Scout: 4-star (No. 72 overall prospect, No. 6 defensive tackle, No. 1 defensive tackle in East region, No. 1 defensive tackle in Virginia)

High School

·         Attended Ocean Lakes High School in Virginia Beach, Va., playing for coach Joe Jones

·         Member of ESPN 300

·         2017 U.S. Army All-American Bowl Nomination

·         2016 6A South All-State First Team

·         2015 6A South All-State Second Team, All-Tidewater Second Team

·         2015 - helped Ocean Lakes go undefeated, posting 50 tackles, three sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup

·         2015 - also played running back in postseason, rushing fo 120 yards and four touchdowns in South Region title game

Personal

·         Full Name: Eric Crosby

·         Born on April 23, 1998

·         Son of Amy Crosby

·         Siblings: Mason

Maleik Gray

Freshman • S • 6-2 • 195
LaVergne, Tenn. • LaVergne High School

Prospect Rankings

·         ESPN: 4-star (84 grade, No. 90 overall prospect, No. 7 outside linebacker, No. 43 Southeast, No. 5 prospect in Tennessee)

·         247 Sports: 4-star (No. 78 overall prospect, No. 10 safety, No. 6 prospect in Tennessee)

·         Rivals: 4-star (No. 86 overall prospect, No. 11 safety, No. 6 prospect in Tennessee)

·         Scout: 4-star (No. 80 overall prospect, No. 8 safety, No. 4 safety in South region, No. 2 safety in Tennessee)

High School

·         Attended LaVergne High School in LaVergne, Tenn., playing for coach Stanton Stevens

·         2016 Under Armour All-American

·         Member of ESPN 300

·         2015 & 2016 Tennessee Titans Class 5A Lineman Mr. Football Semifinalist

·         2017 U.S. Army All-American Bowl Nomination

·         The Opening Finals 2016

·         As a junior in 2015, Gray had 53 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, six sacksand three forced fumbles

·         In 2015, he also caught 44 passes for 680 yards and four touchdowns

·         Nike Sparq results were 4.44 in the 40-yard dash, 4.07 pro agility shuttle, 39.5 vertical jump and 37.0 power ball throw

·         Also played basketball in high school

Personal

·         Full Name: Maleik Gray

·         Born on October 23, 1998

·         Son of Tori Gray

·         Siblings: Uzaiah and Kionte Gray

Will Ignont

Freshman • LB • 6-2 • 230
Huntsville, Ala.• Buckhorn High School

Prospect Rankings

·         ESPN: 4-star (80 grade, No. 13 inside linebacker, No. 163 in Southeast region, No. 20 prospect in Alabama)

·         247 Sports: 4-star (No. 306 overall prospect, No. 16 inside linebacker, No. 15 prospect in Alabama)

·         Rivals: 4-star (No. 15 inside linebacker, No. 17 prospect in Alabama)

·         Scout: 3-star (No. 20 inside linebacker, No. 9 inside linebacker in South region, No. 5 inside linebacker in Alabama

High School

·         Attended Buckhorn High School in New Market, Ala., playing for coach John Halladay

·         Recorded 67.5 tackles, 19.5 tackles for a loss and 5.5 sacks in nine games

·         2015 & 2016 Class 7A All-State First Team

·         2017 U.S. Army All-American Bowl Nomination

·         Attended IMG Academy during the spring of 2016

·         As a senior in 2016, recorded 131 tackles and 22 tackles for loss

·         As a junior in 2015, had 91 tackles with 6 tackles for a loss, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery

·         Participated in the 2016 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game

Personal

·         Full Name: Will Ignont

·         Son of Daphne Ignont

·         Siblings: Jalyn

Theo Jackson

Freshman • S • 6-2• 175
Nashville, Tenn.• Overton High School

Prospect Rankings

·         ESPN: 3-star (78 grade, No. 43 safety, No. 323 in Southeast region, No. 18 prospect in Tennessee)

·         247 Sports: 3-star (No. 530 overall prospect, No. 37 safety, No. 17 prospect in Tennessee)

·         Rivals: 3-star (No. 50 safety, No. 20 prospect in Tennessee)

·         Scout: 3-star (No. 42 athlete, No. 20 athlete in South region, No. 1 athlete in Tennessee)

High School

·         Attended Overton High School in Nashville, Tenn., playing for coach Steve Williams

·         TSWA All-State Class 6A football team

·         Was named to The Tennessean's Dandy Dozen for 2016

·         As a senior in 2016, led team with five interceptions and was named Defensive MVP of Region 3-6A

·         As a junior in 2015, earned All-Nashville honors and finished with 18 catches for 232 yards and five touchdowns and tallied 33 tackles and three interceptions

·         Selected for the 2016 Toyota East-West All-Star game

Personal

·         Full Name: Theo Jackson

·         Born on Oct. 2, 1998

·         Son of Nate and Tanissa Foster

·         Siblings: Dawayne Jackson

Jacquez Jones

Freshman • WR • 5-10 • 165
Clearwater, Fla.• Clearwater High School

Prospect Rankings

·         ESPN: 3-star (79 grade, No. 80 wide receiver, No. 220 in Southeast region, No. 77 prospect in Florida)

·         247 Sports: 3-star (No. 911 overall prospect, No. 133 wide receiver, No. 126 prospect in Florida)

·         Rivals: 3-star

·         Scout: 3-star (No. 121 wide receiver, No. 53 wide receiver in South region, No. 19 wide receiver in Florida)

High School

·         Attended Clearwater High School in Clearwater, Fla., playing for coach Donnie Mesick

·         The Opening Regional Orlando 2016

·         Named to 2016 Florida All-State Class 6A First Team

·         As a senior in 2016, caught 57 passes for 1,004 yards and 10 touchdowns and also rushed for 244 yards and four touchdowns on 23 carries

·         Helped lead Clearwater to an undefeated 2016 regular season and to the 6A-Region 3 semifinals

·         Named a 2015 Florida All-State Class 6A Honorable Mention

·         As a junior in 2015, caught 51 passes for 974 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns and also ran for 348 yards and five scores on 38 carries

·         Helped lead Clearwater to the 2015 6A Region quarterfinals vTallied 587 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns as a sophomore in 2014

Personal

·         Full Name: Jacquez Jones

·         Born on Oct. 29, 1998

·         Son of Helena Jones

·         Has two younger siblings: Tony and Toni

·         Legal Guardian is Patti Bryant

Tim Jordan

Freshman • RB • 6-0 • 190
Winterhaven, FL.• Bartow High School

Prospect Rankings

·         ESPN: 3-star (75 grade, No. 77 running back, No. 462 in Southeast region, No. 168 prospect in Florida)

·         247 Sports: 3-star (No. 1635 overall prospect, No. 93 running back, No. 244 prospect in Florida)

·         Rivals: 2-star

·         Scout: 2-star

High School

·         Attended Bartow High School in Winterhaven, FL., playing for coach Brian McCrae

·         Named to 2016 Florida All-State Class 7A Third Team

·         As a senior in 2016, he rushed for 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns

·         Also played basketball in high school

Personal

·         Full Name: Tim Jordan

·         Son of Latosha Lowe and Tim Jordan Jr.

Cheyenne Labruzza

Freshman • CB • 5-11 • 190
Albany, La.• Albany High School

Prospect Rankings

·         ESPN: 3-star (72 grade, No. 119 cornerback, No. 621 in Southeast region, No. 50 prospect in Louisiana)

·         247 Sports: 3-star (No. 428 overall prospect, No. 44 cornerback, No. 16 prospect in Louisiana)

·         Rivals: 3-star (No. 62 cornerback, No. 23 prospect in Louisiana)

·         Scout: 4-star (No. 182 overall prospect, No. 19 cornerback, No. 5 cornerback in South region, No. 2 cornerback in Louisiana)

High School

·         Attended Albany High School in Albany, La., playing for coach Blane Westmoreland

·         Attended Nike Sparq Combine

·         As a senior in 2016, he scored 10 touchdowns before suffering a torn meniscus

·         As a junior captain in 2015, was named all-district and all-parish

Personal

·         Full Name: Cheyenne Labruzza

·         Born on Jan. 21, 1999

·         Son of the late Howard Parker Jr. and the late Tanya Labruzza

·         Younger brother of Tracy Parker and brother-in-law of Paula Parker

Jordan Murphy

Freshman • WR • 5-11 • 170
Hattiesburg, Miss.• Hattiesburg High School

Prospect Rankings

·         ESPN: 3-star (78 grade, No. 83 wide receiver, No. 229 in Southeast region, No. 12 prospect in Mississippi)

·         247 Sports: 4-star (No. 348 overall prospect, No. 50 wide receiver, No. 8 prospect in Mississippi)

·         Rivals: 4-star (No. 172 overall prospect, No. 28 wide receiver, No. 3 prospect in Mississippi)

·         Scout: 3-star (No. 76 wide receiver, No. 34 wide receiver in South region, No. 2 wide receiver in Mississippi)

High School

·         Attended Hattiesburg High School in Hattiesburg, Miss., playing for coach Tony Vance

·         2017 U.S. Army All-American Bowl Nomination

·         As a senior in 2016, had 78 receptions for 1,695 yards and 21 touchdowns

·         As a junior in 2015, had 50 receptions for 844 yards and 11 touchdowns

·         Also saw some action as a kickoff and punt returner during his junior and senior seasons

·         Named as The Clarion-Ledger's Dandy Dozen 2016

Personal

·         Full Name: Jordan Murphy

·         Grandson of Sarah Murphy

Solon Page III

Freshman • LB • 6-2 • 205
Marietta, Ga.• Kell High School

Prospect Rankings

·         ESPN: 3-star (77 grade, No. 53 safety, No. 393 in Southeast region, No. 89 prospect in Georgia)

·         247 Sports: 3-star (No. 590 overall prospect, No. 38 outside linebacker, No. 60 prospect in Georgia)

·         Rivals: 3-star (No. 59 outside linebacker, No. 80 prospect in Georgia)

·         Scout: 3-star (No. 69 outside linebacker, No. 27 outside linebacker in South region, No. 10 outside linebacker in Georgia)

High School

·         Attended Kell High School in Marietta, Ga., playing for coach Derek Cook

·         Played both linebacker and safety at Kell

·         In 2016, named Class AAAAA Defensive Player of the Year, Parade All-America honorable mention and Georgia Sports Writers Association Class AAAAA All-State First Team

·         As a senior in 2016, recorded 178 tackles (123 solo) with 23.0 tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception, four forced fumbles and two quarterback hurries

·         Helped lead Kell to an 11-3 season in 2016

·         Attended The Opening Atlanta and recorded a 4.59 40-yard dash

·         In 2015, he had 110 tackles with 15 tackles for a loss, three sacks, three fumble recoveries and two interceptions

Personal

·         Full Name: Solon Page III

·         Born on Sept. 6, 1998

·         Son of Solon and Michelle

·         Siblings: Madison

Josh Palmer

Freshman • WR • 6-2 • 200
Brampton, Ontario, Canada• St. Thomas Aquinas High School (Fla.)

Prospect Rankings

·         ESPN: 3-star (74 grade, No. 179 wide receiver, No. 515 in Southeast region, No. 194 prospect in Florida)

·         247 Sports: 3-star (No. 827 overall prospect, No. 120 wide receiver, No. 111 prospect in Florida)

·         Rivals: 3-star (No. 65 wide receiver, No. 64 prospect in Florida)

·         Scout: 3-star (No. 86 wide receiver, No. 39 wide receiver in South Region, No. 13 wide receiver in Florida)

High School

·         Attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., playing for coach Roger Harriott

·         As a senior in 2016, recorded 32 catches for 506 yards and eight touchdowns

·         2016 Florida Class 7A All-State Second Team

·         Helped lead St. Thomas Aquinas to the Florida 7A state title in 2016

Personal

·         Full Name: Joshua Palmer

·         Son of Keith Palmer

Shawn Shamburger

Freshman • CB • 5-11 • 190
Moultrie, Ga.• Colquitt County High School

Prospect Rankings

·         Attended Colquitt County High School in Moultrie, Ga., playing for coach Rush Propst

·         Named 2016 Georgia Sports Writers Association Class 7A Honorable Mention and All-Region 1-7A Utility Player of the Year

·         As a senior in 2016, totaled 51 tackles (42 solo) with three tackles for loss, five interceptions, seven passes defended, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and half of a sack and also made nine receptions for 110 yards and one touchdown

·         Had a 102-yard, one-handed pick six in 2016 against Valdosta

·         In 2016 returned two kickoffs for 42 yards (21.0 average) and 10 punts for 106 yards (10.6 average)

·         As a junior in 2015, posted 49 tackles (36 solo) with three interceptions, six passes defended, two forced fumbles and two field goal blocks

·         Ran a 4.47 in the 40-yard dash

·         Also ran track in high school

Personal

·         Full Name: Shawn Shamburger

·         Son of Victoria and Prentice Stanton

Ryan Thaxton 

Freshman • DE • 6-4 • 220
Alexandria, Va.• St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School

Prospect Rankings

·         Attended St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School in Alexandria, Va., playing for coach Bernard Joseph

Personal

 

Sports
Mocs Houk Named SoCon Golfer Of The Week
  • 3/27/2024

Chattanooga Mocs senior John Houk claimed this week’s Southern Conference Golfer of the Week honor with an impressive runner-up performance at the General Hackler Championships. The Athens, Tenn., ... more

UTC Homecoming Set For October 26
  • 3/27/2024

The Chattanooga Mocs completed spring drills prior to Spring Break and are now deep into strength and conditioning work ahead of the summer in preparation for the fall season. One highlight to ... more

UTC's Long Named TSWA Pitcher Of The Week
  • 3/26/2024

One day after receiving the award for the Southern Conference Pitcher of the Week, sophomore Taylor Long was named the Tennessee Sports Writers Association (TSWA) Pitcher of the Week. This ... more