Howard Bison signs Tap-dancing DL/OL Khalid Jordan

Tap-dancing, Howard-bound lineman Khalid Jordan first from Arts High (N.J.) to earn full athletic scholarship

Khalid Jordan doesn’t look nimble. He’s 6-5 and weighs 330 pounds — and plays offensive and defensive line. His arms and body swallow nearly everyone he hugs. But Jordan isn’t just a hulking football player who uses his giant-size fingers to wipe away his mother’s tears of happiness. His alter-ego is the step master for a dancing fraternity, The Kudo’s. When he was younger, he used to tap dance. “I never thought the dancing would help,” Jordan said. “But now I use that to my advantage.”

His active, light-footed agility was born on the dance floor but has earned him a spot on the college football field for the next four years. Wednesday, the Arts High senior signed a national letter of intent to play football for Howard University this fall, becoming the first player in Arts history to sign on for a full athletic scholarship.

Jordan played offensive and defensive line for Shabazz High’s program because Arts doesn’t field a team. He is the only football player from Newark to sign with a Division 1 program this season. “I told him, ‘With your size and your personality, you will not have to pay for college,’” said Ian Scott, who played at Newark East Side and Norfolk State and mentored Jordan throughout his football career. “He’s not a lazy, big guy. He’s a big, active guy.”

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Bison Coach Carey Bailey will eventually sign 22 new recruits and at least three transfers in an effort to improve on last season's 2-9 record. Bailey has a career record of 7-26 as a head coach (all at Howard).

Howard University Bison 2010 Football Signees

NAME POS HT WT High School/CC/Hometown
1. Daniel Mendoza FB 6-1 232 Colonial HS/Hudson Valley/ Orlando, FL
2. Ibrahima Kalil Kebe DL 6-2 275 Wilson HS/ Washington, DC
3. Lucious Ray DL 6-1 310 Columbia HS/Decatur, GA
4. Cameron Alston DB 6-0 180 North Augusta HS/N. Augusta, SC
5. Jabril Ezell DB 6-0 185 Friendship Collegiate/Washington, DC
6. Julian David DB 5-11 190 American Heritage HS/Plantation, FL
7. Thomas Jordan OL/DL 6-3 300 Richland North East HS/Columbia, SC
8. Nathaniel Coleman OL/DL 6-3 292 Livonia Franklin HS/Livonia, MI
9. Malcolm Rutledge OL/DL 6-3 300 Southfield HS/Southfield, MI
10. Khalid Jordan OL/DL 6-5 330 Malcolm X Shabazz HS/Newark, NJ
11. Montario Hunter WR 6-2 175 Ahoskie HS/Ahoskie, NC
12. Stephen Sims, Jr. RB 5-9 210 Norview HS/Norfolk, VA
13. Bryan F. Jackson, Jr. P 6-0 200 Southern Univ. Lab School/Baton Rouge, La
14. Joshua Matthews OL/DL 6-3 285 Bethune Bowman HS/Bowman, SC
15. Markee White LB 6-3 220 Ahoskie HS/Ahoskie, NC
16. Brandon Summers 5-11 170 Inglewood HS/Inglewood, CA
17. Shahid Jones 6-2 225 Ribault HS/Jacksonville, FL