Hampton's Maynor Announces First Signing Class

HAMPTON, Virginia  -- Hampton University first-year head football coach Connell Maynor – two months into his tenure – announced his first signing class on Wednesday as part of National Signing Day, a slate of 11 players that include two local players and three transfers.

"I'm pleased," Maynor said. "We expected to get about 10 to 12 guys, and we wound up with 11, right in between there. We got everyone we thought we would get, and we can kind of keep a couple others in our back pocket until after spring ball, see where things fall."

The signees out of high school:

-Jerrell Antoine (QB, 6-2, 170, Orlando, Fla./Oak Ridge HS): Threw for 3,305 yards and 30 touchdowns as a senior, while also running for 777 yards and six scores.

-Darius Banks (WR, 5-10, 165, Newport News, Va./Denbigh HS): Caught 45 passes for 656 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior, ranking second in the Peninsula District in catches and touchdowns.

-Eric Carter Jr. (RB, 5-10, 215, Fayetteville, N.C./Britt HS): Rushed for 2,605 yards and 32 touchdowns as a senior, averaging 10.8 yards per carry.

-Chaka Diarrassouba (DB, 6-2, 200, Lithonia, Ga./Martin Luther King HS): Totaled 63 tackles (56 solo), while recording two sacks and three interceptions as a junior.

-Hayden Gregory (LB, 6-1, 226, Nashville, Tenn./Pearl-Cohn HS): Won the 2011 Georgia 5A state championship; had 97 tackles and 10.0 sacks as a senior.

-Joshua Harlan (FB/LB, 6-0, 195, Columbia, S.C./Spring Valley HS): Was named to play in the 2013 Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl North vs. South Game.

-Keito Jordon (DE, 6-4, 228, Columbia, S.C./Ridge View HS): Played both football and basketball at Ridge View High.

-Owen Obasuyi (DE, 6-5, 252, Virginia Beach, Va./Landstown HS): Named Second Team All-Beach District as a junior, before earning First Team honors as a senior.

"I'm very happy with the quarterback we picked up," Maynor said, "and we got a great running back."

The transfers:

-Jonathan Black (DT, 6-5, 295, Scottsdale, Ariz./Scottsdale CC): Was on a Scottsdale CC squad that went undefeated in 2013.

-Andre Fils (DB, 5-11, 172, Scottsdale, Ariz./Scottsdale CC): Recorded 78 total tackles (55 solo) in 2013, helping Scottsdale CC go undefeated. Averaged 7.1 tackles per game.

-Michael Young (C, 6-1, 290, Brooklyn, N.Y./ASA Junior College): Played on an ASA squad that went a perfect 6-0 in 2013.

"We got just about every position we needed," Maynor said. "We might need a little bit more on the offensive line, but we'll get a better idea of that after spring ball, once we have a better idea of what our strengths and weaknesses are."

"These guys can play; they'll come in and battle right away. No one has a job, everyone has to compete for a spot. Everyone has to go out there and work hard and prove what they can do and show us that they can go out there and play 60 minutes of Pirate football."

The 2014 season will open on Aug. 30, when the Pirates head to Norfolk, Va. to take on Old Dominion. For more information on Hampton University football, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.

2014 Hampton Football Signees

Name	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Last School	Hometown	Video
Jerrell Antoine	QB	6-2	170	Oak Ridge HS	Orlando, Fla.	Video
Jonathan Black	DT	6-5	295	Scottsdale CC	Scottsbale, Ariz.	Video
Eric Carter, Jr.	RB	5-10	215	Britt HS	Fayetteville, N.C.	Video
Chaka Diarrassouba	DB	6-2	200	Martin L. King HS	Lithonia, Ga.	Video
Hayden Gregory	LB	6-1	226	Pearl-Cohn HS	Nashville, Tenn.	Video
Joshua Harlan	FB/LB	6-0	195	Spring Valley HS	Columbia, S.C.	Video
Keito Jordon, Jr.	DE	6-4	228	Ridge View HS	Columbia, S.C.	Video
Owen Obasuyi	DE	6-5	252	Landstown HS	Virginia Beach, Va.	Video
Michael Young	C	6-1	290	ASA Junior College	Brooklyn, N.Y.	Video
Andre Fils	FS	5-11	172	Scottsdale CC	Scottsdale CC	Video
Darius Banks	WR	5-10	165	Denbigh HS	Newport News, Va.	Video

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