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| COURTESY WEST VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION |
INSTITUTE, West Virginia -- West Virginia State University Head Football Coach Jon Anderson released the names of this year's recruits today.
A total of 24 new Yellow Jackets committed to suit up for Anderson in the fall including a trio of West Virginia high school players.
"This group of student-athletes are dedicated to achieving excellence in everything thing that they do," Anderson said."We have a group of talented athletes, but also a group that is passionate about earning their degree at WV State University."
The recruits were drawn from eight different states.
"I am as excited as I have been here at State about what the future holds, not only for this year's class, but for the entire State Football Team," said Anderson.
The West Virginians who committed to playing for the Yellow Jackets in the fall are Ravenswood's Rhys Jelich (5-8, 205, FB), Cabell Midland standout Nathan Jefferson (6-4, 255, OL), and Capital High's Karson Lawrence (6-1, 190, S).
Jelich set school records most yards gained in a game and season, most points in a game, season and career, and most touchdowns in a game, season, and career. As a senior he accounted for 3,251 yards of total offense and 47 touchdowns. He also recorded 93 tackles and ran back three punts for touchdowns.
He is the son of former Ravenswood and West Virginia University star Joe Jelich.
Lawrence played this past year for the Class AAA state champion Cougars after moving to Charleston from Maryland. He forced eight turnovers, made four fumble recoveries, and intercepted four passes during the season. He was also the long snapper on kicks and played on special teams.
Jefferson was a first team All-Mountain State Conference selection.
"I want to congratulate and thank the staff for their tireless work throughout the entire recruiting process," Anderson said."They have sacrificed many hours away from their families to pursue the best and the brightest from this region."
That effort not only impressed the head coach but others as well whichAnderson believes played a big part in putting together such a strong recruiting class.
"Over and over again, I received many compliments regarding their professionalism, football knowledge, and their ability to relate to our student-athletes from those families who visited campus," Anderson said of his staff."Their efforts are showcased by the talent that exists in this signing class."
He also pointed out that the effort extended beyond himself and the football staff.
"I would also like to thank the entire campus community for their efforts in helping us sign this class," Anderson added."Without the help of countless departments and individuals, this group of student-athletes would not have been possible."
"I would specifically like to thank our Faculty, Admissions personnel, Dr. Hemphill, Compliance, Thompson Hospitality and Embassy Suites for their help in our recruiting."
A list of this year's recruits is below.
Tevon Littleton / 6'0" 180lbs / Defensive Back / Largo HS / Suitland, MD
Tevon comes to State after a very successful career at Largo High School. He was a high profile recruit out of Suitland, Maryland. He is the son of Arkeba Sandidge and is looking to pursue a degree in Mathematics.
LaQuan White Jr. / 5'10" 180lbs / Defensive Back / Brush HS / Cleveland, OH
LaQuan, one of the first Cleveland recruits for the Yellow Jackets, comes to State after a successful high school career. He was given the Northeast Ohio Conference Mac Palermo award as a junior, as well as named to the All-Conference team. He was a part of 3 consecutive NOC Championships. On the field, he had 9 interceptions, 8 pass breakups, 49 tackles, and 5 forced fumbles. LaQuan is the son of LaQuan Sr. and Cherria White and plans to major in Sports studies while at WVSU. LaQuan's Highlights
Alexander James /6'3" 250lbs/ Offensive Line /Bayside HS /Virginia Beach, VA
Alex comes to WVSU after a solid playing career at Bayside. During his senior campaign, Alex managed to allow only 1 sack while leading his team to a 7-4 record and an appearance in the playoffs. Alex is the son of Jan and Steve James and plans to major in Biology while at State. Alex's Highlights
Rhys Jelich / 5'8" 205lbs / Fullback / Ravenswood HS / Ravenswood, WV
Rhys is one the most promising local products in the state of West Virginia. During his career at Ravenswood he received many honors including 1st Team All-State, as well as first team All-LKC. He held school records for most yards in a game, total yards in a season, passing yards in a game, most points in a game, most points in a season, most points in a career, most touchdowns in a season, most touchdowns in a career, tied for most touchdowns in a game, most rushing yards in a season, and tied for longest kickoff return. Rhys is the son of Rhonda and Joe Jellich and he plans to major is Biology. Rhys's Highlights
Nathan Jefferson / 6'4" 260lbs / Offensive Line / Cabell Midland HS / Ona, WV
Nathan comes to us from Cabell Midland High School. He had a solid playing career in high school achieving many on the field honors. During his senior campaign, he was awarded 1st Team All-Conference as well as All-State Honorable Mention honors while playing on a Cabell Midland team that went 10-2. He is the son of Teresa and Jerry Jefferson and plans to major in Biology. Nathan's Highlights
Jay Cobbs / 5'10" 225lbs / Linebacker / Sycamore HS / Cincinnati, OH
Jermon (Jay) Cobbs, comes to State from Sycamore High School in Cincinnati, OH. The Sycamore Varsity football team captain brings excellent leadership to our program. He was also awarded All-GMC honors two years in a row as well as given All-District Team honors. Jay played on a 6-4 Sycamore team. During his senior year he recorded 75 tackles, 4 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, and a defensive touchdown of 57yds. He is the son of Jermon Sr. and Ailleen Cobbs. Jay's Highlights
Karson Lawrence / 6'2" 195lbs / Defensive Back / Capital HS / Charleston, WV
Karson comes to WVSU from the WV State Champion, Capital High School. He was a 3 year varsity starter on offense, defense, and special teams. Karson played his first 3 seasons at Westlake High School in Maryland. In his junior year Karson was named to the Maryland State Football All-Academic team and then transferred to Capital High School in Charleston WV. As a starting defensive back on the 2014 WV AAA State Football Champions he had 46 solo and 61 assisted tackles. Karson also had 2 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries, and 5 interceptions (1 returned for a touchdown). Karson was also the long snapper and played on every special team. Karson currently carries a 4.12 GPA. His is the son of Craig and Jane Lawrence and plans to major in Psychology. Karson's Highlights
RJ Jenkins / 6'3" 225lbs / Linebacker / Princeton HS / Cincinnati, OH
RJ comes to WVSU from Cincinnati, Ohio where he attended Princeton High School. At Princeton, RJ was a 3 year varsity letter winner. During his senior campaign, he was awarded Honorable Mention All-Southwest District despite being injured for the latter half of the season. In his senior year he recorded 130 tackles and 14 sacks in 2 years as a starter. He brings leadership to the Yellow Jacket roster as he was a Captain on his Varsity team. He is the son of Renauld Jenkins and Kia Webb. RJ's Highlights
Bo Fields / 6'1" 215lbs / Running Back / Massaponax HS / Fredericksburg, VA
Bo comes to the State offensive backfield from Massaponax High School in Virginia. During his senior year at Massaponax, Bo rushed for 1,500 yards and totaled 1,700 all-purpose yards. His efforts led to 1st team All-Conference honors, as well as All-State and All-Region. Bo is the son of Robert and Angela fields and plans to major in Accounting. Bo's Highlights
John Holland / 5'11" 180lbs / Defensive Back / College of the Siskiyous / Weed, CA
John comes to State as a highly recruited safety from the College of the Siskiyous. Before Junior College, John attended Arundel High School in Maryland. In high school, he was awarded 1st Team All-State, 1st Team All-Metro, and 1st Team All-County honors. He was also named Defensive Player of the Year and led the state in interceptions with 13. While at College of the Siskiyous, John played in 22 games. He was a 2 year captain and led his team to a win in the North State Bowl. He earned 1st Team All-Conference Honors as a sophomore. He is the son of Cornelia Holland. John's Highlights
Eric Magwood / 6'3" 280lbs / Linebacker / Sycamore HS / Cincinnati, OH
Eric comes to State from Virginia Beach, VA. At Landstown High School, Eric was 2nd Team All-Conference. He led a powerful offensive line that produced over 3,000 yards rushing. On defense, Eric recorded 2 sacks and 45 tackles. Due to his achievements on the field, he was chosen to play in the 757 area All-Star game. He is the son of Alexander and Brandy Shaw and plans to major in Physical Therapy. Eric's Highlights
Jalen Acree / 6'2" 250lbs / Defensive Line / Frankfort HS / Frankfort, KY
Jalen comes to WVSU from Frankfort, Kentucky as a Defensive Tackle. During his career at Frankfort, he earned NUC Defensive MVP, Honorable Mention All-State, 1st Team All-County, and 1st team All District honors. He was a part of a Varsity program that held a 4 year record of 39-14 and won 4 consecutive District Championships as well as a Regional Championship. He averaged 8.6 yards per carry as a running back and 10 tackles per game on defense. Jalen's Highlights
Kenan Johnson / 6'3" 225lbs / Defensive Line / Western Branch HS / Chesapeake, OH
Kenan comes to State as a Defensive End from Western Branch High School. During his senior campaign, he was awarded Defensive End of the Year for his team. The varsity captain brings on an abundance of leadership to WV State. He is the son of Angela and Darnell Johnson and plans to major in Physical Education and Secondary Education. Kenan's Highlights
Tyrone Barber / 5'10" 185lbs / Running Back / Fork Union Military Academy / Yonkers, NY
Tyrone came to State from the Fork Union Military Academy. In high school, he was elected to the 2013 Super Eleven team. During his senior year, he set a school record with a total of 1,980 yards and 27 rushing touchdowns receiving. As a running back he also had 261 receiving yards, and added another 2 receiving touchdowns. Over his Junior and senior campaign, he scored a total of 49 touchdowns which was a school record as well. Tyrone is the son of Tyrone Barber Sr. and Dianne Harvey-Barber. Tyrone's Highlights
Rudy Favard / 5'10" 225lbs / Linebacker / Sacred Heart University / Malden, MA
Rudy Favard comes to State as a transfer from Sacred Heart University and will be enrolling in the Graduate Program studying media studies. While at Sacred Heart, he helped change program athletically and with leadership on the leadership council. He helped the team earn 2 North East Conference Championships and a final regular season record of 19-4 over two years. While at Malden Catholic High School, Rudy played four years of football, lettering 3 of those years. He was named Captain of the Malden Catholic football team and an Agganis All-Star. In 2011, he was Captain of the Agganis All-Star Team in the Agganis All-Star Classic. He is the son of Joseph and Rose Favard. Rudy's Highlights
Trevond Reese / 6'1" 215lbs / Wide Receiver / Moorehead St. University / South Charleston, WV
Trevond comes to State as a transfer from Morehead State University. He is a local product out of South Charleston High School. In high school, Trevond helped South Charleston to a Mountain State Athletic Conference and West Virginia Class AAA State Title in 2009. He was a 1st team All-MSAC selection in 2011 and 2012, as well as a 2nd Team All-State performer as a junior and 1st Team All-State performer as a Senior.
Xavier Adkins / 5'10" 175lbs / Linebacker / Largo High School / Upper Marlboro, MD
Xavier Adkins comes to State after an exciting career at Largo High School in Upper Marlboro, MD. As a three year team captain, Xavier brings a wealth of experience leading his teammates on both sides of the ball. Playing multiple linebacker positions, Xavier tallied 75 tackles, 6 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries, and 1 interception. He is the son of Otis and Maggie Adkins. Xavier's Highlights
Curtis Cropper / 6'4" 255/ Defensive End / Arundel High School / Arundel, MD
Curtis Cropper comes to WVSU from Odenton, Maryland as a Defensive Lineman. During his career at Arundel High School, Curtis pressured the quarterback and created chaos at the line of scrimmage while stopping the run. Curtis spent the later part of his senior season battling a knee injury and looks to return to the football field at full strength. He is the son of Rose Hall and Gary Cropper. Curtis's Highlights
Tyrek Thrower / 6'2" 180/ Defensive Back / Norview High School / Norfolk, VA
Tyrek is a 3 year starter at cornerback including a Division 5 state championship with L.C. Byrd High School. Tyrek is a tall, lengthy corner with deceptive speed. He has great reaction to the ball and disrupts timing of the play with his tight press coverage. Tyrek's height and speed combined contributes to excellent pass defense to opposing teams. He also has experience at Free Safety. Tyrek has the ability and speed to cover the field from sideline to sideline. He is the son of Tonya Allen and Silvanus Thrower. Tyrek's Highlights
Ray Dixon / 6'4" 300/ Offensive Line / Hazard High School / Hazard, KY
Ray comes to us from Hazard High School. He had a solid playing career in high school and as a senior, he led the Bulldogs to a 10 - 3 record. Ray's Highlights
Khave Konteh / 6'3" 185/ Defensive Back / South County High School / Lorton, VA
Khave comes to WVSU from Lorton, Virginia where he attended South County High School. As a senior at South County, he made the 1st Team All - State in the 6A division and looks to bring his leadership and athleticism to the Yellow Jacket defensive backfield. Khave's Highlights
Tyler DeCarlo / 6'3" 270lbs / Offensive Line / Gavilan College / Gilroy, CA
Tyler comes to WVSU from Gavilan College in California. He will be a Junior on the field and will bring experience to the offensive line. Tyler is the son of Christine Hart and Rick DeCarlo and plans to major in Criminal justice. Tyler's Highlights
Quan Penman / 5'7" 145lbs / Defensive Back / Purcell Marian / Cincinnati, HS
Quan comes to West Virginia State University from Purcell Marian High School in Cincinnati Ohio. He led a very successful High School career and plans to bring a lot of athleticism to the State defensive backfield. Quan's Highlights
James Leonard / 5'10" 175lbs / Running Back / South Point / South Point, OH
James comes to West Virginia State University from South Point High School in South Point, Ohio. He led a very successful high school career at South Point and looks to bring toughness and physicality to the State offensive backfield. James's Highlights
Michael Hounshell / 6'1" 225lbs / Defensive Line / Largo HS / Upper Marlboro, MD
Michael is the second signee from Largo High School for the Yellow Jackets in the class of 2015. He was a team captain and a 3 year varsity starter. At Largo, he played fullback, linebacker, defensive end, and defensive tackle. He was invited to play in the PG vs SMAC Chick-fil-a All-Star Game. He is the son of Michael Sr. and Donnell Hounshell and will pursue a degree in sports studies.
COURTESY WEST VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
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