MONTGOMERY, AL -
With All-American quarterback Josh Hollingsworth back next fall for his senior season and three starters gone from the offensive line, Faulkner head coach Brent Barker and his staff concentrated its recruiting efforts on filling the void up front.
For Barker, recruiting coordinator Blake Boren and offensive line coach Brandon Slay - mission accomplished. The Eagles earned scholarship signatures from seven offensive linemen who could be looked to immediately for help, and 12 others who will be given the opportunity to prove their worth when fall practice begins in August. Because of its NAIA affiliation, and the ability to sign more players because of its junior varsity program, Faulkner is bringing in a class of 64 freshman next fall.
"We're excited about this class, and I'm extremely proud of our staff for all their hard work in not only bringing in quality football players but quality young men as well," said Barker, who in his first season as Faulkner's head coach guided the Eagles in 2012 to a 6-5 record – its first winning record in the program's six-year history. "We addressed our needs, and our primary need was on the offensive line. Blake and our staff did a great job getting out all over the southeast selling our university, and their diligence paid off."
Among the offensive linemen who could make an immediate impact are 6-3, 270-pound Ryan Chastain, a three-year starter at Pickens High School in Jasper, Ga., who was on the all-state watch list his senior season; Levi Green, a 6-4, 260-pounder from St. Clair County High School; and 6-4, 275 pound Jacob Carter, who prepped at Baker High School in Mobile and turned down multiple NCAA Div. II offers to come to Faulkner. Geraldine High School's Matt Bryson, Spring Garden High School's B.J. Turner, Oxford High School's Tim Lewis and Parkview (Ga.) High School's Blake Dunham are among the others who will battle for early playing time at the point of attack.
Also on offense, the Eagles signed a talented group of wide receivers who are expected to flourish in their potent offense, which was among the nation's leaders last season in passing. Jordan Veasy, a wideout from Gadsden City High School who had 637 yards on 23 catches and scored nine touchdowns, got the Eagle coaches' attention with a dominating performance at Faulkner's summer camp. He'll be joined fellow Gadsden City receiver LaGerald Malone, who chose Faulkner over NCAA Div. II Shorter University, and McAdory High School receiver Jason Powell, who helped lead the Yellow Jackets to their first-ever state championship game last season. Before transferring to McAdory last fall, Powell played in three state championship games while at Hoover High School. Among the other receivers signed Wednesday were Mortimer Jordan High School's Logan Motte, Grayson (Ga.) High School's Moses Mayes, Providence Christian School's Kyle Eriksen and Chelsea High School's J.R. Appling.
Among the running backs choosing Faulkner were McAdory's David Knight, who formerly played in Montgomery at Jeff Davis High School, Rogers High School's Austin Kerr and Pensacola Catholic (Fla.) High School's Simon Smiley. Palm Beach (Fla.) High School's Cameron Golob, the Lou Groza top prep placekicker winner at the prep level, also signed with Faulkner. Of Golob's 57 kickoffs last season, 52 were touchbacks.
On the defensive side of the ball, a pair of players in the secondary could be of immediate help to the Eagles. Sam Adams, a defensive back from Calera High School, and Jeffrey Blair, a strong safety from Pinson Valley High School, were both in the list of the top 10 defensive backs in Alabama, according to Scout – a respected recruiting service. Adams, an all-county selection, was also a 1,000-yard rusher at Calera. Linebacker Javorius Hunter, who excelled in his senior year at Tuscaloosa County High School, was a two-year starter for the Wildcats and is another signee expected to bring depth to the Eagles early on. Other defensive signees include Alpharetta (Ga.) High School cornerback Tre Whitaker, Fairhope (Ga.) High School cornerback Keylan Smith, Elite Sports Academy safety Aramis Calloway, Jackson High School cornerback Kelvin Burden, Newton County (Miss.) High School safety Joseph Wansley, Prattville High School lineman Randall Reese, Daphne High School lineman Elliot Williams, Hazel Green High School defensive end Connor Breeden, Elmore County High School linebacker Sawyer Hauk and Chattahoochee County (Ga.) High School linebacker Marquis Jews.
"I think the biggest thing for us this year was identifying the better players and going after that Div. I-AA and Div. II type player, because we have the facilities in place now and the
structure of our program is to the point where we can successfully recruit those guys," said Boren, who in addition to serving as the recruiting coordinator coaches the Eagles
receivers. "Our numbers are smaller by design but the talent level of the student-athletes we're bringing in is higher than it's ever been in our program."
Faulkner begins spring practice begins March 25 with the annual Black & Blue Spring Game scheduled for April 20.
2013 Faulkner University Signing Class
Sam Adams DB Calera HS (Ala.) 5'11 / 170
Jacob Carter OL Baker HS (Ala.) 6'4/ 275
Tre Whitaker DB Alpharetta HS (Ga.) 6-1/ 190
Cameron Golob K Palm Beach HS (Fla.) 5'11 / 170
Jay Strickland LB Grayson HS (Ga.) 5'9 / 200
Jordan Veasy WR Gadsden City HS (Ala.) 6'2 / 190
Logan Motte WR Mortimer Jordan HS (Ala.) 5'11 / 180
Moses Mayes WR Grayson HS (Ga.) 5'5 / 160
Ryan Chastain OL Pickens HS (Ga.) 6'3 / 270
Matt Bryson OL Geraldine HS (Ala.) 6'3 / 260
BJ Turner OL Spring Garden HS (Ala.) 6'4 / 270
Jeffrey Blair SS Pinson Valley HS (Ala.) 6'1 / 190
Astin McQueen DE Prattville HS (Ala.) 6'3/ 215
Levi Green OL Saint Clair County HS (Ala.) 6-4/ 260
LaGerald Malone WR Gadsden City HS (Ala.) 5'7 / 165
Kyle Eriksen WR Providence Chr. School (Ala.) 6'1 / 170
Austin Kerr RB Rogers HS (Ala.) 6'0 / 185
Jason Powell WR McAdory HS (Ala.) 6'4 / 210
Austin Kerr RB Rogers HS (Ala.) 6'0 / 185
Randall Reese DL Prattville HS (Ala.) 6'1 / 245
Keylan Smith DB Fairhope HS (Ala.) 6'0 / 185
Javorius Hunter LB Tuscaloosa County HS (Ala.) 5'11 / 185
Simon Smiley RB Pensacola Catholic HS (Fla.) 5'8 / 175
Sawyer Hauk LB Elmore County HS (Ala.) 6'2 / 218
Aramis Calloway SS Elite Sports Academy (Ga.) 6'1 / 190
Kelvin Burden DB Jackson HS (Ala.) 5'11 / 175
David Knight RB McAdory HS (Ala.) 5'11 / 185
Joseph Wansley SS Newton Co HS (Miss.) 6'4 / 190
Blake Dunham OL Parkview HS (Ga.) 6'2 / 240
Tim Lewis OL Oxford HS (Ala.) 6'1 / 260
Connor Breeden DE Hazel Green HS (Ala.) 6'3 / 215
J.R. Appling WR Chelsea HS (Ala.) 5'11 / 185
Marquis Jews LB Chattahoochee Co HS (Ga.) 6'2 / 220
Elliot Williams DL Daphne HS (Ala.) 6'1 / 240
Josh Salo LB West Forsyth HS (Ga.) 5'11 / 220
Allen Motte LB Alabama Christian Acad. (Ala.) 5'10 / 190
Spencer Whatley OL Chilton County HS (Ala.) 6'0 / 270
Alex Lindsay K Wetumpka HS (Ala.) 5'10 / 160
Austin Hallman DL American Christian Acad. (Ala.) 6'1 / 200
Brandon Whalen RB South Walton HS (Fla.) 5'7 / 180
C.J. Nelson DL Gulf Breeze HS (Fla.) 5'6 / 240
Corey Ward QB Hayden HS (Ala.) 6'2 / 185
David Nuckolls RB Community Chr. School (Ga.) 5'8 / 185
Hayden Dean K Elmore County HS (Ala.) 5'9 / 160
Holden Keith OLB Alanta Sports Academy (Ga.) 5'11 / 195
Jacob Peters DL Ariton HS (Ala.) 6'2 / 230
Jamarkis Holmes RB Forrest Hills HS (Miss.) 5'8 / 185
Kaleb Backlin WR East Central HS (Miss.) 6'3 / 180
Kyle Glover OL Coosa Valley Academy (Ala.) 5'11 / 250
Kyler Moore OL Susan Moore HS (Ala.) 6'0 / 300
Nick Bell WR Priceville HS (Ala.) 5'10 / 170
Ryan Whisenant OL Moody HS (Ala.) 5'11 / 275
Steven Ballard OL Hayden HS (Ala.) 6'1 / 250
Thomas Tucker OL Quitman HS (Miss.) 5'9 / 250
Tyler Worley OL Port St Joe HS (Fla.) 6'1 / 220
Tyson Floyd DL Moody HS (Ala.) 6'3 / 215
Zach Kimmell OL Eastside HS (Ga.) 6'0 / 275
Zach Sherrell DL East Lawrence HS (Ala.) 5'11 / 250
Zack Alexander OL Marbury HS (Ala.) 6'3 / 275
Zeke Sherrell DL East Lawrence HS (Ala.) 5'11 / 250
Kyle Sides OL Holtville HS (Ala.) 6'0 / 270
Astin McQueen DE Prattville HS (Ala.) 6'3/ 215
Kyler Moore OL Susan Moore HS (Ala.) 6'1/ 300
Dustyn Howard OL Bay High School (Fla.) 6-1/ 270
INFORMATION SOURCE: Faulkner University Athletics Department
Blair, a strong safety from Pinson Valley, if among the top 10 defensive backs in Alabama, according to Scout CREDIT: Contributed, Faulkner University
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