Wilson Announces IU’s Latest Recruiting Class
BLOOMINGTON – Indiana head football coach Kevin Wilson announced on Wednesday the signing of 21 student-athletes to National Letters of Intent to play for the Hoosiers in 2016.
IU signed 12 offensive players, seven defensive players and two athletes. The Hoosiers added four offensive linemen, two quarterbacks, two running backs, two tight ends and two wide receivers on offense, and five defensive backs and two defensive linemen on defense.
The class features players from nine different states, including six from Ohio, four from Florida, three from Texas, two from Indiana, two from Georgia, one from Illinois, one from Maryland, one from Mississippi and one from New York.
Quarterback Richard Lagow (Plano, Texas/Plano H.S./Cisco (Texas) C.C.) and defensive back Jayme Thompson (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic H.S./Iowa Western C.C.) enrolled in classes this semester and will participate in spring practice.
“We are very pleased with this class,” Wilson said. “The coaches did a great job building relationships. There is a lot of trust and communication that goes into recruiting, and we did some good work. Over the last couple of years, the majority of our classes featured players on the defensive side of the ball. We are counting on those players – Jonathan Crawford, Leon Thornton III, Andre Brown, Jr., Tegray Scales, Jacob Robinson and Robert McCray III – to contribute big time next year.
“You are always recruiting a year or two ahead, and this year was a little more offensive oriented. There are some great defensive players in this class, very good defensive backs, an active defensive end in Allen Stallings IV, and an active guy up front in Jerome Johnson. But the bulk of this class was offensive line and skill guys. As we move on down the line, we expect them to be ready to step up and play for us.”
The recruits are:
Marcelino Ball, DB, Roswell, GA (Roswell HS)
Phil Benker, WR, Jacksonville, FL (Sandalwood HS)
Shaun Bonner, TE, Moultrie, GA (Colquitt County HS)
Khalil Bryant, DB, Jacksonville, FL (First Coast HS)
Coy Cronk, OL, Lafayette, IN (Lafayette Central Catholic HS)
Brandon Drayton, DB, Largo, FL (Largo HS)
Kiante Enis, RB, Saratoga, IN (Winchester HS)
Cole Gast, RB, Lyndhurst, OH (St. Edward HS)
Jerome Johnson, DL, Bassfield, Miss. (Bassfield HS)
Richard Lagow, QB, Plano, TX (Plano HS, Cisco (Texas) CC)
Taysir Mack, WR, Brooklyn, NY (Grand Street Campus HS)
Jonah Morris, ATH, Akron, OH (Archbishop Hoban HS)
Tyler Natee, ATH, Euless, TX (Trinity HS)
Mackenzie Nworah, OL, Houston, TX (Manvel HS)
Peyton Ramsey, QB, Cincinnati, OH (Elder HS)
A’Shon Riggins, DB, Hamilton, OH (Hamilton HS)
Ryan Smith, OL, Loveland, OH (Moeller HS)
Allen Stallings IV, DL, Maywood, Ill. (Oak Park and River Forest HS)
Grayson Stover, OL, Spring Hill, Fla. (Hudson HS)
Ian Thomas, TE, Baltimore, MD (Digital Harbor HS/Nassau NY CC)
Jayme Thompson, DB, Toledo, OH (Central Catholic HS/Iowa Western CC)