Dorrel nets 17 future Wildcats during early signing period

Dorrel nets 17 future Wildcats during early signing period

12/18/2019 11:31:00 AM | Football

ABILENE – Third-year Abilene Christian head football coach Adam Dorrel Wednesday announced the Wildcats' 2019 early-period signing class, which is composed of 17 recruits, eight of whom are transfers expected to join the team in January.

This spring term's first crop of transfers is defensive heavy as it features defensive backs Triston Anderson (Arkansas State), Ty Taylor (Trinity Valley) and Shelby Washington (Northeastern Oklahoma A&M), linemen Ian Marshall (Missouri Southern and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M) and Jack Schultz (College of the Canyons), and linebackers Oliver McDowell (Southern Illinois and Hutchinson) and Chike Nwankwo (Rutgers).

Graduation and injuries have recently taken their toll on the defense, as this unit will be without the likes of All-America linebacker Jeremiah Chambers and All-Southland Conference selections Cole Burgess and Adonis Davis heading into 2020.

Overall, the Wildcats lost eight starters on defense but they'll be receiving additional depth from defensive end Damion Hart (Steele HS) and defensive backs Elijah Moffett (Veterans Memorial HS) and Christopher Satterfield (Klein Oak HS).

The Wildcats' lone offensive transfer is wide receiver D.K. Blaylock (Boise State), whose cousin is ACU redshirt freshman Javorian Miller.

Miller caught 19 passes for 133 yards this past season, and is one of several returning wideouts including Kobe Clark (87 for 777), Justus Lee (20 for 254) and Lionell McConnell (10 for 97).

Coming to ACU from the high school ranks to boost the offense are three linemen: Hayden Burke (Tompkins), Dylan Howerton (Katy) and Ty Smith (Glen Rose), plus running back Jermiah Dobbins (Lubbock Estacado), quarterback Stone Earle (Birdville) and wide receiver Darius Lewis (Del Valle).

ACU only lost two seniors to graduation from the offensive line (Qamar Acres and Reese Backman), and will bring back staring center Nico Russolillo in addition to the Abilene-raised duo of Jon Crisp and Kade Parmelly.

The offense also returns key standouts in quarterback Sema'J Davis, running backs Billy McCrary and Tyrese White, and tight end Branden Hohenstein.

"This is a very dynamic recruiting class the coaches and I have put together for this early-signing period," said Dorrel. "It goes without saying, that I'm very anxious to get them all onto campus as soon as possible and get them comfortable with our styles of training, playing and coaching.

"We're bringing in several guys who have previous DI experience, and I'm thrilled to bring them here and help develop them into all-conference and All-America. The same goes for our high school and JUCO recruits. I'm ready now to get them on the field and in the weight room to see what all they can do, and I'm wanting our guys who are here currently to be ready for some serious competition, all while providing quality leadership and instruction."

There are two additional signing periods upcoming for football over the next few months. The midyear junior college transfer period runs from Dec. 18 to Jan. 15, while the regular period lasts from Feb 5 to April 1.

Profiles of each signee are listed below in alphabetical order.

Triston Anderson | 6-1 / 195| CB | Rockwall, Texas / Rockwall HS / Arkansas State

Played in three games as a true freshman at Arkansas State, allowing him to redshirt the season
Recorded five tackles with a season-high three against Texas State
Collected two stops against Coastal Carolina
A-State Athletics Director's Honor Roll
First-Team All-District 11-6A at cornerback as a junior and senior at Rockwall, which twice won the Bi-District Championship
Two-year career statistics at Rockwall included 33 pass breakups and 57 tackles
Defended 16 passes in just eight games as a senior
Posted 40 tackles and had 17 passes defended along with four tackles-for-loss and two forced fumbles as a junior
Played running back as a sophomore and had 1,250 yards on the ground with 10 touchdowns
Intends to major in kinesiology

Coach's Comments
"A long corner … Has the ability to play safety and corner … Will start at corner, but brings a lot of versatility to our secondary ... Is a student of the game and shows the ability to play both press and off man coverage."

DK Blaylock | 6-5 / 175 | WR | New Deal, Texas / New Deal HS / Boise State

First Team All-State and All-District in football and basketball
Caught 51 passes for 1,161 yards and 20 touchdowns in his senior season at New Deal HS
Texas District 2-2A Co-Offensive Most Valuable Player in 2018, helping New Deal post a 15-1 record
Earned Second Team All-District honors as a corner recording 32 tackles
Basketball letter winner, who earned Preseason Player of the Year award entering his senior season after averaging 23 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists per game
Honor Society member
Intends to major in kinesiology
Cousin to Wildcat wide receiver Javorian Miller and Jacksonville Jaguar's Dede Westbrook

Coach's Comments
"Transfer from Boise State … Really big catch radius ... Ability to stretch the field vertically … Extremely athletic ... High school basketball player who was a high flyer ... Think his best football is in front of him … Excited to get a big time West Texas product."

Hayden Burke | 6-3 / 280 | OL | Katy, Texas / Tompkins HS

Two-time team captain
100-plus career pancake blocks
Honorable mention all-district
Part of team that posted a 21-5 record the last two seasons, including a school-season best 11-2
Intends to major in business management

Coach's Comments
"Natural leader who plays fast and finishes blocks … Played a significant role in leading Tompkins High School to first 11-win season in school history."

Jermiah Dobbins | 5-10 / 185 | RB | Lubbock, Texas / Estacado HS

Mr. Texas Football Semifinalist
First Team All-State running back and District MVP
Key piece in Estacado's perfect regular season and two playoff victories
Totaled 2,682 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns during his senior season, per MaxPreps
Ran for 255 yards in win over Caprock
Offensive Estacado Football Player of the Year
LubbockOnline.com Player of the Week for Nov. 21, 2019 after rushing for 271 yards and scoring five touchdowns in the Matadors' 53-20 Class 4A, Division II bi-district win over Sweetwater
Three-sport letter winner: football, baseball and track and field
Regional track and field qualifier on the 4x100-meter relay
Honor Roll student
Intends to major in business management

Coach's Comments
"Explosive and dynamic athlete that will help our program reach new heights … Very productive throughout his high school career while maintaining good grades and a high character."

Stone Earle | 6-0 / 190 | QB | Keller, Texas / Birdville HS

Advanced team to playoffs three consecutive seasons, including the 2019 regional semifinal vs. Colleyville (299 yards, TD) and 2018 5A Division I State quarterfinal vs. Denton Ryan
Second Team All-District
2019 stats included 2,526 passing yards, 36 touchdowns, and three rushing TD per Max Preps
Honorable mention all-academic
Intends to major in business
Father, John Earle, played in the NFL for the Chiefs, Rams, Bengals and Falcons

Coach's Comments
"Really excited about Stone … Believe he has tremendous upside … Very good athlete that throws the ball extremely well ... Accurate in the intermediate pass game, but has 6-0 the ability to stretch the field … Three-year starter in high school ... Has experienced a lot of football in big-time games … Excited to get him to Abilene and get to work."

Damion Hart | 6-3 / 215 | DE | Cibolo, Texas / Steele HS

Two-year varsity letter winner
2019 First Team All-District
Career stats include six sacks, four forced fumbles, 45 tackles, three pass breakups and two strip sacks
Selected to take part in the 2020 San Antonio Sports All-Star Football Game
Intends to major in business administration

Coach's Comments
"Comes from a great program and is used to winning ... He plays with great effort … He is a player that we feel has the chance to be a very good pass rusher in the Southland Conference."

Dylan Michael Howerton | 6-4 / 255 | OL | Katy, Texas / Katy HS

Part of a senior-year team that went 12-1 and won its district championship
Allowed only one sack in 13 games
Elite Academic All State and AP Scholar
Intends to major in business
Father, Rodney Howerton, played football at Sam Houston State, and brother, Hayden, plays football at SMU

Coach's Comments
"Late bloomer who has all the physical tools and played extremely well down the stretch for one of the more prestigious programs in the state of Texas."

Darius Lewis | 5-8 / 152 | WR | Austin, Texas / Del Valle HS

2019 season stats included 1,417 all-purpose yards, 1,042 receiving yards, 70 receptions and 10 touchdowns
Collected 684 all-purpose yards as a junior in 2018
Selected six times as his school's Player of the Game (four offensive, two special teams)
Had seven receptions for 202 yards and three scores, returned a punt 50 yards for a touchdown and ran in a 2-point conversion vs. Austin High School
Whataburger Player of the Year nominee for 2019-20
Second Team All-District wide receiver and point guard for the 2018-19 season
Sister, Dominique, was a four-year track and field letter winner at Louisiana Tech

Coach's Comments
"Lightning in a bottle … Darius is explosive as well as quick … Starter in basketball … Has the ability to make people miss in space … Will bring great value on special teams as a kick/punt returner … Great ball skills utilizing leverage and space."

Ian Marshall | 6-2 / 270 | DL | Springfield, Mo. / Glendale HS / Northeastern Oklahoma A&M

Previously played at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M from 2018 to 2019
Two-year totals with the Golden Norsemen included 60 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks
2019 Honorable Mention All-Southwest Junior College Athletic Conference
Glendale High School totals included 140 tackles in two years with 38 tackles for loss and 16 sacks
Part of a Glendale team that went 11-1 during his senior year and won the district and conference championships
First Team All-State, District and Conference

Coach's Comments
"Another dual defensive tackle ... Good against the run and the pass ... Great first step ... Plays with great effort ... Has a great work ethic ... Fits our culture on and off the field."

Oliver McDowell | 6-1 / 210 | LB | East St. Louis, Ill. / East St. Louis HS / Southern Illinois / Hutchinson

Played in eight games for the Hutchinson CC Blue Dragons in 2019, collecting 21 tackles (four for loss), one sack and two pass breakups
During his freshman (2018) season at Southern Illinois, played in all 11 games and recorded 15 tackles, including 2.0 tackles for loss and 1.0 sack on the season
First-team All-Conference honoree by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Piled up 102 tackles and 13 sacks as a senior at East St. Louis HS
Quad City All-Metro honoree as a running back at Rock Island in 2016
Earned a spot on the Metro Football All-Star team from the Rock Island Dispatch-Argus in 2016
Father, Oliver Sr., played football at Western Illinois
Intends to major in accounting
Ranked seventh in his high school class
Made Dean's List every semester at Southern Illinois

Coach's Comments
"Excited about Oliver, another guy that fits the culture … Athletically can do a lot of things for us … Can play man, but also is physical enough to be in the box … Came from a very good JUCO program ... Understands what it takes to win and how to win."

Elijah Moffett | 6-2 / 185 | S | Selma, Texas / Veterans Memorial HS

Two-year totals at Veterans Memorial High School included 101 tackles, eight interceptions, seven pass breakups and four tackles for loss
First Team all-district as a junior and Second Team all-district as a senior
Track and field letter winner
A-B Honor Roll
Intends to major in civil engineering

Coach's Comments
"Long and rangy safety … Has shown the ability to be physical and cover … He is a sideline to hash and hash to hash player which is something we require from the safety position in our defense."

Chike Nwankwo | 6-1 / 230 | LB | Bridgewater, N.J. / Bridgewater-Raritan HS / Rutgers

Played in eight games for Rutgers in 2019
Totaled five tackles in collegiate debut against Massachusetts
Named to the Academic All-Big Ten list
Redshirted his true freshman year of 2018
Played for Bridgewater-Raritan High School, where he was a three-year letter winner at linebacker and tight end
Named Second Team All-USA New Jersey Football Team on defense by USA Today in 2017
Totaled 122 tackles, 4.5 sacks and one interception as a senior, helping team reach N.J. state championship game for the third consecutive season
First Team All-Area
Honor Roll student
Intends to major in human resources at ACU

Coach's Comments
"Excited about him and the game experience he brings from Rutgers ... Athletic, physical, can play in space and in the box … Very humble, but we can also see the confidence he has in himself … He is what we are looking for in a Mike Linebacker in our system … Very high character kid."

Christopher Satterfield | 5-11 / 178 | CB | Spring, Texas / Klein Oak HS

Four-year letter winner in football and track and field
Two-time All-District selection
Credited with an interception and two blocked kicks
Intends to major in journalism
Father, Jermaine Satterfield, played football at Indiana State

Coach's Comments
"Came to camp and really stood out ... Has great speed and change of direction ... Shows willingness to be physical and show up in the run fit ... We are expecting big things from him because he has shown the ability to cover … We like the length he brings to the corner room."

Jack Schultz | 6-2 / 260 | DT | Granada Hills, Calif. / Granada Hills Charter HS / College of the Canyons

Second Team All-Conference at College of the Canyons, which went 19-4 record during his two seasons
Collected 5.5 sacks, 39 tackles and 9.0 tackles for loss
Credited with 34 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss and four sacks and five QB hurries during his senior season at Granada Hills Charter HS
Intends to major in business

Coach's Comments
"Physical and athletic defensive tackle ... Able to rush the passer and is also good against the run … Fits our culture both on and off the field."

Ty Smith | 6-5 / 290 | OL | Kopperl, Texas / Glen Rose HS

First Team All-District
Academic All-State
Four-sport letter winner
Intends to major in business

Coach's Comments
"Multi-sport athlete with a big frame and a competitive spirit ... His best football is in front of him and will develop well in our program."

Ty Taylor | 6-0 / 175 | DB | LaMarque, Texas / Dickinson HS / Trinity Valley CC

Two-team letter winner at Dickinson High School: football and track and field
All-District honoree
Played in 18 games through two seasons at Trinity Valley CC, collecting 41 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and nine pass breakups
Helped lead this year's Trinity Valley team to a 7-3 record
Intends to major in biology
Father, Danny, played football at Texas Southern

Coach's Comments
"Another long corner … Fits our culture … Great student … Comes from a good program at Trinity Valley … Fits our system well with the ability to play both man and zone coverage ... We can rely on him to be a leader of the backend."

Shelby Washington | 6-1 / 187 | DB | Fort Worth, Texas / Midwest City HS / Northeastern Okla. A&M

Two-year letter winner at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M
Career statistics with the Golden Norsemen included 55 tackles, four tackles for loss, one interception, two fumble recoveries, blocked punt
Part of a team that won the 2017 Southwest Junior College Athletic Conference Championship (10-2)
Three-year letter winner at Midwest City High School in Oklahoma City
Intends to major in kinesiology

Coach's Comments
"Someone who can play hash to hash and sideline to hash ... Good in the run fit and good out in space ... Season was cut short due to an injury, but we saw enough on film to say he's a guy who can come and contribute .... From previous conversations with the young man, he'll buy into our culture and continue to build it immediately."