Lane Kiffin off to a fast start with signing class at FAU
Get ready for the De’Andre to DeAndre Show.
Coach Lane Kiffin’s first Owls recruiting class, which was announced on Wednesday, boasts 24 recruits — 12 on defense, 10 on offense and two designated as “athletes” who could be used on either side of the ball.
But Kiffin has apparently opted for some high-risk, potentially high-reward players who have already played at various other colleges, including quarterback De’Andre Johnson and wide receiver DeAndre McNeal.
Johnson, who was kicked out of Florida State, is already enrolled at FAU. But Wednesday brought a surprise when Kiffin beat out UCLA and Missouri for McNeal, a 6-1, 235-pounder who started his career at Texas and played for a California junior college last season. McNeal had been suspended at Texas.
Overall, Kiffin signed nine players in this class who have attended a college previously. He also signed one player from a prep school as the Owls look to fill holes on their roster immediately.
UCF
Outside of the Big Three of Miami, Florida State and Florida, UCF appeared to sign the best recruiting class in the state.
UCF brought in 21 players, including 11 on defense. Linebacker, with five recruits, is where UCF added the most depth.
Two players who had committed to the Knights — defensive tackle Jamari Chisolm (signed with Texas) and defensive back Tariq Carpenter (Georgia Tech) —ended up elsewhere.
But UCF added several previously uncommitted players on Wednesday, including Miami Southridge running back Bentavious Thompson; wide receiver Marlon Williams, who caught 22 TD passes as a senior; linebackers Sterling Jones and Lionel Cummings; and defensive back Zamari Maxwell.
In addition to linebacker, UCF loaded up on offensive skill-position players, signing two quarterbacks, two running backs and three wide receivers.
UCF, which graduated all four of its starting defensive backs, signed three players for its secondary, including Southridge’s Antwan Collier, who is already enrolled.
Among the players to watch are running back Otis Anderson, who runs a 4.3 40; defensive lineman Jeremiah Zio, a 6-8 converted basketball player; and 6-4, 295-pound center Cole Schneider, who was first-team All-State, won a state title in wrestling and ran a 4.8 in the 40. He can bench press 365 pounds.
SOUTH FLORIDA
The Bulls’ first class under new coach Charlie Strong includes three players from Carol City — wide receiver Kevaughn Dingle and safeties Donelle Thomas and Naytron Culpepper.
Strong also signed two more local wide receivers: Jernard Phillips of Central and Randall St. Felix from Krop. Phillips is already enrolled.
The Bulls lost three players who had previously committed to USF, and all of them signed with Oregon: Cocoa running back Bruce Judson, Deerfield Beach wide receiver Daewood Davis and Apopka wide receiver Demetri Burch.
BETHUNE-COOKMAN
The Wildcats signed 16 players — eight on each side of the ball. They loaded up at wide receiver with four recruits, and two of their offensive linemen are from Miami: Cedric Jackson of Norland and Teaki Fuller of Booker T. Washington.
Jackson, primarily a guard, is a “well-rounded offensive lineman,” according to Wildcats coach Terry Sims.
Fuller, who also had offers from Charlotte and Northern Colorado, played guard and tackle.
“He’s a road-grader,” Sims said of Fuller. “He’s a powerful blocker with great hips and feet. He gets on his targets and finishes blocks.”
FAMU
Coach Alex Wood announced a signing class of 17 players, including Chaminade guard Steven Jean-Baptiste.
The Rattlers signed two high school quarterbacks — D.J. Phillips, who was the Tallahassee TD Club Offensive Player of the Year, and Dekovin Cann, who is listed as an athlete because he also plays defense.
Phillips, a 6-3, 190-pounder, led Tallahassee Rickards to the third round of the playoffs for the first time in school history.
Cann, a 6-4, 215-pounder, passed for 1,980 yards and ran for 976 yards as a senior.
Around the state
FLORIDA ATLANTIC
QB — De’Andre Johnson, 6-0, 175, E. Mississippi JC
RB — Tyrek Tisdale, 6-1, 200, New York
FB — Chase Lasater, 6-2, 240, Jacksonville
WR — DeAndre McNeal, 6-1, 235, California
WR — Willie Wright, 5-8, 155, Jacksonville
WR — Jordan Merrell, 5-11, 180, St. Thomas Aquinas
TE — Logan Peterson, 6-3, 230, Texas
OT — Joey Palmer, 6— 5, 305, Butler C.C.
OT — BJ Etienne, 6-3, 285, St. Thomas Aquinas
OG — Robert Hawkins, 6-3, 265, American Heritage
DE — Ernest Bagner, 6-5, 235, Riverside (Calif.) JC
DE — Tim Bonner, 6-4, 220, E. Mississippi JC
DT — Chase Hooper, 6-3, 265, Georgia
OLB — Carson Lydon, 6-2, 245, California
OLB — Isaac Readon, 5-11, 195, Booker T.
OLB — Akileis Leroy, 6-1, 235, Georgia
CB — Zyon Gilbert, 6-1, 175, Alabama
CB — Diashun Moss, 5-10, 170, Cardinal Gibbons
CB — Rodney Washington, 6-1, 190, Contra Costa College
S — Ahman Ross, 5-11, 195, Jacksonville
S — Jovon Burriss, 6-2, 185, California
S — Qu’ran Hafiz, 6-0, 185, Jacksonville
ATH — D’Anfernee McGriff, 6-1, 215, Iowa Western C.C.
ATH — Denzel Houston, 5-10, 185, Daytona Mainland
UCF
QB — Darriel Mack, 6-3, 215, Virginia
QB — Noah Vedral, 6-2, 185, Nebraska
RB — Otis Anderson, 5-11, 170, Jacksonville
RB — Bentavious Thompson, 6-1, 190, Southridge
WR — Emmanuel Greene, 5-10, 170, IMG Academy
WR — Gabriel Davis, 6-3, 215, Seminole
WR — Marlon Williams, 6-0, 205, Seminole
OT — Samuel Jackson, 6-6, 330, Bradenton
OT — Julio Castillo, 6-6, 315, Mayo Lafayette
OG — Cole Schneider, 6-4, 295, Ft. Myers Riverdale
DE — Mason Cholewa, 6-7, 265, Pennsylvania
DE — Jeremiah Zio, 6-8, 245, St. Petersburg Farragut
DE — Stephon Zayas, 6-6, 210, Fort Lauderdale Dillard
LB — Sterling Jones, 6-2, 225, Montgomery, Alabama
LB — Lionel “LJ” Cummings, 6-3, 205, Bartow
LB — Gabriel Luyanda, 6-5, 230, Garden City (Ks.) JC
LB — Kalia Davis, 6-2, 250, Pensacola
LB — T.J. Pitts, 6-1, 250, Williston
DB — Zamari Maxwell, 6-1, 175, Pinellas Park
DB — Rennard Bozeman, 5-10, 175, Boyd Anderson
DB — Antwan Collier, 6-3, 180, Miami Southridge
USF
RB — Duran Bell, 5-11, 170, Hillsborough
WR — Jernard Phillips, 5-10, 165, Miami Central
WR — Kevaughn Dingle, 6-1, 195, Carol City
WR — Randall St. Felix, 6-1, 190, Miami Krop
TE — Fred Lloyd, 6-4, 195, Georgia
OG — Demetris Harris, 6-3, 285, Jacksonville
OG — Jean Marcellus, 6-3, 295, Tampa Jefferson
OT — Jeremiah Stafford, 6-3, 295, Tampa Catholic
DE — Darrien Grant, 6-4, 220, Bradenton Southeast
DE Jabreel Stephens, 6-3, 230, Seffner Armwood
DT — Kelvin Kegler, 6-2, 275, Madison County
DT — Kelvin Pinkney, 6-2, 285, Sarasota Booker
LB Kierston Johnson, 6-0, 215, Jacksonville
CB — Nick Roberts, 5-10, 170, Oakleaf
CB — Bentlee Sanders, 5-8, 165, Tampa Catholic
S — Mekhi LaPointe, 6-2, 180, Seffner Armwood
S — Donelle Thomas, 5-11, 175, Carol City
S — Naytron Culpepper, 6-0, 175, Carol City
BETHUNE- COOKMAN
RB — Cecil Fleming, 6-2, 185, Claremont
RB — Isaac Washington, 5-9, 190, Cape Coral
WR — Adul Yates Jr., 6-0, 175, St. Petersburg
WR — Jonathon Thomas, 6-0, 195, Port St. Lucie
WR — Dominique Linton, 6-2, 185, Naples
WR — Marquis Wimberly, 6-2, 205, California
OL — Cedric Jackson, 6-2, 300, Miami Norland
OL — Teaki Fuller, 6-3, 300, Miami Booker T.
DL — Gerome Howard, 6-4, 275, Sarasota
DL — Uriah Gilbert, 6-2, 325, Ocala
DL — Kris Holt, 6-5, 285, Baltimore
LB — Titus Curry, 6-1, 235, Jacksonville
LB — Marquis Hendrix, 6-1, 230, Ocala
LB — Devin James, 6-2, 235, Port St. Lucie
CB — Keon Jackson, 6-2, 185, Jacksonville
S — Kennedy Ndukwe, 6-0, 190, Baltimore
FLORIDA A&M
QB — DJ Phillips, 6-3, 190, Tallahassee
QB/DB — Dekovinn Cann, 6-4, 215, St.Petersburg
FB — Kyle Johnson, 6-1, 230, Venice High
TE — Christian Roa, 6-2, 250, Altamonte Springs
OG — Steven Jean-Baptiste, 6-2, 290, Chaminade
OT — Donovan Hovey- Franklin, 6-5, 315, Daytona Beach
OT/DT — Antawn Lewis, 6-4, 290, Palm Beach Dwyer
DE — Louis Neal, 6-2, 255, St. Petersburg
DT — Martravious Hardrick, 6-2, 265, Panama City
DT — De’Montre Moore, 6-3, 275, Tampa
DT — Bryan Crawford, 6-2, 280, Pahokee
LB — Emmanuel Yisrael, 5-10, 205, Riviera Beach
CB — Chris Jerry, 5-9, 170, Tallahassee
CB — Dominique Walker, 5-11, 185, Brooksville
CB — Levon Barnett, 6- 0, 180, Palm Beach Dwyer
S — Ellrie Allen, 5-11, 200, Wesley Chapel
K — Chris Faddoul, 6-1, 180, Wesley Chapel
This story was originally published February 1, 2017 at 10:57 PM with the headline "Lane Kiffin off to a fast start with signing class at FAU."