2015 National Signing Day

D’ANDRE SMART, CB, 5-11, 157

Miami, Fla.

Norland

Notables:  Earned all-conference honors…Team captain…Also a team captain in track & field…High school teammates with Kent State wide receiver Zaquon Tyson…Plans to major in architecture

WILL MATTHEWS, RB, 5-9, 210

Destrehan, La.

Destrehan

Notables:  Earned all-state honors as a senior and all-state honorable mention as a junior…Named River Parish Player of the Year…Earned All-District First Team honors in junior and senior seasons…Team captain…Destrehan finished as state runner-up in his senior year and district champions his junior year…Also a captain on track & field team, winning district titles in the shot put and 4x100 relay.

Stats:  Ran for 1,924 yards and 29 touchdowns as a senior, 1,473 yards and 27 touchdowns as a junior and 946 yards and 15 touchdowns as a sophomore.

DOMINIC HILL, DL, 6-0, 280

Fort Worth, Texas

Boswell

Notables:  Named to all-state second team…Earned all-district honors in three seasons...Named Freshman of the Year at Boswell…Team captain…Finished seventh in state powerlifting competition…Also threw shot put…Plans to major in computer science.

Stats: Made 58 tackles as a senior, including six sacks…Made 43 tackles as a junior.

ANTWAN DIXON, WR, 5-8, 170

Fort Myers, Fla.

South Fort Myers

Notables:  Named to all-state team and all-district first team as a defensive back…WINK News Player of the Year…Naples Daily News (Broxson Award) Player of the Year…Team captain…Team MVP…Helped South Fort Myers to three district titles…Father, Anthony Dixon, played football at Marshall…Played basketball and track & field…District and conference champion in 100 meter.

Stats:  Caught 48 passes in 2014 for 639 receiving yards and eight touchdowns…Ran for 343 yards on only 23 carries as a senior…Totaled 1,500 all-purpose yards as a senior.

 

MYLIK MITCHELL, QB, 6-4, 181

Cleveland, Ohio

John Hay

Notables:  Named Senate League MVP as senior and was a two-time Senate League All-Star…Helped John Hay to a conference title in 2012 and regional playoff appearances in 2012 and 2013…All-district special mention…Team captain…Also a team captain on John Hay’s basketball team.

Stats:  Threw for 2,614 yards and 23 touchdowns as a senior, running for 673 yards and seven touchdowns…Totaled 1,732 passing yards and 20 touchdowns as a junior.

P.J. SIMMONS, RB, 5-11, 181

Tallahassee, Fla.

Godby

Notables:  Earned first team all-state honors as a senior… Tabbed three-star recruit by Scout.com …Helped Godby to state runner-up finish…Team captain…High school teammates with Kent State signee Jim Jones…Father played football at Prarie View A&M.

Stats:  Ran for 1,834 yards and 20 touchdowns as a senior, averaging 10.2 yards per carry…Caught 25 passes for 347 yards receiving and two touchdowns.

MYLES WASHINGTON, RB, 5-10, 210

New Orleans, La.

John Curtis

Notables:  Earned all-state honors in junior and senior seasons… Played quarterback at John Curtis …Team captain…High school teammates with Kent State running back Raekwon James…Was a member of three state championship teams at John Curtis…plans to major in liquid crystal engineering…Also served as captain on baseball team.

Stats:  Ran for 17 touchdowns as a senior, averaging 7.1 yards per carry…Rushed for 14 touchdowns as a junior, averaging 6.5 yards per carry…Threw for a combined 1,267 yards and 12 touchdown passes in junior and senior seasons.

JIM JONES, LB, 6-1, 214

Tallahassee, Fla.

Godby

Notables:  All-state first team selection…Two-time all-conference first team member…Tabbed three-star recruit by Rivals and Scout.com…Earned four different team awards…Team captain…High school teammates with P.J. Simmons…Also a team captain on Godby’s basketball and baseball teams.

Stats: Totaled 145 tackles, eight sacks, two interceptions and one touchdown.

 

CONOR BRUMFIELD, TE, 6-4, 235

Acworth, Ga.

Allatoona

Notables:  Region 5A Offensive Lineman of the Year…Earned Georgia Sports Writers Association All-State Second Team honors…all-region first team honors in junior and senior seasons…All-Cobb County First Team…Team captain…Brother, Dalton Brumfield, played football at West Virginia Wesleyan…Plans to major in chemistry

Stats:  Recorded 127 pancake blocks as a senior

BRYCE GIBBS, OL, 6-4, 291

Wellington, Ohio

Wellington

Notables:  Named to All-Lorain County First Team in junior and senior seasons…Earned spots on all-conference and all-district teams in junior and senior seasons…Played on both the offensive and defensive lines…Team captain…Also a team captain on Wellington’s basketball team and competed in track & field.

Stats: Made 47 tackles and two sacks as a senior.

NICK FAULKNER, LB/DE, 6-2, 223

Canton, Ohio

McKinley

Notables:  Two-time selection for Blue-Grey All-American Bowl…Earned All-Stark County honors in junior and senior seasons…Helped McKinley to back-to-back conference titles…Was a three-year letterwinner and captain on McKinley’s baseball team…Also played basketball.

Stats:  Made 98 tackles in only seven games as a senior, including 13 tackles for loss…Had 15 tackles for loss as junior with six sacks and 82 total tackles.

THEODORE EBOIGBE, DE, 6-2, 239

Lithonia, Ga.

Arabia Mountain

Notables:  Member of VTO Elite 100…Team’s Defensive MVP…Team captain…Also wrestled at Arabia Mountain.

Stats: Amassed 90 tackles, nine sacks and six forced fumbles as a senior…Recorded 82 tackles as a junior, including 13 tackles for loss and six sacks.

MIKE MARINELLI, OL, 6-4, 280

Allison Park, Pa.

Hampton

Notables:  Named to All-Greater Allegheny Football Conference First Team…Helped Hampton to conference title…plans to major in business administration

DARRYL MARSHALL, CB, 5-11, 170

Hyattsville, Md.

DeMatha Catholic

Notables:  Earned All-Washington Area Catholic Conference honorable mention…Helped DeMatha to a pair of conference titles…Also competed in track & field, helping DeMatha to three conference titles…Plans to major in accounting…Cousin, Cameron Thomas, plays football at Western Kentucky

TROY DIPRE, LB, 6-1, 211

Solon, Ohio

St. Edward

Notables:  Named to All-Ohio First Team and all-district first team in junior and senior seasons…Max Preps All-America Second Team…Tabbed three-star recruit by Scout.com…Anchored defense to a state title as a senior…Team captain…Played on all special teams units for three seasons.

Stats: Made 155 tackles and 9.5 sacks as a senior, along with two forced fumbles and two interceptions.

DAVID SMITH, OL, 6-5, 290

Charleston, W. Va.

George Washington

Notables:  First team all-state in junior and senior seasons…Played both offensive and defensive lines…Team captain…Also a team captain in wrestling and competed in track & field…Won 2014 state wrestling championship…Placed sixth in the shot put at state track meet.

Stats:  Recorded 48 tackles and three sacks.

JOHN HENRY BRONCZEK, S, 5-8, 172

Massillon, Ohio

Massillon Washington

Notables:  Earned second team all-district honors and second team All-Stark County honors…Earned Massillon’s Special Teams Player of the Year award…Helped Massillon to three consecutive playoff appearances…Team captain…Also a captain and three-year letterwinner on Massillon’s baseball team…Father, Walter Bronczek, played baseball at Kent State

Stats: Made 96 tackles as a senior…Had four pass breakups.

CHASE VAN HOEF, OL, 6-4, 285

Grand Haven, Mich.

Grand Haven

Notables:  Earned all-state honorable mention…Two-time all-conference selection…Two-time all-region selection…Played offensive and defensive line…Father, Matthew, played football at Michigan… Was also a two-year captain in wrestling, placing sixth at state tournament…Two-year letterwinner in track & field…Plans to major in managerial marketing.

Stats:  Made 30 tackles as a senior.

Second NLI comes from...

JUANTEZ McRAE, S, 5-11, 170

Reistertown, Md.

Franklin

Notables:  Earned all-conference honors…Helped Franklin to state championship…Was a captain on Franklin’s rugby team…Also competed in track & field.

Stats: Recorded 95 tackles, eight interceptions and two touchdowns as a senior.

 


Our first National Letter of Intent came in just after 7 a.m.

ALEX HOAG, DE, 6-4, 255

Sarasota, Fla.

Venice

Notables:  Earned all-district first team honors…Named Venice’s defensive line MVP as a senior…Helped Venice to conference title as a senior…Team captain…Becomes third Kent State player from Venice High School in recent years, joining Josh Boyle and Dri Archer…Also played offensive line…Has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do…Also a member of track & field and weightlifting teams at Venice.

Stats:  Made 103 tackles during senior year with six sacks and two forced fumbles.

 


Early signee Johnny Woods gives the Flashes a tall target at wide receiver



Early signee Carlos Pickett, who joined the Flashes at the beginning of this semester. Safety from Brunswick, Ga.



Here's a look at early signee Anthony Johnson, a defensive end from Pasadena City College, who will have three years of eligibility