Coach Carthel Welcomes 31 New Lumberjacks to Inaugural 2019 Class at SFA

2/6/2019 7:31:00 PM | Football

Lumberjacks add 28 on National Signing Day Wednesday, including elite east Texas talent, to go along with three early signees

By: Luke Bolanos | Assistant Director of Athletic Media Relations

2019 SFA Football Recruits

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – SFA head football coach Colby Carthel and his staff have been on campus in Texas' oldest town for a limited amount of time but on National Signing Day Wednesday, Feb. 6 the Lumberjacks put together one of the finest classes in program history. Owning the third-best recruiting class among all FCS institutions and the top in the Southland Conference according to 247Sports, SFA's 2019 class ranks ahead of FBS programs and a plethora of FCS powerhouses.

With the goal of recruiting from deep within the piney woods of east Texas, the 'Jacks were able to secure some of the region's best talent. SFA has signed an impressive 10 three-star recruits with a trio of elite players from east Texas in defensive tackle Carl Williams (Lufkin HS), offensive lineman Caiden Walker (Newton HS) and Brevin Randle (Marshall HS).

"To win in recruiting, it's got to start close to home," commented coach Carthel. "We feel like we were able to land three of the best recruits in east Texas in Carl Williams, Caiden Walker, and Brevin Randle. Those guys all held multiple FBS offers, some of them from Power Five programs, yet they chose to be a part of the #bEASTtexasTakeover and stay close to home. I think you'll continue to see guys follow that trend in the future."

The 28 added to the SFA football program Wednesday join the Lumberjacks' three early signees from the December period. In addition to Walker, SFA welcomed mid-year junior college transfers offensive lineman Zach Ingram (Butler C.C.) and quarterback Trae Self (Butler C.C.) before closing out 2018.

"They win, and they believe," stated Carthel on his inaugural class in Nacogdoches. "Those two qualities make this class really special. We were fortunate to sign a well-balanced class across the board, as we were able to land some very talented young men at every position on the field. This class includes many state champions and individuals that come from some of the best high school programs across the state of Texas. I believe our staff did a great job of focusing on high-quality student-athletes as well, with a majority of these young men qualifying for academic scholarships at SFA."

The new Lumberjack additions can be broken down as follows.

East Texas (3)

Brevin Randle | LB | 5-11 | 228 | Marshall HS | Marshall, Texas
Caiden Walker | OL | 6-4 | 300 | Newton HS | Newton, Texas
Carl Williams | DT | 6-2 | 356 | Lufkin HS | Lufkin, Texas

Dallas/Fort Worth (15)

Josh Allison | WR | 6-1 | 170 | Plano East HS | Plano, Texas
Chad Aune | TE | 6-4 | 221 | Guyer HS | Denton, Texas
Hayden Brockenbush | DE | 6-4 | 220 | Lake Dallas HS | Corinth, Texas
Dylan Brown | K | 5-6 | 150 | Poteet HS | Mesquite, Texas
Brayden Chandler | LS | 5-9 | 193 | Centennial HS | Burleson, Texas
Peyton Culberson | QB | 6-5 | 220 | Bishop Dunne Catholic | Dallas, Texas
Josh Foskey | QB | 6-0 | 217 | Reedy HS | Frisco, Texas
Xavier Gipson | WR | 5-9 | 170 | Woodrow Wilson HS | Dallas, Texas
Chance Hill | DE | 6-4 | 215 | Flower Mound HS | Flower Mound, Texas
Marcus Mosley Jr. | DE | 6-0 | 255 | Army | Duncanville HS | Duncanville, Texas
Zach Nwachukwu | DB | 5-8 | 186 | Plano East HS | Plano, Texas
Willie Roberts | CB | 5-10 | 180 | Martin HS | Arlington, Texas
Trae Self | QB | 6-4 | 190 | Butler C.C. | Richland HS | North Richland Hills, Texas
Jaquarion Turner | RB | 5-11 | 202 | South Garland HS | Garland, Texas
LaCoryien Washington | S | 6-0 | 208 | Mansfield Summit HS | Arlington, Texas

Houston (7)

Kevin Gilliam Jr. | CB | 5-10 | 194 | North Shore HS | Houston, Texas
Myles Heard | S | 5-9 | 208 | Fort Bend Dulles HS | Sugar Land, Texas
Gerard McKnight | LB | 6-2 | 205 | Cypress Ranch HS | Cypress, Texas
Jackson Miller | TE | 6-1 | 238 | Klein HS | Klein, Texas
Jaret Porterfield | OL | 6-4 | 300 | Pearland HS | Pearland, Texas
Jawaun Singletary | OL | 6-1 | 280 | Westfield HS | Houston, Texas
Rason Williams II | DE | 6-4 | 250 | Alief Elsik HS | Houston, Texas

Central Texas (3)

Myles Brooks | CB | 6-1 | 185 | Hendrickson HS | Pflugerville, Texas
Keegan Holm | OL | 6-4 | 285 | Antonian Prep | La Vernia, Texas
Joshua Smetzer | LS | 6-0 | 201 | Churchill HS | San Antonio, Texas

West Texas (1)

Lawton Rikel | QB | 6-1 | 175 | Canyon HS | Canyon, Texas

Arizona (1)

Josh Weeks | TE | 6-3 | 255 | UTEP | BYU | Show Low HS | Show Low, Ariz.

Missouri (1)

Zach Ingram | OL | 6-7 | 275 | Butler C.C. | Fort Osage HS | Independence, Mo.

Defensive Backs (6)

Myles Brooks | CB | 6-1 | 185 | Hendrickson HS | Pflugerville, Texas
Kevin Gilliam Jr. | CB | 5-10 | 194 | North Shore HS | Houston, Texas
Myles Heard | S | 5-9 | 208 | Fort Bend Dulles HS | Sugar Land, Texas
Zach Nwachukwu | DB | 5-8 | 186 | Plano East HS | Plano, Texas
Willie Roberts | CB | 5-10 | 180 | Martin HS | Arlington, Texas
LaCoryien Washington | S | 6-0 | 208 | Mansfield Summit HS | Arlington, Texas

Offensive Linemen (5)

Keegan Holm | OL | 6-4 | 285 | Antonian Prep | La Vernia, Texas
Zach Ingram | OL | 6-7 | 275 | Butler C.C. | Fort Osage HS | Independence, Mo.
Jaret Porterfield | OL | 6-4 | 300 | Pearland HS | Pearland, Texas
Jawaun Singletary | OL | 6-1 | 280 | Westfield HS | Houston, Texas
Caiden Walker | OL | 6-4 | 300 | Newton HS | Newton, Texas

Defensive Linemen (5)

Hayden Brockenbush | DE | 6-4 | 220 | Lake Dallas HS | Corinth, Texas
Chance Hill | DE | 6-4 | 215 | Flower Mound HS | Flower Mound, Texas
Marcus Mosley Jr. | DE | 6-0 | 255 | Army | Duncanville HS | Duncanville, Texas
Carl Williams | DT | 6-2 | 356 | Lufkin HS | Lufkin, Texas
Rason Williams II | DE | 6-4 | 250 | Alief Elsik HS | Houston, Texas

Quarterbacks (4)

Peyton Culberson | QB | 6-5 | 220 | Bishop Dunne Catholic | Dallas, Texas
Josh Foskey | QB | 6-0 | 217 | Reedy HS | Frisco, Texas
Lawton Rikel | QB | 6-1 | 175 | Canyon HS | Canyon, Texas
Trae Self | QB | 6-4 | 190 | Butler C.C. | Richland HS | North Richland Hills, Texas

Tight Ends (3)

Chad Aune | TE | 6-4 | 221 | Guyer HS | Denton, Texas
Jackson Miller | TE | 6-1 | 238 | Klein HS | Klein, Texas
Josh Weeks | TE | 6-3 | 255 | UTEP | BYU | Show Low HS | Show Low, Ariz.

Special Teams (3)

Dylan Brown | K | 5-6 | 150 | Poteet HS | Mesquite, Texas
Brayden Chandler | LS | 5-9 | 193 | Centennial HS | Burleson, Texas
Joshua Smetzer | LS | 6-0 | 201 | Churchill HS | San Antonio, Texas

Wide Receivers (2)

Josh Allison | WR | 6-1 | 170 | Plano East HS | Plano, Texas
Xavier Gipson | WR | 5-9 | 170 | Woodrow Wilson HS | Dallas, Texas

Linebackers (2)

Brevin Randle | LB | 5-11 | 228 | Marshall HS | Marshall, Texas
Gerard McKnight | LB | 6-2 | 205 | Cypress Ranch HS | Cypress, Texas

Running Backs (1)

Jaquarion Turner | RB | 5-11 | 202 | South Garland HS | Garland, Texas

"To win on the field, you first have to win in recruiting and we did that today," Carthel added. "I think with this class we laid the foundation for many wins and many championships in the future. It will be fun to look back on this class in a few years and reflect on how it all started with their belief in this program, long before the triumphs and trophies."

A full list of 2019 SFA football newcomers can be found on the Lumberjacks' National Signing Day central page, SFAJacks.com/feature/NSD19, which will be updated with any additions over the coming days.

Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete coverage of Lumberjack football.

-SFA-