ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western head football coach Matt Williamson has announced the signings of 38 student-athletes to National Letters of Intent.

The 2018 football signing class includes student-athletes from seven different states: Missouri (20), Kansas (7), Illinois (4), Arkansas (2), Oklahoma (2), Nebraska (1), Nevada (1) and Maryland (1). Williamson’s second signing class as head coach at Missouri Western features 31 high school seniors and seven transfers.

By position group, this year’s class includes three quarterbacks, three running backs, two wide receivers, three tight ends, five offensive linemen, four defensive linemen, seven linebackers, six defensive backs and two specialists.

“We’re very pleased to bring these young men into the Griffon Football Family,” Williamson said. “It was huge for us to be able to hit the ground early in the recruiting process this year and ensure we brought in the types of players who can be successful in our program, in the classroom and in the community. These young men will help continue to move Griffon football forward.”

Williamson and his staff were charged with replacing 17 seniors from the 2017 football team that finished with a 4-7 record. The 2018 season begins Aug. 30 when the Griffons travel to rival Northwest Missouri State.

Jahmel Boarman
DL | 6-3, 225
Raytown South HS | Raytown, Mo.
Two-Time All-District … Two-Time All-Conference

Reggie Certain Jr.
Safety | 5-9, 190
Hazelwood Central HS | Florissant, Mo.
First Team All-Conference … Two-Time Second Team All-Conference

Evan Clark
OL | 6-2, 270
Derby HS | Wichita, Kan.
Three-Time AVCTL First Team All-League … Two-Time First Team All-Metro … Two-Time Kansas 6A State Football Champion

Tate Collum
Ath | 6-2, 170
Grain Valley HS | Grain Valley, Mo.
2017 MOFBCA First Team All-District … 2017 First Team All-Conference … 2017 First Team All-Examiner … 2017 Grain Valley Napier Award Winner … 2017 KMZU Dream Team and Player of the Year … Two Time Team MVP … Two Time All-District Quarterback

Kobe Cummings
Ath | 6-0, 190
Platte County HS | Kansas City, Mo.
Four-Year letter winner … Two-Time All-Conference … Two-Time All-District … Missouri All-State Media Team … Participated in Epic 7 Midwest 7-on-7 … All-State Academic Team … Two-Time Platte County Academic Honor Letter winner

Joshua Davis
DL | 6-3, 235
Lee’s Summit West HS | Lee’s Summit, Mo.
Helped Team to 8-3 Record … Had 62 Tackles in 10 Games

Lane Eggers
OL | 6-4, 295
St. Joseph Central HS | St. Joseph, Mo.
Two-Time All-Conference … All-District … Two-Time St. Joseph New-Press All-City … First Team All-St. Joseph News Press Team

David Ellison
Safety| 5-10, 185
Pattonville HS | St. Louis, Mo.
Class 5 Defensive Player of the Year … Conference Defensive Player of the Year … First Team All-Conference Defensive Back … Second Team All-Conference Running Back … First Team All-District Defensive Back and Running Back … Second Team All-State Running Back … First Team All-Metro Defensive Back … First Team All-USA Missouri

Cameron Grandy
TE | 6-5, 210
Fieldcrest HS | Benson, Ill.
Peoria Journal Star Offensive Player of the Year … News Tribune Small School Player of the year … Academic All-State … All-State Honorable Mention … Unanimous HOIC First-Team All-Conference Quarterback … Second Team HOIC All-Conference Defensive Back … HOIC Honorable Mention Defensive End …Peoria Journal Star Preps Best of Central Illinois

Devon Holmes
WR | 6-2, 185
Wright City HS | Wright City, Mo.
First Team All-State … Two-Time First Team All-District … Three-Time First Team All-Conference

Braden Howell
QB | 6-2, 195
Bishop Carroll HS | Wichita, Kan.
Kansas 5A Player of the Year … Kansas 5A Passing Yards Leaders … led team to the 2017 Kansas 5A State Championship … All-State Top-11 for Kansas … First Team All-State … All-Metro … First Team All-City … Selected for Kansas Shrine Bowl

Thomas Kopcho
Specialist | 5-9, 170
Millard North HS | Omaha, Neb.
All-State Honorable Mention … Helped team to berth in the Nebraska Class A State Playoffs in 2017 and State Quarterfinals in 2016

Nick Kruse
DL | 6-2, 220
Harrisonville HS | Harrisonville, Mo.
Two Time Second Team All-State … Two Time First Team All-District … Two Time First Team All-Conference … First Team All-Conference Offensive Lineman

Ethan Macoubrie
TE | 6-5, 200
Grain Valley HS | Grain Valley, Mo.
Two Time All-Conference … Two Time All-District … All-State … All-Area … KMZA Dream Team

Brenden McClure
OL | 6-5, 260
North County HS | Bonne Terre, Mo.
Two-Time All-Mineral Area Football Conference Red Division Offensive and Defensive Line … Two-Time First team All-District … 2017 SEMO All-Region First Team … Two-Time All-State … Two-Team Class 4 Media All-State … KTJJ/J98 Regional Radio Dream Team Member

Caleb Patterson
WR | 6-4, 200
North Andrew HS | Rosendale, Mo.
Missouri 8-Man Player of the Year … Two-Time All-State … Three-Time All-Conference … Two-Time All-District … Two-Time KAAN and KKWk All-State … Three-Time High School Honor Roll

Theo Price
LB | 5-11, 190
Lindburgh HS | Chicago, Ill.
First Team Unanimous All-State … First Team All-State Media … Three-Time All-Conference … Three-Time All-District … St. Louis All-American …Second Team All-Metro … Four School Records for Tackles in a Game and Season … Two-Time Team MVP

Noah Price
OL | 6-2, 255
Liberty HS | Liberty, Mo.
First Team All-Conference Offensive Line … Second Team All-Conference Offensive and Defensive Line … Two-Time All-Conference Honorable Mention

Terrius Rodgers
Ath | 5-10, 160
Caruthersville HS | Caruthersville, Mo.
Three-Time All-Region … Two Time All-Conference … Two Time All-District

Jared Scott
RB | 5-11, 185
St. Louis University HS | St. Louis, Mo.
Three Time All-Conference … All District Selection

Michael Small
LB | 6-2, 240
Winnetonka HS | Kansas City, Mo.
All-District Linebacker … First Team All-Conference … Two Time Honorable Mention at Defensive Back and Wide Receiver

Tariq Stewart
CB | 5-11, 160
Hazelwood Central HS | Florissant, Mo.
Led high school team to an 8-3 record

DJ Stirgus
CB | 6-1, 175
Benton HS | Benton, Ark.
Arkansas 6A Defensive Back of the Year … Arkansas All-State Team … AR All-Prep Team … Arkansas All-Star Team … All-Area First Team … Participated on the USA Football Under-19 Team

Dakari Streeter
LB | 6-2, 220
Pattonville HS | Bridgeton, Mo.
First Team All-State … First Team All-District and Conference … All-State Track and Field in Javelin and Discus

Nyrel Sullivan
RB | 5-10, 170
Sterling HS | Sterling, Ill.
2017 North Illinois Big 12 Conference Player of the Year … 2017 Sauk Valley Newspaper Player of the Year … 2017 Illinois High School Coaches Association First Team All-State … 2017 Blue-Grey All-American Game Selection … 2016 and 2017 First Team All Northern Illinois Big 12 Conference

Emori Thomas
LB | 6-0, 205
William Chrisman HS | Kansas City, Mo.
Three-Time All-Conference … Two-Time All-State … Three-Time All-District … Two-Time All-Area … Two-Time All-Metro

Anthony Vespo
QB | 6-3, 215
Bolingbrook HS | Bolingbrook, Ill.
First Team All-Conference … First Team All-Area … All-State Honorable Mention … Two-Time Team MVP

Tylen Wallace
DL | 6-4, 275
Schlagle HS | Kansas City, Kan.
67 Tackles and Nine Sacks in 10 Games … Schlagle Defensive Player of the Year

Ryan Wilson
OL | 6-4, 270
University Academy | Kansas City, Mo.
First Team All-State … First Team All-District … Two-Time team captain … Three-Time Lifter of the Year

Jordan Witcher
WR | 6-2, 180
Pea Ridge HS | Pea Ridge, Ark.
First Team All-Conference … All-NWA Second Team

Larmon Witt III
WR | 6-0, 170
Schlagle HS | Kansas City, Kan.
Three-Time All-League … All-State … Special Teams Player of the Year … All-SHUKC Team … Epic 7 Midwest Nike Team

James Bailey Jr.
RB | 6-0, 205
Western Illinois | Kansas City, Mo
Two Time All-State … All-Conference … All-District

Devan Burrell
Safety | 6-0, 185
Cerritos College | Las Vegas, Nevada
52 Tackles in 10 Games … Four Interceptions for 129 Yards …. Three Pass Break-Ups … Also Played Basketball at Cerritos College

Theo Hyppolite
Safety | 6-1, 195
New Mexico Military Institute
51 Tackles For NMMI … Two Fumble Recoveries … One Interception

Jack Rasmussen
Specialist | 6-4, 220
Glendale CC | Baltimore, Md.
First in the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference with 16 punts inside the 20 yard line …. Second in the ACCAC with 39 punts …. punted for 1,377 yards

Wyatt Steigerwald
QB | 6-0, 200
Northern Oklahoma A&M | Nowata, Okla.
First Team All-Conference … Set Four Records at Northern Oklahoma A&M …. Led team to Conference Championship … Led Region XIV with 32 Passing Touchdowns … Threw for 2,744 yards and completed 62.5 percent of his passes at Northern Oklahoma A&M

Luke Vang
TE | 6-3, 230
Butler CC | Wichita, Kan.
Second Team All-KJCCA Conference … Three Time All-League … Two Time All-State … First Team Academic All-American

Damen Wheeler Jr.
WR | 6-2 , 170
American River CC
All-American … All-State … All-Conference … Outstanding Player Award … 33 receptions for 556 yards and 4 touchdowns … averaged 46.3 yards per game and 16.8 yards per catch

— MWSU Athletics —