ST. JOSEPH – First-year Missouri Western head football coach Matt Williamson announced his first-ever recruiting class Wednesday, and it was a big one.
In all, 41 young men were announced as part of the 2017 signing class, including walk-ons and transfers. It was the largest announced signing class for Missouri Western football in more than five years.
“I’m very excited about this class we have coming in and for the young men that will be joining our program,” head coach Matt Williamson said. “I can’t say enough about our coaching staff and the diligence they have shown. It has been a sprint the last few weeks with a lot of miles and a ton of visits along the way. I feel this class has been thoroughly vetted from a character and academic standpoint in that we are getting players in here that not only will be great players on the field, but good representatives of our program and the university.”
By the numbers, the class includes signees from eight different states, 11 offensive linemen, eight defensive linemen, seven linebackers, four wide receivers, seven defensive backs, three running backs and one quarterback. The class also includes five transfers.
Marcus Brown
LB | 6-1, 190 lbs.
Raytown, Mo. | Raytown South H.S.
Participated in Blue-Grey All-American Bowl … had 93 tackles with 17 for loss and three sacks as a senior … forced four fumbles and blocked four punts as a senior
Devon Burton
WR | 6-2, 205 lbs.
St. Joseph, Mo. | Benton H.S.
All-District wide receiver as a senior … had 13 touchdowns as a senior and 36 in his high school career … three-time all-city wide receiver
Evan Chohon
LB | 6-3, 215 lbs.
Columbus, Neb. | Scotus Catholic H.S.
Two-time All-State linebacker … 2017 Shrine Bowl selection … 2015 Nebraska State Champions
Arnold Crayton
DL | 6-3, 240 lbs.
Houston, Texas | Cy-Fair H.S.
First team All-District and first team Academic All-District as a senior … recorded 14 tackles for loss in 2016 … holds high school squat record
Nate Daugherty
DL | 6-5, 230 lbs.
Joplin, Mo. | Joplin H.S.
First Team All-Conference as a defensive end and second team All-Conference tight end … first team All-District defensive end … also named first team Academic All-District
Bryce Enzbrenner
WR | 6-2, 200 lbs.
Atchison, Kan. | Atchison H.S.
Two-time All-League wide receiver … two time Top-11 All-Area … two-time Honorable Mention All-State
Spencer Etters
DB | 5-7, 175 lbs.
Lee’s Summit, Mo. | Lee’s Summit West H.S.
Honorable mention All-Conference as a senior … part of 2013 6A State Championship team
Cameron Evans
DL | 6-0, 245 lbs.
Neptune Beach, Fla. | Fletcher H.S.
Florida-Georgia Border Wars All-State selection … First Team All-Big School (Florida) … North Florida First Team defensive lineman
Shamar Griffith
RB | 5-7, 150 lbs.
Hannibal, Mo. | Hannibal H.S.
Ranks ninth all-time in rushing yards in state of Missouri … first team All-State … first team All-District and first team All-Conference as a running back and defensive back
Donnell Hawkins
RB | 5-8, 185 lbs.
St. Charles, Mo. | Francis Howell North H.S.
First team All-Conference athlete … second team All-District and All-Conference running back … 2016 Team Special Teams Player of the Year
Dalton Hill
OL | 6-3, 250 lbs.
Center, Mo. | Twain H.S.
First team All-State offensive lineman … three-time EMO All-Conference selection
Jase Hollingsworth
OL | 6-4, 280 lbs.
Odessa, Mo. | Odessa H.S.
Second team All-State … first team All-Conference offensive lineman … second team All-Conference defensive lineman
Spencer Hollowell
LB | 6-2, 205 lbs.
Liberty, Mo. | Liberty H.S.
Two-time All-Conference … played outside linebacker, middle linebacker, defensive end and safety … totaled 153 career tackles with 13 for loss and 6.5 sacks
Everett Horton
DB | 5-11, 185 lbs.
Kansas City, Mo. | Park Hill South H.S.
Two-time first team All-Conference selection … two-time All-District selection … third team All-State
Jacob Johnson
OL/LS | 6-2, 225 lbs.
Nevada, Mo. | Nevada H.S.
First team All-Conference and All-District defensive end as a senior … first team All-Conference and All-District linebacker as a junior … three-time academic letter winner
Austin Kemp
OL | 6-3, 260 lbs.
Oak Grove, Mo. | Oak Grove H.S.
All-Conference and All-District selection on football team … placed third at 285 lbs in 2016 MSHAA Wrestling Championships … Greco Roman state champion wrestler
Riley King
OL | 6-3, 285 lbs.
Derby, Kan. | Derby H.S.
Won three state championships at Derby … three-year varsity letter winner … 2016 first team offensive lineman
Donavan Lukens
DL | 6-4, 225 lbs.
Wentzville, Mo. | Timberland H.S.
All-Conference defensive end … All-District defensive end … Team Defensive Lineman of the Year
Kyron Mason
RB | 5-10, 180 lbs.
Kansas City, Mo. | William Chrisman H.S.
Rushed for 739 yards and had 12 touchdowns as a senior … picked up 1,092 all-purpose yards … All-Conference
Ryan Mells
DL | 6-2, 270 lbs.
West Des Moines, Iowa | Dowling Catholic H.S.
First team All-State defensive lineman … first team All-District lineman … four-time state champion
Luke Murphy
OL | 6-4, 290 lbs.
Basehor, Kan. | Basehor-Linwood H.S.
First team All-KVL … second team All-Metro … two-time honorable mention All-State
Isaiah Patrick
DB | 6-1, 185 lbs.
Columbia, Mo. | Columbia Rock Bridge H.S.
Recorded 102 tackles as a senior … All-District safety … team defensive MVP
Hunter Patterson
LB | 6-1, 185 lbs.
Olathe, Kan. | Olathe Northwest H.S.
Recorded 49 tackles as a senior … had six tackles for loss and two sacks last season
Cody Richardson
DL | 6-3, 230 lbs.
Grain Valley, Mo. | Grain Valley H.S.
Two-time All-Conference defensive end and tight end … All-District and All-Area as a senior
Charles Satnan
OL/LS | 6-8, 230 lbs.
Sedalia, Mo. | Smith-Cotton H.S.
Started on special teams all four years … selected Rubio Long Snapping Top-50 Long Snapper
Austin Schaefferkoetter
DL | 6-2, 240 lbs.
Sullivan, Mo. | Sullivan H.S.
All-State defensive end as a junior … two-time first team All-Conference on the offensive and defensive lines … two-time first team … All-District on both lines
Ethan Scott
DB | 6-3, 190 lbs.
Yukon, Okla. | Yukon H.S.
All-Conference and All-District selection … honorable mention All-State … team Offensive Player of the Year
Montrell Scott
DB | 5-11, 175 lbs.
St. Louis, Mo. | Hazelwood East H.S.
Led the conference in interceptions as a senior … first team Suburban 12 North All-Conference … second team All-State
Israel Smith
LB | 6-0, 200 lbs.
St. Joseph, Mo. | Central H.S.
Holds four career records at Central as a running back … first team All-Conference running back … third team All-State
Will Smith
DL | 6-2, 200 lbs.
Troy, Kan. | Troy H.S.
Two-time All-State defensive end … second team All-State offensive lineman … also an All-League punter
Bryce Steffens
LB | 6-1, 220 lbs.
Lenexa, Kan. | St. James Academy
Two-time honorable mention All-State linebacker … member of USA National Football Team
Andrew Stroud
OL | 6-3, 300 lbs.
St. Joseph, Mo. | Bishop LeBlond H.S.
First team All-State as a senior … second team All-State as a junior … three-time All-City … three-time All-Conference and All-District
Zach Suppes
DB | 6-0, 195 lbs.
Kansas City, Mo. | Park Hill H.S.
Honorable mention All-State linebacker
Andrew Wine
LB | 6-1, 200 lbs.
Omaha, Neb. | Millard North H.S.
First team All-State linebacker … recorded 75 tackles, 11 for loss as a senior … also accumulated 1,977 all-purpose yards on offense
Tayshon Wrench
DB | 5-7, 155 lbs.
Kansas City, Mo. | Ruskin H.S.
Led team in tackles … All-District as a senior … named second team All-Conference
Keegan Zars
OL | 6-5, 295 lbs.
Shawnee, Kan. | Mill Valley H.S.
First team All-State … second team All-KC Metro … Top-100 Kansas All Classes
Adrian Davis
WR | 6-4, 205 lbs.
St. Petersburg, Fla. | Southeast Missouri State
Last played at SEMO in 2015 … played in 17 games over two seasons at SEMO with 39 catches for 396 yards and four touchdowns … attended Lakewood High School
Jared DeVoe
OL | 6-4, 300 lbs.
New Market, Iowa | South Dakota State
Played in three games last season at SDSU as a sophomore … did not appear in any games as a redshirt freshman in 2015 … was a three-year starter at Clarinda H.S.
Vanel Dossous
WR | 6-0, 190 lbs.
Hamilton, N.J. | Bowling Green
Played in 11 games with two starts last season at Bowling Green … hauled in nine catches for 79 yards … played two seasons at Mt. San Jacinto Junior College where he was CCCAA Region IV All-State first team as a punt returner in 2015
Dom Marino
QB | 6-2, 200 lbs.
Sarasota, Fla. | East Central Mississippi C.C.
Passed for 2,568 yards with 27 TDs at ECCC … also rushed for more than 1,000 yards with six rushing TDs … NJCAA All-Region … attended Venice High School
Alec Wallingsford
OL | 6-2, 255 lbs.
St. Louis, Mo. | Lincoln University
Started 11 games at center line last year for Lincoln … played in 11 games with nine starts at Lincoln as a true freshman in 2015 … attended Oakville H.S.
— MWSU Athletics —