NSU Signs 27 to 2015 Recruiting Class

Airline and Evangel will be sending student-athletes to Northwestern State as part of the 2015 class of recruits but head Coach Jay Thomas was able to sign kids from as far away as California and a quarterback from Oklahoma.

NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State’s 2015 football signing class “raised the bar” for future seasons not only with its on-field ability, but with academic achievement, a proud Demons head coach Jay Thomas said Wednesday on National Signing Day.

“Nineteen of our 27 guys had a 3.0 or better grade point average, and some of the others were knocking on the door to have a 3.0, and might finish there. That’s the caliber of young man we want and we were able to get,” he said.

And that’s the caliber of student-athletes the Demons have had. NSU recently put 41 players on the Southland Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll for posting 3.0 GPAs last fall, among a league-best 96 fall student-athletes qualifying for the recognition.

“We had 19 players walk across the stage and get diplomas in December, which is a huge number in our sport for any program in the country. It’s testament to the commitment to academic success by our program and this athletic department as a whole. If a young man wants to play football and get an education and a degree, we have the culture in place,” said Thomas. “This class certainly bought into our approach.”

Assessing his third signing class, Thomas said NSU was “fishing in the right ponds” and “raised the bar” with the blend of talent acquired Wednesday.

“We upped the level of competition with this year’s class, went head-to-head with more FBS programs than ever before,” he said. “The majority of these guys had some FBS interest along with a lot of head-to-head battles with Southland Conference teams, the ones we’re trying to beat on Saturdays in the fall.”

Among the reasons for the upgrade, he said: new university president Dr. Jim Henderson, who was the first speaker at Wednesday’s Demon Quarterback Club National Signing Day luncheon attended by about 150 in Prather Coliseum.

“They see the vision. Obviously having Dr. Henderson come in has created a lot of excitement and that’s easy to sell. We’re on the rise as an institution, and you can feel it walking across campus, faculty, staff and students,” said Thomas.

The “tremendous” cooperation across the university to facilitate recruiting weekends was nothing new, but better than ever, he said. It didn’t hurt that NSU’s two biggest recruiting weekends came when the Demon and Lady Demon basketball teams were hosting Southland Conference doubleheaders.

“The recruits and their families saw the energy in the building, they saw the band blowing the walls off, the cheerleaders and dance line, the student section, and they saw winning, well-coached basketball teams having fun in front of big crowds,” said Thomas. “Our faculty and staff do a great job in the recruiting process in our morning meetings, and our home basketball games are fantastic selling points.”

So is the university’s location, he said.

“If we can get the parents in Natchitoches on a visit, we believe we’ve got a great shot, and we got all but three guys who visited. This place sells itself – the people, the culture, the food, there’s so much that impresses visitors,” said Thomas. “The sense of community is very, very strong, and the key phrase we get again and again is, ‘it feels like family.’ That’s who we are.”

Among the 27 signees, 16 are defensive players, with two of the other 11 listed as “athletes” but likely to wind up on offense. A dozen are Louisiana prep products, including three from Natchitoches, St. Mary’s all-state running back Hunter Bedgood and the Natchitoches Central duo of receiver Deshon Ficklin and cornerback Darian Raymond.

Tyler, Texas-John Tyler cornerback Isaac Warren ranks among the top signees, said Thomas.

“Ike Warren was going to Purdue, had interest from Arizona State. We got some guys who had recruiting stars and he had the most, with good reason. We just sent a cornerback to the Senior Bowl (Imoan Claiborne) and had another one, Jeremy Lane, making an interception in the Super Bowl, so there’s continuing tradition of top cornerbacks playing for the Demons,” he said.

Nebraska transfer Jaevon Walton, who was one of the state’s best recruits in 2013, enrolled at NSU in January and has already impressed.

“Jaevon Walker went to Nebraska, and once he got up there, it wasn’t a fit for him, and along with their coaching change, he was making a move. He’s totally bought into what we’re doing since day one. He’s going to be something to watch for four years, a big-time addition to our defense,” said Thomas.

Walker, two defensive end transfers Darrien Batiste (UL Lafayette) and Diontre Thomas (UL Monroe), join the four junior college transfers signed in December among the 2015 signees likely to play very soon in 2015, he said.

“The mid-year guys on campus now have the best chance of making an immediate impact. They are here for that opportunity and because we believe they fit needs we have as of today. The high school kids may take time to develop, but if they can physically do it and handle the mental adjustment to Division I football, we’ll get them out there. It’s a case-by-case basis depending on how they develop and what our needs are, to a certain degree.”

While each of the 27 signees is noteworthy, Thomas said there are a few who won’t immediately contend to play but may be “diamonds in the rough.” One is an unsung 6-6, 246-pound defensive end from Baton Rouge’s Central High School.

“Cameron Hooper was recruited by other Southland Conference schools, but not heavily recruited. He’s 6-6 and 250 and that’s a great starting point for a defensive end. I got to see some key practice footage, and I’m not sure every other coach did, of an ‘Oklahoma’ drill and wow, there it was,” said Thomas. “He has all the measureables, and all of a sudden on that tape, he sold me. He’s one to keep an eye on as he develops.”

The Demons also signed one of the most productive quarterbacks in Texas high school history. Teugue High’s Austin Skinner threw for 130 touchdowns, sixth all-time in the Lone Star state, and 9,873 yards, 12^th on the Texas prep career list.

Although West Feliciana’s Ryan Reed accounted for 29 touchdowns, 23 rushing, as a quarterback, he will play safety and perhaps succeed All-American Ed Eagan as NSU’s primary return specialist. Reed was a Class 3A All-State defender with 127 tackles and seven turnovers, four interceptions.

NSU picked up seven defensive backs, seven defensive linemen and five offensive linemen.

2015 Northwestern State Football Signees

Darrien Batiste, DE, 6-3, 255, Geismar, LA-Dutchtown HS (UL Lafayette)

Hunter Bedgood, ATH, 5-8, 175, Natchitoches, LA-St. Mary’s HS

Joel Blumenthal, QB, 6-1, 185, Edmond, OK-Deer Creek HS (Butler CC)

Brice Borgeson, LB, 6-2, 240, Brownsboro, TX-Van HS

Dustin Burns, C, 6-4, 292, Beaumont, TX-West Brook HS

Ian Edwards, CB/S, 6-1, 181, Denton, TX-Denton Guyer HS

Garron Featherston, DT, 6-3, 300, Long Beach, CA-Los Angeles Adventist Academy (Cerritos CC)

Deshon Ficklin, WR, 6-2, 217, Natchitoches, LA-Natchitoches Central HS

Nick Forde, S, 6-1, 187, DeSoto, TX-Life School Red Oak HS

Ralpheal Green, CB, 6-3, 205, Ripley, MS-Ripley HS (Northeast Mississippi CC)

Cameron Hooper, DE, 6-6, 246, Baton Rouge, LA-Central HS

Jonathan Hubbard, OL, 6-4, 308, Kilgore, TX-Kilgore HS

Cameron Hussey, C, 6-3, 275, Houston, TX-Cy Falls HS (Trinity Valley CC)

Chris Jones, RB, 5-9, 180, Tylertown, MS-Tylertown HS (Southwest Mississippi CC)

D’Ronne Littleton, CB, 5-11, 172, Carencro, LA-Carencro HS

Charlie Matthews, DT, 6-0, 291, Bossier City, LA-Airline HS

Houston Meller, OL, 6-2, 265, Shreveport, LA-Evangel Christian Academy

Dalen Morgan, DT, 6-0, 312, Mesquite, TX-Mesquite Horn HS

Desmond Prejean, DE, 6-4, 225, Scott, LA-Lafayette Christian Academy

Darian Raymond, CB, 5-11, 170, Natchitoches, LA-Natchitoches Central HS

Ryan Reed, S, 6-1, 175, St. Francisville, LA-West Feliciana HS

Austin Skinner, QB, 6-0, 195, Teague, TX-Teague HS

Diontre Thomas, DE, 6-2, 245, Denton, TX-Guyer HS (UL Monroe)

Charles Vaughn, ATH, 5-11, 250, Baton Rouge, LA-McKinley HS

Jaevon Walton, LB, 6-0, 247, Harvey, LA-Edna Karr (Nebraska)

Isaac Warren, CB, 6-1, 195, Tyler, TX-John Tyler HS

Chris Zirkle, OL, 6-2, 312, League City, TX-Clear Springs HS

NOTE – Batiste, Thomas, and Walton are transfers from other four-year institutions who enrolled at NSU in January. Blumenthal, Green, Hussey and Jones are junior college transfers previously announced in December, enrolled last month at NSU.