BEAUMONT, Texas – Lamar University added 22 players on National Signing Day – 12 signees and 10 transfers (seven Division I transfers and three junior college) – announced head coach Pete Rossomando at a press conference Wednesday afternoon. With the 22 additions, it brings the Cardinals' 2023 signing class to 28 overall.
"I thought our staff did a great job of getting out there and 'beating the bushes' in our recruiting footprint, which we sort of created when I got here," said Rossomando. "I think this class is pretty well-rounded and we hit all of our needs. Now it's just a matter of getting them here on campus and seeing if they can live up to their hype."
The 2023 class was weighted more on the defensive side of the ball with 14 additions, while eight are on offense. The position breakdown of the incoming class includes seven defensive linemen, five defensive backs, four offensive linemen, two quarterbacks, two linebackers, one running back and a receiver.
When combined with the Early Signing Period additions, 19 of the Cardinals' 28 come on the defensive side of the ball with nine offensive players (including early signee
Iyioluwa Adekoya who is currently listed as a tight end/defensive end).
"We had some immediate needs that we had to fill – with some guys leaving in the portal – we had to fill those positions in with some older guys via the portal to balance out the classes," said Rossomando. "I think we did a great job of getting really high-quality individuals here and they're going to be really good players too. On the high school end, we took some guys we think can help us immediately. This is a balanced class."
Despite a strong Texas flavor to the class, Rossomando and his staff stretched beyond the Lone Star State for the newest members of the roster. Of the 22, 14 call Texas home (including one from the Golden Triangle –
Jah'mar Sanders), while three hail from Louisiana. The class also includes one player each from California, Florida, Iowa, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
LU's coaching staff placed a focus on bulking up both sides of the ball with 11 additions coming on either the offensive or defensive front. The Cards four incoming offensive linemen average 6-3.5 and 288 pounds, while the defensive linemen come in averaging 6-3, 249 pounds.
"For starters, I'm a line guy," said Rossomando. "So, we're going to build this thing from the inside out. If we say that, then we have to follow through with it in recruiting. I feel we did that in this signing class."
The coaching staff also added to the competition at quarterback with two additions – junior college transfer
Robert Coleman and prep signee
Aiden McCown. Coleman will have the obvious experience edge bringing two years of JUCO experience after passing for nearly 4,500 yards and 45 touchdowns at Mt. San Jacinto College.
"Robert is a junior college transfer who after we came in and saw him on film, we really felt like he fit what we want to do from a scheme standpoint," said Rossomando. "Once we got to know him as a person, we realized this is a guy we need on our team because he's driven, hyper-competitive and will lead from the front. We've hit a mark with Robert."
McCown comes from a strong football bloodline being the son of former NFL signal caller, Josh McCown. Aiden is more than just the son of an NFL standout, a three-star prospect in his own right, McCown passed for 2,312 yards and 27 touchdowns during his first season of football. He also rushed for nearly 800 yards, while averaging 8.3 yards per carry.
"Aiden has only played quarterback one year at the high school level really, but we're excited about his ability," said Rossomando. "He can certainly sit back in the pocket and read defenses; he's got a great understanding of schemes. We feel really good about his athleticism and the things he can do when plays break down. He played several other positions as well when he was a younger player. Aiden's best football is ahead of him."
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2023 LU Football NSD Signee Bios
Brenden Bradshaw – DB – 6-1 – 180 – Denton, Texas/Guyer HS
High School: All-district safety … Guided Denton Guyer to a 14-1 record as a senior and a district title (7-0) … Named to Denton Record-Chronicle's 2022 Best of the Rest All-Area … A third-team all-district selection as a junior … Garnered first-team all-district recognition in 2022.
Peyton Christian – DL – 6-1 – 290 – Kilgore, Texas/Kilgore HS
High School: A unanimous selection for 2022 District 9-4A Defensive Player of the Year … A first-team Padilla Poll All-State selection … Guided Kilgore to 10 wins and a 5-1 district record as a senior … Recorded 76 total tackles, including 11 for losses and three sacks in 2022 …Also picked off a pass, forced a fumble, blocked a kick and recorded seven quarterback hurries … Did all of that while being double and tripled teamed … Also lettered in track and field.
Zachery Curtis – OL – 6-4 – 260 – Dallas, Texas/Bishop Lynch HS
High School: Started all 24 games at left tackle during his final two seasons at Bishop Lynch … A two-time all-district offensive lineman who received first-team honors in 2022 … Received honorable mention all-state recognition as a junior … Followed that up by earning second-team all-state honors as a senior … Also received attention from SMU, Prairie View A&M, Grambling State and Morgan State.
Alex Haralson – DE – 6-5 – 250 – Argyle, Texas/Fort Worth Christian HS
High School: A two-way starter … TAPPS Second-Team All-State on the defensive line … Received honorable mention all-state recognition on the offensive side of the ball … Named first-team all-district on both the offensive and defensive line during his final season … Ended his senior year with 107 total tackles (73 solos stops), including 28 for losses and 14 sacks … Recovered a fumble … Considered one of the state's top 2023 defensive ends by LoneStarPreps.com.
Rashaad Johnson – RB – 5-9 – 220 – Houston, Texas/North Shore HS
High School: Guided North Shore to a 2021 6A Texas State Championship … Rated as the No. 75 prospect on VYPE's Houston Super 75 Recruits … Garnered first-team all-district honors … Rushed for 1,558 yards and 22 touchdowns during his junior season … North Shore posted a 15-1 overall mark and a perfect 7-0 district record in 2022 … NSHS finished No. 15 in the USA Today Top 25 High School Poll … Received attention from Central Arkansas and Prairie View A&M among others.
Royce Maloles – DL – 6-2 – 240 – Cypress, Texas/Cy Ranch HS
High School: Two-year letterwinner … A 2022 First-Team All-District 16-6A selection … Recorded 19 tackles, including 4.5 tackles for losses and two sacks … Also received recruiting attention from Grambling State and UIW.
Aiden McCown – QB – 6-2 – 180 – Rusk, Texas/Rusk HS
High School: Three-star prospect according to On3.com … Rated as the No. 138 QB in the country and the No. 367 recruit in the state of Texas by On3.com … Threw for 2,312 yards and 27 touchdowns (to just five interceptions) in his first high school season … Rushed for 780 yards on 94 carries (8.3 ypc) … Named District 8-4A-II Offensive MVP … A two-sport star who also lettered in basketball … Also received recruiting attention from Charlotte and UTSA.
Personal: Son of 17-year NFL veteran QB Josh McCown … Brother, Owen, played football at Colorado.
Ashton (Makhi) Reed – DL – 6-3 – 300 – Minden, La./Minden HS
High School: Three-time all-district selection … Received first-team all-district honors as a junior … A first-team All-Northwest Louisiana defensive lineman … Rated as the No. 54 prospect in the state of Louisiana according to DandyDon.com … Was also rated as the No. 8 defensive lineman and the No. 4 defensive tackle on that list … A three-year starter … Helped guide Minden to the Louisiana 4A quarterfinals … Also received recruiting attention from Air Force and Navy.
Kei'trone Simpson – DE – 6-2 – 220 – Dallas, Texas/Duncanville HS
High School: A First-Team All-District 11-6A Defensive Linemen … Recorded 100 tackles, including 29 for losses and 10.5 sacks as a senior … Was also credited with two break ups and one fumble forced … Helped guide Duncanville to a 6A state title.
Alex Sumler – DL – 6-3 – 240 – New Orleans, La./McDonogh 35 HS
High School: An honorable mention all-state selection … Named to the 2022 Gridiron Football All-American Bowl … Recorded 50 tackles, including 13 sacks … Also received attention from Southern Mississippi, Arkansas State, Florida International, Louisiana Tech, Marshall and Nebraska.
Cecil (Tre) Turner – CB – 6-2 – 180 – Arlington, Texas/Liberty Christian HS
High School: A two-sport star at LCHS … Named 2022 first-team all-district … Guided his prep squad to 10 wins and a district title as a senior … Was also a standout on the basketball court.
Kortez Winslow – OL – 6-4 – 280 – Houston, Texas/Nimitz HS
High School: Garnered second-team all-district honors following his junior season … Followed that up with a First-Team All-District 14-6A as a senior … Two-sport letterwinner.
2023 LU Football NSD Transfer Bios
Kevin Anderson – S – 6-0 – 200 – Lewisville, Texas/Lewisville HS (Texas State)
Texas State: A four-year letterwinner for the Bobcats … Played in 45 games earning 14 starts during his career … Recorded 103 total tackles, with more than 20 solo stops … Was also credited with four fumble recoveries and five pass breakups.
High School: Rated as a three-star safety by 247Sports.com and Rivals … Listed as one of the top 30 defensive back recruits by Dave Campbell's Football Magazine … Ranked as the No. 117 safety in the country and the No. 174 overall prospect in the state, according to 247Sports.com … Helped lead Lewisville to the area playoffs … Named first-team All-District 6-6A as a senior … Tabbed second-team all-area by starlocalmedia.com … Named all-district following his junior season … Also competed on the Lewisville Track and Field team.
Knox Boyd – OL – 6-4 – 290 – Denton, Texas/Guyer HS (Charlotte)
Charlotte: Utilized his redshirt season in 2021.
High School: A three-star prospect according to 247Sports.com (Composite) … A two-star prospect by Rivals … Helped lead his prep team to the 2020 State 6A Division II playoffs … The 2020 playoff run came on the heels of a 2019 6A Division II State runner-up finish … Bolstered an offensive line that produced the Dallas area's top running back who rushed for more than 2,000 yards and 35 touchdowns … A two-year starter … Academic All-State selection.
Robert Coleman – QB – 6-0 – 190 – Riverside County, Calif./Vista Murrieta HS (Mt. San Jacinto Coll.)
Junior College: Played in 10 games and threw for 1,461 yards and 17 touchdowns during his freshman season … Also rushed for 463 yards and seven touchdowns that season … Rushed for 108 yards in first game collegiate game against Antelope Valley … Completed 312 passes for 4,473 yards (.661 completion percentage) and 45 touchdowns during his JUCO career … Guided MSJC to a top 25 JUCO ranking and an American Division Championship runner up finish.
High School: A three-star prospect according 247Sports.com … Rated as a 2.5-star prospect by the QBHitList.com web site … Completed 152 passes for 2,226 yards and 27 touchdowns during his prep career … Also carried the ball 193 for 1,080 yards and 10 touchdowns, with four 100-yard rushing games … Led prep squad to a Southwestern League Football title.
Andrew Hardin – S – 6-2 – 200 – Woodbridge, Va./Chippewa Valley HS (Youngstown State)
Prior to LU: Recorded 36 total tackles, including 16 solo stops at UL Monroe before transferring to Youngstown State … Also picked off three passes and had four breakups with the Warhawks.
High School: A key figure that helped Chippewa Valley HS tie a school record for wins with 12 … Played both receiver and defensive back.
Foday Jalloh – LB – 6-2 – 220 – Reading, Pa./Wilson HS (Eastern Illinois)
Prior to LU: Played in four games during the 2022 season at EIU … Finished the season with two tackles including one for a loss … Prior to that spent four seasons at Central Connecticut State … Recorded more than 100 tackles during his career with the Blue Demons … Had a career year in 2019 earning All-Northeast Conference honors after leading the team with 81 tackles, including 8.5 for losses, to go along with a sack, forced fumble and six pass breakups.
High School: An all-area selection … Made more than 200 career tackles during his prep career.
Joshua Landrum – S/CB – 6-0 – 190 – Cedar Hill, Texas/Cedar Hill HS (Rice)
Prior to LU: Signed with Rice out of high school … Played in four games in 2019 utilizing his redshirt … Credited with two tackles, including one assisted stop … Spent the 2020 season at NSU where he played in six games recording seven tackles, including an assisted stop for a loss … Also broke up two passes.
High School: All-District 6-7A DII in his first year as a starter … A two-star prospect according to 247Sports.com … A top-500 prospect in the state of Texas … Helped lead the Longhorns to a district title … Was credited with 16 tackles, picked off a pass and broke up 20 others while forcing one fumble and recovering another … Also fielded offers from Air Force.
James Perkins – DL – 6-4 – 260 – Monroe, La./Neville HS (UL Monroe)
UL Monroe: Played in four games during his two seasons with UL Monroe … Recorded two unassisted tackles during that time.
High School: Helped lead Neville HS to a 13-1 record and a district title with a 4-0 mark … Neville was ranked as high as third in the state of Louisiana.
Elias Ripley – OL – 6-2 – 290 – Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Prairie HS (Iowa Western)
Junior College: Played in nine games for the Reivers as a freshman … Helped lead Iowa Western to a national championship … Reivers defeated Hutchinson JC, 31-0 in the championship game.
High School: All-state selection on the offensive line.
Jah'mar Sanders – WR – 5-11 – 180 – Port Arthur, Texas/Memorial HS (New Mexico)
New Mexico: Played in four games made two catches for 25 yards and a touchdown.
High School: Lettered in football at Port Arthur Memorial for head coach Brian Morgan … A two-time district MVP … Also named Beaumont Enterprise Super Gold Offensive Player of the Year twice … Earned Texas Tough Player of the Week honors … During his senior season, threw for 2,005 yards and 20 touchdowns … Also rushed for 1,481 yards on 158 carries with 19 touchdowns.
Jonovan Tillis – OLB – 6-3 – 230 – Wesley Chapel, Fla./Wiregrass Ranch HS (Mt. SAC)
Junior College: Played in five games recording seven total tackles, including six solo stops during his freshman season … Utilized his redshirt in 2022 … Also received interest from Alabama A&M and Morehead State.
High School: Picked off five passes during his junior season, to go along with five other pass deflections … On the offensive side of the ball, he hauled in eight passes for 270 yards and two touchdowns.
