Ball State Cardinals 2019 Early Signing Day Recruits Wednesday, Dec
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Ball State Cardinals 2019 Early Signing Day Recruits Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2018 MUNCIE, Ind. – Ball State football head coach Mike Neu announced today that 17 student-athletes will join the Cardinal program beginning this spring or next academic year. The 2019 early signing day class includes three defensive linemen, three defensive backs, three offensive linemen, three linebackers, two quarterbacks, two wide receivers and one tight end. The class features players from five states – Indiana (10), Michigan (two), Ohio (two), Pennsylvania (two) and Alabama (one). “Our staff really did a great job of identifying young men who fit what we were looking for,” Neu said. “Just the size, the length, the athleticism is very exciting when you start to break it down by position. I know our staff as a whole is very excited about this class. I feel great about the 17 young men who signed with us, and I can’t wait to get them on campus.” Ball State kicks off the 2019 season against Indiana at Lucas Oil Stadium on Aug. 31. The Cardinals then face Fordham (Sept. 7) and FAU (Sept. 14) at Scheumann Stadium before winding down the non-conference schedule at NC State (Sept. 21). The league schedule will be announced at a later date. To reserve new season tickets, call the BSU ticket office at 1-888-BSU-TICKET Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For the most up-to-date news on the Ball State football team, please follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateFB and @BSUCoachNeu. 2019 Ball State University Football Signees Name Pos. Height Weight Class Hometown (Previous School) Brandon Berger ILB 6-4 215 Fr. Indianapolis, Ind. (Roncalli HS) Clayton Coll* ILB 6-3 225 Fr. Franklin, Ind. (Franklin Community HS) Chris Crothers TE 6-5 240 Jr. Mishawaka, Ind. (College of DuPage) John Harris DL 6-3 260 Fr. Greenwood, Ind. (Roncalli HS) Rahmon Hart Jr.* WR 6-2 215 Fr. Pittsburgh, Pa. (Imani Christian Academy) Porter Haught OL 6-5 275 Fr. Fort Wayne, Ind. (Homestead HS) Nic Jones DB 6-0 170 Fr. Southfield, Mich. (Southfield A&T HS) Derin McCulley DB 6-0 170 Fr. Indianapolis, Ind. (Lawrence North HS) Jalen McGaughy WR 6-3 205 Fr. Detroit, Mich. (Martin Luther King HS) Solvauhn Moreland DL 6-3 305 Fr. Aliquippa, Pa. (Aliquippa Senior HS) Caden Niekamp OL 6-6 315 Fr. St. Henry, Ohio (St. Henry HS) Mark Nondorf QB 6-3 195 Fr. Indianapolis, Ind. (Bishop Chatard HS) Justen Ramsey DL 6-1 285 Fr. Merrillville, Ind. (Merrillville HS) Seth Schmidt OL 6-6 250 Fr. Wilmington, Ohio (Clinton-Massie HS) Eddie Schott* QB 6-4 215 Fr. Indianapolis, Ind. (Southport HS) Jerwuan Thomas DB 5-11 170 Fr. Huntsville, Ala. (Grissom HS) Tavion Woodard OLB 6-4 215 Fr. West Lafayette, Ind. (West Lafayette HS) Asterisk (*) denotes joining team in 2019 spring semester -- cont. -- Student-Athlete Profiles Name Pos. Height. Weight Class Hometown (Previous School) Brandon Berger ILB 6-4 215 Fr. Indianapolis, Ind. (Roncalli HS) HIGH SCHOOL: Earned three letters from head coach Scott Marsh at Roncalli High where he was teammates with fellow BSU signee John Harris … 3-star recruit via 247Sports … IFCA Class 5A Senior All-State in 2018 ... also All-Circle City Conference first team in 2018 ... team captain and MVP as a senior ... had 72 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and six sacks as a senior ... helped his team to a 15-0 record and a Class 5A state championship as a sophomore ... owns personal-best weightlifting marks of 250 pounds on bench, 350 in squat and 300 in clean ... also lettered two years in basketball and one in track. PERSONAL: Son of Michael and Michelle Berger … three brothers and one sister … born June 25, 2000 … full name is Brandon Elijah Berger. Clayton Coll ILB 6-3 225 Fr. Franklin, Ind. (Franklin Community HS) HIGH SCHOOL: Lettered four years for his father and head coach Chris Coll -- the first two at Tri-West High and the final two at Franklin Community High … 3-star recruit via 247Sports … an IFCA Top 50 selection as a senior ... earned Class 5A Junior All-State honors from the IFCA and all-state honorable mention recognition from the Associated Press in 2017 ... All-Mid-State Conference first team as a junior and senior ... the Johnson County Defensive Player of the Year as a senior ... set the Franklin Community career record for tackles with 320 in only two seasons ... had a school-record 176 tackles as a senior ... finished his high school career with 408 tackles, five forced fumbles and three interceptions ... set the school record for the power clean weight lift at 350 pounds ... also lettered two years in track and one in volleyball … owns a 4.085 GPA ... four-year honor roll member ... serves on Franklin Community’s Athletic Leadership Council and School Leadership Group. PERSONAL: Son of Chris and Deena Coll … two older brothers ... born Sept. 26, 2000 ... father, Chris, played football and basketball at Franklin College … brother, Casey, plays football at the University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne … full name is Clayton Charles Coll. Chris Crothers TE 6-5 240 Jr. Mishawaka, Ind. (College of DuPage) PREVIOUS SCHOOL: Played the previous two years at the College of DuPage in Illinois under head coach Matt Foster ... team captain in 2018 ... played his first season at the College of DuPage with current Ball State defensive end Shannon Hall. HIGH SCHOOL: Earned three letters from head coach Cory Yeoman at Penn High ... played on Penn’s Class 6A state runner-up team in 2015 ... an All- Northern Indiana Conference honorable mention selection that season. PERSONAL: Son of Michael Crothers and Angela Hancock … born Nov. 11, 1998 … sister, Katelyn, played volleyball at William Penn University … full name is Christopher Michael Crothers. John Harris DL 6-3 260 Fr. Greenwood, Ind. (Roncalli HS) HIGH SCHOOL: Earned three letters from head coach Scott Marsh at Roncalli High where he was teammates with fellow BSU sign- ee Brandon Berger … 2-star recruit via 247Sports … helped the Rebels finish 15-0 in 2016 and win the state championship … team captain as a senior … two-time first team all-conference honoree … all-state selection as a senior and honorable mention all-state as a junior … piled up 12 tackles for loss, a sack and a blocked punt as a senior … four career sacks … also lettered in wrestling and track … two-time all-conference in wrestling … advanced to semi-state in the 285-pound weight class as a junior … 2018 academic all-state honoree. PERSONAL: Son of Fred Harris, Jr., and Janis Harris … one sister and one brother … born Aug. 16, 2000 … his sister, Halle, competed on the rowing team at Indiana, while his brother, Will, is a wide receiver on the DePauw football team … full name is John Paul Harris. Rahmon Hart Jr. WR 6-2 215 Fr. Pittsburgh, Pa. (Imani Christian Academy) HIGH SCHOOL: Earned four letters from head coach Ronnell Heard at Imani Christian Academy … 3-star recruit via 247Sports … team captain as a senior … first team all-state as a senior … two-time first team all-conference … helped the Saints reach the 2017 WPIAL championship game … posted 152 receptions, 3,200 receiving yards and 34 touchdown receptions as a prepster … scored six touch- downs in a single game … three-year member of academic honor roll. PERSONAL: Son of Rahmon Hart Sr. and Nicole Watkins … born Dec. 3, 2000 … two brothers and four sisters … his father played collegiate football at Slippery Rock … his cousin, Ray Zellars, played collegiate football at Notre Dame and professionally for the New Orleans Saints … full name is Rahmon Sorell Hart. Porter Haught OL 6-5 275 Fr. Fort Wayne, Ind. (Homestead HS) HIGH SCHOOL: Earned three letters from head coach Chad Zolman at Homestead High … 2-star recruit via 247Sports … IFCA Class 6A all-state as a junior and senior ... also an All-Summit Athletic Conference selection those years … team captain as a senior… helped his team to a sectional championship as a sophomore … also lettered four years in track and two in basketball … owns a 4.0 GPA ... member of the National Honor Society … honor roll all four years. PERSONAL: Son of David and Tracy Haught … one brother … born Feb. 14, 2001 … full name is Porter Fredric Haught. Nic Jones DB 6-0 170 Fr. Southfield, Mich. (Southfield A&T HS) HIGH SCHOOL: Earned two letters from head coach Tim Conley at Southfield A&T High … 3-star recruit via 247Sports … second team all-league honors … posted three interceptions, four passes defended and three forced fumbles as a senior … owns a 3.89 GPA. PERSONAL: Son of William Jones and Natelege Sims … five brothers and two sisters … born Oct. 15, 2001 … full name is Nicholas Tyler Jones. -- cont. -- Derin McCulley DB 6-0 170 Fr. Indianapolis, Ind. (Lawrence North HS) HIGH SCHOOL: Earned three letters from head coach Patrick Mallory at Lawrence North High … 3-star recruit via 247Sports … team captain as a junior … played cornerback and quarterback for the Wildcats … first team all-conference and team MVP as a senior … notched 1,300 passing yards, 1,000 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on offense and four interceptions on defense, including a pick six … also lettered four years on the track squad … conference indoor high jump champion. PERSONAL: Son of Derick and Melissa McCulley … born Dec. 24, 2000 … three brothers … full name is Derin Lamar-Michael McCulley. Jalen McGaughy WR 6-3 205 Fr. Detroit, Mich. (Martin Luther King HS) HIGH SCHOOL: Earned three letters from head coach Tyrone Spencer at Martin Luther King High … 3-star recruit via 247Sports … team captain … helped the Crusaders finish 12-2 and capture the 2018 state title … second team all-state selection as a senior … finished with 14 career touchdowns … also a member of the 4x200-meter relay state championship team … lettered one year in basketball.