Ball State Cardinals 2021 Signing Class Update Wednesday, Feb
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Ball State Cardinals 2021 Signing Class Update Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Ball State Football Adds Three to Bring ’21 Signing Class to 21 Cardinals welcome Indiana Mr. Football at running back plus Florida quarterback and Missouri wideout MUNCIE, Ind. -- The Ball State football program added to its 2021 signing class Wednesday with three more high school standouts. Along with the recruits signed during the early period in December, BSU’s class now stands at 21. The Cardinals’ latest additions feature Indiana’s Mr. Football in Center Grove running back Carson Steele, one of Florida’s top quarterbacks in Colin Blazek of Venice, and one of Missouri’s top wide receivers in Chevalier Brenson of St. Louis. “Our program got better again today with these three phenomenal student-athletes, all of whom were among the top players in their states,” Ball State head coach Mike Neu said. “They are tremendous additions to this well-rounded and versatile signing class of 2021. We are excited about what the future holds for each guy in this class.” The full class comes from across the Midwest and beyond, now with five from Illinois, four from Indiana, three from Missouri and Ohio, two from Florida and Michigan, and one each from Maryland and Virginia. The Cardinals filled positions all over the field in this class, signing four running backs, three tight ends, three linebackers, three defensive backs, three quarterbacks, two offensive linemen, two receivers and one defensive lineman. The 2021 class will join a Ball State program riding high. The MAC champion Cardinals went 7-1 last fall, winning the Offerpad Arizona Bowl and finishing No. 23 nationally in both the AP Top 25 and the Amway Coaches Poll. For the most up-to-date news on the Ball State football team, please follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateFB and @BSUCoachNeu. 2021 Ball State University Football Signees (profiles on following pages) Name Pos. Height Weight Class Hometown (Previous School) Thailand Baldwin* CB 6-0 170 Fr. Hampton, Va. (Life Christian Academy) Rico Barfield RB 6-1 210 Fr. St. Louis, Mo. (DeSmet Jesuit HS) Colin Blazek QB 6-3 205 Fr. Venice, Fla. (Venice HS) Chevalier Brenson WR 6-4 200 Fr. St. Louis, Mo. (Christian Brothers College HS) Drayton Charlton-Perrin TE 6-4 235 Fr. Northbrook, Ill. (Glenbrook North HS) Jaret Frantz TE 6-3 210 Fr. Elyria, Ohio (Elyria Catholic HS) Phyllip Gunn OL 6-3 315 Fr. Hammond, Ind. (Merrillville HS) Drew Hughes DL 6-2 260 Fr. Willow Springs, Ill. (Nazareth Academy) Brady Hunt QB 6-6 215 Fr. Muncie, Ind. (Delta HS) Jalen Johnson OL 6-3 330 Fr. River Rouge, Mich. (River Rouge HS) Kiael Kelly QB 6-2 210 Fr. Tampa, Fla. (Gaither HS) Tanner Koziol TE 6-6 215 Fr. Bloomingdale, Ind. (Mt. Vernon HS) Rae’Quin Lee RB 5-10 180 Fr. Southfield, Mich. (Southfield A&T) Jordan Marshall SAF 6-1 205 Fr. St. Louis, Mo. (Christian Brothers College HS) Justin Morris LB 6-4 220 Fr. Vernon Hills, Ill. (Vernon Hills HS) Vaughn Pemberton RB 5-11 210 Fr. Lake Forest, Ill. (Loyola Academy) Nick Presley WR 6-0 180 Fr. Cincinnati, Ohio (Walnut Hills HS) Jordan Riley-Scott* CB 6-1 195 Fr. Clinton, Md. (National Christian Academy) Carson Steele RB 6-1 215 Fr. Greenwood, Ind. (Center Grove HS) Joey Stemler LB 6-2 230 Fr. Cleves, Ohio (Elder HS) Jackson Wiegold LB 6-2 220 Fr. Vernon Hills, Ill. (Vernon Hills HS) February signings in bold italics Asterisk (*) denotes joining team in 2021 spring semester -- cont. -- Student-Athlete Profiles Name, Pos., Height., Weight, Class, Hometown (Previous School) Thailand Baldwin, CB, 6-0, 170, Fr., Hampton, Va. (Life Christian Academy) HIGH SCHOOL: Earned four letters at Life Christian Academy ... played for head coach Charles Scott … 3-star recruit via 247Sports … three-time all-state selection … two-time all-region and all-area ... helped Life Christian reach the state championship game as sophomore ... clocked a time of 4.3 in the 40-yard dash ... participated on track team and a won state championship as a sophomore as part of 4x200 relay ... PERSONAL: Son of Kimberly Baldwin and Wilken Michel ... born March 20, 2002 … full name is Thailand Baldwin. Rico Barfield, RB, 6-1, 210, Fr., St. Louis, Mo. (DeSmet Jesuit HS) HIGH SCHOOL: Earned four letters at DeSmet Jesuit as a running back and wildcat quarterback ... played for head coach Robert Steeple … 3-star recruit via 247Sports … team captain as a senior … second-team all-state as a junior ... twice first-team all- conference … racked up 2,817 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns in high school career ... ran for more than 1,100 yards and 18 touchdowns as a junior ... had 683 yards and eight touchdowns in only six games as a senior ... helped DeSmet go 29-4 over his final three seasons, including a 14-0 record and a state championship as a junior ... also competes in basketball ... member of the honor roll ... PERSONAL: Son of Larria Miller … five siblings … brother Ricky played football at Eastern New Mexico … born Sept. 27, 2002 … full name is Rico Devontae Barfield. Colin Blazek, QB, 6-3, 205, Fr., Venice, Fla. (Venice HS) HIGH SCHOOL: Played his senior season at Venice for coach John Peacock … 3-star recruit via 247Sports … a first-team all-area selection, team offensive MVP and team captain … threw for 2,646 yards and 28 touchdowns as a senior … ranked among the state’s passing leaders … quarterbacked Venice to a top-10 ranking in Florida’s Class 7A … selected to compete in the Florida vs. Georgia All-Star Game … played previously at Neuqua Valley High School in Illinois … an academic all-conference selection at Neuqua Valley … high honor roll member … also played high school baseball … PERSONAL: Son of Chuck and Julie Blazek … has one brother, Justin, who plays football at Wisconsin-Platteville … father played football at Ohio … born July 17, 2002 … full name is Colin Smith Blazek. Chevalier Brenson, WR, 6-4, 200, Fr., St. Louis, Mo. (Christian Brothers College HS) HIGH SCHOOL: A three-year letterwinner at Christian Brothers College High … played for head coach Scott Pingel …. 3-star recruit via 247Sports … the No. 17 prospect in Missouri … caught 32 passes for 545 yards and six touchdowns in only six games in 2020 … had 44 catches for 676 yards and seven touchdowns as a junior in 2019 … a team captain … also plays high school basketball … PERSONAL: Son of Anthony Brenson and Javda Wilson … born April 28, 2003 … full name is Chevalier Brenson. Drayton Charlton-Perrin, TE, 6-4, 235, Fr., Northbrook, Ill. (Glenbrook North HS) HIGH SCHOOL: Earned four letters at Glenbrook North as a tight end and linebacker.. played for head coach Matt Purdy … 3-star recruit via 247Sports … all-conference and all-area as a junior … team captain as a senior ... senior season moved to the spring due to the coronavirus pandemic ... helped the Spartans win a conference title and reach the state playoffs as a sophomore ... also lettered in basketball ... PERSONAL: Son of Justin Charlton-Perrin and Stacia McGurn … two older brothers ... brother Jackson is a football player at Bluefield College … born Sept. 4, 2002 … full name is Drayton Nash Charlton-Perrin. Jaret Frantz, TE, 6-3, 210, Fr., Elyria, Ohio (Elyria Catholic HS) HIGH SCHOOL: Earned three letters at Elyria Catholic ... played for head coach Brian Fox … 3-star recruit via 247Sports … second- team all-state as a junior … Great Lakes Conference offensive player of the year as a senior ... three times all-conference, including first-team honors as a junior and senior ... twice first-team all-district and all-county ... had 86 career receptions for 1,493 yards and 23 touchdowns ... caught 10 touchdowns as a junior ... had 430 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in six games as a senior ... timed at 4.6 in the 40-yard dash ... also a two-year letterwinner in basketball.. member of the honor roll ... PERSONAL: Son of Bob and Jean Frantz … dad played collegiately at Heidelberg ... has one sister … born July 14, 2003 … full name is Jaret Michael Frantz. Phyllip Gunn, OL, 6-3, 315, Fr., Hammond, Ind. (Merrillville HS) HIGH SCHOOL: Played his senior season at Merrillville for Ball State alumnus Brad Seiss ... helped the Pirates to a 10-2 record and a conference championship ... 3-star recruit via 247Sports … previously played at Morton High School in Hammond, helping the team to a 9-2 mark his junior year ... played both offensive and defensive line in his high school career ... first-team all-conference as a junior … also an all-area selection ... PERSONAL: Son of Earnestine Carey … born Dec. 19, 2002 … full name is Phyllip Anthony Gunn. -- cont. -- Drew Hughes, DL, 6-2, 260, Fr., Willow Springs, Ill. (Nazareth Academy) HIGH SCHOOL: Four-year letterwinner at Nazareth Academy ... played for head coach Tim Racki … played both offensive and defensive line plus tight end in high school ... team captain as a senior … senior season moved to the spring due to the coronavirus pandemic ... helped Nazareth to three state championship appearances ... member of the honor roll … PERSONAL: Son of Rick and Lynn Hughes … one younger sister... born Nov. 9, 2002 … full name is Andrew Douglas Hughes. Brady Hunt, QB, 6-6, 215, Fr., Muncie, Ind. (Delta HS) HIGH SCHOOL: Four-year letterwinner at Delta … played for head coach Chris Overholt ... three-time team captain … first-team all-conference as a junior and senior ... team MVP as a junior and senior … finished his career with 3,774 yards and 47 touchdowns through the air plus 958 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground ..