Hughes signs quantity and quality with big recruiting class

In his first full off-season, head football coach Hunter Hughes has brought in a class of 63 total commits. With 57 of which being incoming freshman, while also bringing in six transfers to the class.

Last year, WT brought in only 32 commits. After his first full offseason, Hughes and his staff have nearly doubled that number. Time, of course, plays a part in that. Hughes says that during that extra time he and the coaches were able to share more schemes to recruits.

“When our coaches go out, they talk about the schemes we are running,” Hughes said. “Last year, we didn’t have that much time. We came in late and a lot of guys got brought in the middle of this process. Now we’re spread out through the state of Texas. Playing a year, and seeing what we are doing, I think helped us tremendously.”

That year not only made an impression on players, but it also helped with building relationships with high school coaches as well. Hughes says having a chance to show the who the coaching staff was and how they worked help build those ties.

“I think it’s having them know who we were, the type of coaching staff, and the way we do things,” Hughes said. “The culture we’ve established, I think is resonating around the state. I believe, we go out and we don’t try to play the recruiting game. We go out and speak the truth, tell them who we are, what we are about, show them this campus, talk about the academics, and the city of Canyon we are in. I think those coaches trust us. If they send their kid here, they know we are going to take care of them.”

West Texas A&M has always provided an opportunity to get noticed. With four players on current NFL rosters, according to ESPN, WT has been one of the best division two schools in producing next level talent, one of them, Bryan Braman being apart of a Super Bowl championship this season with Philadelphia. Hughes knows not a lot of division two teams can say the same.

“I think you make sure everyone knows, that’s an opportunity for the player,” Hughes said. “They got to do their job to get noticed and you can get noticed here at West Texas A&M. I don’t think there’s too many other D-II schools that can say that.

West Texas A&M Football Signees

Incoming Freshman Class

 

Name
Pos.
Ht.
Wt.
Hometown
High School

Basel Abu-Ahmad
DB
5-11
175
Arlington, Texas
Martin HS

Keenon Bell   
TE
6-1
210
Cedar Hill, Texas
Cedar Hill HS

Wellington Bridges
WR
6-3
185
Burleson, Texas
Centennial HS

Steven Brock
RB
6-0
180
Pueblo, Colorado
South Pueblo HS

Marshawn Brown
RB
5-8
180
Schertz, Texas
Samuel Clemens HS

Devin Bryan
ILB
6-1
210
Arlington, Texas
Martin HS

Josh Campbell
OL
6-4
320
Justin, Texas
Northwest HS

Davion Chisolm
DB
5-10
160
Dallas, Texas
W.W. Samuell HS

Terrance Clark
ILB
5-11
200
Dallas, Texas
Lake Highlands HS

Jarrod Compton
RB
5-10
185
Lubbock, Texas
Coronado HS

Corey Corbin
DB
6-1
170
Aurora, Colorado
Eaglecrest HS

Brandon Davis
DL
6-1
215
Mesquite, Texas
Horn HS

Leo Dugue
RB
6-0
220
Austin, Texas
McNeil HS

Jacob Fernandez
OLB
6-2
210
Fort Worth, Texas
Fossil Ridge HS

Darrell Fields
TE
6-4
215
Pampa, Texas
Pampa HS

Quinton Freeman
RB
5-9
195
Dallas, Texas
Lake Highlands HS

Miguel Garcia
DL
5-11
250
Lubbock, Texas
Coronado HS

Omuiri Garcia
WR
6-2
180
Fort Worth
South Hills HS

Dalton Gray
TE
6-3
215
Happy, Texas
Happy HS

Jamaal Hamilton
WR
5-10
170
Dallas, Texas
Duncanville HS

Kolbe Harris
OL
6-2
240
Universal City, Texas
Judson HS

Tobias Harris
DB
5-9
175
Pflugerville, Texas
Hendrickson HS

Weston Holdren
FB
5-10
225
Grand Junction, Colorado
Central HS

Matthew Hunt
OLB
5-11
195
Dallas, Texas
Carter HS

Cleon Jackson
DL
6-2
250
Coppell, Texas
Coppell HS

Jakobe Jackson
WR
6-0
180
Houston, Texas
Cypress Ridge HS

Warren Jones
DB
6-0
170
Houston, Texas
Cypress Ridge HS

Jonathan Kelly
OL
6-0
275
Leander, Texas
Cedar Park HS

Dyshaundrick Lacy
DL
6-4
250
Lubbock, Texas
Monterey HS

Tanner Lacy    
WR
6-1
180
Oak Ridge, Texas
Oak Ridge HS

Devin Lawrence
WR
6-1
190
Cypress, Texas
Langham Creek HS

David Leonty
WR
6-2
190
Carrollton, Texas
Hebron HS

Zane Madison
OL
6-3
295
Van Alstyne, Texas
Van Alstyne HS

Donevin Manuel
OLB
5-11
190
Spring, Texas
Spring HS

Dillon Mata
DL
6-2
240
Austin, Texas
Austin HS

Zion Mills
DB
5-10
175
DeSoto, Texas
Arlington HS

Chandler Ojiaku
ILB
6-2
200
Cypress Springs, Texas
Cypress Springs HS

Marcel Paige
DL
6-1
210
Fort Worth, Texas
Brewer HS

Maxwell Perez
QB
6-4
220
Austin, Texas
McCallum HS

Elijah Prince
DB
6-0
180
Midland, Texas
Lee HS

Tydrick Ranson
OLB
6-1
210
Lubbock, Texas
Monterey HS

Janarieon Reynolds
ILB
5-10
190
Lancaster, Texas
Lancaster HS

Reginald Robinson
OLB
6-1
185
Tomball, Texas
Tomball Memorial HS

Laurent Swanson
DB
5-11
180
White Settlement, Texas
Brewer HS

Tanyitaku Tanyi
OL
6-3
320
Houston, Texas
Bush HS

Christopher Thomas
OLB
6-3
210
Humble, Texas
Atascocita HS

David Threadgill
ILB
6-0
205
Midland, Texas
Midland Christian HS

Rowdy Vaughn
DB
6-0
175
Canyon, Texas
Canyon HS

Darrell Wair
ILB
6-0
210
Arlington, Texas
Martin HS

DeAndre Warren
WR
6-2
180
Carrollton, Texas
Hebron HS

Justice Watson
ILB
6-4
230
Corpus Christi, Texas
Roy Miller HS

Preston White
OL
6-5
255
Lovington, New Mexico
Lovington HS

Travis White
WR
6-2
185
Richmond, Texas
Foster HS

Brock Williams
TE
6-4
225
Burleson, Texas
Burleson HS

Malik Williams
OLB
6-1
200
Dickinson, Texas
Dickinson HS

Rashadd Williams
OL
6-5
240
San Antonio, Texas
Marshall HS

Kade Wilson
OL
6-3
295
Altus, Okla.
Altus HS

Transfers

Name
Pos.
Ht.
Wt.
Yr.
Hometown
Previous School

Blake Adamson     
TE
6-5
255
R-So.
San Marcos, Calif.
Palomar JC

Duke Carter IV
RB
5-9
200
R-Jr.
Grand Prairie, Texas
Louisiana-Monroe

Mitch Hood
QB
6-5
210
R-Jr.
Sonoma, Calif.
Santa Rosa JC/Miss. St.

Davin Lemon-Rodriguez
QB
6-6
240
R-Jr.
Vista, Calif.
Contra Costa College

Semaj Mitchell
WR
5-10
175
R-Jr.
Arlington, Texas
Contra Costa College

Logan Vallo
RB
6-0
200
Jr.
San Diego, Calif.
San Diego Mesa CC