NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion University football added 21 student-athletes on National Signing Day and 23 overall in the 2016 recruiting class, head coach Bobby Wilder announced on Wednesday.
“I’m very pleased with this group coming in. I really like the balance in this class. We’re in the fourth year now in this five-year transition in recruiting into the FBS. If you go back to the Class of 2013, coming off of that year in 2012 when we went 11-2 in our last season in FCS, that was our first class at the FBS level,” Wilder said. So, this is our fourth year in FBS in recruiting. This is the second year we are free of any restrictions through the transition. We’re making a lot of progress.”
Prince Ajegwu – 6-3, 190 – S – Baltimore, Md./Eastern Tech
A two-star recruit by 247 sports … Led Eastern Tech to a 10-1 record and berth in the Maryland state playoffs … Played in the 2015 Maryland vs. Washington Crab Bowl.
Other Schools Considered: UConn
Drayton Arnold – 6-0, 185 – QB – Myrtle Beach, S.C./Myrtle Beach*
A three-star recruit by 247 sports and a two-star recruit by ESPN … Rated No. 53 dual threat quarterback by ESPN and No. 32 recruit in South Carolina … Finished his high school career with 8,514 passing yards and 104 touchdown passes … Helped Myrtle Beach High School to the South Carolina state semifinals … Passed for 3,052 yards and 36 touchdowns this season … Led Myrtle Beach to a state championship as a sophomore passing for 2,570 yards and 31 touchdowns and running for two touchdowns … Was 7-for-13 for 101 yards with a touchdown and interception in the South Carolina North vs. South All-Star Game.
Other Schools Considered: Akron, Charlotte, Ohio
Elijah Blue – 6-0, 180 – CB – Norfolk, Va./Norview
A three-star recruit by 247 sports … Earned first-team All-Conference and first-team All-Tidewater accolades … Helped the squad to an 8-3 record this season and advanced to the second round of the playoffs … As a junior he notched 54 tackles, 11 pass breakups and three interceptions … Helped Norview to an 11-2 record and a berth in the regional finals … Played in the Virginia High School Coaches Association East-West All-Star Game.
Other Schools Considered: NC State, Purdue, Temple, Wake Forest
Jelani Carter – 6-1, 190 – DB – Roanoke, Va./Northside*
Ranked as a three-star recruit by 247 Sports … Earned All-State honors as a senior at defensive back … Helped Northside to a 14-1 record and state championship as a junior … Recorded 57 tackles, two interceptions and two forced fumbles … Originally signed with Old Dominion in February.
Other Schools Considered: Charlotte, Cincinnati
Bailey Cate – 6-4, 218 – P – Orange Park, Fla./Orange Park
Rated a five-star punter by one-on-one kicking … Ranked the No. 1 punter in Florida and No. 17 in the country by Kohls Kicking … Averaged 44 yards per punt as a senior and had 21 punts downed inside the 20.
Other Schools Considered: Georgia, Vanderbilt
Noah Ellison – 6-2, 185 – WR – Sicklerville, N.J./Timber Creek
A three-star recruit by 247 sports … Helped Timber Creek to a 9-3 record and New Jersey State Championship … Had 49 receptions for 697 yards and seven touchdowns this season as a senior … As a junior, caught 25 passes for 468 yards and three touchdowns.
Other Schools Considered: Boston College, Iowa, Temple
Cortez Chase-Ervin – 6-3, 205 – WR – Germantown, Md./Seneca Valley
Helped Seneca Valley to a 10-2 record and advanced to the second round of the Maryland state playoffs … Ranked the No. 17 best player in Maryland by MaxPreps.
Lawrence Garner – 6-2, 218 – LB – Columbus, N.J./Northern Burlington
A three-star recruit by 247 sports … Earned first-team West Jersey Patriot League honors as a junior.
Other Schools Considered: Temple, UConn, UTEP
Parrish Gordon – 6-0, 212 – S – Richmond, Va./Benedictine
A two-star recruit by 247 sports … Ranked the No. 8 best player in Virginia by MaxPreps … Helped Benedictine to a 9-2 record and the VISAA Division I State Championship … Earned All-Metro honors at safety.
Other Schools Considered: Army, Charlotte, Kansas
Joe Joe Headen – 5-10, 170 – CB – Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt
A three-star recruit by 247 sports and two-star recruit by ESPN … Rated No. 49 recruit in Pennsylvania by ESPN … Earned first-team All-State honors … His senior year Bishop McDevitt won the District 3-AAA Championship and fell to Cathedral Prep in the state semifinals and finished with a 13-2 record … As a junior helped Bishop McDevitt to a 14-1 record and play in the Pennsylvania Class AAA semifinals … Recorded 45 tackles and seven interceptions, including returning one for a touchdown … His father, Joe Headen, is the head football coach at Susquehanna Township.
Other Schools Considered: Army, Wisconsin
Marcus Joyner – 6-2, 250 – TE – Camden, N.C./Camden County
A three-star recruit by 247 sports … Played fullback at Camden County High School … Rushed for 3,083 yards and 43 touchdowns in his career … Carried the ball 205 times for 1,367 yards and 16 touchdowns as a senior … Rushed for 1,033 yards and 18 touchdowns as a junior … Notched 269 career tackles and 18 career sacks as a defensive tackle … Recorded 78 tackles and 22 tackles for loss as a senior … Helped Camden County to a 10-4 record as a junior … Averages 11.1 points per game on the Camden County basketball team.
Other Schools Considered: East Carolina
Zach Lackman – 6-2, 230 – LB – North Fort Myers, Fla./Dunbar
A three-star recruit … Named MaxPreps Medium School second-team All-American … Recorded 168 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, seven sacks and five pass breakups as a senior … Helped lead Dunbar to a 10-3 record and the Region 5A-3 championship game … Selected to the Florida Athletic Coaches Association (FACA) All-Star Game … Recorded 15 tackles three times in a game this season including a 15 tackle, two sack performance in a win over Immokalee … Named the Florida District 18 5A Player of the Year … Earned first-team All-State and All-Conference accolades.
Other Schools Considered: Air Force, UMass
Andrew Lawson – 6-3, 275 – OL – Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove
Earned first-team all-conference honors as a senior at Spring Grove … Received second-team accolades as a junior.
Brennan Lewis – 6-3, 200 – QB – Beaufort, N.C./East Carteret
A two-star recruit by 247 sports and two-star recruit by ESPN … Rated the No. 62 pocket passer in the country and No. 68 recruit in North Carolina by ESPN … Led East Carteret to an 11-3 record and a conference title … Passed for 4,609 yards and 46 touchdowns as a senior and rushed for nine touchdowns … For his career he passed for 8,703 yards and 83 touchdowns while rushing for 15 touchdowns and 243 yards.
Other Schools Considered: Appalachian State,East Carolina
Scott McCluney – 6-1, 185 – WR – Gaffney, S.C./Gaffney
As a senior led Gaffney to the first round of the South Carolina state playoffs … Caught 72 passes for 1,119 yards and seven touchdowns … His junior season nabbed 58 passes for 711 yards and five touchdowns.
Other Schools Considered: Marshall
Brent Priester – 6-2, 215 – LB – Brooklyn, N.Y./Christ the King
Recorded 107 tackles and two sacks as a senior at Christ the King … Notched 89 tackles and a sack as a junior … A three-time All-Diocesan Team and first-team All-League honors.
Juwan Ross – 6-2, 270 – DT - Daytona Beach, Fla./Father Lopez Catholic
A two-star recruit by 247 sports … Played in just five games as a senior due to injury, but registered 39 tackles (7.8 per game) and 6.5 tackles for loss … Totaled 69 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks as a junior.
Other Schools Considered: Bowling Green, Georgia Southern, Tulane
Brandon Sinclair – 5-10, 200 - RB – Myrtle Beach, S.C./Myrtle Beach
A two-star recruit by 247 sports … Helped Myrtle Beach High School advance to the state semifinals this past season … Named the South Carolina AAA Lower State Back of the Year … As a sophomore, rushed for 1,849 yards and 16 touchdowns as Myrtle Beach won the South Carolina State Championship … A high school teammate with ODU mid-year signee, Drayton Arnold … As a senior rushed 253 times for 1,674 yards and 26 touchdowns while catching 28 passes for 304 yards and a touchdowns … For his career he rushed 800 times for 4,608 yards and 59 touchdowns, including a career long run of 86 yards as a sophomore.
Other Schools Considered: Charlotte, Coastal Carolina
Demetrius Stitmon – 6-0, 210 – LB – Suffolk, Va./Nansemond River
First-team All-Conference as a senior ... Registered 60 tackles, 16 sacks and 20 tackles for loss and forced a fumble ... For his career, notched 200 tackles, 22 sacks, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
T.J. Storment – 6-6, 315 – OL – Statesville, N.C./Statesville
Named to the All-North Piedmont team.
Other Schools Considered: Air Force, New Mexico State
Isaac Weaver – 6-6, 275 – OL - Marietta, Ga./Lassiter
A three-star recruit by 247 sports … Earned All-Region accolades … Played in the Georgia Junior Elite Classic.
Other Schools Considered: FIU, Georgia State
Sam White – 6-3, 235 - DE – Orlando, Fla./Boone
Helped Boone to a 6-5 record and advance to the state playoffs … Recorded 11 sacks, 20 tackles for loss, four pass breakups and two fumble recoveries this past season.
Other Schools Considered: Florida Atlantic, Idaho, Troy
Jordan Young – 6-3, 210 – LB – Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville Area
A two-star recruit by 247 sports … Played quarterback at Coatesville, completing 208-of-324 passes for 2,720 yards and 20 touchdowns … Rushed 147 times for 669 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Other Schools Considered: Temple, UMass
2016 ODU Signees
Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown/Previous School
Drayton Arnold QB 6-0 185 Myrtle Beach, S.C./Myrtle Beach*
Prince Ajegwu S 6-3 195 Baltimore, Md./Eastern Tech
Elijah Blue CB 6-0 180 Norfolk, Va./Norview
Jelani Carter DB 6-1 190 Roanoke, Va./Northside*
Bailey Cate P 6-4 214 Orange Park, Fla./Orange Park
Noah Ellison WR 6-2 185 Sicklerville, N.J./Timber Creek
Cortez Chase-Ervin WR 6-3 205 Germantown, Md./Seneca Valley
Lawrence Garner LB 6-2 218 Columbus, N.J./Northern Burlington
Parrish Gordon S 6-0 212 Richmond, Va./Benedictine
Joe Joe Headen CB 5-10 170 Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt
Marcus Joyner TE 6-2 250 Camden, N.C./Camden County
Zach Lackman LB 6-2 230 North Fort Myers, Fla./Dunbar
Andrew Lawson OL 6-3 275 Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove
Brennan Lewis QB 6-3 200 Beaufort, N.C./East Carteret
Scott McCluney WR 6-1 185 Gaffney, S.C./Gaffney
Brent Priester LB 6-2 215 Brooklyn, N.Y./Christ the King
Juwan Ross DT 6-2 270 Daytona Beach, Fla./Father Lopez Catholic
Brandon Sinclair RB 5-10 200 Myrtle Beach, S.C./Myrtle Beach
Demetrius Stitmon LB 6-0 210 Suffolk, Va./Nansemond River
T.J. Storment OL 6-6 315 Statesville, N.C./Statesville
Isaac Weaver OL 6-6 275 Marietta, Ga./Lassiter
Sam White DE 6-3 235 Orlando, Fla./Boone
Jordan Young LB 6-3 210 Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville Area
*Enrolled at ODU in January