COOKEVILLE, Tenn. –
Offensive and defensive linemen, as well as Tennessee high school
standouts, were the primary ingredients among the 24 signees
announced Wednesday by Tennessee Tech football head coach Watson
Brown.
The defending Ohio Valley Conference champions listed six
defensive linemen and five offensive linemen among the 24 signees,
while 18 of the group hail from in-state schools. The group also
included three players from Georgia and one each from Alabama,
California and Ohio.
In addition to the 11 linemen, the signing class includes three
receivers, two safeties, two quarterbacks, two linebackers, two
runningbacks, one cornerback and one punter/kicker.
"We're excited about this group," said Brown, who led Tech to the
2011 OVC championship and Football Championship Subdivision
playoffs. "Each class gets a little stronger, and this is the best
one we've had. We were able to meet the immediate needs that we
went after."
Brown said his staff focused on the offensive and defensive line
positions because the Golden Eagles had several holes to fill.
"We feel very good about the entire class," Brown said. "We had a
lot of linemen, but we also have a lot of exciting skill plays on
the offensive side in this class.
"This was a big year for offensive linemen for us, and we think we
hit all the positions that we needed to fill. We have five very
good players coming in and they will be our future. We knew we had
to have depth in the offensive line, and we accomplished that.
"It's the same thing on the other side with the defensive line,"
Brown added. "We lost so many last year and this year, and we'll
lose some more next year, so we needed to bring some in for the
defensive line."
"Overall, we hit our needs and we're excited about the opportunity
to have so many in-state kids. This was a good year in the state of
Tennessee," Brown said.
The list includes 23 current high school seniors and one junior
college signee.
Several of the signees this year, as well as those of the past two
years, have experience playing at Tennessee Tech having led their
teams to TSSAA state championship appearances in Tucker
Stadium.
Here is a brief bio on each of the 24 signees announced
Radir Annoor, RB, 5-10, 195, Nashville, Tenn., Brentwood
Academy
An outstanding two-sport competitor at Brentwood Academy, Radir
had just completed an award-winning junior season on the football
field and on the track when a summer injury forced him to the
sidelines for his senior football season for the Eagles. As a
junior for coach Ralph Potter, Radir was a scoring machine from his
runningback position, scoring 21 touchdowns for a team-leading 126
total points. He rushed for 1,044 yards on 154 carries and added
five catches for 54 yards. Following his football season, he used
his speed to help the Brentwood Academy track & field team
capture the TSSAA state championship. He was named all-state in
both track and football, and has numerous All-America laurels in
track from AAU and USATF. He is the son of Radir and Tamala
Annoor.
Colton Belew, DB, 6-2, 180. Columbia, Tenn., Columbia
Central HS
A three-sport letterman at Columbia Central High School, Colton
was a three-year starter for coach Vance Belew on the football team
in addition to playing baseball and running track. A two-time 8AAA
All-District selection, he helped the Lions capture two district
crowns and the 2010 TSSAA Class 5A state championship in Tucker
Stadium after a runnerup finish in 2009. As a two-way senior
starter, he had 22 catches for 373 yards and two touchdowns as a
wide receiver and made 51 total tackles including three sacks and
added four interceptions from his safety spot on the defense. He is
the son of Philip and Tammy Belew and plans to major in secondary
education.
Eric Belew, WR, 6-2, 180, Columbia, Tenn., Columbia
Central HS
A three-year starter for the Lions at Columbia Central
High School, Eric spent his prep career playing for his father,
head coach Vance Belew and helped the Lions capture the 2010 TSSAA
Class 5A state championship. As a wide receiver, free safety and
return specialist, Belew visited the end zone 25 times in his
career, including 18 touchdown catches. He finished his career with
96 catches for 1,959 yards. On defense, he made 144 total tackles
and 12 interceptions in three seasons. He also returned two punts,
one kickoff and two interceptions for scores. Following the 2011
season he was named all-state and all Mid-State and the Defensive
MVP of District 8AAA. The son of Vance and Paula Belew, he plans to
study secondary education. He was also a key member of the CCHS
track team in sprints and relays.
Karl Buchanan, DT, 6-2, 280, Los Angeles, Calif., Santa
Monica College
The product of Hamilton High School in Los Angeles, Karl has spent
two seasons at Santa Monica College where he was a standout on
defense and earned a handful of post-season honors for the
Corsairs. He helped the team cap off an historic season by winning
its first American Pacific Conference championship in 20 years,
finishing the regular season with an 8-2 record, a 6-0 conference
mark and an invitation to the All-American Bowl. Buchanan had 35
solo tackles and 57 total tackles in 2011, and led the team with 12
tackles-for-loss. He also forced a fumble, recovered a fumble,
broke up two passes and added five quarterback sacks on his way to
all-conference honors. The son of Winston and Belle Rose Buchanan,
Karl was all-conference and all-city coming out of high school.
Krys Cates, WR, 6-2, 190, Newport, Tenn., Cocke County
HS
Krys Cates was the Most Valuable Player and team captain for the
Cocke County High School football squad where he lettered four
years under head coach Greg Hacker. A versatile athlete, he has
also lettered four years on the basketball team and three times in
track, and was conference champion in both the long jump and the
high jump. On the gridiron, he played eight different positions,
and was a threat every time he touched the ball. As a quarterback,
runningback, receiver and return specialist, he piled up 14 total
touchdowns in 2011 including seven on punt and kick returns. In
all, he gained 1,680 all-purpose yards as a senior, and was a
first-team all-state selection. He was invited to participate in
two all-star games, and played in the East-West All-Star contest.
He is the son of Denae Cates.
Logan Cavender, LB, 6-2, 215, Fairview, Tenn., Fairview
HS
A four-year letter winner at Fairview High School, Logan was team
captain for the most successful senior class in school history. A
linebacker with uncanny vision and quickness, he is the son of Tony
and Melissa Cavender and Valerie Coddington. As a senior, he led
the team with 125 total tackles including 15 quarterback sacks and
16 tackles-for-loss. On the offensive side, he rushed for 215 yards
and three touchdowns on 41 carries, and caught six passes for 25
yards. As a junior, he earned two different first-team all-state
selections, was the team's Defensive Player of the Year and made
the Super All-Region team. As a senior, he repeated his Super
All-Region, Defensive Player of the Year and TSWA first-team
all-state honors. He was inducted into his school's Hall of
Champions this year.
William Chatmon, OL, 6-4, 255, Kennesaw, Ga., North Cobb
HS
William was a standout offensive lineman for North Cobb High
School, helping the Warriors to their first Georgia State High
School playoff appearance in four years. Averaging 5.5 pancake
blocks per game, he allowed just two quarterback sacks throughout
the past two years at right tackle and wrapped up his senior season
grading out highest on the offensive line. The son of Tonya and
William Chatmon, he played his high school football for head coach
Shane Queen, an all-OVC defensive lineman at Tennessee Tech from
1990-93. William was also selected and played in the 2012 Cobb
All-Star game.
Jared Davis, QB, 6-3, 190, Tullahoma, Tenn., Tullahoma
HS
Jared comes to the Golden Eagles with an impressive list of
credentials, both on the field and in the classroom. The son of
Jerry and Gwen Davis, he will major in engineering. A versatile
athlete, he lettered three seasons as quarterback for the Wildcat
football team, and also started three seasons on the basketball
team and one year each in baseball as a sophomore and tennis as a
junior. He helped Tullahoma to the District 8AAA District
championship as a junior and quarterfinals of the TSSAA class 5A
playoffs. He was named the District 8AAA Offensive MVP and the
team's Offensive MVP, and two outlets named him the Player of the
Year in his region. He finished his career as the all-time
winningest starting quarterback, leading the team to 21 wins in 30
games during his three seasons. A delegate to American Legion Boys
State who spent a week on the Tech campus in 2011, Jared competed
54.8 percent of his career passes and threw for 4,485 yards and 38
touchdowns. He also rushed for 7,894 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Brett Dillard, OL, 6-3, 280, Mt. Juliet, Tenn., Mt.
Juliet HS
An offensive tackle for the Mt. Juliet Golden Bears, Brett was a
three-year starter for coach Roger Perry and was named the District
9AAA Most Valuable Offensive Lineman. A two-time all-district
selection, he was part of an offensive unit that rushed for 3,857
yards in 2011. A starter in 36 consecutive games, Dillard graded
out at 91 percent as a senior and 85 percent for his career. He
didn't allow a single quarterback sack in 2011, and had 52 pancake
blocks on his way to 97 career pancake blocks. He was an all-state
and All-Mid-State selection and a Mr. Football Finalist. A
three-time Offensive Player of the Week pick, he was received the
F&N Bank Character Award and was named a Mt. Juliet
Scholar-Athlete. He is the son of Amanda and Randy Dillard.
Demario Donnell, CB, 5-9, 165, Nashville, Tenn.,
Pearl-Cohn HS
A speedster in the secondary for coach Tony Brunetti at Pearl-Cohn
High School, Demario is a three-year letterwinner for the Firebirds
while attending Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet School in Nashville.
The son of Tamieka Donell, Demario was a two-time all-district
selection as a junior and senior, and added all-city and
All-Mid-State honors as a senior. He finished his final prep
campaign with 63 total tackles and seven interceptions to lead
Pearl-Cohn.
Chris Harris, K/P, 6-0, 190, Columbia, Tenn., Columbia
Central HS
The 2010 and 2011 District 8AAA Kicker of the Year, Chris is a
punter and placekicker who had an outstanding career at Columbia
Central High School for coach Vance Belew. He helped the Lions win
the 2010 TSSAA Class 5A state title in Tucker Stadium after a
second place finish in 2009. Named first-team All-Mid-State, Chris
was a four-year letterwinner on the football team and also added
three lettered in soccer and one on the baseball team. As a senior,
he was 7-for-8 in field goal tries and was 55-for-56 on PAT
attempts. He averaged 37 yards per punt, and knocked 58 of his 72
kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks. He wrapped up his career
going 15-for-21 on field goals and 139 for 145 in PATs, with a 38.5
punting average. He is the son of Gaylon Elaine Harris, Chris plans
to major in mechanical engineering.
Kyron Hart, DE, 6-3, 250, Lebanon, Tenn., Lebanon
HS
A defensive end who covered a lot of turf, Kyron was a three-year
starter for coach Tory Crane at Lebanon High School. As a junior,
he had 34 total tackles with seven tackles-for-loss and 3.5
quarterback sacks. In his senior season, he raised those numbers to
impressive heights, finishing with 83 total tackles including 39
solo stops, with 16 tackles-for-loss and 9.5 quarterback sacks for
the Blue Devils. Kyron is the son of Randy and Wendy Hart and
Amanda Potts.
Jimmy Laughlin, DB, 6-2, 190, Vestavia, Ala., Vestavia
Hills HS
A team captain for coach Buddy Anderson, Jimmy was a three-year
starter at Vestavia Hills High School where he was named honorable
mention All-Hoover South and earned a spot on the Over-The-Mountain
team. The son of Jim and Karen Laughlin, he led the Rebels with 101
total tackles. He also had three interceptions, broke up five
passes and forced three fumbles.
Jibrin Linge, OL, 6-3, 310, Marietta, Ga., Sprayberry
HS
A three-year starter in the offensive line at Sprayberry High
School, Jibrin was a two-time all-county selection while also
earning all-region and second-team all-state honors for the Yellow
Jackets. The son of Jolyn and Mustafa Linge, Jibrin played his high
school football for coach Billy Shackelford, a standout runningback
for the Golden Eagles from 1989 to 1992. Linge played a major role
in helping lead the team to the 2009 and 2011 state playoffs. He
plans to major in business management.
Corey Malone, DT, 6-6, 240, Henderson, Tenn., Chester
County HS
A three-year letterwinner as both an offensive and defensive
lineman at Chester County High School, Corey started all 13 games
on both sides of the line of scrimmage as a senior for the Eagles
under head coach Jeff Cupples. The son of Patrick and Melanie
Malone, he plans to major in engineering and he signs along with
his brother, Zach Malone. Together the pair helped the Eagles
post a 10-3 overall record and a 5-2 mark in conference play, while
reaching the third round of the TSSAA playoffs. He won the team's
Outstanding Leadership Award and was named to the All-District 14AA
team as a defensive lineman. He finished the 2011 season with 31
total tackles, including eight tackles-for-loss and three
quarterback sacks.
Zach Malone, DT, 6-2, 250, Henderson, Tenn., Chester
County HS
The brother of Golden Eagle signee Corey Malone and a
fellow defensive tackle, Zach was a four-year letterwinner for
Chester County High School for head coach Jeff Cupples. The son of
Patrick and Melanie Malone, Zach was named the team's Most Valuable
Lineman while lining up as both an offensive and defensive lineman.
Also selected as the District 14AA Most Valuable Lineman, he was
named the Jackson Sun All-West Defensive Lineman of the Year. As a
senior, Zach had 60 total tackles including four sacks and 11
tackles-for-loss. He helped the Eagles to a 10-3 overall record and
the third round of the TSSAA playoffs. He plans to be pre-med major
at Tech.
Matt Martin, OL, 6-5, 300, Franklin, Tenn., Battle Ground
Academy
Matt was the standout player in the offensive line for coach Roc
Batten at Battle Ground Academy for three seasons, but missed most
of his senior season due to injury. He led the returning to
appear in the final game of the year. The son of Paul and Beth
Martin, he helped lead the Wildcats to the Class II-AA state
playoffs as a junior.
J.T. Rankin, OL, 6-1, 260, Alcoa, Tenn., Alcoa
HS
The starting center for Alcoa High School where he played for his
father, coach Gary Rankin, J.T. has helped the Tornadoes rank among
the top teams in the state throughout his career which featured 43
consecutive starts. Named all-state as both a junior and senior, he
was a key in Alcoa winning the TSSAA state title in 2008, 2009 and
2010, including undefeated seasons in both 2009 and 2010. A team
captain as a senior, he was a Knoxville News Sentinel
PrepXtra first-team selection and selected for the Tennessee
East-West All-Star game. The son of Gary and Sandra Rankin, he was
an Honors student and graded out at 88 percent as a senior with 82
pancake blocks.
Harrison Reid, DE, 6-4, 235, Cincinnati, Ohio, Winton
Woods HS
A starter as a defensive end as well as a special teams mainstay
for coach Andre Parker at Winton Woods High School in Cincinnati,
Harrison was named first-team Fort Ancient Valley All-Conference
and also received the FAVC Academic Award. The son of Kevin and
Caryn Reid, he plans to major in computer engineering. He helped
the Warriors win their first-ever Ohio Division II state
championship as a sophomore in 2009 with a 13-2 record. As a
senior, he led the team with 10 quarterback sacks.
Terrell Rollins, DT, 6-0, 270, Greeneville, Tenn., Greeneville
HS
A two-time state champion at Greeneville High School, Terrell was
named the Knoxville News Sentinel's PrepXtra Defensive
Player of the Year and was a major part of the "Golden Age" of
football for the Greene Devils with a combined four-year 51-8
record. Helping coach Caine Ballard's team to the TSSAA state
playoffs all four years, they lost the Class 4A championship game
in 2009 and came back to clinch the crown on Tech's Overall Field
in 2010 and 2011. As a senior, he recorded 102 total tackles
including 23 tackles-for-loss and had 7.5 quarterback sacks. He won
the Class AA Mr. Football Lineman award and was the defensive MVP
of the state title game. The son of Taray and Heather
Rollins, Terrell was also named the Greeneville Sun Defensive
Player of the Year, TSWA All-State twice and earned a spot on the
Murphy Fair All-State team the past two years.
Jay Rudwall, LB, 5-11, 220, Ooltewah, Tenn., Ooltewah
HS
Jay received a lengthy list of post-season honors following his
senior season for coach Shannon Williams and the Ooltewah High
School Owls, including Tennessee Sports Writers Association
All-State and District 5AAA Defensive Player of the Year. A
versatile athlete, he lettered three years on the gridiron as well
as earning all-state honors in wrestling. The school record-holder
for most tackles in a game (30) and most tackles in a season (171),
he was named his team's Defensive Player of the Year and was a
Chattanooga Times Free Press first-team Best of Preps
pick. The son of Chuck and Connie Rudwall, he helped the Owls to
the second round of the TSSAA playoffs after capturing the District
5AAA title. In addition to his 171 total tackles, he also piled up
16 tackles-for-loss and had one interception (returned for
touchdown), caused a fumble and recovered a fumble. He started 33
consecutive games and finished with 351 total tackles.
Jordan Smith, WR, 5-10, 175, Franklin, Tenn., Battle
Ground Academy
A two-time Division II-AA all-state selection, Jordan Smith was
also a second-team All-Mid-State pick as a senior and a two-time
all-region pick while starting at wide receiver for coach Roc
Batten at Battle Ground Academy. He led the conference in
receptions, yards and touchdowns, making 57 catches for the
Wildcats for 859 yards and 14 trips into the end zone. He is the
son of Melvin and Jackie Smith, he helped BGA reach the TSSAA state
playoffs each of the past two seasons.
Trent Thompson, gs-QB, 6-2, 186, Powder Springs, Ga.,
McEachern HS
A grey-shirt who will join the Golden Eagle program in January,
Trent was a three-year starter for coach Kyle Hockman at McEachern
High School in Powder Springs, Ga. The son of Mike and Kim
Thompson, Trent passed for more than 5,000 yards and 49 touchdowns
in three seasons and helped the Indians to a 30-5 combined record,
including a 10-2 mark as a senior. He led the team into the second
round of the Georgia state playoffs, going 10-for-16 with two
touchdown passes in the first-round victory. As a sophomore he
passed for 1,200 yards and 13 TDs as McEachern posted a 10-1
record. His junior season netted 1,300 yards and 11 touchdowns and
an 11-2 record, and last year he threw for 2,500 yards and 28
touchdowns.
Ladarius Vanlier, RB/RS, 5-7, 165, Nashville, Tenn., Maplewood
HS
Twice named the All-City Player of the Year and an all-state
selection, Ladarius led Maplewood High School to the championship
game of the TSSAA state playoffs in Tech's Tucker Stadium. A
three-year letterman for coach Arcentae Broome, he was also a
three-year letterwinner on the track & field team for the
Panthers. A talented runningback who was also dangerous as a return
specialist, Ladarius helped Maplewood produce a 12-4 record in 2011
while earning his second consecutive Class 2A Player of the Year
honor. Named all-state as both a runningback and returner, he was
selected to play in the East-West All-Star game. As a sophomore he
rushed for 1,388 yards and 15 touchdowns, and added 926 yards and
six scores. As a senior, he capped off his prep career with 2,290
yards and 24 touchdowns, adding up to 4,604 yards and 45 touchdowns
on 496 carries. The son of Lakesha Vanlier, Ladarius is a
three-time Academic Honor Roll recepient.
Tennessee Tech's 2012 signees:
PLAYER | Pos | Ht | Wt | Hometown | Previous School |
Radir Annoor | RB | 5-10 | 195 | Nashville, Tenn. | Brentwood Academy |
Colton Belew | SAF | 6-2 | 180 | Columbia, Tenn. | Columbia Central HS |
Eric Belew | WR | 6-2 | 180 | Columbia, Tenn. | Columbia Central HS |
Karl Buchanan |
DT |
6-2 |
280 |
Los Angeles, Calif. |
Santa Monica College |
Krys Cates |
WR |
6-2 |
190 |
Newport, Tenn. |
Cocke County HS |
Logan Cavender |
LB |
6-2 |
215 |
Fairview, Tenn. |
Fairview HS |
William Chatmon |
OL |
6-4 |
255 |
Kennesaw, Ga. |
North Cobb HS |
Jared Davis |
QB |
6-3 |
190 |
Tullahoma, Tenn. |
Tullahoma HS |
Brett Dillard |
OL |
6-3 |
280 |
Mt. Juliet, Tenn. |
Mt. Juliet HS |
Demario Donnell |
CB |
5-9 |
165 |
Nashville, Tenn. |
Pearl-Cohn HS |
Chris Harris |
P/K |
6-0 |
190 |
Columbia, Tenn. |
Columbia Central HS |
Kyron Hart |
DE | 6-3 | 250 | Lebanon, Tenn. |
Lebanon HS |
Jimmy Laughlin |
SAF |
6-2 |
190 |
Vestavia, Ala. |
Vestavia Hills HS |
Jibrin Linge |
OL |
6-3 |
310 |
Marietta, Ga. |
Sprayberry HS |
Corey Malone |
DT |
6-6 |
240 |
Henderson, Tenn. |
Chester County HS |
Zach Malone |
DT |
6-2 |
250 |
Henderson, Tenn. |
Chester County HS |
Matt Martin |
OL |
6-5 |
300 |
Franklin, Tenn. |
Battle Ground Academy |
J.T. Rankin |
OL |
6-1 |
260 |
Alcoa, Tenn. |
Alcoa HS |
Harrison Reid |
DE |
6-4 |
235 |
Cincinnati, Ohio |
Winton Woods HS |
Terrell Rollins |
DT |
6-0 |
170 |
Greeneville, Tenn. |
Greeneville HS |
Jay Rudwall |
LB |
5-11 |
220 |
Ooltewah, Tenn. |
Ooltewah HS |
Jordan Smith |
WR |
5-10 |
175 |
Franklin, Tenn. |
Battle Ground Academy |
Trent Thompson |
gs-QB |
6-2 |
186 |
Powder Springs, Ga. |
McEachern HS |
Ladarius Vanlier | RB/RS | 5-7 | 165 | Nashville, Tenn. | Maplewood HS |