By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE -- One of the most important days in the season for any collegiate team is National Signing Day. As the 2022 day rolls around for the Tennessee Tech football team on Wednesday, the Golden Eagles are building for its future and bringing in some spectacular talent.
When Wednesday was all said and done, the Golden Eagles added 13 new faces to go along with the December signees and transfers to bring the entire total to 25 newcomers in the 2022 class.
Head coach Dewayne Alexander and his staff will also host a National Signing Day event tonight at Holiday Inn on Willow Avenue from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday's additions included:
Gerald Kilgore | 6-0, 200, QB, Eatonton, Ga., Putnam County (Ga.) HS
A three-sport athlete at Georgia's Putnam County High, Kilgore showed his arm in the 2021 campaign. In 13 games this past season, Kilgore completed 96 of his 178 passes for 1,870 yards – an average of 19.5 yards per completion and 143.8 yards per game. He threw for 20 touchdowns, while only tossing three interceptions. Kilgore also ran the ball well, collecting 478 yards on 67 carries – an average of 7.1 yards per tote and 36.8 yards per game – as he added 11 rushing touchdowns.
Jack Rummell | 5-11, 170, WR, Thompson's Station, Tenn., Independence HS
Rummell had an explosive season for Independence in 2021, catching 65 passes for 1,324 yards – an average of 20.4 yards per catch and 120.4 yards per game – with 15 touchdowns. His longest catch of the season went for 93 yards. Rummell also rushed for 83 yards, returned punts for 10 yards and returned kicks for 253 yards for 1,670 all-purpose yards – an average of 151.8 per game. He had one kick return for a touchdown.
Isaac Knowles | 6-2, 180, WR, Smithville, Tenn., DeKalb County HS
A two-way standout for DeKalb County, Knowles found five different ways to score a touchdown in 2021 – catching, rushing, throwing, returning and intercepting. His career stats are fantastic, catching 154 passes for 2,308 yards and 15 touchdowns, then rushing 109 times for 893 yards and 15 scores. On kickoffs, he returned 109 kicks for 1,388 yards and two touchdowns. He finished his prep career with 4,744 all-purpose yards.
Knowles was named the DTC Communications Player of the Year, while also earning four first-team all-region selections and two Class 4A All-state team nods. He was named the team's Most Outstanding Defensive Back twice as well as its Most Valuable Player in 2018. This past season, he was also the region's Offensive MVP.
Ryan Hacker | 6-4, 275, OL, Hendersonville, Tenn., IMG Academy White
A selection to the Blue-Grey All-American Bowl, Hacker played this past season on IMG Academy White's roster after playing at Beech High School through the 2021 campaign. In early 2001, Hacker was named to the 2020 All-Sumner County team after anchoring Beech's offensive line, producing 263 rushing yards, 352 total yards and 32.8 points per game. The IMG Academy Ascenders went 11-1 this past season, reaching the championship game for the Sunshine State Independent Association.
Jabari McClendon | 6-5, 330, OL, Bethel Springs, Tenn., McNairy Central HS
An all-region selection and an East-West all-star, McLendon brings great size and ability on the offensive front. He was named 6AAAA All-Region and Defensive Player of the Year, while also earning first-team all-district honors.
O.J. Ross | 5-10, 180, RB, Cocoa, Fla., Cocoa (Fla.) HS
In his senior campaign, Ross was unstoppable, carrying the ball 253 times for 1,883 yards and 37 touchdowns. He averaged 7.4 yards per carry and 144.8 yards per game, rushing for over 100 yards nine times. In his prep career, he rushed for 3,588 yards and 60 touchdowns. Ross also caught 34 passes last year for 375 yards and a touchdown and returned kicks for 82 yards to end the season with 2,340 all-purpose yards, 5,055 in his career. He scored 234 total points last year – 222 on touchdowns and 12 on conversions.
Jacquez McGowan | 6-2, 187, LB, Valdosta, Ga., Valdosta (Ga.) HS
McGowan recorded 112 tackles in the 2021 campaign, averaging 12.4 tackles per game. He had 34 tackles-for-loss, while recording 12 sacks for 93 yards. He also had 20 QB hurries. He forced a fumble and deflected a pass, while also intercepting a pass for 19 yards as a junior.
Khris Thomas | 6-1, 175, WR, Valdosta, Ga., Lowndes (Ga.) HS
Thomas had a strong senior campaign at Lowndes, catching 45 passes for 818 yards and five touchdowns. He averaged 18.2 yards per catch and 62.9 yards per game. Defensively, he also came away with an interception. Thomas earned All-Region 1-7A first-team honors.
Ashton Taylor | 6-2, 200, LB, Hoover, Ala., Hoover (Ala.) HS
A selection to the Starnes Media All-South Metro team, Taylor comes from the prolific Hoover program. A talented linebacker, Taylor will be a great addition there for a Tech program that has had tremendous talent at the position. A two-year starter for Hoover, he was named the Victor Hill Defensive Player of the Year and collected 13 tackles-for-loss this past season.
Quavel Thornton | 5-8, 165, ATH, Baltimore, Md., City College HS
Thornton proved he could do a little bit of everything in his senior year with the Black Knights. He totaled 2,480 all-purpose yards as he rushed for 1,278 yards and 13 touchdowns, caught passes for 558 yards and seven touchdowns, then threw for 357 yards and three touchdowns. On top of that, he also returned kicks for 287 yards, including two for touchdowns, while returning one of his four interceptions for a score. A Baltimore Sun All-Met second-team selection, Thornton was also a MPSSAA All-State honorable mention.
Justin Pegues | 5-10, 175, ATH, Alabaster, Ala., Thompson (Ala.) HS
Pegues helped lead Thompson to its third-straight AHSAA Class 7A state championship, hauling in a 26-yard receiving touchdown in the contest. He was also named to the ASWA All-State team in his senior campaign after rushing for 625 yards and five touchdowns, catching passes for 629 yards and eight touchdowns and returning kicks for 424 yards and three touchdowns.
Keonte Tillman | 6-7, 240, DE, Reidsville, Ga., Tattnall Co. (Ga.) HS
Tillman finished the 2021 season with 27 total tackles, recording two sacks and deflecting three passes. He earned a second-team all-region selection.
A.J. Crawford | 6-1, 220, DL, Atlanta, Ga., Milton (Ga.) HS
Crawford had a fantastic season on the defensive front as he collected 74 total tackles in the 2021 season – 27.5 for-loss and 20 sacks, while also hurrying the quarterback 35 times. He also deflected a pass, forced four fumbles and recovered two for 16 yards. He helped lead Milton to four straight region titles, while earning a first- and second-team all-region nod in his tenure.
TRANSFERS
Jeremiah Oatsvall | 6-1, 200, Graduate, QB, Brentwood, Tenn., Brentwood Academy/Austin Peay/Memphis
The 2017 Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year, Oatsvall put up huge numbers for the Governors. As a freshman, he threw for 1,148 yards and six touchdowns, then rushed for 453 yards and six touchdowns. In 2018, he improved, throwing for 1,631 yards and 20 touchdowns, then rushing for 517 yards and six touchdowns, setting the Austin Peay single-season record for touchdowns responsible for. He became the first APSU quarterback to throw for four or more touchdowns in three games in a single season. At Brentwood Academy, he set 15 school records, including passing yardage (6,111), passing touchdowns (56), QB rushing touchdowns (35), QB rushing yards (2,645) and total touchdowns (91). He transferred to Memphis for his redshirt senior season and transferred to Tech for his extra year of eligibility. He is already enrolled in classes and will participate in spring drills.
Raekwon Heath | 6-2, 205, Senior, WR, Columbia, S.C., Irmo HS/Independence (Kan.) JC/Western Carolina
In his time with Indy, Heath caught 26 passes for 434 yards and four touchdowns. At Irmo High, he helped lead the team to a South Carolina state runner-up spot. In 2020-21, he played all six games in the spring with 12 catches for 152 yards and a score. This past fall, he caught two passes for 15 yards in five games. Heath transferred to Tech this semester and is already enrolled in classes and will participate in spring drills.
Nason Simmons | 6-6, 280, Redshirt Freshman, OT, Canton, Ga., Cherokee HS/Arkansas State
One of Butch Jones' first signees at Arkansas State in December 2020, Simmons was redshirted there and has transferred to Tech. He is already enrolled in classes and will participate in spring drills. A two-team first-team all-region and all-state selection in his Canton days, he led the team in knockdowns.
A.J. Horton | 6-4, 295, Redshirt Freshman, OL, Athens, Ala., Athens HS/Independence (Kan.) JC
After a season with Independence JC in Kansas, Horton is already enrolled at Tech and will participate in spring drills. Horton was an all-county and all-area selection at Athens High, helping lead the team to its first region appearance in 2019 and championship in 2020.
ADDITION
Bridger Tomberlin | 5-11, 220, Freshman, LS, Acworth, Ga., Harrison HS
A product of the Chris Rubio camps, Tomberlin comes in from the Harrison High School program and is already enrolled in classes at Tech. He will participate in spring drills, working with the Golden Eagles' kicking unit.
DECEMBER SIGNEES
Torin Baker | 6-0, 190, RB, Hendersonville, Tenn., Hendersonville HS
Jack Long | 6-2, 215, LB, Pawhuska, Okla., Pawhuska HS
Ethan McLaurin | 6-3, 245, DL, Murfreesboro, Tenn., Oakland HS
Nick Nicodemus | 6-6, 290, OL, Cleveland, Tenn., Cleveland HS
Elijah Ruiz | 6-5, 290, OL, Gainesville, Ga., Gainesville HS
Keenan Vaughn | 6-1, 230, DE/OLB, Knoxville, Tenn., Fulton HS
Seth Vaughn | 6-2, 287, DL, Knoxville, Tenn., Fulton HS
FEBRUARY SIGNEES
A.J. Crawford | 6-1, 220, DL, Atlanta, Ga., Milton (Ga.) HS
Ryan Hacker | 6-4, 275, OL, Hendersonville, Tenn., IMG Academy White
Gerald Kilgore | 6-0, 200, QB, Eatonton, Ga., Putnam County (Ga.) HS
Isaac Knowles | 6-2, 180, WR, Smithville, Tenn., DeKalb County HS
Jabari McClendon | 6-5, 330, OL, Bethel Springs, Tenn., McNairy Central HS
Jacquez McGowan | 6-2, 187, LB, Valdosta, Ga., Valdosta (Ga.) HS
Justin Pegues | 5-10, 175, ATH, Alabaster, Ala., Thompson (Ala.) HS
O.J. Ross | 5-10, 180, RB, Cocoa, Fla., Cocoa (Fla.) HS
Jack Rummell | 5-11, 170, WR, Thompson's Station, Tenn., Independence HS
Ashton Taylor | 6-2, 200, LB, Hoover, Ala., Hoover (Ala.) HS
Khris Thomas | 6-1, 175, WR, Valdosta, Ga., Lowndes (Ga.) HS
Quavel Thornton | 5-8, 165, ATH, Baltimore, Md., City College HS
Keonte Tillman | 6-7, 240, DE, Reidsville, Ga., Tattnall Co. (Ga.) HS
TRANSFERS
Jeremiah Oatsvall | 6-1, 200, Graduate, QB, Brentwood, Tenn., Brentwood Academy/Austin Peay/Memphis
Raekwon Heath | 6-2, 205, Senior, WR, Columbia, S.C., Irmo HS/Independence (Kan.) JC/Western Carolina
Nason Simmons | 6-6, 280, Redshirt Freshman, OT, Canton, Ga., Cherokee HS/Arkansas State
A.J. Horton | 6-4, 295, Redshirt Freshman, OL, Athens, Ala., Athens HS/Independence (Kan.) JC
ADDITION
Bridger Tomberlin | 5-11, 220, Freshman, LS, Acworth, Ga., Harrison HS