Kennesaw State coach Brian Bohannan completed the Owls’ 18-person 2020 recruiting class by adding two additional skill players Wednesday.
Coming off an 11-3 season and a third consecutive trip to the FCS playoffs, the Owls accumulated one the strongest classes in the team’s young history, including two of its three best recruits ever, according to 247Sports.
“By far, probably the best class since we’ve been here,” Bohannon said. “We really touched about every position on our football team. Obviously, we continued to build the lines of scrimmage, which is always going to be a point of emphasis for us. Excited about this group and excited about what they’ll bring to the table.”
On Wednesday, Bohannon announced the team’s three newest signees: Xavier Hill, Kemari McGowan and transfer running back Jalynn Sykes.
Hill, a receiver from Pleasant Grove, Alabama, adds physicality and versatility to a run-heavy Owls’ offense. Rated a three-star recruit by 247Sports, Hill totaled 37 receptions in 2019, scoring 11 total touchdowns, including four rushing scores. Not only does he show speed on the football field, but he also ran a 10.93 in the 100-meter dash as a junior in high school. Hill chose Kennesaw State, despite scholarship offers from Iowa, West Virginia, Kansas, and Nebraska.
McGowan becomes the third running back in the class to sign with the Owls. A 2019 Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Award Winner, the 5-foot-10, 180-pound back recorded 7,243 rushing yards and 86 total touchdowns in his high school career. McGowan finished second in the state of Tennessee record books with 8,043 career all-purpose yards.
Bohannon recognized the playmaking ability of both Hill and McGowan, noting that he wanted players who could score every time they touched the ball.
“Both are dynamic playmakers,” Bohannon said. “You watch their tape, and they end up in the end zone a lot. I think that really bodes well for the Owls moving forward.”
The 2020 class includes two quarterbacks, three running backs, two wide receivers, three offensive linemen, and a kicker on offense. Bohannon fortified the defense with four linemen, one linebacker, and two defensive backs.
Bohannon added only three players Wednesday after signing 15 during the December period. The two players that highlight the Owls’ early signees are running back Gary Osby and defensive lineman Carlos Allen. Both are three-star recruits, with Osby ranking second and Allen ranking third on Kennesaw State’s all-time recruiting list, according to 247Sports.
Osby, a Valdosta native, played both ways at Lowndes High School, providing the versatility that Bohannon wanted. The 5-foot-11 speedster scored 16 rushing touchdowns his senior season, adding 55 tackles on defense.
Allen also signed in December, and he enrolled this semester. As a senior, the defensive lineman accumulated 50 tackles and 13 sacks in just 13 games.
Along with Allen, offensive lineman Dominick Knowles and Sykes enrolled this January.
Knowles attended Georgia Military College the past two seasons, competing in 19 games. From Johns Creek, the 6-foot-4, 305-pound lineman contributed to a rushing attack that amassed 250-plus yards in four different games.
Sykes transferred from Marshall after being a member of the Thundering Herd for three semesters. The Rome native originally was rated a three-star prospect by 247Sports and had offers out of high school from 12 Power 5 conference schools, including Georgia Tech.
“I tell our kids all of the time, that championships are won in the offseason,” Bohannon said. “Dominick Knowles is a little older, Jalynn Sykes is a little older, so hopefully that’ll give them a leg up coming in. Carlos Allen is a defensive lineman who enrolled early as a freshman. With those three guys, being in the system now is going to help them a little bit going into fall camp.”
Although the Owls recruited at nearly every position, Bohannon focused on strengthening the offensive and defensive lines with his newest class. The coaching staff placed an emphasis on adding depth to both groups.
“I think the offensive line and defensive line have really been priorities for us,” Bohannon said. “Especially on the offensive line, we’ve had some attrition along the way and we’re trying to build it back up. We may be as deep as we’ve been on the interior defensive line, with the guys that are coming in. I think those are areas where you can never have enough guys, so we’re always trying to address that.”
While adding depth to both fronts was the primary goal for this class, Bohannon sees other recruits who can make immediate impacts in 2020. Specifically, he cited the need to fill holes on the back-end of the defense and pointed to linebacker Jalen Barnum and defensive backs Elijah Kirby and Shamari Reed.
The Owls, once again, recruited well in Georgia, as 10 of the 18 signees elected to stay in their home state. Three players committed from Alabama, followed by two players from Tennessee and one player each from Florida, Mississippi, and South Carolina.
Kennesaw State Class of 2020
Player, Pos., Ht., Wt., Hometown
February
Xavier Hill, WR, 6-2, 190, Pleasant Grove, Ala.
Kemari McGowan, RB, 5-10, 180, Murfreesboro, Tenn.
e-Jalynn Sykes, RB, 5-11, 210, Rome (Marshall)
December
e-Carlos Allen, DL, 6-0, 280, Atlanta
Jalen Barnum, LB, 6-1, 215, Jesup
Ladarius Clardy, QB, 6-0, 170, Pensacola, Fla.
James Dawson, OL, 6-1, 295, Opelika, Ala.
Cameron Donald, DL, 6-1, 255, Pelzer, S.C.
Evan Fuller, K, 6-0, 215, Bremen
DeAngelo Hardy, QB, 5-10, 175, Chattanooga, Tenn.
Trenton Jackson, OL, 6-0, 280, Hattiesburg, Miss.
Elijah Kirby, DB, 6-1, 190, Sandy Springs
e-Dominick Knowles, OL, 6-4, 305, Johns Creek (Georgia Military College)
Jahon Myers, DL, 6-3, 215, Luella
Gary Osby, RB, 5-11, 215, Valdosta
Carter Pinholster, WR, 6-1, 180, Fort Payne, Ala.
Shamari Reed, DB, 6-0, 180, Fayetteville
Tyler Scott, DL, 6-1, 280, Jackson
e- early enrollee
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