Coach Brian Bohannon rounded out Kennesaw State’s 2019 recruiting class as four players put pen to paper Wednesday.
The Owls follow up an 11-2 season and an FCS playoffs quarterfinals appearance with a class that includes three of its seven best recruits ever, according to 247Sports.
“We went out and signed a heck of a class,” Bohannon said. “You talk about getting bigger, talk about getting better, talk about getting faster -- you turn on the tape and you’ll see that with this group of guys.”
The overall class includes two quarterbacks, four running backs, one receiver and six linemen on offense. The defense is bolstered by five linemen, one linebacker and four defensive backs. The four February signings announced Wednesday all play defense.
The three top recruits that highlight the incoming class are defensive tackle Antwann Fann of Perry High; quarterback Xavier Shepherd of Nashville, Tenn.; and defensive back Donte Justice of Baldwin High. All are 3-star players, according to the 247Sports Composite ranking.
Fann is the highest-rated recruit in program history (since 2015). The 6-foot-3, 320-pound defensive tackle is certain to be a force on the inside. He recorded 52 tackles, six of which were for a loss in his senior season at Perry High, earning first-team all-region honors.
Shepherd is a pro-style quarterback who threw for 5,485 yards and 52 touchdowns in his three seasons as a starter for Pearl-Cohn High School, leading his team to back-to-back state semifinals appearances before enrolling early at Kennesaw State in December.
Justice was a late addition for the Owls. He committed to Kent State in August before decommitting in October and signing with Kennesaw State on Wednesday. Justice brings great versatility and athletic ability to the field; he played baseball and basketball at Baldwin High School in addition to playing both ways (free safety and running back) and returning kicks in football.
Bohannon noted the importance of the 2019 class in the program’s history. Players in KSU’s first class, which arrived in 2015, have completed their eligibility. The second class (2016) was full of older players and transfers that provided experience at the time, but are gone now as well. Currently, the 2019 class is part of a team that has to replace nine starters on offense and three on defense.
“If you’re a player on our football team, how could you not be excited? Every kid over here’s got a chance to play. It couldn’t be a better time to go show what you can do,” Bohannon said.
Bohannon recruited well close to home, as 15 of the 23 signees are from the Peach State. Besides two from California, the rest of the out-of-staters also come from the Southeast (Alabama, Tennessee, Florida and Mississippi).
One player who signed in December, offensive lineman Marreo Thomas, reopened his recruitment after a mutual agreement between Thomas and the school, a KSU representative said Wednesday.
Kennesaw State Class of 2019
Player, Pos., Ht., Wt., Hometown
February
Demetric Barnes, DL, 6-4, 255, Stone Mountain
William Jenkins, LB, 6-0, 200, Decatur
Donte Justice, DB, 5-11, 175, Gordon
Kerick Reese, DL, 6-2, 220, Stockbridge
December
Marquez Baxter, DL, 6-3, 190, Macon
Jack Chavis, OL, 6-2, 190, New Hebron, Miss.
Iaan Cousin, RB, 6-0, 165, Mt. Zion
Preston Daniels, RB, 5-11, 225, Sandersville
Jeremy Dees, DL, 6-1, 255, Evergreen, Ala.
Antwann Fann, OL, 6-3, 320, Perry
Nykeem Farrow, RB, 5-9, 165, Bleckley
Alexzander Feliz, OL, 6-1, 290, Broward County, Fla.
Devin Floyd, OL, 6-1, 270, Rome
Jake Lassiter, OL, 6-1, 240, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Traveon Latimore, WR, 6-1, 200, Colbert
Camari Louis, DB, 5-10, 180, Moultrie
Darius Miller, DB, 5-10, 190, Cohutta
Jonathan Murphy, QB, 6-0, 190, Los Angeles
Joel Parker, DL, 6-2, 240, Birmingham, Ala.
Jeremiah Paulo, OL, 6-1, 290, Bellflower, Calif.
Cade Radam, RB, 6-0, 205, Canton
Kadarius Satterwhite, DB, 5-11, 195, Newnan
Xavier Shepherd, DB, 6-0, 190, Nashville, Tenn.
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