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A-State Football Announces Additions to 2020 Recruiting Class

Arkansas State head football coach Blake Anderson announced Wednesday several additions to the Red Wolves’ 2020 recruiting class, which now includes 25 players from 13 different states.

New additions to the class since the initial Dec. 18 National Signing Day included five high school standouts, three junior college transfers and one FBS graduate transfer. The group was made up of six defensive and three offensive players, including four expected to play in the secondary.

Javar Strong
Javar Strong (Rivals.com)
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The latest high school student-athletes to join the Red Wolves featured Shannon (Miss.) defensive back Taylon Doss, Caldwell Parish (La.) defensive back Kenneth Harris, Kirby (Tenn.) defensive end Corbet Mims, Yazoo County (Miss.) wideout Corey Rucker and Locust Fork (Ala.) offensive lineman Noah Smith.

Signing today from the junior college ranks were College of the Canyons (Calif.) offensive lineman Kideam Diouf and Mississippi Gulf Coast defensive back Booker Ficklin. Highland (Kan.) linebacker CJ Harris inked with A-State in December, and along with Doss, will be able to participate in the Red Wolves’ spring camp.

A-State also announced today the addition of UConn graduate transfer and defensive back Tahj Herring-Wilson, who saw action in 26 games over the last three seasons with the Huskies.

A-State’s latest recruiting class, the seventh under Anderson, is now made up of eight defensive backs, five offensive linemen, four linebackers, three defensive linemen, two wide receivers and one quarterback, running back and kicker. The new additions to the 2020 team will include seven players, including six on the defensive side of the ball, eligible to take part in spring camp.

"I’m pleased with how things went over the course of the year,” said Anderson. “We’re not completely done, but we’re very close. We went to a lot of different places to get the guys that we put together as part of this group. There was obviously a big focus on the defensive backfield…we had to a good job there, and I think we’ve done that.

“We obviously had to do a good job with the offensive line also, and we’ve addressed some needs there. We really took guys at almost every position with the exception of a couple. I feel like we brought some guys in who can add some maturity, know the standard already, and can come in here expecting to win.”

The entire group, including four players who were already on the team in 2019 but count toward this year’s class, includes 24 who were named high school all-state, college all-conference and/or rated as 3-star prospect by one of the major recruiting web sites.

Arkansas State is set to begin its 2020 spring camp Feb. 17. The Red Wolves will hold 14 practices prior to its Spring Game, which is slated for March 19.

2020 ARKANSAS STATE RECRUITING CLASS

1. Ahmad Adams: 6-1, 220, Fr., LB, Bryant, Ark. (Bryant)

2. Leroy Deshazor: 6-2, 195, Jr.-R, WR, Lakeland, Fla. (College of the Canyons) (Calif.)**

3. Kideam Diouf: 6-6, 290, Jr., OL, Elkton, Md. (College of the Canyons) (Calif)

4. Taylon Doss: 5-11, 176, Fr., DB, Shannon, Miss. (Shannon)*

5. Antwon Fegans: 6-1, 183, Fr., DB, Oxford, Ala. (Oxford)*

6. Booker Ficklin: 6-2, 190, Jr., DB, Brandon, Miss. (Mississippi Gulf Coast CC)

7. Kenneth Harris: 5-11, 170, Fr., DB, Columbia, La. (Caldwell Parish)

8. Tahj Herring-Wilson: 6-1, 190, Sr., DB, Hartford, Conn. (Connecticut)***

9. Fred Hervey: 5-11, 215, Jr., LB, Charleston, Miss. (East Mississippi CC)*

10. CJ Harris: 6-0, 218, So., LB, Macon, Ga. (Highland (Kan.) CC)*

11. Jarrett Horst: 6-6, 305, Jr., OL, Middleton, Wis. (Ellsworth (Iowa) CC)**

12. Kyle Kelly: 6-6, 245, Fr., OL, Shawnee, Kan. (Mill Valley)

13. Quinton Lee: 6-4, 255, Jr., DE, Lee Summit, Mo. (Northeast Oklahoma A&M College)*

14. Tristan Mattson: 6-2, 170, Fr.-R, K, Clarkston, Mich. (Clarkston)**

15. Corbet Mims: 6-4, 250, Fr., DE, Memphis, Tenn. (Kirby)

16. Brett Nezat: 6-5, 224, Fr., QB, Saraland, Ala. (Saraland)*

17. Lincoln Pare: 5-9, 190, Fr., RB, Germantown, Tenn. (Houston)

18. Corey Rucker: 6-2, 190, Fr., WR, Yazoo County, Miss. (Yazoo County)

19. Vidal Scott: 6-2, 295, Jr., DL, Pensacola, Fla. (Hinds (Miss.) CC)*

20. Noah Smith: 6-8, 270, Fr., OL, Locust Fork, Ala. (Locust Fork)

21. Javar Strong: 6-3, 175, DB, Cherokee, Ala. (Muscle Shoals)

22. Anthony Switzer: 6-0, 190, So., Marion, Ark. (Marion)**

23. Trevian Thomas: 6-0, 177, Fr., DB, Americus, Ga. (Americus Sumter County South)

24. Israel Whitmore: 6-2, 220, Fr., LB, Ackerman, Miss. (Choctaw County)

25. Austin Woods: 6-6, 265, Fr., OL, Cleveland, Okla. (Verdigris)

*midyear signee available for spring camp

**enrolled fall 2019 and participated in the 2019 season, but counted toward the 2020 signing class

***FBS graduate transfer eligible for the 2020 season

BY STATE

MISSISSIPPI (5): Taylon Doss (DB), Booker Ficklin (DB), Fred Hervey (LB), Corey Rucker (WR), Israel Whitmore (LB)

ALABAMA (4): Antwon Fegans (DB), Brett Nezat (QB), Noah Smith (OL), Javar Strong (DB)

ARKANSAS (2): Ahmad Adams (LB), Anthony Switzer (S)

CALIFORNIA (2): Leroy Deshazor (WR), Kideam Diouf (OL)

KANSAS (2): CJ Harris (LB), Kyle Kelly (OL)

OKLAHOMA (2): Quinton Lee (DE), Austin Woods (OL)

TENNESSEE (2): Corbet Mims (DE), Lincoln Pare (RB)

FLORIDA (1): Vidal Scott (DL)

GEORGIA (1): Trevian Thomas (DB)

CONNECTICUT (1): Tahj Herring-Wilson (DB)

LOUISIANA (1): Kenneth Harris (DB)

MICHIGAN (1): Tristan Mattson (K)

WISCONSIN (1): Jarrett Horst (OL)


BY POSITION

DEF BACK (8): Taylon Doss, Booker Ficklin, Antwon Fegans, Kenneth Harris, Tahj Herring-Wilson, Javar Strong, Anthony Switzer, Trevian Thompson

OFFENSIVE LINE (5): Kideam Diouf, Jarrett Horst, Kyle Kelly, Noah Smith, Austin Woods

LINEBACKER (4): Ahmad Adams, CJ Harris, Fred Hervey, Israel Whitmore

DEFENSIVE LINE (3): Quinton Lee, Corbet Mims, Vidal Scott

QUARTERBACK (1): Brett Nezat

RUNNING BACK (1): Lincoln Pare

WIDE RECEIVER (2): Leroy Deshazor, Corey Rucker

KICKER (1): Tristan Mattson

HIGH SCHOOL: 17

JUNIOR COLLEGE: 7

FBS: 1

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