National Signing Day Updates for Football

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2019 Southern Miss Football Class

Player	Pos	Hgt.	Wgt.	Hometown/Last School
Dee Baker	RB	6-0	170	Flowood, Miss./Northwest Rankin HS
Luke Baker	TE	6-5	217	Naples, Fla./Gulf Coast HS
Swayze Bozeman*	LB	6-3	200	Flora, Miss./Copiah-Lincoln CC
Torrence Brown*#	LB	6-4	255	Tuscaloosa, Ala./Penn State
Naricuss Driver	TE	6-3	240	Griffin, Ga./Highland CC
Tanner Hawthorne*	OL	6-6	305	Peoria, Ariz./Glendale CC
Jaden Johnson*	QB	6-2	208	Memphis, Tenn./Kirby HS
Tre Johnson	OL	6-7	295	Orlando, Fla./Iowa Western CC
Demarcus Jones#	WR	6-0	200	Vicksburg, Miss./Northwest Mississippi CC
Eriq Kitchen*	DL	6-2	250	Batesville, Miss./East Mississippi CC
Khalen Leonard*	DB	6-3	175	Houston, Texas/Texas Prep Academy
Markel McLaurin	ATH	5-11	175	Collins, Miss./Collins HS
T.Q. Newsome*	ATH	6-1	215	Gulfport, Miss./Gulfport HS
Chandler Rogers	QB	6-0	179	Mansfield, Texas/Lake Ridge HS
Matt Ryals*	OL	6-8	280	Purvis, Miss./Purvis HS
Gerquan Scott	OL	6-4	300	Mobile, Ala./Davidson HS
Chris Scruggs	WR	6-2	175	Clearwater, Fla./Superior Collegiate Academy
Louis Smith*	OL	6-3	294	D'Iberville, Miss./D'Iberville HS
Andrew Stein#	PK	5-10	170	Slidell, La./Northshore HS
Khalique Washington*	OL	6-5	320	Lebanon, Pa./Dodge City CC
Avery White#	LB	6-4	195	Hurley, Miss./East Central HS
Antavious Willis	ATH	5-10	175	Camden, Miss./Velma Jackson HS
Coker Wright*	OL	6-4	275	Brookhaven, Miss./Brookhaven HS

* January Enrollee; # February signee

Dee Baker
RB | 6-0 | 170
Flowood, Miss./Northwest Rankin HS

Prep: Rushed for 586 yards and added eight touchdowns for Northwest Rankin HS during senior year…Added 22 catches for 374 yards and five scoring catches along with an 89-yard kick return for a score against Germantown HS…Named second-team 6A All-State by the Mississippi Association of Coaches…Played in the 70th annual Bernard Blackwell game for the North squad…A three-star product by both 24/7 and Rivals…Lost to Madison Central in the second round of the 6A state playoffs finishing the year 11-2.
Luke Baker

TE | 6-5 | 217
Naples, Fla./Gulf Coast HS

Prep: A three-star tight end who played his high school football at Gulf Coast High School for Head Coach Tom Scalise…Played both the tight end and wide receiver positions…Totaled 673 receiving yards, 47 catches, 13 touchdowns and an average of 14.3 receiving yards over the span of his three year high school career…Additionally, he averaged 39.6 receiving yards per game and 11 of his 13 touchdowns were receiving touchdowns…Longest reception of Baker's career came during his junior season when he logged a 59-yard reception…Saved his best season for last as he tallied 489 yards on 36 receptions in nine games played as a senior at Gulf Coast High School in 2018…Also averaged 54.3 yards per game during his senior season … A very athletic tight end who boasts impressive combine times including: a 4.83 40-yard dash time, a 4.28 20-yard shuttle time, a vertical jump of 36.0 and a SPARQ rating of 96.24…A three-sport athlete at Gulf Coast High School, participating in football, baseball and basketball.

Swayze Bozeman
LB | 6-3 | 200
Flora, Miss./Copiah-Lincoln CC

Junior College: Spent the two previous seasons at Copiah-Lincoln Community College…Played a total of 19 games for the Wolves and registered 133 tackles…Had 86 tackles that were solo tackles and 47 were assisted tackles…Averaged 7.0 tackles per game, recorded one sack, 8.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and five broken up passes…His 91 total tackles during his sophomore campaign marked a team best for the 2018 season…Capped off his JUCO career by earning NJCAA All-Region XXIII and All-MACJC First Team honors…Prep: Starred at Tri-County Academy… Led Tri-County Academy to two MAIS AA football state championship appearances (2016 and 2015)…Was a two-way player for the Rebels, playing both defense and running back…One of five players to be named to the MAIS Football Fab 5 Underclassmen list in 2015 along with his former Co-Lin teammate Hayden Davis and current Ole Miss running back Isaiah Woullard…Earned BankPlus Blitz 16 Player of the Week honors as a junior in 2015 for his outstanding running back play…Was also a multi-sport athlete at Tri-County Academy who competed in basketball and track and field in addition to football.

Torrence Brown
LB | 6-4 | 255
Tuscaloosa, Ala./Penn State
Penn State: Earned the Bob Mitinger Memorial Award as a squad member who exhibits courage, character and social responsibility, at the annual team banquet following his 2017 campaign…Started three games in 2017…Missed the final 10 games of the season after suffering an injury vs. Georgia State (9/16)…Registered eight tackles including one for loss and one pass deflection….Appeared in all 14 games with four starts during his 2016 season...One of 18 first-time starters in 2016...Made his first collegiate start vs. Temple (9/17)…Ranked No. 3 in the Big Ten and tied for No. 30 in the FBS with two fumble recoveries…Compiled 33 tackles, including six for loss and a half sack to go along with three forced fumbles…Appeared in 13 games during freshman campaign in 2015...Was one of 17 redshirt freshmen to see action…Notched 11 tackles, including 5.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks to go along with one fumble recovery…Redshirted in 2014…Prep: A four-year letterman at Tuscaloosa Academy for head coach Robert Johnson...Played defensive end, linebacker, running back and tight end...Was a two-time team MVP, attaining the honor as a sophomore and senior...Was selected team captain as a senior...Recorded 105 tackles, with three sacks, during his senior Season...Earned first-team all-state honors in 2013...Ran for 746 yards and nine touchdowns and caught three touchdown passes during his final prep Season...Helped Tuscaloosa Academy get off to a strong start during his junior Season en route to winning the 2012 Alabama Independent School Association (AISA) Class 3A State Championship...Suffered a knee injury in the third game of his junior campaign...Scored 12 touchdowns on offense and added 110 tackles and two fumble recoveries on defense as a sophomore...Helped the Knights post a 9-2 record as a sophomore...Was selected to play in the AISA All-Star Game and the NUC All-American Senior game...Rated a three-star recruit by ESPN, Rivals and 247Sports...Ranked among the top 50 prospects in Alabama by ESPN and 247Sports...Also lettered in basketball, helping the Knights to the 2013-14 AISA State Championship...Was named the AISA Player of the Year in basketball following his senior season.

Naricuss Driver
TE | 6-3 | 240
Griffin, Ga./Highland CC

Junior College: Comes to Southern Miss by way of Highland Community College (Highland, Kan.)…Notched 118 total yards, two touchdowns, one receiving and one rushing and 10 receptions during his sophomore season at Highland Community College…His longest reception of the 2018 season went for 41 yards…Named a KJCCC All-Conference second team selection after the conclusion of the 2018 season…A former dual-threat quarterback in high school, Driver has been clocked running an impressive time of 4.56 in the 40-yard dash…Prep: Played his high school football at Spalding High School (Griffin, Ga.).

Tanner Hawthorne
OL | 6-6 | 305
Peoria, Ariz./Glendale CC

Junior College: Finds his way to Southern Miss after spending the previous season at Glendale Community College (Glendale, Ariz.)…Began his collegiate career at Purdue University in 2016 … Redshirted at Purdue in 2017 and transferred to Glendale Community College after the season…Prep: Attended Centennial High School (Peoria, Ariz.) where he was a four-year letter winner…Named first team all-state and all-district his senior year…Earned second team all-state and all-district honors as a junior…Helped guide Centennial High School to two state championships during his junior and senior seasons (2014 & 2015).

Jaden Johnson
QB | 6-2 | 208
Memphis, Tenn./Kirby HS

Prep: A four-star prospect according to ESPN and a three-star prospect according to 247Sports and Rivals … Rated the No. 20 pro-style quarterback in the country and the No. 18 prospect in the state of Tennessee … Led a Kirby offense that averaged 43.1 points per game at the 5A level and made its first quarterfinal appearance since 1998.

Tre Johnson
OL | 6-7 | 295
Orlando, Fla./Iowa Western CC

Junior College: Most recently attended Iowa Western Community College (Council Bluffs, Iowa)…Played in seven games for the Iowa Western Community College Reivers in 2018…Started his collegiate career at the University of Miami and was a part of Head Coach Mark Richt's first signing class in 2016…Redshirted as a freshman at Miami in 2016 and did not play in any games for the Canes during the 2017 season…Prep: Attended high school at First Academy (Orlando, Fla.) and was rated as a three-star prospect.

Demarcus Jones
WR | 6-0 | 200
Vicksburg, Miss./Northwest Mississippi CC

Junior College: Second Team All-MACJC as a sophomore…Finished his career with nearly 1,000 all-purpose yards and averaged 14 yards per catch…Two-year totals included 42 catches, 583 yards and 3 touchdown catches…Saw action in all 11 games as a freshman...had 21 receptions for 230 yards and a touchdown and added nine carries for 36 yards...first career touchdown came in the MACJC Championship game vs EMCC...had13 kick returns for 301 yards, including a career-long 75-yard return at Itawamba...ranked No. 106 on 247Sports Top JUCO prospects…Prep: Played for head coach Josh Morgan at Warren Central...a two-way player as a wide receiver and cornerback...rushed for 1,200 yards with 15 touchdowns and hauled in 19 receptions for 303 yards and four touchdowns...had a career-best four rushing touchdowns in a 50-32 win over Clinton in the regular season...added 26 total tackles, three interceptions and one sack...named Class 6A Second Team Defense by Mississippi Gridiron Magazine...played in 2016 Bernard Blackwell All-Star Classic...2016 American Family Insurance ALL-USA Mississippi Football Team.

Eriq Kitchen
DL | 6-2 | 250
Batesville, Miss./East Mississippi CC

Junior College: Two-year defensive starter who helped lead head coach Buddy Stephens' East Mississippi Community College Lions to back-to-back national and state championships with a 23-1 composite record...Totaled 105 career tackles, including 33 stops behind the line of scrimmage for 137 total yards lost (14.5 QB sacks for 87 yds)...Ranked third among EMCC's leading tacklers with 72 stops this past year...Tied with teammate Everitt Cunningham for eighth place among NJCAA leaders with 20.5 tackles for loss (-87 yds) as a sophomore...Also credited with 8.5 sacks (-61 yds), three pass breakups, an interception (vs. Copiah-Lincoln in state playoffs) and a fumble recovery (vs. Northeast Mississippi) in 2018... Career-best, single-game tackle totals came during EMCC's championship victories over Jones College (State/MACJC) and Garden City (NJCAA)...Capped EMCC career with 13 tackles (2.5 TFLs) vs. Garden City (10-9 win) in national championship game...Had 11 stops (4.5 TFLs for 18 yds/2.5 QB sacks for 11 yds) vs. Jones (19-14 win) in state title game...Made 10 tackles (2 sacks for 19 yds) vs. Holmes...Led the 2017 Lions with 12.5 tackles for loss (50 yds) and six sacks (26 yds) as a freshman…Recorded 33 total tackles in 2017… Had season-high five tackles vs. both Mississippi Gulf Coast and Northwest Mississippi (state championship)…Made four stops during back-to-back weeks against Northeast Mississippi and Itawamba…Freshman-year sacks came against Jones (1 each meeting), Northeast (8 yds), ICC (9 yds) Holmes and Hinds… Had three TFLs (15 yds) vs. Itawamba…Prep: A 2016 MAC Class 6A All-State First Team, Bernard Blackwell North All-Star and All-USA Mississippi First Team selection as a senior at South Panola High School.

Khalen Leonard
DB | 6-3 | 175
Houston, Texas/Texas Prep Academy

Prep: Attends Texas Prep Sports Academy in Houston, Texas…Has posted impressive combine times that include: a 4.5 40-yard dash time, a 4.08 shuttle time, a 10.8 100 meter dash time, a 51.2 400 meter dash time and a vertical jump of 35.0…Before attending Texas Prep Sports Academy, Leonard played his high school football at Lamar Consolidated High School (Rosenberg, Texas).

Markel McLaurin
ATH | 5-11 | 175
Collins, Miss./Collins HS

Prep: Attends Collins High School where he rushed for 164 yards and three touchdowns, while catching 37 passes for 867 yards and three touchdowns as his squad went 11-2, losing in the third round of the state playoffs as a senior…Added 34 tackles (16 solo) with four interceptions…Earned First team All-State honors by the MAC…Played for the South squad at the 70th annual Bernard Blackwell All-Star game…Caught 42 passes for 1,059 yards and six touchdowns and three of his eight punt returns went for touchdowns as he also threw a touchdown pass in helping lead Collins to the 2A state title game as a junior…On defense, the cornerback made 37 tackles (32 solo) while picking off a pair of passes and recovering fumble…A three-star performer for 24/7.

T.Q. Newsome
ATH | 6-1 | 215
Gulfport, Miss./Gulfport HS

Prep: A second-team 6A All-State selection by the MAC for Gulfport High School on the strength of 1,923 passing yards on 130-of-192 passes this fall with 19 touchdowns and only three interceptions…Added 921 rushing yards with 14 scoring runs…Played quarterback for the South squad at the 70th annual Bernard Blackwell All-Star game…Named to All-South Mississippi football team by the Sun Herald…Ran 135 times for 916 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2017 while also throwing for 633 yards and four touchdowns…Also plays baseball for the Admirals…A three-star athlete by both 24/7 and Rivals.
Chandler Rogers
QB | 6-0 | 179
Mansfield, Texas/Lake Ridge HS

Prep: Rogers passed for 2,233 yards, rushed for 1,176 yards and scored 34 total touchdowns en route to leading Mansfield Lake Ridge to an appearance in the third round of the state playoffs…Ranked as the No. 45 dual-threat quarterback in the country and No. 265 overall prospect in the state, per 247Sports Composite…A three-star prospect by 24/7 and a two-star by Rivals…Finished 9-3 making the Regional Final in the 6A Division 2 state playoff…Threw game-winning pass with six seconds remaining to beat DeSoto 34-29.

Matt Ryals
OL | 6-8 | 280
Purvis, Miss./Purvis HS

Prep: Played at Purvis High School, where he was a Class 4A first-team All-State selection by the Mississippi Association of Coaches…Played in the 70th annual Bernard Blackwell All-Star game for the South squad…Listed as the tallest addition in the 2019 class…Earned Region 7-4A honors during his junior campaign…A three-star offensive lineman by 24/7… Son of former Golden Eagle Chris Ryals, who lettered from 1988-91…Also plays competitive golf.

Gerquan Scott
OL | 6-4 | 300
Mobile, Ala./Davidson HS

Prep: Played both offensive, including tight end, and defensive line for Davidson High School…Helped team reached the first round of the AHSAA Class 7A Playoffs…A three-star prospect by 24/7.

Chris Scruggs
WR | 6-2 | 175
Clearwater, Fla./Superior Collegiate Academy

Prep: Played at Superior Collegiate Academy…Caught 19 passes for 307 yards, averaging 16.2 yards per catch and 51.2 yards per contest…Earned honorable mention Tampa Bay Times all-Pinellas team honors…Caught 32 passes for 725 yards and 13 touchdowns for a 22.7 per catch and 80.6 per game averages as a junior…A three-star recruit by both 24/7 and Rivals.

Louis Smith
OL | 6-3 | 294
D'Iberville, Miss./D'Iberville HS

Prep: A Class 6A first-team All-State selection by the Mississippi Association of Coaches…Played for the south squad in the 70th annual Bernard Blackwell All-Star game…Named to All-South Mississippi football team by the Sun Herald for the third time…Had 84 pancake blocks over 40 games in his high school career…A four-year starter on the offensive line…Made the Class 4-6A all-region team as a junior as well as an All-USA Mississippi second-team selection.

Andrew Stein
PK | 5-10 | 170
Slidell, La./Northshore HS

Prep: Used as a kickoff specialist and placements over the last three seasons at Northshore High School…Over the last two seasons, he tallied 48 touchbacks on kickoffs and averaged 66.9 yards per kickoff, while hitting 18 of 32 field goal attempts with a long of 49 yards…Added 28-of-29 extra points his junior and senior campaigns…Named to District 6-5A by the area coaches…Earned all-metro, all-parish and all-district honors as a junior…Kicked a 53-yard field goal while a teammate held the ball with his nose during an offseason workout.

Khalique Washington
OL | 6-5 | 320
Lebanon, Pa./Dodge City CC

Junior College: A three-star junior college prospect from Dodge City Community College and No. 23 ranked offensive tackle by 24/7…Voted No. 38 overall junior college player in the state of Kansas…Prep: Attended Lebanon County High School in Pennsylvania and played in the Big 33 Football Classic following his senior campaign…Named an Preps.com PA Class of 2017 Top 50 honorable mention pick…Also played basketball and track and field.

Avery White
LB | 6-4 | 195
Hurley, Miss./East Central HS
Prep: Named the 4A Defensive Player of the Year in 2018 from East Central High School…Second-straight year a player out of the East Central program was named Sun Herald South Mississippi Player of the Year…Participated in Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game…Registered 167 tackles as a senior…Also had 33 tackles for negative yardage his senior year, 11 sacks and a kick return for a touchdown…As a junior, recorded 202 tackles (35 for loss) with three interceptions to be named to the Sun Herald All-Mississippi team…Plays baseball and is talented left-handed pitcher, reaching the upper-80s on the radar gun.

Antavious Willis
ATH | 5-10 | 175
Camden, Miss./Velma Jackson HS

Prep: Played at Velma Jackson High School (Camden, Miss.) for coach Bernard Euell…Considered Velma Jackson's Mr. Do-It-All, Willis primarily played quarterback at Velma Jackson High School but also saw action as a wide receiver, defensive back and placekicker…Played a total of 43 games for Velma Jackson High School and amassed 3,337 passing yards and 27 passing touchdowns during his high school career…Logged 422 pass attempts and 220 pass completions and averaged 77.6 passing yards per game over the course of his career…Through 10 games as a senior, Willis recorded 701 passing yards and six passing touchdowns, completing 39 of his 69 pass attempts…Additionally, he rushed for 1,705 yards on 161 carries for an average of 10.6 yards per carry and an average of 170.5 yards per game…Totaled 31 rushing touchdowns and nine 100+ yard rushing games…Longest run of the season was 85 yards…Added 539 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns on 25 receptions for an average of 21.6 yards per catch and an average of 53.9 receiving yards per game…Longest reception of season was 67 yards…Boasts a 40-yard dash time of 4.42…Competed in the 2018 Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Football Game…Named SportsDeck Fox 40 Player of the Week in September of 2018…Also participates in basketball and track and field.

Coker Wright
OL | 6-4 | 275
Brookhaven, Miss. / Brookhaven HS

Prep: Attended Brookhaven High School where he lettered three years for the Panthers…Named first-team Class 5A by the Mississippi Association of Coaches…Played mostly defense in his junior and senior seasons, but also played offense as a sophomore and junior…Recorded 41 pancake blocks as a junior on offense…Tallied 21 solo tackles on defense and 14 assisted for a total of 35 tackles his junior and senior seasons, 29 of them coming in his senior year…Had 4.5 sacks as a senior…Also recorded one fumble recovery and one touchdown…Was named 5A All-State Region 3-5A First-Team in 2017 … Played in the 2018 Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Game … A three-star prospect by both 24/7 and Rivals.

National Signing Day Updates for Football

Players Mentioned

Dee Baker

Luke Baker

Swayze Bozeman

Torrence Brown

Naricuss Driver

Tanner Hawthorne

Jaden Johnson

Tre Johnson

Eriq Kitchen

Khalen Leonard

Markel McLaurin

Chandler Rogers

Matt Ryals

Gerquan Scott

Chris Scruggs

Louis Smith

Khalique Washington

Antavious Willis

Coker Wright

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