Tulsa Football Signs 25 to National Letters-of-Intent
Courtesy of Tulsa Athletics
TULSA, Okla. - University of Tulsa Head Football Coach Todd Graham announced today the signing of 25 student-athletes to national letters-of-intent, including three junior college transfers and 22 high school seniors.
This year's recruiting class is filled with prep seniors with tremendous credentials. The Hurricane has signed 13 players who earned a three-star rating by Rivals.com and one four-star rated student-athlete.
Among the prep seniors, three have already enrolled at The University of Tulsa, including Rivals.com four-star quarterback Shavodrick Beaver and two of the top seniors in the state of Oklahoma, receiver Brett Davis and linebacker Cody Wilson. Beaver is among the nation's top prep quarterbacks as Rivals.com has him rated as the No. 5 Best Scrambling Quarterback nationally and the nation's eighth-best Dual Threat Quarterback.
"We're very, very excited about this recruiting class," said Graham. "We think that this class, from top to bottom, is by far the most talented, the most explosive, the fastest and the biggest that we've signed since we've been here. It takes our recruiting to a new level and a place we haven't been since I've been a part of the program over the last six years.
"Winning recruiting battles against Big 12 schools, SEC schools, ACC schools and competing at a national level is exciting as a program, and I think it speaks volumes about the success and national exposure we've had," added Graham. "From top to bottom, there's an unbelievable amount of playmakers in this recruiting class."
Tulsa has posted 21 wins in the last two seasons since Graham's return as head coach. The Hurricane registered a 10-4 record in 2007 and an 11-3 mark this past season. In each of those seasons, Tulsa has had the nation's top-ranked offense by averaging 543.9 yards in the 2007 campaign and 569.9 yards in 2008.
"We have a distinctive vision in recruiting. We want 50 percent or more of our class to come from the state of Oklahoma. We want to own Oklahoma and we've been very successful in doing that. Obviously, Oklahoma is a base for us. We've also been able to attract kids from Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas. This year, Louisiana was a state rich in talent and the specific skills that we were looking for. We've been able to get some of the best-of-the-best out of Louisiana this year," Graham added.
"Our coaches did an excellent job identifying and then closing the deal on an outstanding recruiting class," said Graham.
The incoming Hurricane class includes 14 offensive players, 10 on defense and one specialist. Tulsa has 15 incoming high school seniors from the state of Oklahoma and five from Louisiana, while three high school seniors come from Texas and one from Georgia. In Graham's two years as head coach, the Hurricane has signed a total of 24 Oklahoma high school student-athletes.
Among the junior college transfers, the states of California, Florida and Oklahoma are represented. Tulsa's JUCO signees addressed needs on the offensive line and in the defensive secondary. The Hurricane signed, who Graham calls "one of the top junior college impact players in the country and who will be a big-time player in Conference USA" in the likes of safety Arthur Render. Cornerback Laquentin Black is an Oklahoma native, but attended North Iowa Area Community College, while offensive lineman Eric Sproal, who originally signed with Fresno State out of high school, will have three years of eligibility remaining.
On the defensive side of the ball, Tulsa has signed five defensive backs, including three safeties, three linemen and two linebackers.
"Defensively, our focus was mostly at safety and defensive lineman. We had to replace a deep snapper with the graduation of John Warren, and we did that with Michael Brodsky, who was rated as the nation's best deep snapper by Ray Guy," said Graham.
The Hurricane signed one quarterback, running back and tight end, while inking six receivers and four offensive linemen to this year's recruiting class.
"Offensively, our focus was to replenish the depth at wide receiver. We're always interested in improving the skill level of our football team. To be able to attract one of the top quarterbacks in the nation in Shavodrick Beaver was important to us, and at the running back position we recruited Alex Singleton who is big and powerful, and who we think is the missing link in our offensive package," said Graham. "The big focus was at the wide receiver position and at the offensive line. We feel we've gotten bigger and more explosive upfront, and have added big time explosiveness, speed and playmakers at the wide receiver position."
Tulsa loaded up in the receiving corps this year. Ricky Johnson, a 6'2" receiver from Carencro High School in Louisiana leads this group of skilled, fast and explosive players. Johnson is the state of Louisiana's third-ranked senior receiver according to Rivals.com. Fellow Louisiana receiver Jordan James, Texas' Freeman Kelley and Oklahoman's Brett Davis, Anthony Foster and Justin Skillens round out an explosive and talented group of receivers.
"Naturally, what we've done offensively, being the number one offense in the country two straight years and the most prolific offensive attack, has really allowed us to attract guys nationally from a skill standpoint and this year Louisiana has been big for us in that department," said Graham.
"We're very excited about this class and what it means for the future of our program. More importantly, the character of these kids is unbelievable. We think we have a great fit. We just don't look at film and offer scholarships. It's the fit that is important. The young men in this class have incredible leadership skills and character," said Graham. "To describe this class it would be explosive, fast, big and impactful. We're excited about this group. This class is the best we've ever had, and should probably be at the top of Conference USA as one of the best recruiting classes in the league. But, naturally, time will tell. The unbelievable character, skill, speed and explosiveness of this class is exciting."
In addition, Tulsa also announced today an accepted offer walk-on JC (Trey) Watts, the son of former Oklahoma Sooner quarterback JC Watts, will join the Hurricane next season. "Obviously, there's a great legacy surrounding Trey with his father so instrumental in Oklahoma's football success in the 1970s. We're excited to have Trey join our program. He is one of those young men with tremendous character and great leadership qualities."
2009 Tulsa Football Signees Roster Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Class Hometown/Previous School *Shavodrick Beaver QB 6-3 190 Fr-HS Wichita Falls, Texas/Rider HS Laquentin Black CB 5-10 175 Jr-JC Davis, Okla./North Iowa Area CC Michael Brodsky DS 6-1 210 Fr-HS Alpharetta, Ga./Milton HS Greg Brown TE/DS 6-2 240 Fr-HS Bixby, Okla./Bixby HS Daeshon Bufford DE 6-3 222 Fr-HS Edmond, Okla./Santa Fe HS Stetson Burnett OL 6-4 308 Fr-HS Lawton, Okla./MacArthur HS *Brett Davis WR 5-11 188 Fr-HS Shawnee, Okla./Shawnee HS Brian DeShane OL 6-3 290 Fr-HS Tulsa, Okla./Union HS Trent Dupy C 6-2 280 Fr-HS Enid, Okla./Enid HS Anthony Foster WR 5-9 173 Fr-HS Tulsa, Okla./Union HS Shawn Jackson LB 6-0 240 Fr-HS Tulsa, Okla./McLain HS Jordan James WR 6-2 197 Fr-HS Lafayette, La./St. Thomas More HS Jack Jewell DE 6-6 250 Fr-HS Norman, Okla./Norman HS Ricky Johnson WR 6-2 190 Fr-HS Lafayette, La./Carencro HS Freeman Kelley WR 5-11 165 Fr-HS Lancaster, Texas/Lancaster HS Dexter McCoil S 6-4 175 Fr-HS Lutcher, La./Lutcher HS Gabe McGee DT 6-1 305 Fr-HS Duncan, Okla./Duncan HS Brian Mincher OL 6-3 280 Fr-HS Jenks, Okla./Jenks HS Antonio Parker CB 5-10 165 Fr-HS St. Rose, La./Destrehan HS Tony Peoples S 5-11 172 Fr-HS The Colony, Texas/The Colony HS Arthur Render S 6-0 175 Jr-JC Miami, Fla./Palomar JC Alex Singleton RB 6-1 235 Fr-HS LaPlace, La./East St. John HS Justin Skillens WR 5-9 165 Fr-HS Tulsa, Okla./BT Washington HS Eric Sproal OL 6-4 305 So-JC Placentia, Calif./Santa Ana CC *Cody Wilson LB 6-0 220 Fr-HS Broken Arrow, Okla./Lincoln Christian HS Accepted Offer Walk-On Athlete J.C. (Trey) Watts III RB 5-11 187 Fr-HS Fairfax, Va./Oakton HS *Enrolled at semester break
