Bandys High senior running back Ethan Howard (32) is one of three Trojans and five players from area prep conferences in Lenoir-Rhyne University’s 29-player recruiting class for 2019./MICHELLE THOMPSON PHOTO
CRONIC
HobbsDailyReport.com
HICKORY – Lenoir-Rhyne University announced the signing of 29 football players for 2019 on Wednesday, a class that includes five players from the Greater Hickory area’s three high school conferences.
The Bears inked three players from a 12-2 team at Bandys that won the South Fork 2A title – running back Ethan Howard, defensive end Aaron Johnson and defensive lineman Nash Shook.
LRU also signed one player from the Northwestern Foothills 2A, offensive lineman Will Godfrey of West Iredell, and one from the Northwestern 3A-4A, two-way lineman Isaac Chapman of Alexander Central.
Overrall, head coach Drew Cronic’s Bears, 12-2 last season and South Atlantic Conference (SAC) champions, signed a dozen players from Georgia, 11 from North Carolina, four from South Carolina and one each from Virginia and Florida.
“We’re really excited about the 2019 signing class,” Cronic said in an LRU press release. “We brought in a lot of really good players and met a lot of needs.
“A lot of kids want to be here and that’s because the student-athletes that are here have done a great job winning games.
“Our kids have done well academically and the addition of the Neill McGeachy Sports Performance Center has recruits wanting to be a part of our program.
“We’ve been able to sign a lot of really good high-character players. The future is bright.”
LRU CLASS OF 2019 SIGNEES
Note: Players from the South Fork 2A, Northwestern Foothills 2A and Northwestern 3A-4A indicated by all bold.
(Player, position, height, weight, high school)
T.J. Blanding, DB, 5-11, 175, Westwood, S.C.
Austin Cagle, QB, 6-1, 180, Clayton
Isaac Chapman, OL-DL, 6-1, 290, Alexander Central
Nick Corbit, OL, 6-1, 260, Serando (Va.)
De’Andre Cornish, LB, 6-2, 220, Byrnes (S.C.)
Chad Crumbley, DB, 5-9, 175, Burke County (Ga.)
Damien Devine, WR, 5-11, 190, Fitzgerald (Ga.)
Cal Dickie, RB, 5-9, 185, Centennial (Ga.)
Will Godfrey, OL, 6-3, 215, W. Iredell
Ethan Howard, RB, 5-11, 240, Bandys
Myles Jackson, DB, 6-0, 220, Jefferson County (Ga.)
Blake Jefferson, OL, 6-0, 290, Tucker (Ga.)
Bryce Jefferson, Ath., 6-1, 205, Tucker (Ga.)
Aaron Johnson, DE, 6-2, 235, Bandys
C’Darius Kelly, Ath., 5-11, 185, Green County (Ga.)
Deondre Lester, WR, 6-0, 175, Washington Wilkes (Ga.)
Dom Maggio, TE, 6-2, 255, Buford (Ga.)
Davis Moose, DL, 5-10, 245, S. Stanly
Isaiah Porter, DB, 5-11, 165, Ridge View (S.C.)
B.J. Ramseur, LB, 5-9, 230, Crest
A’lajuwan Robinson, Ath., 6-0, 190, Keenan (S.C.)
Trevis Robinson, DL, 6-1, 250, Cardinal Gibbons
Aaron Scott, Ath., 6-0, 180, N. Mecklenburg
De’Andre Shelton, DL, 6-2, 220, Howard (Ga.)
Nash Shook, DL, 6-4, 240, Bandys
Will Watts, DB, 5-10, 175, N. Mecklenburg
Shane Wells, OL, 6-4, 250, Glynn Academy (Ga.)
DemianWilliams, DB, 5-11, 180, Burke County (Ga.)
Rae-Kwon Young-Turner, DL, 6-1, 235, Crest