Photo by: David Barfield
Kats bring in 18 on National Signing Day
12/16/2020 10:19:00 AM | Football
HUNTSVILLE – The Sam Houston Bearkats took full advantage of a fall away from the gridiron and reeled in an impressive signing class with 18 new additions to the roster on National Signing Day on Wednesday.
"We are really excited about this class," head coach K.C. Keeler said Wednesday morning. "There were some real challenges because you couldn't go into high schools and you couldn't go into games, so all of a sudden recruiting became a Zoom thing. But overall I think we did an unbelievable job."
Â
The well-rounded class addressed nearly every position on the field with all but one coming from the Lone Star State.
Â
On the defensive side, the Kats brought in four defensive backs and four defensive linemen. Meanwhile, the offensive side saw the addition of a pair of 3-star wide receivers and another pair of running backs along with a tight end and a long snapper.
Â
The Kats also added transfer quarterback Keegan Shoemaker, a Prosper native who was named the 2019 Patriot League Rookie of the Year at Lafayette College.
"We had some marks that we wanted to hit with this class. We got a quarterback and we wanted running backs with versatility, which we got," Keeler said. "We got a dynamic tight end and physical offensive linemen. We also landed two very high-level wide receivers and addressed the defensive line because we are going to lose an incredible group of defensive linemen, maybe the best we've ever had in one group. We didn't go get a linebacker because we signed four last year, but we did go out and sign four guys in the secondary because that is going to be a group that needs to replenished when we lose the talented group we currently have."
The large fall class is new for the Kats who have signed the majority of their recruits in the spring in each of the past two years since the NCAA began allowing high school student-athletes to begin signing early.
"I think some of the reorganization we did in the off-season with our support staff was a major help for us. Bringing in Clayton Barnes as our recruiting coordinator was big, along with bringing back Ragan Henderson," Keeler said. "I think because of those guys we were very organized and had a great feel for the talent that was out there in this state, and at this level. This was a very good year for FCS recruiting."
Â
2020 FALL SIGNING CLASS (CLICK FOR BIO)
TRANSFERS (2)
Ethan Hagler • 6-2 • 290 • OL • Cove, Texas • Barbers Hill HS • Blinn College
Keegan Shoemaker • 6-3 • 190 • QB • Prosper, Texas • Prosper HS • Lafayette
Â
HIGH SCHOOL (16)
Emon Allen • 5-9 • 160 • DB • Austin, Texas • Vista Ridge HS
Marcus Collins • 6-3 • 225 • TE • Magnolia, Texas • Magnolia West HS
David Fisher • 6-0 • 170 • DB • Pearland, Texas • Dawson HS
Kavian Gaither • 5-11 • 185 • DB • Waco, Texas • Connally HS
Zach Hrbacek • 5-8 • 170 • RB • Troy, Texas • Troy HS
CJ Marsh • 6-4 • 285 • OL • Katy, Texas • Katy HS
John Mathis • 6-2 • 270 • DL • Dallas, Texas • Red Oak HS
Michael Murray • 6-2 • 200 • WR • Lampasas, Texas • Lampasas HS
Cameron Plummer • 6-6 • 230 • DL • Houston, Texas • Ridge Point HS
KeSean Raven • 5-10 • 160 • WR • Rockdale, Texas • Rockdale HS
Weston Stephens • 5-11 • 185 • RB • Austin, Texas • Lake Travis HS
Zach Stricker • 6-0 • 185 • LS • Coppell, Texas • Coppell HS
Ryder Wall • 6-4 • 275 • OL • Richmond, Texas • Fort Bend Travis HS
Kamren Washington • 6-2 • 265 • Arlington, Texas • Mansfield Summit HS
Maize Washington • 6-2 • 260 • DL • Houston, Texas • Alief Taylor HS
Christian Williams • 5-10 • 175 • DB • Baton Rouge, La. • Parkview Baptist School
Â
"We are really excited about this class," head coach K.C. Keeler said Wednesday morning. "There were some real challenges because you couldn't go into high schools and you couldn't go into games, so all of a sudden recruiting became a Zoom thing. But overall I think we did an unbelievable job."
Â
The well-rounded class addressed nearly every position on the field with all but one coming from the Lone Star State.
Â
On the defensive side, the Kats brought in four defensive backs and four defensive linemen. Meanwhile, the offensive side saw the addition of a pair of 3-star wide receivers and another pair of running backs along with a tight end and a long snapper.
Â
The Kats also added transfer quarterback Keegan Shoemaker, a Prosper native who was named the 2019 Patriot League Rookie of the Year at Lafayette College.
"We had some marks that we wanted to hit with this class. We got a quarterback and we wanted running backs with versatility, which we got," Keeler said. "We got a dynamic tight end and physical offensive linemen. We also landed two very high-level wide receivers and addressed the defensive line because we are going to lose an incredible group of defensive linemen, maybe the best we've ever had in one group. We didn't go get a linebacker because we signed four last year, but we did go out and sign four guys in the secondary because that is going to be a group that needs to replenished when we lose the talented group we currently have."
The large fall class is new for the Kats who have signed the majority of their recruits in the spring in each of the past two years since the NCAA began allowing high school student-athletes to begin signing early.
"I think some of the reorganization we did in the off-season with our support staff was a major help for us. Bringing in Clayton Barnes as our recruiting coordinator was big, along with bringing back Ragan Henderson," Keeler said. "I think because of those guys we were very organized and had a great feel for the talent that was out there in this state, and at this level. This was a very good year for FCS recruiting."
Â
2020 FALL SIGNING CLASS (CLICK FOR BIO)
TRANSFERS (2)
Ethan Hagler • 6-2 • 290 • OL • Cove, Texas • Barbers Hill HS • Blinn College
Keegan Shoemaker • 6-3 • 190 • QB • Prosper, Texas • Prosper HS • Lafayette
Â
HIGH SCHOOL (16)
Emon Allen • 5-9 • 160 • DB • Austin, Texas • Vista Ridge HS
Marcus Collins • 6-3 • 225 • TE • Magnolia, Texas • Magnolia West HS
David Fisher • 6-0 • 170 • DB • Pearland, Texas • Dawson HS
Kavian Gaither • 5-11 • 185 • DB • Waco, Texas • Connally HS
Zach Hrbacek • 5-8 • 170 • RB • Troy, Texas • Troy HS
CJ Marsh • 6-4 • 285 • OL • Katy, Texas • Katy HS
John Mathis • 6-2 • 270 • DL • Dallas, Texas • Red Oak HS
Michael Murray • 6-2 • 200 • WR • Lampasas, Texas • Lampasas HS
Cameron Plummer • 6-6 • 230 • DL • Houston, Texas • Ridge Point HS
KeSean Raven • 5-10 • 160 • WR • Rockdale, Texas • Rockdale HS
Weston Stephens • 5-11 • 185 • RB • Austin, Texas • Lake Travis HS
Zach Stricker • 6-0 • 185 • LS • Coppell, Texas • Coppell HS
Ryder Wall • 6-4 • 275 • OL • Richmond, Texas • Fort Bend Travis HS
Kamren Washington • 6-2 • 265 • Arlington, Texas • Mansfield Summit HS
Maize Washington • 6-2 • 260 • DL • Houston, Texas • Alief Taylor HS
Christian Williams • 5-10 • 175 • DB • Baton Rouge, La. • Parkview Baptist School
Â
Players Mentioned
DB
/ Football
TE
/ Football
DB
/ Football
DB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
OL
/ Football
DL
/ Football
WR
/ Football
DL
/ Football
WR
/ Football
RB
/ Football
LS
/ Football
OL
/ Football
DL
/ Football
DL
/ Football
DB
/ FootballWednesday, February 11
Wednesday, February 04
Saturday, November 29
Tuesday, November 25
