Lucas Gebhart
Sports Editor
Head football coach Mike Kramer announced on National Signing Day that 29 players have committed to play football at ISU.
Of the 29, two are from junior colleges and the remaining 27 are high schoolers, eleven of which are from Idaho, nine from Washington, seven from California and one from Utah.
Kramer and company inked six wide receivers, five defensive backs, four running backs, three offensive linemen, three defensive linemen, three linebackers, two tight ends, one quarterback and a kicker.
This is by far the biggest recruiting class Kramer has had from the state of Idaho. With the reputation of Boise State, and the likes of Montana, Eastern Washington and Weber State signing kids from the state of Idaho, Kramer’s ability to still sign nine kids on his stomping ground is essential to the future success of the program.
“I am real proud of the guys who we have been able to sign in-state,” Kramer said. “I’m proud of our work in the state of Washington and southern California. We stayed very disciplined in our recruiting areas.”
According to Kramer, some players will have an immediate impact on ISU this fall and some will not join the program until their church related missions are concluded.
With the season still months away, it is unclear which guys will have that immediate impact.
“There really isn’t such a thing as a redshirt,” Kramer told the media. “Everybody is going to play until they prove they can’t play.”
Although senior running back Jakori Ford is returning, Xavier Finney is gone to graduation and Kramer’s desire to have a three-headed monster in the backfield may lead to some freshmen running backs seeing early playing time come next fall.
Another area where the Bengals will look to reshuffle is the offensive line as Kramer lost three starters to graduation.
It is important to note that these are just the players that have officially signed with ISU up to this point. ISU still has eight offers out on the table throughout their recruiting areas. And that isn’t counting all of the kids who will walk-on.
According to Kramer this class could be upwards of 35-40 student-athletes.
“Running back and defensive line are the two positions we never recruit with height in mind,” Kramer explained as he welcomes a running back in Michael Dean who stands just 5-6 and 5-11 defensive lineman Raemo Trevino.
The recruiting process is never ending. Kramer plans on adding another defensive back, around three more linebackers, another defensive lineman and one more tight end.
Here is a closer look at the signees:
Quarterbacks:
Drew Cash, 6-2, 210, QB, Murray, Utah, Murray HS
High School: Second-team All-Region and 4A All-State Honorable Mention. Cash was the team’s most valuable offensive player as he completed 183 passes on 340 attempts for 2,201 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Running backs:
Michael Dean, 5-6, 155, RB, Chaffey, California, Chaffey HS
High School: Team captain in 2015. Rushed for 39 touchdowns and 2,555 rushing yards. Maxpreps Player of the Week and two-time So-Cal Player of the Week. Dean was also a two-time Cal-Hi Player of the Week and broke the Inland Empire rushing record. 4.0 GPA.
“Michael Dean is not very big, but he was the leading rusher in the state of California in an outstanding conference out of Chaffey High School. You can’t find him, you can’t tackle him, you can’t touch him and you can’t get him,” Kramer said.
Mason Farnsworth, 5-8, 190, RB, Emmett, Idaho, Emmett HS
High School: 2015 All-Idaho 3A Player of the Year rushing for 1,676 yards and 25 touchdowns. 2015 Snake River Valley Conference Offensive MVP and 2015 Idaho State football champion. 2014 Snake River Valley First-team All-Conference running back. In his time at Emmett High School, Farnsworth had 3,046 career rushing yards and 44 career touchdowns as he was a three-year starter. Member of the National Honor Society.
“Outstanding in-state running back. He was the 3A State Player of the Year,” Kramer said.
Andrew Grimes, 5-11, 210, RB, Lake Stevens, Washington, Lake Stevens HS
High School: First-team All-League and All-Area running back. Second-team All-State as he scored 33 touchdowns and rushed for 1,510 yards.
Nehemiah McFarlin, 5-11, 190, RB, Mission Hills, California, Mission Hills HS
High School: Silver Prep Pigskin Finalist and California Interscholastic Federation first-team offense. Avocado East Player of the Year and Avocado East first-team offense.
Wide Receivers:
Taylor Pearson, 6-1, 201, WR, Blackfoot, Idaho, Blackfoot HS
High School: Four-year letter winner in baseball while leading his team to the baseball state championship in 2015. First-team All-Conference as a junior and was invited to play center field in the Idaho All-Star game. Four-year letter winner in football. Led his team to a state title in 2012 and runner ups in 2015. First-team All-League as a junior and second-team as a senior. Three year letter winner in basketball.
Pearson’s older brother is a starting wide receiver at BYU. Pearson plans on serving a church related mission before returning to campus.
“I swore to myself that we would not allow Taylor to go anywhere else but Idaho State and we did a great job of recruiting him,” Kramer said.
Josh Crane, 5-9, 155, WR, Rexburg, Idaho, Madison HS
High School: 2015 District 5/6 Player of the Year, 2015 High Country Player of the Year and 2015 USA All-Idaho first-team. 2015 5A All-State, All-Area first-team and 2015 All-Conference. 2014 5A second-team All-State and first-team All-Area. In 2014 Crane was first-team All-District and All-Conference where he caught 61 passes for 1,058 yards and 11 touchdowns.
“An outstanding football and basketball player up there at Madison High School,” Kramer said.
Zach Anderson, 6-2, 180, WR, Rexburg, Idaho, Madison HS
High School: 54 receptions for 848 yards and nine touchdowns in his senior season. 5A All-Idaho second-team wide receiver and District 5-6 Idaho All-Conference first-team as a punter and wide receiver. 2015 Post Register All-Area first-team punter and 2015 Post Register second-team wide receiver.
“He is a tall wide receiver who was one of the outstanding athletes at our summer camp,” Kramer said.
Isaiah Walter, 5-10, 189, WR, Yakima, Washington, Davis HS
High School: First-team All-State as a senior defensive back in Washington in the 4A classification. League MVP of the Big Nine Conference as a senior and first-team All-Conference as a defensive back, second-team as a wide receiver during his senior season. Four-year varsity letter winner in football and three-years in track and field.
“He is an all-around athlete, an excellent student and a great fit for us,” Kramer said.
Tristan Beard, 6-1, 184, WR University Place, Washington, Curtis HS
High School: 33 receptions for 894 yard and 13 touchdowns his senior season. First-team All-South Puget Sound League as a wide receiver and team captain. South Puget Sound League Times Player of the Year.
“He had a great build, he runs very precious routes. The depth at receiver will make it awfully tough for him to have an impact right away but he is very dedicated,” Kramer said.
TreyTon Bell, 5-8, 160, WR, Meridian, Idaho, Mountain View High School
High School: 5A Southern Idaho Conference Player of the Year. 5A Idaho Player of the Year and Idaho Gatorade Player of the Year. All-USA Idaho Offensive Player of the Year. Averaged 8.9 yards per rush. Had 30 touchdowns on 205 carries for 1,831 yards and 24 receptions for 430 yards.
“He is not very big. We list him at 5-8, 160 and that might be a little generous, but he was an outstanding running back at Mountain View. His uncles are legends at Idaho State,” Kramer said.
Tight ends:
Jake Johnson, 6-5, 220, TE, Kuna, Idaho, Kuna HS
High School: First-team All-State wide receiver and captain of the football and basketball teams all while maintaining a 3.85 GPA. 4A Southern Idaho Conference basketball Player of the Year.
“Really the first tall tight end we have had at our program for a long time,” Kramer said.
Nate Shubert, 6-3, 209, TE, Mulkiteo, Washington, Kamiak HS
High School: Team captain and first-team All-Conference and All-Area as a tight end. USA Today top tight end for Western Washington. Had 25 pancake blocks and 68 receptions for 1,394 yards and 11 touchdowns.
“He is also an outstanding basketball player,” Kramer remarked.
Offensive line:
Porter Thomas, 6-4, 275, OL, Blackfoot, Idaho, Snake River HS
High School: Two-time first-team All-State by the Idaho Statesman and two-time first-team All-Area by the Idaho State Journal. Named two-time first-team All-Area by the Post Register. Thomas also was 26-2 in wrestling and placed third in the 2014 3A state wrestling championship.
“He is a little bit undersized, so we will just wait and see what size he is when he gets back from his church mission,” Kramer said.
Jacob Molenaar, 6-3, 336, OL, Boise, Idaho, Capital HS
2015 first-team All-State in the 5A classification and 2015 first-team All-Southern Idaho Conference (SIC). Molenaar was selected to participate in the 2015 Shriners All-Star game and was second-team All-SIC in 2014.
“He has great size. He committed to us very early in the recruiting process,” Kramer said.
Carson Sutherland, 6-3, 295, OL, LaCosta, California, LaCosta Canyon HS
High School: 2015 first-team All-League and team Offensive Player of the Year. In 2014 he was third-team All-League.
“He is about the exact same size as Molenaar. Both of these guys are ready to play right away. Both have outstanding speed and come in right around 300 pounds,” Kramer said.
Defensive line:
Raemo Trevino, 5-11, 285, DL, Seattle Washington, Ballard HS
High School: First-team All-Metro as a sophomore, junior and senior. As a senior Trevino had 63 tackles, 16 tackles for loss and five sacks.
“He has been an outstanding three-year starter for Ballard,” Kramer said.
Tavi Leuta-Ulu, 6-2, 315, DL, Encino, California, Crespi Carmelite HS
High School: First-team All-Trinity League. Polynesian All-American Team and Freshman All-American. Leuta-Ulu also participated in the Polynesian One-Star Game.
“He will help us short up on the inside part of our defensive line,” Kramer said.
Connor Smith, 6-2, 263, DL, Issaquah, Washington, Issaquah HS
High School: First-team King Co on the offensive and defensive line. King was CO Lineman of the Year and set a school record with 123 tackles, 14 sacks and 35 tackles for loss.
“He is an outstanding defensive lineman. He is a tough minded guy,” said Kramer.
Linebackers:
Kenneth Turner, 6-1, 210, LB, Federal Way, Washington, Thomas Jefferson HS
High School: 27 touchdowns and 1,665 rushing yards in his senior season. Turner was the Washington 4A rushing leader and Washington Interscholastic Activities Association Athlete of the Month. 2015 South Puget Sound League Northwest Offensive MVP.
“An outstanding linebacker who played running back in high school. 6-0 wrestler, long armed and tough,” Kramer said.
Oshea Trujillo, 5-11, 210, LB, Seattle, California, Bishop Balanchet HS
High School: Rushed for 1,807 yards and 28 touchdowns. On the defensive side of the ball, Trujillo had 60 tackles, eight tackles for loss, four interceptions and six fumbles. Scored a school record 45 touchdowns.
Jared Gibson, 5-11, 200, LB, Meridian, Idaho, Mountain View HS
High School: 2015 first-team All-State, two-time All-Conference and two-time All-Academic.
“Great player, outstanding student. The one thing we said about Jared is he plays football like he’s not very smart. He just plays hard on every single play,” Kramer said.
Defensive backs:
Caleb Brown, 5-10, 165, DB, Kent, Washington, Tahoma HS
High School: The three-year varsity starter and letter winner was also named All South Puget Sound League North East running back, second-team as a defensive back and special teams Player of the Year. Brown is also a three-year letter winner in track and field where he holds the school record for the 100m with a time 11.29 seconds. He took eighth in state in the 100 and seventh as a junior in the long jump.
“He has some great speed that is probably the first requisite you have to have from a cornerback,” Kramer said.
Brock Davis, 5-11, 185, DB, Idaho Falls, Idaho, Skyline HS
High School: All-Idaho second-team. All-Region and All-Conference first-team. Post Register All-Area first-team and two-year football captain. Davis lettered in football, basketball and track and field.
“He was a really dynamic player,” Kramer said.
Brandon Monroe, 6-0, 170, DB, San Mateo, California, Junipero Serra HS
High School: Three-year starter and letter winner and Western Catholic Athletic League All-League first-team in 2015 with 689 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns. Monroe was also an international bowl All-Star and Offense-Defense All-American and MVP. He was a USA Football National Team. State of California scholastic achievement award and member of Peninsula Commissioners Honor Society.
“He has great length. For a cornerback to be at 6-0 that is outstanding size,” Kramer said.
Jrue Perkins, 6-2, 173, DB, Layton, Utah, Northridge HS
High School: Only 5A quarterback to finish with over 2,000 yards passing and over 1,000 yards rushing. 2015 Deseret News All-State honorable mention and 2015 first-team all-area Standard Examiner and first-team All-Region as an all-purpose. In addition, Perkins was also named ESPN the Zone Student-Athlete of the Week and set school records for most touchdowns in a single game with five. 2014 Northridge Offensive Player of the Year and the 2014 first-team All-Region as a receiver. Honor roll all four years.
“We sat down at safety and said we have to get longer. At 6-2, 173 he has a great length,” Kramer said.
Lorenzo Terry III, 5-9, 155, DB, Los Angeles, California, Los Angeles Harbor College
High School: Three-year varsity starter and letter winner. Grant Walenda Scholarship Award for the best senior. Defensive Player of the Year.
Courtney Crockett, 5-11, 180, DB, Long Beach, California, Long Beach City College
High School: Three-year varsity starter and letter winner, Crockett was first-team All-Bay League. Crocket was also a three-year letter winner in track and field.
Long Beach City: 17 tackles and one interception.
“He is a junior college corner who should compete for time,” Kramer said.
Kicker:
Cougar Coburn, 5-11, 170, K, Arco, Idaho, Butte County HS
High School: All-Conference kicker and punter in 2014 and 2015. All-State punter in 2014 and All-State punter and kicker in 2015. Coburn may be able to help the Bengals right away depending on Zak Johnson, who may be unavailable for the 2016 season due to off-season surgery.
“He can really help us, especially on kickoffs, he can really loft the ball,” Kramer said.
