ELON, N.C. – First-year Elon University head football coach Curt Cignetti has announced that his staff has signed 14 players to National Letters of Intent to play for the Phoenix next year. The class includes nine players who hail from the state of North Carolina. Two have already enrolled at Elon.
Along with the nine players from North Carolina, this class includes two players from Ohio and one each from Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. The group contains a trio of both offensive and defensive linemen, two quarterbacks, two defensive backs, one linebacker, a running back, one wide receiver and one kicker.
“We are excited about the student-athletes that will be joining our squad in 2017,” stated Cignetti. “I was pleased with the quality that we were able to add to the existing commitments that were in place prior to our arrival. I would like to thank everyone in the Elon community that was a part of this process.”
2017 Elon Football Signing Class:
Jarquez Bizzell • DB • 6-1 • 190 • Kinston, N.C. • Kinston
Davis Cheek* • QB • 6-2 • 185 • Matthews, N.C. • Butler
Tristen Cox • DL • 6-3 • 350 • Piqua, Ohio • Piqua
Cooper Cromer • OL • 6-6 • 280 • La Grange, N.C. • North Lenoir
Destin Flloyd • DL • 6-0 • 280 • Havelock, N.C. • Havelock
Jalen Greene* • QB • 6-2 • 185 • Durham, N.C. • Southern Durham
Matt Holland • OL • 6-2 • 290 • Hilliard, Fla. • Hilliard
McAllister Ingram • DB • 5-11 • 190 • Thomasville, N.C. • Ledford
Jasen Johnson Jr. • RB • 5-11 • 228 • Mountain View, Ga. • Mountain View
Michael Purcell • OL • 6-3 • 335 • Centerville, Ohio • Centerville
Christian VanSickle • K • 6-1 • 190 • Charlotte, N.C. • Charlotte Christian
Kortez Weeks • WR • 6-0 • 180 • Mt. Ulla, N.C. • West Rowan
Tiras Williams • LB • 6-2 • 225 • Anderson, S.C. • T.L. Hanna
Torrence Williams • DL • 6-2 • 278 • Burlington, N.C. • Williams
* has enrolled at Elon for the spring semester
Jarquez Bizzell
6-1 • 190 • Defensive Back
Kinston, N.C. • Kinston
Honors
• Rated as a two-star recruit by Scout.com
• Helped coach Ryan Gieaslman’s Kinston program to a 2015 North Carolina 2A State Championship appearance and a 15-1 record
• Helped Kinston to the second round of the 2016 state playoffs
Personal
• Son of Linwood Bizzell and Jacqueline Rouse
Davis Cheek
6-2 • 185 • Quarterback
Matthews, N.C. • Butler
Honors
• Passed for over 3,000 yards as Butler posted a 12-2 mark and advanced to the state quarterfinals in 2016
• Threw for 2,108 yards and 16 touchdowns as a junior as Butler went 10-3
• 2015 and 2016 all-conference honoree
• Helped coach Brian Hales’ program capture a pair of conference titles
• A/B Honor Roll student
Personal
• Son of Eric Cheek and Monica Steed
Tristen Cox
6-3 • 350 • Defensive Lineman
Piqua, Ohio • Piqua
Honors
• Helped coach Bill Nees’ team to a state playoff appearance in 2015
• Amassed 33 total tackles, including 1.5 sacks, during his senior season
• Two-time first-team Greater Western Ohio Conference North Division honoree
• Two-time first-team Division III All-Southwest Ohio selection
• Two-time second-team Division III All-Ohio pick
• Participated in the Ohio North/South All-Star Game
Personal
• Son of Fredrick Cox and Jennifer Spangler
Cooper Cromer
6-6 • 280 • Offensive Lineman
La Grange, N.C. • North Lenoir
Honors
• Three-year letter-winner
• Named North Lenoir’s award as its best lineman in both 2015 and 2016
• Was honored with his squad’s 2013 Outstanding Freshman Award in 2013
• Helped coach Kimbo Brown’s program earn The Free Press Cup, an honor awarded to either Kinston, North Lenoir or South Lenoir high schools, for the first time in the 12-year history of the award
• Led his prep wrestling team to a 2014 2A Eastern Conference crown
• Member of the National Honor Society and maintained a GPA of 4.3 or better every year
• Received the United States Marine Corps Scholastic Excellence Award for academic achievement and leadership in 2016
Personal
• Son of Brad and Dawn Cromer
Destin Flloyd
6-0 • 280 • Defensive Lineman
Havelock, N.C. • Havelock
Honors
• Collected all-conference accolades in both 2015 and 2016
• Earned all-area defensive MVP honors in 2015 and 2016
• Was named Havelock’s defensive line MVP in 2014, defensive MVP in 2015 and team MVP in 2016
• Helped coach Jim Bob Bryant’s program to regional titles in 2013 and 2014 and a state crown in 2013
Personal
• Son of Daniel and Sharon Flloyd
Jalen Greene
6-2 • 185 • Quarterback
Durham, N.C. • Southern Durham
Honors
• Named Southern Durham’s 2016 Male Athlete of the Year
• 2016 Big 8 Offensive Player of the Year
• Two-time Herald Sun All-Conference performer and 2016 News & Observer all-area selection
• All-conference honoree
• Compiled 2,516 passing yards and 19 touchdowns while rushing for 475 yards and five scores as a senior
• Finished his prep career with 4,796 passing yards and 50 touchdowns through the air and rushed for 1,031 yards and another 12 scores
• Helped coach Darius Robinson’s program to a 2016 state playoff appearance
Personal
• Son of James and Kathy Greene
Matt Holland
6-2 • 290 • Offensive Lineman
Hilliard, Fla. • Hilliard
Honors
• Claimed all-county accolades twice
• Won county weightlifting champion honors
Personal
• Son of Hardy and Andrea Holland
McAllister Ingram
5-11 • 190 • Defensive Back
Thomasville, N.C. • Ledford
Honors
• Three-time all-county selection and two-time all-league pick
• Named team MVP as a senior
• Tallied 59 total tackles, including 38 solo stops, and intercepted one pass in 12 games as a senior
• Helped coach Chris Adams’ program to a 9-4 record and a second-round state playoff appearance in 2016
• Earned Lexington Dispatch All-Davidson County honors as a wide receiver as a junior
Personal
• Son of Thomas and Sherry Lawson Ingram
• Father played soccer at High Point University and mother played basketball at North Carolina State University
Jasen Johnson Jr.
5-11 • 228 • Running Back
Mountain View, Ga. • Mountain View
Honors
• Averaged 105.2 yards per game and rushed for eight scores as a senior
• Helped coach Nick Bach’s program to an 8-3 overall record and a 2016 state playoff appearance
• Earned all-region honors
Personal
• Son of Jasen and Adrienne Johnson
Johnson Highlights
Michael Purcell
6-3 • 335 • OL
Centerville, Ohio • Centerville
Honors
• Earned first-team Greater Western Ohio Conference All-East Division honors
• Participated in the North/South Ohio All-Star Game
Personal
• Son of Paul and Shelly Purcell
• Brother Tyler played football at Ohio Dominican University and sister Jackie played volleyball at Saint Joseph’s College
Christian VanSickle
6-1 • 185 • K
Charlotte, N.C. • Charlotte Christian
Honors
• Named to the NC Preps All-State Private School Football Team in 2016
• Earned all-state and all-conference accolades in in 2015
• 2016 all-conference honoree
• Garnered second-team All-Observer honors in 2016
• Helped coach Jason Estep’s program to a 10-2 record and a second-round state playoff appearance as a senior
• Prep team captured the 2014 state title and a pair of conference championships
• Connected on all six of his field goal tries and was perfect on 59 PATs during his senior season
• Averaged 36.5 yards on 39 punts, placing 12 inside the 20-yard line, in 2016
• A/B Honor Roll student
• Recognized with the Scholastic Writing Award
Personal
• Son of Eric and Laura VanSickle
• Father played soccer at Boston University
• Brother Jackson is a member of the football team at UNC Charlotte
Kortez Weeks
6-0 • 180 • Wide Receiver
Mt. Ulla, N.C. • West Rowan
Honors
• Helped coach Joe Nixon’s program to a 10-4 record and a state quarterfinals appearance in 2016
Personal
• Son of Keith Sherrill and Yulandra Weeks
Weeks Highlights
Tiras Williams
6-2 • 225 • Linebacker
Anderson, S.C. • T.L. Hanna
Honors
• Amassed 78 total tackles, four stops for loss and seven sacks in 2015
• Forced a pair of fumbles and scored once during his junior season for coach Bruce Ollis
• A/B Honor Roll student
Personal
• Son of Frank and Tracy Crosby
Torrence Williams
6-2 • 278 • Defensive Lineman
Burlington, N.C. • Williams
Honors
• Rated as a two-star recruit by Rivals.com
• 2016 Shrine Bowl participant
• Tallied 63 total tackles and seven sacks during his senior season
• Helped coach Dave Grant’s team to a 2016 state playoff appearance
• 2015 all-conference honoree
Personal
• Son of Kelsie Williams
• Brother, Devin Clegg, played football at UNC Charlotte
• Cousin, T.J. Clegg, played football at Elon