Liberty Signing Day

[kuntryboimike]

thus far:

Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High School
Dylan Bowman TE/DE 6-3 240 Ocean Isle Beach, N.C./West Brunswich HS
Jacob Hagen DB 6-3 195 Orange Park, Fla./Orange Park HS
Andrew Jauch DB 6-1 185 Waxhaw, N.C./Parkwood HS
Bobby Partilla LB 6-1 210 Gambrills, Md./Arundel HS
Kevin Widener TE 6-4 260 Lebanon, Va./Lebanon HS


Dylan Bowman – TE/DE, 6-3, 240, Ocean Isle Beach, N.C./West Brunswick HS
(Signed at 7:37 a.m.)
Four-year letterwinner at West Brunswick High Schoool … three-time All Brunswick County selection … two-time all-conference honoree … earned his first letter as a freshman at right guard … Varsity Captains Award and Carolina Panthers Community Captains Award selections as a senior … All-Region – All-Zone team member during his senior year … also a member of the varsity baseball and wrestling teams … first-place finish at the North Brunswick wrestling tournament … son of Teresa McCormick.

Jacob Hagen – DB, 6-3, 195, Orange Park, Fla./Orange Park HS
(Signed at 8:09 a.m.)
Two-year letterwinner at Orange Park High School … all-conference, all-county and all-district selection during his junior and senior years … as a junior, he finished the year with 89 tackles, three interceptions, seven pass breakups and three tackles for a loss … was named his team’s Most Versatile Player as a junior … also served as the team’s punter and punt returner … named team’s Best DB and All-First Coast as a senior … finished his final season at Orange Park with 70 tackles, one interception, six pass breakups, two tackles for a loss, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries … also had a standout baseball career, earning all-conference and FACA second-team corner infield honors … son of Dan and Ilona Hagen.

Kevin Widener – TE, 6-4, 260, Lebanon, Va./Lebanon HS
(Signed at 8:14 a.m.)
Four-year letterwinner at Lebanon High School … first-team all-district and second-team all-region as a senior … finished his senior year with 21 receptions for 204 yards and five touchdowns … also a three-year letterwinner in basketball and a four-year letterwinner in baseball … elected junior and senior class president … AIM Scholar Athlete … son of Don and Vickie Widener.

Andrew Jauch – DB, 6-1, 185, Waxhaw, N.C./Parkwood HS
(Signed at 8:18 a.m.)
Three-year letterwinner at Parkwood High School … finished his career with 227 tackles, seven interceptions, three touchdowns and four blocked extra points … all-county honoree as a junior and senior … named team’s Most Outstanding DB as a junior … first-team all-conference and Parkwood’s Defensive MVP as a senior … finished his senior year with 112 tackles … son of John and Lynn Jauch.

Bobby Partilla – LB, 6-1, 210, Gambrills, Md./Arundel HS
(Signed at 8:36 a.m.)
Two-year letterwinner at Arundel High School … all-county selection as a junior, finishing the year with 111 tackles … all-county, all-state and all-MET as a senior with 131 tackles … was named to the Anne Arundel Fab 5 defensive team as a senior … son of Robert and Kim Partilla.

[kuntryboimike]

Matt Stokes - DL, 6-2, 255, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas
(Signed at 8:25 a.m.)
Three-year letterwinner at St. Thomas Aquinas High School … helped guide St. Thomas Aquinas to state championships as a sophomore and senior … all-county honorable-mention as a junior after finishing the year with 13 tackles, five tackles for a loss and two sacks … St. Thomas Aquinas finished his junior year with a perfect 15-0 record, claiming a state and national championship … earned a second all-county honorable-mention nod as a senior, after finishing his final year with 26 tackles, five sacks, 10 tackles for a loss, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery … St. Thomas Aquinas was ranked No. 1 in the country during his senior year before losing to Manatee High School in the state semifinal game, snapping a 37-game winning streak … academic honor roll … son of Thomas and Barbara Stokes … younger brother of former Flame fullback Chris Stokes.

Greg Ray – OL/DL, 6-4, 300, Pearisburg, Va./Giles County HS
(Signed at 8:39 a.m.)
Four-year letterwinner … two-year Group A first-team all-state selection as a junior and senior … first-team Three Rivers district selection as a junior … during his senior year, he was a first-team all-district offensive honoree and a second-team defensive selection … was named the Three Rivers District Lineman of the Year as a senior … four-year letterwinner in basketball … two-year letterwinner in track … comes from an athletic family as his father, Don, played football at West Virginia Tech … his uncle, John Ray, played football at West Virginia and professionally with the Indianapolis Colts.

[kuntryboimike]

Nick Sigmon – LB, 6-2, 240, Roanoke, Va./Northside HS
(Signed at 9:01 a.m.)
Four-year letterwinner at Northside High School … three-time all-district honoree … finished his sophomore season with 122 tackles (98 solo), 14 tackles for a loss, five sacks and three fumble recoveries … second-team all-district honoree as a junior with 156 tackles (118 solo), 12 quarterback hurries, two interceptions, 12 tackles for a loss and four forced fumbles … helped Northside High School to a state title as a senior … Blue Ridge District Player of the Year … Region 3 co-Defensive Player of the Year … Va. Preps and Associated Press first-team all-state selection … Roanoke Times All-Timesland Defensive Player of the year … Kroger Crunch Defensive Player of the Year … also a varsity letterwinner in wrestling and baseball … son of Ronnie and Carrie Sigmon.

Gabe Henderson – QB, 5-11, 190, Garner, N.C./Southeast Raleigh HS
(Signed at 9:15 a.m.)
Three-year starter and letterwinner at Southeast Raleigh High School … also was a three-year all-conference academic honoree … all-conference selection as a junior, when he threw for 2,200 yards and rushed for 600 yards and seven touchdowns … conference Player of the Year as a senior after throwing for 2,700 yards and 27 touchdowns … also rushed for 1,005 yards and 12 scores … named team MVP as a senior … also took home second-team All-Area accolades as a senior.

[jcmanson]

This is shaping up to be a great class! Good job Coaches!

[kuntryboimike]

Andre Mondor – OL, 6-4, 320, Tampa, Fla./H.B. Plant HS
(Signed at 9:25 a.m.)
Four-year letterwinner at H.B. Plant High School … helped H.B. Plant win the state title three out of four years … H.B. Plant captured the state Class 4A title during his freshman and sophomore seasons and the state Class 5A title during his senior year … first-team all-tourny as a junior and senior … first-team all-Hillsbrough County and first-team all-Sun Coast as a senior … was a part of H.B. Plant’s four-year run, where the team posted a 53-4 record and a 17-1 mark in the playoffs … finished the 2009 season ranked No. 4 nationally in the final USA Today High School poll … winner of the Jimmy Kynes Award, which is given annually to the top offensive or defensive lineman in the Tampa Bay area … named to the High Honor roll 10 times … National Honor Society member … son of Mike and Lori Mondor.

Randy Spann – DB, 5-11, 205, Glen Burnie, Md./Old Mill HS
(Signed at 9:36 a.m.)
Two-year letterwinner at Old Mill High School … two-time team MVP … named all-county during his junior and senior years … team captain as a junior and finished the year with 86 tackles … Fab 5 Defense honoree with 115 tackles as a senior … son of Randy and Grace Spann.

[kuntryboimike]

Ryan Mickens – RB, 6-0, 230, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla./University Christian HS
(Signed at 9:49 a.m.)
Four-year letterwinner … two-year all-county selection at fullback as a freshman and sophomore … first-team all-district selection at running back as a junior … played seven games during his senior year, rushing for 710 yards on 96 carries (7,4 average) and six touchdowns … son of Randy and Patty Mickens.

[jcmanson]

J’Courtney Williams – LB, 6-2, 225, Christchurch, Va./Christchurch HS
(Signed at 10:02 a.m.)
Four-year letterwinner at Christchurch High School … will be coming to Liberty from El Camino Community College in Torrance, Calif. … helped lead Christchurch to three Old Dominion Football Conference titles … three-time all-conference selection … conference player of the year as a senior … two-time team MVP … as a junior, he was named to the CBS Sportsline and Prepstar Magazine All-America team … including football, he was an 11-time letterwinner at Christchurch High School in four different sports (football/4, basketball 5, baseball/1 and lacrosse/1).

[kuntryboimike]

J’Courtney Williams – LB, 6-2, 225, Christchurch, Va./Christchurch HS
(Signed at 10:02 a.m.)
Four-year letterwinner at Christchurch High School … will be coming to Liberty from El Camino Community College in Torrance, Calif. … helped lead Christchurch to three Old Dominion Football Conference titles … three-time all-conference selection … conference player of the year as a senior … two-time team MVP … as a junior, he was named to the CBS Sportsline and Prepstar Magazine All-America team … including football, he was an 11-time letterwinner at Christchurch High School in four different sports (football/4, basketball 5, baseball/1 and lacrosse/1).
Scout JUCO Profile - 3 star

Rivals HS Profile - 4 star

Scout HS Profile - 5 star (#1 LB in Nation)

NFL Draft Scout Profile

Kenny Scott – DB/WR, 5-10, 165, Appomattox, Va./Appomattox HS
(Signed at 10:08 a.m.)
Four-year letterwinner at Appomattox High School … all-district second-team honoree as a junior … finished his career with 5,330 total offensive yards … passed for 2,081 yards and 11 touchdowns (116-of-234) … rushed for 3,249 yards on 428 carries and 38 touchdowns … named Lynchburg News and Advance Offensive Player of the Year as a senior … second-team all-state honoree as a senior … first-team all-district and all-region honoree as a senior … two-time letterwinner in basketball … also lettered in baseball … track Region Athlete of the Year … state long jump champion as a junior with a distance of 23-8 … son of Trynne and Kim Scott … is intending to major in engineering.

[kuntryboimike]

Desmond Rice – RB, 5-8, 190, Lynchburg, Va./Liberty Christian Academy
(Signed at 10:24 a.m.)
Three-year letterwinner and starter at Liberty Christian Academy … finished his career by rushing for 3,136 yards and 40 touchdowns … averaged 7.7 yards per rushing attempt for his career … as a freshman, he rushed for 83 yards and two touchdowns … helped LCA to a state championship as sophomore, when he rushed for 649 yard and six touchdowns … first-team all-conference and second-team all-state honoree as a junior … rushed for 1,089 yards and 11 touchdowns … also added 15 receptions for 132 yards and a score as a junior … first-team all-conference and all-state as a senior … posted career numbers during his senior year, as he rushed for 1,315 yards and 21 touchdowns, while adding 16 receptions for 333 yards and three touchdown catches.

Scott Hyland – LB/TE, 6-1, 220, Forest, Va./Liberty Christian Academy
(Signed at 10:30 a.m.)
Four-year letterwinner at Liberty Christian Academy … three-year starter … two-year team captain … two-time all-state honoree at linebacker … finished his career with 195 tackles, 15 sacks and seven interceptions … also added 80 career receptions for 1,417 yards and 21 touchdowns … helped LCA to a state title as a junior, where he caught 18 passes for 355 yards and six touchdowns, while adding 54 tackles and six sacks … conference Defensive Player of the Year as a junior, as he finished with 79 tackles, six sacks and three interceptions … earned his first all-state linebacking honor as a junior … also finished his junior year with 27 receptions for 504 yards and six touchdowns … first-team all-conference honoree at tight end and linebacker as a senior … finished his senior year with 62 tackles, three sacks, four interceptions, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery … also added 35 receptions for 558 yards and nine touchdowns during his senior year.

[kuntryboimike]

Matthew Baptiste – LB, 6-0, 215, Virginia Beach, Va./Ocean Lakes HS
(Signed at 10:52 a.m.)
Four-year letterwinner at Ocean Lake High School … finished his career with 244 tackles … earned All-Beach honors as a junior and senior … recorded 32 stops, including 10 tackles for a loss as a freshman … finished his sophomore season with 42 tackles and nine tackles for a loss … as a junior, he finished the year with a career-best 94 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions, a safety, a blocked field goal and a forced fumble … finished off his career at Ocean Lakes by posting 74 tackles, two sacks, a safety, a blocked field goal and a fumble recovery … son of Ken and Helen Baptiste … intends to major in pre-med.

[DKHardee]

Great... thats just what CCU needed. Another good class from liberty.

[Keenan]

I honestly did not think we would get J'Courtney Williams a former #1 LB in the Nation!!!!! What a huge signing that will obviously have an immediate impact! The pieces are starting to fall together nicely for a run in '10!

[kuntryboimike]

final recruit i believe

Tracy Curry – ATH, 6-1, 195, Ocala, Fla./Lake Weir HS
(Signed at 11:20 a.m.)
Two-year letterwinner at Lake Weir High School … threw for more than 2,700 yards and 27 touchdowns during his first two seasons … also rushed for an additional 1,809 yards and 14 touchdowns ... during his junior year, Curry completed 53.8 percent of his pass attempts (77-of-143) for 1,305 yards and 20 touchdowns … additionally rushed for 1,086 yards and three touchdowns … first-team All-Area as a senior … threw for 1,413 yards and seven touchdowns, as he completed 52.7 percent of his pass attempts (97-of-184) … also rushed for 723 yards on 104 carries during his senior year, scoring 11 times on the ground … additionally, he finished his senior year with three punt returns for touchdowns … member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes … son of Keven and Lavern Walthall.

[kuntryboimike]

so that leaves us with a 4/5 star:
J'Courtney Williams LB (Rivals has him a 4 star and Scout has him as a 5 star and the #1 LB in the nation)

2 (4 Stars)
Tracy Curry (rated by users not sure about this one)
Desmond Rice (user rated)

4 (3 Stars)
Gabe Henderson
Randy Spann (user rated)
Greg Pratt (Transfer from Troy)
Chris Mayo (Transfer from Fork Union)

4 (2 Stars)
Scott Hyland
Andrew Mondor
Nick Sigmon
Matt Stokes

4 (1 Stars)
Matthew Baptiste
Jacob Hagen
Bobby Partilla
Greg Ray

unknown ratings for the following?
dylan bowman
Andrew Jauch
Ryan Mickens
kenny scott
Keven Widener
Francis Bah (Spring Enrollee)

Great looking recruiting class! cant wait for the first game! Now I could be missing some transfers I really dont know. This is everything I could find.

[Redwyn]

J’Courtney Williams – LB, 6-2, 225, Christchurch, Va./Christchurch HS
(Signed at 10:02 a.m.)
Four-year letterwinner at Christchurch High School … will be coming to Liberty from El Camino Community College in Torrance, Calif. … helped lead Christchurch to three Old Dominion Football Conference titles … three-time all-conference selection … conference player of the year as a senior … two-time team MVP … as a junior, he was named to the CBS Sportsline and Prepstar Magazine All-America team … including football, he was an 11-time letterwinner at Christchurch High School in four different sports (football/4, basketball 5, baseball/1 and lacrosse/1).
Scout JUCO Profile - 3 star

Rivals HS Profile - 4 star

Scout HS Profile - 5 star (#1 LB in Nation)

Wasn't he thrown out of UVA for shoplifting and credit card theft?

[kuntryboimike]

i heard he got in trouble with the law but anyone can change. im assumin since hes playin for liberty he turned a new leaf either way its a great pick up!!!!!

[Redwyn]

i heard he got in trouble with the law but anyone can change. im assumin since hes playin for liberty he turned a new leaf either way its a great pick up!!!!!

That it is. It looks like Liberty has quite a recruiting class this year. Congrats!

[Knucklehead]

It was a terrific day for LU! I love the great focus on defense, and I expect to see quite a few of those play this year. Also some amazing athletes on both sides of the ball. The future looks bright. Great job by the coaches. Biggest class under Rocco.

[kuntryboimike]

im kinda mad rivals.com hasnt added all the recruits we got.i wanna see where our recruiting class ranked. i think it ranked better than ball state.

[SuperJon]

im kinda mad rivals.com hasnt added all the recruits we got.i wanna see where our recruiting class ranked. i think it ranked better than ball state.

Rivals rarely ever does anything for schools our size. Who really cares how our class is ranked against other schools? It's easy to watch the highlight videos of these kids and see how good they are.

[Sly Fox]

Arguably the strongest high school class Coach Rocco has signed since arriving in Lynchburg. Then again, the proof will be in the pudding 5 years from now when we look back in retrospect.

[Keenan]

Pretty scary that Gabe Henderson, a dual-threat QB out of SC, looks EXACTLY like Mike Brown in his highlight package! Mike Brown was certainly a revelation at LU last season and to get another player with a similar skill set is an amazing catch for Rocco and his staff. Rocco admitted that Henderson was the #1 player on their board. This kid should be the real deal.

[AppAlum2003]

Look... not trying to rain on anyone's parade here. But a lot of those "stars" that you guys are attributing to the recruits are actually just the "user ratings" not the Rivals rating. So, technically Williams is not a "4-star Rivals athlete."

Now, that being said, at our level the only thing we can believe is what we see on the field within the next 4 - 5 years.

[Libertine]

Look... not trying to rain on anyone's parade here. But a lot of those "stars" that you guys are attributing to the recruits are actually just the "user ratings" not the Rivals rating. So, technically Williams is not a "4-star Rivals athlete."

Now, that being said, at our level the only thing we can believe is what we see on the field within the next 4 - 5 years.

Hear, hear. The whole "star rating" system is a joke.

[Sly Fox]

Not arguing a bit about stars. But I do like the production from these guys individually on the field.