JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Dec. 20, 2023) – First-year ETSU football head coach Tre Lamb and his staff announced on Wednesday the signing of 32 players during the December signing class. 
 
"We are very excited to announce this group of Buccaneers," said Lamb. "I want to thank my staff and everyone who helped play a role in the recruiting process, as they all put in a lot of hard work over the last few weeks to solidify this recruiting class. There's a good balance of offensive and defensive players that we expect to come in and make an immediate impact.

"We really want to get competitive quickly with 28-30 mid-year players that we have either worked with or seen compete in college. We still want to sign 8-10 more high school signees this February. 

"Moving forward we will be much more of a high school recruit and development program, but we need to get the numbers right at each position to be competitive now through the portal and junior college. We have a great task ahead of us to merge all the members of the team together culturally in the same direction, and we will do that."
 
Of the 32 signees, 18 are offensive players and 14 play on the defensive side of the ball. Twenty-four of the 32 are transfers. The group of 32 players make up seven different states with 18 coming out of Georgia. Five players are from North Carolina, three from South Carolina, two each from Tennessee and Florida, and one each from California and Louisiana. 
 
Below is a full list of the signees. 
 
TRANSFERS

JaQuan Adams – 6-5 – 290 – OL – Raleigh, N.C. (Gardner-Webb) 

• Played one season at Gardner-Webb where he led the Runnin' Bulldogs to the 2023 Big South/OVC championship 
• Freshman All-American by Phil Steele
• Second Team All-Big South/OVC
• Played one season at Monroe College (N.Y.) 
• Played in six games for the Mustangs in 2022 where he was a preseason junior college All-American selection 
• Attended Sanderson (N.C.) High School where he played for Coach Jeremy Buck 
• First team all-area as a senior from the Raleigh News & Observer 
• An All-Cap 7 Conference selection 

Ty Anderson – 6-1 – 210 – LB – Thomasville, Ga. (Gardner-Webb) 

• Played two seasons at Gardner-Webb where he led the Runnin' Bulldogs to back-to-back conference championships 
• 2022 Big South Defensive Freshman of the Year 
• Totaled 90 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception and two fumble recoveries in 21 games 
• Scored two defensive touchdowns – 45-yard interception return in 2022 at Marshall which led to him earning Big South Freshman of the Week and STATS Perform National Player of the Week Honorable Mention 
• Played for Coach Zach Grage at Thomasville High School in Georgia 
• Rated as a three-star prospect and the nation's No. 24 inside linebacker by Rivals
• Recorded 493 career tackles, 26 sacks and 60 tackles for loss en route to being a two-time finalist for Class 2A State Player of the Year 

Jai Barnes – 6-2 – 300 – DL – Cedartown, Ga. (Gardner-Webb) 

• Played two seasons at Gardner-Webb where he led the Runnin' Bulldogs to back-to-back conference championships 
• Posted 25 tackles, three tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in 16 games with the Runnin' Bulldogs 
• Totaled 22 tackles, three tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and two hurries in 2023
• Attended Cedartown High School (Ga.) where he played for Jamie Abrams
• Registered 73 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks as a senior in 2021
• Named first team Class 4A All-State from RecruitGeorgia.com 
• Named Region 7-4A Defensive Lineman of the Year and Polk Sports Wire Defensive Player of the Year 

Ryan Barrett – 6-1 – 185 – DB – Marietta, Ga. (Gardner-Webb) 

• Member of Gardner-Webb's 2023 conference championship team 
• Did not see any action as a freshman this past season at Gardner-Webb
• Played for Coach Bobby May at Kell (Ga.) High School 
• Two-time all-region selection for the Longhorns
• Totaled 35 tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks and four pass break ups as a senior at Kell … Also forced two fumbles
• Scored three touchdowns on offense for the Longhorns 
• Earned all-area honors from the Marietta Daily Journal in 2022 

Jimmy Bowdry – 5-11 – 185 – DB – Thomasville, Ga. (Gardner-Webb) 

• Played two seasons at Gardner-Webb where he helped lead the Runnin' Bulldogs to back-to-back conference championships 
• Played in all 12 games in 2023 where he recorded 29 tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, one interception and five pass break ups 
• Played in four games his freshman season in 2022 – posting six tackles 
• Teammate of Ty Anderson at Thomasville (Ga.) High School under Coach Zach Grage 
• Earned Class 2A All-State honors by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and RecruitGeorgia.Com 
• Named Region 1-AA Co-Player of the Year 
• Finished with 68 tackles, five interceptions and 19 passes defended in 2021 
• Younger brother Jay Bowdry played safety at Georgia Southern 

Jonathan Burns – 6-4 – 235 – TE – Aiken, S.C. (Gardner-Webb) 

• Transferring from Gardner-Webb where he played from 2021-23 and was part of the back-to-back conference championship teams 
• Played in 10 games in 2023 and posted 23 receptions for 182 yards and one touchdown 
• Nine catches for 62 yards and a touchdown against Elon 
• Played in all 13 games in 2022 where he caught 17 passes for 194 yards and two touchdowns 
• Named Big South Freshman of the Week (Oct. 31)
• Red-shirted the 2021 season 
• Played for Coach Chris Hamilton at South Aiken (S.C.) High School 
• Earned honorable mention Class 4A All-State honors 
• Posted 23 catches for 365 yards and four touchdowns in 2020 and added 27 catches for 406 yards and four catches his junior season  

Cole Doyle – 5-10 – 175 – QB – Glendale, Calif. (Saint Francis) 

• Transferring from Saint Francis where he played the 2022 and 2023 seasons with the Red Flash
• Played in 17 games where he threw for 2,977 yards and 34 touchdowns, while rushing for 579 yards and two touchdowns 
• Named 2022 Northeast Conference Offensive Player of the Year and All-NEC first team 
• 2022 Walter Payton Award Finalist 
• Second Team All-NEC in 2023
• Led the NEC in completion percentage (.575), ranked second in touchdown passes (15) and fourth in passing yards (1,475) in 2023 
• Played one season at College of Canyons where he threw for 1,882 yards and 17 touchdowns in nine games … Rushed for 346 yards and three touchdowns  

Ephraim Floyd – 5-10 – 190 – WR – Vero Beach, Fla. (Gardner-Webb) 

• Played two seasons at Gardner-Webb where he helped lead the Runnin' Bulldogs to back-to-back conference championships 
• Played in 10 games with eight receptions for 112 yards in 2022 and totaled 35 receptions for 407 yards and one touchdown in 2023 
• Led Gardner-Webb in receiving yards and ranked second in receptions in 2023 
• Had two kickoff returns for 32 yards in 2023 
• Rated as one of the nation's top-300 wide receiver prospects coming out of Vero Beach High School 
• Two-star prospect via 247Sports.com 
• Recorded 70 receptions for 1,017 yards and 15 touchdowns his senior season where he was named a finalist for 2021 Florida Class 8A State Offensive Player of the Year 
• Caught 50 passes for 688 yards and seven touchdowns in his junior season 

Justin Franklin – 5-8 – 160 – WR – Douglasville, Ga. (Gardner-Webb) 

• Transferring from Gardner-Webb where he played from 2021-23 and was part of the back-to-back conference championship teams 
• Played in 14 games where he totaled 40 receptions for 633 yards and four touchdowns, while adding four rushes for 45 yards and completed two passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns 
• Played in all 11 games as a freshman and registered 37 receptions for 562 yards and four touchdowns 
• Led the team in receiving yards in 2021 and caught at least one pass in all 11 games 
• Named Big South Freshman of the Week after catching six passes for 72 yards and a touchdown and passing for a 50-yard touchdown at Georgia Southern 
• Had a 76-yard touchdown pass at North Carolina A&T 
• Preseason All-Big South by the coaches and media in 2022
• Suffered season-ending injury in 2022 season opener 
• Played at Douglas County (Ga.) High School under Coach Johnny White 
• Rated a three-star prospect via 247Sports.com, Rivals.com and ESPN.com
• One of the top-75 senior prospects in Georgia 
• Rated the No. 62 prospect nationally in the athlete category by 247Sports.com 
• Named to the 2021 Sports Illustrated All-America Watch List 

Willie Harris – 6-1 -280 – DL – Cochran, Ga. (Gardner-Webb) 

• Transferring from Gardner-Webb where he played from 2021-23 and was part of the back-to-back conference championship teams 
• Played in 31 games totaling 53 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, 13 quarterback hurries, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery at Gardner-Webb
• Played at Bleckley County (Ga.) High School for Coach Von Lassiter
• First team Class 2A All-State selection via Atlanta Journal-Constitution 
• Named Region 3-AA Defensive Player of the Year
• Finished his senior season with 88 tackles, 38.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks  

Dailen Howard – 6-1 – 260 – DL – Athens, Ga. (Georgia Military College) 

• Transferring from Georgia Military College 
• Played in 11 games in 2023 
• Recorded 30 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and six sacks 
• Season-high eight tackles with four tackles for loss and two sacks against Lackawanna College 
• Had sacks in three straight games from Sept. 30-Oct. 21 
• Posted tackles in 10 of his 11 games played, including multiple tackles in seven games 

Nick Hunter – 6-5 – 215 – DL – Atlanta, Ga. (Gardner-Webb)

• Transferring from Gardner-Webb where he played from 2021-23 and was part of the back-to-back conference championship teams 
• Played in 22 games at Gardner-Webb where he registered 28 tackles, four tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, five hurries and one forced fumble 
• Played for Coach Winston Gordon at Hapeville Charter Career (Ga.) Academy 
• First team Class 4A All-State selection by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 
• First team All-Metro selection by Atlanta Journal-Constitution 
• Finished his senior season with 55 tackles, 21 tackles for loss and 12 sacks  

AJ Johnson – 6-3 – 195 – WR – New Orleans, La. (Gardner-Webb)

• Transferring from Gardner-Webb where was on back-to-back conference championship teams with the Runnin' Bulldogs 
• Red-shirted the 2022 season
• Played in nine games in 2023 where he totaled 20 receptions for 284 yards and three touchdowns 
• Averaged 14.2 yards per catch 
• Recorded catches in seven games and had multiple receptions in his last six games of the season 
• Season-high five catches in the playoff game at Mercer and against Bryant 
• Hauled in touchdown catches against Eastern Kentucky, Bryant and Charleston Southern 
• Played his senior season for Coach Adam Ratkevich at Western (Fla.) High School in Davie, Fla. 
• Chosen to play in the Under Armour All-American Game 
• Rated as a four-star prospect and nation's No. 20 wide receiver in the Class of 2022 by Rivals.com 
• Rated as a four-star recruit by ESPN.com and 247Sports.com  

Jaylen King – 6-3 – 210 – QB – Folkston, Ga. (Gardner-Webb) 

• Transferring from Gardner-Webb where he led the Runnin' Bulldogs to the 2023 Big South/OVC conference championship 
• Played in nine games where he completed 107 passes for 1,223 yards and 11 touchdowns
• Rushed for 401 yards and five scores 
• Started the last seven games of the season 
• Had a season-high 108 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns against Bryant 
• Posted a season-high 231 passing yards and 21 completions in the playoff game at Mercer 
• Passed for three touchdowns against Tennessee Tech 
• Played at Charlton County (Ga.) High School for Coach Russ Murray 
• Passed for 2,234 career yards and 17 touchdowns in a run-heavy system 
• Rushed for 551 yards and four touchdowns over three seasons 
• First team all-region selection in 2022 

Will McCraw – 6-4 – 265 – OL – Tiger, Ga. (Gardner-Webb) 

• Played two seasons at Gardner-Webb where he led the Runnin' Bulldogs to back-to-back conference championships 
• Started all 12 games in 2023 
• Played in nine games in 2022
• Made his first collegiate start against No. 16 Mercer in 2022
• Played for Coach Jaybo Shaw at Rabun County (Ga.) High School 
• Two-time all-region selection 
• Preseason Class 2A All-State selection in 2021 

Tyson Moorer – 6-4 – 280 – OL – Charlotte, N.C. (Gardner-Webb) 

• Red-shirted the 2023 season at Gardner-Webb
• Played at Providence Day (N.C.) School for Coach Chad Grier 
• Led Chargers to back-to-back NCISAA Division I State Championships 
• Selected to play in the Carolina Bowl Senior Showcase and Queen City Senior Bowl 
• Led Providence Day to a 12-1 record and an offense that averaged 425.0 yards per game and scored 50-plus points five times
• Providence Day went 8-3 his junior season, including winning the final seven games to capture the state title  

Karim Page – 6-0 – 178 – WR – Dalton, Ga. (Gardner-Webb) 

• Played two seasons at Gardner-Webb where he led the Runnin' Bulldogs to back-to-back conference championships 
• Played in 18 games over the last two season, totaling 55 catches for 581 yards and three touchdowns 
• Led Gardner-Webb with 37 receptions in 2023 
• Set season highs with seven receptions against Elon and Bryant 
• Season-high 72 receiving yards versus Elon 
• Touchdown receptions against UT Martin, Tennessee Tech and Mercer 
• Played at Dalton (Ga.) High School for Coach Kit Carpenter 
• Rated as the No. 7 senior prospect in Northwest Georgia 
• First team all-region 5-AAAAAA selection 
• Earned honorable mention Class 6A All-State honors
• Recorded 53 catches for 832 yards and nine touchdowns his senior season  

Tywan Royal – 6-0 – 180 – DB – Norcross, Ga. (Gardner-Webb)

• Spent the 2023 season at Gardner-Webb where he played in one game 
• Played his senior season at Norcross (Ga.) High School for Coach Keith Maloof 
• First team all-region for 7-7A in 2022 
• Totaled 56 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and two interceptions in 12 games in 2022 … Also broke up 16 passes and blocked a punt 
• Played two seasons at Lanier (Ga.) High School
• Had 36 tackles and broke up eight passes in his junior season … Also had two interceptions and forced two fumbles  

Cam Sims – 6-2 – 185 – DB – Memphis, Tenn. (Mercer) 

• Transferring from Mercer where he spent the last two season with the Bears
• Played in 14 games at Mercer, posting 38 tackles, two interceptions and three pass break ups 
• Played in three games in 2023 where he recorded eight tackles and one tackle for loss 
• Had 30 tackles and two interceptions in 2022 
• Had a 67-yard pick-six at Gardner-Webb in 2022
• Spent three seasons at Georgia State from 2019-21 where he played in 11 games 
• Attended Lausanne Collegiate where he helped guide them to state titles in 2016 and 2017, including 39 straight wins before falling in the 2018 semifinals 
• Three-star recruit from 247Sports.com  

Micah Sumpter – 6-4 – 300 – OL – Knightdale, N.C. (Charlotte) 

• Transferring from Charlotte where he was a freshman in 2023 
• Did not play in any games in 2023
• Attended Knightdale High School where he was a four-year varsity player 
• Three-star recruit via Rivals.com and On3
• Led Knightdale to the 2022 NCHSAA 4A Playoffs 

Gabe Thompson – 6-3 – 310 – OL – Spartanburg, S.C. (Gardner-Webb) 

• Transferring from Gardner-Webb where he played from 2019-23 and led the Runnin' Bulldogs to back-to-back conference titles 
• Two-time all-conference selection 
• Started 25 games the last two seasons
• Started 13 games at center in 2022 where he held GWU rush for 2,323 yards
• Started 12 games this season where the Runnin' Bulldogs averaged 174.1 rushing yards per game in conference play
• Started nine games in 2021 – five at right guard and four at center 
• Started four games at right guard in the spring 2021 season 
• Redshirted the 2019 season
• Played at Dorman (S.C.) High School for Coach Dave Gutshall 
• Second team all-area selection by the Spartanburg Herald-Journal in 2018
• Graded out at 89 percent and registered 38 pancake blocks his senior season … Cleared a path for 3,169 rushing yard and 39 touchdowns in 2018 

Rashad Whitehead – 6-3 – 255 – DL – Atlanta, Ga. (Gardner-Webb)

• Spent the 2023 season at Gardner-Webb where he helped guide the Runnin' Bulldogs to the 2023 Big South/OVC championship 
• Played in all 12 games where he posted 12 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack 
• Also had two pass break ups and two quarterback hurries 
• Spent time at Liberty from 2020-22 where he played in seven games for the Flames 
• Played in five games in 2021 with seven tackles and played in two games in 2020 
• Season-high four tackles against UMass in 2021 and played against Eastern Michigan in the Lending Tree Bowl 
• Graduated from B.E.S.T. Academy in Atlanta 
• Three-star recruit from 247Sports.com 
• Had 151 tackles and 16 sacks as well as posting 45 receptions for 385 yards and seven touchdowns

Seth Williams – 6-4 – 300 – OL – Statesville, N.C. (Appalachian State) 

• Transfer from Appalachian State where he played from 2020-23 
• Played in 13 games for the Mountaineers 
• Saw action in six games in 2023, two games in 2022 and five games in 2021 
• Played at Statesville High School 
• Three-year starter on the offensive line with 150 pancake blocks as Statesville went 30-8 in those three seasons 
• First team all-state selection via NCPreps.com
• Earned all-conference honors as a senior where he led Statesville to a 12-1 record 
• Team captain in 2019 with 62 pancakes 
• Played center and offensive tackle at Statesville 

Jaden Woods – 6-0 – 205 – DB – Decatur, Ga. (Akron) 

• Transfer from Akron where he spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons 
• Played in 12 games in 2022 and four games in 2023 where he totaled 31 tackles and had two pass break ups for the Zips 
• Season-high 10 tackles vs. Central Michigan in 2022
• Prior to Akron, played in 23 games over three seasons at Eastern Kentucky 
• Totaled 53 tackles, two interceptions, six pass break ups at EKU 
• Named Phil Steele third team all-ASUN in 2021 where he started all 11 games with 35 tackles and two interceptions 
• Had 80 tackles, 13 pass break ups and five interceptions in his last two seasons at South Gwinnett High School 
• Team captain at South Gwinnett and was named Gwinnett Scholar-Athlete of the Year

FRESHMEN SIGNEES
 
Jordan "JC" Anderson – 6-3 – 196 – WR – Jacksonville, Fla. (First Coast) 

• Three-star recruit via 247Sports.com 
• Rated top-300 player in the state of Florida 
• Multi-sport sport athlete – lettered in football and basketball 

Jeremiah Curry – 5-11 – 205 – LB – Bluffton, S.C. (Bluffton HS) 

• First-team all-region selection in 2023
• Registered 108 tackles during the regular season his senior season at Bluffton HS
• Selected to play in the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives North/South Bowl

Reece Fountain – 6-0 – 189 – QB – Rome, Ga. (Rome HS)

• Threw for over 11,000 yards and 99 touchdowns for his career
• Went 41-7 as a starter and led Rome to consecutive 11-win seasons as a junior and senior 
• 2023 Region 6-AAAAAA Player of the Year 
• Had 44 passing touchdowns and completed 74 percent of his passes as a senior 
• Led an offense that averaged 47.5 points per game – the fourth-highest mark in school history 
• Named Robbie Hunter MVP following a win over Langston Hughes
• Played in the Georgia Elite Classic three times  

Isaiah Hall – 6-3 – 270 – OL – LaGrange, Ga. (Troup County Comprehensive HS)

• Lettered in football and track and field at Troup County
• Four-year starter for the Troup Tigers 
• Two-time first team all-region selection 
• Named to All-State Academic Team

Taylor McClure – 6-1 – 210 – LB – Hayesville, N.C. (Hayesville High School)

• Multi-sport athlete from Hayesville High School 
• Played linebacker and running back at Hayesville 
• Played football for his dad, Coach Chad McClure 
• Won a state championship in basketball with Hayesville going 28-0
• Broke his dad's school record in the shot put with a mark of 49-6

Travien Watson – 5-11 – 175 – WR – Gainesville, Ga. (Gainesville HS)

• Named Region-8 6A Specialist of the Year
• Led Gainesville to a 12-1 record in 2023
• Led Gainesville to back-to-back Georgia 6A region championships in 2022 and 2023
• Had 688 receiving yards with six receiving touchdowns as a junior 

Braxton Wilson – 6-4 – 275 – DL – Fayetteville, Tenn. (Fayetteville HS)

• Two-sport athlete at Fayetteville High School
• Lettered in football and baseball
• Helped guide the Tigers to the 2020 state championship
• Totaled 65 tackles, 10 sacks, 18 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles his senior season
• Played on four region champion teams at Fayetteville
• The Tigers went 10-0 in the 2022 regular season to capture the Region 5-1A title
• Earned all-state and all-region honors
• Played in the 2022 Tennessee Athletic Coaches Association East-West All-Star Classic  

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