JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Feb. 8, 2024) – First-year ETSU football head coach Tre Lamb announced the addition of 15 Buccaneers during Wednesday's February signing period. 
 
Of the 15 players, 11 are on the offensive side of the ball, while 13 are true freshman. The breakdown of positions include five offensive linemen, two running backs, two tight ends, two defensive backs, two defensive linemen, one quarterback and one tight end. Five of the 15 are from Georgia, four from Tennessee, three out of North Carolina, two from Alabama and one from Kentucky,
 
"The last two months have been really special as we signed 49 total guys between the two signing periods," said Lamb. "It was important for us to address the quarterback position first and foremost. We brought four new guys in – two transfers and two high school players. Our big emphasis during this signing period was speed. We wanted to attack that and recruit a lot of guys who can run – you can't teach speed. Length was also big for us in the o-line as we signed six tackles. With the tackle position, it's really hard to find those guys in the portal, so it's important for us to get those tackles and develop them. Those were two biggest positions of need. 
 
"When you look at the 49 total players signed, 29 are transfers and 20 are high school players. We addressed a lot of different positions. I am really proud of our staff, the administration and entire university for the work that has been done during these two recruiting periods." 
 
Below are the bios of today's 15 signees.
 
Derrell Bailey Jr. – 6-6 – 305 – OL Montgomery, Ala. (South Florida) 

• Transfer from South Florida 
• Played in 10 games for USF over the last two seasons 
• Played in 10 games in 2022, making five starts at right tackle 
• Played the 2020 and 2021 seasons at Virginia Tech
• Arrived at Virginia Tech as a defensive lineman before moving to the offensive line
• Played for Greg Ryan at Greenback School in Greenback, Tenn.
• Part of the 2017 team that won the Tennessee Class 1A state title and finished 13-1 overall 
• Part of a squad that went 12-3 during his senior season at Greenback, leading to a Class 1A state runner-up
• Ranked second on the team with 11.5 tackles for loss and produced 63 tackles
• Named Tennessee Region 2-1A Defensive Player of the Year as a junior
• Played basketball at Greenback 

Mason Ball – 6-4 – 253 – DL – Elizabethton, Tenn. (Elizabethton HS) 

• Four-year varsity letterwinner for Shawn Witten at Elizabethton High School 
• Member of the 2020 state championship team 
• Named 4A Defensive Player of the Year 
• Named TNFCA Defensive Player of the Year 
• TSSAA all-state selection 
• Four-year first team all-conference selection 
• Ranked one of the top 100 seniors in the state by USA Today 
• Totaled 38 tackles, two sacks and an interception in his junior season 

Izay Bridges – 5-8 – 160 – WR – Shelby, N.C. (Shelby HS) 

• Played for Mike Wilbanks at Shelby High School

• Led Shelby to the 2021 state championship 
• Totaled 4,175 career receiving yards and 52 total touchdowns 
• Registered over 5,500 all-purpose yards
• Two-time all-state selection  
• Two-time all-conference selection 
• Relatives are former NFL standout Sidney Rice and current Dallas Cowboy Rico Dowdle 

Connor Doeren – 6-5 – 260 – OL – Raleigh, N.C. (Cardinal Gibbons)

• Played offensive line at Cardinal Gibbons
• Member of the Cardinal Gibbons team that won the North Carolina 4A State Championship in 2021 
• Named all-conference in 2023
• Father Dave is the head coach at NC State

Mitchell Dunlap – 6-5 – 265 – OL/LS – Cumming, Ga. (East Forsyth HS)

• Played for Brian Allison at East Forsyth High School 
• Led East Forsyth to the state playoffs his senior season 
• All-state honorable mention as a senior 
• Two-time all-region selection (junior and senior seasons)
• Received the 2022 Forsyth County Service Award 
• Two-time first team all-conference selection (junior and senior seasons)
• Registered over 150 knockdowns 

Jayson Graham – 6-0 – 185 – DB – Jonesborough, Tenn. (Clinton HS)

• Played for Darell Keith at Clinton High School in 2023 
• Named all-region and two-time first team all-conference 
• Recorded 148 tackles and eight interceptions during his career 
• His dad, Jay, played at Tennessee, while he was drafted in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens … Jay played for the Ravens, Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers … He's currently ETSU's special teams coordinator and tight ends coach 

Andrew Hand – 6-1 – 180 – DB – Woodstock, Ga. (River Ridge HS)

• Played for Mike Collins at River Ridge High School 
• Multi-sport athlete as he lettered in football and track & field 
• Named 2023 Special Teams Player of the Year
• Led River Ridge to three playoff appearances, including the Regional 6AAAAAA Championship and Elite 8 in 2020
• First team all-county in 2023
• Honorable mention all-state in 2023
• Earned second team all-defense honors in 2022
• Played in 37 career games at River Ridge where he totaled 104 tackles, 12 interceptions, 53 receptions and 15 touchdowns 
• Starred in special teams where he recorded a kick return for a touchdown and a punt return for a touchdown 
• Won 25 medals in multiple events in track & field 
• Three-time state qualifier in the 4x100m, 4x200m and 4x400m
• 2023 region champion in the 4x200m
• 2021 county and region champion in the 4x100m
• Helped set a school record in the 4x100m, 4x200m and 4x400m

Baylor Hayes – 6-1 – 175 – QB – Brentwood, Tenn. (Brentwood HS)

• Played for Clint Finch at Brentwood High School 
• Named 6-6A Player of the Year 
• Named first team 6-6A
• Led Brentwood to the region championship
• Threw for over 2,100 yards and 30 total touchdowns in his senior season 
• Sister Kai plays soccer at Baylor University 

Jack Hood – 6-6 – 255 – OL – Rabun, Ga. (Rabun County HS)

• Played for Mike Davis at Rabun County High School 
• Multi-sport athlete at Rabun County High School – lettered in football and basketball 
• Two-time all-state selection 
• Named Region 8-A first team all-region in 2023
• Earned Lineman of the Week honors by Blitz Sports Georgia on Aug. 21, 2023 – posted a 90% grade where he helped the Wildcats total 362 yards of offense, including 9.5 yards per carry 
• Averaged 7.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game in basketball – 65 games played 

Devontae Houston – 5-10 – 163 – RB – Roanoke, Ala. (UConn)

• Transfer from UConn
• Played three seasons with the Huskies 
• Had 122 carries for 749 rushing yards and three touchdowns in 23 career games 
• Hauled in 25 catches for 209 yards and one touchdown 
• Rushed for 135 yards at FIU on Oct. 8, 2022
• Played for Tony Whidden at Handley High School

Devin Ingram – 5-8 – RB – Stone Mountain, Ga. (Stephenson HS)

• Played for Marcus Jelks at Stephenson High School 
• Multi-sport athlete at Stephenson High School – lettered in football and baseball 
• Voted 6-4A Player of the Year by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 
• Totaled 2,256 yards and 32 touchdowns in 13 games played in 2023
• 4A leading rusher and second in the state 
• Rushed for over 3,600 yards for his career with 50 touchdowns, while totaling nearly 4,500 all-purpose yards in 29 career games played … Compiled 30 receptions for 271 yards and one touchdown 
• Had 15 carries for 255 yards and three touchdowns, while scoring on a 90-yard kickoff return in a win over Miller Grove on Oct. 12, 2023

Vashawn Nalls – 6-3 – 210 – TE – Oak Ridge, Tenn. (Oak Ridge HS)

• Played for Derek Rang at Oak Ridge High School
• Named second team all-state
• Selected Region Edge Player of the Year as a senior and Region Outside Linebacker of the Year as a junior 
• Nominated for the Knoxville vs. East Tennessee All-Star Game 
• Earned all-region honors as a junior and senior 
• 193 career tackles, 30 tackles for loss, nine sacks, three interceptions and two forced fumbles 
• Totaled 186 receiving yards and four touchdowns as a tight end 
• Cousin is Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins 

Jaden Pierce – 6-3 – 285 – DL – Shelby, N.C. (Shelby HS)

• Played for Mike Wilbanks at Shelby High School
• Multi-sport athlete at Shelby High School – lettered in football and basketball 
• Named 2023 Defensive Player of the Year and first team all-conference 
• Led Shelby to the 2021 state championship 
• Registered 254 tackles, 45 tackles for loss and 11 sacks in 49 career games 
• Totaled 91 tackles (21 solo), 4.5 sacks and one fumble recovery in 2023

Javon Richardson – 5-11 – 160 – WR – Mableton, Ga. (South Cobb HS) 

• Played for Thomas Hanson at South Cobb High School 
• Two-time Offensive Player of the Year and Offensive MVP
• Two-time first team all-region selection 
• Compiled 1,400 rushing yards
• Had 300 receiving yards in one game and another game with 333 passing yards 
• His cousin Kennard Backman was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 2015

Franklin West – 6-3 – 320 – OL – London, Ky. (Corbin HS)

• Played for Tommy Greere at Corbin High School 
• Helped guide Corbin to 43 wins in his four seasons with the Redhounds 
• Named Offensive Lineman of the Year 
• First team all-state selection 
• First team all-district 
• First team all-region

For more information on ETSU football, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the football tab.