CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – First-year Austin Peay head football coach Scotty Walden has wasted no time on the recruiting trail, as the program announced 19 more signees during the open spring signing period on Wednesday.
Walden and the rest of the team will welcome in 26 new incoming players when summer camp begins, with the addition of seven previous players who signed with the early class in December. The total class features 18 offensive players and eight defensive players, including nine three-star rated recruits, according to 247sports.com.
February 2021 recruiting class
Here are biographical sketches of the February 2021 Austin Peay State University recruiting class:
Jack Baker – OL, 6-2 250, Fairview, Tennessee (Fairview High School)
Played offensive line for Chris Hughes at Fairview High School and was a Tennessee Football Coaches Association All-State 3A Team selection and an All-Region 6-3A selection as a senior.
Iven Dayton – RB, 5-5, 145, Nashville, Tennessee (Pearl-Cohn Magnet High School)
Was a running back for Tony Brunetti, an APSU alumnus, at Pearl-Cohn Magnet High School. Ran for 815 yards on 142 carries, scoring eight touchdowns in senior season at Pearl-Cohn. Also had more than 100 yards in both kick and punt returns, finishing with 1,199 all-purpose yards. Helped Pearl-Cohn reach semifinals of TSSAA Class 3A State Tournament and was named Offensive MVP on the Metro Nashville Public Schools All-City Football Team. Invited to 2021 East-West All-Star Combine. Won 60-meter dash in 2019 AAU Indoor National Championship with time of 7.15 seconds.
Vontavious “Tay” Gayden – WR, 6-3, 184, Mangham, Louisiana (Mangham High School)
Played wide receiver and cornerback for Scott Wilcher at Mangham High School. Caught 27 passes for 793 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior. Also passed for three touchdowns (6-for-9, 143 yards at quarterback) and a rushing touchdown (5 carries, 56 yards) during the season. Was a First Team Class 2A All-State selection by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association and LouisianaSportsline.com and was a First Team All-Northeast Louisiana Small School Football Team honoree. Also competed in track and field at Mangham High School, running in the 400-meter dash and the 4×200 meter relay.
Scotty Walden’s thoughts on Gayden: “Tae is a big time playmaker out of the boot. He’s tall, long, and has great speed that can stretch the defense. I think he has only scratched the surface of how good he will be.”
DeTerias Glover – DL, 6-3, 250, Kingsland, Georgia (Camden County High School)
Played both defensive and offensive line for Bob Sphire at Camden County High School. Posted 46 tackles, seven tackles for loss, three sacks and a pick-six as a senior. Named First Team All-Region 1-7A following senior season. Selected to play in 2018 Georgia Elite Classic. Ranked a 3-star recruit by 247Sports.com.
Scotty Walden’s thoughts on Glover: “Very versatile defensive lineman, he can stand up and put his hand in the ground. Plays well in space with great pass rush ability. Govs fans will love seeing him blitz off the edge and sack the QB for years to come”
Trey Goodman – WR, 6-0, 180, Norcross, Georgia (Norcross High School)
Played wide receiver for Keith Maloof at Norcross High School, leading Blue Devils to Georgia Class 7A state semifinal appearance and 13-1 record. Caught 42 passes for 801 yards and 12 touchdowns in senior season. Named First Team All-Region 7-7A in 2020 after earning second team all-region as a junior. Began prep career as a quarterback before transitioning to wide receiver during junior year.
Scotty Walden’s thoughts on Goodman: “Trey is an extremely smart football player and former quarterback. He is speed guy all the way who can stretch the field vertically and provide a ton of explosive plays for the Red Flash Offense. We’re really excited for Trey as a player and person joining our program.”
Daniel Green – WR, 6-0, 160, Nashville, Tennessee (Lipscomb Academy)
Was a wide receiver and free safety for Trent Dilfer at Lipscomb Academy, helping Mustangs reach 2020 Tennessee Class IIAA State Championship game. Named to 2020 All-Middle Region Second Team by the Tennessee Football Coaches Association. Caught two passes for 15 yards, including a touchdown, in 2020 state championship game. Also competed in track and field, running the 200-meter dash as a junior.
Jackson Griner – LB, 6-2, 210, Columbus, Georgia (Glenwood High School)
Was a multi-role athlete at Glenwood High School, playing quarterback, linebacker, safety, and punter for Glenwood High School, helping Gators reach the 2019 and 2020 AISA Class AAA State Championship. Selected to play in 2020 East-West AISA All-Star game. Won 200-meter dash bronze medal (24.65s) in 2019 AISA High School State Championship.
Scotty Walden’s thoughts on Griner: “Jackson is one of the most versatile players in our class. He has played about every position on the field. This knowledge gives him a ton of understanding of how offenses are trying to attack us and will increase his ability to anticipate things before they happen. On top of that, he can run sideline to sideline. He has a great frame and is long. He will be able to cut loose and disrupt throwing lanes for the opposing team.”
Jevon Jackson – RB, 5-10, 180, Decatur, Alabama (Austin High School)
Was a running back for Jeremy Perkins at Austin High School. Rushed for 1,166 yards and 16 touchdowns on 172 carries as a senior and added 193 receiving yards. Also had two kickoff returns for touchdowns on 13 kick returns. Named a 2020 Alabama Class 7A All-State honoree by the Alabama Sports Writers Association. Ranked a 3-star recruit by 247Sports.com.
Scotty Walden’s thoughts on Jackson: “Jevon is a muscled up, downhill running back. He is a load to tackle with the ability to take it to the house anywhere on the field. We’re really excited about his playmaking ability out of the backfield.”
Neyland Jean – QB, 6-3, 210, Chattanooga, Tennessee (Baylor School)
Played quarterback for Phillip Massey at Baylor School during junior and senior seasons after beginning prep career at Franklin County High School. Named All-East Region First Team by the Tennessee Football Coaches Association in both 2019 and 2020. Ranked a 3-star recruit by 247Sports.com.
Scotty Walden’s thoughts on Jean: “Excited to have a Tennessee quarterback stay home with Neyland. He has great size and durability at 6-3. Extremely strong arm and can push the ball down the field. Neyland moves very well in the pocket while keeping his eyes downfield.”
Chandler Kirton – OL, 6-2, 285, Jacksonville, Florida (Duncan U Fletcher High School)
Was an offensive lineman for Kevin Brown at Duncan U. Fletcher High School. A two-time honorable mention Florida Class 7A All-State pick by FloridaHSFootball.com (2019 and 2020).
Scotty Walden’s thoughts on Kirton: “Chandler is an extremely smart offensive lineman and also a great technician. He’s very physical and does a great job moving his feet on contact. Chandler also is great in space and we are very excited about what he brings to the table up front for us.”
Deandrae McCray – WR, 5-10, 160, Tallahassee, Florida (North Florida Christian School)
Was an all-purpose back for Steve Price at North Florida Christian School. Rushed for 794 yards and 12 touchdowns on 69 carries in 2020, with another 329 yards and five touchdowns courtesy 20 receptions. Also had 298 yards in kickoff returns and two kick returns for touchdowns. Finished prep career with 4,358 all-purpose yards: 1,274 rushing, 1,745 receiving, 1,076 kick return yards, 101 punt return yards and 162 interception return yards. Credited with 46 career touchdowns in 41 career games. Posted 400-plus receiving yards each of his four seasons at North Florida Christian School. A Tallahassee Democrat Second Team All-Big Bend selection. Ranked a 3-star recruit by 247Sports.com and was the second-highest rated recruit in APSU history as provided by 247Sports.com. Also competed in track and field and basketball at North Florida Christian. Ran both the 100 and 200-meter dash, the 110-meter hurdles, and was a member of the 4×100 and 4×400 meter relay teams. Qualified for the 2019 FHSAA State Track & Field Championships in the 110-meter hurdles. Currently averaging 9.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 3.1 steals per game for NFCS basketball team.
Scotty Walden’s thoughts on McCray: “Deandrae is the second-highest rated signee in Austin Peay history. He is an extremely fast and will be able to stretch the field for the Red Flash offense and provide a ton of excitement for our program.”
Kobe Nash – OL, 6-3, 320, New Market, Alabama (Buckhorn High School)
Was an offensive lineman for Keith Henderson at Buckhorn High School. Ranked a 3-star recruit by 247Sports.com.
Scotty Walden’s Thoughts on Nash: “I recruited Kobe at Southern Miss, and he held multiple FBS offers early on. He’s squatted over 600 pounds in the weight room. Kobe extremely strong at the point of attack and finishes blocks. We’re really excited about what he brings physically to our offensive line.”
Anietie Ntekop – OL, 6-4, 265, Roswell, Georgia (Roswell High School)
Played offensive tackle and defensive line at Roswell High for coach Chris Prewett. A Georgia High School Association 4-7A second team All-Region selection in 2019 and a 5-7A second team All-Region selection in 2020.
Scotty Walden’s Thoughts on Ntekop: “Anietie is a very athletic offensive lineman and will be a very good player for us. He has a great frame and finishes his blocks with violence at the point of attack. Our future is very bright up front with Anietie.”
Denver Parker – S, 5-10, 180, Bridgeton, Missouri (De Smet Jesuit High School)
Played safety at DeSmet Jesuit High School, helping Spartans reach the Missouri Class 6 State Championship game in 2019 and 2020, winning the 2019 championship in an undefeated season. Recorded 37 tackles and an interception in 2020 senior season and earned Missouri Football Coaches Association Class 6. All-District 2 recognition and Metro Catholic League all-conference honors. Posted 40 tackles and a fumble recovery as a junior in 2019. In 2019 Class 6 state championship game led DeSmet Jesuit with nine tackles (eight solo). Began prep career at Westminster Christian Academy, where he was a running back and safety. Posted a 124-yard outing on 27 carries against St. Mary’s High School to open the 2018 season. Was a Metro Catholic League all-conference selection as a defensive back in 2017 after posting 71 tackles and two tackles for loss. Also had 144 kickoff return yards on 10 attempts and 219 rushing yards on 34 carries. Participated in track and field as a freshman and was a member of Westminster Christian record-setting 4×100 relay team and also competed in the 100-meter dash and long jump.
Scotty Walden’s thoughts on Parker: “Denver is an outstanding downhill safety. He is a winner who comes from a winning program at DeSmet. His game will translate well to our defensive system, as he is a violent downhill player. We are excited about Denver’s upside and ability to help us build a dominant back end to our defense.”
Tyree Pharr – DL, 6-1, 250, Theodore, Alabama (Theodore High School)
Played all across the defensive line for coach Eric Collier at Theodore High School. Was named to the 2020 All-Coastal Alabama Football Team second team defense. Recorded nine tackles, a tackle for loss, and forced a fumble against Davidson HS to receive a Schutt Sports 7A “Player of the Week” Nomination for the week of Oct. 2, 2020.
Scotty Walden’s thoughts on Pharr: “Tyree has been committed for a long time and we are beyond excited that he’s a Governor. He plays with an extremely high motor and plays and an edge. Tyree will be one of the most disruptive defensive lineman in the OVC for years to come.”
Joshua Randolph – LB, 6-0, 215, Montgomery, Alabama (Park Crossing High School)
An inside linebacker that prepped under coach Lawrence Cole at Park Crossing High School. A three-star recruit and the No. 58 inside linebacker in the country according to 247sports.com. Represented the state of Alabama at the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star game at the Historic Cramton Bowl, Dec. 12, recording two tackles and a sack in the contest. Recorded 105 tackles in just seven games during his senior season.
Scotty Walden’s thoughts on Rudolph: “Joshua is our kind of guy. He’s fearless, fast, and physical and will represent our brand at a high level. Joshua runs sideline to sideline, loves to work, and loves to hit. He will be a fun one to watch in our Black Reign defense.”
Tre Shackelford – WR, 5-11, 170, Decatur, Alabama (Austin High School)
Played wide receiver for coach Jeremy Perkins at Austin High School. A three-star recruit according to 247sports.com. Hauled in 55 passes for 1,112 yards – both Austin HS records – and 13 touchdowns. Posted 163 receiving yards, 3 receiving touchdowns, and a rushing touchdown to lead Austin to a 40-7 win over Huntsville, Oct. 10, 2020. A first-team offensive selection for the 2020 All-Huntsville Region football team. Ran for a pair of touchdowns and returned punts on his way to being named an Alabama Sports Writers Association Class 7A. First-Team All-State selection as an athlete. Competed in the 100 meters, 200 meters, and 4×100 meter relay in track & field.
Scotty Walden’s thoughts on Shackelford: “Probably the best hands of any receiver we’ve seen in this class. I recruited him at Southern Miss; he can stretch the field and catch the football in a multitude of ways. Big time playmaker from north Alabama that we can throw the ball up to.”
Brennan Smith – OL, 6-4, 280, Pensacola, Florida (Escambia High School)
An offensive guard at Escambia High School, prepped under coach Mike Bennett. Was named to the first team offense of the 2019 Florida Class 6A All-State Football Teams compiled by FloridaHSFotball.com. Listed by MaxPreps.com as one of the Top 100 Under the Radar high school football players for the 2020 season. A two-time Pensacola All-Area selection by the Pensacola News Journal, he helped lead Escambia to back-to-back undefeated regular seasons in 2019 and 2020. Also plays center on the basketball team for Escambia.
Scotty Walden’s thoughts on Smith: “Brennan is the definition of nasty. He comes off the ball with violence and finishes his blocks. Brennan is a true, old-school offensive lineman who will pave the way for the Red Flash Offense.”
Kellen Stewart – WR, 5-11, 180, Rosenberg, Texas (B F Terry High School)
Prepped as a quarterback under coach Cornelius Anthony at B.F. Terry High School. Racked up 2,239 all-purpose yards – 1,360 rushing and 879 passing – and 27 total touchdowns – 17 rushing and 10 passing – in 2020. Was named the Texas District 10-5A DI MVP by the coaches in the district. Averaged 9.6 yards per carry and posted four 200-yard rushing performances in his senior campaign. Competed in the triple jump, 4×100 meter relay, 4×200 meter relay, and 200 meters in track & field.
Scotty Walden’s thoughts on Stewart: “Kellen is a big time playmaker out of the Lone Star State. He’s an extremely smart player that played quarterback, was District MVP in one of the toughest districts in Texas. Lighting quick speed and can take it to the house from anywhere.”
Brody Swafford – WR, 5-10, 170, Cleveland, Tennessee (Walker Valley High School)
A wide receiver and free safety at Walker Valley High School under coach Drew Akins. Named to the Tennessee Sports Writers Association Class 5A All-State offense. Competed in the 100 meters, 200 meters, 4×100 relay, and the long jump in track and field.
Kameron Thomas – WR, 5-9, 165, Birmingham, Alabama (Ramsay High School)
Prepped as a wide receiver and cornerback under coach Rueben Nelson at Ramsay High Schoool, where he helped lead the Rams to a 5 A Region 5 title in 2020. Played on the North All-Star team in the 62nd Alabama High School Athletic Association North-South All-Star Football game. Was an honorable mention at wide receiver for the 2020 Birmingham All-Region team. Competed in the 60 meters and 400 meters in indoor track & field and the 100 meters and 400 meters in outdoor track & field; ran a 10.6 in the 100 meters.
Scotty Walden’s thoughts on Thomas: “Kameron is a speedy receiver that can play all over the field. He’s extremely versatile and is a guy we plan on getting the ball to in space and letting him utilize his athletic ability.”
Jaheim Ward – DB, 6-2, 185, Moultrie, Georgia (Colquitt County High School)
A defensive back from Colquitt County High School, played for coach Justin Rogers. Was a two-star recruit according to Rivals.com. Was named to the Georgia High School Association 1-7A All-Region team. Had a 70-yard interception return for a touchdown to help Colquitt County beat nationally-ranked Lowndes, 40-10, and earn the Region 1-7A championship on Nov. 4, 2020. Competed in the 200 meters, 4×400 relay, and the high jump in track & field. His brother, Jay, is a sophomore defensive back at LSU
Scotty Walden’s thoughts on Ward: “Jaheim comes from a winning program. He’s a long, active, and versatile defensive back who is a ball hawk with wide receiver ball skills. In addition, he has a phenomenal personality – truly our kind of guy.”
Alexander Whitmore – DL, 6-2, 260, Memphis, Tennessee (Whitehaven High School / Memphis Nighthawks)
Prepped as a defensive lineman and fullback at Whitehaven High School, before joining the Memphis Nighthawks – a homeschool football team – this past fall when Shelby County postponed fall sports. Was part of Memphis Nighthawks teams that won the 2020 National Homeschool Football Association Division II Championship. Named to 2020 NHFA All-Star Award honorable mention team.
Scotty Walden’s thoughts on Whitmore: “Alexander is a Tennessee kid, with an extremely high motor. He plays the game the way it should be played, runs to the football and hits with violence. Alexander will be a versatile and productive player in the Black Reign Defense.”
Harrison Wilkes – OL, 6-3, 290, Germantown, Tennessee (Houston High School)
Played on both the offensive line and defensive line at Houston High School, helping Mustangs reach Tennessee Class 6A state semifinals in 2019 and claim back-to-back Region 7 championships (2018-19). Was a First Team All-Region 7-6A selection as both an offensive and defensive lineman in 2020. Ranked as #17 offensive lineman in Tennessee by GridironScounting.com
Scotty Walden’s thoughts on Wilkes: “Harrison is a Tennessee product that we feel can come in and be a quality offensive lineman for us. He is flat out nasty on the field. We love the way he finishes blocks and creates a new line of scrimmage. His size as a freshman will help him early. Combine that with his work ethic in the weight room, and Harrison has a ton of potential to be a dominant offensive lineman for us year in and year out.
Brodie Williams – DB, 5-11, 175, Jonesboro, Arkansas (Jonesboro High School)
Prepped as a defensive back and kick returner for coach Randy Coleman at Jonesboro High School. A three-star recruit according to 247sports.com. Was named a Northeast Arkansas All-Star and an All-Conference selection in 2020. Also played basketball at Jonesboro HS and competed in track & field.
Scotty Walden’s thoughts on Williams: “Brodie is a very versatile defensive back who can play all over the field. He has a unique combination of athleticism and physicality at defensive back. Brodie can run and hit, but still has great cover skills. He will be a lockdown player for us in the Black Reign Defense”
Christian Wingfield – OL, 6-8, 265, Atlanta, Georgia (Hapeville Charter Academy)
Was an offensive lineman and defensive tackle for Winston Gordon at Hapeville Charter Career Academy. Was named to the 2019-20 Georgia 6-AA All-Region first-team offense by the league’s coaches. The Georgia Athletic Coaches Association named him to the Class AA Regions 5-8 North offensive team. A three-star recruit according to 247sports.com. Was also a forward for the Hornets on the basketball court.
Scotty Walden’s thoughts on Wingfield: “Christian Wingfield has phenomenal size at 6-7. He is extremely long and athletic, with great feet from his basketball background. Christian’s best days are ahead of him, he will be extremely productive in his career at Austin Peay.”