Cal Poly Announces Early Class of Eight Football Recruits to NLIs
12/21/2022 11:20:00 AM | Football
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- A running back who rushed for 303 yards and seven touchdowns in one game, a safety with 122 career tackles and nearly 2,200 rushing yards and 33 touchdowns, and a cornerback who scored seven touchdowns on defense and special teams are among the eight recruits who have signed the National Letter of Intent to continue their athletic and academic careers at Cal Poly.
Wednesday is the opening day of the National Letter of Intent's Early Signing Period for football. The period for high school student-athletes ends Friday while community college transfers who will enroll midyear have until Jan. 15 to sign during the Midyear JC Transfer Period. The Regular Signing Period for football runs from Feb. 1 through April 1 in Division I.
The Mustang newcomers include two safeties, two cornerbacks, one defensive lineman, one running back, one linebacker and one offensive lineman.
One of the recruits, all of whom are high school seniors, led his prep team to a state championship last week, another powered his team to the state semifinals and several others played in the finals or semifinals of their section playoffs.
The signing announcement was made by first-year Cal Poly head football coach Paul Wulff and Mustang director of athletics Don Oberhelman.
Cal Poly captured the Big Sky championship in its first season in the conference (2012), has claimed five conference titles in the last 18 years, including four in the eight-year existence of the Great West Conference (2004-11), and earned its fourth NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision playoff berth in 2016.
The 2022 Mustangs finished fifth in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision in passing offense, Spencer Brasch broke an all-time school record with 206 completions and moved into the top 10 in the Mustang record book in almost all passing categories, Chris Coleman made 60 catches, the most by a Mustang in 14 years, and Cal Poly's defense notched the most interceptions in nine seasons.
A look at the eight recruits, listed alphabetically:
Wednesday is the opening day of the National Letter of Intent's Early Signing Period for football. The period for high school student-athletes ends Friday while community college transfers who will enroll midyear have until Jan. 15 to sign during the Midyear JC Transfer Period. The Regular Signing Period for football runs from Feb. 1 through April 1 in Division I.
The Mustang newcomers include two safeties, two cornerbacks, one defensive lineman, one running back, one linebacker and one offensive lineman.
One of the recruits, all of whom are high school seniors, led his prep team to a state championship last week, another powered his team to the state semifinals and several others played in the finals or semifinals of their section playoffs.
The signing announcement was made by first-year Cal Poly head football coach Paul Wulff and Mustang director of athletics Don Oberhelman.
Cal Poly captured the Big Sky championship in its first season in the conference (2012), has claimed five conference titles in the last 18 years, including four in the eight-year existence of the Great West Conference (2004-11), and earned its fourth NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision playoff berth in 2016.
The 2022 Mustangs finished fifth in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision in passing offense, Spencer Brasch broke an all-time school record with 206 completions and moved into the top 10 in the Mustang record book in almost all passing categories, Chris Coleman made 60 catches, the most by a Mustang in 14 years, and Cal Poly's defense notched the most interceptions in nine seasons.
A look at the eight recruits, listed alphabetically:
Troy Bean, Safety, 6-4, 198, Temecula, Calif. (Great Oak HS)Bean made 147 tackles and intercepted five passes in two varsity seasons under head coach Scott Strosnider at Great Oak High School in Temecula. His 79 tackles (43 solo), five for lost yardage, two interceptions, six pass breakups and one forced fumble helped the Wolfpack to a 6-5 overall record, first-place finish in the Big West South Division and a berth in the CIF-Southern Section Division 5 playoffs. Bean returned one of his thefts 58 yards for a touchdown against Santiago and his career high for tackles in a game is 13 versus Chaparral. On offense, he made 16 catches for 260 yards and five touchdowns, earning first-team All-Big West South Division honors as a safety. As a junior, Bean notched 68 tackles (38 solo) with two sacks, three interceptions, seven pass breakups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery en route to first-team All-Southwestern League honors on defense. He also was named his team's Defensive Player of the Year. Also recruited by Boise State, Stanford, Air Force, Washington, Wyoming and San Diego State, Bean selected Cal Poly "because of the beautiful campus, great coaching staff, excellent academics as well as a variety of degrees it offers, and a wonderful environment."Head coach Paul Wulff -- "Troy has been on our radar for a year. He's a tall, long, very rangy athlete who can cover a lot of ground and play physically from the safety position. He's still developing and growing into his body. He has tremendous upside to be a wonderful player in this league and for our program. We're anxious to see him in person working with the rest of the guys once he arrives on campus." |
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Delano Franklin, Cornerback, 5-11, 175, Bellflower, Calif. (Bishop Amat HS)Under head coach Steve Hagerty at Bishop Amat High School, Franklin caught 57 passes for 908 yards and 12 touchdowns during his senior season as a wide receiver for the Lancers. On defense, the cornerback made 26 tackles (16 solo), including one for lost yardage, and intercepted three passes. He also averaged 36 yards on 15 kickoff returns and 14 yards on 13 punt returns. The Lancers advanced to the semifinals of the Division 2 playoffs before falling to Sierra Canyon, finishing the year 9-4 overall. Franklin earned offensive player of the year honors in the Mission League after making eight catches versus Chaminade, seven against La Habra and scored three touchdowns versus Damien. As a junior, Franklin made 47 catches for 705 yards and six scores and averaged 25.5 yards on 17 kickoff returns en route to CalHi all-state and first-team All-Mission League and All-Area honors. Franklin also played varsity baseball as a sophomore. He chose Cal Poply over New Mexico, UNLV, Idaho, Idaho State, Sacramento State and Air Force because "Cal Poly was great at showing me how I could fit into their program and also what they would be able to help me with in my athletic development. The academics at Cal Poly are well known to be top of the class and something that is very important to me and my future."Head coach Paul Wulff -- "Delano was a dynamic athlete for Bishop Amat this fall and helped lead that team through an unbelievable regular season and playoff run. We will start him at corner and plan on him to be an early contributor for this program. He has a chance to be here for spring football, which we are very excited about. He's a wonderful young man and brings a tremendous amount of character to this class." |
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Marquise Jones Jr., Defensive Tackle, 6-1, 285, Hanford, Calif. (San Joaquin Memorial HS)Under head coach Anthony Goston at San Joaquin Memorial High School in Fresno, Jones made 60 tackles (40 solo) during his senior season, which included 8.5 sacks and one fumble recovery. The Panthers were 10-3 overall, champions of the County/Metro Athletic Conference and runners-up in the CIF-Central Section Division I playoffs, falling to Liberty 29-13. Jones earned first-team All-CMAC honors and was named CMAC Defensive Lineman of the Year for the second straight year. As a junior, Jones notched 41 tackles (26 solo), including 5.0 sacks. After visiting Nevada, Utah State and Idaho. Jones chose to be a Mustang because of its "tremendous academic program."Head coach Paul Wulff -- "Marquise is very physical, plays with great pad level and will be a hard man to move in the middle of the defensive line. He is an excellent student who brings a tremendous amount of maturity to the football team. We're really looking forward to watching this young man develop and grow with his teammates here on campus." |
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Kresean Kizzy, Cornerback, 5-10, 160, Bakersfield, Calif. (Liberty HS)With a touchdown catch of 85 yards, a 96-yard kickoff return and a 48-yard interception return, Kizzy became the first player in state playoff history to score on offense, defense and special teams. He accomplished the feat in the state Division I-A championship game, leading Liberty High School of Bakersfield to a 48-20 win over Pittsburg for the state title. Under head coach Bryan Nixon, Kizzy caught 46 passes for 1,038 yards and 12 touchdowns and, on defense, made 24 tackles (20 solo), intercepted four passes for 85 yards, broke up seven other passes and forced a fumble in his senior season, leading the Patriots to a 13-2 overall mark, first-place finish in the Southwest Yosemite League's River Division and their second straight CIF-Central Section Division I championship. He returned four punts for touchdowns in the regular season -- 56 and 61 yards versus Spanish Springs, 35 yards against Buchanan and 65 yards versus San Joaquin Memorial -- and two interception returns -- 42 yards against Centennial and 48 versus Pittsburg. Kizzy averaged 18.0 yards on 20 punt returns and 32.8 yards on 14 kickoff returns, producing 818 return yards for the season. Kizzy earned first-team All-SWYL honors on defense and was nominated for player of the year awards on offense, defense and special teams. He was ranked No. 20 national for special teams returns. As a junior, Kizzy caught 15 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns and made 19 tackles on defense along with three interceptions, a fumble recovery and three pass breakups. On special teams Kizzy averaged 30.8 yards on kickoff returns and 16.5 yards on punt returns. During his four-year football prep career, Liberty won three valley championships and two state titles, the first in school history. Also visiting San Jose State and Southern Utah, Kizzy chose to be a Mustang because of its "academics, coaches and environment."Head coach Paul Wulff -- "Kizzy is one of the most dynamic players we recruited this year. We've watched him since last year He makes plays on offense, defense and special teams. We're very excited about his ability to be an explosive playmaker for the football program." |
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Aiden Ramos, Running Back, 5-11, 210, Covina, Calif. (Bishop Amat HS)Ramos, who rushed 33 times for 303 yards and a school-record seven touchdowns against Murrieta Valley in the first round of the CIF-Southern Section Division 2 playoffs, finished the year with 971 yards and 23 touchdowns on the ground and 10 catches for 70 yards under head coach Steve Hagerty at Bishop Amat High School. The Lancers advanced to the semifinals of the Division 2 playoffs before falling to Sierra Canyon, finishing the year 9-4 overall. Ramos, who earned second-team All-Mission League and first-team All-Area honors, also recorded 16 tackles on defense. In nine games as a junior, Ramos rushed for 1,009 yards and 19 touchdowns, caught 21 passes for 401 yards and eight scores and made six tackles on defense en route to first-team all-Mission League and All-Area honors. His prep career totals for 22 games include 1,980 yards and 42 touchdowns on 344 carries (5.8 average) and 31 receptions, eight for scores. He produced six 100-yard games on the ground in his career at Bishop Amat, including 177 yards against Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks and 147 yards versus Alemany, scoring four touchdowns in each game. Ramos also gained 179 yards against Serra and 172 yards and four scores versus Notre Dame as a junior. Also recruited by Nevada, Louisville, Army Wests Point, Central Michigan and Bowling Green, Ramos chose Cal Poly because "after my visit, I immediately knew it was the right fit for me. I loved the culture being built at Cal Poly and I'm completely bought into this program. I also love the location and know I will walk out with a very good degree."Head coach Paul Wulff -- "Aiden has been our bell cow for this recruiting class -- the same way he plays the game. He's a physical tough runner who plays with a lot of passion and energy. We feel Aiden can have an immediate impact on our ability to run the ball between the tackles and, of course, break it on the edge as well. We've recruited Aiden for a long time and he has been a top target of ours during that time. We're really excited to have this young man as part of our program. He will be a big part of the future success for Cal Poly Football!" |
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Jayden Smith, Offensive Line, 6-5, 340, Stockton, Calif. (McNair HS)Under head coach Chris Hall, Smith helped McNair High School to four wins in 10 games. Smith has been nominated to play in the Bay Area Cali Classic on Jan. 28 in San Leandro.Head coach Paul Wulff -- "Jayden is a very large young man who has really blossomed over the last six months. His natural strength and size will be a force to be reckoned with. He continues to work very hard. He has shown flashes of some very special things as an offensive lineman. He plays with a mean streak and is powerful by nature. The sky's the limit for this young man." |
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Charles Sullivan, Linebacker, 6-2, 195, El Centro, Calif. (Central Union HS)Under head coach David Pena at Central Union High School, Sullivan rushed for 1,347 yards and 19 touchdowns during his senior season. He also contributed 14 receptions for 241 yards and four scores and, on defense, notched 57 tackles (33 solo), including 7.0 tackles for lost yardage and 2.5 sacks, along with four quarterback hurries, one pass breakup, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble. He was named to the All-Imoerial Valley League first team on both offense and defense and was named league MVP. Central Union was 7-4 overall this fall, Imperial Valley League champion and reached the semifinals of the CIF-San Diego Section Division II playoffs before falling to Ramona. In 10 games as a junior, Sullivan rushed for 830 yards and 14 touchdowns, caught 18 passes for 222 yards and three scores and made 50 tackles (37 solo), four for lost yardage and one sack, along with two more fumble recoveries. He was team MVP and earned first-team all-league honors on offense and defense. His career totals include 325 rushes for 2,158 yards and 33 touchdowns, 32 receptions for 463 yards and seven scores and 122 tackles (74 solo), 11 for lost yardage and 3.5 sacks. Sullivan produced nine career 100-yard games rushing, including 258 yards and three touchdowns in the 2022 season opener against Mt. Carmel, 259 yards and three more scores versus Brawley in the playoffs, and four touchdowns against both Imperial (153 yards) and Southwest El Centro (123 yards). He visited UC Davis, Idaho State, Colgate, Air Force and U. of San Diego before choosing Cal Poly because "I fell in love with the environment and area."Head coach Paul Wulff -- "Charlie played running back and linebacker in high school. We had him in summer camp this past year and we're very impressed with his explosiveness and quickness as an athlete. Charlie will bring an excellent amount of speed and physicality to the linebacker group." |
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DeMel Turner, Safety, 6-1, 175, Lemoore, Calif. (Lemoore HS)Turner caught 66 passes in two varsity seasons under head coach Rich Tuman at Lemoore High School. In 14 games as a senior, Turner made 44 receptions for 1,304 yards and 21 touchdowns as a wide receiver and earned 58 tackles (29 solo) on defense with a pair of fumble recoveries, returning one for a touchdown, and two interceptions. The Tigers finished the 2022 season 12-2 overall, 5-0 for first place in the West Yosemite League for the second year in a row, claimed the CIF-Central Section Division II title with a 62-46 win over Central Valley Christian of Visalia and a spot in the semifinals of the state Division 2-AA Division playoffs, falling to McClymonds of Oakland 49-35. Turner caught five passes for 141 yards and two scores in the state semifinal game, one of four games in which he caught five passes in 2022. Turner earned first-team All-West Yosemite League honors on offense (wide receiver) and the second team on defense (safety). In his junior season, Turner caught 22 passes for 255 yards and three touchdowns on offense and made 16 tackles (nine solo) with two interceptions, returning both for touchdowns -- 70 yards versus Porterville and 83 against Redwood -- along with one pass breakup and one fumble recovery on defense. He was a first-team all-league safety and an honorable mention as a wide receiver. Turner also played varsity basketball, averaging 11.6 points, 4.6 reboundsn 4.0 assists and 3.4 steals per game as a junior a year ago. In addition to Cal Poly, Turner was recruited by Yale, Western Colorado, Sacramento State, Black Hills and Grinell, choosing to be a Mustang "because it already feels like a family, the coaching staff is great and I can see Cal Poly as a place that would help me grow and accomplish my goals."Head coach Paul Wulff -- "DeMel is a very versatile athlete. We plan on having him play safety for us. DeMel can possibly play all five spots in our secondary as he develops in the weight room and adds strength and size. "The sky is the limit for this young man." |
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