The Ouachita Baptist University football program announced Wednesday its second straight big signing class as the Tigers had 27 players sign letters of intent on National Signing Day.
Ouachita, who had 26 players sign during last year’s National Signing Day, had 13 players sign from Texas, 11 from Arkansas and one from North Carolina, Alabama and Oklahoma. The Tigers have 23 players sign from high school and four are transferring from either a four-year school or a junior college.
“First off I want to congratulate our staff for doing an excellent job recruiting,” Ouachita head coach Todd Knight said. “We feel like we got a lot of great prospects. Last season we had 26 sign and this year we set a new personal best. We’ve got a wide-range of talent.”
The Tigers signed seven defensive ends, four defensive backs, four wide receivers, four offensive linemen, three linebackers, two quarterbacks, two running backs and a tight end.
“We are very happy with our varsity players, so we were just filling in holes and adding depth,” Knight said. “Our big emphesis is high school recruiting. We feel like out university helped us with bringing prospects on campus. Dr. (Rex) Horne was excellent, visiting with every prospect we had on campus.”
Ouachita went 7-3 last season, including ending the season on a five-game winning streak.
2009 Signings Listed Below:
NAME—POS.—HT.—WT.— HOMETOWN/PREVIOUS SCHOOL
Devin Ball — DE — 6’3”— 220 — Junction City, Ark./Junction City HS
Dijon Benton— SS— 6’1” —190 — Bryant, Ark./Bryant HS
Jonathan Braune —LB —5’11”—190— Little Rock, Ark./Little Rock Christian
Demarcus Collier—RB—5’11” — 175—Prescott, Ark./Prescott HS
Ja’Darius Dade —DL —6’1” — 250 —Lufkin, Texas/Lufkin HS
Sam Dunnam— DL —6’4” —240 — Palestine, Texas/Westwood HS
Ben English —OL —6’4” —245 — Hot Springs, Ark./Lakeside HS
Drew Gardner —OL — 6’6” — 310— Hoxie, Ark./Vanderbilt
Augustine Ume-Ezeoke— OLB—5’9”— 180 — Garland, Texas/Lakeview Central
Landon Freeman —LB— 5’11”— 220— Midlothian, Texas/Midlothian HS
Sam Henley—OL —6’3” —265 — Springdale, Ark./ S. Harber HS
Josh Langley—QB—6’0” —175 —Benton, Ark./Arkansas Tech
Tony Malfer — TE — 6’1”— 225— Cypress, Texas/Blinn CC
Westley Martin —DL— 6’2” — 250 — Paris, Texas/Paris HS
Daniel McGee—RB — 5’11” —210 — Fort Smith, Ark./Southside HS
Ugo Nkalari —DE — 6’3” — 235 —Rockwall, Texas/Rockwall HS
Alonzo Newton — DE—6’2” — 220 —Waxahachie, Texas/Midlothian HS
EJ Perrin— OL —6’3” — 270—Grandview, Texas/Grandview HS
Koren Pruitt—WR — 5’9” — 170 —Newport, Ark./Newport HS
Brett Reece—WR —6’3” —185 —Houston, Texas/Langham Creek HS
David Robinson — WR —6’3” — 185 —Longview, Texas/Central Arkansas
Justin Rogers — SS —5’9” — 190 —Royse City, Texas/Royse City HS
Troy Shoate — CB — 5’8” —170 —Owasso, Okla./Owasso HS
Garrett Sykes — DL — 6’2” — 250 — Dumas, Ark./Dumas HS
Peyton Tolliver— WR — 6’1” —185—Texarkana, Texas/Texas High
Tyreese Prince —FS — 6’1” —190 —Angier, N.C./Harnett Central
Elliot Wilson— QB —6’2” —185 — Riverside, Ala./Pell City HS
