The Nicholls State football team announced the new Colonel recruits at the National Signing Day ceremonies on Feb. 2.The Colonels received letters of intent from 23 high school players who will join six mid-year signees already on campus.
Colonels head football coach Jay Thomas said he is pleased with this year’s recruiting class.
“I believe this is going to be an outstanding recruiting class,” Thomas said. “Our coaches did an unbelievable job of recruiting this year, and this is a credit to all of the hard work the coaching staff put in throughout the year.”
The mid-year signees include three junior college transfers as well as three Division I-A transfers who will all be eligible to participate in spring drills.
Signing at mid-year were: linebacker Louis Vaughn from East Mississippi Community College, wide receiver Kenley Horton from the University of Toledo, offensive lineman Brent Tosspon from Copiah-Lincoln Community College, defensive back Toney Edison from East Central Community College, defensive back Marcques Lewis from LSU and defensive back Hiram Eugene from Louisiana Tech.
These six transfers will be joined by 23 high school graduates, consisting of three linebackers, two defensive backs, three receivers, five running backs, two quarterbacks, four defensive linemen, three offensive linemen and one tight end.
The linebackers signing with the Colonels are led by Yashua Willis from Assumption, Marvin Smart of Central Catholic and Gerald Singleton from Palestine High School in Texas.
In addition to the three linebackers, the Colonels defense also added four defensive linemen, consisting of defensive ends Matt Fairchild of St. Amant High School and Jarryl Jefferson from St. Augustine in New Orleans and two defensive tackles Tracey Howard of Silsbee High School in Texas and Chase Orgeron from South Lafourche.
Rounding out the defensive side of the ball are two defensive backs-Jordan Ogletree, brother of current Nicholls State safety Joseph Ogletree, from Langham Creek High School in Texas and David Wise of Westside High also in Texas.
In addition to having nine signees on defense, the Colonels reloaded their offense by receiving letters of intent from 14 offensive players.
The most production came from the running backs, as the Colonels announced a total of five new running backs who will wear the red, grey and blue next season.
Leading the signees was Oviemena “Ovie” Esalomi from Gaither High School in Tampa, Fla. Esalomi rushed for 1,156 yards and 10 touchdowns and was named All-County and team MVP last season.
Rounding out the running backs are Courtney James from Bellaire High School in Texas, Dominique Sykes from Franklin High, Chris Daniels from Eisenhower High in Houston and Dwayne Jones from New Iberia Senior High School.
Opening holes for the running backs will be three new offensive linemen-Kyle Vasant of Cy Falls High School in Houston, Nigel Cormier of Lafayette High School and Robert Gilispie of Memorial High School in Port Authur, Texas.
In addition to the five running backs, the Colonels added three wide receivers to their roster.
The receivers signing for the Colonels are Jamal Simmons of Karr High School; Reno Falls of Palatka High School in Palatka, Fla.; and Jairus Jarvis from Ascension Catholic High School.
Two quarterbacks join the Colonels roster with the acquisition of Mark Ford of West Jefferson and Brandon Zachery from Eastbay High School in Tampa.
Rounding out the list of 2005 Colonel football commitments is tight end Brandon Chambers, also of Silsbee High School in Silsbee, Texas.
The Colonels finished last season 5-5 and begin this season on April 4 when spring drills are set to begin. The annual spring scrimmage is set for April 27 at John L. Guidry Stadium with game time to be announced at a later date.
