Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Blue Raiders Ink 2004 Football Signing Class
2/4/2004 3:15:00 PM | Football
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee Head Coach Andy McCollum signed 36 players to scholarship agreements on Wednesday. The 2004 class marks the sixth under McCollum and the I-A era.
· Audio: Signing Day Press Conference
Once again, Georgia was the dominant state as 10 players hail from the Peach state. The Blue Raiders also signed a record nine from the state of Florida, while seven inked from Alabama, and six from Tennessee. Middle Tennessee also had signees from Arizona, Missouri and South Carolina.
McCollum and his assistants inked a total of 27 high school athletes, eight junior college players and one transfer. There are 25 players who earned all-state honors, 10 who were tabbed players of the year, and 13 were invited to their respective state's all-star game.
Class Notes:
DL Brandon Nix was the first player to ever sign a National Letter of Intent from Coosa Valley Academy (the entire school met in the gymnasium early this morning to witness the signing) ... WR Brian Fitzgerald set a Florida high school record with 10 catches for 356 yards in a game against Manor High School. The yardage also ranked as the sixth most nationally ever recorded in a prep game according to USA Today ... DL Chris Anderson was the Florida Times-Union's No. 1 rated defensive tackle in the state of Florida ... WR Lee Baker was the Alabama Offensive Player of the Year as a junior and senior at Daphne High School ... TE Stephen Chicola was a three-star recruit by Rivals.com during the recruiting process then he was dropped to a two-star once committing to Middle Tennessee ... QB Joe Craddock was the MVP of the state championship game this past year ... RB/DB Carlos Dixon won the 5A state title at Floyd Stadium ... WR Taron Henry earned a three-star rating by Rivals.com ... LB Tavares Jones was listed in a recent article as one of his "Areas Scariest Defenders" ... Damon Nickson was voted his district's Most Valuable Player by the Florida Coaches Association ... WR Cleannord Saintil was rated the 14th-best receiver in the junior college ranks ... The Blue Raiders signed nine players who are expected to play in the secondary and 14 who will see action either on the offensive or defensive line.
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| Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | Hometown (Prev. School) |
| Chris Anderson | DL | 6-3 | 295 | Fr. | Jacksonville, FL (Hargrave Military) |
| · Originally signed with Florida State | |||||
| Lee Baker | WR | 5-7 | 185 | Jr. | Daphne, AL (Coffeyville CC) |
| · Rushed for 1,480 yards and 11 touchdowns ... Over Ala., IL | |||||
| Cade Becher | OL | 6-3 | 300 | Jr. | Peoria, AZ (Scottsdale (AZ) CC) |
| · Second team all-conference | |||||
| Richard Bortner | OL | 6-6 | 305 | Fr. | Crestview, FL (Crestview HS) |
| · Two-time all-area selection ... Over Kentucky | |||||
| Raymond Chaney III | DL | 6-2 | 280 | Jr. | Mobile, AL (New Mexico Military) |
| · Second team all-WSFL | |||||
| Stephen Chicola II | TE | 6-5 | 235 | Fr. | Jacksonville, FL (The Bolles School) |
| · Listed one of preseason top 25 TE in nation ... Over UCF, Fla. | |||||
| Lonnie Clemons III | LB/S | 6-2 | 205 | Fr. | Milledgeville, GA (Baldwin HS) |
| · Voted 70th best prospect in state of Georgia by TheInsiders | |||||
| Joe Craddock IV | QB | 5-11 | 180 | Fr. | Birmingham, AL (Briarwood Christian) |
| · Passed for 6,677 career yards and rushed for 2,000 | |||||
| Carlos Dixon | RB/DB | 6-0 | 195 | Fr. | Germantown, TN (Germantown HS) |
| · Led Germantown to 5A state title in 2003 | |||||
| Franklin Dunbar | OL | 6-5 | 318 | Fr. | Waycross, GA (Ware County HS) |
| · A Georgia Class 4A All-State selection | |||||
| Brian Fitzgerald | WR | 6-0 | 185 | Fr. | Bonita Springs, FL (Estero HS) |
| · Set school record with 1,030 receiving yards in 2003 | |||||
| Anthony Glover | DB | 6-2 | 205 | Fr. | Decatur, GA (McNair HS) |
| · Had 65 tackles and 10 pass breakups in 2003 | |||||
| DeMarcus Green | DB | 5-10 | 185 | Jr. | Glendale, AZ (Glendale CC) |
| · Started every game as a sophomore ... Over ECU, Temple | |||||
| Taron Henry | WR | 6-2 | 187 | r-Fr. | Murfreesboro, TN (Riverdale HS) |
| · First team all-state ... Earned 3 star rating by Rivals.com | |||||
| Darrell Howard | OL/DL | 6-6 | 260 | Fr. | Covington, GA (Eastside HS) |
| · Golden Helmet Award winner (athletics & academics) | |||||
| Aaron Hudson | WR | 6-2 | 175 | Fr. | Hoover, AL (Hoover HS) |
| · Team went 14-1 and won state title ... Hudson had 25 rec. | |||||
| Tavares Jones | LB | 6-3 | 225 | Fr. | Swainsboro, GA (Swainsboro HS) |
| · Georgia Class 3A All-State ... Over South Carolina | |||||
| Ralph King | DB | 5-10 | 180 | r-So. | Murfreesboro, TN (Riverdale HS) |
| · Had back-to-back 2,000-yard rushing seasons | |||||
| Boston McCornell | LB | 6-1 | 225 | Fr. | Macon, GA (Northeast HS) |
| · Voted 35th best prospect in Georgia by TheInsiders | |||||
| DeMarco McNair | DB | 6-0 | 180 | r-Fr. | Thomson, GA (Thomson HS) |
| · Georgia 4A Player of the Year in 2002 | |||||
| Damon Nickson | S | 6-0 | 180 | Fr. | Milton, FL (Milton HS) |
| · 3rd team all-state ... District I MVP | |||||
| Brandon Nix | DL | 6-4 | 285 | Fr. | Talladega, AL (Coosa Valley Acad.) |
| · Two-time first team all-state selection ... Verbally committed to MSU | |||||
| Philip Nola | OL | 6-4 | 270 | Fr. | Hoover, AL (Spain Park HS) |
| · Honorable mention al-state | |||||
| Antoine Owens | LB | 6-2 | 215 | r-Fr. | Antioch, TN (Ezell Harding HS) |
| · Mr. Football Lineman of the Year finalist in 2002 | |||||
| Roy Polite | DB | 6-1 | 190 | Fr. | Jacksonville, FL (Fletcher Sr. HS) |
| · Earned all-American, all-state, all-district & all-conference honors | |||||
| Jonathan Presley | DL | 6-3 | 238 | Fr. | Jacksonville, FL (Forrest HS) |
| · Owns schools career sack record with 17 ... Over UCF, L'ville | |||||
| Keon Raymond | DB | 5-11 | 190 | Jr. | St. Louis, MO (Highland CC) |
| · Second team all-KJCCC | |||||
| Chris Ritter | OL | 6-3 | 305 | Fr. | Shalimar, FL (Choctawhatchee, HS) |
| · Earned all-state honors in 2003 | |||||
| Bradley Robinson | WR | 5-9 | 165 | r-Fr. | Duncan, SC (James F. Byrnes HS) |
| · Spartanburg Herald-Journal Offensive Player of Year in 2002 | |||||
| Cleannord Saintil | WR | 5-11 | 185 | Jr. | Naples, FL (Highland CC) |
| · Rated 14th best JUCO receiver in the country | |||||
| Brian Smith | OL | 6-5 | 320 | Jr. | Mobile, AL (Holmes CC) |
| · Picked MT over ECU, Louisiana Tech and UAB | |||||
| Quinton Staton | DL/OL | 6-3 | 280 | Jr. | Chattanooga, TN (East Tennessee State) |
| · Second team all-Southern Conference | |||||
| John Marc Stephens | DE/TE | 6-4 | 245 | Fr. | Murfreesboro, TN (Blackman HS) |
| · An all-region 4-5A selection | |||||
| Erik Walden | DE | 6-3 | 225 | r-Fr. | Dublin, GA (Dublin HS) |
| · First team all-state by the Associated Press | |||||
| Tommie Weatherspoon | LB | 6-2 | 240 | Fr. | Jesup, GA (Wayne County HS) |
| · Two-time all-region 3-AAAAA | |||||
| Jeremiah Weaver | FS | 5-11 | 180 | Jr. | Ashburn, GA (New Mexico Military) |
| · Led team in tackles and interceptions | |||||
Players Mentioned
