By Alex Boggis, UT Martin Assistant Sports Information Director
MARTIN, Tenn. – Fresh off an Ohio Valley Conference regular season title and a run in the NCAA Division I Playoffs, the University of Tennessee at Martin football team continued to restock a talent-rich program with a loaded 2022 recruiting class.
The Skyhawks have announced the 16 commitments of Jackson Abel, Malik Baker, Austin Bray, Joel Castleberry, Riley Cleary, Branson Conner, Bryce Dailey, Levi Evans, Marcus James, Deandre Kelly, David Moultry, Ed Osley, Nasir Pearce, LaMarion Pierce, Myles Saulsberry and Garrett Smith in addition to the team’s previous early signees and mid-year enrollees.
“Coming off a championship season and a deep playoff run, we had a late start to the recruiting season but still produced a class that we are really proud of,” UT Martin head coach Jason Simpson. “We were able to solidify our depth on the offensive line, keep kids from Tennessee home and beef up our defense by getting some quality kids that will keep us competitive not only within our conference but nationally.”
Combining both the early and regular signing periods, the Skyhawks received commitments from 32 players including six offensive linemen, six defensive backs, five wide receivers, four defensive linemen, three running backs, three tight ends, three linebackers, one quarterback and a specialist.
2022 UT Martin Football Recruiting Class
(listed alphabetically by last name)
Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Class Hometown (Previous School)
Jackson Abel K 5-7 210 Fr. Martin, Tenn. (Westview HS)
Kaleb Almo** DB 6-0 190 Fr. Memphis, Tenn. (PURE Youth Athletics Alliance)
Malik Baker WR 5-11 190 Fr. Baltimore, Md. (St. Frances Academy)
Andre Brackett* DB 5-11 190 Gr. East Windsor, Conn. (Bryant)
Austin Bray TE 6-6 230 Fr. Venice, Fla. (Venice HS)
Cornelious Brown* QB 6-5 200 R-So. Birmingham, Ala. (Georgia State)
Micheal Campbell* LB 6-1 210 Jr. Horn Lake, Miss. (Northwest Mississippi CC)
Drake Carroll* OL 6-2 305 Jr. Alexandria, La. (East Central CC)
Joel Castleberry DB 6-1 180 Fr. Cleveland, Ohio (St. Edward HS)
Riley Cleary OL 6-5 275 Fr. Venice, Fla. (Venice HS)
Branson Conner OL 6-7 310 Fr. Memphis, Tenn. (Whitehaven HS)
Bryce Dailey LB 6-4 245 Fr. Memphis, Tenn. (Christian Brothers HS)
Tait Deer* DL 6-2 280 So. McComb, Miss. (East Mississippi CC)
Levi Evans LB 6-3 220 Fr. Kingsport, Tenn. (Dobyns-Bennett HS)
Khalik Ganaway** RB 5-8 175 Fr. Trenton, Tenn. (Peabody HS)
Tyler Gore* DB 5-10 175 Jr. Little River, SC (Georgia State)
Marcus James OL 6-5 305 Fr. Memphis, Tenn. (Germantown HS)
Deandre Kelly RB 6-1 195 Fr. South Pittsburg, Tenn. (South Pittsburg HS)
David Moultry WR 6-1 190 Fr. Alabaster, Ala. (Thompson HS)
Ed Osley RB 6-0 200 Fr. Birmingham, Ala. (Clay-Chalkville HS)
Nasir Pearce DL 6-5 350 Fr. Baltimore, Md. (St. Frances Academy)
Charles Perkins DL 6-4 255 Fr. Memphis, Tenn. (Memphis Aca. of Health Sciences)
LaMarion Pierce DB 6-0 175 Fr. Lewisburg, Tenn. (Marshall County HS)
George Qualls, Jr.* WR 6-2 185 Jr. Caruthersville, Mo. (Akron)
Myles Saulsberry DL 6-2 285 Fr. Memphis, Tenn. (Lausanne Collegiate HS)
Tahj Shabazz TE 6-3 220 Fr. Germantown, Tenn. (Germantown HS)
Micah Simpson WR 6-0 180 Fr. Morristown, Tenn. (Morristown East HS)
Ajay Smith* WR 6-4 190 Jr. Detroit, Mich. (Independence CC)
Garrett Smith OL 6-3 285 Fr. Portland, Tenn. (Portland HS)
Logan Swartz* OL 6-6 300 R-So. Rock Island, Ill. (Iowa Western CC)
Blake Vaughan* TE 6-6 240 So. Fenton, Mo. (Iowa Western CC)
Ty Woods* DB 5-10 175 Gr. Birmingham, Ala. (Delta State)
*Denotes mid-year enrollees
Jackson Abel, K, 5-7, 210, Fr., Martin, Tenn. (Westview HS)
Joins the Skyhawks from Westview High School where he played for head coach Jarod Neal…Owned one of the best legs in the state of Tennessee while helping the Chargers go 15-1 in 2021, winning a Class 2A state championship…Named 2021 Region 2A Kicker of the Year…Earned three Region 2A Punter of the Year honors… Made three field goals in 2021, converting 75-of-82 extra-point attempts…Also recorded touchbacks on 30 of his kickoff attempts…Punted 25 times for an average of 41.6 yards per punt and five touchbacks while placing five inside the 20 with a long of 60 yards…Tabbed to Jackson Sun All West Tennessee Team…Named to TSWA 2A All-State team…Trained by noted kicking guru James Wilhoit, who left the University of Tennessee as the program’s second all-time leading scorer in 2006.
Kaleb Almo, DB, 6-0, 190, Fr., Memphis, Tenn. (PURE Youth Athletics Alliance)
Joins the Skyhawks from PURE Youth Athletics Alliance where he played for head coach Melvin Cole…During his senior year he tallied 55 tackles along with eight tackles for loss…Recorded three interceptions while tallying eight pass breakups…Forced a pair of fumbles while recovering another…Began his prep career at Kirby High School.
Malik Baker, WR, 5-11, 190, Fr., Baltimore, Md. (St. Frances Academy)
Joins the Skyhawks from St. Frances Academy where he played for head coach Messay Hailemariam…Helped his team to an 8-1 record and a No. 4 ranking in the nation…Tallied seven receptions for 138 yards and two touchdowns against De La Salle…Was part of a Panther squad that played a stout schedule against some of the nation’s top programs in 2021, snapping defending national champion IMG Academy’s 19-game winning streak…Previously played at Oxon Hill High School…Tallied 47 receptions for 1,104 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior…Averaged 100.4 yards per game…Returned a 75-yard punt for a touchdown…Best game came against Suitland with eight receptions for 191 yards and two touchdowns.
Andre Brackett, DB, 5-11, 190, Gr., East Windsor, Conn. (Bryant)
Joins the Skyhawks from Bryant where he played for head coach Chris Merritt…Played parts of five seasons with the Bulldogs, tallying 141 total tackles, five interceptions, 19 pass breakups and three forced fumbles in 40 games…Returned 19 kicks for an average of 29.5 yards per return, including one touchdown of 95 yards…Played in four games in 2021, tallying 13 tackles and three pass breakups in limited action…Tabbed to 2021 All-NEC Preseason team as both a defensive back and return specialist…Named to Phil Steele Preseason All-NEC first team defense…Named to Phil Steele Preseason All-NEC first team kick returner/all-purpose and third team punt returner…Tallied nine tackles while averaging 40.0 yards per kick return in an abbreviated 2020-21 campaign…Named to 2020-21 All-NEC first team as a defensive back and return specialist…Played and started in all 12 games while notching 56 tackles during 2019 season while recording three interceptions and six pass breakups…Appeared and started in all 11 games in 2018, finishing with 39 tackles and seven pass breakups…Named to Phil Steele All-NEC third team…Recorded 24 tackles and two interceptions as a true freshman in 2017…Named the NEC Defensive Rookie of the Year, just the second in Bryant history…Prepped at East Catholic where he was named NEPSAC All-New England and first team all-conference…Broke school single-season records for all-purpose yards, rushing yards (1,501) and touchdowns (16)…Rushed for 1,240 yards and 23 touchdowns as a senior.
Austin Bray, TE, 6-6, 230, Fr., Venice, Fla. (Venice HS)
Joins the Skyhawks from Venice High School where he played for head coach John Peacock…Helped the Indians to a 14-1 record and a 2021 Florida 8A state championship…Tallied 14 receptions for 186 yards and one touchdown…Averaged 12.4 yards per reception…Previously played at Glenwood High School…Recovered a pair of fumbles.
Cornelious Brown, QB, 6-5, 200, R-So., Birmingham, Ala. (Georgia State) *
Joins the Skyhawks from Georgia State where he played for head coach Shawn Elliott…Spent parts of three seasons with the Panthers where he threw for 2,489 yards and accounted for 26 total touchdowns – including 17 passing and nine rushing…Posted an impressive 2020 campaign in which he was named MVP of the 2020 LendingTree Bowl while finishing second in the Sun Belt in passing (227.8 ypg), total offense (257.9 ypg) and points responsible for (14.6 ppg)…Named to the 2020 FWAA Freshman All-American Watch List…Totaled 24 touchdowns (17 passing and seven rushing) while his seven rushing touchdowns ranked as the most ever by a Georgia State freshman…Completed 178 of 304 passes for 2,278 yards while tallying 301 rushing yards for 2,579 yards of total offense…Directed a GSU offense that set a school record by averaging 33.3 points per game while ranking second in program history with 194.0 rushing yards per game and third in total offense per game (424.3)…Named Manning Award Star of the Week and FWAA Fresh Four (Nov. 30) after throwing for a career-high 372 yards with two touchdowns in a win over Georgia Southern…Named Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week after accounting for four touchdowns against ULM (Nov. 7)…Prepped at Calera High School where he played for head coach Andrew Zow…Rated the No. 5 quarterback in Alabama and the No. 37 pro-style quarterback in the nation by 247Sports…Passed for 2,334 yards and 25 touchdowns as a junior, followed by 1,600 yards and 16 touchdowns as a senior.
Micheal Campbell, LB, 6-1, 210, Jr., Horn Lake, Miss. (Northwest Mississippi CC) *
Joins the Skyhawks from Northwest Mississippi Community College where he played for head coach Benjy Parker…Named to All-MACCC second team while helping team to back-to-back NJCAA Mississippi state championships…Compiled 40 total tackles…Notched a team-high 9.0 tackles for loss…Recorded 2.0 sacks and five hurries…In three seasons he tallied 103 total tackles, 18.0 TFL, 10 quarterback hurries, eight pass breakups, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and an interception…Prepped at Horn Lake High School for head coach Brad Boyette…Helped the Eagles to a 15-0 record and the MHSAA 6A state championship…Had 43 tackles, three tackles for loss, two interceptions returned for touchdowns and a fumble recovery as a senior…Ranked as a two-star prospect by 247Sports.
Drake Carroll, OL, 6-2, 305, Jr., Alexandria, La. (East Central CC) *
Joins the Skyhawks from East Central Community College where he played for head coach Ken Karcher…Played and started in all nine games on the offensive line for the Warriors at center…Helped the Warriors pass the century mark in rushing three times…Named to All-MACCC second team honors…Transferred from Louisiana Tech where he spent the parts of three seasons…Appeared in four games in 2020, playing primarily on special teams…Saw action in one game in 2019…Redshirted the 2018 season…Prepped at Holy Savior Menard High School for head coach Chris Gatlin…Two-time honorable mention all-state honoree while earning three first team all-district selections.
Joel Castleberry, DB, 6-1, 180, Fr., Cleveland, Ohio (St. Edward HS)
Joins the Skyhawks from St. Edward High School where he played for head coach Tom Lombardo…Helped lead team to a 15-1 record a 2021 OHSAA Division I state championship…Tallied 66 total tackles – including 35 solo stops…Recorded four interceptions…Notched five tackles for loss and two sacks…Tallied 16 pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery…Garnered all-state and all-district honors.
Riley Cleary, OL, 6-5, 275, Fr., Venice, Fla. (Venice HS)
Joins the Skyhawks from Venice High School where he played for head coach John Peacock…Was a key member of the Indians program that captured Florida Class 8A state championship honors in 2021…Earned all-area accolades at left tackle after helping the squad post a 14-1 overall record during his senior campaign, ending with the school’s third state title (first at the 8A level)…Helped Venice go 10-4 during the 2020 season…Blocked for one of the highest scoring offenses in the Sunshine State as the Indians racked up 1,209 points in 29 games (41.7 points per contest) over his final two seasons.
Branson Conner, OL, 6-7, 310, Fr., Memphis, Tenn. (Whitehaven HS)
Joins the Skyhawks from Whitehaven High School where he played for head coach Rodney Saulsberry…Was a dominant member of the offensive line, helping guide the Tigers to a 7-4 record and an appearance in the Class 6A state playoffs as a senior…Blocked for an offense that scored at least 30 points on five different occasions in 2021…Earned a spot on the Blue squad in the 19th annual AutoZone Liberty Bowl High School All-Star Game, which took place in December 2021.
Logan Crouch, OL, 6-6, 315, Fr., Tullahoma, Tenn. (Tullahoma HS)
Joins the Skyhawks from Tullahoma High School where he played for head coach John Olive…Helped the Wildcats go a perfect 15-0 in 2021, winning their first ever Class 4A state championship (in the school’s 100-year history) after defeating defending two-time champion Elizabethton in double overtime in the title game…
Bryce Dailey, LB, 6-4, 245, Fr., Memphis, Tenn. (Christian Brothers HS)
Joins the Skyhawks from Christian Brothers High School where he played for head coach Thomas McDaniel…Was a playmaker on both sides of the ball and part of a Purple Wave squad that went 8-5 overall and advanced to the Division II Class AAA state semifinals in 2021…Earned a spot on the all-state and all-region squads after his senior campaign…Represented the Blue team during the 19th annual AutoZone Liberty Bowl High School All-Star Game in December 2021, showing his versatility by playing five different positions in the game.
Tait Deer, DL, 6-2, 280, So., McComb, Miss. (East Mississippi CC) *
Joins the Skyhawks from East Mississippi Community College where he played for head coach Buddy Stephens…Helped team to unbeaten regular season and MACCC North Division title…Compiled 42 total tackles in 2021 with 10 solo and 32 assisted stops…Notched 6.5 tackles for loss for a total of 16 yards along with 1.5 sacks…Tallied a pair of pass breakups…Had a season-high 10 tackles with four tackles for loss at Southwest Mississippi CC (Sept. 9)…Prepped at McComb High School where he tallied 78 total tackles as a senior along with 9.0 career tackles for loss.
Levi Evans, LB, 6-3, 220, Fr., Kingsport, Tenn. (Dobyns-Bennett HS)
Joins the Skyhawks from Dobyns-Bennett High School where he played for head coach Joey Christian…Led his team to back-to-back conference championships as a sophomore and junior…Tallied 104 tackles, three sacks and four pass breakups as a senior…On offense, he scored nine touchdowns…Notched 170 career tackles…Tabbed Region 1-6A Defensive Player of the Year…Named to the Kingsport Times News/Johnson City Press Elite 11 team…Named East Defensive MVP at TnFCA East-West All-Star Classic after tallying 10 tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack…Named to TnFCA Class 6A all-state team.
Khalik Ganaway, RB, 5-8, 175, Fr., Trenton, Tenn. (Peabody HS) *
Joins the Skyhawks from Peabody High School where he played for head coach Shane Jacobs…Won three consecutive Class 2A state championships from 2018-20 and 44 consecutive games…Tallied 4,213 rushing yards and 61 touchdowns for his career…Posted 18 100-yard rushing performances…Notched 188 carries for 1,915 yards and 29 touchdowns as a senior…Averaged 147.3 yards per game…Tallied 257 carries for 1,959 yards and 24 touchdowns…Notched kickoff returned touchdowns as both a junior and senior…Garnered a pair of TnFCA all-state honors…Won back-to-back BlueCross Bowl/Tennessee Titans Division I Mr. Football Awards in 2020 (2A) and 2021 (1A)…Represented Team Ice in the Nashville All American Bowl…Invited to 2021 TnFCA East-West All-Star Classic.
Tyler Gore, DB, 5-10, 175, Jr., Little River, SC (Georgia State) *
Joins the Skyhawks from Georgia State where he played for head coach Shawn Elliott…Spent parts of four seasons with the Panthers where he appeared in 38 games while tallying 42 tackles, three interceptions and three pass breakups…Redshirted in 2021, seeing action in just four games while recording three tackles…During the 2020 season he played in 10 games while tallying four stops…As a sophomore in 2019 he played in 13 games while notching 23 tackles, two interceptions and three pass breakups…Tallied interceptions against Arkansas State (Oct. 5) and South Alabama (Nov. 23)…As a true freshman in 2018 he played in 11 contests, tallying 12 tackles and one interception against Troy (Oct. 4)…Prepped at North Myrtle Beach High School…Named All-Region and Region Defensive Player of the Year…Grabbed five interceptions as a senior along with nine pass breakups, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two blocked kicks…Caught 37 passes for 414 yards and seven touchdowns…Played in North Carolina-South Carolina Shrine Bowl….Recorded 35 tackles with three interceptions as a junior.
Marcus James, OL, 6-5, 305, Fr., Memphis, Tenn. (Germantown HS)
Joins the Skyhawks from Germantown High School where he played for head coach Gene Robinson…Is a versatile lineman that can play multiple positions on the line…Represented the Red team during the 19th annual AutoZone Liberty Bowl High School All-Star Game in December 2021…Represented Team Ice in the Nashville All American Bowl…Named Elite VTO Sports 100 Showcase Offensive Lineman MVP…Previously played at Ridgeway High School…Ranked as the 15th best offensive line prospect in the state of Tennessee and best guard in Memphis by PrepRedzone.com.
De’Andre Kelly, RB, 6-0, 200, Fr., South Pittsburg, Tenn. (South Pittsburg HS)
Joins the Skyhawks from South Pittsburg High School where he played for head coach Wes Stone and Heath Grider…Helped lead team to 2021 TSSAA Class 1A state championship…Rushed for 1,498 yards and 20 touchdowns as a senior…Averaged 9.3 yards per carry…Named East Offensive MVP at TnFCA East-West All-Star Classic after rushing for 42 yards and a pair of touchdowns…Named Class 1A BlueCross Bowl Most Valuable Player after tallying 19 carries for 177 yards and two touchdowns…Tabbed a finalist for 2021 BlueCross Bowl/Tennessee Titans Division I Class 1A Mr. Football Award…Earned a pair of TSWA Class 1A All-State honors…Named to TnFCA Class 1A all-state team…Tabbed Times Free Press 2021 Best of Preps first team running back.
David Moultry, Jr., WR, 6-1, 180, Fr., Alabaster, Ala. (Thompson HS)
Joins the Skyhawks from Thompson High School where he played for head coach Mark Freeman…Led team to 13-1 record as a senior and back-to-back state championships in 2020 and 2021…Posted 84 career receptions for 1,027 yards and five touchdowns…Averaged 46.7 yards per game…Tallied 41 receptions for 532 yards and two touchdowns as a junior…Previously played at Spain Park High School…Ranked as a three-star prospect by 247Sports.
Ed Osley, RB, 6-0, 200, Fr., Birmingham, Ala. (Clay-Chalkville HS)
Joins the Skyhawks from Clay-Chalkville High School where he played for head coach Drew Gilman…Was an electric option for the Cougars which went 15-0 en route to the Alabama Class 6A state championship in 2021 (the third state title in program history)…Was a vital part of the state’s second-highest scoring offense (48.5 points per contest) as CCHS generated its first region title since 2015…Earned Class 6A Most Valuable Player, Offensive Player of the Year and first team all-state accolades after rushing for 2,083 yards on 264 carries (7.9 yards per rush) and 33 touchdowns as a senior, averaging 138.9 yards per outing…Added two more touchdowns and 205 yards receiving in 2021…Secured Class 6A state championship MVP honors following a 28-rush, 152-yard, state-record five-touchdown effort in the dramatic 46-42 win over Hueytown in the title matchup…Ran for 185 yards on 31 carries and five touchdowns against No. 7 Pinson Valley in the Class 6A Region 6 championship game…Represented the North squad in the 63rd AHSAA North-South All-Star Game that was played in December 2021.
Nasir Pearce, DL, 6-5, 350, Fr., Baltimore, Md. (St. Frances Academy)
Joins the Skyhawks from St. Frances Academy where he played under head coaches Biff Poggi and Messay Hailemariam…Was a four-star recruit and a defensive force at nationally recognized St. Frances Academy, which spent time as the No. 1 ranked team in Maryland and finished the 2021 season in the top-5 of MaxPrep’s top-10 national rankings in 2021…Ranked as the seventh-best prospect in his class in the state of Maryland by ESPN…Was part of a Panther squad that played a stout schedule against some of the nation’s top programs in 2021, snapping defending national champion IMG Academy’s 19-game winning streak…Was an all-state honoree as a junior…Ranked as a four-star prospect with an 80 scout grade by ESPN…Ranked as a three-star prospect by 247Sports.
Charles Perkins, DL, 6-4, 255, Fr., Memphis, Tenn. (Memphis Academy of Health Sciences HS)
Joins the Skyhawks from Memphis Academy of Health Sciences where he played for head coach Cedric Miller…Led Memphis with 15.5 sacks as a senior…Helped team to 2A-Region 8 district championship and best record in school history with a 9-1 mark as a senior…Named to all-region first team…Posted a big week against Melrose, recovering three fumbles and returning two for touchdowns of 43 and 32 yards, respectively, while also tallying four tackles for loss to earn Daily Memphian High School Player of the Week honors…Named preseason all-state…Ranked as a top-three senior breakthrough performer by Prep Redzone…Invited to play in Tennessee East vs. West All-Star Classic…Represented the Red team during the 19th annual AutoZone Liberty Bowl High School All-Star Game in December 2021…Named to TnFCA Class 2A all-state team.
LaMarion Pierce, DB, 6-0, 175, Fr., Lewisburg, Tenn. (Marshall County HS)
Joins the Skyhawks from Marshall County High School where he played for head coach Thomas Osteen…Was a standout in all three phases for the Tigers which posted a 7-4 record and advance to the Class 4A state playoffs as a senior…Snagged four interceptions and had eight passes defended, two forced fumbles, 34 tackles while posting 1,005 all-purpose yards offensively in 11 games in 2021…Came away with seven interceptions, 19 passes defended, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and 83 tackles in his prep career…Scored 10 of his 14 career touchdowns as a senior (five receiving, two rushing, two kickoff return, one punt return)…Was a big-play specialist, returning a kickoff 98 yards as a senior and taking a punt back for 81 yards during his junior campaign…Was part of a MCHS squad that posted a 9-3 record in 2020.
George Qualls, Jr., WR, 6-2, 185, Jr., Caruthersville, Mo. (Akron) *
Joins the Skyhawks from Akron where spent two seasons playing for head coach Tom Arth…In two seasons with the Zips he tallied 22 receptions for 331 yards and a touchdown…Averaged 15.0 yards per catch…During 2021 he had 10 receptions for 171 yards…Had a season-high 51 yards against Ohio (Oct. 2)…Notched a season-high four receptions at Auburn (Sept. 4)…Tallied 12 receptions for 160 yards and a touchdown in 2020…Transferred from Butler Community College where he played for coach Tim Schaffner in 2019…Saw action in 12 games where he has 41 receptions for 693 yards and six touchdowns…Averaged 16.9 yards per catch…Best game came against Hutchinson CC (Sept. 28) when he snagged nine receptions for 159 yards and two touchdowns…Spent one season at Arizona Western where he did not see game action before the school dropped football after the 2018 season…Prepped at Caruthersville High School for head coach Jimmy Jackson…Played wide receiver and linebacker…Also played basketball and track.
Myles Saulsberry, DL, 6-2, 285, Fr., Memphis, Tenn. (Lausanne Collegiate HS)
Joins the Skyhawks from Lausanne Collegiate High School where he played for head coach Kevin Locastro…Helped the Lynx to a 9-2 overall record and an appearance in the state semifinals…Tallied 56 tackles, 23 tackles for loss and 11 sacks during his senior campaign…Named to PRZTN Division II-Class AA All-State first team defense…Named to TnFCA Division II-AA all-state team…Represented the Blue team and garnered Defensive MVP honors after tallying four tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble during the 19th annual AutoZone Liberty Bowl High School All-Star Game in December 2021…Represented Team Blaze in the Nashville All American Bowl.
Tahj Shabazz, TE, 6-3, 220, Fr., Germantown, Tenn. (Germantown HS)
Joins the Skyhawks from Germantown High School where he played for head coach Gene Robinson…During senior season, he tallied 368 receiving yards and three touchdowns…Saw junior campaign canceled due to COVID pandemic…Played sophomore season at Houston High School where he tallied 973 receiving yards and snagged five touchdowns…Played in East Coast Offense-Defense All-American Bowl…Ninth-ranked tight end in the state by Prep Redzone…Three-star prospect by 247Sports…Three-star prospect by Rivals…Ranked as 40th best prospect in the state of Tennessee.
Micah Simpson, WR, 6-0, 180, Fr., Morristown, Tenn. (Morristown East HS)
Joins the Skyhawks from Morristown East High School where he played for head coach Caleb Slover…Finished his senior year with 45 receptions for 910 yards and nine touchdowns…Named Citizen Tribune All-Lakeway Most Valuable Player…Tabbed Region 1-6A All-Region Athlete of the Year…Recorded 80 catches, 1,731 yards and 24 touchdowns in 20 career games…Tallied 15 touchdowns en route to all-state honors as a junior…Invited to play in Tennessee East vs. West All-Star Classic…Received invite to East Coast Offense-Defense All-American Bowl.
Ajay Smith, WR, 6-4, 190, Jr., Detroit, Mich. (Independence CC) *
Joins the Skyhawks from Independence Community College where he played for head coach Jason Martin…Played two seasons for the Pirates where he tallied 20 receptions for 344 yards and four touchdowns…In 2021 he grabbed 12 catches for 221 yards and three touchdowns…Averaged 18.4 yards per reception…Scored touchdowns against Fort Scott CC (Sept. 18), Garden City CC (Sept. 25) and Fort Scott CC (Nov. 7)…Posted a season-high three receptions for 87 yards in the opener against Butler (Sept. 4)…Had eight receptions for 123 yards and a touchdown in 2020…Averaged 15.4 yards per reception…Played 2019 season at Riverside City College, tallying eight receptions for 136 yards and a touchdown…Prepped at Bradford Academy.
Garrett Smith, OL, 6-3, 290, Fr., Portland, Tenn. (Portland HS)
Joins the Skyhawks from Portland High School where he played for head coach Wes Inman…Earned 5A all-state honors…Two-time all-region selection…Tabbed to 2021 615 Preps Large Class All-Area third team…Named to 2021 All Sumner County team…Invited to Nashville All American Bowl.
Logan Swartz, OL, 6-6, 300, R-So., Rock Island, Ill. (Iowa Western CC) *
Joins the Skyhawks from Iowa Western Community College where he played for head coach Scott Strohmeier…Helped team win 17 straight games before finishing as NJCAA national runner-up…Won 2021 ICCAC regular season championship…Played in nine games in 2021…Served a key roll on an offensive line which blocked for a unit that averaged 357.1 yards of total offense per game and scored 47 touchdowns…Allowed just 13 sacks in 11 games…Began college career at Kent State where he redshirted the 2019 season…Prepped at Rock Island High School…Selected to all-metro team…Member of Quad City WB6 All-Conference team…Rated a two-star prospect by 247Sports.
Blake Vaughan, TE, 6-6, 240, So., Fenton, Mo. (Iowa Western CC) *
Joins the Skyhawks from Iowa Western Community College where he played for head coach Scott Strohmeier…Helped team win 17 straight games before finishing as NJCAA national runner-up…Won 2021 ICCAC regular season championship…Played in nine games in 2021…Tallied six receptions for 84 yards and zero touchdowns…Averaged 9.3 yards per reception…Played in four games in abbreviated 2020-21 season…Tallied four receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown…Scored lone touchdown against Snow College (March 27)…Prepped at Rockwood Summit High School where he played for head coach Eric Stewart.
Ty Woods, DB, 5-10, 175, Gr., Birmingham, Ala. (Delta State) *
Joins the Skyhawks from Delta State where he played for head coach Todd Cooley…Spent four seasons with the Statesmen where he played in 24 games and compiled 77 career tackles, two interceptions, five pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery…In 2021 he tallied 57 total tackles along with 4.0 tackles for loss…Recorded two interceptions, coming against Bethel (Sept. 2) and West Georgia (Sept. 15)…Totaled seven passes defended – including five breakups – while notching a streak of four consecutive games with a breakup…Posted a career-high 17 tackles – including 15 solo – against Mississippi College (Nov. 6)…Forced and recovered a fumble against Bethel (Sept. 2)…Did not play in 2020…Appeared in nine games in 2019 with 16 tackles…Redshirted 2018 season.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information