GVSU signs 32 football players to Scott Wooster's first class
ALLENDALE — Grand Valley State University first-year head football coach Scott Wooster announced the signing of 32 student-athletes to attend and play football for the Lakers in the fall of 2023. "It was a crazy last couple of weeks with the coaching change," said Wooster. "Our first concern was communicating with our current players on the roster and also keeping them up to date with information, but we also had to communicate with the 2023 class that was committed. We had specific needs in what we were looking for, while also honing in the best players available in Michigan and the boardering states. A significant number of our kids that had D1 interest, but we were able to secure those commitments and sign them," added Wooster. "We have an incredible culture within our program and we want kids that really want to be a part of our program and fit into our culture. It is also essential that we find the right fit in the classroom and socially and we are extremely proud of our student-athletes academic success rating, which is among the leaders in both the GLIAC and NCAA." Grand Valley State's 2023 class consists of 32 total players from Michigan (24), Ohio (4), Illinois (3) and Indiana (1). The Lakers signed 16 offensive players, 15 defensive players and a long snapper.Tre Green (DB, Toledo, Ohio/St. John's Jesuit)High School: Prepped at St. John's Jesuit High School under head coach Larry McDaniel…Was a three-year varsity starter…Recorded 28 tackles, broke up 10 passes, and picked off one pass as a senior…Earned all-conference honorable as a senior…Named to the all-conference academic team as a senior and junior…Notched 35 tackles, nine pass breakups, and one interception as a junior…Earned all-conference as a junior…Recorded 17 tackles, three pass breakups, and one interception as a sophomore...Named all-conference and academic all-conference as a sophomore…Named a two-star recruit by 247Sports...Received a significant amount of Division I interest.
Jibriel Conde (DL, Ypsilanti, Mich./Lincoln High School)High School: Prepped at Lincoln High School for head coach Chris Westfall...Notched 63 total tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 QB sacks as a senior...Earned All-State honors as selected by the Associated Press, Detroit News and Detroit Free Press as a senior...Ann Arbor Dream Team performer...Earned all-conference and all-region honors as a senior...Recorded 52 total tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 QB sacks as a junior...Earned all-region and all-conference plaudits...Named a two-star recruit by 247Sports...Received a significant amount of Division I interest.
Dorijan Jackson (Lansing, Mich./East Lansing High School)High School: Prepped at East Lansing High School for for head coach Bill Feraco...Hauled in 29 receptions for 525 yards and and six touchdowns...Tallied 1,457 all-purpose yards...Selected to the Lansing State Journal Dream Team...Earned all-region, all-area and all-conference honors as a senior...Caught 19 passes for 512 yards and six touchdowns as a junior...Named all-conference an all-area.
Ari Curtis (LB, Lake Orion, Mich./Ellsworth Community College)Prior to GVSU: Tallied 15 tackles and a quarterback sack in seven games at Ellsworth CC.
Evan Furtney (TE, Milan, Mich./Eastern Michigan)Prior to GVSU: Member of the Eastern Michigan football team as a tight end. High School: Prepped at Milan High School and played under Head Coach Jesse Hoskins...Caught 29 passes for 450 receiving yards an four TDs as a senior...Garnered all-league, all-region, all-district, and Ann Arbor Dream Team accolades in his career...Also made an impact on defense with 35 tackles and four interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown in the district championship win over Romulus Summit...Helped his team to the 2019 Huron League Champions and the district championship as part of an undefeated regular season.
Darius Whiteside (DB, Troy, Mich./Troy) High School:Prepped at Troy High School under head coach Chris Frasier…Recorded 42 tackles and picked off three passes as a senior…Earned all-state, all-league, and all-region honors as a senior…Was also a member of the All-North Team and an OAA selection…Named All-OAA his junior campaign, in which he tallied 36 tackles and picked off two passes..As a sophomore he recorded 32 tackles and intercepted two passes en route to being an OAA honoree.
Khamani Potts (DL, Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester High School)High School: Prepped at Rochester High School for head coach Eric Vernon...Spent one season at Rochester High School...Recorded 57 tackles, 17.0 tackles for loss and 9.0 quarterback sacks...Tallied all-conference and all-area plaudits as a senior.
Christian Johnson (Detroit, Mich./River Rouge High School)High School: Prepped at River Rouge High School for Eric Pettway and Corey Parker...Injured most of senior campaign...Threw for 310 yards and five TDs, while rushing for 125 yards as a senior...Completed 92-of-150 passes for 1,276 yards and 16 touchdowns, while rushing for 341 yards and six TDs as a junior.
Derek Rood (DL, Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac)High School: Prepped at Cadillac High School under head coach Shawn Jackson…Tallied 67 tackles 14.0 tackles for loss and 7.0 sacks as a senior…Named all-state, all-conference, all-area, and all-region following his senior season…Recorded 71 tackles, 17.0 tackles for loss,10.0 sacks, and blocked three punts during his junior campaign...Earned all-state, all-conference and all-area honors as a junior.
Aaron Bradley (OL, Detroit, Mich./Southfield A&T)High School: Prepped at Southfield A&T High School under head coach Aaron Marshall…Earned all-state, all-metro and all-conference honors as a senior...Named league MVP as an offensive lineman in 2022...Team finished 8-3 his senior year...Ranked among the top offensive lineman in Michigan...Named all-metro and all-conference honor as a junior...Named a three-star recruit by 247Sports...Received a significant amount of Division I interest.
Isaiah Johnson (LB, Elyria, Ohio/Elyria)High School: Prepped at Elyria High School under head coach Devlin Culliver…Was a four year varsity letterwinner…Earned All-Ohio (All-Division) honors as a senior…Consensus All-State honoree...Named all-district, all-county, and all-conference his senior season…Was the conference and the county Defensive Player of the Year…Tallied 126 total tackles, 17 tackles for loss, intercepted one pass, and recovered one fumble as a senior…Earned All-Ohio accolades as a junior…Was named all-district, all-conference, and All-Lorain County…Voted Team Defensive MVP his junior campaign…Recorded 126 tackles, averaging over 13.0 per game…First-Team All-Lorain County...Tallied 94 tackles and a touchdown as a sophomore...Named a two-star recruit by 247Sports...Received a significant amount of Division I interest.
Alex McLean (WR, Rockford, Mich./Rockford High School)High School: Prepped at Rockford High School for head coach Brent Cummings...Concluded his career as the all-time leader in Rockford football history in receptions (149), receiving yards (1,711) and receiving TDs (18)...Hauled in 63 receptions for 838 yards and nine TDs as a senior...Rushed 20 times for 123 yards and three TDs for 1,342 all-purpose yards...Member of the MLive Grand Rapids Dream Team...First-Team All-State as selected by the Detroit Free Press and the MHSFCA...Earned First-Team All-OK Red honors and first-team all-region plaudits...Caught 53 passes for 551 yards and five TDs as a junior...Earned First-Team All-OK Red and first-team all-region honors as a junior...Team was a combined 29-3 during his career.
Deonte Pippen (DB, Pontiac, Mich./West Bloomfield High School)High School: Prepped at West Bloomfield High School for Tyrice Grice and Ron Bellamy...Tallied 57 tackles and five interceptions as a senior...Earned all-state honors as a senior...Named all-conference, all-area and Detroit News and Detroit Free Press All-Metro in 2022...Notched 43 tackles and three interceptions as a junior...Earned all-conference and all-area plaudits in 2021...Team was a combined 30-4 during this high school career wih a Division 1 State Championship...Named a two-star recruit by 247Sports...Received a significant amount of Division I interest.
Kenneth Jones (RB, Pontiac, Mich./West Bloomfield)High School: Prepped at West Bloomfield High School under head coaches Tyrese Grice and Ron Bellamy…Rushed for 948 total yards and 15 touchdowns as a senior...Named all-conference and all-area in 2022…Recorded 650 total yards and five touchdowns during his junior season...Racked up 1,357 career rushing yards, which ranks sixth in West Bloomfield program history…Won 30 games over his final three seasons, including a State Championship as a sophomore…Named a two-star recruit by 247Sports...Received a significant amount of Division I interest.
Jack Storey (OL, Brighton, Mich./Brighton)High School: Prepped at Brighton High School under head coach Brian Lemons…Earned all-state, all-conference, all-area and all-region as senior…Nominated for the State Champs Anvil Award…As a junior he was named all-region and all-conference…Was all-county member as a sophomore...Named a three-star recruit by 247Sports...Received a significant amount of Division I interest.
Samirion Ford (LB, Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North High School)High School: Prepped at Lawrence North High School for head coach Patrick Mallory...Recorded 126 total tackles, 24 tackles for loss and eight QB sacks as a senior...Scored four defensive touchdowns, tallied seven fumble recoveries and blocked three punts...Earned Associated Press All-State plaudits...Also named all-county and all-conference in 2022...Notched 86 tackles and 12.0 tackles for loss as a junior...Earned junior all-state honors...Selected all-conference and all-county...Four-year varsity starter, collecting 258 career tackles...Named a two-star recruit by 247Sports...Received a significant amount of Division I interest.
Blake Nelson (LS, West Bloomfield, Mich./West Bloomfield High School)High School: Prepped at West Bloomfield High School for head coach Tyrice Grice and Ron Bellamy...Rated as one of the top long snappers in Michigan...Did not have a failed snap during his junior or senior season...Team was a combined 30-4 during his high school career with a Division 1 State Championship.
Elijah Baker (LB, Roseville, Mich./Roseville High School)High School: Prepped at Roseville High School under head coach Vernard Snowden...Tallied 75 tackles, 4.0 QB sacks and five interceptions as a senior...Earned Detroit News and Detroit Free Press All-Metro honors...Named all-conference and all-region for a team that finished 8-3 in 2022...Recorded 30 tackles and 10.0 tackles for loss during the 2020 short season...Tallied all-league and all-region honors...Named a two-star recruit by 247Sports...Received a significant amount of Division I interest.
Jaylen Johnson (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc High School)High School: Prepped at Grand Blanc High School for Kaleb Forr and Clint Alexander...Hauled in 46 receptions for 620 yards and seven TDs in seven games as a senior...Earned all-conference and all-region plaudits as a senior...Caught 67 passes for 692 yards and six touchdowns as a junior...Tallied all-conference and all-region honors as a junior...Recorded 38 receptions for 604 yards and six TDs as a sophomore...Named all-conference and all-area...Hauled in 148 receptions for 1,916 yards and 19 touchdowns...Named a two-star recruit by 247Sports...Received a significant amount of Division I interest.
Brody Osborne (LB, Batavia, Ill./Batavia High School)High School: Prepped at Batavia High School under head coach Dennis Piron…Recorded 88 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 7.5 QB sacks, and five forced fumbles as a senior for a team that finished 14-3 and played for the Illinois 7A State Championship…Earned all-area and all-conference honors as a senior linebacker...Tallied 45 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss and 7.0 sacks as a junior...Named all-area and all-conference following junior season when team finished 10-1.
Cannon Mackey (OL, Normal, Ill./Normal Community High School)High School: Prepped at Normal Community High School for head coach Jason Drengwitz...Three-year varsity starter...Earned Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Class 7A All-State honors as a senior...Named Big 12 First-Team All-Conference and Pantagraph First-Team All-Area 2022...Named Big 12 All-Conference and all-area as a junior and earned Big 12 All-Conference plaudits as a sophomore...Team was a combined 17-5 during his final two prep campaigns.
Shawn Foster (WR Lansing, Mich./Grand Ledge High School)High School: Prepped at Grand Ledge High School for head coach Joseph Brya...Forced to play quarterback as a senior due to injuries...Rushed for 1,489 yards and 21 TDs, while completing 47-of-87 passes for 893 yards as a senior...Rushed for a greater Lansing area record 396 yards and seven touchdowns on 27 carries vs. DeWitt...Member of the Lansing State Journal Dream Team...Earned all-state, all-area and all-conference honors as a senior...Caught 20 passes for 385 yards and five TDs as a junior, earning all-area and all-league honors...Named a two-star recruit by 247Sports...Received a significant amount of Division I interest.
Zalyn Martin (DE, Saginaw, Mich./Bridgeport)High School: Prepped at Bridgeport High School under head coach Kevin Marshall Sr….Earned all-conference and all-area honors as a senior…Recorded 65 tackles, 4.0 QB sacks, five caused fumbles, and 10 QB hurries as a senior…Named team MVP as a senior and junior…Notched 57 tackles, three QB sacks, and forced two fumbles as a junior…Awarded all-conference honors as a junior…Recorded 36 tackles and two QB sacks as a sophomore…Earned all-conference honors as a sophomore.
DeAndre Hill (TE, Keego Harbor, Mich./West Bloomfield High School)High School: Prepped at West Bloomfield High School for head coach Tyrice Grice adn Ron Bellamy...Caught 14 passes for 292 yards and six touchdowns as a senior...Earned all-conference and all-metro honors...Hauled in 11 receptions for 349 yards and five touchdowns as junior...Named all-conference and all-metro...Team was a combined 30-4 during his career with a Division 1 State Championship.
Paschal Jolman (Muskegon, Mich./Fruitport High School)High School: Prepped at Fruitport High School under head coach Nate Smith...Rushed for 2,224 yards and 25 touchdowns on 166 carries, while catching 25 passes for 444 yards and five TDs as a senior...Earned Associated Press All-State honors...Named to the MLive Dream Team...Detroit News and Detroit Free Press All-State honoree...Earned All-OK Conference plaudits...Team finished 8-2 and advanced to the MHSAA State Playoffs...Toted the ball 146 times for 1,029 yards and 10 touchdowns...Earned All-OK Conference honors...Named all-area and all-region...Rated a two star recuit by 247Sports.
Collin Buchanan (TE, Royal Oak, Mich./Royal Oak Shrine Catholic)High School: Prepped at Royal Oak Michigan Shrine Catholic High School under head coach Oscar Olenjniczak…Earned Associated Press, MHSFCA, and Detroit Free Press All-State honors as a senior…Awarded All-Catholic and academic All-State plaudits as a senior…Named team offensive and defensive MVP as a senior…Hauled in four catches for 45 yards and a touchdown as a senior…Earned All-League honors as a junior…Named team special teams MVP as a sophomore.
Tyler Michelini (DL, Bloomingdale, Ill./Lake Park)High School: Prepped at Lake Park High School under head coach Chris Kirkpatrick…Totaled 73 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, five sacks, a blocked punt, and a touchdown during his senior season…Earned Dupage County All-Area and Dukane All-Conference honors as a senior…Recorded 50 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and four sacks as a junior...Earned all-area and all-conference as a senior...Named a two-star recruit by 247Sports...Received a significant amount of Division I interest.
Trey Bell (WR, Cleveland, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit High School)High School: Prepped at Walsh Jesuit High School for Nick Alexander...Caught 30 passes for 656 yards and 10 touchdowns for a team that finished 9-3 his senior season...Returned four kickoffs for TDs...Earned all-conference, all-district and all-state plaudits in 2022...Hauled in 40 passes for 763 yards and 10 TDs as a junior...Returned six kickoffs for touchdowns in 2021...Named all-state, all-district and all-conference following junior campaign...Two-time Under Armor All-American...Ranked as the #3 player in Northeast Ohio top 15...Named a two-star recruit by 247Sports...Received a significant amount of Division I interest.
Matthew Nickens (DB, Detroit, Mich./Cass Tech)High School: Prepped at Cass Tech High School under head coach Marvin Rushing…Earned all-state honors as a senior…Named to the All-Detroit area team as a senior…Awarded all-conference plaudits as a senior…Recorded 32 tackles, broke up six passes, and picked off one pass as a senior…Notched 26 tackles and broke up five passes as a junior...Named a two-star recruit by 247Sports...Received a significant amount of Division I interest.
Conor Smith (TE, Jackson, Mich./Jackson Lumen Christi)High School: Prepped at Jackson Lumen Christi High School under head coach Herb Brogan…Totaled 15 catches for 135 yards and two touchdowns as a tight end, while recording 91 tackles, 19 tackles for loss and 6.5 QB sacks defensively as a senior...Earned all-state, all-area and all-region as a senior year...Helped lead his team to 23 wins over his final two seasons, culminating in a State Championship his senior season.
Tawfiq Jabbar (DB, Springfield, Ohio/Springfield High School)High School: Prepped at Springfield High School for head coach Maruice Douglass...Tallied 66 total tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, four interceptions and forced a fumble as a senior...Team finished 13-2 and runner-up in the Ohio High School Division 1 State Playoffs...Ranked in the top 30 nationally...Earned all-conference and all-area honors...Recorded 40 tackles , 2.5 tackles for loss and picked off one pass as a junior...Team finished 13-2 and advanced to the OHSAA State Championship game....Spent sophomore year at Xenia High School where he recorded 45 tackles and earned all-conference honors.
Mike Alexander (OL, Trenton, Mich./Trenton High School)High School: Prepped at Trenton High School for head coach ...Earned All-State Dream Team honors as a senior...Received all-state, all-conference, all-region honors in 2022...Earned MHSFCA All-State honors as a defensive lineman...Recorded all-conference, all-area and all-region honors as a junior.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: GVSU signs 32 football players to Scott Wooster's first class
