National Signing Day: Cincinnati football announces Class of 2022 signees

As the University of Cincinnati football team prepares to face top-ranked Alabama in the semifinals of the College Football Playoff on New Year's Eve, head coach Luke Fickell and his staff had to look beyond the Crimson Tide for a day,

The fifth year of the early signing period kicked off Wednesday, marking the time when Class of 2022 high school recruits could put ink to their National Letter of Intent and formally sign to the university of their choosing.

Fickell, The Home Depot Coach of the Year, and the back-to-back American Athletic Conference champion Bearcats collected 20 signatures on Wednesday, including one from Delaware transfer kicker Ryan Coe.

The arrival of Coe addresses a dire need for Cincinnati, which even with all of its success this season is 129th of 130 FBS teams in team FG% (43.75%). Northwestern is the only team worse.

"We all know we've struggled a bit in the kicking game, in particular with field goals, so him coming in as a guy that's going to be here in the spring to give a lot more competition," Fickell said. "Hopefully we see him taking off right where he was from before."

Coe made 14 of his 17 field-goal attempts (23-23 on extra points) this season as a junior for the Blue Hens.

Coe will be on campus in time for winter conditioning and spring practice, as well as eight of UC's other new signees:

DT Derrick Shepard

Cincinnati started the day by announcing the signing of four-star Kettering Archbishop Alter High School defensive tackle Derrick Shepard.

At the time of his commitment in December 2020, Shepard was the highest-rated defensive commitment in program history, according to 247Sports.

"They just always showed love from Day 1," Shepard told The Enquirer. "They were my first offer back in January. Ever since then, they've been showing love. There's been a lot of schools that's been in contact, but theirs, it hasn't been too overwhelming or too little. So it just feels like the right decision."

More: DT Derrick Shepard, 4-star recruit from Class of 2022, commits to Luke Fickell, Bearcats

The 6-foot-4, 295-pound Shepard chose Cincinnati over offers from Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa State, Florida State and others.

RB Stephan Byrd (early enrollee)

UC then announced the addition of Canal Winchester High School running back Stephan Byrd, who at one point was ranked the 13th-best Class of 2022 recruit in Ohio by 247Sports.

The 6-foot, 195-pound Byrd also had offers from Akron, Ball State, Iowa State, Michigan, Minnesota, Pitt, Tennessee and others.

More: Stephan Byrd, Class of 2022 running back from Canal Winchester HS, commits to UC Bearcats

Byrd, a three-star recruit, had three straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons and is a standout athlete in track and field.

CB Jonquis "JQ" Hardaway (early enrollee)

After both Cincinnati cornerbacks Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner (first team) and Coby Bryant (second team, Jim Thorpe Award winner) earned All-American honors from the Associated Press and first-team honors from the American Football Coaches Association, the Bearcats announced the signing of another cornerback for coach Perry Eliano to develop.

More: Cincinnati Bearcats defensive back Coby Bryant makes history by winning Jim Thorpe Award

Jonquis "JQ" Hardaway, of Columbus, Georgia, officially joined the Bearcats after playing his senior season at Central High School in Phenix City, Alabama.

Hardaway chose Cincinnati over offers from Georgia, Oregon, Florida and others.

"JQ being a long, big kid that plays corner envisions himself being a lot like Ahmad," Fickell said. "Had Ahmad not done what he's done, I don't know that you would have a kid from Alabama, as good as he is, that would be as interested or tied to us if he couldn't compare himself to what Ahmad has done. So those are incredible impacts."

At 6-foot-3, Hardaway is a tall, long and physical corner similar to Gardner.

WR Quincy Burroughs

After adding a weapon to the exterior of its defense, UC added a versatile piece to the exterior of the offensive side of the ball.

Wide receiver Quincy Burroughs, who committed to the Bearcats in February, made it official on Wednesday.

Burroughs, a three-star recruit from Raines High School in Jacksonville, Florida, also had offers from Oregon State, Harvard, Princeton, Yale and others.

CB Ken Willis (early enrollee)

Cincinnati offered Colerain High School cornerback Ken Willis a scholarship in June after he ran a 4.33 and a 4.43 in the 40-yard dash at a camp on the UC campus.

Willis announced his commitment to the Bearcats shortly thereafter on Father's Day.

More: Signing Day: Colerain defensive back Ken Willis signs with University of Cincinnati

"I felt loved and my Dad liked it, too," Willis said in a preseason interview with The Enquirer. "I made my decision sooner and I feel like I'm ready."

Willis elected to stay home and signed with Cincinnati on Wednesday over offers from Marshall, West Virginia, Buffalo and others.

The 5-foot-11 and 160-pound Willis had 64 tackles, a forced fumble and two interceptions for Colerain since the 2019 season.

Willis joined Deshawn Pace, Ja'von Hicks and Darrian Beavers as former Cardinals who decided to stay home and play for Fickell at UC.

"That group, those guys coming from there fit who we are and what we want to be," Fickell said. "That whole image of this is a tough sport for tough people. Every one of our kids that have come from Colerain have thrived from the time they've walked in."

OT Ethan Green

Ethan Green, a 6-foot-7, 290-pound offensive lineman from Fremont, Ohio, signed with the Bearcats over offers from Eastern Michigan, Tulane, Iowa State and others.

In addition to being a three-star recruit on the football field, Green is also a high school All-America wrestler, an allure for Fickell, who won three straight Ohio state wrestling titles from 1990-92 while at St. Francis DeSales in Columbus.

OL Jonathan Harder

The Bearcats announced back-to-back additions to their offensive line by following Green with three-star lineman Jonathan Harder from Olentangy Berlin High School near Columbus.

The 6-foot-5, 280-pound Harder signed with Cincinnati over offers from Ball State, Akron and Toledo, among others.

Harder committed to the Bearcats in August.

OL Luke Dalton (early enrollee)

Fickell and UC offensive line coach Ron Crook made it three straight by announcing the signing of Marian Central Catholic (Woodstock, Illinois) O-lineman Luke Dalton.

The 6-foot-5, 300-pound Dalton had offers from Arizona State, Kansas, Harvard and a host of others but elected to sign with the Bearcats.

DT CJ Doggette (early enrollee)

Cecil “CJ” Doggette Jr. committed to Cincinnati in March. On Wednesday, the Pickerington Central High School defensive tackle made it official.

The 6-foot-2, 275-pound three-star recruit had offers from West Virginia, where both of his parents were standout athletes, Michigan State, Rutgers, Pitt, Kentucky and others.

WR Jojo Bermudez (early enrollee)

Fickell and his staff dipped into New Jersey to grab three-star wide receiver Jojo Bermudez.

The 5-foot-10, 165-pound Bermudez, of Cedar Creek High School, is South Jersey's all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards.

Bermudez could also be a key piece for UC special teams coordinator Brian Mason in the return game.

Bermudez signed with the Bearcats over offers from most notably Yale, Princeton, Tennessee, Rutgers and Syracuse.

S Patrick Body Jr.

Patrick Body Jr., the son of the former University of Toledo and Cincinnati Bengals safety, signed with UC to join Cincinnati's dominant secondary.

Body, a standout at both wide receiver and defensive back for Gateway High School in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, was selected as a member of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's 2021 Fabulous 22 team.

Body signed with the Bearcats over offers from Pitt, Rutgers, Illinois and West Virginia.

Sniper Cincear Lewis (early enrollee)

Cincear Lewis is expected to be the next player to step into Cincinnati's sniper position, or the hybrid strongside linebacker/safety position.

The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Kalamazoo, Michigan, native committed to the Bearcats in April with offers from Boston Kentucky, Buffalo, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia and others on the table.

QB Luther Richesson

The NCAA's historically long, pandemic-inflicted recruiting dead period came to an end June 1. Luke Fickell and his staff celebrated by holding an on-campus "Midnight Madness" camp for high school players. The most notable player there was Luther Richesson.

The 6-foot-3, 204-pound quarterback from Lipscomb Academy in Nashville, Tennessee, signed with the Bearcats on Wednesday after committing to the program on Nov. 10.

"Obviously, quarterbacks are a unique position, especially for us being that Desmond Ridder's a senior and we'll lose him," Fickell saidI wish Luther was going to be here in the spring. I don't think he's going to be. He's not one of the early enrollees. But where he comes from, he's going to have an opportunity to walk in and compete. And I just mean that he's mature beyond his years."

Richesson, who was coached by Super Bowl-winning quarterback Trent Dilfer in High School, picked Cincinnati over offers from Michigan State, Vanderbilt and others.

DE Mario Eugenio

Mario Eugenio is the highest-rated defensive signing in program history, according to 247sports.

Nicknamed "Super Mario," the 6-foot-3, 240-pound four-star defensive end from Gaither High School in Tampa, Florida, is a speedy, athletic edge rusher who has made a high school career of wreaking havoc in opposing backfields.

Eugenio chose Fickell and the Bearcats instead of other offers from Michigan, Arkansas, Oregon, Arizona State and Pitt, among others.

WR Marcus Peterson

Cincinnati stayed in Florida to grab its next signee. Marcus Peterson, a three-star wide receiver from Columbia High School in Lake City, Florida, committed to the Bearcats in June.

At 6 feet, 3 inches and nearly 200 pounds, Peterson is a tall, reliable target, and will be the next project for UC wide receivers coach Mike Brown.

Peterson also had offers from Pitt, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisville, Tennessee and others.

S Oliver Bridges

At 6 feet, 2 inches and 180 pounds, Bridges is another tall, long defensive back added to the Bearcats' stable.

Bridges, a Potomac, Maryland, native, committed to Cincinnati in August and singed with UC over Maryland, Penn State, Pitt and Purdue.

DE Tyler Gillison

A high school teammate of Doggette, Gillison is a versatile athlete who has played several positions on the Pickerington Central defense.

The 6-foot-2, 245-pound Gillison, who committed to Cincinnati in March, is also a standout baseball player.

Gillison had offers from Syracuse, Virginia Tech and Wes Virginia, among others.

LB Jonathan Thompson

Fickell dipped into his alma mater, St. Francis DeSales, to snatch three-star linebacker Jonathan Thompson.

The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Ohio Division III Central District Player of the Year elected to suit up for Fickell instead of entertain offers from Akron, Liberty, Coastal Carolina and others.

Thompson committed to Fickell and the Bearcats in March.

CB Kalen Carroll (early enrollee)

Cincinnati added another talented cornerback to its bullpen in three-star Center Grove High School (Greenwood, Indiana) defensive back Kalen Carroll.

The 6-foot-1, 170-pound Carroll inked his National Letter of Intent despite having offers from Indiana, Boston College, Kansas and others.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: National Signing Day: Cincinnati announces Class of 2022 signees