TEXAS TECH ANNOUNCES 2012 FOOTBALL SIGNING CLASS Texas Tech Football has announced the signing of 17 student-athletes, today, that will bring the 2012 overall signing class to 26 after the early signing period produced nine players that have already enrolled for the spring semester.
Lee Adams, Defensive Line, Riverside Community College (Calif.)
6'1 / 264 Signed a National Letter of Intent on Dec. 21, 2011 and enrolled at Texas Tech in January 2012 ... will have two years of eligibility and the ability to redshirt ... signed with Arizona State out of high school and played in one game as a true freshman ... transferred to Riverside in the Spring of 2011 ... SUPERPREP JUCO team ... was credited with 40 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, seven sacks and seven quarterback pressures ... also three pass breakups and a fumble recovery ... prepped at Centennial High School in Corona, Calif... registered 80 tackles and five sacks as a senior ... CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Boise State, Colorado, Duke, San Jose State, Texas-San Antonio and Washington.
"Very powerful at the point of attack and plays with good leverage. Comes from a good junior college program and has been successful." - Tommy Tuberville
Micah Awe, Defensive Back, Summitt High School, Mansfield, Texas
6'0 / 192 Signed a National Letter of Intent ... a consensus three-star prospect by Rivals, Scout and ESPN.com ... helped lead his team to the second round of the state playoffs in 2011 ... named to the 2011 DFW Class 4A All-Area Team ... Second-Team Class 4A All-State selection by OldCoach.com ... First-Team Class 4A District 7 ... Class 4A District 7 Defensive Most Valuable Player.
"He takes great pursuit angles and is a very intelligent player. He plays with a chip on his shoulder and is very savvy." - Tommy Tuberville
Javon Bell, Wide Receiver, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
6'0 / 175 Signed a National Letter of Intent on Dec. 21, 2011 and enrolled at Texas Tech in January 2012 ... will have two years of eligibility and the ability to redshirt ... signed with South Carolina in the spring of his senior year of high school (Feb. 2010) ... SUPERPREP JUCO team ... 2011 and 2010 NJCAA Second-Team All-American ... caught 69 passes for 939 yards and scored 10 touchdowns during the 2011 season ... as a freshman in 2010, he reeled in 46 passes for 1,313 along with 17 touchdowns ... prepped at Ribault High School in Jacksonville, Fla., where he caught 48 passes for 1,256 yards and 22 touchdowns as a senior... recorded 29 receptions for 752 yards, an average of 25.9 yards per catch, with 14 touchdowns as a junior ... CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, South Carolina, Southern Miss and Tennessee.
"Has great speed and is very explosive. Was very productive in his two years in junior college and comes from a really good program that won lot of games. He also comes from a good high school program in Ribault High School in Jacksonville (Fla.)." - Tommy Tuberville
Reginald Davis, Wide Receiver, Tenaha High School, Tenaha, Texas
6'1 / 185 Signed a National Letter of Intent ... a consensus four-star prospect by Rivals, Scout, ESPN.com and MaxPreps ... member of the ESPNU 150 ... SUPERPREP All-Southwest team ... compiled 1,915 yards on 172 attempts during his senior season as a running back ... scored an eye-catching 35 touchdowns ... as a junior he rushed for 1,346 yards and caught 10 passes for 194 yards ... helped lead his team to a Class 1A Division II State Championship in 2011 ... in the state championship game, he rushed for 226 yards and three touchdowns, was 10-of-21 passing for 242 yards and two touchdowns and returned a punt 80 yards for a score ... named the 2011 Class A State MVP by OldCoach.com ... District 12 1A MVP ... Class 1A Offensive MVP by the Texas Associated Press Sports Editors ... Offensive MVP and First-Team All-State by the TAPSE ... CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Kansas, Arkansas, Baylor, Michigan, Missouri, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, TCU and Texas A&M.
"Had a great senior year and won a state championship. He is a strong player and is really good with the ball in his hands. I thought he was the best player in any classification at Cowboys Stadium for the state championship games." - Tommy Tuberville
Olaoluwa Falemi, Defensive Back, Banning High School, Wilmington, CA
5'10 / 170 Signed a National Letter of Intent ... will have two years of eligibility and the ability to redshirt ... a three-star prospect by Rivals ... as a sophomore he recorded 60 tackles (3 ½ for loss), one interception, one fumble recovery, four pass breakups and a blocked kick.
"A player with a lot of potential. He is a weight room guy that really works hard on the football field. Despite being only 5-10, he has a huge vertical leap and we think those skills can really help us right away." - Tommy Tuberville
Ryan Flannigan, Linebacker, Fort Bend Marshall High School, Missouri City, Texas
6'1 / 200 Signed National Letter of Intent ... a consensus three-star prospect by Rivals, Scout and ESPN.com ... First-Team District 23-5A ... Second-Team All-Sun by the Sugarland Sun ... SUPERPREP All-Southwest team ... scored both an offensive and defensive touchdown and was named "Homecoming King" in Marshall's District opener against Fort Bend Kempner ... CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Arizona, Arizona State, Arkansas, Baylor, Boise State, Houston, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana Tech, Minnesota, Oregon State, San Diego State, West Virginia and Western Kentucky.
"Athletic, productive defender that has the speed to make plays sideline to sideline. He is also an aggressive blitzer off the edge and can create havoc in the opponents backfield." - Tommy Tuberville
Rashad Fortenberry, Offensive Line, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
6'4 / 271 Signed a National Letter of Intent on Dec. 21, 2011 and enrolled at Texas Tech in January 2012 ... will have two years of eligibility and the ability to redshirt ... played two different positions during his career at MGCCC ... lined up at guard during his freshman season before switching over to tackle as a sophomore ... prepped at Tylertown High School in Tylertown, Miss. ... CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Louisiana-Lafayette and South Florida.
"Rashad is a long offensive tackle that can come in be able to compete right away. Has good size. Had a tremendous sophomore season at Mississippi Gulf Coast and is very well coached. His head coach, Steven Campbell, is also the offensive line coach and they have a good history there of turning out Division I ready offensive linemen." - Tommy Tuberville
SaDale Foster, Athlete/Returner, Riverside Community College (Calif.)
5'8 / 180 Signed a National Letter of Intent on Dec. 21, 2011 and enrolled at Texas Tech in January 2012 ... will have two years of eligibility and the ability to redshirt ... unanimous First-Team All-National Division East Conference selection as a punt returner in 2011 ... SUPERPREP JUCO team ... helped lead his team to a perfect 11-0 season and a win over Saddleback in the Golden State Bowl ... ended his career at Riverside with a 21-1 record in two seasons ... as a punt returner, he compiled 24 returns for a 13.4 average and scored one touchdown ... also added 22 kick returns for a 28.5 return average ... as a wide receiver he caught 56 passes for 750 yards and scored 12 touchdowns ... prepped at J.W. North High School in Riverside, Calif. ... CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Louisiana Tech, New Mexico State, Sacramento State and Texas-San Antonio.
"Was productive a Riverside Community College last fall and only lost one game in two years there. A versatile player that can line up at running back or play slot receiver. His best attributes are probably in the return game." - Tommy Tuberville
Casey Gladney, Wide Receiver, Columbia High School, Columbia, S.C.
6'1 / 177 Signed National Letter of Intent ... a four-star prospect by ESPN.com ... three-star prospect by Rivals and Scout ... ranked as the No. 37 wide receiver in the nation according to ESPN.com ... the No. 22 prospect in South Carolina according to Rivals ... selected to play in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas ... caught 45 passes during his senior season for 925 yards and 14 touchdowns ... CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Alabama, Cincinnati, Kentucky and Tennessee.
"Has great hands and runs routes extremely well. He can make runs after the missed tackle and has the ability to make the big play." - Tommy Tuberville
Bruce Jones, Defensive Back, Riverside Community College (Calif.)
5'9 / 175 Signed National Letter of Intent ... a three-star prospect by Rivals and a two-star prospect by Scout ... registered 31 total tackles last season at Riverside, including 17 solo and two tackles for loss ... notched four interceptions for 158 yards ... 12 pass breakups ... one forced fumble ... prepped at Roosevelt High School in Eastvale, Calif. ... CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: New Mexico State.
"Very athletic with a 41-inch vertical and runs a 4.3-40. Great man-to-man coverage. He is the type of defensive back that can play in any scheme." - Tommy Tuberville
Jared Kaster, Offensive Line, Altair Rice High School, Altair, Texas
6'4 / 268 Signed a National Letter of Intent on Dec. 21, 2011 and enrolled at Texas Tech in January 2012 ... will graduate from high school one semester early and will enroll at Texas Tech in January ... will have four years of eligibility plus a redshirt year ... a three-star prospect by both Rivals .... Rivals lists him as the No. 5 center prospect in the nation ... ESPN.com ranks him as the No. 8 center prospect ... a 2010 Class AA All-State Selection ... CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Rice.
"Smart player and a natural center. A physical player that played on both sides of the ball in high school. The fact that he enrolled early will really help him in his development." - Tommy Tuberville
Trey Keenan, Offensive Line, Argyle High School, Argyle, Texas
6'5 / 270 Signed a National Letter of Intent ... a four-star prospect by MaxPreps ... a three-star prospect by Rivals, Scout and ESPN.com ... SUPERPREP All-Southwest team ... athletic lineman with low pad level and the frame to weigh over 300 pounds ... shown ability to cut off speed rushers and can dominate the point of attack as a run blocker ... helped lead his team to the Class 3A Division II State Championship game against Wimberly ... 2011 Class AAA First-Team All-State selection by OldCoach.com ... Class 3A First-Team All-State by the Texas Associated Press Sports Editors ... CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Air Force, Arizona, Arkansas, Baylor, Boise State, Colorado, Kansas, Kansas State, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi State, North Texas, Oklahoma State, Purdue and Tennessee.
"Trey is a strong, physical and very smart football player. He played at a very good high school program at Argyle and made it to the state championship game this past year." - Tommy Tuberville
J.J. Lollar, Defensive Line, A&M Consolidated High School, College Station, Texas
6'3 / 275 Signed a National Letter of Intent ... a consensus three-star prospect by Rivals, Scout and ESPN.com ... one of the earliest commitments in the 2012 signing class ... led his team to the first round of the state playoffs in 2011 .. First-Team District 12-5A ... CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Texas State, Houston, Navy, Rice and Wyoming.
"J.J. is extremely strong. He just squatted 755 pounds this past weekend and is going to go for the all-time state record of 800 pounds and he thinks he can get that record. So the one great characteristic is strength. He is weighing in around 285 pounds so we expect him to be able to come in and get on the field early because he can do some things to help us." - Tommy Tuberville
La'Darius Newbold, Defensive Back, Lancaster High School, Lancaster, Texas
6'0 / 180 Signed a National Letter of Intent ... a consensus three-start prospect by Rivals, Scout and ESPN.com ... member of the Rivals Texas Postseason Top 100 ... ranked as the No. 28 cornerback in the country according to Rivals ... Second-Team District 15-4A selection in 2011 ... SUPERPREP All-Southwest team ... CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Arkansas, Baylor, Boise State, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Memphis, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Texas, Notre Dame, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M.
"Big-time player. Has the potential to be that big corner that we need to go one-on-one with the tall receivers that we face in the Big 12." - Tommy Tuberville
Thierry Nguema, DB, Santiago HS, Corona, Calif.
6'0 / 175 Signed a National Letter of Intent on Dec. 21, 2011 and enrolled at Texas Tech in January 2012 ... will have four years of eligibility and the ability to redshirt...elected to sit out for the 2011 fall semester....will enroll at midyear as a freshman...recorded 47 tackles and four interceptions during his senior campaign at Santiago (CA.) High School...also made an impact on special teams returning two kickoffs for touchdowns ... CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Villanova.
"A great cover corner. Has great hips and runs a 4.4-40. For his size, he is very physical." - Tommy Tuberville
Clayton Nicholas, Quarterback, Cooper High School, Abilene, Texas
6'3 / 205 Signed a National Letter of Intent ... a four-star prospect by both ESPN.com and MaxPreps ... a three-star prospect by both Rivals and Scout ... SUPERPREP All-Southwest team ... the only quarterback in the 2012 class and one of Tech's earliest commitments ... threw for 2,956 yards (227.4 per-game) and 26 touchdowns during his senior season ... helped lead the Cougars to the Class 5A Region I Semifinals against Mansfield Timberview ... led the Cougars on a last-minute scoring drive in the area round of the playoffs that sealed a win over Arlington Lamar ... connected on a 22-yard touchdown pass as time expired to send the Cougars to the third round of the playoffs for the fourth-straight season ... First-Team All-West Texas by OldCoach.com ... Second-Team All-Big Country by the Abilene Reporter-News ... team offensive MVP.
"Clayton is a big and strong player with excellent arm strength. He played in a good high school program at Abilene Cooper and won a lot of games during his career. Most importantly, he is a West Texas guy so we are glad to be able to keep him at home." - Tommy Tuberville
Chris Payne, Linebacker, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
5'11 / 191 Signed a National Letter of Intent on Dec. 21, 2011 and enrolled at Texas Tech in January 2012 ...will have three years of eligibility...signed with South Carolina before enrolling at Mississippi Gulf Coast CC...will enroll at mid-year as a redshirt sophomore...helped Mississippi Gulf Coast Junior College to a 10-2 record...compiled 78 tackles and eight tackles-for-loss...recorded three total sacks last season...also recorded four pass breakups ... prepped at Columbia High School in Columbia, S.C. ... CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Kentucky, Michigan State and South Florida.
"Plays very well in space and will be an outside linebacker/safety for us. He can play either position and he is a guy that can spy the quarterback in a spread offense and chase him down." - Tommy Tuberville
Chase Robison, Defensive Line, Christian Brothers High School, Memphis, Tenn.
6'4 / 228 Signed a National Letter of Intent ... a consensus three-star prospect by Rivals, Scout and ESPN.com ... father, Lanier Robison, played for Coach Tuberville at Arkansas State when Tuberville was an assistant there from 1980-84 ... recorded eight sacks as a junior and helped lead his team to the second round of the Tennessee state playoffs ... Tennessee Sports Writers Association Division II-AA All-State selection as a senior ... CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Arkansas State, Bowling Green, Colorado, East Carolina, Louisana-Lafayette, Louisville, Middle Tennessee State, North Carolina, North Texas and Western Kentucky.
"Ran a 4.6-40. He bends very well and plays with great leverage. A definite speed rusher that can really help us." - Tommy Tuberville
Anthony Smith, Defensive Line, Westfield High School, Houston, Texas
6'0 / 291 Signed a National Letter of Intent ... a consensus three-star prospect by Rivals, Scout and ESPN.com ... helped lead his team to the fourth round of the 2011 state playoffs ... preseason Houston Chronicle Top 100 ... Second-Team All-Greater Houston in 2011 ... CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Arizona State, Boise State, Colorado State, New Mexico, Oklahoma State, San Diego State, Tulsa, Wake Forest and Wyoming.
"He is an athlete in a big body. He plays with great leverage. His change of direction is really good and he plays with a high motor." - Tommy Tuberville
Will Smith, Linebacker, Riverside Community College (Calif.)
6'3 / 220 Signed a National Letter of Intent on Dec. 21, 2011 and enrolled at Texas Tech in January 2012 ...will enroll at mid-year and have two years of eligibility and the ability to redshirt ... SUPERPREP JUCO team ... helped Riverside JC to a perfect 11-0 record and a No. 5 national ranking by JC Gridwire...finished the 2011 season at Riverside second on the team with 36 solo tackles and 13 tackles for loss... recorded three interceptions and returned one 75-yards for a touchdown...attended Div. II Northwood University (Mich.) in 2010...recorded 22 tackles during his freshman campaign before transferring to Riverside CC. ... prepped at Notre Dame High School in Riverside, Calif. ... CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Nevada, New Mexico, New Mexico State and San Jose State.
"Another big-time talent. A phenomenal linebacker, a big linebacker (6-3/230), that can run under a 4.5. He has great range and is long and tall. He is the kind of player that can make an immediate impact and make our defense better instantly." - Tommy Tuberville
Michael Starts, Defensive Line, La Vega High School, Waco, Texas
6'4 / 282 Signed a National Letter of Intent ... a consensus four-star prospect by Rivals, Scout, ESPN.com and MaxPreps ... member of the ESPNU 150 ... a three time First-Team District 19-3A selection ... U.S. Army All-American ... SUPERPREP All-American ... SUPERPREP All-Southwest team ... CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Auburn, Baylor, Michigan, Notre Dame, Stanford, TCU, Texas and Texas A&M.
"A very powerful player. He is a strong side defensive end and a big-time run stopper." - Tommy Tuberville
Austin Stewart, Safety, L.A. Pierce JC (Calif.)
6'2 / 200 Signed a National Letter of Intent on Dec. 21, 2011 and enrolled at Texas Tech in January 2012 ... will have three years of eligibility and the ability to redshirt ... SUPERPREP JUCO team ... played one season at Pierce Junior College outside of Los Angeles, Calif...recorded 26 tackles and pass breakup...made an impact on special teams returning 20 kickoffs for an average of 22.3 yards-per-return...was a member of the 2010 North Carolina state championship as a senior at Butler High School in Matthews, N.C . ... CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Florida International, New Mexico, New Mexico State, Northern Colorado, SMU and Western Michigan.
"Plays with range and will probably be the biggest safety we have in the secondary. He has a lot of range and great ball skills. A very physical player that will come up and hit you." - Tommy Tuberville
Keenon Ward, Athlete, Snyder High School, Snyder, Texas
5'9 / 176 Signed National Letter of Intent ... MVP District 5-3A ... First-Team All-Big Country by the Abilene Reporter-News ... First-Team Class 3A All-State by OldCoach.com ... Honorable Mention All-State 3A by the Texas Associated Press Sports Editors ... helped lead his team to the Region I Semi-Finals against Shallowater ... as a senior he connected on 58 of 177 passes for 780 yards and 11 touchdowns ... ran for 1,769 yards on 181 carries and scored 23 touchdowns ... as a junior he rushed for 1,218 yards on 155 attempts and scored 20 touchdowns ... threw for 2,410 yards and 18 touchdowns ... CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Louisiana Tech.
"Versatile athlete. Played quarterback in high school and can play in a number of positions here. He is strong, smart football player that can make people miss." - Tommy Tuberville
Dominique Wheeler, Wide Receiver, Crockett High School, Crockett, Texas
6'1 / 176 Signed National Letter of Intent ... a four-star prospect by Rivals, Scout and ESPN.com ... a three-star prospect by MaxPreps ... rated as the No. 23 overall prospect in Texas by Rivals ... 2011 U.S. Army All-American... First-Team District 11-2A ... SUPERPREP All-American ... SUPERPREP All-Southwest team ... helped lead his team to the Class 2A Division I Region III Finals against Tatum ... as a senior he compiled 1,622 total yards (13.5 average per-touch) and 15 touchdowns ... totaled 753 receiving yards and 770 yard rushing ... as a junior he compiled 1,164 rushing yards on 71 attempts and 16 touchdowns ... caught six passes for 153 yards and five touchdowns ... CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Auburn, Baylor, Clemson, Colorado, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma State, SMU, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M and Utah.
"Dominique is probably the best athlete in the state of Texas this year. He is a good basketball player, has the chance to win a state championship in track and led his football team deep in the state playoffs this year. He is dangerous with the ball in his hands and has tremendous speed." - Tommy Tuberville
Quinton White, Running Back, A&M Consolidated High School, College Station, Texas
5'8 / 180 Signed a National Letter of Intent ... a three-star prospect by Rivals, Scout and ESPN.com ... SUPERPREP All-Southwest team ... rushed for 835 yards during his senior season ... ran for 1,201 yards and 15 touchdowns as a junior ... ranked as the No. 12 running back in the state by Rivals ... First-Team All-Central Texas by the Austin American-Statesman ... First-Team All-State as a punter by the Texas Associated Press Sports Editors ... First-Team District 12-5A ... CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Air Force, Army, Louisiana Tech, Navy, Texas-San Antonio and Tulsa.
"Quinton is an all-purpose back. He catches the ball great out of the backfield. He is strong and can pick up the blitz. He is an intelligent player and was also a First-Team All-State punter." - Tommy Tuberville
Kris Williams, Linebacker, Bryan Adams High School, Dallas, Texas
6'3 / 210 Signed a National Letter of Intent ... a consensus three-star prospect by Rivals, Scout and ESPN.com ... member of the Dallas Morning News Top 100 ... First-Team District 12-4A selection as a junior ... Second-Team District 12-4A as a senior ... as a senior he recorded 56 tackles, six sacks, 12 tackles for loss and forced two fumbles ... CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Arizona State, Arkansas State, Baylor, California, Nevada, New Mexico, SMU, Tulsa and UTEP.
"Very athletic. Played on both sides of the ball as he was an H-back on offense and a linebacker. He will be a linebacker for us and is one of our most athletic linebackers. He is multitalented in that he can run, is physical, can rush the passer and can drop back in coverage." - Tommy Tuberville
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