DES MOINES, Iowa -- The Drake University football team has received commitments from 31 student-athletes to join the Bulldogs for the 2016 season, third-year head coach
Rick Fox announced Wednesday to open the signing period.
"This is a big day for over 30 young men, who have made the commitment to be Drake Bulldogs. It's a big day because they are committing the next four-plus years to be a part of our football program, be a part of Drake University and to become the kind of impact men that we challenge them to be," Fox said. "They chose Drake because at Drake they can get a Division I football experience and an uncompromised education."
The 30 student-athletes that will continue their academic and athletic careers hail from those seven states, including Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Wisconsin. Thirteen of the newcomers are projected as offensive players while 16 are defenders plus two specialist.
"We attract students from all over the country but especially the heart of the country. We are very proud of the 10 Iowa guys that make up this class but we got some great football players from the neighboring states as well," Fox said.
The 2016 commitments join a program that has laid claim to two of the last five Pioneer Football League championships. The Bulldogs are slated to return three all-PFL selections from the 2015 season in which the team posted a 5-6 record.
2016 Drake Football Commitments
| Name |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Hometown |
High School |
| Dustin Anthony |
OL |
6-0 |
280 |
Edmond, Okla. |
Edmond Santa Fe |
| Jacob Bacon |
OL |
6-5 |
299 |
Hastings, Minn. |
Hastings |
| Jack Borvan |
DL |
6-1 |
221 |
Plainfield, Ill. |
Oswego East |
| Alex Bray |
QB |
6-2 |
175 |
Muskego, Wis. |
Catholic Memorial |
| Daeonte Calvert |
DB |
5-11 |
175 |
Broken Arrow, Okla. |
Tulsa Union |
| Patrick Carr |
LB |
6-2 |
220 |
Frankfort, Ill. |
Lincoln Way East |
| John Clark |
LB |
5-11 |
195 |
Clarinda, Iowa |
Clarinda High School |
| Zack Clark |
OL |
6-3 |
271 |
Hoffman Estates, Ill. |
Hoffman Estates |
| Jacob Clay |
Ath |
5-8 |
175 |
Brentwood, Mo. |
Brentwood High School |
| Gavin Dineen |
DL |
6-2 |
265 |
Algonquin, Ill. |
Marian Central Catholic |
| Evan Downes |
DL |
6-4 |
215 |
Tiffin, Iowa |
Clear Creek Amana |
| Chris Evans |
DL |
6-5 |
250 |
Jackson, Wis. |
Slinger |
| Shane Feller |
WR |
6-4 |
179 |
Charles City, Iowa |
Charles City |
| Cade Gilbert |
OL |
6-1 |
267 |
Lincolnshire, Ill. |
Adlai E. Stevenson |
| Jacob Hardy |
DL |
6-3 |
218 |
Adel, Iowa |
Adel-Desoto-Minburn |
| Christian Harmon |
DB |
5-10 |
175 |
Omaha, Neb. |
Fremont |
| Malik James |
DB |
5-8 |
170 |
Kansas City, Mo. |
Park Hill |
| Kolby Jensen |
WR |
5-11 |
165 |
Ballard, Iowa |
Huxley |
| Victor Jergens |
LB |
6-1 |
240 |
Webster City, Iowa |
Webster City |
| Ross Kennedy |
K/P |
5-9 |
165 |
Cedar Rapids, Iowa |
Washington Senior |
| Seth Krueger |
LB |
6-0 |
207 |
Norridge, Ill. |
Ridgewood |
| Jacob Lewis |
LB |
6-0 |
201 |
Kansas City, Mo. |
Staley High School |
| Ian Malaby |
DB |
6-0 |
185 |
Mechanicsville, Iowa |
North Cedar Comm. |
| Ben Mawdsley |
OL |
6-4 |
260 |
Algona, Iowa |
Algona |
| Mitch McFarlane |
WR |
6-3 |
175 |
Fond du Lac, Wis. |
Winnebago Lutheran Acad. |
| Taylor Murph |
RB |
5-10 |
180 |
Omaha, Neb. |
Ralston |
| Cooper Nunley |
QB |
5-11 |
180 |
Jenks, Okla. |
Jenks |
| Tom Pugh |
TE |
6-3 |
215 |
Iowa City, Iowa |
Iowa City |
| William Purdom |
WR |
5-10 |
175 |
Glen Ellyn, Ill. |
Saint Francis |
| Marko Ristic |
K/P |
6-0 |
195 |
Willowbrook, Ill. |
Hinsdale South |
| Riley Ruhuba |
TE |
6-3 |
225 |
Bloomington, Ill. |
Normal |
| Collin Seymour |
DB |
5-11 |
165 |
Peosta, Iowa |
Dubuque Senior |
| Isaiah Skinner |
RB |
5-8 |
173 |
Glendale Heights, Ill. |
Glenbard West |
| Will Warner |
DB |
6-2 |
189 |
Pella, Iowa |
Pella Community |
2016 Drake Football Commitments – 2015 Highlights
Dustin Anthony (OL, 6-0, 280, Edmond, Okla./Edmond Santa Fe)
- Named first team all-district and all-conference and also was a second team all-conference long snapper.
- Helped lead Edmond Santa Fe to the state semifinals in 2015.
Jacob Bacon (OL, 6-5, 299, Hastings, Minn./Hastings)
- Named first team all-conference in football, wrestling and track as a junior.
- Selected as team captain as a senior.
Jack Borvan (DL, 6-1, 221, Plainfield, Ill./Oswego East)
- Named first team all-conference and all-area.
- Recorded 99 tackles, 12.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss as a senior.
Alex Bray (QB, 6-2, 175, Muskego, Wis./Catholic Memorial)
- Led Catholic Memorial to a WIAA Division 3 Runner-up finish
- Earned all-conference and all-area honors as a quarterback
- Named first team all-state punter by the Associated Press and the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association.
Daeonte Calvert (DB, 5-11, 175, Broken Arrow, Okla./Broken Arrow)
- Caught 15 passes for 304 yards and four touchdowns as a senior.
- Finished his career with 39 receptions for 745 yards and eight touchdowns.
Patrick Carr (LB, 6-2, 220, Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln Way East)
- Received second team all-area and first team all-conference honors in 2015.
- Named academic all-state in 2015.
- Tallied 73 tackles with 15 being for a loss.
Jacob Clay (Athlete, 5-8, 175, Brentwood, Mo./Brentwood)
- Named first team all-state and all-district
- Rushed for 1,971 yards with 43 touchdowns
Gavin Dineen (DL, 6-2, 265, Algonquin, Ill./Marian Central Catholic)
- Named first team all-area.
- Recorded 45 tackles and two sacks.
Chris Evans (DL, 6-5, 250, Jackson, Wis./Slinger)
- Named first team All-Wisconsin Little Ten defense and offense.
- Tallied 47 tackles, five tackles for loss and three sacks
Shane Feller (WR, 6-4, 179, Charles City, Iowa/Charles City)
- Named Globe Gazette all-area and first team all-district.
- Received academic all-state honors.
Cade Gilbert (OL, 6-1, 267, Lincolnshire, Ill./Adlai E. Stevenson)
- Named first team all-conference and academic all-state
Jacob Hardy (DL, 6-3, 218, Adel, Iowa/Adel-Desoto-Minburn)
- Received first team all-district honors
- Recorded 47 tackles with seven sacks and three forced fumbles
Christian Harmon (DB, 5-10, 175, Omaha, Neb./Fremont)
- Named first team all-area and all-conference.
- Garnered honorable mention all-state honors.
- Selected to the Nebraska Shrine Bowl.
Malik James (DB, 5-8, 170, Kansas City, Mo./Park Hill)
- Earned all-conference and academic all-state honors.
- Tallied 16 pass breakups and two interceptions.
Victor Jergens (LB, 6-1, 240, Webster City, Iowa/Webster City)
- Named Des Moines Register 2015 first team all-state 3A and Iowa Newspaper Association first team all-state.
- Recorded 99 tackles, 13.5 tackles for a loss and 6.5 sacks.
Ross Kennedy (K/P, 5-9, 165, Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Washington Senior)
- Averaged 36 yards per punt on 33 attempts and placed 17 punts inside the 20 yard line.
- Named Team Most Improved Player.
Seth Krueger (LB, 6-0, 207, Norridge, Ill./Ridgewood)
Jacob Lewis (LB, 6-0, 201, Kansas City, Mo./Staley High School)
- Named second team all-state and first team all-metro, all-district and all-conference.
- Recorded 141 tackles, 15 sacks and two forced fumbles as a senior.
Ian Malaby (DB, 6-0, 185, Mechanicsville, Iowa/North Cedar Comm.)
- Named second team all-state by Iowa Newspaper Association
- Recorded 81 tackles and an interception to go with 310 rushing yards and 730 yards receiving.
Mitch McFarlane (WR, 6-3, 175, Fond du Lac, Wis./Winnebago Lutheran Academy)
- Named first team all-conference and all-region wide receiver and second team all-conference defensive back.
- Caught 39 passes for 853 yards and nine touchdowns.
Taylor Murph (RB, 5-10, 180, Omaha, Neb./Ralston)
- Recorded 929 yards rushing with 10 TDs in 2015
- Named 2015 All-ITG by Omaha.com
Cooper Nunley (QB, 5-11, 180, Jenks, Okla./Jenks)
- Named Oklahoma 6A-1 Player of the Year, Tulsa World State Championship Player of the Game, Tulsa World first team all-state.
- Led Jenks High School to its fourth consecutive 6-A State Championship
- Recorded 2,853 yards passing with 35 touchdowns and completed 69 percent of his pass in 2015.
Tom Pugh (TE, 6-3, 215, Iowa City, Iowa/Iowa City)
- Named second team all-district.
- Received the team motor award.
William Purdom (WR, 5-10, 175, Glen Ellyn, Ill./Saint Francis)
- Named second team all-state by the Illinois High School Coaches Association, first team all-area by the Daily Herald and first team all-area by Kane County Preps.
- Was a Chicago Catholic League All-Conference honoree.
- Recorded 1,054 all-purpose yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior.
Collin Seymour (DB, 5-11, 165, Peosta, Iowa/Dubuque Senior)
- Named 4A District 8 Defensive Player of the Year
- Garnered first team all-state honors
- Recorded 46 tackles and six interceptions
Isaiah Skinner (RB, 5-8, 173, Glendale Heights, Ill./Glenbard West)
- Named 2015 West Suburban Silver Conference Offensive Player of the Year
- Earned all-conference and led Glenbard West to a 2015 Class 7A State Championship
Will Warner (DB, 6-2, 189, Pella, Iowa/Pella Community)
- Named first team all-state wide receiver and defensive back.
- Recorded 39 tackles and four interceptions.
- Helped lead Pella to a 3A State championship.
