DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University football team received an additional 20 commitments from student-athletes for the 2019 season, first-year head coach
Todd Stepsis announced Wednesday, Feb. 6. The new commitments join the group of four incoming student-athletes who committed to the Bulldogs during the early signing period and will join the team in August.
"This class is loaded. Loaded with gamechanger personalities and talents." Stepsis said, "This group has dominant pass rushers, gunslingers at quarterback, big and physical offensive linemen, lockdown defensive backs, playmakers at wide receiver and tight end, linebackers that can run and hit, and running backs that can take it the distance. All will help us continue to build our roster the way we want to. It's going to be an exciting fall."
Together, the 24-player recruiting class consists of student-athletes from nine different states; including Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Texas. Eight members of the class were named to their respective All-State teams.
The 2019 class joins a Drake team that boasted a nationally ranked defense and a league-high 22 All-PFL selections in 2018.
2019 Drake Football Commitments
| Name |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Hometown/Previous School |
| Parker Althaus |
OL |
6-5 |
250 |
Waconia, Minn./Waconia |
| Nicholas Cagnetto |
DB |
5-11 |
175 |
Denton, Texas/Lake Dallas |
| Mason Compton |
DB |
5-10 |
165 |
Muscatine, Iowa/Durant |
| Ian Corwin |
QB |
5-11 |
173 |
Tulsa, Okla./Jenks |
| Nathan De Bruin |
K |
5-10 |
158 |
Oskaloosa, Iowa/Pella Christian |
| Zachary Drummond |
DB |
6-1 |
178 |
Van Meter, Iowa/Van Meter |
| Evan Durbin |
OL |
6-4 |
305 |
Littleton, Colo./Columbine |
| Nolan Engmann |
DL |
6-2 |
238 |
Huntley, Ill./Huntley |
| Zackary Gray |
WR |
6-3 |
180 |
Scottsdale, Ariz./Notre Dame Preparatory School |
| Andrew Grout |
OL |
6-4 |
285 |
Castle Rock, Colo./Castle View |
| William Hansen |
OL |
6-4 |
265 |
Kansas City, Kan./Rockhurst |
| Colin Howard |
WR |
6-1 |
187 |
The Woodlands, Texas/Concordia Lutheran |
| Linden Howe |
LB |
6-0 |
208 |
Kearney, Neb./Kearney Catholic |
| Jayce Hunter |
DB |
5-11 |
185 |
Mission Viejo, Ariz./Capistrano Valley |
| Ryan Jackson |
DL |
6-3 |
220 |
Plano, Texas/Prestonwood Christian Academy |
| Michael Markett |
QB |
6-0 |
190 |
Homer Glen, Ill./Marist |
| Caden Meis |
HB |
5-10 |
190 |
Parker, Colo./Legend |
| Harrison Murray |
TE |
6-4 |
245 |
Santa Rosa, Calif./Santa Rosa Junior College |
| Jimmy Poremba |
OL |
6-4 |
270 |
Wildwood, Ill./Warren Township |
| Garrett Smith |
OL |
6-5 |
260 |
North Richland Hills, Texas/Richland |
| Andrew Stafford II |
TE |
6-3 |
220 |
Leawood, Kan./Rockhurst |
| Gage Vander Leest |
DB |
5-11 |
182 |
Lynnville, Iowa/Lynnville-Sully |
| Scott West |
DB |
5-11 |
148 |
Naperville, Ill./Montini Catholic |
| Jordan White |
ATH |
6-1 |
205 |
Topeka, Kan./Washburn Rural |
- Long and athletic lineman
Nicholas Cagnetto | DB | 5-11 | 175 | Denton, Texas/Lake Dallas
- Second team all-district and second team all-academic
Mason Compton | DB | 5-10 | 165 | Muscatine, Iowa/Durant
- 13th all-time leader in receiving yards in Iowa
- Dynamic, multi-sport athlete (baseball, track and field, football)
Ian Corwin | QB | 5-11 | 173 | Tulsa, Okla./Jenks
- The all-time leader in Jenks H.S. history with 8,998 yards
- Accurate passer, and can scramble to extend the play
Nathan De Bruin | K | 5-10 | 158 | Oskaloosa, Iowa/Pella Christian
- Three-time All-State -District in football, Three-time All-Conference in soccer
- Will participate in Shrine Bowl this summer
- Strong leg as a soccer player, end zone distance on kickoffs, range on field goals.
Zachary Drummond | DB | 6-1 | 178 | Van Meter, Iowa/Van Meter
- Second team all-district DB
Evan Durbin | OL | 6-4 | 305 | Littleton, Colo./Columbine
- Second team all-conference, all-state academically
Nolan Engmann | DL | 6-2 | 238 | Huntley, Ill./Huntley
- Versatile. Can play as a pass-rusher or in a linebacker role.
Zackary Gray | WR | 6-3 | 180 | Scottsdale, Ariz./Notre Dame Preparatory School
- First team all-region wide receiver … earned the Most Outstanding Receiver award … honorable mention all-state academic team
Andrew Grout | OL | 6-4 | 285 | Castle Rock, Colo./Castle View
- First-team all-conference and second team all-state
William Hansen | OL | 6-4 | 265 | Kansas City/Rockhurst
- Team was runner up in Missouri State Class 6A
Colin Howard | WR | 6-1 | 187 | The Woodlands, Texas/Concordia Lutheran
- Awarded 2018 Ironman of the Year by the Houston Touchdown Club … was a football academic All-State selection as a senior … named first team all-district as a wide receiver ... named an All-State receiver … named a finalist for Houston Chapter of the Positive Coaching Alliance's Triple-Impact Competitor Scholarship.
Linden Howe | LB | 6-0 | 208 | Kearney, Neb./Kearney Catholic
- Can play on both sides of the ball … all-district as a linebacker and running back
- Two-time all-state linebacker … all-state athlete
Jayce Hunter | DB | 5-11 | 185 | Mission Viejo, Calif./Capistrano Valley
- 2017 most improved player award.
Ryan Jackson | DL | 6-3 | 220 | Plano, Texas/Prestonwood Christian Academy
Michael Markett | QB | 6-0 | 190 | Homer Glen, Ill./Marist
- 2018 first team all-state at QB … 2018 ESCC conference player of the year … academic all-state.
- Threw for 2,000 yards and ran for 1,000
Caden Meis | HB | 5-10 | 190 | Parker, Colo./Legend
- Academic all-American in 2017 and 2018 … second all-time leading tackler at Legend H.S. … all-conference last three seasons in two positions
Harrison Murray | TE | 6-4 | 245 | Santa Rosa, Calif./Santa Rosa Junior College
- A two-year starter for Santa Rosa JC … SRJC Commitment to Excellence award winner
Jimmy Poremba | OL | 6-4 | 270 | Wildwood, Ill./Warren Township
- 2018 all-area and all-conference
Garrett Smith | OL | 6-5 | 260 | North Richland Hills, Texas/Richland
- All-district honorable mention made history at Richland with a deep playoff run.
Andrew Stafford II TE 6-3 220 Leawood, Kan./Rockhurst
- All-District and second on the team in receiving … was a full-time, two-way starter … finished runner up in Missouri Class 6A … was the conference defensive player of the year … South Coast League honorable mention … Orange County all-star game participant.
Gage Vander Leest | DB | 5-11 | 182 | Lynnville, Iowa/Lynnville-Sully
- All-state running back … all-district running back and defensive back
- Academic all-state … NHS President at Lynnville-Sully … Student Body President … 3.95 GPA
Scott West | DB | 5-11 | 148 | Naperville, Ill./Montini Catholic
- All-state and all-conference
- Academic all-conference
Jordan White | ATH | 6-1 | 205 | Topeka, Kan./Washburn Rural
- First-team all-league for football and basketball … All-CIty top 11.
- Has appeared on ESPN's Top 10 Plays … strong volunteer and community involvement
