DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University football team announced 21 new Bulldogs on early signing day (Dec. 20).
 
"Exciting day for the Bulldogs," head coach Todd Stepsis said. "Our coaches, support staff, and university colleagues continue to knock it out of the park helping us land yet another impressive crew of future football student-athletes. It takes the right person to come to Drake. This is a prideful program that we believe is one of the best options out there for people to be great. I feel like we can go anywhere and get the best people for us, and that's what we did with this group of fantastic players and families."
 
Zach Adamo | LB | Elgin, Ill. | Burlington Central HS

Notes: All-Area honorable mention as a senior.
 
Adam Bogenski | TE | Mundelein, Ill. | Mundelein HS

Notes: Three-time All-Conference Academic selection… Team captain… Hauled in three passes for 75 yards and a touchdown as senior… All-Conference honorable mention his junior year… Mundelein Special Teams Player of the Year.
 
Bryce Bradley | LB | Fort Worth, Texas | Fort Worth Christian HS

Notes: 102 tackles (62 solo), four sacks and one interception as a junior… 42 tackles (27 solo) and four sacks his sophomore season… 47 tackles (30 solo) with five sacks and an interception on varsity as a freshman.
 
Derrick Bunkelman | LB | De Pere, Wis. | De Pere HS

Notes: First Team All-Conference… Team captain… Racked up 137 total tackles, two sacks, two interceptions and a forced fumble during his senior season… Helped De Pere to its first Division 1 playoff victory in school history… 49 tackles as a junior… Also lettered in basketball… Part of the undefeated 30-0 state champion De Pere boys basketball team his junior year.
 
Hank Foley | WR | Santa Monica, Calif. | St. Francis HS

Notes: Three-time All-Conference selection… All-Conference Academic honoree… Captain of St. Francis track & field team as a senior.
 
Tytus Gomez | WR | Glendale, Ariz. | Chaparral HS

Notes: 26 receptions for 304 yards and three touchdowns as a senior… 25 catches for 318 yards and a touchdown during his sophomore season.
 
Caleb Gray | DL | Appleton, Wis. | East HS

Notes: Recipient of East's Defensive Player of the Year and Strong awards… Academic All-State his senior year… Also lettered in swimming and track & field, earning All-Conference honorable mention status as a swimmer as a junior.
 
Elijah Gutierrez | DB | Tolleson, Ariz. | Canyon View HS

Notes: Two-time First Team All-Region selection… 52 total tackles, 10 pass breakups, two interceptions, one sack and one blocked field goal as a senior… All-Conference honorable mention his junior year.
 
Will Hendricks | OL | Lawrence, Kan. | Lawrence HS

Notes: All-State… Two-time All-Conference selection… Team captain… Accumulated 35 pancakes his senior season… Non-senior Second Team honoree following the 2022 season with 30 pancakes… Recorded 20 pancakes as a sophomore.
 
Hadley Holmes | DL | Overland Park, Kan. | Blue Valley West HS

Notes: Two-time Second Team All-Conference choice… Two-time 6A All-State honorable mention… Helped Blue Valley West to a round one playoff win as a senior… Also lettered in track & field.
 
Omero Inda | DB | Willard, Mo. | Willard HS

Notes: All-Area… All-District… All-Conference… Willard Defensive Player of the Year… Notched 65 tackles (five for loss), three interceptions, seven pass breakups and one fumble recovery as a senior… Recorded 58 tackles (seven for loss)… 13 pass breakups and one forced fumble his junior season.
 
Sam Johnson | WR | Waukee, Iowa | Waukee Northwest HS

Notes: Two-time First Team All-Conference honoree… 5A First Team All-State as a senior… Team captain… Accounted for 26 total touchdowns his senior season (tied for second most in all of Class 5A)… Ranked fourth in Class 5A regular season offensive yards… Helped the Wolves to a quarterfinal playoff appearance as a junior.
 
Nick Joseph | DL | Champlin, Minn. | Champlin Park HS

Notes: Northwest Suburban Conference Preseason Player of the Year… Recorded 44 tackles including 15 for loss and four sacks along with two forced fumbles as a senior… Also lettered in track & field.
Chase Lamb | LB |Waukee, Iowa | Waukee Northwest HS

Notes: Three-time All-State, First Team All-District and First Team All-Conference honoree… All-State Academic award recipient his senior year… 65 tackles (60 solo), 12.5 tackles for loss and two sacks helping Waukee Northwest to the playoffs as a senior… 89.5 tackles (75 solo) and seven tackles for loss as a junior while Waukee Northwest won its district… Recorded 69.5 tackles (61 solo) with 6.5 tackles for loss and two sacks as a sophomore.
 
Jake Leonard | TE | Madrid, Iowa | Madrid HS

Notes: Team captain… Two-time First Team All-District honoree… Helped Madrid to a District title as a senior… Made the Des Moines Register Top 50 as a junior… Also lettered in basketball and track & field… Part of state-qualifying Madrid boys basketball team his junior year… Two-time State track & field qualifier in the shuttle hurdle relay.
 
Brandon Maxwell | OL | Winterset, Iowa | Earlham Community HS

Notes: Academic All-District Team… Moose Award recipient (character)… Helped Earlham Community HS to District runner-up status his senior season… Practice Player of the Year.
 
Ty Mikkelsen | QB | Grimes, Iowa | Dallas Center-Grimes HS

Notes: Two-time Second Team All-State honoree… All-State Academic selection… Team captain… Threw for 1,170 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior… Set the school single season passing yards record (1,993 yards) and the school's single game passing yards record… Tossed 18 touchdowns during his junior campaign.
 
Hudson Miller | TE | Des Moines, Iowa | Roosevelt HS

Notes: All-Conference selection… Team captain… Voted team MVP… Hauled in 35 receptions for 497 yards and six touchdowns as a senior… Missed the 2022 season due to injury… Seven catches for 121 yards and one touchdown as a sophomore.
 
Tate Platte | QB | Urbandale, Iowa | Des Moines Christian HS

Notes: Two-time First Team All-District honoree… District Offensive MVP… School record holder for passing touchdowns in a game (6)… School record holder for passing touchdowns in a season (31)…. School record holder for career touchdown passes (58)… School record holder for career passing yards (4,846)… Team captain as a senior passing for 2,282 yards and 25 touchdowns… Also ran the ball 88 times for 500 yards and five touchdowns… First Team All-District punter his junior year… At quarterback as a junior, tossed for 2,293 yards and 31 touchdowns.
 
Trenton Radloff | LB | Plymouth, Minn. | Wayzata HS

Notes: Two-time All-District First Team honoree… Three-time All-District Academic Team selection… All-Area First Team… Team captain… Led Wayzata in tackles his junior and senior seasons… Earned 84 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, one forced fumble and one pass breakup his senior season… Totaled 96 tackles (10 tackles for loss), one sack, one forced fumble, one interception and two pass breakups as a junior… Gained meaningful varsity experience as a sophomore with 58 total tackles (three tackles for loss) and two pass breakups… Started both ways at inside linebacker and running back in two playoff games for Wayzata.
 
Jake Scobey | TE | Denver, Colo. | Thomas Jefferson HS

Notes: All-Conference First Team as a senior… Team captain… 32 receptions for 558 yards and six touchdowns his senior season… Helped Thomas Jefferson to a 10-2 record and Sweet 16 playoff appearance his senior year… All-Conference Second Team selection and voted his team's defensive MVP as a junior… All-Conference honorable mention as a sophomore.
 
Drake football will add to its 2024 signing class on National Signing Day (Feb. 7, 2024).