MAC Football

MAC Basketball

KENT

The View: Coach Dean Pees signed 20 players from eight different states. With a major emphasis on the Baltimore/Washington D.C. area, seven players come from Maryland, two come from Virginia and one from the District of Columbia. Wanting to add impact players like Joshua Cribbs from last year’s class, Peas & Company found DT Larry Brown from his high school and WR Darrell Dowery. Brown made 105 tackles as a senior, including 19 sacks and 12 fumble recoveries, and was recruited by several eastern schools. Needing more players in the trenches, Kent State may have found a hidden gem in Craigh Rafdal. Courted by Big Ten schools, most backed off after he suffered an knee injury at the end of his junior year. If he returns to full strength, the Golden Flashes may have a real keeper with him. Derrick Bush had offers from West Virginia and Auburn, but Peas made a great impression on his family, so Kent was able to steal a real playmaker who could see time at several different skilled positions. Nate Manning is huge at 6’4’’ 290 and was the main lineman for Michael Vick’s brother, Marcus Vick, a Virginia Tech recruit. Elijah Brooks is a gamer who had 1,529 rushing yards and 27 TDs as a senior. Overall Kent State signed eight linemen which meets the needs and goal of this class. Increasing team speed was also addressed in this class and WR Brian Bell may become a real treat to watch with his good hands and ability to get open.

Analysis: Coach Peas continues to build good recruiting ties to what is normally non-MAC territory. Kent State has signed more players from the state of Maryland than any other school except for the Terri pans. Although I like how Kent State takes more chances on players not highly recruited who have great potential than any other MAC school, I do believe they are making mistake not recruiting NW Ohio with it’ fertile crop of high school football players more than what they are doing. Overall I rate this class as AVERAGE, but there are certainly some big-time players listed and team speed was addressed. How good these linemen produce will ultimately grade how good this class really is in a few years.

Players	Quick Comments
Jim Alexander, DE, 6-5, 230, Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley	All-Conference
Mohammed Bah, RB, 5-9, 170, Silver Spring, Md./Paint Branch	Signed in 2001, now attending; All-County
Brian Bell, WR, 6-3, 200, Kettering, Md./DeMatha Catholic (D.C.)	All-Conference Player
Elijah Brooks, RB, 5-10, 190, Largo, Md./DeMatha Catholic (D.C.)	1st Team All-Conference; 2nd Team All-D.C. Metro
Larry Brown, DT, 6-1, 285, Washington, D.C./Dunbar	Three-time All-D.C. First Team
Derrick Bush, Ath., 6-1, 195, Colquitt, Ga./Miller County	All-Conference & All-Region Player
Barry Drakeford, DB, 5-10, 180, Virginia Beach, VA./Kellam	All-District & All-State as a DB
Brian Gilbert, OL, 6-3, 270, Mt. Morris, Mich./Imlay City	All-State Player as both OL & DT
Frank Isenberg, OL, 6-3, 280, West Mifflin, Pa./West Mifflin Area	All-Conference Player
Philip Johnson, RB, 6-0, 180, Columbus, Ohio/Eastmoor	All-City; rushed for 808 yards on 70 carries
Nathaniel Manning, OL, 6-4, 290, Newport News, Va./Warwick	All-Dsitrct; 2nd Team All-State
Daniel Muir, DL, 6-3, 250, Lanham, Md./Parkdale	All-District & All-State as a DL
Austin Novak, TE, 6-3, 235, Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills	2nd Team All-Conference
Justin Parrish, LB, 6-2, 235, Landover Hills, Md./Fairmont Heights	All-County & All-Metro 1st Team
Craigh Rafdal, OL, 6-4, 295, Beavercreek, Ohio/Beavercreek	All-Conference Player
Bruce Rice, LB, 6-2, 230, Columbus, Ohio/Northland	All City & All-District
Jon Sessler, LB, 6-3, 245, Castalia, Ohio/Margaretta	1st Team All-Conference; 2nd Team All-District
Antwan Smith, QB, 6-3, 190, Laurel, Md./Meade	All-Metro; 4,000 passing yrds; 41 pass TDs; 15 run TDs
Joshua VerHoeve, OL, 6-4, 275, Chula Vista, Calif./Eastlake	JUCO with more than 100 pancake blocks
Brandon Wells, DB, 5-9, 170, Mitchellville, Md./Bowie	All-State player; athlete = play many positions