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football Edit

MT excels on Early Signing Day

Blue Raiders ink several top targets from atop their big board

Early Signing Day is here! Keep up with us throughout the day as we update the official 2019 Blue Raider recruiting class as LOI's roll in.

As of the end of Wednesday, the Blue Raiders are holding steady with 14 signatures inked.

Check out the latest crop of prospects below!

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SIGNED & SEALED PROSPECTS

A late addition to the radar for us, Jalen Jackson committed and signed with MT early this morning, marking the first official signee of the 2019 class. The Blue Raider coaching staff wanted to keep Jackson under wraps during this process, fearing that P5 schools would catch on to the talented prospect down the stretch.

A two-way player for Bloomingdale High in the Tampa area, Jackson projects out as a DB at the next level. He started every game over the last two seasons for Bloomingdale, and made a name for himself as a being long and physical DB who made it very hard for opposing teams to connect on against.

A former FAU commit, Marcus LaFrance will end up as one of the highest rated players in this years group of signees. As it stands right now, he's rated as the 90th best prospect in the always rich state of Florida, and is also rated as the 64th best DB in the country.

LaFrance is long and lean at the DB position with a similar skillset to current Blue Raider Raheem Fuller, another highly touted prospect from years past.

A super productive receiver out of Owensboro, Kentucky, Marquel Tinsley was on the radar of the Blue Raider coaching staff for quite some time.

Tinsley is a big-bodied, physical receiver with underrated athleticism. His ability to pin-point balls and battle for possession is what stood out most in regards to his skillset. Given MT's knack for getting receivers on the field sooner than later, you can expect to see Tinsley competing for time early in his career.

The first commit of the 2019 class, Raquon Hartley pledged to the Blue Raiders all the way back in June, starting what would become a blitz on the state of South Carolina by the Blue Raider coaching staff.

Although pegged as a wide receiver based on Rivals.com projections, the Blue Raiders plan to add Hartley to their linebacker core moving forward.

A versatile lineman who can be plugged into various spots along the line, Dorian Hinton will provide the Blue Raiders with a physical presence who built a reputation for finishing his blocks with a tenacious attitude.

Hinton's talents landed him P5 offers from Cincinnati and Purdue to go along with a host of others, but it was a late push from the Blue Raider staff that put MT over the top.

The question as to whether or not the Blue Raider staff would look to sign a QB in this year's cycle was answered Wednesday when Reedley Community College QB Randall Johnson signed.

Johnson was offered by OC Tony Franklin late in the cycle, and will bring the Blue Raiders a style at the QB position that they don't necessarily have right now. Whereas some on the roster have strong arms and others are known for their athleticism, Johnson possesses both and a 6'5" frame to go along with it. His ability to extend plays is what stood out to MT during their evaluation of him.

A one-time East Carolina commit, the recruitment of Hemingway, South Carolina defensive end Darius Williams got very heated down the stretch.

The 6'3", 225 pound two-way player found himself with 20 offers to choose from when all was said and done, and for good reason. Williams, who goes by JuJu, possesses a certain level of nastiness and physicality that simply isn't matched by many.

Sources close to GoMiddle.com suggested that Williams was leaning towards staying closer to home and heading to Coastal Carolina, but a last second push by the Blue Raider coaching staff, particularly defensive line coach Dustin Royston, proved to be the difference maker.

College of the Canyons (CA) wide receiver Jarrin Pierce was identified early in the recruiting cycle by OC Tony Franklin, who made it his personal mission to lock the speedy receiver down.

What he lacks in stature, Pierce more than makes up for with toughness. It was that willingness to put his body on the line and embrace the contact of the sport that caught Franklin's eye.

Pierce used his two years at junior college to hone his craft and find ways into the end zone. He tallied five scores in both seasons and, in 2018, he led his team with 52 receptions and 770 yards.

One of the most sought after recruits of this year's cycle, Overton High (TN) prospect Steven Losoya was a big target for MTSU early in the process and all the way through.

The Nashville native took his time through it all, but in the end, it was the Blue Raider staff, who pursued him relentlessly, that stood out the most.

Another versatile lineman, Losoya can be plugged into a number of positions along the offensive line. His leadership qualities and lead by example mentality are what made him so appealing to MT, but his actual ability as a lineman and finishing style were the cherry on top.

The Blue Raiders went to the top of Kentucky to pluck Beechwood High offensive lineman Adam Derry away. The 280-pound guard chose MT over a host of other viable options, including WKU, Eastern Michigan, Ball State and more.

Derry was a three-year starter for Beechwood, a program that regularly finds itself in the state championship conversation. The experience of playing in big time games and coming from a championship culture made Derry a very attractive prospect to the Blue Raider coaching staff, who locked onto Derry very early in the recruiting process.

The #BikeLife is coming to Murfreesboro. Forest Hill (FL) DB Darius McClendon joined the Blue Raider class shortly after taking his official visit towards the end of November.

McClendon played both sides of the ball at Forest Hill, excelling as both a quarterback and in the secondary. He plays heavier than his 170-pound frame would suggest, and is a very physical tackler/hitter.

With good instincts and 4.5 speed to boot, McClendon possesses as much upside as anybody in this class.

It's rare to find a triple threat player, but MT found just that in A.C. Flora (SC) DB/WR Quincy Riley. Not only was Riley a standout corner and receiver, he also flashed brilliance in special teams, reaching the end zone an astounding six times this past season.

As a DB (where MT has Riley pegged), the Columbia native snagged five picks his senior season to go along with 28 tackles. That athleticism netted him 15 offers during his recruiting process.

The courtship between Riley and MT almost hit a huge roadblock when UCF came into the picture late in the process. Had the Knights pulled the trigger with an offer, the waters could have gotten pretty muddy. Alas, the Blue Raiders were able to withstand the pressure and convince Riley that an early signing was the best way to go.

Another recruit that the Blue Raider coaching staff kept under wraps is that of Camden County (GA) LB/S Roninn Wright.

Wright hit the camp circuit over the summer and caught MT's eye with his sheer athleticism, but sold them when they turned the tape on. Wright can play all over the field on a defense. At 200 pounds, he's currently got the size to play safety at the next level, but as he grows more into his frame, the potential to play outside linebacker with a style that matches former Raider Khalil Brooks proved to be too tempting for Scott Shafer and his staff.

One of the later additions to the Blue Raider class, Water Valley (MS) DT Marley Cook drew the eye of the Blue Raider coaching staff while hitting the camp circuit over the summer.

Cook traveled to Memphis on an invite, and blew the coaching staff away with his off-the-line athleticism.

The coaching staff knew they had found a hidden gem in Cook, and maintained consistent communication with him throughout the process. That relationship building ultimately paid off when Cook made his pledge. A summer/fall cycle in the weight room will do wonders to Cook's growing frame.

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