Bomani Celebrates Signing Day the Only Way He Can.....(and the Final Commits)
Rocking out in a Snuggie.....
Morgan Newton, Quarterback, 6-4, 220, Fr-HS, Westfield, Ind. (Carmel) —
All-America quarterback as named by Parade, SuperPrep, The Sporting News and MaxPreps … “Mr. Football” in the state of Indiana … Threw for 1,938 yards and 22 touchdowns as a senior, along with 1,664 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns, accounting for 3,602 yards total offense and 48 TDs … Led Carmel High School to three consecutive state championship games, winning the Class AAAAA title his junior season … Team went 38-7 over those three years … Passed for 1,882 yards and 25 touchdowns as a junior, adding 753 rushing yards and 11 scores … First-team all-state as a junior and senior … Indianapolis Star Player of the Year as a senior … Career totals feature 4,284 passing yards and 37 touchdowns, plus 2,617 rushing yards and 37 scores … Broke 10 school records, eight of which were held by former NFL and Purdue quarterback Mark Herrmann … The No. 6 quarterback prospect in the nation by Scout.com … The No. 7 QB by SuperPrep, which also listed him as the No. 6 overall prospect in the six-state Midwest Region … Played his freshman year at Pike HS in Indianapolis, where he was a teammate (and is still friends with) current Wildcat signee Dakotah Tyler … Coached by Mo Moriarity … His father, John, played college football at Grambling University.
Donte Rumph, Defensive Lineman, 6-3, 265, Fr-HS, St. Matthews, S.C. (Calhoun County/Fork Union Military Academy) —
Talented lineman with the size and strength to play tackle and also the quickness needed to play at end … Originally signed with Kentucky a year ago, he spent the 2008 season at Fork Union (Va.) Military Academy … His prep season included a game against the Kentucky junior varsity, in which he made two tackles for loss, including a quarterback sack … Coached at Fork Union by John Shuman … As a high-school senior, earned first-team all-state honors, covering all classifications, by The Associated Press and the Columbia State newspaper … Also first-team all-state for Class AA by the High School Sports Report … Totaled 107 tackles during senior season, including 14 quarterback sacks, for Calhoun County HS in St. Matthews, S.C. … Chosen for the South Carolina vs. North Carolina Shrine Bowl and played for the winning squad … Made 65 tackles and five sacks during his junior season … Coached by Walter Wilson … Member of the Calhoun County basketball team which won three consecutive state championships and had a winning streak of more than 70 games … An uncle, Chris Rumph, is an assistant coach at Clemson … Cousin of Philip Merling, former Clemson star who is now a defensive end with the Miami Dolphins.
Donald Russell, Running Back, 5-11, 205, Fr-HS, West Palm Beach, Fla. (Dwyer) —
One of the nation’s top 50 running backs as projected by Rivals.com … Also on Rivals’ list of the top 100 players in Florida … Played both cornerback and running back at Dwyer High School in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. … Was a full-time corner with additional duty as a ballcarrier … Rushed for 893 yards and 12 touchdowns during his senior season, going to the semifinals of the state playoffs in Class AAAA … Gained 932 yards and nine TDs as a junior, when his team hit the state quarterfinals … First-team all-conference as a senior, second team as a junior … Named to the “Super 11” team for Palm Beach County … Coached by Jack Daniels … Also a track standout, has run the 100-meter dash under 10.8 seconds … Has a personal best of 23 feet, 11 inches in the long jump.
Sam Simpson, Offensive Lineman, 6-4, 292, Fr-HS, Lexington, Ky. (Henry Clay) —
Among the nation’s top center prospects … Rated No. 3 in the country by Scout.com, No. 10 by Rivals.com … First-team all-state as a senior by the Louisville Courier-Journal … Second-team all-state by The Associated Press … Named to the Lexington Herald-Leader “Class of the Commonwealth” list of the top-22 seniors in the state … Played for his father, Coach Sam Simpson, at Henry Clay HS in Lexington … Helped Henry Clay to three consecutive playoff appearances, including a 12-2 record and trip to the state semifinals his sophomore season … The elder Simpson played at Kentucky in the late 1970s and was a teammate of current Wildcat assistant coach Chuck Smith.
Dakotah Tyler, Running Back, 6-0, 205, Fr-HS, Indianapolis, Ind. (Pike) —
Multi-talented athlete has the ability to play either side of the ball in college … Started at strong safety for a state finalist as a junior, then played quarterback as a senior, but projects as a running back in college … Speedster who was timed at 4.38 seconds in the 40-yard dash, the best time at a Scout.com prospect camp … Also has a 37-inch vertical jump and has a squat lift over 500 pounds, according to Pike High School Coach Derek Moyers … Ran for 1,291 yards and 17 touchdowns as a senior while passing for 727 yards and seven TDs … Pike posted a 14-1 record his junior year, with the only loss coming in the state finals of Class AAAAA … Was a freshman teammate of current Wildcat signee Morgan Newton, who eventually transferred to Carmel HS … Tyler originally committed to Cincinnati in the summer of 2008 before changing his mind in favor of Kentucky.
Jarvis Walker, Safety, 6-2, 202, Fr-HS, Marrero, La. (Archbishop Rummel) —
A big, rangy safety from Archbishop Rummel High School in Metairie, La. … Noted for his excellent football instincts, a key asset for a safety … Also known as a hard hitter … With his size, he could become an outside linebacker in the collegiate ranks … His athletic ability would give him a large advantage at the linebacker position … Projected as one of the nation’s top 50 outside linebackers by Rivals.com … The No. 29 prospect in Louisiana by Rivals and rated No. 32 in the state by SuperPrep … Helped Archbishop Rummel to a 9-2 record as a senior, going to the second round of the state playoffs … Coached by Jay Roth … Brother of current Wildcat signee Myron Walker.
Myron Walker, Defensive Lineman, 5-11, 270, Fr-HS, Marrero, La. (Archbishop Rummel) —
Strong, quick defensive lineman … His size and abilities have been compared to Lamar Mills, another former Kentucky and Archbishop Rummel defensive tackle … The No. 28 prospect in Louisiana by SuperPrep … One of the nation’s top 100 defensive tackles as listed by Rivals.com … Helped Archbishop Rummel to a 9-2 record as a senior, going to the second round of the state playoffs … Coached by Jay Roth … Brother of current Wildcat signee Jarvis Walker.
Larry Warford, Offensive Lineman, 6-4, 349, Fr-HS, Richmond, Ky. (Madison Central) —
The first verbal commitment of Kentucky’s 2009 signing class is a two-year all-state honoree … First-team all-state senior year by The Associated Press and Louisville Courier-Journal … Named to the Lexington Herald-Leader “Class of the Commonwealth” listing of the top-22 seniors in Kentucky … Second-team all-state as a junior by AP … Played his junior and senior seasons at Madison Central HS after moving to Kentucky from California … Helped MCHS to a 9-3 record his senior year, going to the second round of the state playoffs … Coached at Madison Central by Kenny Turner … Earned a starting job as a sophomore at Oceanside (Calif.) HS … One of the nation’s top 30 offensive guards, and the No. 4 prospect in Kentucky, as evaluated by Rivals.com … One of the country’s top 50 OGs by Scout.com … No. 5 prospect in Kentucky by SuperPrep … Cousin of current Wildcat cornerback Paul Warford.
Ridge Wilson, Linebacker, 6-3, 207, Fr-HS, Louisville, Ky. (Central) —
First-team all-state as picked by The Associated Press and Louisville Courier-Journal … Also named to the Lexington Herald-Leader “Class of the Commonwealth” listing of the top-22 seniors in the state … Versatile athlete could end up at several positions on the football field … Played linebacker primarily in high school, but also saw time at defensive end, strong safety and as a wide receiver on offense … Helped lead Central High School of Louisville to back-to-back Class AAA championships as a junior and senior … Totaled 76 tackles as a senior, including 12 for loss, and had three interceptions … Made nine tackles, including two for loss, and caused a fumble in the 2008 state title tilt … District Most Valuable Player as a senior … Four-year starter … Coached by Ty Scroggins, who has captured the state title in both of his seasons as a head coach … One of the nation’s top-75 linebackers by Rivals.com … The No. 8 prospect in Kentucky by Rivals and SuperPrep … Has been timed as fast as 4.6 seconds in the 40-yard dash … An outstanding student who was recruited by Ivy League schools … Excels in basketball, helping take Central to the Kentucky Sweet 16 state tournament in 2008 … Also has participated in track.
Morgan Newton, Quarterback, 6-4, 220, Fr-HS, Westfield, Ind. (Carmel) —
All-America quarterback as named by Parade, SuperPrep, The Sporting News and MaxPreps … “Mr. Football” in the state of Indiana … Threw for 1,938 yards and 22 touchdowns as a senior, along with 1,664 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns, accounting for 3,602 yards total offense and 48 TDs … Led Carmel High School to three consecutive state championship games, winning the Class AAAAA title his junior season … Team went 38-7 over those three years … Passed for 1,882 yards and 25 touchdowns as a junior, adding 753 rushing yards and 11 scores … First-team all-state as a junior and senior … Indianapolis Star Player of the Year as a senior … Career totals feature 4,284 passing yards and 37 touchdowns, plus 2,617 rushing yards and 37 scores … Broke 10 school records, eight of which were held by former NFL and Purdue quarterback Mark Herrmann … The No. 6 quarterback prospect in the nation by Scout.com … The No. 7 QB by SuperPrep, which also listed him as the No. 6 overall prospect in the six-state Midwest Region … Played his freshman year at Pike HS in Indianapolis, where he was a teammate (and is still friends with) current Wildcat signee Dakotah Tyler … Coached by Mo Moriarity … His father, John, played college football at Grambling University.
Donte Rumph, Defensive Lineman, 6-3, 265, Fr-HS, St. Matthews, S.C. (Calhoun County/Fork Union Military Academy) —
Talented lineman with the size and strength to play tackle and also the quickness needed to play at end … Originally signed with Kentucky a year ago, he spent the 2008 season at Fork Union (Va.) Military Academy … His prep season included a game against the Kentucky junior varsity, in which he made two tackles for loss, including a quarterback sack … Coached at Fork Union by John Shuman … As a high-school senior, earned first-team all-state honors, covering all classifications, by The Associated Press and the Columbia State newspaper … Also first-team all-state for Class AA by the High School Sports Report … Totaled 107 tackles during senior season, including 14 quarterback sacks, for Calhoun County HS in St. Matthews, S.C. … Chosen for the South Carolina vs. North Carolina Shrine Bowl and played for the winning squad … Made 65 tackles and five sacks during his junior season … Coached by Walter Wilson … Member of the Calhoun County basketball team which won three consecutive state championships and had a winning streak of more than 70 games … An uncle, Chris Rumph, is an assistant coach at Clemson … Cousin of Philip Merling, former Clemson star who is now a defensive end with the Miami Dolphins.
Donald Russell, Running Back, 5-11, 205, Fr-HS, West Palm Beach, Fla. (Dwyer) —
One of the nation’s top 50 running backs as projected by Rivals.com … Also on Rivals’ list of the top 100 players in Florida … Played both cornerback and running back at Dwyer High School in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. … Was a full-time corner with additional duty as a ballcarrier … Rushed for 893 yards and 12 touchdowns during his senior season, going to the semifinals of the state playoffs in Class AAAA … Gained 932 yards and nine TDs as a junior, when his team hit the state quarterfinals … First-team all-conference as a senior, second team as a junior … Named to the “Super 11” team for Palm Beach County … Coached by Jack Daniels … Also a track standout, has run the 100-meter dash under 10.8 seconds … Has a personal best of 23 feet, 11 inches in the long jump.
Sam Simpson, Offensive Lineman, 6-4, 292, Fr-HS, Lexington, Ky. (Henry Clay) —
Among the nation’s top center prospects … Rated No. 3 in the country by Scout.com, No. 10 by Rivals.com … First-team all-state as a senior by the Louisville Courier-Journal … Second-team all-state by The Associated Press … Named to the Lexington Herald-Leader “Class of the Commonwealth” list of the top-22 seniors in the state … Played for his father, Coach Sam Simpson, at Henry Clay HS in Lexington … Helped Henry Clay to three consecutive playoff appearances, including a 12-2 record and trip to the state semifinals his sophomore season … The elder Simpson played at Kentucky in the late 1970s and was a teammate of current Wildcat assistant coach Chuck Smith.
Dakotah Tyler, Running Back, 6-0, 205, Fr-HS, Indianapolis, Ind. (Pike) —
Multi-talented athlete has the ability to play either side of the ball in college … Started at strong safety for a state finalist as a junior, then played quarterback as a senior, but projects as a running back in college … Speedster who was timed at 4.38 seconds in the 40-yard dash, the best time at a Scout.com prospect camp … Also has a 37-inch vertical jump and has a squat lift over 500 pounds, according to Pike High School Coach Derek Moyers … Ran for 1,291 yards and 17 touchdowns as a senior while passing for 727 yards and seven TDs … Pike posted a 14-1 record his junior year, with the only loss coming in the state finals of Class AAAAA … Was a freshman teammate of current Wildcat signee Morgan Newton, who eventually transferred to Carmel HS … Tyler originally committed to Cincinnati in the summer of 2008 before changing his mind in favor of Kentucky.
Jarvis Walker, Safety, 6-2, 202, Fr-HS, Marrero, La. (Archbishop Rummel) —
A big, rangy safety from Archbishop Rummel High School in Metairie, La. … Noted for his excellent football instincts, a key asset for a safety … Also known as a hard hitter … With his size, he could become an outside linebacker in the collegiate ranks … His athletic ability would give him a large advantage at the linebacker position … Projected as one of the nation’s top 50 outside linebackers by Rivals.com … The No. 29 prospect in Louisiana by Rivals and rated No. 32 in the state by SuperPrep … Helped Archbishop Rummel to a 9-2 record as a senior, going to the second round of the state playoffs … Coached by Jay Roth … Brother of current Wildcat signee Myron Walker.
Myron Walker, Defensive Lineman, 5-11, 270, Fr-HS, Marrero, La. (Archbishop Rummel) —
Strong, quick defensive lineman … His size and abilities have been compared to Lamar Mills, another former Kentucky and Archbishop Rummel defensive tackle … The No. 28 prospect in Louisiana by SuperPrep … One of the nation’s top 100 defensive tackles as listed by Rivals.com … Helped Archbishop Rummel to a 9-2 record as a senior, going to the second round of the state playoffs … Coached by Jay Roth … Brother of current Wildcat signee Jarvis Walker.
Larry Warford, Offensive Lineman, 6-4, 349, Fr-HS, Richmond, Ky. (Madison Central) —
The first verbal commitment of Kentucky’s 2009 signing class is a two-year all-state honoree … First-team all-state senior year by The Associated Press and Louisville Courier-Journal … Named to the Lexington Herald-Leader “Class of the Commonwealth” listing of the top-22 seniors in Kentucky … Second-team all-state as a junior by AP … Played his junior and senior seasons at Madison Central HS after moving to Kentucky from California … Helped MCHS to a 9-3 record his senior year, going to the second round of the state playoffs … Coached at Madison Central by Kenny Turner … Earned a starting job as a sophomore at Oceanside (Calif.) HS … One of the nation’s top 30 offensive guards, and the No. 4 prospect in Kentucky, as evaluated by Rivals.com … One of the country’s top 50 OGs by Scout.com … No. 5 prospect in Kentucky by SuperPrep … Cousin of current Wildcat cornerback Paul Warford.
Ridge Wilson, Linebacker, 6-3, 207, Fr-HS, Louisville, Ky. (Central) —
First-team all-state as picked by The Associated Press and Louisville Courier-Journal … Also named to the Lexington Herald-Leader “Class of the Commonwealth” listing of the top-22 seniors in the state … Versatile athlete could end up at several positions on the football field … Played linebacker primarily in high school, but also saw time at defensive end, strong safety and as a wide receiver on offense … Helped lead Central High School of Louisville to back-to-back Class AAA championships as a junior and senior … Totaled 76 tackles as a senior, including 12 for loss, and had three interceptions … Made nine tackles, including two for loss, and caused a fumble in the 2008 state title tilt … District Most Valuable Player as a senior … Four-year starter … Coached by Ty Scroggins, who has captured the state title in both of his seasons as a head coach … One of the nation’s top-75 linebackers by Rivals.com … The No. 8 prospect in Kentucky by Rivals and SuperPrep … Has been timed as fast as 4.6 seconds in the 40-yard dash … An outstanding student who was recruited by Ivy League schools … Excels in basketball, helping take Central to the Kentucky Sweet 16 state tournament in 2008 … Also has participated in track.
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