Herd signs 36 recruits in Class of2024
Feb. 7—By GRANT TRAYLOR
Associate Athletic Director of Strategic Communications
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Marshall Football unveiled its Class of 2024 on Wednesday as part of National Signing Day festivities.
The class features 36 new student-athletes for Marshall — 15 high school players and 21 players from the NCAA transfer portal.
Of those 21 transfer portal signees, 12 come to Marshall from the Power Five ranks.
"Signing Day is Christmas for football coaches and our staff said today that it's also like a deep breath because now, we can focus and turn the page on our team for 2024," Marshall head coach Charles Huff said. "Overall, with the high school and transfer portal class combined, there are some rankings that we are No. 1 and some that we are No. 2 in the Sun Belt Conference. That means we are at the top of the league. We have the No. 1 transfer portal class in the Group of Five. The numbers were shocking to me. A huge thank you to our staff and our administration. We did a phenomenal job!"
There were 22 signees on the offensive side of the ball while 14 players were inked to play defense for the Herd.
Offensively, the positions that led the way were wide receiver (8) and offensive line (7) — both of which were points of emphasis entering the offseason. Huff also signed three quarterbacks, two tight ends and two running backs.
On the defensive side, Marshall signed seven defensive lineman with five defensive backs and two linebackers.
Out of the 15 high school signees, seven of those student-athletes graduated early from high school and will participate in spring practice after enrolling at Marshall early.
A majority of the Class of 2024 signed during the early signing period in December, meaning that those players — including several of the transfers — will also be participating in spring practice, which starts next month.
It was announced this week that Marshall's annual Spring Game is scheduled for April 20 at 4 p.m.
Here is a capsule look at the Class of 2024:
Marshall football Class of 2024 bios
Biographical information for high school signees
Name: Aidan Steinfeldt
Position: TE
Height: 6-4
Weight: 250
Hometown: Bloomington, Indiana
High School: Bloomington North
Steinfeldt is a three-star prospect who was named as Indiana's Mr. Football at the Tight End spot and to the 2023 Indiana Football Coaches Top 50 All-State Team following a successful career in which he exits as Bloomington North's all-time leader in receptions (145), yards (1,726) and touchdowns (24). This season, Aidan caught 44 passes for 586 yards and seven scores. He chose Marshall over offers from West Virginia, Indiana, Minnesota, Miami (Ohio) and Western Michigan.
Name: Andrew Hancock
Position: OL
Height: 6-5
Weight: 300
Hometown: Youngsville, North Carolina
High School: Myrtle Beach Collegiate (S.C.)
The three-star prospect committed to Marshall on Sept. 25 after seeing the Herd's win over Virginia Tech. Hancock originally played for the North Wake Saints in the North Carolina Private League, then transitioned to Myrtle Beach Collegiate to finish his prep career. Hancock chose Marshall over offers from Coastal Carolina and Elon.
Name: Cameron Chmura
Position: DL
Height: 6-3
Weight: 300
Hometown: Wexford, Pennsylvania
High School: North Allegheny
The talented big man from North Allegheny comes to Marshall after helping lead his team to a 6A State Runner-Up finish and consecutive WPIAL Championships. Chmura was named First Team All-Conference and was also a nominee for the Bill Fralic Award, which is given to the WPIAL's best interior lineman. Chmura chose Marshall over offers from Ohio, Kent State and UMass.
Name: Chason Clark
Position: LB
Height: 6-2
Weight: 200
Hometown: Starke, Florida
High School: Bradford
Clark is a three-star prospect out of Florida who finished the 2023 season at Bradford with 134 tackles and 20 tackles for loss while leading the Tornadoes to a 14-1 record and a runner-up finish in Florida's 2S State Championship. Clark chose Marshall over offers from Georgia Southern, Army, Navy, Ohio, Toledo, Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan. He also had interest from Florida, Florida State, Louisville, UCF, USF and Wake Forest.
Name: Chris Stokes
Position: DL
Height: 6-3
Weight: 305
Hometown: Dallas, Georgia
High School: East Paulding
The bruising defensive lineman out of East Paulding committed to Marshall in the summer after a June visit. Stokes was named an All-Region player by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is considered a Power Five talent by recruiting services in the Atlanta area. Stokes chose Marshall over offers from Georgia Tech, Georgia Southern, East Carolina, UAB, Western Kentucky and Western Carolina.
Name: Corey Myrick
Position: DB
Height: 6-3
Weight: 185
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
High School: Cincinnati Colerain
Myrick is a three-star prospect from Cincinnati who chose the Thundering Herd over 17 other FBS offers. The talented athlete is a three-sport standout at Colerain who brings twitch and playmaking ability to the Herd's defensive backfield. Myrick also has experience at both cornerback and free safety, giving him a versatility that adds well for the Herd. Corey chose Marshall over offers from West Virginia, Colorado State, James Madison, Ohio, Toledo, Miami (Ohio), Charlotte and several others.
Name: Guylijah Theodule
Position: CB
Height: 6-2
Weight: 165
Hometown: Miami, Fla.
High School: Miami Northwestern
A three-star prospect out of tradition-rich Miami Northwestern, Theodule brings a tremendous upside to the Herd defensive backfield, as well as a wealth of speed to the position, boasting of a 10.69 in the 100-meter dash. Theodule had 26 offers coming out of the program and chose Marshall over programs such as West Virginia, Penn State, Syracuse, Maryland, Louisville, Georgia Tech, Kansas, Illinois, Vanderbilt, James Madison, Liberty and others.
Name: JacQai Long
Position: QB
Height: 6-2
Weight: 210
Hometown: Hurricane, West Virginia
High School: Hurricane
A three-star prospect out of Hurricane, Long is a dual-threat talent at the quarterback spot who completed 120 of 184 passes for 1,833 yards and 19 touchdowns with just two interceptions while also rushing for 393 yards and another seven touchdowns on 60 carries in 2023. Long chose to stay home at Marshall over offers from App State, Arkansas State, East Carolina, Memphis, Miami (Ohio) and Toledo.
Name: Kam Kynard
Position: DB
Height: 6-2
Weight: 180
Hometown: Bessemer, Ala.
High School: Hueytown
Kynard is a three-star prospect who was ranked the No. 67 prospect in the state of Alabama for the Class of 2024. Lengthy prospect who saw extensive action at both safety and cornerback for Hueytown. Was named to Alabama's Class 6A Region 4 All-Region Team. Led the Golden Gophers to an 8-4 record and a Second Round appearance in the playoffs. Chose Marshall over offers from Appalachian State, Southern Miss and Middle Tennessee, among others.
Name: MaLik Caswell
Position: DB
Height: 6-1
Weight: 180
Hometown: Midway, Georgia
High School: Stockbridge
A three-star prospect, Caswell led Stockbridge to a 12-3 record, which included a perfect 7-0 in the region and a Top-25 ranking overall in the state of Georgia. Caswell finished the season with an interception and three pass breakups in the Class 4A State Championship against Perry. Caswell chose Marshall over offers from Western Carolina, UT-Martin and Albany State.
Name: Marcel Williams
Position: WR
Height: 6-0
Weight: 190
Hometown: Hollywood, Florida
High School: Blanche Ely
A three-star prospect at the wide receiver spot, Williams led Blanche Ely to a 9-3 record in the 2023 season. In nine games played, Williams caught 47 passes for 819 yards and seven touchdowns while also boasting of five games in which he finished with 100 yards or more. His best effort was a 10-catch, 167-yard outing against Coconut Creek. Williams chose Marshall over offers from Maryland, Western Kentucky and Akron.
Name: Michael Lunsford
Position: DL
Height: 6-3
Weight: 270
Hometown: Milton, West Virginia
High School: Cabell Midland
The three-star prospect from nearby Cabell Midland has been a standout for the Knights and former Marshall offensive lineman Luke Salmons during his prep career. Lunsford is a two-time Class AAA All-State First Team selection as a defensive lineman and brings size, toughness and a nasty streak to the Thundering Herd defensive line room. Lunsford chose Marshall over offers from App State, Toledo, Jacksonville State and Eastern Kentucky. He also had interest from N.C. State, Virginia Tech, Cincinnati and South Carolina.
Name: Moses Gray, Jr.
Position: RB
Height: 6-1
Weight: 205
Hometown: Waggaman, Louisiana
High School: St. Augustine
A big-bodied running back out of the New Orleans area, Gray committed to Marshall after being offered in June 2023. Gray had an offer from Mississippi Valley State while receiving interest from Mississippi State, Southern Miss and Troy.
Name: Ryley McIntosh
Position: WR
Height: 5-11
Weight: 180
Hometown: Virginia Beach, Virginia
High School: Kempsville
A three-star prospect, McIntosh was rated as the No. 42 senior in the state of Virginia for the Class of 2024 by ESPN and was also the No. 15 overall prospect in The Virginian-Pilot's Top-50 of Hampton Roads Class of '24 as well. McIntosh chose Marshall over offers from Pitt, Maryland, Liberty, James Madison, Buffalo and Norfolk State.
Name: Thomas McCoy
Position: WR
Height: 6-1
Weight: 183
Hometown: Baltimore, Md.
High School: Mt. Zion Prep
Dubbed as the fastest wide receiver in the state with a 4.36 in the 40-yard dash, McCoy shined at the receiver spot last year, hauling in 52 receptions for 1,115 yards and 22 touchdowns. Impressive burst, plus an ability to separate in space combined with a good blocking sense in the run game. Chose Marshall over offers from Penn State, Virginia Tech, Pitt, Boston College, James Madison, Liberty, Old Dominion and Georgia State.
Biographical information for transfer signees
Name: Ashton Heflin
Position: LB
Height: 6-0
Weight: 230
Hometown: Newnan, Ga.
Former School: Georgia Tech
Heflin comes to Marshall after redshirting at Georgia Tech in the 2023 season. He will have four years to play with the Herd. In high school, Heflin was a consensus three-star prospect and a First-Team All-State honoree in 2022. A three-time All-Region selection, Heflin amassed 241 tackles and 15 TFLs in his high school career, including 122 tackles in his senior season at Newnan. Was offered by UCF, South Florida, Liberty, East Carolina, Coastal Carolina and Georgia State out of high school.
Name: Bralon Brown
Position: WR
Height: 6-2
Weight: 195
Hometown: Miramar, Fla.
Former School: Ole Miss
Brown played in 14 career games with the Rebels, hauling in three receptions for 44 yards. Also was a contributor on special teams for Ole Miss. Brown was a four-star prospect out of high school and was ranked as the No. 18 wide receiver in the nation by Rivals. He chose Ole Miss over offers from Auburn, Georgia, Michigan, Miami, Texas A&M and Wisconsin.
Name: Braylon Braxton
Position: QB
Height: 6-2
Weight: 222
Hometown: Frisco, Texas
Former School: Tulsa
Braxton comes to Marshall from Tulsa where he played in 19 career games with eight starts. During his career with the Golden Hurricane, Braxton completed 114 of 219 passes for 1,345 yards and 12 touchdowns. Also rushed for 348 yards with six touchdowns. Out of high school, had 15 offers, including Hawaii, Coastal Carolina, Memphis, ULM and Southern Miss, among others.
Name: Bryce Ramsey
Position: OL
Height: 6-2
Weight: 330
Hometown: Gulfport, Miss.
Former School(s): Southern Miss/Ole Miss
Spent three years at Ole Miss, appearing in 23 games with the Rebels before transferring to Southern Miss where he appeared in another 11 games with four starts — the final three coming at center. Was named to the MHSAA All-State 6A First Team as an offensive lineman for Harrison Central where he was rated as a three-star prospect and the No. 8 center in the nation for the Class of 2019. Had offers from Florida State, Memphis and South Alabama out of high school.
Name: Carl Chester
Position: WR
Height: 6-3
Weight: 202
Hometown: Manor, Texas
Former School: Tulsa
Played in 23 career games at Tulsa with two starts. Joins former Tulsa teammate Braylon Braxton as offensive transfers for the Herd. Played in all 12 games and caught 22 passes for 401 yards in 2023, including a five-catch, 132-yard performance against No. 23 Tulane.
Name: Cedrick Nicely
Position: OL
Height: 6-5
Weight: 310
Hometown: Gainesville, Ga.
Former School: Ole Miss
Nicely appeared in one game in each of the last two seasons at Ole Miss and was named to the Academic Honor Roll for Spring 2023. Re-joins former Ole Miss teammates Bryce Ramsey and Bralon Brown at Marshall. Out of high school, Nicely was named as the No. 47 offensive tackle in the nation for the Class of 2021 by ESPN and was also a Top-100 prospect out of Florida.
Name: Christian Fitzpatrick
Position: WR
Height: 6-4
Weight: 220
Hometown: Southfield, Michigan
Former School: Michigan State
The former Michigan State and Louisville wide receiver signed with the Thundering Herd after entering the transfer portal. While with the Spartans in 2023, Fitzpatrick caught 18 passes for 252 yards and a touchdown. He played in 28 games in three years with the Spartans after transferring there from Louisville following the 2020 season. Was ranked as one of Michigan's top prospects and the 74th ranked wide receiver coming out of Southfield A&T High School.
Name: Christian Richter
Position: OL
Height: 6-7
Weight: 300
Hometown: Baltimore, Md.
Former School: Lehigh
Richter comes to Marshall after appearing in three games at Lehigh, according to the Mountain Hawks' stats. Made his first career start against Cornell in Sept. 2023. Out of high school, Richter was a standout at St. Paul's and picked up several offers, including those from Charlotte, FIU, Old Dominion and Rhode Island.
Name: Elijah Ellis
Position: OL
Height: 6-7
Weight: 307
Hometown: Paris, Texas
Former School: Baylor
Ellis comes to Marshall from Baylor where he was a two-time Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll honoree while studying kinesiology. Played in five games in the 2023 season for the Bears, including four games in Big 12 action. Out of high school, Ellis did not allow a sack during his senior season and was ranked as the 181st prospect in the state of Texas.
Name: Elijah Metcalf
Position: WR
Height: 5-9
Weight: 164
Hometown: Charlotte, N.C.
Former School: Middle Tennessee
Metcalf comes to Marshall from Middle Tennessee where he was a standout receiver for the Blue Raiders. In 2023, Metcalf led the team with 54 receptions for 634 yards and five touchdowns. That figure included a career-high 11 receptions against Colorado State. He also had four receptions for 115 yards and two scores against Jacksonville State. Metcalf has played in 29 games in three years with Middle Tennessee, making 13 career starts. He is a former three-star prospect from Mallard Creek (N.C.)
Name: Isaiah Johnson
Position: DB
Height: 6-1
Weight: 190
Hometown: Bluefield, W.Va.
Former School: Arizona State
Did not play in 2023. In the 2022 season, Johnson appeared in six games and recorded his first two starts. Totaled 16 tackles and two breakups while allowing just 5.7 yards per coverage target — 10th lowest in the Pac-12 amongst cornerbacks with at least 100 snaps in coverage. Johnson was a four-star prospect and ranked as the No. 13 cornerback in the nation in the Class of 2021. Had offers from Oregon, Georgia, Tennessee, Miami, USC, Arkansas, Texas A&M and Texas.
Name: Jacarius Clayton
Position: DL
Height: 6-6
Weight: 240
Hometown: Tupelo, Miss.
Former School: Mississippi State
Clayton comes to Marshall from Mississippi State where he did not appear in any action last season after redshirting in 2022. Was a highly-touted recruit out of Tupelo where he was recruited as a four-star defensive lineman before being switched to tight end prior to the 2023 season. Nominated for the Mississippi High School Sports Awards Defensive Player of the Year award in 2021. Also had offers from Tennessee, Oregon, Ole Miss, Memphis, Arizona State and Indiana, among others.
Name: Jason Harris
Position: DE
Height: 6-7
Weight: 250
Hometown: Gilbert, Ariz.
Former School: Arizona/Colorado
Out of high school, Harris signed with Colorado before joining the Wildcats program where his brother, Jalen, served as captain. Both parents were also athletes at Arizona. While at Arizona, Harris made one appearance, finishing with two tackles in a 2022 contest against Cal. Harris was a four-star prospect out of high school and the No. 84 prospect overall in ESPN's Class of 2020 after standing out at Higley High School.
Name: Jason Shuford
Position: DL
Height: 6-4
Weight: 322
Hometown: Statesville, N.C.
Former School: East Carolina
Shuford appeared in 35 career games during his four seasons with the Pirates, compiling 12 tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss and one fumble recovery. The big nose tackle came to ECU from Statesville High School where he was a productive defensive tackle in the Class of 2020.
Name: Jeremy Jones
Position: OL
Height: 6-5
Weight: 314
Hometown: Lewisville, Texas
Former School: Tulsa
An experienced talent on the offensive line, Jones played in 34 career games for the Golden Hurricane before opting to enter the portal and sign with the Thundering Herd. He will bring much-needed depth to the Marshall offensive line in 2024.
Name: Jordan Houston
Position: RB
Height: 5-9
Weight: 180
Hometown: Oakton, Va.
Former School: N.C. State
Houston was the starting running back to open the season for the Wolfpack, but opted to redshirt before entering the transfer portal. During his N.C. State career, he rushed 324 times for 1,392 yards and six touchdowns with 60 receptions for 398 yards and a TD. Houston was ranked as the 25th-best running back available nationally in the NCAA transfer portal by 247Sports.
Name: Justin Holmes
Position: TE
Height: 6-3
Weight: 237
Hometown: Kutztown, Pennsylvania
Former School: Kent State
The talented transfer from Kent State started in all 12 games for the Golden Flashes in the 2023 season. Holmes hauled in 20 receptions for 188 yards with a season-high 61 yards against Bowling Green. In two years with Kent State, Holmes played in 21 games. Prior to Kent State, he was a standout at Northwest Lehigh (Pa.) where he played receiver and quarterback while leading his team to an 11-1 season.
Name: Mitch Griffis
Position: QB
Height: 5-11
Weight: 194
Hometown: Ashburn, Virginia
Former School: Wake Forest
The former Wake Forest quarterback signed with the Thundering Herd after entering the transfer portal recently. In 2023, Griffis threw for 1,553 yards and nine touchdowns and seven interceptions while adding another 128 yards and two scores on the ground. In his four years with the Demon Deacons, Griffis appeared in 23 games and threw for 1,957 yards with 15 touchdowns.
Name: Shunmarkus Adams
Position: OL
Height: 6-4
Weight: 330
Hometown: Jasper, Texas
Former School: Navarro College
Adams comes to Marshall after spending the 2023 season at Navarro College following a year at Grambling where he appeared in 10 games. The Texas native chose Marshall over offers from Troy, USF, Utah State, UAB, Georgia Southern and Louisiana Tech.
Name: Tychaun Chapman
Position: WR
Height: 5-9
Weight: 175
Hometown: Virginia Beach, Va.
Former School: North Carolina
A four-star prospect out of high school, Chapman appeared in 14 career games with the Tar Heels with 12 coming this season. In 2023, Chapman caught seven passes for 135 yards with a touchdown. ESPN had him as the No. 55 prospect nationally, as well as the No. 5 wide receiver nationally and No. 3 overall player in Virginia in its ESPN 300 for the Class of 2022. The Virginia Beach native was also listed by 247Sports as the 172nd-best player in the nation and the No. 5 player in the state of Virginia in the Class of 2022, as well as being ranked as the nation's 24th-best receiver.
Name: Will Norman
Position: DL
Height: 6-4
Weight: 300
Hometown: Camden, N.J.
Former School: Florida
Norman appeared in four games last season for the Gators before redshirting. Will have four years of eligibility left. Made his college debut against Utah and registered his first tackle against McNeese State. A four-star prospect out of high school, Norman was ranked as the No. 91 overall player in the Class of 2023 by Rivals, as well as the No. 2 player out of New Jersey for the class. Had offers from Florida State, LSU, Michigan, Tennessee and Texas A&M.
