National Signing Day is a day when high school athletes make their official commitments to the college or university where they will continue their athletic career. Thousands of high school football players made their commitments on Wednesday. Creighton’s staff was able to fill all 25 scholarships with 21 incoming freshman and four junior college transfers.
After his first season at Eastern Michigan University, head football coach Chris Creighton and the rest of his staff went to work to bring in the next generation of EMU football players. Their hard work was realized Wednesday.
“A big difference between this year’s class and last year’s is we had more time with these guys,” Creighton said. “Last year we only had four or five weeks, so you have 30 days to get to know those guys (2014 recruits), and we had 365 days to get to know these guys (2015 recruits).”
Four three-star players headline the recruiting class with WR, Kezio Snelling, DT, Nick Dillon, OT, Rob Pavletich, and RB, Breck Turner, turning down other offers to become Eagles.
“Guys like Kezio and Breck were getting followed by Big Ten schools and such,” Creighton said. “Kezio had an ACL tear to begin his season last year, but he was still getting plenty of looks from the big time schools, and it’s good to see them want to come here.”
EMU is known around the country as a struggling program as seen particularly with three straight 2-10 campaigns. But Creighton stresses the importance of bringing “winners” into the program that want to bring a good culture into Eastern Michigan.
“There wasn’t no smoke and mirrors with any of these guys,” Creighton said. “We weren’t telling them that we were 10-2. They know our history and many have turned down other MAC offers to be here. They are all winners. There is good potential.”
2015 EMU Football Recruiting Class – Incoming Freshman:
WR Kezio Snelling – Steinbrenner High School, Lutz, Fla.
RB Breck Turner – Norwalk High School, Norwalk, Ohio
DT Nick Dillon – Adlai E. Stevenson High School, Lincolnshire, Ill.
OT Rob Pavletich – Neenah High School, Neenah, Wis.
DT Kwanii Figueroa – Paramus Catholic High School, Paramus N.J.
RB Willie Parker – Carrollwood Day School, Tampa, Fla.
DB Jaylen Pickett – Zephyrhills High School, Zephyrhills, Fla.
WR Isaac Holder – Sickles High School, Tampa Fla.
WR Braylin Collins – James F. Byrnes High School, Duncan, S.C.
TE Bryce Kemp – Baxter High School, Baxter, Iowa
S Brody Hoying – Coldwater High School, Coldwater, Ohio
DL Maxx Crosby – Colleyville Heritage High School, Colleyville, Texas
K/P Brian Alsobrooks – Churchill High School, Livonia, Mich.
LB Clay Holford – Hebron High School, Lewisville, Texas
DB Devon Russell – Eastern Christian Academy, Elkton, Md.
DE Hunter Andrews – Lapeer High School, Metamora, Mich.
TE Danny Annee – Roncalli High School, Indianapolis, Ind.
OT Pete Bergman – Natrona County High School, Casper, Wyo.
WR Eddie Daugherty – Mentor High School, Mentor, Ohio
TE Sam Girodat – Jackson Lumen Cristi, Jackson, Mich.
LB Bryan Glover – Catholic Central, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Junior College Transfers:
Junior LB Anthony Brown – Iowa Western Community College, Iowa City, Iowa
Junior S Ikie Calderon – Neptune-College of the Desert, Neptune, N.J.
Sophomore S Juan Giraldo – Mesquite-Mesa Community College, Gilbert, Ariz.
Junior TE Cody Tuttle – Westlake-Moorpark College, Newbury Park, Calif.
