University of Memphis Athletics
Larry Porter Signs 26 In First Class At Memphis
Feb 03, 2010 | Football
Feb. 3, 2010
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MEMPHIS, TENN. -- Head coach Larry Porter inked his first-ever Memphis signing class today, adding 26 Tigers to the 2010 roster.
Six of the 26 players announced Wednesday are currently enrolled in school at the U of M, and will go through spring practice, which begins in mid-March. Receiver Dejarrius Adams (6-2, 205) and linebacker Alphonso Bruton (6-3, 225) were previously announced during the mid-year period that began in December. Adams and Bruton both played high school (Miami Killian) and junior college (El Camino) ball together.
Also included in the group that is currently enrolled is a pair of quarterbacks, Andy Summerlin (6-5, 230) and Ryan Williams (6-5, 220), offensive lineman Johnnie Farms (6-2, 305) and running back Jerrell Rhodes (5-10, 195). Farms and Rhodes were teammates at Hargrave Military Academy, and will also be joined in the fall by another Hargave teammate, receiver Sean Farr (6-4, 200). Summerlin is a sophomore transfer from Coffeyville CC, and Williams graduated early from Miramar (FL) High and will gain added experience this spring.
A total of 20 of the signees will hit the field for the Tigers in the fall, and include 16 freshmen, a sophomore and three junior college transfers. The group of freshmen feature three players from Memphis - offensive lineman Al Bond (6-4, 265), linebacker Fred Harvey (5-11, 230) and defensive lineman Corey Jones (6-4, 235) as well as two players from just across the Mississippi state line - offensive lineman Chris Schuetz (6-4, 285) and receiver Bakari Trotter (6-4, 185).
As would be expected with Porter having previously spent the last five seasons at LSU, five Louisiana natives signed with the Memphis Tigers, including defensive back Taurean Nixon (6-1, 190), receiver Reggie Travis (6-3, 180), defensive back Rob'Donovan Lewis (5-11, 175), defensive back Todd Washington (5-11, 180) and athlete Kevin Wright (6-3, 215).
Four additional players are signing with the Tigers after transferring from junior colleges, including linebacker Khiry Battle (6-0, 225), defensive lineman D'Angelo McCray (6-4, 325), running back Kataraus Stanton (6-1, 230) and defensive back Delmon Robinson (5-11, 185). Battle was enrolled last semester at Northwest Arkansas Community College after leaving the University of Arkansas following the 2008 season, in which he played in 10 games as a true freshman. McCray redshirted in 2007 at Illinois and played 11 games in 2008 at Eastern Illinois. He was at Coffeyville Community College in 2009, but redshirted. Robinson played 11 games as a true freshman at Mississippi State before transferring to Copiah-Lincoln CC, where he saw action as a receiver in 2009. Stanton has played the last two seasons at Cisco (TX) College.
Rounding out the 2010 class are incoming freshmen, defensive lineman Devin Clark (6-2, 255) from Batesville, Miss., tight end Justin Henderson (6-4, 250) from North Little Rock, Ark., defensive lineman Martin Ifedi (6-4, 230) from Houston, Texas, receiver Tesfa Samuels (6-2, 175) from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and athlete Shonte Sims (6-0, 175) out of Paris, Tenn.
Porter's signing class is currently ranked 60th nationally by Rivals.com, which is the highest ranking for the Tigers by Rivals since the class was ranked 60th in 2002 - a class that included four-star signees Willie Henderson and DeAngelo Williams. This year's signing class features one four-star athlete (Farr) and 12 three-star signees according to Rivals.com.
