Among the newest class of recruits for Texas A&M University-Commerce football are an intriguing quarterback prospect, a rangy linebacker and a few that could provide a big presence in the trenches. Gabe Brooks, a football recruiting analyst for Scout.com, says that John Tyler High School quarterback Geovari McCollister, Carthage High School linebacker James Marshall are among the Lions' top prospects from the current class. Also, two linemen from Sulphur Springs High School - Jess Jenkins and Landon Watkins - could be difference-makers for A&M-Commerce.
2015 Lions recruits (in alphabetical order)
Jonah Brown – OL – 6’5” – 315 – Waco/Connally HS
2013 3A Bi-District Champions … 2013 Area Finalist … 2014 District Champions … 2014 District Finalist … Second Team All-District … Lettered in football, basketball and track & field … Area Finalist in discus … Born 04/01/1997 … Son of Robert & Edith Brown
Neema Behbahani – LB – 6’1” – 212 – Plano/Plano HS
Career Stats: 185 tackles, 11 sacks, 44 tackles for loss, 5 forced fumbles, 3 recovered fumbles, 9 pass breakups … Best performance: 2014 Week 1 against John Tyler-16 tackles, 1 sack, 3 tackles for loss … 2014 First Team All-District … 2013 Second Team All-District … Week 10 DFW Defensive Player … Week 10 Sports Day High School Player … Team Captain … 2014 Plano Football Ring of Honor … Born 07/09/1997 … Son of Heby & Afsaneh Behbahani … Brother Amen played football at University of Houston
Garrett Blubaugh – LB – 6’1” – 220 – Keller/Keller HS
356 career tackles … 2014 All-State Honorable Mention Linebacker … 2014 All-Area Super Team Linebacker … 2014 Team Captain … 2014 Defensive Team MVP … 2014 All-District 5-6A First Team Linebacker … 2013 All-District 5-6A Second Team Linebacker … 2012 All-District 5-6A First Team Linebacker … 2013 State Champions 6A Lacrosse … Keller Lacrosse Club Team 2011-2014 … Born 08/12/1996 … Son of Randall & Melissa Blubaugh
Delano Burkes – RB – 5’11” – 195 – Cypress/Cypress Springs HS
Career stats: 2,000+ rushing yards … Best performance: 5 TD, 168 yards, 23 carries … First Team All-District … Team MVP … Lettered in football and track & field … Born 09/21/1996 … Son of Stephen Burkes & Karen Jeffley
David Carpenter – TE – 6’3” – 200 – Sulphur Springs/Sulphur Springs HS
Career stats: 57 catches, 799 yards, 3 touchdowns … Best performance: 11 catches for 148 yards against Ennis in the first round of 2014 playoffs … 2013 & 2014 Second Team All-District 15-5A … 2013 Bi-District Champions … Lettered in football, baseball, basketball, and track & field
Christian Castleberry – OL – 6’5” – 255 – Mesquite/Mesquite HS
Four-year starting offensive tackle for Mesquite High School … Lettered twice in discus and shot put … Born January 10, 1997 … Son of Chris and Paula Castleberry
Jackie Clayton – CB – 5’10” – 161 – Dallas/Prime Prep Academy
Career Stats: 9 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, 53 tackles, 5 recovered fumbles … Captain U Player of the Week … School record 7 interceptions in one season … 2 State Championships … Played for Truth Club Football from 2010-2013 … Born 03/28/1997 … Son of Jack & Catina Clayton
Jalon Edwards-Cooper – CB– 5’11” – 174 – Houston/Dekaney HS
Second Team All-District … National Society of High School Scholars Member … Born 02/18/1997 … Son of Christopher and Shemeca Jenkins
Mason Copeland – ATH – 5’11” – 193 – Gainesville /Gainesville HS
Best performance: 360 rushing yards, 5 touchdowns playing for Kingsville H.S. … 2011 All-District Honorable Mention … 2012 Second Team All-District QB … 2013 Second Team All-District 4-4A QB … 2014 First Team All-District 4-4A QB … 2014 Second Team All-District 4-4A DB … Team Captain 2013 & 2014 … Lettered in football and track & field … Track MVP 2012 & 2013 … Holds single game rushing record in Kingsville … 2012 District Champions (Kingsville) … 2013 District Champions (Gainesville) … Born 08/28/1996 … Son of Mark Copeland & Mari Beth Garmin-Copeland … Father Mark played for East Texas State (now A&M-Commerce) from 1982-85 … Mother Mari Beth competed in track for ETSU in 1987 & 1988, and was also a cheerleader
Jo’Marr Davis – TE – 6’4” – 200 – McKinney/McKinney North HS
Career stats: 394 receiving yards, 18.8 yards per catch, 4 touchdown receptions, 5 total touchdowns … Best performance: 3 catches, 82 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 two-point conversion in a second round playoff game … 2013 & 2014 First Team All-District 10-5A Tight End … 2013 & 2014 Academic All-District 10-5A … Lettered in football and basketball … Born 01/10/1997 … Son of Jenny Gober
Ethan Engelbrecht – DL – 6’5” – 232 – San Antonio/Lee HS
Three-year letter winner at Lee High School ... Played in 16 games and recorded 149 tackles ... Career best game came vs Reagan HS with 14 tackles and one pass break up ... Three-time second team all-district ... Named all-city, all-area, all-state following senior season ... Three-year letter winner in wrestling and track and field.
DD Fletcher – DL – 6’1” – 237 – Arlington/Martin HS
Career stats: 84 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 7 sacks … Team Captain … First Team All-District … Born 12/16/1996 … Son of Torrick & Latrina Fletcher
Taylor Golden – OL – 6’6” – 325 – Spring/Klein Collins HS
Voted Lineman of the Week in Klein Collins game against Bellaire … All-District 15-6A … 2014 Area & Bi-District Champions … Born 03/14/1997 … Son of Jimmy & Stephanie Golden … Father Jimmy played for Rice University
Isaiah Guillory – WR – 6’0” – 175 – Pearland/ Pearland Dawson HS
Career stats: 7 touchdowns, 400+ yards, 17 catches in just 4 games … Best performance: 3 TD in 5 catches for 118 yards in district opener … Academic All-District 2011-2014 … 2012 Freshman Track Athlete of the Year (Hightower) … 2013 Most Improved Athlete (Hightower) … 2014 Team Leadership & Dedication Award (Dawson) … Lettered in football and track & field … Born 01/26/1997 … Son of Mark Gulliory & Nikki Harris
Lane Hasse – OL – 6’7” – 318 – Weimar/Weimar HS
2012 First Team All-District 1-2A Offensive Line … 2013 First Team All-District 1-2A Offensive Line … 2013 Second Team All-District 1-2A Defensive Line … 2014 First Team All-District 1-2A Offensive Line … Team Captain … 2012 Area Finalist … 2013 District Finalist … 2014 District Finalist … Four year starter … Born 04/30/1996 … Son of Leland & Holly Hasse
Kendall Holmes – OL – 6’2” – 262 – Tyler/John Tyler HS
Career stats: 66 knockdowns in 2014 … 2014 First Team All-District … 2014 Second Team All-State … 2012 State Semi-Finalist … 2013 Bi-District Finalist … 2014 State Semi-Finalist … Lettered in football & baseball … National Honor Society Member … Born 08/31/1997 … Son of Kendrick & Terra Holmes … Related to Laymonde Lee (UNT 1994-1999) and Ricky Collins (A&M-Commerce, 2014)
Alec Huntley – DS – 5’9” – 217 – San Antonio/Johnson HS
Special Teams MVP … Squat record-470 lbs … 2013 State Semi-Finalist … Born 02/07/1997 … Son of Lee & Patricia Huntley … Father Lee played baseball at Purdue
Jess Jenkins -- OL – 6’3” – 310 – Sulphur Springs/Sulphur Springs HS
2013 All-State Honorable Mention … 2013 & 2014 First Team All-District 15-5A … 2012 All-District 15-5A Honorable Mention … 2013 District 15-5A Champions … Qualified for regionals in power lifting in 2012 … Born 12/12/1996 … Son of Jerry & Debbie Jenkins
Derek Jones – DE – 6’4” – 218 – Sugar Land/Dulles HS
Two-year letter winner at Dulles High School
James Marshall Jr. – LB – 5’11” – 203 – Carthage/Carthage HS
Career stats: 252 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 6 forced fumbles, 4 fumble recoveries … Best performance: 16 tackles, 1 sack … 2013 & 2014 First Team All-District 9-4A … 2014 All-East Texas Super Team … 2013 All-State Honorable Mention … 2013 Academic All-District … 2013 State Champions … Born 01/15/1997 … Son of James Marshall Sr. & Dianne Warren … Brother Dwight Smith plays football for Southern Arkansas
Todd Maxwell – WR – 6’ – 200 – Manvel/Manvel HS
Lettered in football, soccer, and track & field … Born 11/10/1996 … Son of Kedra Mercer
Geovari McCollister – QB – 6’3” – 220 – Tyler/John Tyler HS
Two-year letter and two-year starter ... Completed 210-of-330 passing attempts for 3,232 yards and 29 touchdowns his senior season ... Carried the ball 152 times for 652 yards and another nine TDs ... Threw for 394 yards and five TDs and ran 12 times for 124 yards and another score against McKinney North ... Named first team all-district, second team All-East Texas ... Team broke the school record for points after scoring 655.
Dominique Merrell – DL – 6’1” – 275 – Waller/Waller HS
All-District Honorable Mention … Academic All-District … Made playoffs in 2013 & 2014 … Born 07/30/1997 … Son of Brian & Crista Merrell
Cory Mettlen – OL – 6’7” – 330 – Hardin/Hardin HS
Best performance: 8 pancakes vs Kountze … Leadership Council for football team … Born 12-30-1996 … Son of Steven Lynn & Deedra Mettlen
Xavier Moore – WR – 6’2” – 200 – Houston/Cypress Falls HS
Career stats: 56 catches, 1,123 yards, 13 touchdown receptions, 20.05 yards per catch … Best performance: 3 touchdown receptions in a 57-56 win over Cypress Creek … 2013 & 2014 First Team All-Academic District 17-6A … 2014 All-District 17-6A First Team Wide Receiver … Holds Cypress Falls High single game record for touchdowns in a game … Three-year letter winner in track & field … Born 04/20/1997 … Son of Milton Moore and Tina Wheeler
Mitchell Parsley – ATH – 6’1” – 182 – Crowell/Crowell HS
Two-time All-State MVP … District MVP … Regional MVP … Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Magazine Cover Boy ... Led the team to back-to-back state championships … Lettered in football, basketball, tennis, and track all 4 years … Two-time First Team All-State Basketball … Born 09/26/1996 … Son of Kirk & Elise Parsley
Demarcie’ Perry – SAM – 5’8” – 190 – Cedar Hill/Cedar Hill HS
Career stats: 190 tackles, 3 interceptions, 4 sacks, 10 QB hurries … Best performance: 9 solo tackles, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery … 2013 First Team All-District 8-6A … 2013 Academic All-District 8-6A … 2014 Second Team All-District 8-6A … 2014 Academic All-District … State Champions 2013 and 2014 … Born 12/10/1996 … Son of Billy Perry & Lashanda Renee’ Derrick
Michael Peschka – C – 6’2” – 295 – Mansfield/Mansfield Timberview HS
All-District 14-5A Center 2013 & 2014 … Mansfield Timberview Offensive MVP 2013 … Name Mansfield Timberview Team Captain in 2014 football season … Qualified for Academic All-District 14-5A team in 2013 & 2014 seasons … 0 career sacks allowed … 24 consecutive starts … Averaged 2.5 pancake blocks per game over high school career … Also competed in powerlifting and track & field, and made Academic All-District 14-5A team in 2012, 2013 & 2014 … Born 04/07/1997 … Son of Michael and Sandra Peschka
Charleston Powell – C – 6’3” – 305 – Marshall/Marshall HS
Best performance: 8 pancakes against Greenville … 2013 & 2014 All-District 15-5A … Two-time All-Academic District … Team Captain … Offensive Lineman of the Year … Academic All-State … Lettered in football, powerlifting and track & field … Born 06/08/1997 … Son of Jonie Mae Moule
Jamikel Roberts – CB – 6’0” – 185 – San Augustine/San Augustine HS
Career stats: 6,821 passing yards, 87 touchdowns … Best performance: 488 total yards, 355 passing yards on 13 of 24 passing, 13 carries for 123 yards, 6 passing TDs, 3 rushing TDs … First Team All-District 23-2A 2012-2014 … All-District Special Team … East Texas Elite Team … All-State for 3 associations … Ford Built Tough Player of the Week … SETX Elite Team … ETSN QB MVP … Records: Passing yards in a game (355), passing yards in a season (2,404), passing TD in a game (6), passing TD in a season (37), longest PR (80 yards) … Lettered in football, basketball, baseball, and track & field … Born 09/18/1996 … Son of Jennifer Samone Roberts
Kenneth Robinson – SAM – 6’0” – 199 – Houston/Alief Taylor HS
Three-year letter winner and a two-year starter ... Named second team all-district ... Team captain senior season.
Brucks Saathoff – OLB – 6’ – 199 – San Antonio/Reagan HS
Career stats: 95 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 5 interceptions, 1 fumble recovery, 2 touchdowns … Best performance: Against Los Fresnos 2014-2 interceptions, 10 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 point conversion, 103 punt return for a touchdown … 2013 All-District … 2013 All-Area Honorable Mention … 2014 All-Area … 2014 All-State Honorable Mention … Team Captain … Team MVP … Academic All-District … San Antonio All-Star Game … Lettered in football, baseball, and track & field … National Honor Society Member … Born 10/19/1996 … Son of Doug & Teresa Saathoff
Carnell Seals III – WR – 6’2” – 160 – Beaumont/Central HS
Best performance: 11 catches for 225 yards and 2 touchdowns … Second team All-State and First Team All-District … Holds school records for most yards and most touchdowns in career … Born 11/06/1996 … Son of Carnell Jr. & Tajuana Renee Seals
Peyton Searcy – DL – 6’1” – 260 – Killeen/Killeen HS
Career stats: 290 tackles, 15 sacks, 40 tackles for loss … Best performance: 17 tackles, 3 sacks and four tackles for loss against Leander … 3-time First Team All-District 12-6A … 2012 District 12-6A Defensive Newcomer of the Year … 3-time All-Area … Defensive MVP … Team Captain … Lettered in football and track & field … Born 06/04/1996 … Son of Richard Searcy & Leanne Nicholas … Related to former NFL players Kevin Mathis and Carl Mims
Abdul-Aziz Shammaa – OL – 6’5” – 285 – San Antonio/Ronald Reagan HS
All-District 26-6A honorable mention offensive tackle … State quarterfinalists in 2014 6A Division I playoffs … Two year letter earner in football … Born 03/12/1997 … Son of Mohammad and Cristina Shammaa
Chase Tate – WR – 5’7” – 160 – Gilmer/Gilmer HS
Four-year letter winner and starter at Gilmer High School ... Started 60 games and went 55-5 ... 2014 State Champions in football ... All-time leading receiver in school history ... Son of Yulonda ... Letter winner in track and field.
Brian Taylor Jr. – OL – 6’2” – 265 – Lancaster/Lancaster HS
Second Team All-District Left Guard … Team Captain … Lettered in football and track & field … Born 01/02/1997 … Son of Brian Sr. & Tommia Taylor
Jordan Trim – SAM – 5’11” – 183 – Arlington/Martin HS
Career stats: 340 tackles, 26 pass breakups, 8 blocked kicks, 24+ sacks … 2012-2014 First Team All-District … Leadership Council … Defensive Newcomer of the Year District 7-4A … Born 07/01/1997 … Son of Christine Blackwell
Landon Watkins – C – 6’0” – 280 – Sulphur Springs/Sulphur Springs HS
Career stats: Graded 98 percent, 142 knockdowns, 47 dominations, allowed 0 sacks … Best performance: 2014 against Mount Pleasant-32 knockdowns, 11 domination blocks … 2011 All-District Honorable Mention … 2012-2014 First Team All-District … 2013 All-East Texas Team … 2013 TSWA Second Team All-State Center … 2014 AP Second Team All-State Offensive Line … Holds school’s squat & bench press all-time records … National Honor Society Member … Hopkins County Leadership … 2015 MLK Student of the Year … Lettered in football, powerlifting, and track & field … Born 03/07/1996 … Son of Dale Jr. & DeOnna Watkins
Kendrick Welsh – S – 5’10” – 158 – Arlington/Mansfield Summit HS
Best performance: 8 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 interception, 2 tackles for loss, 3 receptions for 50 yards and 1 TD … Team Captain … 2014 Defensive MVP … Born 03/20/1997 … Son of Whakym Welsh & Sandra Lassiter
Preston Wheeler – QB – 6’2” – 180 – Austin/James Bowie HS
Career stats: 147-240 (comp-att), 2251 yards, 27 touchdown passes … Best performance: 5 passing TDs against Hays … Team Captain … Team MVP … First Team All-District … Bi-District Champions … Lettered in football & baseball … Born 01/19/1996 … Son of John Price Wheeler & April Morris … Father Price played football for West Georgia (1988-90)
Darent White – CB – 6’0” – 175 – Spring/Westfield HS
Lettered twice in football at Westfield High School.
Nathaniel Young – OL – 6’10” – 298 – Lake Jackson/Brazoswood HS
Letter winner at Brazoswood High School ... Son of Arndd and Nicole Young ... Cousins Jaquil Young played football at Sam Houston State ... Cousin Tramica Young played football at West Texas A&M.
