Tulsa Football Adds Three Prep Signees; Watch Press Conference
2/7/2024 3:16:00 PM | Football
PRESS CONFERENCE
TULSA, Okla. –– Tulsa Head Football Coach Kevin Wilson announced today the addition of three high school signees to national letters-of-intent, bringing the total count of signees and transfers to 38 for the Golden Hurricane.
The three prep signees are quarterback Tim Carpenter from Trotwood-Madison High School in Dayton, Ohio, Tulsa Union High School athlete Issac Covington and tight end Jewlyen Roberts from JJ Pearce High School in the Dallas area.
In December, Tulsa brought in 28 newcomers, including 24 prep signees, two four-year transfers and one junior college transfer.
At mid-semester, the Hurricane also added seven transfers, six from four-year schools and one JC transfer.
Among those mid-year transfers, three are student-athletes who played their prep football in Oklahoma – Broken Arrow linebackers Gavin Potter and Zach Marcheselli and offensive lineman Kaden Stanton from Beggs. Potter played previously at Kansas and last year at Arkansas State, Marcheselli comes from TCU and Stanton spent one year at New Mexico State.
Potter and Marcheselli have one year of eligibility remaining, while Stanton has four.
The breakdown of Tulsa's entire signing class includes 27 high school athletes, nine four-year college transfers and two junior college transfers. The class breakdown also includes 18 players on offense, 18 defensive players, one specialist and one listed as an athlete.
Tulsa Football February Signees
Tim Carpenter III QB 6-3 215 Fr-HS Dayton, Ohio / Trotwood-Madison HS
Played his prep football at Trotwood-Madison High School … was a second-team Division III all-state selection his senior season … received a three-star rating by On3, 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals.com … ranked as the No. 43 quarterback by the 247Sports Composite … was a two-time all-Southwest District selection … was the No. 4 prospect in the Dayton area, regardless of position … chose Tulsa over Indiana.
Issac Covington ATH 5-11 190 Fr-HS Tulsa, Okla. / Union HS
Was a three-year letterwinner at Union High School … totaled 75 tackles and two interceptions from his safety position as a senior … also rushed for 502 yards and 11 touchdowns on 40 carries … had 18 carries for 227 yards and four touchdown runs of 7, 43, 53 and 60 yards against Edmond Memorial his senior season … was rated No. 24 on The Oklahoman's Super 30 preseason list for the state's top recruits …was credited with 95 tackles, four interceptions, including two pick sixes, three pass breakups and two fumble recoveries as a junior in 2022 … also returned two kicks for TDs … high school coach was Kirk Fridrich.
Jewlyen Roberts TE 6-4 235 Fr-HS Dallas, Texas / Pearce HS
Was a two-year starter at JJ Pearce High School … caught 45 passes for 602 yards and six touchdowns as a senior … was a 3-star recruit by On3, 247Sports … finished his junior season with 19 receptions for 238 yards and one TD … was a two-time all-district selection … had offers from Texas Tech, SMU, Memphis, Washington State and San Diego State.
Tulsa Football Mid-Semester Transfers
Jeremiah Ballard WR 6-3 205 Jr-TR Houston, Texas / Dobie HS / UTEP
Transferred from UTEP at mid-semester … has two seasons of eligibility remaining … AT UTEP – played in 27 career games for the Miners … caught 45 passes for 685 yards and two TDs … 2023 (Sophomore) – Played in 12 games and had nine starts … caught 34 passes for 551 yards and one TD … had a long of 50 yards … 2022 (RS-Freshman) – Played in 11 contests and made one start … had 10 receptions for 118 yards and one TD … had a 42-yard TD reception in an upset win over Boise State … also had five receptions for 39 yards vs. No. 9 Oklahoma … 2021 (Freshman) – Redshirted … appeared in four of the first six games … had one reception for 16 yards vs. Bethune-Cookman … HIGH SCHOOL – Played at Dobie High School … helped lead his team to a 9-1 record and to the district title as a senior … caught 39 passes for 765 yards and 11 TDs his senior season … was a first-team all-district performer as a senior … was a 3-star recruit by 247Sports.
Gavin Potter LB 6-2 225 Gr-TR Broken Arrow, Okla. / Broken Arrow HS / Kansas / Arkansas State
Transferred to Tulsa from Arkansas State at mid-semester … has one season of eligibility remaining … played last season at Arkansas State and before that spent four years at Kansas … AT ARKANSAS STATE – Was a 2023 mid-year transfer … 2023 (Senior) – Played in 11 games … recorded 21 tackles, four TFL for -8 yards and three QB hurries … had a season-high seven stops vs. Stonybrook, including two TFL for -3 yards … in the season opener at Oklahoma, collected four stops and two TFL for -5 yards … AT KANSAS – Appeared in 37 career games across four seasons at Kansas, including 25 starts at linebacker … 2022 (Senior) – Played in four games in 2022 for the Jayhawks … 2021 (Junior) – Saw action in all 12 games in 2021 for the Jayhawks, drawing 11 starts … finished third among KU defenders with 78 tackles with an interception and 3.5 tackles for loss … 2020 (Sophomore) – Played in eight of nine games in 2020, including five starts, finishing fourth with 35 tackles … 2019 (Freshman) – Was the 2019 Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year, earning Honorable Mention All-Big 12 honors … played in all 12 games, starting on defense in the final eight contests … was fourth on the team with 56 total tackles … HIGH SCHOOL – Earned a three-star rating from 247Sports.com and Rivals.com … helped lead Broken Arrow High School to a 6AI state championship with a perfect 13-0 record in 2018 … finalist for Oklahoma Defensive Player of the Year by the Tulsa World … All-State First Team honoree by The Oklahoman and USA Today at linebacker, after playing on offense until his senior season … Recorded 92 total tackles with two sacks including 52 solos and 40 assists his senior season … also added 23 tackles-for-loss, three fumble recoveries, two blocked kicks and an interception … also a standout wrestler, winning two state titles.
Zach Marcheselli LB 6-2 225 Gr-TR Broken Arrow, Okla. / Broken Arrow / TCU
Transferred to Tulsa from TCU at mid-semester … has one season of eligibility remaining … AT TCU – spent the past five seasons at TCU … played in 43 career games… had 20 career tackles, one interception and one pass breakup … 2023 (Senior) – Played in all 12 games … had seven tackles and one interception … had two stops and his pickoff against Houston … 2022 (Junior) – Saw action in all 15 games ... was part of the TCU team that reached the national championship game … ranked among the team leaders with four special team's tackles ... totaled nine stops overall ... recorded a career-high three tackles in the 59-17 win over Tarleton ... had two stops in the 55-24 rout of Oklahoma … 2021 (Sophomore) – Played in 10 games ... totaled four tackles on the year, including two on special teams ... recorded a season-best two stops at Iowa State … 2020 (Redshirt-FR) – Saw action in four of the final six games ... did not record a tackle … 2019 (Freshman) – Played in three games, preserving a redshirt season ... saw action in consecutive games against Kansas, Iowa State and Kansas State … HIGH SCHOOL – A three-star recruit by 247Sports … rated as the No. 9 overall player in Oklahoma and No. 46 linebacker in the nation … totaled 202 tackles, including 150 solo, 2.0 sacks, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries over his junior and senior years … totaled 101 tackles as a senior … helped lead Broken Arrow to the Oklahoma Class 6A state championship … also a state champion wrestler for all four years … was named the All-World 2018-19 Boys Athlete of the Year.
Kaden Stanton OL 6-5 315 Fr-TR Beggs, Okla. / Beggs HS / New Mexico State
Transferred to Tulsa from New Mexico State at mid-semester … has four seasons of eligibility remaining … was a true freshman at NMSU in 2023 … 2023 (Freshman) – Received a redshirt season, while appearing in three games … saw playing time against Western Illinois (9/2), Liberty (9/9) and Sam Houston (10/11 )... played snaps at both right guard and right tackle ... helped the Aggies finish the season 14th in the nation in rushing offense while finishing third in Conference USA for sacks allowed … HIGH SCHOOL – Played his prep football at Beggs High School … was a three-year starter … received a 3-star rating by ON3 as a prep … was ranked No. 2 on the Tulsa World's preseason rankings for offensive linemen in the state … an outstanding student with a 4.05 GPA and was a member of the National Honor Society.
Parker Stone LS 6-4 220 Jr-JC Grain Valley, Mo. / Grain Valley HS / Coffeyville CC
Transferred to Tulsa from Coffeyville Community College … has two seasons of eligibility remaining … PREVIOUS COLLEGE – Spent the 2023 season at Coffeyville … played all 10 games … started at long snapper … spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons at Quincy College as a tight end, but did not see any playing time … redshirted in 2021 and received a medical-redshirt in 2022 … HIGH SCHOOL – Was a three-year letterwinner at Grain Valley High School … started his final two seasons at tight end and three years as the long snapper … earned all-conference honors at tight end his senior campaign … helped lead his team to conference and district titles in each of his three seasons … also lettered three years in baseball and lost in the state championship game his senior year … earned all-conference, all-area and all-district as a senior.
Chris Thompson LB 6-3 230 Gr-TR Duncanville, Texas / Duncanville HS / Auburn / USC
Transferred to Tulsa from Southern Cal at mid-semester … has two seasons of eligibility remaining … has played four seasons, one at Auburn and the past three seasons at USC … totaled 29 tackles, including one for a loss of 1 yard, while appearing in 26 games with two starts in his collegiate career … AT SOUTHERN CAL – Spent the three seasons at Southern Cal after spending one year at Auburn … 2023 (Senior) – Played in all 13 games … had nine tackles … 2022 (Junior) – Changed positions to inside linebacker in the spring of 2022, recorded one tackle (versus Washington State) while appearing in four games as a junior in 2022 … 2021 (Sophomore) – Transferred to USC from Auburn in the fall of 2021, saw action in nine games (all but Oregon State, Colorado, Utah) at safety and nickelback and on special teams as a sophomore in 2021, with two starts (Arizona and California) … had 11 tackles, including one tackle for loss of 1 yard … missed the Oregon State, Colorado and Utah games with a leg (quad) injury … had one tackle against San Jose State, three vs. Stanford, two at Notre Dame, one at Arizona State and four at California (with a tackle for loss) … AT AUBURN – Spent one season at Auburn … 2020 (Freshman) – Saw action in six games as a first-year freshman safety at Auburn in 2020, getting eight tackles (including three against Northwestern in the Citrus Bowl) … made the 2020 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll … enrolled at Auburn in January of 2020 after graduating a semester early from high school … HIGH SCHOOL – Played his prep football at Duncanville High School … made 2019 MaxPreps All-American second team, MaxPreps All-State first team, All-Area first team and Academic All-State as a senior safety … made MaxPreps Junior All-American first team and All-State second team as a junior in 2018 … Duncanville played in the 2018 state Class 6A final … was also on the basketball and track teams.
Jacob Waller OL 6-5 283 So-TR Arlington, Texas / Arlington HS / SMU
Transferred from SMU at mid-semester … has three years of eligibility remaining … 2023 (RS Freshman) – Appeared in five games … 2022 (Freshman) – Redshirted ... did not see action … HIGH SCHOOL – A three-star recruit by 247 Sports, Rivals and ESPN… Named District 8-6A first team in 2021… was a second-team all-district selection as a sophomore and junior … ranked as the No. 130 offensive tackle in the nation and No. 192 overall prospect in Texas according to the 247 Sports Composite rankings.
The Entire Class Breakdown:
38 – Total scholarship newcomers 18 – Defense
27 – High School signees 18 – Offense
9 – Four-year College transfers 1 – Athlete
2 – Junior College transfers 1 – Specialist
Players Mentioned
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