2008 Football Recruiting Class Release (PDF)

BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner-Webb University football put the finishing touches on a talented, 27-man recruiting class Wednesday, the largest one-day haul since the Runnin' Bulldogs made the move to Division I in 2000.

The group has a distinct North Carolina flavor, with 10 young men calling the Old North State home, but Gardner-Webb didn't limit itself to just the home turf – canvassing 10 different states to compile a very strong overall class. The class combined to win seven state titles during their prep careers, and nine of the student-athletes earned All-State honors.

A key component to Wednesday's class came from Gardner-Webb enjoying its most successful recruiting haul to date in nearby Charlotte, N.C., signing five young men from the rich talent pool of the Queen City.

West Charlotte (N.C.) High supplied quarterback Darius Thomas (6-1, 180) and linebacker/defensive end Jordan Woods (6-3, 220) – a duo that helped the traditionally powerful Lions post a tremendous season (13-2) under first-year head coach Maurice Flowers.

Thomas, the 2007 North Carolina Associated Press Player of the Year, posted one of the top-20 passing totals in national prep history – completing 246-of-386 attempts for 4,460 yards and 56 touchdowns. The speedy signal caller (4.5 seconds in the 40) became the first player in North Carolina history to pass for 500-plus yards twice in the same season, and had two games with seven touchdown passes in 2007. Thomas, one of the top-10 passers in quarterback-rich Mecklenburg County's history, pondered signing with Georgia Southern and Appalachian State before deciding to stay close to home with Gardner-Webb.

Woods was the lynchpin of one of the state's top defensive units, registering 160 total tackles and 11 sacks while splitting time between outside linebacker and defensive end. His 4.56-speed in the 40-yard dash drew considerable attention from major conference schools Illinois and South Carolina during his senior season, and Woods chose Gardner-Webb over offers from a host of Division I FCS programs, including Liberty, Elon, Presbyterian, North Carolina A&T and Coastal Carolina.

Gardner-Webb also mined East Mecklenburg (N.C.) High for a pair of players, with offensive tackle Harrison Martin (6-6, 280) and hard-hitting linebacker Devin Johnson (5-10, 200) joining the program.

Martin, an agile, but powerful blocker, is one of the most heavily recruited offensive players to sign with Gardner-Webb in 2008. He weighed offers from Old Dominion, Elon, James Madison, Coastal Carolina and South Carolina State before deciding on the Runnin' Bulldogs.

Johnson registered 284 total tackles in his final two seasons with the Eagles, and was named Southewestern 4A Conference Defensive Player of the Year for his efforts in 2007 – A premium honor considering the league also includes traditional state powers West Charlotte, Independence and Butler. Lehigh and Elon were among the other FCS schools Johnson considered before deciding to join the Charlotte contingent in Boiling Springs.

Butler (N.C.) High lineman Blake Peterson (6-3, 260) also signed with GWU Wednesday, and is capable of playing on either side of the football as a collegian. Peterson is expected to concentrate on offense initially in Boiling Springs – and chose GWU over Western Carolina and Old Dominion.

"Charlotte is the closest major city to our campus, with plenty of talent each year, so it made sense for us to concentrate on that area more," said GWU head coach Steve Patton. "[Assistant coach] Bryant Foster was new to our staff this year, and did a tremendous job in Mecklenburg County. As a former GWU player, he takes great pride in this program, and that is important."

One of the top out-of-state signees on offense is quarterback John Rock (6-3, 215) of Springboro (Ohio) High, who chose Gardner-Webb over FBS member Eastern Michigan, along with FCS programs Eastern Illinois, Western Carolina and Youngstown State. Rock, who runs the 40-yard dash in 4.7 seconds and passed for over 1,100 yards in 2007, also drew interest from FBS power Boise State late in the recruiting process.

On the defensive side of the football, Damascus (Md.) High safety Brian Wittenberger (6-2, 190) is among the most heralded from beyond the traditional recruiting waters for Gardner-Webb, earning Class 3A State Defensive Player of the Year honors in Maryland after leading Damascus to the Class 3A State Championship. Wittenberger chose GWU over William & Mary and FBS member Ohio – and had been courted briefly by East Carolina.

"Our class, overall, is much larger than we had anticipated heading into the recruiting season, but there is quality from top to bottom. We have talented young men who will be joining us, both academically and athletically. That fits with what we are trying to accomplish in building this program into a playoff contender."

"I do want to thank our coaching staff for their hard work with securing this class. It isn't easy being away from family and friends while on the road recruiting, but our guys were dedicated and it paid off with this group today."

Also part of the 27-man class is transfer receiver Darren Rogers (6-0, 200) from Kent State. Rogers, a former All-State athlete from Quaker Valley (Pa.) High, enrolled at Gardner-Webb in January and has two seasons of eligibility remaining. Rogers spent two seasons at Kent State, earning playing time at receiver and quarterback for the Golden Flashes.

2008 Football Recruiting Class
Maurice Bryan * 6-3 * 235 * DE * Monroe, N.C./Sun Valley
Colin Dawes * 6-4 * 280 * DT * Fuquay, N.C./Fuquay-Varina
Steve Demilio * 6-5 * 275 * DE * Severna Park, Md./Milford Academy
James Dugas * 6-1 * 220 * TE/FB * Sumter, S.C./Crestwood
Anthony Fonville * 5-8 * 220 * RB * Florence, S.C./South Florence
Ryan Gates * 5-9 * 165 * PK * Sharpsburg, Ga./East Coweta
Michael Heredia * 5-11 * 265 * LS * Augusta, Ga./Evans
Devin Johnson * 5-10 * 200 * OLB * Charlotte, N.C./East Mecklenburg
Lyndrez Leslie * 6-0 * 190 * CB * Lithonia, Ga./Martin Luther King
Kenny Little * 5-11 * 195 * RB * Flanders, N.J./Mount Olive
Travis McManus * 6-0 * 265 * OL * Gastonia, N.C./Ashbrook
Harrison Martin * 6-6 * 280 * OL * Charlotte, N.C./East Mecklenburg
Patrick Moss * 6-1 * 175 * FS * Statesville, N.C./West Iredell
Blake Peterson * 6-3 * 265 * OL/DL * Charlotte, N.C./Butler
John Rock * 6-3 * 215 * QB * Dayton, Ohio/Springboro
Darren Rogers * 6-0 * 200 * WR * Ambridge, Pa./Kent State ^
Ricky Rhodes * 5-9 * 170 * CB * Richmond, Ky./Madison Central
Evan Short * 6-4 * 245 * DT * Hickory, N.C./St. Stephens
Luke Stein * 6-3 * 235 * ATH * Ft. Thomas, Ky./Highlands
Seth Strickland * 6-2 * 180 * QB * Laurens, S.C./Laurens
Cameron Tate * 5-9 * 175 * CB * Gaffney, S.C./Coffeyville CC
Darius Thomas * 6-1 * 180 * QB * Charlotte, N.C./West Charlotte
Garrett Trusler * 6-2 * 225 * LB * Knoxville, Tenn./Knoxville Catholic
Brian Wittenberger * 6-2 * 190 * SS * Damascus, Md./Damascus
Jordan Woods * 6-3 * 225 * DE/LB * Charlotte, N.C./West Charlotte
Josh Young * 6-0 * 165 * WR * Columbia, S.C./Richland-Northeast
Evan Zedler * 5-9 * 180 * RB * Damascus, Md./Damascus

^ Enrolled in January, 2008

Class Breakdown By State

North Carolina (10)

South Carolina (5)

Georgia (3)

Maryland (3)

Kentucky (2)

Tennessee (1)

Pennsylvania (1)

New Jersey (1)

Ohio (1)

Student-Athlete Bios

Maurice Bryan * 6-3 * 235 * DE * Monroe, N.C. / Sun Valley HS
Played at Sun Valley (N.C.) High under Coach Scott Stein ... Young pass rush specialist who has improved rapidly in his football career ... Runs the 40-yard dash in 4.7 seconds ... An All-Conference selection as a senior ... Registered 66 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, three sacks, three forced fumbles and 14 quarterback pressures ... Made 40 stops as a junior ... Chose Gardner-Webb over North Carolina A&T and North Carolina Central.

Colin Dawes * 6-4 * 280 * DT * Fuquay, N.C. / Fuquay-Varina HS
Played at Fuquay-Varina (N.C.) High under Coach David Riggs ... Runs the 40-yard dash in 4.9 seconds ... Three-year varsity starter ... Big, physical defensive lineman ... Helped team to an 11-2 record in 2007 ... A first-team All-Conference selection in 2007 ... Named the programs' top defensive lineman as a senior ... Also earned first-team All-Conference honors as a junior, helping team to an 11-3 record and a Tri-Seven 4A Conference championship.

Steve Demilio * 6-5 * 275 * OL/DL * Severna Park, Md. / Milford Academy
Played one season at the nation's top ranked postgraduate prep school program, Milford (N.Y.) Academy, under Coach Bill Chaplick ... Runs the 40-yard dash in an athletic 4.93 seconds ... Played defensive end on the prep school level ... Had 30 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks and a fumble recover in 2007 ... Three-year starter at offensive tackle at Severna Park (Md.) High near Annapolis under Coach J.P. Hines ... Helped team to the 2006 Arundel County Championship ... Chose Gardner-Webb over Monmouth, Lehigh, Liberty, Central Connecticut State, Sacred Heart and Stonybrook.

James "Pork Chop" Dugas * 6-1 * 220 * TE/FB * Sumter, S.C. / Crestwood HS
Played at Crestwood (S.C.) High under Coach Keith Crolley... Runs the 40-yard dash in 4.7 seconds or better ... A Class 3A All-State selection as an athlete by the S.C. High School Sports Report ... A first-team All-Area selection at tight end by The Sumter Item ... Played in the SCADA North-South All-Star Game ... Paced a run-oriented offense with eight catches for 224 yards and two touchdowns at tight end ... A powerful blocker with good speed ... Graded out at 91 percent with 65 knockdown blocks for the Knights ... Helped team rush for a school-record 5,012 yards on the season and average 33.3 points per game ... Also punted, averaging 45.2 yards for the season ... Also an All-Area selection in 2006 as a junior ... Graded out as an 84-percent blocker ... Excellent student with 4.0 grade point average ... Chose Gardner-Webb over Charleston Southern and Presbyterian.

Anthony Fonville * 5-8 * 220 * RB * Florence, S.C. / South Florence HS
Played at South Florence (S.C.) High under Coach Brian Lane ... Runs the 40-yard dash in 4.55 seconds ... Rated one of the state's top-100 players by the S.C. High School Sports Report ... Considered one of the Palmetto State's top-4 running back prospects by Rivals.com ... Rushed for 900 yards and five touchdowns as a senior ... An All-Pee Dee selection as a junior by the Florence Morning News ... Rushed for 746 yards and 10 touchdowns ... Excellent student who carries a 4.0 grade point average ... Chose Gardner-Webb over The Citadel and South Carolina State ... Drew early recruiting interest from Wake Forest, Clemson and North Carolina.

Ryan Gates * 5-9 * 165 * PK/P * Sharpsburg, Ga. / East Coweta HS
Played at East Coweta (Ga.) High under Coach Danny Cronic ... Rated as the Peach State's No. 2 kicking prospect by Georgia Football Magazine ... First-team All-County selection at kicker and punter ... First-team All-Region ... Region Special Teams Player of the Year ... Went 13-of-17 on field goals as a senior, with two misses coming from 56 and 57 yards ... Made six kicks of 45 yards or longer ... 33-of-34 on PAT attempts ... Boomed 89 percent of kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks ... Averaged 39.4 yards per punt ... As a junior, boomed home 7-of-8 field goal chances with a long of 49 yards ... Was a perfect 45-of-45 on extra points, and boomed 90 percent of his kickoffs into the end zone ... Averaged 37.2 yards per punt as a junior ... Chose Gardner-Webb over New Mexico State and Western Kentucky.

Michael Heredia * 5-11 * 265 * LS/C * Augusta, Ga. / Evans HS
Played at Evans (Ga.) High under Coach Marty Jackson ... An All-Area selection in 2007 by the Augusta Chronicle at center ... First-team All-County in 2007 ... Two-time All-Region selection at center ... Two-time All-County choice ... An accomplished long snapper ... Graded out at 87 percent as a senior ... Excellent student who is a member of the National Honor Society ... Also a standout prep wrestler ... Chose Gardner-Webb over Davidson and Valdosta State.

Devin Johnson * 5-10 * 200 * LB * Charlotte, N.C. / East Mecklenburg HS
Played at East Mecklenburg (N.C.) High under Coach Greg Hill ... Named Southwest 4A Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2007 ... Named first-team All-Observer by the Charlotte Observer ... Also a first-team All-Mecklenburg County selection by the Charlotte Observer ... Rated the top middle linebacker in the Queen City by Charlotte High School Football.com ... Helped team to a 10-4 record and the Class 4A State Playoffs ... A first-team All-Mecklenburg County selection by the Charlotte Observer ... Two-time All-Conference selection ... Led Eagles with 128 total tackles ... Had three sacks and two interceptions ... Had a team-high 153 stops and two sacks as a junior ... Team's most valuable defensive back in 2006 ... Also recruited by Lehigh and Elon.

Lyndrez Leslie * 6-0 * 190 * CB * Lithonia, Ga. / M.L. King HS
Played at Martin Luther King (Ga.) High under Coach Corey Jarvis ... Runs the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds ... Capable of making an impact in college at either corner or safety ... Three-year starter in the secondary ... Younger brother of Gardner-Webb receiver Lyndon Leslie ... Finished varsity career with 150 total tackles for one of the top passing defenses in DeKalb County (Ga.) ... Had 49 total tackles, a tackle for loss, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery as a senior ... Helped Lions to a 12-1 mark ... Spearheaded secondary that limited opponents to just 80.3 yards per game through the air ... Had 37 tackles as a junior ... Team allowed just 73.3 yards per game through the air ... Helped team to a 10-2 record ... Had 61 tackles and an interception as a sophomore in 2005 ... Had three hits as a ninth grader ... Chose Gardner-Webb over Charleston Southern ... Drew early recruiting interest from a host of Division I FBS programs, including Virginia Tech.

Kenny Little * 5-11 * 195 * RB * Flanders, N.J. / Mount Olive HS
Played at Mount Olive (N.J.) High under Coach Colin Eckert ... One of the most athletic backs to sign with Gardner-Webb in some time ... A first-team All-Morris County selection as a senior by the area's coaches ... Also a first-team All-Iron Conference selection ... Two-time Offensive Player of the Year ... Rated as the No. 2 running back in New Jersey and the No. 29 overall prospect by EliteRecruits.com ... Ran for 1,110 yards and 11 touchdowns in seven games played, averaging 157.1 yards per contest and 8.5 yards per carry for the Marauders ... Added 50 tackles and an 81-yard interception return for a score at defensive back ... Had eight scoring runs of 30 yards or longer ... Had a 66-yard score against Seton Hall Prep ... Posted a 95-yard scoring run vs. Morris Knolls ... Had scoring runs of 75 and 71 yards vs. West Morris Central ... Had a 48-yard touchdown run vs. Old Tappan ... Rushed for 1,200 yards and nine scores as a junior ... Averaged nine yards per carry Added 38 hits and a interception on defense ... A first-team All-Morris County selection ... Chose Gardner-Webb over Northeastern and Monmouth ... Drew considerable recruiting interest from UConn, Rutgers, Virginia and Temple.

Travis McManus * 6-0 * 265 * OL * Gastonia, N.C. / Ashbrook HS
Played at Ashbrook (N.C.) High under Gardner-Webb graduate Mike Briggs ... A 2007 Class 4A All-State selection by NCPreps.com ... A two-time, first-team All-County selection by the Charlotte Observer and Gaston Gazette at center ... A three-time All-Big South 3A/4A Conference selection on offense ... Cleared a path for 4,380 total offensive yards as a senior ... Graded out at 89 percent with 28 pancacke blocks in 2007 ... Was a top blocker for Conference Player of the Year and current GWU running back Patrick Hall as a junior in 2006 ... Also considered VMI.

Harrison Martin * 6-6 * 280 * OT * Charlotte, N.C. / East Mecklenburg HS
Played at East Mecklenburg (N.C.) High under Coach Greg Hill ... Tall, athletic tackle prospect ... One of the state's top offensive linemen ... Rated the state's No. 46 overall prospect in the Class of 2008 by Scout.com ... Graded out at 85 percent with 30 knockdown blocks as a senior ... Helped clear a path for a 1,000-yard rusher and a team total of 20 rushing touchdowns as a senior ... Helped team to a 10-4 record and the Class 4A State Playoffs ... Chose Gardner-Webb over Elon, Old Dominion, James Madison and Coastal Carolina ... Recruited early by NC State, Duke, Virginia and Auburn, among others.

Patrick Moss * 6-1 * 175 * FS * Statesville, N.C. / West Iredell HS
Played at West Iredell (N.C.) High under Coach Mark Weycker ... Two-time All-Conference selection on the defensive side of the football ... Helped team to 18 wins in final two seasons ... Team went 9-4 in 2007 ... Finished with 31 hits, six pass break ups and a pair of interceptions as a senior ... Had 38 tackles, 10 pass break ups and an interception as a junior ... Helped team to a 9-3 record ... Solid student ... Also considered Army, Elon, Liberty and Campbell.

Blake Peterson * 6-3 * 265 * OL * Matthews, N.C. / Butler HS
Played at Butler (N.C.) High under Coach Mike Newsome ... Standout on both sides of the ball ... Four-year starter ... Helped team to a 10-3 record as a senior ... Cleared a path for an offense that totaled more than 4,000 yards on the season and averaged 33.5 points per game ... Did not allow a sack on the year ... An All-Southwestern 4A Conference selection ... Led the defensive line with 27 hits on defense ... Team went 12-3 as a junior ... Had 44 tackles as a junior on defense ... Chose Gardner-Webb over Western Carolina and Old Dominion ... Also recruited by Louisville and Appalachian State.

Ricky Rhodes * 5-9 * 170 * ATH * Richmond, Ky. / Madison Central HS
Played at Madison Central (Ky.) High under Coach Kenny Turner ... Rated the No. 10 prospect in Kentucky by Rivals.com for the Class of 2008 ... Two-time All-State ... Runs the 40-yard dash in 4.41 seconds ... An honorable mention All-State selection by the Louisville Courier-Journal ... Plays a number of positions ... Rushed for 777 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior ... Also caught 19 passes for 368 yards and six scores ... Had four interceptions and 74 return yards on defense ... An honorable mention Associated Press All-State choice as a junior ... Rushed 75 times for 651 yards and eight touchdowns ... Also caught 18 passes for 491 yards and eight scores that season ... Chose Gardner-Webb over Eastern Kentucky and Appalachian State.

John Rock * 6-3 * 215 * QB * Springboro, Ohio / Springboro HS
Played at Springboro (Ohio) High under Coach Ryan Wilhite ... Highly recruited quarterback with tremendous upside ... Converted running back and receiver who starred at quarterback as a senior ... Runs the 40-yard dash in an agile 4.7 seconds ... Named Conference Player of the Year ... An honorable mention All-Southwest Ohio selection by the Dayton Daily News ... One of the top signal callers in the Dayton metro area ... Completed 100-of-180 passes for 1,107 yards and 12 touchdowns ... Rated fourth of 52 participants in a national quarterback camp prior to his senior season ... Fought of injuries as a junior to post a pass efficiency rating of 250.10 on the season ... Also averaged an effective 9.2 yards per rush for the Panthers ... Rushed 77 times for 397 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 5.2 yards per carry ... Helped team to a 6-4 record, a 4-0 league mark and the first league title in school history ... Chose Gardner-Webb over Eastern Michigan, Western Carolina, Eastern Illinois and Youngstown State ... Drew late recruiting interest from Boise State.

Darren Rogers * 6-0 * 200 * WR * Ambridge, Pa. / Quaker Valley / Kent State
Transferred to Gardner-Webb in January 2008 from Kent State ... Will participate in spring practice and have two seasons of eligibility remaining. 2007 at Kent State: Started the season at receiver, but moved to the top backup spot at quarterback after injuries depleted that position ... Played in seven games and made two starts ... Caught two passes for 10 yards on the season. 2006 at Kent State: Played in 12 games and made three starts as a freshman ... Saw action at quarterback and receiver ... Finished fourth on the team with 12 receptions for 146 yards ... Had three catches for 59 yards in a start at Temple ... Hauled in a season-best four catches for 53 yards at Ball State ... Saw action at quarterback at nationally-ranked Virginia Tech ... Had a 17-yard touchdown run on a fake field goal at Army ... Also attempted one pass at Army. High School: A three-sport star at Quaker Valley (Pa.) High near Pittsburgh under Coach Art Parker ... Rated the No. 126 quarterback nationally in the class of 2006 by ESPN.com ... Rated one of the top-50 players in Pennsylvania as a senior by Rivals.com ... Earned All-State and All-Conference honors as a quarterback, receiver and a defensive back in his career ... Passed for 2,225 yards and 13 touchdowns in his career...Rushed for 830 yards and five TDs while adding 215 receiving yards and another score ... First-team all-state and all-WPIAL honors as a defensive back as a senior... Earned all-state honorable mention as a sophomore when he passed for a school-record 1,434 yards and 11 TDs ... As a senior totaled 404 yards passing, 419 rushing, 215 receiving and totaled nine TDs (two defensive) ... Chose Kent State over offers from Bowling Green and FCS powers New Hampshire and Richmond ... Also recruited by Stanford, Pittsburgh, Northwestern and Penn State.

Evan Short * 6-4 * 245 * DL * Hickory, N.C. / St. Stephens HS
Played at Saint Stephens (N.C.) High under Coach Doug Justice ... One of the top defensive linemen in Western North Carolina as a senior ... Four-year varsity starter ... Two-time All-Catawba Valley Conference selection ... Two-time All-Unifour selection ... ... Finished with an impressive 91 total tackles, 14 sacks, 11 tackles for loss and four fumble recoveries in 2007 ... Had 78 tackles as a junior ... Chose Gardner-Webb over Western Carolina.

Luke Stein * 6-3 * 235 * ATH * Ft. Thomas, Ky. / Highlands HS
Played at state powerhouse Highlands (Ky.) High under Coach Dale Mueller ... Led team to a 15-0 record and No. 21 national ranking and the Kentucky Class 5A State Championship ... A first-team All-State selection by the Louisville Courier-Journal at defensive end ... A first-team All-State selection by the Associated Press and Bluegrasspreps.com as a linebacker ... A first-team Football All-Star selection by the Cincinnati/Kentucky Enquirer ... Rated the nation's No. 98 inside linebacker prospect by ESPN.com ... Named Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year ... Named Tri-State Football Kentucky Defensive Player of the Year ... An All-Conference choice on offense and defense as a senior ... Solid student who is very active in community service projects ... Chose Gardner-Webb over Holy Cross.

Seth Strickland * 6-2 * 180 * QB * Laurens, S.C. / Laurens HS
Played at Laurens (S.C.) High under Coach Greg Lawson ... An All-Region selection as a senior in 2007 ... Runs the 40-yard dash in 4.67 seconds ... Played in the annual SCADA North/South All-Star Game ... Completed 141-of-266 passes for 1,988 yards and 15 touchdowns as a senior ... Ran for 336 yards and four more scores ... Played receiver as a junior.

Cameron Tate * 5-9 * 175 * CB * Gaffney, S.C. / Gaffney HS / Coffeyville CC
Speedy cover corner ... Runs the 40-yard dash in a quick 4.40 seconds ... Will enroll in June and have three seasons of eligibility remaining ... Spent the past two years at junior college powerhouse Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College. Junior College: Spent two years at Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College ... Redshirted with the Redbirds' program as a freshman in 2006 ... Did not play in 2007. High School: Starred at nearby Gaffney (S.C.) High under Coach Phil Strickland ... Helped Indians to the 2005 S.C. Class 4A Division I State Championship ... Earned first-team All-State honors at defensive back (All Classifications) from the S.C. High School Sports Report ... An All-Area choice by the Spartanburg Herald-Journal ... Broke up 14 passes and had four interceptions ... Added 52 catches for 842 yards and seven touchdown catches at receiver ... Played in the SCADA North/South All-Star Game.

Darius Thomas * 6-1 * 180 * QB * Charlotte, N.C. / West Charlotte HS
Played at West Charlotte (N.C.) High under Coach Maurice Flowers ... Runs the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds ... Named North Carolina Player of the Year by the Associated Press in 2007 ... Completed 246-of-386 passes for a school-record 4,460 yards and 56 touchdowns ... Season passing yardage total ranks 16th in national prep football history and fifth best in the North Carolina history ... Named to the PrepNation 101 All-America Team following the 2007 season ... 2007 First-team All-State by the Associated Press and NCPreps.com ... Named Statewide Offensive Player of the Year by NCPreps.com ... Became the first player in the history of North Carolina prep football to post a pair of 500-yard games passing ... Finished third in N.C. prep history in touchdowns accounted for in a single season ... Completed 27-of-49 passes for 512 yards and four touchdowns vs. Independence (N.C.) High ... Went 14-for-25 for 501 yards and five scores in a state playoff win over Richmond County ... Had two different games with seven touchdown passes ... Had six touchdown passes vs. Concord Robinson ... Helped team to a 13-2 record and the Class 4AA State semifinals ... Charlotte Observer Offensive Player of the Year ... A first-team All-Observer selection ... Also a first-team All-Mecklenburg County choice ... Named Mecklenburg County Offensive Player of the Year by the Charlotte Observer ... Passed for 1,300 yards and led team to a runner-up finish in Class 4A as a junior in 2006 ... Chose Gardner-Webb over Georgia Southern and Appalachian State, among others ... Also recruited by North Carolina and NC State.

Garrett Trusler * 6-2 * 224 * LB * Knoxville, Tenn. / Knoxville Catholic HS
Played at Knoxville (Tenn.) Catholic High under Coach Mark Pemberton ... A second-team All-City selection by the Knoxville News-Sentinel ... Rated one of the Volunteer State's Top 44 senior prospects ... One of the top two-way players in Class 3A (fullback / linebacker) ... Played in the Tennessee East/West All-Star Game ... Helped Knox Catholic hold opponents to less than 10 points and 94.0 total offensive yards per game ... Had 72 hits, 12 tackles for loss, three fumble recoveries, four forced fumbles and six pass break ups ... Rushed for 159 yards and five scores on 39 rushes at fullback in 2007 ... Had 80 tackles, two sacks and 10 tackles for loss as a junior ... Chose Gardner-Webb over UT-Chattanooga, Richmond and Tennessee Tech ... Also recruited by Northwestern (Big 10) and Duke (ACC).

Brian Wittenberger * 6-2 * 190 * SS * Damascus Md. / Damascus HS
Played at Damascus (Md.) High under Coach Dan Makosy ... Athletic safety who runs the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds ... 2007 Maryland Class 3A Defensive Player of the Year ... Helped team to a 13-1 record and the 2007 Class 3A State Championship ... Team Most Valuable Player ... A Big School All-State selection by the Baltimore Sun ... First-team All-Montgomery County selection by the Washington Post ... An honorable mention All-Metro selection by the Washington Post ... ... Posted a team-high 114 tackles (65 solo) ... Added three interceptions, two forced fumbles, two sacks, six tackles for loss and six pass break ups ... Had two catches for 83 yards in spot duty at receiver ... A top-flight wrestler in Maryland as well ... Currently ranked No. 5 in the state at 171 pounds with a 24-2 record and 17 pins ... Finished third at the Class 3A-4A State Meet at 152 pounds as a junior ... Chose Gardner-Webb over Ohio University, Towson and William & Mary ... Also recruited by East Carolina.

Jordan Woods * 6-3 * 225 * DE/LB * Charlotte, N.C. / West Charlotte HS
Played at West Charlotte (N.C.) High under Coach Maurice Flowers ... Hybrid defensive end/outside linebacker who was highly recruited by a host of Division I Championship Subdivision and Bowl Subdivision schools ... Ran the 40-yard dash in 4.56 seconds at the 2007 Shrine Bowl Combine ... A second-team All-Mecklenburg County selection by the Charlotte Observer following senior season ... Rated the top outside linebacker and No. 9 overall prospect in Charlotte by Charlotte High School Football.com ... Named to the Charlotte Weekly Super Team in 2007 ... Recorded 160 total tackles, 11 quarterback sacks and 10 quarterback pressures in 2007, spearheading one of the state's top defenses ... Had eight catches for 82 yards and a touchdown at tight end ... Rated the No. 2 linebacker following the 2007 Shrine Bowl Combine ... Played sophomore and junior seasons at Independence (N.C.) High, helping Patriots to a pair of state titles as a two-year starter ... Had 91 tackles and five sacks as a junior ... Broke up five passes ... Honor roll student ... Also a two-year letterwinner in Track & Field ... One of Gardner-Webb's most highly recruited signees ... Chose GWU over Liberty, Elon, Presbyterian, Coastal Carolina and North Carolina A&T, South Carolina and Illinois.

Joshua Young * 6-0 * 165 * WR * Columbia, S.C. / Richland Northeast HS
Played senior season at Richland Northeast (S.C.) High under Coach Jay Frye ... Two-sport athlete (track) with sprinter speed ... Hand timed at 10.5 seconds in the 100-meter dash ... Runs the 40 in 4.4 seconds ... A first-team All-Region 5-4A selection ... Caught 42 passes for 848 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging 21.2 yards per catch in 2007 ... Played junior season at Mandarin (Fla.) High in Jacksonville ... Starred in track at Mandarin as well ... Lead leg on Florida's Class 4A State Champion 4x100m relay team, which posted the seventh-best time in the nation in 2007 (40.88 seconds) ... Had a personal-best time of 14.63 seconds in the 110m hurdles ... Triple jumped 45'6.5" at the 2007 District Championships ... Duval (Fla.) County triple jump champion in 2007 ... Chose Gardner-Webb over Georgia Southern, The Citadel and Western Carolina ... Also recruited heavily by East Carolina.

Evan Zedler * 5-9 * 180 * RB * Damascus, Md. / Damascus HS
Played at Damascus (Md.) High under Coach Dan Makosy ... Runs the 40 in 4.5 seconds ... A first-team Consensus All-State selection ... Selected Montgomery County Offensive Player of the Year by Washington Post ... A first-team All-Metro selection by the Washington Post ... Helped team to a 13-1 record and the 2007 Class 3A State Championship ... Rushed 241 times for 2,261 yards and 34 touchdowns on the season ... Averaged 8.8 yards per carry ... Had 92 carries for 771 yards and 10 touchdowns in four playoff wins, an average of 192.5 yards per outing ... Had 208 yards and a score on 35 carries in the state title game ... Had four games with 200 yards or more ... Caught 11 passes for 168 yards and two scores ... Scored six total touchdowns in a playoff win vs. state power Seneca Valley ... Rushed for four scores, caught a touchdown pass and had a 78-yard interception return for a touchdown in the win ... Chose Gardner-Webb over Sacred Heart ... Also recruited by Kansas State and New Hampshire.

Jordan Woods, DE/OLB, West Charlotte HS

(Photo courtesy Randy Rimland, Carolina-SportsPhotography.com)

Darius Thomas was the 2007 N.C. Associated Press Player of the Year

(Photo courtesy The Charlotte Observer)