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Gardner-Webb Football Signs 15 To National Letters of Intent Wednesday
December 21, 2022 | Football
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Gardner-Webb football announced a terrific 15-man haul on National Signing Day, building on its recent Big South championship.
Head coach Tre Lamb and his staff signed 14 high school prospects and one junior college standout to National Letters of Intent on Wednesday. The staff will announce incoming transfers at a later date.
"Our success on the field this season created opportunities for our coaching staff to get involved with a higher caliber recruit, and we closed on a very strong group," said Lamb. "We bring back the bulk of our roster for next season, but we do need to continue building and increasing our talent and expectations for Gardner-Webb football. We got better today. No doubt."
The December class features six All-State selections and is headlined by a pair of receivers that earned three star ratings during their prep careers.
Miami, Fla., speedster Giovanni Adopte (6-0, 180) is rated as a three-star prospect in the Class of 2022 by 247Sports.com and entertained offers from FBS Illinois, Pittsburgh, FAU and Charlotte as a high school senior.
Junior college transfer Antonio Barber (6-1, 195) earned All-Conference honors at Independence Community College last season and was rated as a three-star recruit by 247Sports.com as a high schooler in Rock Hill, S.C., and for Hough (N.C.) High near Charlotte.
Barber was committed to the University of Tennessee as a high school junior and held nearly 30 Division I scholarship offers. He selected Gardner-Webb over Murray State and Northwestern State last week before signing on Wednesday.
The offensive line group is impressive, anchored by All-State lineman Luke Rector (6-4, 300) from nearby Draughn (N.C.) High in Valdese. GWU also signed tackle Will Fitzpatrick (6-6, 285) from Walton (Ga.) High in Marietta and Tyson Moorer (6-4, 280) from Providence Day (N.C.) School in Charlotte.
A pair of All-State tight ends will add to a very talented position group. Jackson Head (6-3, 235) from River Ridge (Ga.) High caught 137 passes for 1,989 yards and 22 touchdowns over his career in the Peach State. Kendall Williams (6-5, 220) earned All-State honors in his first – and only – high school football season this year at Spring Valley (S.C.) High.
All-Region quarterback Jaylen King (6-4, 200) directed a run-heavy offense at Charlton County (Ga.) High over the past two seasons and led his squad to an 8-3 mark in 2022. A gifted runner with a rocket arm, King passed for 2,234 yards and 17 touchdowns over his career and ran for 551 yards. He chose Gardner-Webb over an offer from FBS Troy.
Quarterback Lukas Kachilo (6-1, 190) was one of Gardner-Webb's earliest commitments over the summer and made it official when he signed his NLI on Wednesday morning. The West Henderson (N.C.) High signal caller passed for 3,380 yards and 43 touchdowns this season to lead the Falcons to a 12-1 record.
Receiver DJ Tyler (6-4, 190) was highly recruited out of Blythewood (S.C.) High and brings impressive 4.42 speed to the table along with an elite catch radius. Tyler earned Class 5A All-State honors in 2022 after hauling in 41 passes for 810 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Bengals.
The defensive backfield got a major boost on Wednesday with the addition of Ryan Barrett (6-1, 185), Nigel Lucas (6-1, 180) and Tywan Royal (6-0, 180).
Barrett starred at Kell (Ga.) High, earning All-Region honors twice over the past two years. He was courted by several Division I programs – including three Ivy League schools. Lucas played at Wake Forest (N.C.) High and was selected to play in the Shrine Bowl this month after earning conference Player of the Year honors. Royal, a corner, signed with Gardner-Webb after originally committing to North Dakota State. He collected 56 tackles and broke up 16 passes in 2022 at Norcross (Ga.) High to earn All-Region honors.
Linebacker RJ Brown (6-0, 210) was an All-State choice at East Forsyth (N.C.) High, leading the team to a 12-1 record as as senior. He finished his career with 395 tackles. He had 136 hits for East Forsyth this past season.
Gardner-Webb also added a key piece up front on defense with the addition of tackle Jack Schultz (6-4, 260). The A.L. Brown (N.C.) High star and National Honor Society member finished his senior campaign with 79 total tackles, 20.0 tackles for loss, eight sacks and an eye-popping 28 quarterback hurries.
2023 Signing Class (December 21, 2022)
Giovanni Adopte * 6-0 * 180 * WR * Miami, Fla. / Avant Garde Academy
Antonio Barber * 6-1 * 195 * WR * Rock Hill, S.C. / Independence CC
Ryan Barrett * 6-1 * 185 * DB * Marietta, Ga. / Kell HS
RJ Brown * 6-0 * 210 * LB * Kernersville, N.C. / East Forsyth HS
Will Fitzpatrick * 6-6 * 285 * OL * Marietta, Ga. / Walton HS
Jackson Head * 6-3 * 235 * TE * Woodstock, Ga. / River Ridge HS
Lukas Kachilo * 6-1 * 190 * QB * Hendersonville, N.C. / West Henderson
Jaylen King * 6-4 * 200 * QB * Folkston, Ga. / Charlton County HS
Nigel Lucas * 6-1 * 180 * DB * Wake Forest, N.C. / Wake Forest HS
Tyson Moorer * 6-4 * 280 * OL * Charlotte, N.C. / Providence Day School
Luke Rector * 6-4 * 300 * OL * Valdese, N.C. / Draughn HS
Tywan Royal * 6-0 * 180 * CB * Norcross, Ga. / Norcross HS
Jack Schultz * 6-4 * 260 * DL * Kannapolis, N.C. / AL Brown HS
DJ Tyler * 6-4 * 190 * WR * Blythewood, S.C. / Blythewood HS
Kendall Williams * 6-5 * 220 * TE * Columbia, S.C. / Spring Valley HS
Giovanni Adopte * 6-1 * 180 * WR * Miami, Fla. / Avant Garde Academy
Played senior year at Avant Garde (Fla.) Academy under Coach George Stubbs … Rated as a three-star recruit by 247Sports.com … Rated as one of the top receiver prospects in Florida … Runs the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds … Explosive playmaker caught 35 passes for 630 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior … Averaged 18.0 yards per catch … Grabbed 19 passes for 383 yards and four touchdowns as a junior for Dade Christian School in seven games … Averaged 20.2 yards per catch … Chose Gardner-Webb over Eastern Kentucky and Charlotte … Also had offers from FAU, Illinois and Pittsburgh.
Antonio Barber * 6-1 * 195 * WR * Rock Hill, S.C. / Independence CC
Junior college transfer from Independence (Kan.) Community College under Coach Jason Martin … Earned honorable mention All-KJCCC in 2022 … Caught 31 passes for 333 yards and four touchdowns in nine games as a sophomore … Rated as a three-star recruit as a high school prospect by 247Sports.com … Runs the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds and has a 40-inch vertical … Spent freshman season at East Mississippi Community College … Played senior high school season at Hough (N.C.) High under Coach Matthew Jenkins … Originally committed to the University of Tennessee ... Played two seasons at Rock Hill (S.C.) High … A two-time All-Region selection … Earned All-Area honors from the Rock Hill Herald as a junior on the same team as current GWU All-American Narii Gaither … Named first-team All-South Carolina by USAToday that season … Caught 28 passes for 575 yards and eight touchdowns … Chose Gardner-Webb over Murray State and Northwestern State … Also entertained offers from Cincinnati, NC State, Colorado, Colorado State, Kansas, Liberty, Ole Miss, Virginia Tech, Tulane, South Florida, Texas Tech, Syracuse, Southern Miss, Western Kentucky, Kansas, Charlotte, Buffalo, UMass, UConn, Temple, ETSU, NC Central, Hampton, Towson and Chattanooga.
Ryan Barrett * 6-1 * 185 * DB * Marietta, Ga. / Kell HS
Played at Kell (Ga.) High under Coach Bobby May … Excellent student with a 3.76 grade point average … A two-time All-Region selection for the Longhorns … Led team to a 10-2 record in 2022 … Finished senior season with 35 total tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and four pass break ups … Also caused two fumbles … Scored three touchdowns on offense … Chose Gardner-Webb over Akron, Columbia, Penn, Harvard, Eastern Illinois, Chattanooga, UT-Martin, Alabama A&M, Lehigh and Bucknell.
RJ Brown * 6-0 * 210 * LB * Kernersville, N.C. / East Forsyth HS
Played at East Forsyth (N.C.) High under Coach Todd Willert … Named first-team All-State by the N.C. Sportswriters Association at linebacker in 2022 … Named Conference Defensive Player of the Year … Finished senior season with 136 total tackles (72 solo), 25.0 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks … Picked off two passes and recovered two fumbles … Returned a pair of interceptions for touchdowns … Posted a season-high 20 total tackles (15 solo) vs. Reagan High … Had at least 10 hits in eight different games … Led defense to nine games with a touchdown or less allowed, including six shutouts … Earned All-Northwest honors from the Winston-Salem Journal as a junior … Posted 147 total tackles, 21.0 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks … Also broke up three passes … Collected 101 tackles and 16.0 tackles for loss as a sophomore … Chose Gardner-Webb over The Citadel.
Will Fitzpatrick * 6-6 * 285 * OL * Marietta, Ga. / Walton HS
Played at Walton (Ga.) High under Coach Daniel Brunner … Cleared a path for a Raiders' offense that picked up 452.4 yards of total offense per game … Led team to a 10-3 record … A first-team Class All-Region 5-7A selection in 2022 … Earned preseason Class 7A All-State honors from RecruitGeorgia.com … Key blocker for a team that finished with a 9-4 record in 2021 … Chose Gardner-Webb over Lehigh, UT-Martin and Bryant.
Jackson Head * 6-3 * 235 * TE * Woodstock, Ga. / River Ridge HS
Played at River Ridge (Ga.) High under Coach Michael Collins … A first-team All-Cherokee County selection for three seasons … Rated as one of the top tight ends in the Peach State by the Atlanta Journal Constitution … Hauled in 137 catches for 1,989 yards and 22 touchdowns for his career … A first-team All-Region selection as a senior … Finished senior season with 51 catches for 615 yards and five touchdowns … Had seven catches for 136 yards vs. Sprayberry High … A first-team All-State choice in 2021 by the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association … Had 47 catches for 695 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2021 … Hauled in seven balls for 124 yards and a two scores vs. Johns Creek High … Had nine caches for 116 yards and two scores vs. Centennial High … Caught 36 passes for 657 yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore …Chose Gardner-Webb over Army and Columbia.
Lukas Kachilo * 6-1 * 190 * QB * Hendersonville, N.C. / West Henderson
Played at West Henderson (N.C.) HIgh under Coach Paul Whitaker …Passed for 6,634 yards and 70 touchdowns over final three seasons … Led Falcons to a 12-1 record as a senior … Completed 248-of-342 passes for 3,380 yards and 43 touchdowns … Passed for a season-high 362 yards vs. East Rutherford … Tossed six touchdown passes vs. Tuscola … Season total marked the sixth-best yardage effort in Western North Carolina public schools history … Led Western North Carolina in passing as a senior … Tossed 10 touchdown passes in three state playoff games in 2022 … Passed for 240 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 82 yards and another score vs. West Rowan High … Completed 22-of-25 passes for 304 yards and four scores vs. North Davidson High … Was sharp as a junior, passing for 2,129 yards and 21 touchdowns in only nine games … Earned All-WNC honors from the Asheville Citizen-Times … Had a career-high 484 yards passing and four touchdowns vs. Tuscola High … Completed 40-of-61 attempts in that game … Went 40-of-55 for 409 yards and five touchdowns vs. Franklin High.
Jaylen King * 6-4 * 200 * QB * Folkston, Ga. / Charlton County HS
Played at Charlton County (Ga.) High under Coach Russ Murray … Led team to an 8-3 mark in 2022 … Passed for 2,234 career yards and 17 touchdowns in a run-heavy offensive system … Ran for 551 yards and four more scores over three seasons … Also caught eight passes for 74 yards and two scores … A first-team All-Region selection in 2022 after passing for 879 yards and seven touchdowns on 50-of-91 attempts … Completed 5-of-5 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 101 yards and two more scores in a win over Lanier County … Passed for 76 yards and seven touchdowns on just 61 completions as a junior … Ran for 420 yards that season … Chose Gardner-Webb over Troy.
Nigel Lucas * 6-1 * 180 * DB * Wake Forest, N.C. / Wake Forest HS
Played at Wake Forest (N.C.) High under his father, Coach Reggie Lucas … Led team to a 10-3 record in 2022 … A two-time All-Conference choice … Selected to play in the 2022 Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas … Named Cap 6 Conference Player of the Year … All-purpose standout will play safety for the Runnin' Bulldogs … Caught 35 passes for 656 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior … Also ran for 141 yards and two scores on 34 carries … Excelled in the secondary with 47 total tackles and seven interceptions … Broke up 11 passes and returned three of his interceptions for touchdowns … Returned seven kickoffs for 182 yards … Earned All-State honors from HighSchoolOT.com as a junior … Collected 44 total tackles on defense and picked off one pass … Broke up 11 passes … Had a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown … Totaled 1,059 yards offensively, including 722 passing … Scored four offensive touchdowns … Chose Gardner-Webb over Army, Air Force, Akron, Navy, Mercer, Richmond and Lehigh.
Tyson Moorer * 6-4 * 280 * OL * Charlotte, N.C. / Providence Day School
Played at Providence Day (N.C.) School under Coach Chad Grier … Led Chargers to back-to-back NCISAA Division I State Championships … Selected to play in the Carolina Bowl Senior Showcase and the Queen City Senior Bowl … Posted 15 pancake blocks in 13 games as a senior … Cleared a path for a 12-1 record and one of the state's most explosive offenses … Blocked for an offense that averaged 425.0 yards per game and scored more than 50 points in five games … Chargers scored 55 points in the NCISSA state title game … Helped Providence Day to an 8-3 record in 2021 as a junior … Team won final seven games of the season to secure a state title.
Luke Rector * 6-4 * 300 * OL * Valdese, N.C. / Draughn HS
Played at Draughn (N.C.) High under Coach Chris Powell … Led team to a 13-2 record as a senior … Named first-team All-State by the N.C. Sportswriters Association in 2022 … Selected as Western Highlands Conference Lineman of the Year … Rated as the state's No. 21 senior prospect by Prep Redzone … Dominant blocker finished senior season with 56 pancake blocks for a team that churned out 399.4 yards of total offense per game and 221.1 yards per game on the ground … Cleared a path for 56 rushing touchdowns … Had 70 total tackles, 14.0 tackles for loss and three sacks on defense … Earned All-Conference honors in basketball as a junior after posting up for 10.4 points and 8.5 rebounds per game … Had 36 pancake blocks as a sophomore in just seven games played … Also had 34 total tackles and 4.0 tackles for loss on defense that season … Chose Gardner-Webb over ETSU, Wofford, Fordham and Florida A&M.
Tywan Royal * 6-0 * 180 * CB * Norcross, Ga. / Norcross HS
Played senior season at Norcross (Ga.) High under Coach Keith Maloof … Helped team to an 8-4 record … Earned first-team All-Region honors for 7-7A in 2022 … An honorable mention All-County selection by the Gwinnett Touchdown Club … Finished the 2022 campaign with 56 total tackles and two interceptions in 12 games … Broke up 16 passes and blocked a punt … Added eight tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks … Also punted for an average of 38.3 yards and kicked off for the Blue Devils in one game … Returned five kickoffs for an average of 30.8 yards per attempt with a long gain of 81 yards for a score … Also returned an interception for a touchdown against South Gwinnett High … Played two seasons at Lanier (Ga.) High … Posted 36 total tackles (27 solo) and broke up eight passes in 2021 as a junior … Also picked off two passes and forced a pair of fumbles … Had a 77-yard interception return for a score … Originally committed to North Dakota State … Also held offers from Samford, Tennessee Tech and Grambling State.
Jack Schultz * 6-4 * 260 * DL * Kannapolis, N.C. / AL Brown HS
Played senior season at AL Brown (N.C.) High under Coach Mike Newsome … Earned Academic All-State honors following senior season … Carries a stellar 4.2 grade point average and is a member of the National Honors Society … Selected to play in the Queen City Senior Bowl … Finished the 2022 season with 79 total tackles, 20.0 tackles for loss, eight sacks and 28 quarterback pressures … Had 10 tackles vs. Hickory Ridge High … Posted 12 hits vs. Mooresville High … Had a season-high 4.0 tackles for loss vs. Sun Valley High … Attended The Cannon (N.C.) School for two seasons … Led team to the 2021 NCISSA Division II State Championship as a junior … An NCISAA All-State selection on offense and defense … Collected 90 tackles, 20.0 tackles for loss and eight sacks … Earned All-Observer honors from the Charlotte Observer following sophomore campaign in 2020 … Also an honorable mention NCISAA All-State choice on the offensive line … Had 54 tackles, 15.0 tackles for loss and eight sacks as a sophomore … Also considered Wofford and Princeton.
DJ Tyler * 6-4 * 190 * WR * Blythewood, S.C. / Blythewood HS
Played senior season at Blythewood (S.C.) High under Coach Jason Seidel … Runs the 40-yard dash in 4.42 seconds … Helped Bengals to a 10-2 record and the second round of the state playoffs in 2022 … A Class 5A All-State selection by the South Carolina Football Coaches Association … A first-team All-Midlands choice by The State newspaper … A fianlist for Midlands Receiver of the Year by SCVarsity.com … Caught 41 passes for 810 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2022 … Played junior season at North Cobb (Ga.) High … Chose Gardner-Webb over Jacksonville State, Chattanooga, Wofford and Duquesne … Also recruited by Middle Tennessee State and Navy.
Kendall Williams * 6-5 * 220 * TE * Columbia, S.C. / Spring Valley HS
Played at Spring Valley (S.C.) High under Coach Robin Bacon … Earned Class 5A All-State honors from the South Carolina Football Coaches Association … Selected to play in the Carolina Bowl Senior Showcase … Rated as the No. 34 senior prospect in the Midlands by SCVarsity.com … The No. 2 rated tight end in the area … Caught 18 passes for 215 yards and two touchdowns in 2022 … Had two catches for 60 yards vs. Richland Northeast High … Caught three passes for 55 yards and a touchdown vs. Fort Mill High … Played one season of high school football after concentrating on basketball early in prep career.
Head coach Tre Lamb and his staff signed 14 high school prospects and one junior college standout to National Letters of Intent on Wednesday. The staff will announce incoming transfers at a later date.
"Our success on the field this season created opportunities for our coaching staff to get involved with a higher caliber recruit, and we closed on a very strong group," said Lamb. "We bring back the bulk of our roster for next season, but we do need to continue building and increasing our talent and expectations for Gardner-Webb football. We got better today. No doubt."
The December class features six All-State selections and is headlined by a pair of receivers that earned three star ratings during their prep careers.
Miami, Fla., speedster Giovanni Adopte (6-0, 180) is rated as a three-star prospect in the Class of 2022 by 247Sports.com and entertained offers from FBS Illinois, Pittsburgh, FAU and Charlotte as a high school senior.
Junior college transfer Antonio Barber (6-1, 195) earned All-Conference honors at Independence Community College last season and was rated as a three-star recruit by 247Sports.com as a high schooler in Rock Hill, S.C., and for Hough (N.C.) High near Charlotte.
Barber was committed to the University of Tennessee as a high school junior and held nearly 30 Division I scholarship offers. He selected Gardner-Webb over Murray State and Northwestern State last week before signing on Wednesday.
The offensive line group is impressive, anchored by All-State lineman Luke Rector (6-4, 300) from nearby Draughn (N.C.) High in Valdese. GWU also signed tackle Will Fitzpatrick (6-6, 285) from Walton (Ga.) High in Marietta and Tyson Moorer (6-4, 280) from Providence Day (N.C.) School in Charlotte.
A pair of All-State tight ends will add to a very talented position group. Jackson Head (6-3, 235) from River Ridge (Ga.) High caught 137 passes for 1,989 yards and 22 touchdowns over his career in the Peach State. Kendall Williams (6-5, 220) earned All-State honors in his first – and only – high school football season this year at Spring Valley (S.C.) High.
All-Region quarterback Jaylen King (6-4, 200) directed a run-heavy offense at Charlton County (Ga.) High over the past two seasons and led his squad to an 8-3 mark in 2022. A gifted runner with a rocket arm, King passed for 2,234 yards and 17 touchdowns over his career and ran for 551 yards. He chose Gardner-Webb over an offer from FBS Troy.
Quarterback Lukas Kachilo (6-1, 190) was one of Gardner-Webb's earliest commitments over the summer and made it official when he signed his NLI on Wednesday morning. The West Henderson (N.C.) High signal caller passed for 3,380 yards and 43 touchdowns this season to lead the Falcons to a 12-1 record.
Receiver DJ Tyler (6-4, 190) was highly recruited out of Blythewood (S.C.) High and brings impressive 4.42 speed to the table along with an elite catch radius. Tyler earned Class 5A All-State honors in 2022 after hauling in 41 passes for 810 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Bengals.
The defensive backfield got a major boost on Wednesday with the addition of Ryan Barrett (6-1, 185), Nigel Lucas (6-1, 180) and Tywan Royal (6-0, 180).
Barrett starred at Kell (Ga.) High, earning All-Region honors twice over the past two years. He was courted by several Division I programs – including three Ivy League schools. Lucas played at Wake Forest (N.C.) High and was selected to play in the Shrine Bowl this month after earning conference Player of the Year honors. Royal, a corner, signed with Gardner-Webb after originally committing to North Dakota State. He collected 56 tackles and broke up 16 passes in 2022 at Norcross (Ga.) High to earn All-Region honors.
Linebacker RJ Brown (6-0, 210) was an All-State choice at East Forsyth (N.C.) High, leading the team to a 12-1 record as as senior. He finished his career with 395 tackles. He had 136 hits for East Forsyth this past season.
Gardner-Webb also added a key piece up front on defense with the addition of tackle Jack Schultz (6-4, 260). The A.L. Brown (N.C.) High star and National Honor Society member finished his senior campaign with 79 total tackles, 20.0 tackles for loss, eight sacks and an eye-popping 28 quarterback hurries.
2023 Signing Class (December 21, 2022)
Giovanni Adopte * 6-0 * 180 * WR * Miami, Fla. / Avant Garde Academy
Antonio Barber * 6-1 * 195 * WR * Rock Hill, S.C. / Independence CC
Ryan Barrett * 6-1 * 185 * DB * Marietta, Ga. / Kell HS
RJ Brown * 6-0 * 210 * LB * Kernersville, N.C. / East Forsyth HS
Will Fitzpatrick * 6-6 * 285 * OL * Marietta, Ga. / Walton HS
Jackson Head * 6-3 * 235 * TE * Woodstock, Ga. / River Ridge HS
Lukas Kachilo * 6-1 * 190 * QB * Hendersonville, N.C. / West Henderson
Jaylen King * 6-4 * 200 * QB * Folkston, Ga. / Charlton County HS
Nigel Lucas * 6-1 * 180 * DB * Wake Forest, N.C. / Wake Forest HS
Tyson Moorer * 6-4 * 280 * OL * Charlotte, N.C. / Providence Day School
Luke Rector * 6-4 * 300 * OL * Valdese, N.C. / Draughn HS
Tywan Royal * 6-0 * 180 * CB * Norcross, Ga. / Norcross HS
Jack Schultz * 6-4 * 260 * DL * Kannapolis, N.C. / AL Brown HS
DJ Tyler * 6-4 * 190 * WR * Blythewood, S.C. / Blythewood HS
Kendall Williams * 6-5 * 220 * TE * Columbia, S.C. / Spring Valley HS
Giovanni Adopte * 6-1 * 180 * WR * Miami, Fla. / Avant Garde Academy
Played senior year at Avant Garde (Fla.) Academy under Coach George Stubbs … Rated as a three-star recruit by 247Sports.com … Rated as one of the top receiver prospects in Florida … Runs the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds … Explosive playmaker caught 35 passes for 630 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior … Averaged 18.0 yards per catch … Grabbed 19 passes for 383 yards and four touchdowns as a junior for Dade Christian School in seven games … Averaged 20.2 yards per catch … Chose Gardner-Webb over Eastern Kentucky and Charlotte … Also had offers from FAU, Illinois and Pittsburgh.
Antonio Barber * 6-1 * 195 * WR * Rock Hill, S.C. / Independence CC
Junior college transfer from Independence (Kan.) Community College under Coach Jason Martin … Earned honorable mention All-KJCCC in 2022 … Caught 31 passes for 333 yards and four touchdowns in nine games as a sophomore … Rated as a three-star recruit as a high school prospect by 247Sports.com … Runs the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds and has a 40-inch vertical … Spent freshman season at East Mississippi Community College … Played senior high school season at Hough (N.C.) High under Coach Matthew Jenkins … Originally committed to the University of Tennessee ... Played two seasons at Rock Hill (S.C.) High … A two-time All-Region selection … Earned All-Area honors from the Rock Hill Herald as a junior on the same team as current GWU All-American Narii Gaither … Named first-team All-South Carolina by USAToday that season … Caught 28 passes for 575 yards and eight touchdowns … Chose Gardner-Webb over Murray State and Northwestern State … Also entertained offers from Cincinnati, NC State, Colorado, Colorado State, Kansas, Liberty, Ole Miss, Virginia Tech, Tulane, South Florida, Texas Tech, Syracuse, Southern Miss, Western Kentucky, Kansas, Charlotte, Buffalo, UMass, UConn, Temple, ETSU, NC Central, Hampton, Towson and Chattanooga.
Ryan Barrett * 6-1 * 185 * DB * Marietta, Ga. / Kell HS
Played at Kell (Ga.) High under Coach Bobby May … Excellent student with a 3.76 grade point average … A two-time All-Region selection for the Longhorns … Led team to a 10-2 record in 2022 … Finished senior season with 35 total tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and four pass break ups … Also caused two fumbles … Scored three touchdowns on offense … Chose Gardner-Webb over Akron, Columbia, Penn, Harvard, Eastern Illinois, Chattanooga, UT-Martin, Alabama A&M, Lehigh and Bucknell.
RJ Brown * 6-0 * 210 * LB * Kernersville, N.C. / East Forsyth HS
Played at East Forsyth (N.C.) High under Coach Todd Willert … Named first-team All-State by the N.C. Sportswriters Association at linebacker in 2022 … Named Conference Defensive Player of the Year … Finished senior season with 136 total tackles (72 solo), 25.0 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks … Picked off two passes and recovered two fumbles … Returned a pair of interceptions for touchdowns … Posted a season-high 20 total tackles (15 solo) vs. Reagan High … Had at least 10 hits in eight different games … Led defense to nine games with a touchdown or less allowed, including six shutouts … Earned All-Northwest honors from the Winston-Salem Journal as a junior … Posted 147 total tackles, 21.0 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks … Also broke up three passes … Collected 101 tackles and 16.0 tackles for loss as a sophomore … Chose Gardner-Webb over The Citadel.
Will Fitzpatrick * 6-6 * 285 * OL * Marietta, Ga. / Walton HS
Played at Walton (Ga.) High under Coach Daniel Brunner … Cleared a path for a Raiders' offense that picked up 452.4 yards of total offense per game … Led team to a 10-3 record … A first-team Class All-Region 5-7A selection in 2022 … Earned preseason Class 7A All-State honors from RecruitGeorgia.com … Key blocker for a team that finished with a 9-4 record in 2021 … Chose Gardner-Webb over Lehigh, UT-Martin and Bryant.
Jackson Head * 6-3 * 235 * TE * Woodstock, Ga. / River Ridge HS
Played at River Ridge (Ga.) High under Coach Michael Collins … A first-team All-Cherokee County selection for three seasons … Rated as one of the top tight ends in the Peach State by the Atlanta Journal Constitution … Hauled in 137 catches for 1,989 yards and 22 touchdowns for his career … A first-team All-Region selection as a senior … Finished senior season with 51 catches for 615 yards and five touchdowns … Had seven catches for 136 yards vs. Sprayberry High … A first-team All-State choice in 2021 by the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association … Had 47 catches for 695 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2021 … Hauled in seven balls for 124 yards and a two scores vs. Johns Creek High … Had nine caches for 116 yards and two scores vs. Centennial High … Caught 36 passes for 657 yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore …Chose Gardner-Webb over Army and Columbia.
Lukas Kachilo * 6-1 * 190 * QB * Hendersonville, N.C. / West Henderson
Played at West Henderson (N.C.) HIgh under Coach Paul Whitaker …Passed for 6,634 yards and 70 touchdowns over final three seasons … Led Falcons to a 12-1 record as a senior … Completed 248-of-342 passes for 3,380 yards and 43 touchdowns … Passed for a season-high 362 yards vs. East Rutherford … Tossed six touchdown passes vs. Tuscola … Season total marked the sixth-best yardage effort in Western North Carolina public schools history … Led Western North Carolina in passing as a senior … Tossed 10 touchdown passes in three state playoff games in 2022 … Passed for 240 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 82 yards and another score vs. West Rowan High … Completed 22-of-25 passes for 304 yards and four scores vs. North Davidson High … Was sharp as a junior, passing for 2,129 yards and 21 touchdowns in only nine games … Earned All-WNC honors from the Asheville Citizen-Times … Had a career-high 484 yards passing and four touchdowns vs. Tuscola High … Completed 40-of-61 attempts in that game … Went 40-of-55 for 409 yards and five touchdowns vs. Franklin High.
Jaylen King * 6-4 * 200 * QB * Folkston, Ga. / Charlton County HS
Played at Charlton County (Ga.) High under Coach Russ Murray … Led team to an 8-3 mark in 2022 … Passed for 2,234 career yards and 17 touchdowns in a run-heavy offensive system … Ran for 551 yards and four more scores over three seasons … Also caught eight passes for 74 yards and two scores … A first-team All-Region selection in 2022 after passing for 879 yards and seven touchdowns on 50-of-91 attempts … Completed 5-of-5 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 101 yards and two more scores in a win over Lanier County … Passed for 76 yards and seven touchdowns on just 61 completions as a junior … Ran for 420 yards that season … Chose Gardner-Webb over Troy.
Nigel Lucas * 6-1 * 180 * DB * Wake Forest, N.C. / Wake Forest HS
Played at Wake Forest (N.C.) High under his father, Coach Reggie Lucas … Led team to a 10-3 record in 2022 … A two-time All-Conference choice … Selected to play in the 2022 Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas … Named Cap 6 Conference Player of the Year … All-purpose standout will play safety for the Runnin' Bulldogs … Caught 35 passes for 656 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior … Also ran for 141 yards and two scores on 34 carries … Excelled in the secondary with 47 total tackles and seven interceptions … Broke up 11 passes and returned three of his interceptions for touchdowns … Returned seven kickoffs for 182 yards … Earned All-State honors from HighSchoolOT.com as a junior … Collected 44 total tackles on defense and picked off one pass … Broke up 11 passes … Had a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown … Totaled 1,059 yards offensively, including 722 passing … Scored four offensive touchdowns … Chose Gardner-Webb over Army, Air Force, Akron, Navy, Mercer, Richmond and Lehigh.
Tyson Moorer * 6-4 * 280 * OL * Charlotte, N.C. / Providence Day School
Played at Providence Day (N.C.) School under Coach Chad Grier … Led Chargers to back-to-back NCISAA Division I State Championships … Selected to play in the Carolina Bowl Senior Showcase and the Queen City Senior Bowl … Posted 15 pancake blocks in 13 games as a senior … Cleared a path for a 12-1 record and one of the state's most explosive offenses … Blocked for an offense that averaged 425.0 yards per game and scored more than 50 points in five games … Chargers scored 55 points in the NCISSA state title game … Helped Providence Day to an 8-3 record in 2021 as a junior … Team won final seven games of the season to secure a state title.
Luke Rector * 6-4 * 300 * OL * Valdese, N.C. / Draughn HS
Played at Draughn (N.C.) High under Coach Chris Powell … Led team to a 13-2 record as a senior … Named first-team All-State by the N.C. Sportswriters Association in 2022 … Selected as Western Highlands Conference Lineman of the Year … Rated as the state's No. 21 senior prospect by Prep Redzone … Dominant blocker finished senior season with 56 pancake blocks for a team that churned out 399.4 yards of total offense per game and 221.1 yards per game on the ground … Cleared a path for 56 rushing touchdowns … Had 70 total tackles, 14.0 tackles for loss and three sacks on defense … Earned All-Conference honors in basketball as a junior after posting up for 10.4 points and 8.5 rebounds per game … Had 36 pancake blocks as a sophomore in just seven games played … Also had 34 total tackles and 4.0 tackles for loss on defense that season … Chose Gardner-Webb over ETSU, Wofford, Fordham and Florida A&M.
Tywan Royal * 6-0 * 180 * CB * Norcross, Ga. / Norcross HS
Played senior season at Norcross (Ga.) High under Coach Keith Maloof … Helped team to an 8-4 record … Earned first-team All-Region honors for 7-7A in 2022 … An honorable mention All-County selection by the Gwinnett Touchdown Club … Finished the 2022 campaign with 56 total tackles and two interceptions in 12 games … Broke up 16 passes and blocked a punt … Added eight tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks … Also punted for an average of 38.3 yards and kicked off for the Blue Devils in one game … Returned five kickoffs for an average of 30.8 yards per attempt with a long gain of 81 yards for a score … Also returned an interception for a touchdown against South Gwinnett High … Played two seasons at Lanier (Ga.) High … Posted 36 total tackles (27 solo) and broke up eight passes in 2021 as a junior … Also picked off two passes and forced a pair of fumbles … Had a 77-yard interception return for a score … Originally committed to North Dakota State … Also held offers from Samford, Tennessee Tech and Grambling State.
Jack Schultz * 6-4 * 260 * DL * Kannapolis, N.C. / AL Brown HS
Played senior season at AL Brown (N.C.) High under Coach Mike Newsome … Earned Academic All-State honors following senior season … Carries a stellar 4.2 grade point average and is a member of the National Honors Society … Selected to play in the Queen City Senior Bowl … Finished the 2022 season with 79 total tackles, 20.0 tackles for loss, eight sacks and 28 quarterback pressures … Had 10 tackles vs. Hickory Ridge High … Posted 12 hits vs. Mooresville High … Had a season-high 4.0 tackles for loss vs. Sun Valley High … Attended The Cannon (N.C.) School for two seasons … Led team to the 2021 NCISSA Division II State Championship as a junior … An NCISAA All-State selection on offense and defense … Collected 90 tackles, 20.0 tackles for loss and eight sacks … Earned All-Observer honors from the Charlotte Observer following sophomore campaign in 2020 … Also an honorable mention NCISAA All-State choice on the offensive line … Had 54 tackles, 15.0 tackles for loss and eight sacks as a sophomore … Also considered Wofford and Princeton.
DJ Tyler * 6-4 * 190 * WR * Blythewood, S.C. / Blythewood HS
Played senior season at Blythewood (S.C.) High under Coach Jason Seidel … Runs the 40-yard dash in 4.42 seconds … Helped Bengals to a 10-2 record and the second round of the state playoffs in 2022 … A Class 5A All-State selection by the South Carolina Football Coaches Association … A first-team All-Midlands choice by The State newspaper … A fianlist for Midlands Receiver of the Year by SCVarsity.com … Caught 41 passes for 810 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2022 … Played junior season at North Cobb (Ga.) High … Chose Gardner-Webb over Jacksonville State, Chattanooga, Wofford and Duquesne … Also recruited by Middle Tennessee State and Navy.
Kendall Williams * 6-5 * 220 * TE * Columbia, S.C. / Spring Valley HS
Played at Spring Valley (S.C.) High under Coach Robin Bacon … Earned Class 5A All-State honors from the South Carolina Football Coaches Association … Selected to play in the Carolina Bowl Senior Showcase … Rated as the No. 34 senior prospect in the Midlands by SCVarsity.com … The No. 2 rated tight end in the area … Caught 18 passes for 215 yards and two touchdowns in 2022 … Had two catches for 60 yards vs. Richland Northeast High … Caught three passes for 55 yards and a touchdown vs. Fort Mill High … Played one season of high school football after concentrating on basketball early in prep career.
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