FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State head football coach Jeff Tedford announced 16 additions to the program as the early signing period kicked off on Wednesday morning, receiving valid National Letters of Intent from 14 high school recruits and two junior college additions. Prospective student-athletes have an early period to sign, Dec. 20-22, while the second signing period resumes Feb. 7.
"We are excited to add these 16 guys to our roster for next season with a group that brings versatility and talent on both sides of the ball," said Tedford on the signing class. "This signing class is full of local products that our staff did a great job at keeping home to play in the Valley. We will have four mid-year additions, including two junior college transfers and two high school signees, who will be able to gain experience with us early on. Our staff recruited a good group of young men who have the qualities that it takes to be a Bulldog."
Class Notes
Of the 16 signees, seven are on the offensive side of the ball and nine are on the defensive
Fresno State signed 14 high school athletes and two junior college additions in Karim McCune II (WR) and Jakari Embry (DB)
Four of the 16 additions will join the program as mid-year enrollees -- Jordan Malau'ulu (WR), Damarrion White (DL), Karim McCune II (WR) and Jakari Embry (DB)
Fresno State signed eight Central Valley products, including three from Clovis West High School
Eight Valley recruits are the most since having eight in the 2018 signing class, head coach Jeff Tedford's second signing class as head coach. The last time the program had more than eight was the nine signed in 2010
13 of Fresno State's signees are listed as three-star recruits
The December signing class is made up of talent from five different states in California (12), Arizona (1), Michigan (1), New York (1) and Alabama (1)
The defensive back room had the most signees with five
The wide receiver room added the most signees on that side of the ball with three, including a junior college addition
Newcomers by the Numbers
16 additions for 2024
7 offensive additions
9 defensive additions
12 California signees
4 out of state signees
14 first-year players
2 junior college additions
8 Valley signees
OFFENSE
RBBryson Donelson | 5-11 | 200 | Visalia, Calif. (Central Valley Christian)
WRJordan Malau'ulu | 5-10 | 170 | Long Beach, Calif. (Long Beach Poly)
WR Karim McCune II | 5-11 | 175 | Saginaw, Mich. (Monterey Peninsula College)
WR Marshel Sanders | 5-10 | 190 | Fresno, Calif. (Clovis West)
TEJace Nixon | 6-5 | 220 | Bakersfield, Calif. (Liberty)
OLMarsel Akins | 6-4 | 260 | Tulare, Calif. (El Diamante)
OLEthan Dasmann | 6-5 | 260 | El Dorado Hills, Calif. (Oak Ridge)
DEFENSE
DL Auckland Asiata | 6-2 | 245 | Sutter, Calif. (Sutter)
DL Damarrion White | 6-3 | 220 | El Cajon, Calif. (Granite Hills)
LBTytus Khajavi | 6-0 | 230 | Fresno, Calif. (Clovis West)
LBLogan Studt | 6-1 | 210 | Clovis, Calif. (Buchanan)
DBJakari Embry | 5-11 | 175 | Gadsden, Ala. (Golden West College)
DBLoyall Mouzon | 5-11 | 175 | Rochester, N.Y. (Millikan)
DB Jordan Pierro | 5-9 | 170 | Fresno, Calif. (Clovis West)
DBKiontre Harris | 6-0 | 155 | Lemoore, Calif. (Lemoore)
DBGerayas Grimes | 5-10 | 170 | Queen Creek, Ariz. (Casteel)
Fresno State offensive line assistant Matt Smith on Marsel Akins...
"Marsel is a Valley kid. He is another long and athletic kid. We would really like to utilize his athletic ability to be able to block. He is still tough, and he is a good kid who is fun to talk to. He is bright and energetic, and brings a good energy to the room."
Fresno State offensive line assistant Matt Smith on Ethan Dasmann...
"Ethan is a big, physical, lengthy kid who will bring a certain tenacity and a lot of toughness to the room. You can tell he loves football. He lives, breathes and eats football. He has got a really good chance to come in and compete, and be a part of the group that we have here."
Fresno State running backs coach Aaron Prier on Bryson Donelson...
"Bryson is a big time get for us. He is a big time player. He brings a good mix of power and speed to our offense. He has great footwork, great vision and he is all around a great kid. We are excited to keep him home in the Valley."
Fresno State offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach Pat McCann on Jordan Malau'ulu...
"Jordan is an electric personality from an energy standpoint. He is a really good football player, and his skill set leads him to be able to do a lot of things. His film, you see him play on both sides of the ball and he plays on special teams. He is overall just a really good football player who will bring a ton of value to what we do on offense. I think he can do a lot of things for us."
Fresno State offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach Pat McCann on Karim McCune II...
"Karim is freaky athletically talented. He is pretty inexperienced when it comes to football. He started playing late in his high school career, he was more of a basketball player then. He did track at Monterey, and was a really good high jumper and long jumper. He is really talented on the basketball floor, and you see that show up in some of the stuff he does as a football player. I am really excited about him because I think his ceiling is really high."
Fresno State special teams coordinator/tight ends coach John Baxter on Jace Nixon...
"Jace Nixon is the son of a coach. He fits the profile of the guys we have recruited. He is the third quarterback that we have recruited to play tight end here. He fits everything that we are looking for. He has the size to play the position. He has the athleticism to play the position. He has the intelligence to play the position. the hardest position to play in football is the quarterback, and the second is tight end, because you have to know everything that everybody has to do. It is a unique profile of an athlete that you are looking for and Jace fits what we have been looking for."
Fresno State offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach Pat McCann on Marshel Sanders...
"Marshel is really talented as an athlete. He is a really good basketball player. He has a really good feel for the game, and you see that on film on both sides of the ball. He has got a steady, even-keeled presence. You can't really rattle him. I think that is what will allow him to compete early."
Fresno State defensive line coach Jethro Franklin on Auckland Asiata...
"Auckland brings toughness and physicality. He is a very smart football player. He has a huge wrestling background, which we have been pretty successful in the past when we had guys who wrestled and played football. Two examples are Lorenzo Neal and Zack Rix. He brings that same toughness. He has a feel for pressure."
Fresno State defensive backs coach JD Williams on Jakari Embry...
"As a junior college player, he is expected to come in here and play a significant amount. He brings experience, size, speed and a toughness factor that we need in the back end. I am excited about him. He will be a mid-year guy, so will be with us this spring."
Fresno State defensive backs coach JD Williams on Gerayas Grimes..
"Gerayas is a great addition because he is smart and tough. The kid understands football. When he was here, we put him through some scenarios on the board and he passed with flying colors. He comes from a great family. His father understands football, so the kid has been around the sport. We are excited about him because he is one of the young players who could come in and contribute quite a bit. Excited to see how he does. He will come in in the summer and do some good things for us."
Fresno State defensive backs coach JD Williams on Kiontre Harris...
"Kiontre has a tremendous up-side. He can run. He will hit. He will put his whole body into it. You talk about somebody who just really loves football, and that's him. He is another local product from Lemoore. The city has always been known to have tough players, so anytime we can get a guy from there we have to take advantage of it."
Fresno State linebackers coach Tim Skipper on Tytus Khajavi...
"Tytus has a non-stop motor!! He's a good football player that knows how to get to the quarterback and makes a lot of tackles in the backfield. He always finds a way to be around the football. He has great instincts, and is another local guy who will be fun to have in a Bulldog uniform."
Fresno State defensive backs coach JD Williams on Loyall Mouzon...
"Loyall brings lots of speed. He is very fast, and a very instinctive player. He is smart. He is fast. He is physical. He is one of those that could be ready to play early."
Fresno State defensive backs coach JD Williams on Jordan Pierro...
"He is another local talent that did some great things at Clovis West. We like how he plays. He shows great leadership. I am excited about him when he gets here. He is a little undersized right now, but he can put on some weight. He will be a good player for us"
Fresno State linebackers coach Tim Skipper on Logan Studt...
"Logan is a natural leader on and off the football field. He's a tough, hard-nosed football player ... a tackling machine that knocks people backwards on contact. He's an exciting addition to our room, and a local talent the Red Wave can be excited about."
Fresno State defensive line coach Jethro Franklin on Damarrion White...
"Damarrion brings a load of athleticism. He is going to be a good pass rusher for us. He is a really good athlete. He runs well. What he brings to our room is the ability to rush the passer."