Tech football inks 12 on National Signing Day
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- It's one of the biggest days of the year for Tennessee Tech Football as the paperwork is filled out and sent back in as a whole new group of Golden Eagles gets set to make their way to Cookeville. National Signing Day is underway and it's the making of another exciting class for the Golden Eagles. Follow along on Twitter -- @TNTechFootball -- or here at TTUsports.com as more signees are added.
By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- The paperwork is done for now and the Tennessee Tech football team will start setting its sights on the 2023 campaign with the addition of 12 new Golden Eagle players on Wednesday on National Signing Day.
With the 11 signees from the December signing day, the entire class numbers 23 following Wednesday's event, but there are still a couple more additional names that could join up in the next few days.
Among Wednesday's signees were a wide receiver, a tight end, two running backs, an offensive lineman, two defensive backs, three linebackers, a defensive lineman and two athletes, giving the Tennessee Tech squad a lot more firepower with the December signees.
Tech head coach Dewayne Alexander and the Golden Eagle coaching staff will host a local event at IrrationALE Kitchen + Taps tonight from 5 to 6:30 as he goes over the entire 2022-23 signing class.
Wednesday's 12 signees included:
Mason Luensman | K | 5-11 | 175 | LaSalle HS | Cincinnati, Ohio
Luensman had a tremendous career kicking for LaSalle as he kicked for 160 total points. He was successful on 22 of 29 field goal tries – including a career-long 48-yarder – while he was 94-of-96 on point after tries. He set a school-record for field goals in a game with four.
He was named second-team All-Southwest Ohio in 2020 and first-team in 2021 and was the All-Southwest Kicker of the Year in 2021 and 2022. He was also named to the Cincinnati Enquirer's All-Star team in 2021 and third-team All-Ohio that same season.
Jordan Harris | RB | 5-10 | 170 | Alcoa HS | Alcoa, Tenn.
A finalist for the 2022 Tennessee Titans Class 3A Mr. Football Award, Harris helped lead Alcoa to a TSSAA Class 3A state championship with 1,895 all-purpose yards and 28 touchdowns. He was named an All-State selection by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association and was named the Maryville Daily Times' Offensive Player of the Year. He won four state championships with Alcoa and was twice named all-state and three times all-region.
A team captain for the Tornadoes in 2022, Harris ran for 999 yards and 20 touchdowns on 106 carries – an average of 9.42 yards per rush – while also catching 25 passes for 412 yards and four touchdowns.
He was named all-region and the district defensive player of the year in basketball, while he was also a two-time individual state champ in the long jump as Alcoa won two state track and field championships. Harris also finished third in the state in the 200m and sixth in the 100m.
Mekhi Penix | WR | 6-5 | 200 | Tampa Bay Tech HS | Tampa, Fla.
The son of former Tennessee Tech running back Michael Penix and the brother of Indiana and Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr., the younger Penix son is looking to head to Cookeville to make a name for himself. This past season, he finished with 13 catches for 213 yards with two touchdowns.
Aiden Littles | DB | 5-11 | 190 | Pigeon Forge HS | Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
Littles had a standout season for Pigeon Forge, rushing for 1,533 yards on 166 carries, averaging 9.2 yards a carry and 127.8 yards per game. He had six 100-plus rushing yard games and had 20 rushing scores. He also had 170 receiving yards on 12 catches with two touchdowns. He also had eight punt returns for 126 yards, an average of 15.75 yards per return. Defensively, he had 54 total tackles with three for-loss, five QB hurries, a sack, three pass breakups and a fumble recovery.
In his prep career, he rushed for 3,057 yards and 36 touchdowns. He was named All-Region, Region 2-3A Offensive Player of the Year and All-State this past season. Littles was also a state runner-up in wrestling.
Dylan Thomaselli | DE | 6-3 | 235 | Lake Minneola HS | Minneola, Fla.
Thomaselli recorded 33 tackles this past season through eight games, including 13 for-loss with 3.5 sacks, an interception and a forced fumble. In his career, he collected 130 stops – 31 for-loss with 10.5 sacks. He also had three fumble recoveries in his tenure at Lake Minneola. A team captain last season, he earned the Army Leadership Award in the Cure Bowl and has competed with the school's weightlifting team for four seasons.
Terrance Dedmon | LB/ATH | 6-0 | 170 | Upperman HS | Baxter, Tenn.
A two-sport athlete at nearby Upperman High School, Dedmon played running back and middle linebacker. On offense last season, Dedmon rushed for 992 yards and 11 touchdowns, while catching five passes for 123 yards and another score. He ended his prep career with 2,921 rushing yards and 30 total touchdowns.
On defense, Dedmon ended his career with 227 tackles, including 24 for-loss, with five sacks. Last season, he had 66 total tackles – 7.0 for-loss – with two pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and another fumble forced.
A team captain, Dedmon was also named the Region 4-3A Offensive Player of the Year in 2020 and the Region 4-4A Defensive MVP in 2022. He was also named first-team all-region in 2021.
Traquan Johnson | RB/ATH | 6-0 | 195 | Lakewood HS | St. Petersburg, Fla.
Johnson rushed for over 1,200 yards on 130 carries during his senior campaign, while also proved to be a dual threat as he recorded 50 tackles and six sacks on defense. He was ranked by 24/7Sports as one of the top 200 recruits in the state of Florida for 2023.
Okachi Emmanwori | DB | 5-11 | 190 | Wofford | Irmo, S.C.
Emmanwori played two seasons as Presbyterian and two seasons at Wofford. While with the Blue Hose, Emmanwori recorded 56 tackles, a sack, two interceptions, four pass breakups and six passes defended. In his junior season at Wofford, he tallied 42 tackles. Last season, he ended the year with 26 total stops, two pass breakups and a forced fumble.
Cedric Augustin | LB | 6-0 | 220 | Lakewood HS | Bradenton, Fla.
Nicknamed "Fresh," the linebacker had an impressive junior campaign with 65 tackles, 11 sacks and two forced fumbles. He followed that up his senior campaign with 65 more tackles, including 14 for-loss. A team captain, Augustin is also a standout in track and field.
Wes Thompson | OL | 6-5 | 300 | Muscle Shoals HS | Muscle Shoals, Ala.
Thompson helped Muscle Shoals to an 11-2 record in 2022, reaching the Class 6A semifinals in the postseason. Under his watch, Muscle Shoals has gone on to a 39-9 record in his career as a three-year starter. In addition to two first-team All-Region selections, the 2022 team captain was also twice named to the Muscle Shoals all-area team.
Tyler Nix | TE | 6-3 | 220 | Beech HS | Hendersonville, Tenn.
A versatile student-athlete, Nix played strong safety, tight end and fullback for the Buccaneers. This past season at tight end, he caught eight passes for 98 yards – an average of 12.3 yards per catch – for three touchdowns. On the defensive side of the ball, he recorded 105 total tackles and 10 for-loss with 4.5 sacks and 12 QB hurries. Nix also had a 72-yard interception return for a touchdown, nine pass breakups, two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and a blocked field goal.
A team captain in 2022, Nix was also named the region Defensive Lineman of the Year while leading Beech to the Class 6A title game and a selection to the TACA East-West All-Star game.
Bronco Hanks | LB | 6-1 | 210 | Beech HS | Hendersonville, Tenn.
This past season, Hanks – named after the Denver Broncos -- recorded 121 total tackles – 81 solo and 40 assisted – with eight for-loss, while also collecting a sack and 10 QB hurries, five pass breakups, a forced fumble and two blocked punts. The 2022 team captain ended his prep career with a school-record 405 total tackles – an average of 8.1 per game – and 25 TFL. Hanks helped lead Beech to the Class 6A championship game and earned three region Defensive MVP honors.
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The complete 2022-23 signing class thus far includes:
Dyson Bell | DB/ATH | 6-3 | 185 | Riverdale HS | Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Okachi Emmanwori | DB | 5-11 | 190 | Wofford | Irmo, S.C.
Bronco Hanks | LB | 6-1 | 210 | Beech HS | Hendersonville, Tenn.
Traquan Johnson | RB/ATH | 6-0 | 195 | Lakewood HS | St. Petersburg, Fla.
Tyler Nix | TE | 6-3 | 220 | Beech HS | Hendersonville, Tenn.
Wes Thompson | OL | 6-5 | 300 | Muscle Shoals HS | Muscle Shoals, Ala.
