TOLEDO, Ohio – University of Toledo Head Coach Jason Candle announced on Wednesday the signings of 27 student-athletes to the football program on National Signing Day. Among the 27 newcomers are 19 high school players and eight transfers.
 
"I'm excited about our recruiting class, I think it's a very sound class in a lot of ways," Candle said. "We added a lot of guys who truly love football and want to do this for the right reasons. They take their academics seriously and fit the fabric of what our program is. Obviously the transfer portal has aided us in the past and it did so again this year. The main thing we wanted to do was address some needs that we were presented with, I feel that this is a complete class. Bryan Gasser and our recruiting staff did a phenomenal job, and our coaches did a great job as well getting out on the road and doing the work that needs to be done."

Toledo's class ranks first in the Mid-American Conference, according to 247 Sports, which gave it a score of 176.13, the highest ever in the MAC since it began ranking classes in 1999. It is the sixth time the Rockets have had the No. 1 class in the MAC since Candle assumed the reins as head coach in December of 2015. 

Toledo's national ranking was 64, putting it ahead of "Power Five" schools such as UCLA, Baylor, Virginia, Colorado, Boston College and Northwestern, as well as ahead of "Group of Five" schools Boise State, San Diego State and SMU.
 
Wednesday was the first day of the early signing period for high school football players. Players have until Friday to sign NLIs during the early signing period. The next signing period will begin on National Signing Day on Feb. 1.
 
The Rockets stayed close to home for a significant chunk of their class, bringing in 12 players from Ohio and Michigan, and three more from Indiana. UT also added players from Florida (six), Kansas (two), Georgia (one), Mississippi (one), Texas (one), and Illinois (one).
 
The common link between all 27 players, however, was their fit within the Toledo football team's culture.
 
"First and foremost we're looking for great human beings," Candle said. "They have to understand the difference between right and wrong. That sounds so simple, but it's the truth. They need to be self-starters and be someone who loves the work that comes with playing football. At the end of the day we're looking for highly driven people who like to work."
 
Below is a look at the 27 new additions to the Toledo Football program:
 
Ezekiel Blake
Cornerback | 6-3 | 200 | Sr. | Lauderhill, Fla. (Wellington) | Youngstown State
Ezekiel Blake played two seasons at Youngstown State and totaled 31 tackles. He played in all 13 games this past season and tallied 19 tackles, including a season-high three stops in games at Ohio State and Murray State. Blake played in 10 games in 2022, making one start. He had a career-best four tackles at North Dakota State and had three stops against Kentucky.
 
Jay'Quan Bostic
Safety | 6-1 | 178 | Fr. | Cincinnati, Ohio (Robert A. Taft)
A three-star recruit according to 247Sports, Jay'Quan Bostic is a two-time First-Team All-Ohio honoree. He contributed on both sides of the ball as a junior in 2022, tallying six interceptions while adding 16 catches for 332 yards and six touchdowns.
 
Tashi Braceful
Wide Receiver | 6-2 | 185 | Fr. | Southfield, Mich. (Southfield A&T)
Tashi Braceful is a three-star prospect according to 247 Sports. He helped Southfield A&T to its first-ever Division I state championship as a senior, a 36-32 win vs. No. 1-seed Belleville. Braceful caught 10 passes for 156 yards and a touchdown in the title game. He tallied 65 catches for 1,075 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior, and he also caught 36 passes for 671 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior in 2022 as well.
 
Javon Brown
Wide Receiver | 6-4 | 187 | Fr. | Williston, Fla. (Williston)
Javon Brown was a four-year letterwinner at Williston High School, the same school as current Rocket All-America cornerback Quinyon Mitchell.. He helped lead Williston to double-digit win totals as a junior and senior, including an 11-1 record this past season.
 
Terrell Crosby Jr.
Wide Receiver | 5-10 | 180 | So. | St. Petersburg, Fla. (Lakewood) | Iowa State
Terrell Crosby Jr. comes to Toledo after spending the last two seasons at Iowa State. A three-star recruit coming out of high school, he was a first-team all-state selection as a senior in 2021. He caught 55 passes for 818 yards and 10 touchdowns that year and also added 138 yards and a TD on the ground. Crosby played defense as well, amassing 55 tackles and 10 interceptions in his final high school campaign. The two-way performer had an impressive two pick-sixes as well as a touchdown reception in the same game against Tarpon Springs his senior season, earning Sports Illustrated's All American Freak of the Week honors.
 
Colbyn Daniel
Offensive Lineman | 6-4 | 263 | Fr. | Green Springs, Ohio (Clyde)
Colbyn Daniel was an all-conference selection this past season as a senior at Clyde High School. He will join the Rockets as a preferred walk-on after a successful high school career where he started 23 games on the offensive line.
 
Landen Delich
Safety | 6-2 | 182 | Fr. | Crown Point, Ind. (Crown Point)
Landen Delich earned all-conference and all-area honors while playing for Crown Point High School. He helped lead his team to a victory in the regional championship as a senior this past season.
 
Michael-Arinzé Ezirim
Safety | 6-1 | 183 | Fr. | Dublin, Ohio (Dublin Jerome)
Michael-Arinzé Ezirim is a three-star prospect from Dublin Jerome High School, according to 247 Sports.
 
Trae Gaston
Linebacker | 6-1 | 215 | Fr. | Pensacola, Fla. (Pensacola Catholic)
Trae Gaston is a three-star prospect according to 247 Sports. He had a productive senior seasons at Pensacola Catholic High School, totaling 79 tackles with 12 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, and two interceptions. He played both ways as a sophomore and junior, collecting 80 combined tackles and six tackles for loss while adding 63 receptions and 888 yards offensively between both seasons.
 
Jake Grimm
Offensive Lineman | 6-4 | 300 | Fr. | Gahanna, Ohio (Gahanna Lincoln)
Jake Grimm earned All-Ohio honors as a senior at Gahanna Lincoln High School last season while also receiving first-team all-district and all-conference distinctions.
 
Cameron Gwinn
Defensive Lineman | 6-2 | 246 | Fr. | Columbus, Ohio (St. Francis DeSales)
Cameron Gwinn is a three-star prospect according to 247 Sports. Gwinn was a first-team all-state, all-district, and all-conference honoree as a senior, and also earned all-metro and Super 24 Team honors from the Columbus Dispatch during his career. He led his team in sacks and tackles for loss as a junior and senior, and totaled 150 tackles and 47 TFLs combined in his last two seasons.
 
Carlos Hazelwood
Defensive Lineman | 6-4 | 260 | Fr. | Markham, Ill. (Tinley Park)
Carlos Hazelwood was an IHSFCA All-State honoree while at Tinley Park High School and also earned All-Area honors from the Chicago Tribune. He helped lead his team to the IHSA Class 5A playoffs as a senior, the school's first trip to the postseason since 2017. Hazelwood had 76 tackles last season and 18.0 tackles for loss.
 
Matt Hofer
Offensive Lineman | 6-5 | 299 | Fr. | Valparaiso, Ind. (Valparaiso)
Matt Hofer is a three-star prospect according to 247 Sports. A three-year letterwinner at Valparaiso High School, he was named all-conference and all-area as a junior and senior, and he also earned Top 50 All-State honors as a senior this past season. Off the field, Hofer is one of five finalists for the Colts Man of the Year award with over 150 community service hours while being a member of the National Honor Society.
 
Jakob James
Offensive Lineman | 6-5 | 297 | Sr. | Cincinnati, Ohio (Elder) | Ohio State
Jakob James spent four years with Ohio State and appeared in 24 games during his career, including nine this season.  Prior to his career as a Buckeye, James was a three-star prospect out of Elder High School and was a 2019 First-Team All-Ohio selection and helped lead his school to a state championship game appearance as a senior. He was also a first-team all-conference and second-team all-district selection as a junior in 2018.
 
Allen Jones
Offensive Lineman | 6-6 | 302 | Sr. | Detroit, Mich. (Cass Tech) | Prairie View A&M
Allen Jones played in 11 games for Prairie View A&M in his career, including five this past season. While at Cass Tech, he was awarded the team's Offensive Lineman of the Year award his senior season in 2019.

 Ibraheem Kamara
Linebacker | 6-2 | 174 | Fr. | Akron, Ohio (Akron East)
Ibraheem Kamara is a three-star prospect according to 247 Sports. He earned all-state and all-district honors during his high school career and totaled 132 tackles combined between his junior and senior seasons. Kamara accumulated over 20 sacks and had three interceptions while playing for Akron East High School.

Jacob Kropchak
Offensive Lineman | 6-3 | 310 | Fr. | Rochester Hills, Mich. (Stoney Creek)
Jacob Kropchak is a three-star prospect according to 247 Sports. A three-year letterwinner, he was twice named all-region in high school and also earned all-league and all-state honors. Off the field, Kropchak was an academic all-state performer in the classroom.
 
Zy'Marion Lang
Wide Receiver | 6-3 | 170 | Fr. | Sarasota, Fla. (Cardinal Mooney)
Zy'Marion Lang is a four-star prospect according to Rivals and a three-star prospect according to 247 Sports. As a senior this past season, he caught 37 passes for 586 yards and eight touchdowns as a wide receiver. Lang helped lead Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School to a state championship this past season. He played defense as well, collecting 28 tackles, three tackles for loss, and two interceptions.
 
Maddox Marcotte
Offensive Lineman | 6-3 | 290 | So. | Wichita, Kan. (Bishop Carroll) | Hutchinson Community College
Maddox Marcotte was a First-Team All-KJCCC recipient this past season, helping lead Hutchinson Community College to a 10-1 record and a No. 1 ranking at the end of the regular season. He helped his team produce the second-best scoring offense in the country at 39.1 points per game.
 
Tyler McKinstry
Cornerback | 5-9 | 180 | Fr. | Atlanta, Ga. (Westlake)
Tyler McKinstry is a three-star prospect according to 247 Sports. He was named to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's All-Region team as a return specialist.
 
Hyajah Miller
Cornerback | 6-2 | 168 | Fr. | North Lauderdale, Fla. (Coconut Creek)
Hyajah Miller is a three-star prospect according to 247 Sports. As a senior this past season he collected over 20 tackles and  a whopping 19 pass breakups, as well as an interception and a forced fumble.
 
Kalieb Osborne
Quarterback | 6-3 | 206 | Fr. | Pontiac, Mich. (Waterford Mott)
Kalieb Osborne is a three-star prospect according to 247 Sports. A three-year starter at Waterford Mott High School, he helped lead his team to its first-ever regional title this past season. He threw for 3,532 yards and 34 touchdowns while also rushing for 1865 yards and 25 TDs. Osborne completed 224-of-307 passes as a senior, good for a 73.0 completion percentage. At one point in 2023 he ranked first in the country among high school quarterbacks in total yards.
 
Jadarrius Perkins
Cornerback | 6-1 | 205 | Sr. | Hattiesburg, Miss. (Hattiesburg) | Florida
Jadarrius Perkins played three seasons at Florida, appearing in 23 games. In 2022, he tallied 14 tackles while adding two TFL and an interception, and the year before in 2021 he had 25 tackles and two pass breakups. Prior to his time as a Gator, Perkins played two seasons at Mississippi Gulf Coast CC, appearing in 14 games. He was an all-state performer at Hattiesburg High School.
 
Tre Richardson
Wide Receiver | 5-9 | 162 | So. | Topeka, Kan. (Highland Park) | Hutchinson Community College
Tre Richardson was named a First-Team NJCAA All-American and First-Team All-KJCCC this past season, and ranked second in the NJCAA in both kick returns (28.4) and punt returns (17.3) while ranking third in all-purpose yards (141.0). He returned two punts and one kickoff for touchdowns this year while helping lead Hutchinson to a 10-1 record and a No. 1 ranking at the end of the regular season.
 
Zach Rogers
Cornerback | 6-1 | 172 | Fr. | Southfield, Mich. (Wylie E. Groves)
Zach Rogers is a three-star prospect according to 247 Sports. As a junior, he helped lead his team to a nine-win season and a trip to the state semifinals.
 
K'Von Sherman
Linebacker | 6-2 | 228 | So. | Pearland, Texas (Pearland) | Hutchinson Community College
K'Von Sherman played one season at Hutchinson and was named first-team all-conference while helping lead Hutchinson to a 10-1 record and a No. 1 ranking at the end of the regular season. He totaled 77 tackles in 11 games, as well as 7.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. His most productive game came in the season finale vs. East Mississippi CC when he recorded a season-high 14 stops and a sack. The week before in a game against Iowa Western CC he had 10 tackles, 3.0 TFL, and 2.5 sacks. Sherman was a first-team all-conference honoree his senior season at Pearland High School and had 80 tackles and 4.5 sacks.
 
Tysen Smith
Tight End | 6-2 | 217 | Fr. | Bloomington, Ind. (Bloomington South)
Tysen Smith is a three-start prospect according to 247 Sports. A four-year letterwinner at Bloomington South High School, he was a three-time all-state and three-time all-conference honoree. The Herald Times named him an all-area player four times as well. Smith also lettered two years in basketball.
 
Toledo Football 2024 Recruiting Class

Name	POS.	HT.	WT.	YR.	Hometown/High School/Previous
Ezekiel Blake	CB	6-3	200	Sr.	Lauderhill, Fla./Wellington/Youngstown State
Jay'Quan Bostic	S	6-1	178	Fr.	Cincinnati, Ohio/Robert A. Taft
Tashi Braceful	WR	6-2	185	Fr.	Southfield, Mich./Southfield A&T
Javon Brown	WR	6-4	187	Fr.	Williston, Fla./Williston
Terrell Crosby Jr.	WR	5-10	180	So.	St. Petersburg, Fla./Lakewood/Iowa State
Colbyn Daniel*	OL	6-4	263	Fr.	Green Springs, Ohio/Clyde
Landen Delich	S	6-2	182	Fr.	Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point
Michael-Arinzé Ezirim	S	6-1	183	Fr.	Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Jerome
Trae Gaston	LB	6-1	215	Fr.	Pensacola, Fla./Pensacola Catholic
Jake Grimm	OL	6-4	300	Fr.	Gahanna, Ohio/Gahanna Lincoln
Cameron Gwinn	DL	6-2	246	Fr.	Columbus, Ohio/St. Francis DeSales
Carlos Hazelwood	DL	6-4	260	Fr.	Markham, Ill./Tinley Park
Matt Hofer	OL	6-5	299	Fr.	Valparaiso, Ind./Valparaiso
Jakob James	OL	6-5	297	Sr.	Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder/Ohio State
Allen Jones	OL	6-6	302	Sr.	Detroit, Mich./Cass Tech/Prairie View A&M
Ibraheem Kamara	LB	6-2	174	Fr	Akron, Ohio/Akron East
Jacob Kropchak	OL	6-3	310	Fr.	Rochester Hills, Mich./Stoney Creek
Zy'Marion Lang	WR	6-3	170	Fr.	Sarasota, Fla./Cardinal Mooney
Maddox Marcotte	OL	6-3	290	So.	Wichita, Kan./Bishop Carroll/Hutchinson Community College
Tyler McKinstry	CB	5-9	180	Fr.	Atlanta, Ga./Westlake
Hyajah Miller	CB	6-2	168	Fr.	North Lauderdale, Fla./Coconut Creek
Kalieb Osborne	QB	6-3	206	Fr.	Pontiac, Mich./Waterford Mott
Jadarrius Perkins	CB	6-1	205	Sr.	Hattiesburg, Miss./Hattiesburg/Florida
Tre Richardson	WR	5-9	162	So.	Topeka, Kan./Highland Park/Hutchinson Community College
Zach Rogers	CB	6-1	172	Fr.	Southfield, Mich./Wylie E. Groves
K'Von Sherman	LB	6-2	228	So.	Pearland, Texas/Pearland/Hutchinson Community College
Tysen Smith	TE	6-2	217	Fr.	Bloomington, Ind./Bloomington South

*Preferred walk-on