Toledo Signs Historic Recruiting Class, Tops MAC Rankings Once Again

2026 Toledo Football Recruiting Class

TOLEDO, Ohio – Toledo Head Coach Jason Candle announced the addition of 24 signees on the first day of the early signing period, securing a class that is not only ranked No. 1 in the Mid-American Conference by 247Sports for the third straight year, but also stands as the highest-rated recruiting class in Mid-American Conference history for the third consecutive year.

The Rockets' 2026 class earned a 247Sports score of 183.06, surpassing Toledo's own record of 180.64 set last year and 180.60 for the 2024 class. This marks the eighth time under Candle that Toledo has signed the MAC's top class, reinforcing the program's reputation as the league's premier recruiting power.

Nationally, Toledo's class ranks No. 70 according to 247 Sports, ahead of several Power 4 programs, including Baylor, Virginia, Colorado, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Penn State, and UCF.

"I'm really excited about this class," said Candle. "It's a class of winners. It's a class of high character guys with great passion for the game of football who will add a major impact to our campus in more ways than just the 12 opportunities a year you are guaranteed to play a game. They fit the culture that we want. They fit the brand that we're trying to create. They will fit in our locker room."

The class features a strong regional presence, with nine signees from Ohio, four from Michigan, three from Indiana and one from Illinois. Toledo also signed four recruits from Florida, two from North Carolina, and one from California.

Today is the first day of the early signing period for high school football players. Student-athletes have until Friday to sign NLIs during the early signing period.

The following is a look at Toledo's 2026 recruiting class:

Shmar Akande | CB | 6-2 | 175 | West Park, Fla. (West Broward)
Shmar Akande is ranked as the No. 67 cornerback in the country and the No. 63 player in Florida's 2026 class by Rivals. He is listed as a three-star recruit by ESPN, Rivals and 247Sports. Akande played three varsity years at West Broward High School, tallying 63 tackles, 39 pass deflections, four interceptions and two fumble recoveries.

Logan Barnes | WR | 6-3 | 180 | Marion, Ind. (Marion)
Logan Barnes is listed as a three-star recruit and ranked as the No. 35 player in Indiana's class of 2026 by Rivals. A four-sport athlete at Marion High School, Barnes has won All-North Central Athletic Conference honors in football, baseball, basketball and track. A triple threat athlete at Marion, Barnes threw for 702 yards with two passing touchdowns, rushed for 675 yards with seven rushing touchdowns, and earned 400 receiving yards with five receiving touchdowns.

Ziiyahn Blair | S | 6-3 | 203 | Akron, Ohio (Garfield)
Ziiyahn Blair is listed as a three-star recruit by both 247Sports and Rivals. He went to Akron Early College High School but played for nearby Garfield since they didn't have athletics. Blair picked up numerous awards at Garfield, including four all-conference honors, two all-district honors and the Akron City Series Defensive Player of the Year award.

Grant Blascak | S | 6-3 | 215 | Medina, Ohio (Walsh Jesuit)
Grant Blascak is ranked as the No. 71 player in Ohio's class of 2026 by 247Sports. He is listed as a three-star recruit by ESPN, Rivals and 247Sports. Blascak played three years of varsity football and basketball for Walsh Jesuit High School and won First-Team All-Northeast Inland district honors for football.

Nate Dawson Jr. | CB | 6-2 | 185 | Cincinnati, Ohio (Winton Woods)
Nate Dawson Jr. is ranked as the No. 51 player in Ohio's class of 2026 by ESPN and the No. 91 player in Ohio's class by 247Sports. He is listed as a three-star recruit by ESPN, 247Sports and Rivals. Dawson Jr. won first-team and second-team All-Eastern Cincinnati Conference honors while at Winton Woods. His career high school stats include 46 tackles, 16 pass breakups, five interceptions, four forced fumbles and two touchdowns.

Preston Dazey | OL | 6-5 | 300 | Perry, Ohio (Perry)
Preston Dazey is ranked as the No. 66 player in Ohio's class of 2026 by 247Sports. He is listed as a three-star recruit by both 247Sports and Rivals. Dazey excelled at football and basketball at Perry High School, making first-team all-county honors in both sports. He was also a two-time All-Federal League selection with football.

Seth Elchert | WR | 6-3 | 190 | Findlay, Ohio (Liberty-Benton)
Seth Elchert is ranked as the No. 46 player in Ohio's class of 2026 by ESPN and the No. 70 player in Ohio by Rivals. He is listed as a three-star recruit by ESPN, Rivals and 247Sports. A two-way player at Liberty-Benton High School, Elchert won four all-league wide receiver awards and three all-league safety honors. He set nine school receiving records while at Liberty-Benton, including 1,052 receiving yards in a single season. Elchert ranks in the top 10 all-time in OHSAA history in career receptions, touchdowns and receiving yards. He also holds the OHSAA record for most consecutive games with a reception (47). Elchert is also a proven winner, capturing three Blanchard Valley Conference championships with Liberty-Benton.

Jah'keevi Garnett | LB | 6-2 | 220 | Charlotte, N.C. (Shelby/ Garden City CC)
Jau'keevi Garnett is a linebacker from Garden City (Kan.) Community College. As a sophomore, Garnett tallied 52 tackles in 11 games for Garden City. He was a three-star recruit coming out of Shelby High School in Charlotte, N.C.

Nathan Gersh | LB | 6-2 | 225 | Dexter, Mich. (Dexter)
Nathan Gersh is ranked as the No. 29 player in Michigan's class of 2026 by 247Sports and the No. 64 player in Michigan's class by Rivals. The Dexter linebacker is listed as a three-star recruit by 247Sports and Rivals. Gersh has won a plethora of awards while playing at Dexter High School, including being selected to the all-region and all-state teams during his junior season, winning three All-MHSAA Southeastern Conference honors during his senior, junior and sophomore seasons, and winning the MLive Defensive Player of the Year award his junior season. Gersh also made the MLive Ann Arbor Dream Team during his junior and sophomore seasons.

Gavin Gregory | TE | 6-7 | 245 | Alliance, Ohio (West Branch)
Gavin Gregory is ranked as the No. 59 tight end in the country by Rivals and the No. 87 tight end by 247Sports. He is also ranked as the No. 50 player in Ohio's class of 2026 by Rivals and the No. 77 player in Ohio's class by 247Sports. He is listed as a three-star recruit by both Rivals and 247Sports. Gregory was voted first-team all-league in the Eastern Buckeye Conference during his senior season with West Branch. He finished his high school career with 77 receptions for 1,369 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Tyrique Harris | LB | 6-1 | 205 | St. Petersburg, Fla. (Clearwater Central Catholic)
A linebacker from Clearwater Central Catholic, Tyrique Harris is listed as a three-star recruit by Rivals and 247Sports. Harris is the all-time sack leader at Clearwater Catholic Central. He also won a variety of awards in high school, including being named Pinellas County Defensive Player of the Year in 2024 and making the FACA All-District team in 2025.

Mateo Kipke | DL | 6-5 | 250 | Dexter, Mich. (Dexter)
Mateo Kipke is ranked as the No. 43 player in Michigan's class of 2026 by 247Sports and the No. 51 player in Michigan by Rivals. He is listed as a three-star recruit by Rivals and 247Sports. Kipke led Dexter to its first state championship game appearance as a senior, recording 59 tackles, 38 pressures, 9.0 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. He was a three-year starter on the defensive line and a two-way player as a senior. He was a MHSFCA First-Team All-Region and All-District selection and a first-team all-conference pick. Kipke was a team captain in football and also plays lacrosse.

Makijah Latiker | DL | 6-6 | 270 | Fayetteville, N.C. (Trinity Christian)
Makijah Latiker is listed as a three-star recruit and is ranked as the No. 41 player in North Carolina's class of 2026 by Rivals. He made the all-conference second team in his freshman and sophomore seasons at Trinity Christian and the all-conference first team his junior and senior years.

Jackson Mangham | TE | 6-8 | 235 | Lewis Center, Ohio (Olentangy)
Jackson Mangham is ranked as the No. 24 tight end in the country as well as the No. 23 player in Ohio's class of 2026 by Rivals. He is listed as a three-star recruit by Rivals. Mangham was a Second-Team All-OCC Cardinal selection as a senior at Olentangy.

Tyrell O'Neal | DL | 6-3 | 270 | Garfield Heights, Ohio (Cleveland Benedictine)
Tyrell O'Neal is ranked as the No. 65 player in Ohio's class of 2026 by 247Sports and the No. 75 player in Ohio by Rivals. A second-team all-district defensive lineman as a senior for Benedictine High School in Cleveland, O'Neal is listed as a three-star recruit by Rivals and 247Sports.

Jake Palucki | OL | 6-5 | 270 | Tinley Park, Ill. (Andrew)
Jake Palucki is ranked as the No. 31 player in Illinois's class of 2026 by Rivals and the No. 50 player in Illinois by 247Sports. He is listed as a three-star recruit by Rivals and 247Sports. Palucki was selected to the 2025 SWFVL All-Conference team as an offensive lineman for Andrew High School in Tinley Park, Ill.

Vincenzo Pizzo | OL | 6-6 | 290 | St. Clair Shores, Mich. (Lakeview)
Vincenzo Pizzo is a 6-6, 290-pound offensive lineman from Lakeview High School in St. Clair Shoes, Mich. He won all-academic, all-region and all-county awards while in high school.

Bo Polston | QB | 6-3 | 210 | Indianapolis. Ind. (Decatur Central)
Bo Polston is ranked as the No. 71 quarterback in the country by ESPN as well as the No. 80 quarterback by 247Sports. He is ranked as the No. 25 overall player in Indiana's class of 2026 by ESPN and the No. 2 quarterback from Indiana's class by 247Sports. He is listed as a three-star recruit by ESPN, 247Sports and Rivals. Polston won the 5A Indiana State Championship as a junior in 2024, giving Decatur Central their first ever football state title and leading him to win the 5A Indiana Player of the Year award. He's also won All-Marion County honors and All-Mid-State Conference honors in all four seasons as the Decatur Central starting quarterback. Polston is a two-time all-state selection and is Decatur Central's school touchdown record holder. He amassed over 5,500 career passing yards, 2,000 career rushing yards and 100 total touchdowns in high school.

Hunter Probst | P | 6-5 | 210 | Santa Rosa, Calif. (Rancho Cotate)
Hunter Probst is ranked as the No. 11 punter in the country by Rivals and the No. 31 punter by ESPN. He is listed as a three-star recruit by Rivals and ESPN. Probst won the All-League Specialist of the Year award while playing for Rancho Cotate High School. His career statline at Rancho Cotate includes two 59-yard punts and a punt average of 40.0 yards. Probst also kicked 35.9% of his punts inside the 20-yard line and pinned opponents inside the 10-yard line on six occasions.

Eeli Singleton | WR | 5-10 | 185 | Tampa, Fla. (Lennard/East Central C.C)
Eeli Singleton is a transfer from East Central Community College, a junior college in Decatur, Miss. He played two seasons as a captain with ECCC, racking up 1,403 receiving yards on 124 receptions, with five touchdowns. Singleton spent his freshman season with the Division II Minot State Beavers.

Martece Smith | CB | 6-1 | 175 | Hammond, Ind. (Morton)
Martece Smith is ranked as the No. 33 player in Indiana's class of 2026 by Rivals as well as the No. 42 player in Indiana's class by 247Sports. He is listed as a three-star cornerback recruit by both Rivals and 247Sports. Smith has tallied 48 tackles, three tackles for loss and two interceptions in two years on Morton varsity football.

BJ Stovall Jr. | LB | 6-2 | 228 | Romulus. Mich. (Cass Tech)
BJ Stovall Jr. is ranked as the No. 35 player in Michigan's class of 2026 by 247Sports as well as the No. 54 player in Michigan by Rivals. He is listed as a three-star recruit by both Rivals and 247Sports. Stovall Jr. starred for Cass Tech football and basketball, leading the Technicians to win the MHSAA Division 1 State football Championship in 2024 as a junior, as well as their first-ever MHSAA Division 1 State basketball Championship in 2023 as a sophomore.

Rodarion Tellez | DL | 6-3 | 225 | Davie, Fla. (American Heritage)
Rodarion Tellez is ranked as the No. 80 edge rusher in the country by ESPN. He is listed as a three-star recruit by ESPN, Rivals and 247Sports. Tellez racked up 200 tackles and 33.5 sacks in four years at prep school, including 58 tackles and 12.0 sacks as a senior. He was a part of two state championship teams, at Chaminade Madonna as a freshman and at American Heritage as a junior.

Sharard Vaughn III | S | 6-1 | 200 | Maumee, Ohio (Toledo Central Catholic)
Sharard Vaughn III is ranked as the No. 49 linebacker in the country by Rivals as well as the No. 39 player in Ohio's class of 2026 by Rivals. He is listed as a three-star recruit by both Rivals and 247Sports. Vaughn is listed as a safety but has also played linebacker and wide receiver at Toledo Central Catholic. He won back-to-back Division III OHSAA State Championships with Central Catholic in 2022 and 2023 during his freshman and sophomore seasons. He was also state runner-up with Central Catholic in 2024 during his junior year. Vaughn was a First-Team All-CHSL League selection during his junior season, as well as a Second-Team Offense All-Northwest District honoree.

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