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Head Coach Mike Jacobs added 16 signees to the Rockets' 2026 roster.
Toledo Football Announces Addition of 16 Rockets on National Signing Day
2/4/2026 12:01:00 PM | Football
Head Coach Mike Jacobs adds talented high school recruiting class to 2026 roster that is bolstered by No. 1 Transfer Portal class in MAC
TOLEDO, Ohio – Toledo Head Coach Mike Jacobs announced the signing of 16 high school student-athletes on Wednesday. The talented class of incoming freshmen joins a Transfer Portal class of 36 newcomers that is ranked No. 1 in the Mid-American Conference by 247 Sports, giving the Rockets a total of 52 new additions to their 2026 roster.
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Toledo's recruiting class leaned heavily on the defensive side of the ball, adding five defensive lineman, three linebackers and two defensive backs.
"We are excited to add this talented group of young men to our roster," said Jacobs. "A number of these guys chose to stick with Toledo through the head coaching transition and became the foundation of our first recruiting class here. Although the transfer portal class was larger this year due to the transition, high school players and the development of talented high school players will continue to be the backbone of this program, and we feel as though we have addressed a number of needs with this group."
The following is a look at Toledo's 2026 recruiting class:Â
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Ziiyahn Blair, S, 6-3, 203, Akron, Ohio – Garfield HS
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.
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Preston Dazey, OL, 6-5, 300, Perry, Ohio – Perry HS
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.
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Seth Elchert, WR, 6-3, 190, Findlay, Ohio – Liberty-Benton HS
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 10 school receiving records while at Liberty-Benton, including 1,052 receiving yards in a single season, 3,867 career receiving yards, 250 career receptions and 52 career TD receptions. A four-time all-academic honoree, 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). He was named league and district Offensive Player of the Year as a senior. Elchert is also a proven winner, capturing three Blanchard Valley Conference championships with Liberty-Benton.
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Micah Fils-Aime, DL, 6-2, 285, Fr., Golden Gate, Fla. – Community School of Naples HS
Micah Fils-Aime was an all-region selection and a Southwest Florida Sports Awards Defensive Player of the Year finalist in his sophomore through senior seasons of high school. He earned team defensive MVP laurels at Community School of Naples as a senior after recording 63 tackles, including 22 tackles for loss, eight sacks and 12 QB hurries. He played his junior campaign at First Baptist Academy in Naples where he was named defensive MVP after recording 81 tackles, 26 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. He played at Golden Gate High School in Naples as a sophomore, earning all-region honors. For his career, Fils-Aime had 250 tackles, 89 tackles for loss and 34 sacks.
Jordan Fox, LB, 6-1, 220, Fr., Cordele, Ga. – Crisp County HS
Jordan Fox earned all-region honors in his junior and senior seasons at Crisp County High School. A two-time team defensive MVP, Fox had 122 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, three sacks and three interceptions as a senior, earning honorable mention all-state honors.
Nathan Gersh, LB, 6-2, 225, Dexter, Mich. – Dexter HS
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.
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Adrian Love Jr., DL, 6-2, 260, Fr., Tuscaloosa, Ala. – Hillcrest HS
Adrian Love Jr. earned all-region honors in his junior and senior seasons for Hillcrest High School in Tuscaloosa, Ala. He was named his school's Defensive Player of the Year as a senior.
Tyrell O'Neal, DL, 6-3, 265, Fr., Cleveland, Ohio – Benedictine HS
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 HS
Jake Palucki is ranked as the No. 31 player in Illinois'Â 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.
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Vincenzo Pizzo, OL, 6-6, 290, St. Clair Shores, Mich.  – Lakeview HS
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.
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Hunter Probst, P, 6-5, 210, Santa Rosa, Calif.  – Rancho Cotate HS
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 stat line 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.
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Hayden Roy, LB, 6-1, 200, Fr., Lyons, Ga. – Tooms County HS
Hayden Roy posted 100 tackles as a senior, including 23 tackles for loss. He also tallied four sacks, five quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Roy was named all-region and all-state as a junior after totaling 69 tackles, including 20 TFLs, Â four sacks, QB hurries, two forced fumbles, and a pair of pass break-ups. He also lettered in wrestling and track & field.
Zackery Samuel Jr., DL, 6-2, 245, Fr., Ellenton, Fla. – Sarasota Cardinal Mooney HS
Zackery Samuel Jr. had 40 tackles and seven sacks as a senior, helping lead Sarasota Cardinal Mooney to a 12-1 record and state championship title. Cardinal Mooney also won the state title in 2024, when Samuel had 12 tackles and three sacks as a junior.
BJ Stovall, DL, 6-2, 228, Romulus. Mich.  – Detroit Cass Tech HS
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.
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Reece Strittmatter, LS, 6-5, 200, Fr., DeSoto, Iowa – Adel-DeSoto-Minburn
Reece Strittmatter was a long snapper at Adel-Desoto-Minburn High School in Adel, Iowa, where he was a second-team all-conference tight end and earned all-state academic honors.
Sharard Vaughn III | S | 6-1 | 200 | Maumee, Ohio – Toledo Central Catholic HS
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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Toledo's recruiting class leaned heavily on the defensive side of the ball, adding five defensive lineman, three linebackers and two defensive backs.
"We are excited to add this talented group of young men to our roster," said Jacobs. "A number of these guys chose to stick with Toledo through the head coaching transition and became the foundation of our first recruiting class here. Although the transfer portal class was larger this year due to the transition, high school players and the development of talented high school players will continue to be the backbone of this program, and we feel as though we have addressed a number of needs with this group."
The following is a look at Toledo's 2026 recruiting class:Â
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Ziiyahn Blair, S, 6-3, 203, Akron, Ohio – Garfield HS
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.
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Preston Dazey, OL, 6-5, 300, Perry, Ohio – Perry HS
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.
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Seth Elchert, WR, 6-3, 190, Findlay, Ohio – Liberty-Benton HS
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 10 school receiving records while at Liberty-Benton, including 1,052 receiving yards in a single season, 3,867 career receiving yards, 250 career receptions and 52 career TD receptions. A four-time all-academic honoree, 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). He was named league and district Offensive Player of the Year as a senior. Elchert is also a proven winner, capturing three Blanchard Valley Conference championships with Liberty-Benton.
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Micah Fils-Aime, DL, 6-2, 285, Fr., Golden Gate, Fla. – Community School of Naples HS
Micah Fils-Aime was an all-region selection and a Southwest Florida Sports Awards Defensive Player of the Year finalist in his sophomore through senior seasons of high school. He earned team defensive MVP laurels at Community School of Naples as a senior after recording 63 tackles, including 22 tackles for loss, eight sacks and 12 QB hurries. He played his junior campaign at First Baptist Academy in Naples where he was named defensive MVP after recording 81 tackles, 26 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. He played at Golden Gate High School in Naples as a sophomore, earning all-region honors. For his career, Fils-Aime had 250 tackles, 89 tackles for loss and 34 sacks.
Jordan Fox, LB, 6-1, 220, Fr., Cordele, Ga. – Crisp County HS
Jordan Fox earned all-region honors in his junior and senior seasons at Crisp County High School. A two-time team defensive MVP, Fox had 122 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, three sacks and three interceptions as a senior, earning honorable mention all-state honors.
Nathan Gersh, LB, 6-2, 225, Dexter, Mich. – Dexter HS
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.
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Adrian Love Jr., DL, 6-2, 260, Fr., Tuscaloosa, Ala. – Hillcrest HS
Adrian Love Jr. earned all-region honors in his junior and senior seasons for Hillcrest High School in Tuscaloosa, Ala. He was named his school's Defensive Player of the Year as a senior.
Tyrell O'Neal, DL, 6-3, 265, Fr., Cleveland, Ohio – Benedictine HS
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 HS
Jake Palucki is ranked as the No. 31 player in Illinois'Â 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.
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Vincenzo Pizzo, OL, 6-6, 290, St. Clair Shores, Mich.  – Lakeview HS
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.
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Hunter Probst, P, 6-5, 210, Santa Rosa, Calif.  – Rancho Cotate HS
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 stat line 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.
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Hayden Roy, LB, 6-1, 200, Fr., Lyons, Ga. – Tooms County HS
Hayden Roy posted 100 tackles as a senior, including 23 tackles for loss. He also tallied four sacks, five quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Roy was named all-region and all-state as a junior after totaling 69 tackles, including 20 TFLs, Â four sacks, QB hurries, two forced fumbles, and a pair of pass break-ups. He also lettered in wrestling and track & field.
Zackery Samuel Jr., DL, 6-2, 245, Fr., Ellenton, Fla. – Sarasota Cardinal Mooney HS
Zackery Samuel Jr. had 40 tackles and seven sacks as a senior, helping lead Sarasota Cardinal Mooney to a 12-1 record and state championship title. Cardinal Mooney also won the state title in 2024, when Samuel had 12 tackles and three sacks as a junior.
BJ Stovall, DL, 6-2, 228, Romulus. Mich.  – Detroit Cass Tech HS
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.
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Reece Strittmatter, LS, 6-5, 200, Fr., DeSoto, Iowa – Adel-DeSoto-Minburn
Reece Strittmatter was a long snapper at Adel-Desoto-Minburn High School in Adel, Iowa, where he was a second-team all-conference tight end and earned all-state academic honors.
Sharard Vaughn III | S | 6-1 | 200 | Maumee, Ohio – Toledo Central Catholic HS
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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