For Texas Wesleyan, National Signing Day was a day of historic proportions for the reconvened NAIA program located in Fort Worth, Texas. Last fall, the Texas Wesleyan Rams made their triumphant return to the practice field after a 75-year hiatus caused by World War II and will return to the playing field in 2017. Since then, Wesleyan has made monumental strides to revitalize a program that has been dormant since their last game against Texas A&I of Kingsville in November of 1941.
Now under the direction of head coach Joe Prud’homme, who spent 24 years as the head football coach at Fort Worth Nolan Catholic and established a Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) 5A division dynasty that won seven state championships from 2004-2013, Texas Wesleyan has laid the ground work in order to build a new tradition.
“It’s a historic signing. Last year’s class and this year’s class are kind of considered one big class. They’re the foundation piece of where we’re going and I think that’s huge. They’re going to be what we go forward with,” said Prud’homme in regards to his initial signings last April and this recruiting class.
Wesleyan had a total of 29 recruits sign with 15 on defense, 13 on offense and one specialist. Seven recruits will be making their way south from the state of Oklahoma come next semester and one will be heading to Texas from Ohio. The remaining recruits are all Texas products with four from the immediate Fort Worth city area.
“They’re very strong on the field, in the classroom and in their communities,” Prud’homme said, “They are exactly the model of what we are looking for…and they’re exactly what we want to build with. We recruited these guys to compete for starting positions.”
Prud’homme was especially grateful of his staff and their efforts to help bring in a class that is expected to don the blue and gold come Wesleyan’s first game September 2 against McPherson College in Kansas.
“The staff was outstanding. They did a great job of recruiting, a great job of laying out the vision, recruiting the type of kids we want and will have in this program and they were tireless in their efforts. They really got after it and did a lot of work on these guys to make sure they were the right fit in every facet.”
Here is a look at the 2017 Texas Wesleyan Recruiting Class:
Name/Pos/Ht/Wt/School
Kendre’ Franklin, DB, 6-0, 160, Victoria East
Ja’Rod Bedford, DB, 5-10, 170, Cedar Hill
Michael Millet Jr. OLB/LS 6-2, 190 Richardson Berkner
Bryce Nye, K, 5-8, 165, Brock
John Garcia, OL, 6-1, 250, Fort Worth South Hills
Sergio Albarran, LB, 6-0, 187, Fort Worth South Hills
Gregory Weathers, RB, 6-1, 170, Wilmer-Hutchins
Herb Sparks, DB, 6-2, 190, Wilmer-Hutchins
Dillon Cook, QB, 6-3, 175, Purcell (Oklahoma)
Adrian Gardner, DB, 6-0, 170, Dallas Samuell
DeQuane Graves, LB, 5-10, 190, Arlington Sam Houston
Anthony Belton, WR, 6-0, 180, Edmond North (Oklahoma)
Sam Eldredge, OL, 6-3, 275, Edmond Memorial (Oklahoma)
Grant Hill, OL, 6-3, 275, Edmond Memorial (Oklahoma)
Grant Decker, QB, 6-3, 210, Edmond Memorial (Oklahoma)
Marquette Kennedy, TE, 6-2, 220, Universal City Randolph
William Walter, LB, 5-11, 201, Casady (Oklahoma)
Tre Wolf, WR, 6-0, 165, Victoria East
Mason Buenger, DL, 6-2, 220, Victoria West
Braden Van Cleave TE, 6-4, 250, Crestview (Ohio)
Jonell Pagan, WR, 6-1, 170, Eisenhower (Oklahoma)
Jordan Purnell, DB, 5-11, 185, Fort Worth Brewer
Andrew Rangel, LB, 5-10, 186, Birdville
Calvin William, LB, 6-1, 180, Mount Pleasant
Austin Acklin, DB, 6-0, 170, Bethel (Oklahoma)
Jason Ramsland, DL, 6-0, 233, Richmond George Ranch
Donovan Davidson, WR, 5-11, 160, Dallas Roosevelt
TyQuandrick Conner, LB, 6-1, 205, Fort Worth O.D. Wyatt
Ryan Houston, RB, 5-11, 205, Frisco Independence
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