USF Athletics

Bulls Sign 19 as Early Period Opens

December 19, 2018

USF CLASS OF 2019 EARLY SIGNEES ROSTER & BIOS

TAMPA, FLA., DEC. 19, 2018 – The University of South Florida football program welcomed 19 new student-athletes during the first day of the NCAA Early Signing Period, which began Wednesday and ends Friday.
 
Head Coach Charlie Strong and the Bulls were preparing for USF's fourth straight bowl appearance as the early signing period began. USF takes on Marshall Thursday in the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl, set for an 8 p.m. kickoff at Raymond James Stadium before a national TV audience on ESPN.
 
On Wednesday, the first of three days in the early signing period, USF received National Letters of Intent from 19 student-athletes that will don the green and gold. Fifteen of the new Bulls hail from the state of Florida, while three are from Georgia and one is from Virginia.
 
On the defensive side of the ball, the Bulls added 10 players, including a pair of junior college players. Four of the signees play in the secondary, including junior college cornerback McArthur Burnett (Pahokee/Coffeyville CC), who began his career at Florida playing is six games as a redshirt freshman in 2017. He is joined by cornerbacks Jayden Curry (Virginia Beach, Va./IMG Academy) and Daquan Evans (Orlando/Jones HS) and safety Leonard Parker (Tampa/Plant HS).
 
The Bulls added three players along the defensive line, including junior college defensive end Tyrik Jones (Plantation/Arizona Western CC). He is joined by defensive ends Thomas Nance (Eagle Lake/Lake Region HS) and Jason Vaughn (Auburndale/Advance Prep).
 
The Bulls also added three linebackers in Demaurez Bellamy (Deland/Deland HS), Tae'Aviion Gray (Quitman, Ga./Brook County HS) and Darius Williams (Miami/Norland HS), who tallied 58 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and six sacks in his senior season.
 
On the offensive side of the ball, the Bulls added nine players, including quarterback Jahquez Evans (Atlanta/Mays HS), a Georgia 6A All-State first team selection who threw for 928 yards and 10 touchdowns and ran for 365 yards and four touchdowns in six games in his senior year.
 
The Bulls added four offensive linemen in Joshua Blanchard (Miami/Norland HS), Raymond Collins (Largo/Largo HS), Dustyn Hall (Punta Gorda/Charlotte HS) and Matthew McDuffie (Glen Saint Mary/Baker County HS).
 
USF also added a running back in Josh Berry (Davenport/Ridge Community HS) and three wide receivers, including 6-4 Logan Berryhill (Kingsland, Ga./Camden County HS), 6-1 Xavier Weaver (Orlando/Orland Christian Prep), who posted 110 catches, 2,124 yards and 32 touchdowns on his career, and Groveland, Fla. speedster Kelley Joiner Jr. (South Lake HS), who tallied 4,525 career yards and 55 touchdowns rushing.
 
2019 USF Football Early Signing Class (Day 1)
Early Signing Class size: 19     Defense: 10; Offense: 9
                                                                                                                         
                             POS. HT    WT. YR    HOMETOWN/HIGH SCHOOL
DEFENSE
Demaurez Bellamy           LB       5-10    210   Fr.       Deland, Fla./Deland HS
McArthur Burnett              CB      5-9      172   Jr.        Pahokee, Fla./Pahokee HS/Coffeyville CC 
Jayden Curry                    CB      5-11    190   Fr.       Virginia Beach, Va./ IMG Academy 
Daquan Evans                  CB      5-11    175   Fr.       Orlando, Fla./Jones HS
Tae'Aviion Gray                 LB      6-2      215   Fr.       Quitman, Ga./Brook County HS
Tyrik Jones                        DE      6-2      235   Jr.       Plantation, Fla./Plantation HS/Ariz. Western CC
Thomas Nance                  DE      6-3      240   Fr.       Eagle Lake, Fla./Lake Region HS
Leonard Parker                 S         5-11    188   Fr.       Tampa, Fla./Plant HS
Jason Vaughn                   DE      6-5      225   Fr.       Auburndale, Fla./Advance Prep Academy
Darius Williams                 LB       6-0      210   Fr.       Miami, Fla./Norland HS
OFFENSE
Josh Berry                        RB       6-0      181   Fr.       Davenport, Fla./Ridge Community HS
Logan Berryhill                 WR      6-4      186   Fr.       Kingsland, Ga./Camden County HS 
Joshua Blanchard            OL       6-3      279   Fr.       Miami, Fla./Norland HS
Raymond Collins              OL       6-3      289   Fr.       Largo, Fla./Largo HS
Jahquez Evans                QB       6-2      180   Fr.       Atlanta, Ga./Mays HS 
Dustyn Hall                       OL       6-3      277   Fr.       Punta Gorda, Fla./Charlotte HS
Kelley Joiner Jr.                WR     5-9      180   Fr.       Groveland, Fla./South Lake HS
Matthew McDuffie            OL       6-5      310   Fr.       Glen Saint Mary, Fla./Baker County HS
Xavier Weaver                  WR     6-1      165   Fr.       Orlando, Fla./Orlando Christian Prep 
 
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