Image courtesy of JMU Athletics Communications
By Bennett Conlin
Keeping track of the transfer portal and high school recruiting can be a massive challenge. It’s even harder given the lack of consistent national recruiting coverage for Group of Five teams.
To make life a little easier for JMU football die-hard fans, we’ll aim to track JMU’s 2024 high school recruiting class in this one document. We’ll create a 2024 transfer portal tracker later in the fall.
Offensive additions
Nate Crosby Jr., RB – Marshall and Charlotte were among the schools to recruit the North Carolina product. He’ll join a JMU program with a strong recent history at the running back position. He’s a versatile player who can run and catch.
Deacon Rawls, OL – West Virginia, Temple, Charlotte, and Army all offered Rawls, a Virginia Beach product. Listed at 6’5″ and 315 lbs, Rawls has great size and talent. He’s a nice addition for the Dukes.
Evan Bushong, OL – JMU recruits Pennsylvania well, and Bushong plays in the Harrisburg area. He was offered by Army, as well as several Ivy League schools. He’s listed at 6’3″ and 295 lbs.
Kobe Campbell, OL – The Dukes have done well to add unheralded recruits before they blow up, and Campbell might fit that mold. He had offers from a few FCS schools in addition to JMU, but he recently competed in camps at Florida and Duke, earning top OL performer during his trip to Duke. Campbell, who is from North Carolina, is a nice get for JMU.
Alberto Mendoza, QB – The first quarterback of JMU’s 2024 class, Mendoza was offered by ECU, App State, and Charlotte, among other teams. The prospect from Miami is viewed as a 3-star recruit by 24/7 Sports.
Keenan Phillips, RB – Phillips announced his commitment over Instagram, picking JMU over App State, Boston College, NC State, Troy, and Tulane, among other offers. The talented running back from Georgia is extremely shift, often eluding defenders in tight spaces. He’s capable of returning kicks in addition to playing running back.
Defensive additions
Bryson Banks, LB – Banks is undersized at about 5’9″, but he has tremendous potential. UCF, UConn, Navy, and Army were among the schools to offer Banks. If he was a few inches taller, he’d likely be a target of numerous Power Five teams. He plays his high school football in Georgia.
Anthony Walker, LB – JMU added Walker, a North Carolina prospect. Like Banks, he has a ton of potential. He’s a bit taller at 6-feet tall, and he also had a nice list of offers that included App State and Charlotte. Walker was also courted by several of JMU’s former CAA peers, including Richmond and Delaware.
Immanuel Ezeogu, LB – At 6’3″, Ezeogu could develop into an edge rusher if needed. The prospect from Virginia was fixated on attending JMU throughout the recruiting process, according to the DNR.
Ronnell Davis, S – JMU beat out West Virginia in a recruiting battle for the defensive back from Delaware. Curt Cignetti is likely thrilled with this addition, as programs like Duke and UConn also tried to land Davis’ services.
Dontrae Henderson, S – Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, East Carolina, and Marshall all offered Henderson, who is from North Carolina. Henderson chose the Dukes. He adds to the Dukes’ impressive group of young defensive back additions.
Chase Regan, S – The run on defensive backs continued with Regan’s commitment. The safety from Pennsylvania received a bunch of FCS offers, and Old Dominion was among the FBS teams to offer Regan. He picked JMU out of his 20ish D1 offers.
Phillip Harris, DB – Another North Carolina prospect joins the Dukes, as Harris picked JMU over ECU, West Virginia, Marshall, Coastal Carolina, and others. He’s an impressive addition to JMU’s class.
Mario Landino, DL – The first defensive lineman to commit to JMU’s 2024 recruiting class, Landino is a tremendous player. The Dukes continue their solid recruiting in Pennsylvania, adding a player with nice size (6’4″ and 255 lbs). Landino picked JMU over a bunch of other schools, including Coastal Carolina, Rutgers, and UConn.
Jah Jah Boyd, CB – This is a big commitment. Boyd is the highest-rated high schooler to ever commit to JMU. A Pennsylvania prospect, Boyd held offers from Penn State, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, and Boston College. He has the ability to earn significant playing time early in his JMU career.
Marcellus Nash, EDGE – Nash held offers from App State, Arizona, Coastal Carolina, Marshall, Penn State, and others. The in-state defender ultimately picked JMU, giving the Dukes yet another strong addition along the defensive line. Nash is one of the highest-rated recruits in JMU’s 2024 class.
Daniel Ndukwe, EDGE – A talented defensive end from Georgia, Ndukwe also held offers from App State, Coastal Carolina, Memphis, Tulane, and UCF, among others. He’s a quality player that adds to JMU’s impressive 2024 class, bolstering a special group of defensive additions.
Deity Deablo, EDGE – What a name! Deablo, who is from North Carolina, also received offers from App State, Boston College, and ODU. At 6’5″ and 230 lbs, it’s easy to get excited about Deablo’s potential as an outside rusher.
Milton Ferguson, DB – The three-star defensive back from Virginia Beach also received offers from Maryland, Miami, Virginia, and Virginia Tech. He’s a talented player who drew interest from solid Power Five schools.
Keelan Flowe, DB – A three-star defensive back, Flowe decommitted from West Virginia to join the Dukes. The Dukes’ 2024 class is remarkably talented in the secondary.