Coach Bobby Johnson announces 17-member football signing class
Posted 2/5/2009
Johnson announced the class of 17 commitments Wednesday on campus. The signees feature nine offensive prospects and eight defensive candidates. The Vanderbilt staff targeted several position needs during the process, including running back, defensive back and offensive line.
“We’re extremely pleased with this group of young men and believe this class definitely improves the overall talent and depth of the Vanderbilt football team,” Johnson said. “This class is the result of a tremendous amount of work by our coaching staff. Collectively, our coaches did an excellent job of addressing certain position needs and attracting the best available players into the program. I think we became a better football team today.”
The class includes three highly regarded running back candidates – Warren Norman (Stone Mountain, Ga.), Zac Stacy (Centreville, Ala.) and Wesley Tate (Hendersonville, Tenn.) – aimed at increasing depth at the key offensive position.
In the defensive secondary where Vanderbilt will miss starters Reshard Langford and D.J. Moore, the staff signed five prospects: Eddie Foster (Colleyville, Texas), Jay Fullam (Chattanooga, Tenn.), Javon Marshall (Huber Heights, Ohio), Eric Samuels (Eustis, Fla.) and Trey Wilson (Shreveport, La.).
The staff also signed three offensive line hopefuls – Mylon Brown (Trilby, Fla.), Justin Cabbagestalk (Tampa, Fla.) and Wesley Johnson (Nashville, Tenn.) – with the realization that several starters next season will be in their final year of eligibility.
The Commodore class also includes Parade Magazine prep All-American quarterback Charlie Goro (Park Ridge, Ill.), All-State performers in wide receiver Brady Brown (Argyle, Texas) and tight end Mason Johnston (Jacksonville, Fla.), a quality defensive end tandem of Walker May (Birmingham, Ala.) and Thad McHaney (Nashville, Tenn.), and standout inside linebacker Blake Southerland (Lawrenceville, Ga.).
The Commodores are coming off a 7-6 campaign last year. The season – Vanderbilt’s first with a final winning record since 1982 – ended with a 16-14 victory over nationally ranked Boston College in the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl on Dec. 31.
Johnson has 18 starters returning next season. The Commodores expect to start Spring Practice on March 10 in Nashville. The team’s featured Black and Gold Scrimmage is scheduled for March 28.
An alphabetical list of the 2009 Commodore signing class follows:
Signees, Position, Ht., Wt., Residence, High School
Brady Brown, wide receiver, 6-5, 200, Argyle, Texas/Argyle H.S.
Mylon Brown, offensive line, 6-5, 300, Trilby, Fla./Pasco County H.S.
Justin Cabbagestalk, offensive line, 6-3, 265, Tampa, Fla./Armwood H.S.
Eddie Foster, defensive back, 5-10, 165, Colleyville, Texas/Heritage H.S.
Jay Fullam, safety, 6-1, 190, Chattanooga, Tenn/The McCallie School
Charlie Goro, quarterback, 6-2, 192, Park Ridge, Ill./Maine South H.S.
Wesley Johnson, offensive line, 6-5, 250, Nashville, Tenn./Montgomery Bell Academy
Mason Johnston, tight end, 6-4, 235, Jacksonville, Fla./The Bolles School
Javon Marshall, defensive back, 5-10, 180, Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne H.S.
Walker May, def. end/linebacker, 6-5, 210, Birmingham, Ala./Briarwood Christian H.S.
Thad McHaney, def. end/tight end, 6-5, 235, Nashville, Tenn./Brentwood Academy
Warren Norman, running back, 5-10, 188, Stone Mountain, Ga./Chamblee H.S.
Eric Samuels, defensive back, 6-0, 185, Eustis, Fla./Umatilla H.S.
Blake Southerland, linebacker, 6-2, 235, Lawrenceville, Ga./Greater Atlanta Christian
Zac Stacy, running back, 5-9, 192, Centreville, Ala./Bibb County H.S.
Wesley Tate, running back, 6-2, 210, Hendersonville, Tenn./Pope John Paul II H.S.
Trey Wilson, defensive back, 5-11, 182, Shreveport, La./Evangel Christian Academy
Contact: Larry Leathers, (615) 343-6437
larry.leathers@vanderbilt.edu
www.vucommodores.com
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